LIFE IS A SPECTRUM
COFFEE!
- Take my son to the potty and back to bed.
- Repeatedly tell him that “What is the opposite of elephant?” is not a question I can answer before finally answering, “Dog,” just to get him to go to sleep.
- Repeatedly curse the Baby Bumblebee “Opposites” DVD.
- Fidget nervously in bed for so long that Dave, still sleeping, literally kicked me out of bed.
- Change my clothes three times. What outfit says, “Take care of my baby. I'm right across the street?” I assemble an outfit. Then change again, because I realize I look kinda like a ninja. Sundress it is.
- Drink a very large cup of coffee.
- Fueled by caffeine and nervous energy, update my Facebook status twice, tweet about the joys of coffee, and write about 40 million posts on MomsLikeMe.com (sorry, ladies). Expect to receive a couple of calls and emails later questioning my mental stability.
- Drink two more very large cups of coffee.
- 10 minutes until wake-up. I rearrange some of the living room furniture. And then put it back because I can no longer get to the bathroom.
-
Wake Billy up for school! With the song “Good Morning To You.” His response: “Please stop singing.”
Happy first day of school!
Something else he'll have to leave at home: my now stretched-out black nightshirt. "I'm the Black Beast," he told me. Indeed.
We've had a wonderful summer. More on that once I've safely gotten him off to school tomorrow.
Right now, I'm more nervous than a two-tailed cat. I feel like I've been shopping for school supplies for a month. But as I'm checking and re-checking the list of things Billy's supposed to bring tomorrow (two bottles of antibacterial soap, boxes of crayons and markers, an assortment of sponges, a ream of copy paper, etc.) I've been thinking about the things he might miss from home.
5. The witch hat
The quintessential image of my summer is Billy zooming around the dining room table on his scooter wearing nothing but Pullups and that pointed witch hat.
4. His Razor scooter
We used to think Billy had coordination problems, but he is crazy good on the scooter. He can weave in and out of furniture, narrowly miss my toes, spin circles and stop on a dime. I actually think it calms him down sometimes, focuses his attention. I just mention it in case any other parents with “sensory seekers” (and a lax attitude toward their hardwood floors) want to give it a try.
Maybe they'll have a storage tub at school that he can relax in.
3. Peanut butter
One of his classmates has a peanut allergy, so no peanut-related products in his lunch or snack. And that got me to thinking how much harder so many parents have it than we do. That peanut thing is serious, scary business. Billy loves peanut butter, but he can have it after school.
2. The laundry basket
Second only to the witch hat, the laundry basket is his costume of choice. It's one of those net pop-up ones, so he can see through it, and he wears it over his head as “Robot Billy.” Sometimes he wears it while riding his scooter. Once, he fell asleep in his bed wearing it.
Billy's best buddy
1. Willow
Billy's sister was barely one and barely walking when school was last in session. Now she is his best friend, playmate, sworn enemy, bath buddy, wrestling opponent, and fellow robot. She has been the third member of our circle during this summer's “circle time,” the world's most appreciative audience for his antics, and the hand he holds while watching TV. He has been the center of her universe. It's going to be hard on her. And me. And very quiet in our house.
Love all of it
Life is a Spectrum & Peanut butter
Attitude, behavior, and the ABCs of autism spectrum
My 13 yr old son has Asperger's and loves peanut butter!!!! Unfortunately he has no control over his eating and will gladly polish off a full jar when your back is turned. Although he was not diagnosed until he was 11, once we learned about ASD we realised and understood all them tantrums as a younger child, and the guilt of not realising your child was not the antichrist that strangers in Tescos etc thought he was with me as the worst mother on earth made me cry as much.
Yes it is near impossible to work out whats autisms "fault" and what is basic human nature.
At the min we cant get our son to sleep and we cant get him to go to school. No help from anywhere, but realistically if we his parents cant get him to go to school, who can??? Autism support is rare in Northern Ireland and im guessing its not too great in rest of UK.
Autism support in the UK
Hi, Jennifer!
Thanks so much for getting in touch. I'm really interested to hear what you said about the lack of autism support in the UK. My husband is British (from England) and we occasionally talk about whether we'd be better off going back to the UK where we wouldn't be at the mercy of insurance companies for health care coverage.
Does your son receive therapy? Behavior services, occupational therapy or speech? Since he has Asperger's, he may not even need speech therapy. But I'm just curious to hear more about your situation and how the coverage of therapy compares.
Again, thanks for checking in and I hope you'll stay in touch :-)
Total 5 comments
love it
Monday August 23 2010 09:23:32 am
jeni
1st Day of Pre-K
Monday August 23 2010 10:45:47 am
Mom
First day of school - thumbs up!
Tuesday August 24 2010 06:13:46 am
From Amanda Broadfoot
First Day of School
Tuesday August 24 2010 07:42:47 pm
Maura
FDOS
Sunday August 29 2010 08:55:20 am
Maureen Ott
Total 5 comments