They get too big too fast

Henry has gotten into this habit of actually waking at about 5 AM.  He drags all his knit and crocheted blankets and piles them onto my bed before attempting to climb in himself.  At this point I groggily say, “You can’t come in my bed until you go potty.”  That is, after all, what woke him.  He just won’t acknowledge that on his own.  Last night he said, “Follow me.”  I was obviously still quite asleep, because I remember saying, “Where are we going?”  He walked to my side of the bed, held out his hand, and answered, “To the baff-room.”  In my head I was thinking, “Right.  Right.  Of course.  The bathroom…” So we stumbled down the hall together.  He stood for a moment by the unopened toilet.  I asked, “Are you going to go potty?  Or should I go first?”  He said, “We’ll go together.”  (I think he’s still under the impression that everyone has a penis.)  He said he wanted to stand to pee.  He looked so cute on his tippy-toes, using both hands to aim–even though he really doesn’t need to.  When we were all finished in the bathroom, we stumbled back to bed.  Just as I got in, he asked, “Where’s my blue blankie?”  I probably mumbled, “I don’t know.”  And Henry said, “It has to be dum-where.”  After a few more “It has to be dum-where’s” I found it on the floor on his side of my bed.  He snatched it from my hand and said, “Dare it is!”  And he snuggled down to sleep a few more hours.

Yes, I still exist…

Well, here it is January of 2008.  Wherever does the time go?  I decided to just post a quick update.  The kids are doing well in school.  I had to call Celia’s teacher and tell him that she wants more work.  He said he’d be happy to oblige, and that her only issue in school is her wandering mind.  I empathized.  At home I can tell her to put her shoes in the basket.  She’ll walk to the bathroom, come back, and say, “What did you want me to do?”  And the shoe basket is just inside our door!!!  David is doing well.  He is beginning to read.  He can read books containing sight words and words in the -an and -at families.  His autistic brain predisposes him to excel at sight words.  Daniel doesn’t show what he knows, and I was beginning to worry that he wouldn’t know anything when he began Kindergarten next fall.  Then the other day he sat down, flipped through a book and named all 26 letters.  He has also shown that he knows quite a few of the letter sounds.  He hides his knowledge so well, I wasn’t sure he knew his ABC’s!  What a relief to find out that all this time he has been absorbing what I’ve been teaching.  And Henry, though 2, also has begun recognizing a lot of letters and some sounds.  His speech is a bit delayed, but I have begun more concentrated “therapy” into our day.  He has shown some improvements just in the last few weeks.  As for me, I’ve finished a few knitting projects.  I hope to post some photos soon.  I’ve also begun a college application to a 2-year program.  With 3 of my 4 kiddos in school in Fall of 2008, I think it would be a good time for me to get a degree.  Well, that’s about all for now.  Perhaps I’ll get to write again soon…

I’ve been delinquent…

Well, lately we’ve been consumed with packing boxes, keeping David from killing Daniel and even Henry, seemingly pointless yard sales, and coping with all the upcoming changes.  I’ve neglected my poor blog.  And my blog stats confirm this.  My number of views have gone from 64 to 30 to 10.  Yes, I have not been the dedicated blogger I vowed to be.

School has been shut down for the time being.  David’s Risperdal is still a double dose in the morning.   And then the rest of the day consists of bribing Celia with tokens to help us pack and do laundry, doing ABA holds on David, removing Henry from the dog’s water bowl, and packing one box every two hours.

My one piece of joy and thanksgiving is that yesterday I heard Amanda promise Caedmon that he would see us every day this week.  I have had a major fear of wanting to see them this week and only hearing that they are too busy with their move.   Yes, they are moving too.  But not to Pennsylvania like I want.  They are merely moving to a new home here in Plainview.  I want so much for them to move near us.  I don’t want to lose Amanda’s friendship.

Thankfully there are tools such as blogs, email, and cell phones.  But when you consider that the kids and I are used to seeing them a few times a week, this is a drastic change.  Friendship like this is a once in a lifetime occurrence.

I am ever so grateful that I also have Melissa’s friendship.  And since she and I met via email, our relationship won’t change no matter where either of us lives.  I think her friendship will also help me cope with our new situation.

I am also hoping to have Celia continue blogging.  As well as having the kids make home movies on DVD and then mail them to Caedmon.  We are blessed to have a video camera that burns directly to DVD.   As for Amanda and I, I intend to blog and email and I’ve already increased my cell phone minutes.

Method to My Madness

Lately I’ve been asked a lot of questions about autism, or therapy, or signing to my children, or eating or sleeping habits of special needs kids… And the list goes on. I’ve been trying to tackle the issues that people seem to want to know about. The result is a combination of chronological journaling and random posts about past major issues.

But what I really want, is for my blog to minister to people’s needs. Whether the need be completely superficial and just wanting to know what size knitting needle I used on Celia’s top, or if someone wants to know more intimate details, like just how many lipsticks David has completely wasted.

So, dear public, I am here to welcome questions. I want to raise knowledge and understanding of autism and other disorders. I want to help people that are also beginning this journey. I can offer empathy and also a long list of books to read!

Halter Top Finished

I finished it tonight. I had to sew elastic thread into the back, but what do you think?

My afghan is finished!

Here is the finished Spiderman Round Ripple Blanket! As soon as it was done, the kids all posed with it and the Spiderman mask…

Stage 1: The beginning of Celia’s halter top… (This is a truer color:)

Stage 2: Two rounds of eyelets finished…