Sprout Light

Recent Creations

2010-12-10T16:28:00.000-08:00

Here are some photos of creations from the MyGym Art & Learning class that we attend on Wednesday afternoons:

Clockwise from top left: Elephant (pastels); Butterfly (pointilism); Japanese cherry blossom (tissue)/ Sea stars (water colors and crayon rubbing)

This week we made a "stained glass" heart (and learned a bit about Italy):

We also got a jump start on some Kwanzaa crafts at home this week (JC is ALL about the winter holidays this year, and he seems fascinated by the similarities between them, especially Hanukkah and Kwanzaa (the candles and the multi-day celebrations). We happened to have a single straw placemat that was perfect for transforming into the Kwanzaa mat (Mkeka) with some crayons, and we found the idea for the candle holder (kinara) on the Nickjr website. LOVE it when we actually have all of the items necessary and no shopping is required!

Last, but certainly not least, JC rediscovered an old book on his bookshelf this week and was eager to read it . . . and even more eager to be recorded while doing so! :) (The main video (Part 1) was too large, which is really a shame, but here is Part 2, the very end of the story)

What happened? Why are you homeschooling? How's it going?

2010-12-07T05:12:00.000-08:00

What happened? Why are we homeschooling?

My decision to homeschool wasn't brought on by one thing alone. It was a culmination of many smaller things (small being a relative term).

In short, I felt that there was a breakdown in communication this year. I accept some responsibility for this, as I am just not very good at playing the games that are necessary within the system of special ed. Perhaps it is emotional immaturity or sensitivity on my part (likely!), but I simply do not know how to pretend to be friendly and cooperative when someone is spitting horse shit in my eye. It is VERY hard for me. I can't be with you AND against you. It's just not how I'm built. If we're on the same side, with the same goals in mind, I expect open, honest communication. This can include disagreement at times, but it should also include sharing the REASONS for disagreeing rather than ignoring or dismissing the input. I got tired of losing sleep over it all and decided to spend my energy - my life - elsewhere. Bitter-sweet.

There were also many changes this year, and at least two of them were poor choices that could have been avoided and might have made a difference: 1) They changed his support person (the one he had last year was a gem and a good fit for JC (and me!)); 2)Very few (only 2) of his wonderful peers from K were in his class this year. Even now, as I type this, it upsets me. :(

In addition, I saw some things with the new peers this year that concerned me, mostly because they didn't seem to be on any one's radar and weren't being addressed or nipped in the bud. The kind of things that could become problems for a child like JC if left unchecked (like teasing and asking a him to repeat a word over and over because his articulation was poor and it sounded funny). I don't blame the children, though - they are still young children, learning themselves.

There was, however, no shortage of caring. JC is a memorable little guy and many of the teachers who knew him appeared to genuinely care about him. But while it is an essential ingredient, caring alone is not enough.

Following is a quote from a friend that sums it up for me. She wrote this in response to another mom who is struggling with a support staff person in her school district, and when I read it a light bulb went off for me. I wish I had thought to say it myself:

"I hope the person you speak with will understand that you're not just complaining be/c she hasn't followed through with stuff with you, but that your concern is that she doesn't seem to know how to help [your son]. Her poor follow-through with you is simply a symptom of that, IMHO."

It's also only fair to add that my son's needs are many. He can be a challenge to accommodate in a public school system without an exceptional team and sufficient resources. He has ASD, but I feel the bigger (or equal) obstacles to school success for him are dyspraxia (and attention deficits). Dyspraxia is a motor planning and coordination disorder. What it means for JC is that he has difficulty planning and executing gross and fine motor movements that come so easily to other kids. He just can't get his body to do what he wills it to do, when he wills it to do it. This impacts his life in oh so many ways - like climbing stairs or play equipment, running, recess, his ability to keep his body still and upright in a chair for an extended period, dressing, putting on shoes, riding a trike, opening a door, etc. And of course in the classroom, it impacts his writing, his ability to use scissors and pretty much anything else that requires coordination of both hands to manipulate objects. It very clearly sets him apart from his peers, and, sadly, he is acutely aware that his peers can do so many things that are SO hard for him. This awareness is good on one hand in that it is often absent for many children with ASD, but it is also painful as it can be the root of behaviors and a threat to self-esteem. And if I had to choose ONLY 1 thing to give my son, it would be self-esteem.

In addition to this, he is a very bright boy. He's a strong reader, has an amazing visual memory, he makes connections between topics, recognizes patterns, and appears to have a good head for numbers. Highly distractable, yes, but very capable of learning along with typically developing peers (and, btw, he was mainstreamed for K, successfully, at HIS request). In fact, his K year was successful enough that "the team" decided he should be promoted to 1st grade, despite his developmental delays, because w/ proper physical and emotional support, he was able to grasp all of the concepts covered and they were worried that he would be bored to death if he had to repeat K. Also, this year before I pulled him from school, he had been placed in the highest level reading group (a bit of an experiment) and was reportedly doing well.

So, as you can see, he has many abilities in addition to his challenges, and I just felt that I could create a more individualized, developmentally appropriate program for him at home where he would be guaranteed to get the 1:1 teaching that he needs. And, frankly, I felt that I owed it to us both to at least try.

How's it going?

Overall it's going really well. It's not perfect, of course, but at this point the pros still outweigh the cons (yes, of course there are cons!).

Pros:
Life is a bit more peaceful. I no longer spend too much time and energy worrying about whether or not he is being supported in ways that benefit him. No more guessing about how his day went because communication from school was limited and his ability to share about his day is limited as well. No more worrying that his days in regular ed classes are limited because he had an outburst due to misunderstanding, or being misunderstood, or a lack of preparation and front loading of expectations by the adults. No more reading between the lines when e-mails go unanswered or questions are avoided.

Now I spend "too much time" researching curricula, searching for printables and other fun activities to support what we're learning. And reading about how to develop strengths and social awareness. And reworking our schedule. We've only been doing this officially for about 7 weeks, and I think we're on our 3rd schedule revision. I trust that it is not the last! (Definitely sympathize w/ the schools where scheduling is concerned!)

JC seems happier and calmer. He still has his moments, of course, but his behavior has largely improved. He seems to like homeschooling and has expressed that he wants to continue (thank goodness) - and he understands that he has to do work at home.

He is more willing to engage in activities that are challenging for him without a fuss. Things like coloring, which is a highly UNdesirable activity for him. His coloring skills are still far behind, but he's improving and even enjoying the process on occasion. Slow and steady.

He is being heard. Because we're home and he has the 1:1 attention that is dedicated to him and only him, by someone who understands him and how he thinks (with some exceptions ;) ), we are able to take advantage of many teaching moments that aren't always possible at school. Some might argue that the "real world" isn't going to slow down and give him this time to repeat himself or expand his ideas that aren't related to the topic at hand. To those I say that's all the more reason to take the time to do it now before he has to go out into the real world on his own - if we're lucky enough for that to happen in the future. I also think of this John Dewey quote: "Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself." The same could be said of childhood, of course. Childhood isn't only preparation for life, it IS life. And a huge, far-reaching part of it.

We're also enjoying a ton of quality time together, and because I'm not stressed out about school, I have more patience and energy. In some ways, I feel that we're getting back time that was lost in his toddler years which were so full of therapy, research, worry (of a different, more intense kind). I am grateful for the Early Intervention programs and early preschool programs available to children like mine with special needs, and at the time I was VERY ready for him to attend and really did benefit, but he's at a place developmentally now where I feel that I can really enjoy him. And I feel very fortunate to be in a position to. Unfortunately, one of the saddest aspects of raising a child on the autism spectrum is that as parents we worry so much about their future that we don't always remember (or have time or energy leftover) to simply enjoy the here and now.

Another benefit, of course, is that his daily program is tailored to his specific needs. This means we start most days with "morning exercise" (a walk, a bike ride, some jogging, dancing, whatever) to wake up our brains and get some wiggles out. We also have built in movement breaks and a period of "Fine Motor Fun" during which we do some sort of craft or task related to what we're learning (could be cutting out vocab cards, gluing, building, etc.) - or we just work on fine motor skills in other ways that are not related to other lessons. He needs this. Daily. We also have the ability to make lessons short and sweet - 20 minutes or LESS. Research shows that less time per lesson/topic is more for most children - and it is certainly true for this child (and his mother ;) ).

Flexibility. Yes, it's a beautiful thing.

Cons:

I miss being part of a larger community (though we're working to develop this w/ homeschoolers and other community enrichment programs, it will take some time). I miss seeing some of the really awesome moms that were involved in the PTA this year. I miss the EVENTS. I miss the IDEA of elementary school life and the sea of children. I miss the pretty classrooms and all the STUFF.
I LOVE THE STUFF!! LOL

I worry about what he needs that I might be missing. But I always have. So I keep reading and learning. And I do believe that what I'm NOT missing will serve him well.

I don't have those school hours to work on selfish projects or get to doctor's appointments now. That's a bit of a bummer, but so far it's not so bad, really. And my husband is very good about giving me time to myself in the evenings if I need it. I am really very lucky in this regard.

The big one: The fear that creeps up when I least expect it is that he won't have the protection of his peer community as he gets older, if we continue with homeschooling long term. This was the real HOPE (ideal) of public school - and part of the reason I was so sad to see how few of his peers from last year were with him this year. But there is no guarantee of this either way, and we do do have time to work this out and create peer communties, but it is a tremendous responsibility that I do not take lightly. I have to have faith that we'll find what he needs.

So there you have it. And one more thing: This kid is AWESOME!!

Rambling Thoughts

2010-12-03T16:59:00.000-08:00

1. I'm pooped. Overall, today balanced out to be a pretty good day (glass half full), but the ups and downs of emotions when observing my sweet boy, and thinking about his needs and his future, across various settings and throughout a given day, can be exhausting. Still wouldn't trade it for all the riches in the world, though.

2. I'm also pooped from staying up too late again to print materials and plan for next week. Then I had to rework our schedule (again!) due to a change in our therapy schedule. I actually found myself feeling sympathetic toward school staff with all they have to fit into a day for so many children, with so many changes and variables. And of course because I struggle with executive functioning AND tend to be a perfectionist about such things, I over-think it and spend way too much time on it . . . and waste paper because I missed a type-o and cannot settle for a printed copy with a mistake .

3. Trying to join a social group of homeschoolers (or any new group of typically developing kids and their parents, frankly) with an "enthusiastic" boy like mine is not comfortable. Nope. But we're trying anyway. He approached the group this afternoon by yelling out at the top of his voice, "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! I WANT CAKE!!!" (giggle, wiggle, jump, skip, run around, giggle, wiggle, skip, run) Always a GRAND entrance. No chance of slipping in quietly and being discrete with this kiddo when he's excited. And he is OBSESSED with the nice young man (whose 13th b-day it was) so I have to watch him like a hawk and intervene so he doesn't try to monopolize the young man's time with questions about how many zip-up jackets he has or why he isn't wearing a belt. ;)

4. He did have a very nice 5-minute exchange with an imaginitive and quiet little girl who led the way pretending to take a trip to the moon. When she asked if he'd like to go to the moon, he squealed with delight: "YES!"
What kind of adventure-loving boy wouldn't want to go to the moon??

5. We'll be wrapping up our study (and celebration) of Hanukkah next week. It's really been quite fun and JC has enjoyed it. We made our first (very basic and slightly unattractive) lapbook about Hanukkah, which provided many opportunties for cutting and pasting (fine motor practice). He wasn't quite as excited about the idea as I was initially, but I'm thinking that as we make more and he is able to refer back to his collection (he's all about collections!), he'll enjoy them. Let's hope so. I did catch him looking at it earlier, and he seemed excited to pull the blessings cards out of the little envelope as we lit the menorah on the first night. :) If Santa brings me a new camera, I'll get some pics up one of these days.

6. OH! The really good news of the week (saving the best for last) is that we've had a bit of a handwriting breakthrough! JC is a strong reader (all things considered), but handwriting development has been a long, challenging process. Through using the Handwriting Without Tears program he did learn to form his letters in fun ways. And has been able to write most letters and numbers and write/copy for a while now, but he has struggled with placement and alignment. Getting words them to fit neatly within the lines of paper has been a real challenge, to put it mildly. It seems that in addition to coordination problems it could be a perceptual problem as well. I usually have to guide his hand back to the starting position and give many verbal cues to walk him through it if I'm expecting him to write within a limited space/on a small surface. With the exception of the HWT (Handwriting Without Tears) gray block paper (generally used for capital letters) or drawing "buildings" (blocks for each letter)- that he can do independently.

But FINALLY, earlier this week (or was it last week?), something clicked. I have been making it a point to state a purpose for each activity we do in advance, so I told him that since he already knew how to write his letters and could copy words & sentences, we now wanted to practice getting them to fit JUST RIGHT between the lines. It worked! Somehow it clicked for him. OF all the jumping through hoops, and all the ways we have tried to support him and instruct him, something that simple seemed to help. Perhaps it was just time. (This is using the double lined HWT paper vs. the traditional 3 line paper for young children - love it!)

7. Happy Hanukkah! God Bless us! Good night!

As the head swells, so it deflates . . .

2010-06-28T13:05:00.000-07:00

As I was preparing to come here to post about how proud I was of my performance eat boot camp this morning, I found an article written by some fitness guru in which he went off about the fact that he often sees floppy burpees being done incorrectly and/or with poor form. I then realized that my performance would probably cause him to blow a gasket.

HOWEVER, 8 weeks ago I could barely do ONE floppy burpee and I HATED-HATED-HATED them with a passion! Regular burpees were bad enough, but floppy burpees (a burpee w/ added push-up) just seemed like unnecessary torture. Each time the coach would tell us that we had to do them, I would whine like a baby and imagine forcing her head into a toilet.

Amazingly, at some point over the past 8 weeks I learned to keep my mouth shut and surrender to them, for fear that expressing my hatred was resutling in more frequent punishment.

Anyway, one of this morning's boot camp exercises was to start out doing 10 floppy burpees followed by one push-up. Then 9 floppy burpees followed by 2 push-ups . . . working your way down to one floppy burpee and nine push-ups. Get it? Good.

Well, I completed the entire set, folks. Oh yes I did!! Granted, I did modified push-ups for the push-up part, but I do get my chest all the way down to the ground (and I plan to start working on full-body push-ups soon).

For some of you who are more fit - or for those who haven't actually tried floppy-burpees, this might not seem like much. For me, this is HUGE. And I didn't whine OR imagine the coach's head in the toilet! And in fact, when the coach asked if it sucked, I told her it wasn't all that bad! (Though I am now convinced that I was still half-asleep and didn't know what the heck I was saying, as it caught up with me later and I was forced to take a cat-nap on the couch at around 2 pm!)

Below is a link to a quick video of a floppy burpee for you to enjoy. The problem with my form, btw, is that I put my chest and thighs all the way down on the ground before jumping back into the squat position, rather than remaining in the plank position - so some of the benefit to the core is lost (and the lower back might be overly stretched?), but given my core is my weakest area, I'll forgive myself for now. And I'll work on improving my form in the future. :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5oXadjFAlQ

Gimme 50! On each side!

2010-06-05T18:24:00.000-07:00

About 5 weeks ago, I signed up for a local Fitness Bootcamp. Five weeks. Yay me!! I haven't been able to make every session that I'd planned to, but I've gone every week and I'm sticking with it.

*For clarification, I have completed five weeks so far, but I signed up for a year - so this is a long-term gig*

It is held outside at a local park - which I really love - except for when the blazing sun is beating straight down on my head after the first 30 minutes of hard work.

It is hard, for sure, as I have not been this phsycially active in . . . gosh, ever? LOL Well, at least since I've been driving and didn't have to rely on walking to get where I wanted to go! So it's been a while. But I feel good about it - and because of it. And I'm finding it to be an interesting emotional experience in ways that I didn't expect.

And it's really fascingating to see how different people react to boot camp.

Some people can *look* relatively fit and really struggle at first, while others who appear to be in much worse shape can really hang in there and kick ass from the start.

And I can't help but wonder how much of it is psychological, ya know?

Of course there is a physical element as well . . . obviously, two people can be equally overweight and have very different lifestyles, with one being a virtual sloth and the other being regularly active (and a non-smoker, I bet!), which would of course explain the differences in performance.

But it also has plenty to do with attitude.

Who has the best outlook? Who is enthusiastic? Who is more afraid? Stuck? Desperate? Driven?

I am learning so much about my own thinking and self-talk through this experience. It's been quite enlightening and a little empowering.

I tend to pay so much mind to my weaknesses (cardio/endurance) that I barely leave room for much else. But I am also beginning to recognize that I have stengths! Imagine that. And it's really been fascinating to see how I perform compared to others. And I don't mean in a competitive way (I assure you that I am not there yet!), but simply in observing how different our bodies really can be - inside and out. It has been eye-opening - in both good and bad ways.

The Little Man's Recent Observations

2009-10-01T15:59:00.000-07:00

* "Duckie from The Land Before Time has the exact same voice as Tiny from Dinosaur Train!!!"

Hmmm, I wonder!

* "Long-neck dinosaurs and giraffes both have long necks!"

Yep! lol

* "Spike (dinosaur from The Land Before Time) has the same quiet voice as my friend, C !"

(C has very limited language -- so far!)

* "B---- (school) has the same rectqangles (bricks), just wike my house . . . and just wike the Three Little Pigs!!"

* (While at C's house for his birthday party) "C has a mom and dad, too . . . and they have an adult room (master bedroom), too, just like I do at my house!!"

Pajama Dance Party

2009-09-22T08:25:00.000-07:00

LIVE in Ybor City!!

Master JC and Autnie G!

(For those getting e-mail updates, click on the "Sprout Light" link at the bottom to play video clip. You'll also need to click on the "pause" button on the music playlist in order to hear music from the video. Life is full of annoying details.)

Our latest discussion about the human lifespan . . .

2009-09-16T07:59:00.000-07:00

JC: I do want to grow up to be a grandpa. (In the past he wanted only to be a dad (or logo artist, etc.) and then to change back into a boy - he wasn't diggin' the whole heaven concept)

Me: Oh yeah? OK, you can do that. But you have to be a dad first.

JC: And then I grow up to be a grandpa. I want to think BIG, Mom . . .

Me: *shock* *tear* *love* Ok, sweet boy, we can think BIG. *heart swells*

JC: . . . just wike Pinky Dinky Doo!! *giggle, giggle* I want to think BIG - RIGHT NOW!! (as in physically grow bigger than a house like she does on the show)

LOL! I am head-over-heels for this kid!!

Logo Artists, Young & Old! :)

2009-09-12T15:04:00.000-07:00

I'd love to say that these were drawn by are little logo-loving boy, but they were not. He just plays the role of the boss, demanding this logo first, that one next. And he'll remind us if we've missed something.

My husband has become quite good at reproducing logos on demand. Clearly he's been getting plenty of practice, and King JC is pleased with his work. :)

Time to Detox

2009-08-28T07:37:00.001-07:00

*Deep Breath* Hold it in* Exhale* Repeat* Aaaah!

The past couple of weeks have been heavy, clearly obvious by some of my weighted posts recently. But today is a new day, the start of a(nother) new chapter with new opportunities.

Today is JC's last day at the private school we chose for him over the summer. In short, for those who don't know, I concluded early into the new school that it was not an appropriate placement for our son. I made a mistake and had to accept and admit this in order to correct it. Not particularly pleasant, but such is life. Ironically, of course, the report about his behavior yesterday was that he did a "terrific job." This could be in part that he was adjusting, but I can't help but suspect that there was also an energy shift (his and theirs) once it was clear that he would not be continuing there. But in any case, good days are good, regardless of why, I suppose.

He will spend most of next week home with me, returning to our neighborhood school for part of the day on Friday, 9/4, then returning full-time after Labor Day. The teachers and support staff there that know us are reportedly (through a mom friend) thrilled that JC will be returning, which does my heart much good. And JC himself seems to be very pleased with this new plan. I know he will be thrilled with the positive attention (as always) and familiar faces. People who already know him, "get" him, and adore him (of course ;) ).

So for the first four days of next week we will plan some local field trips and some structured "mom school" activities to prepare him for his return to school. On the fourth day, in the afternoon, I will take him to visit the general ed kindergarten class where he will spend about 30 minutes each morning (for starters) to share in their circle time. I know that he will want to explore the new space and any/all materials within his reach, so I hope that by giving him a chance to do that before he starts, he can get it out of his system enough to participate a bit better, with less distraction the following day.

So, now that that is all set (for the most part), I've decided to take a look back over some of the very positive experiences we had this summer before the end when anxiety took over.
I kept him home with me this summer, which save for the last few weeks after our trip up north, was a really good call, I think. We enjoyed zoo school, grew butterflies, family trips, games, a few play dates, and a trip up north, which included seeing his Lady Liberty and a gathering w/ friends at Central Park in NYC.

Also, he learned how to rhyme this summer! :) This of course is something (like many things) that he takes to an extreme (For example, I might ask, "How was PE today?" and he'll respond with, "What rhymes with PE, mom?"), but we'll work through that, I'm sure. He also learned about other languages and can count to ten in Spanish and desperately wants to know how to say words in French and German, but it has become a bit obsessive, so we're discouragin it for now. But we do accept "adios" instead of good-bye most days. :) He's also now able to identify many numbers up to 100. He still gets a bit tripped up w/ 13, 14 & 15 because they sound so similar, so I'm providing the written word to help him distinguish between them.

And, I am proud to announce that he goes to bed like a big boy now. I took back the bedtime routine from dh during the week, on a mission, and it worked out well. JC now has a healthy routine of story time, juice, kisses and hugs, and then we leave the room and he gets himself to sleep. And we're even keeping his door open. :) Prior to this new "mission" dh did bedtime most days and would lie down with JC, sometimes taking up to an hour for him to sleep. This was something I was not happy about (it was physically difficult as JC would become super hyped and would climb all over us until he crashed) and had very little patience for. I'm beyond pleased that this is behind us now. It makes life easier for all of us, really, and will make it much easier to hire sitters to stay with him during the evening (when we grow that money tree). :)
Also, after reading a few stories from the library or his book shelf this week, we have ended by reading a couple of pages from his "First Picture Dictionary." This has really been quite pleasant for us both. He's been surprisingly attentive and interested and is making some wonderful connections (like, "Chimpanzees, chickens and cheetahs are all animals dat sart wiff ch!" and "Chickens not have fur!")

So, this summer brought many positives memories, and today I wish to remember them and feel their warmth.

The Heavy Load of Love

2009-08-26T08:16:00.000-07:00

I remember worrying about decisions I made for my daughter when she was little. How difficult it was when I had to send her to child care for the first time so that I could work, and how important it was to find a place where she would be safe and happy. And I remember worrying about how I handled some of the social tragedies of growing up as a little girl in this beautiful but harsh world. Always wondering, questioning, adjusting, regrouping, succeeding, failing, trying again.

So in many ways what I've been experiencing as a parent to my second child is nothing new. I've been down a similar road before, and despite some pretty big obstacles, my daughter and I both survived. At this point she has started down her own path and I am simply a bystander on a path not too far away, ready and willing to swim a river to get to her if she falls and needs a hand. So far she's really only needed a shout out on ocassion. She's a strong young woman. And my love for her is different now, as she is her own person with her own destiny that began with me but will end seperately. But the love is just as powerful as it ever was. Though the worries are at least a little smaller now.

I really needed to remember this today as I struggle with the choices I have made and will make for my son, a child every bit as wonderful but with very different needs than my girl. His needs in some ways are greater, most certainly in the eyes of the rest of the world, yet in some ways they are smaller and easier. Perhaps just because my eyes are older and my values have changed a bit over time. Except for knowing how to best help him fit into the structure of the world outside of our home -- that is hard. Damn hard some days. And I have stumbled recently.

But I'm getting back up, trying again, marching onward. There is no alternative, really.

But again, it's important for me to remember that every parent, regardless of whether their child is typically developing or not, wants the rest of the world to see through to the beauty within their children. Every parent wants others to know that their child is special and valuable and worth the time and effort to know and encourage, nurture and protect. Being the parent of a special needs child certainly brings with it some unique concerns - all relative to the degree of need, of course - but essentially, at the core, all parents want and worry for their children. No parents have guarantees about how their children will turn out or what the future will hold. We're all just trying to get through, hoping that at the end of the day - and the end of this life - we have had more successes than failures . . . more moments to treasure than ones we wish we could forget.

One. Thing. At. A. Time. Let's start with SCD!

2009-08-21T12:23:00.000-07:00

As is standard procedure for me, I have reached that point in my "funky state" (that dark place I go to when I'm overwhelmed with all of the responsibilities of being a grown-up in this imperfect life) when I just can't tolerate the funk no mo! So, I decided this morning that I had to put on my big girl panties (and boy are they big these days!) and start DOING something, rather than allowing what I'm FEELING to paralyze me another day. After all, the majority of the things that are weighing on me cannot be corrected over night, and a few of them are - at least temporarily - out of my control. And in any case, I can't tackle them all at once. So I'm letting go and getting busy.

Today, pay day (thank G-d!!), I stocked up on all of the necessary items to start JC on the Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD) again. Some parents of children on the autism spectrum use the diet because they see cognitive or behavioral progress from their children when they do. I am doing it (this time around), largely to address some GI issues (gastritis and severe regurjitation), but I will gladly accept any cognitive or behavioral improvements that might occur, of course.

This afternoon I got started with a few basics that will be necessary for school lunches.

1. Banana Muffins (I've made these on and off since I found the recipe because they're so simple and healthy, and little man loves 'em)

*6 eggs, 1 1/2 cups of walnuts, 1/3 cup of honey -- blend for 4 minutes
*Add 1 - 1 1/2 RIPE bananas (must have brown spots) -- blend for 2 minutes
*Add 1 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp organic vanilla -- blend for a few seconds
*Add sprinkle of salt and stir

Bake @ 350 for about 30 minutes. Muffin tops will fall flat, but they're moist and tasty!

2. Walnut Spice Cookies
*2 cups walnuts, 1 Tbsp cinnamon - grind in blender
*whisk 2 egg whites until frothy
*combine egg whites with 1/4 cup of honey and walnut/cinnamon mixture - blend together w/ hands or spoon
*Drop by teaspoon onto cookie sheet and bake @ 350 for about 15 minutes

3. Vegetable Meat Loaf
(I made mini-loaves using a kit I bought at a yard sale years ago, which is basically a muffin tin w/ holes in the bottom that sits atop a baking pan)

*Cut up medium onion, 1 stalk of celery, small amount of green pepper (I did not), 1 carrot, 1 sprig of parsley (I forgot!).
* Place 1 medium fresh tomato OR 1/2 cup of tomato juice (tomatoes & salt ONLY) w/ the cut veggies in a blender and blend until pretty fairly smooth.
*Empty blender contents into bowl and mix with 1 1/2 pounds of ground beef (I used serloin).
*Season w/ salt and pepper (I forgot that, too!)
*Form into loaf and Bake @ 350 for about an hour

That's all for now. Tomorrow I will get busy again. On the agenda: soaking beans, making homemade ketchup, mayonaise & applesauce, roasting a chicken and vegetables, and baking "Granola chews."

Updated w/ photos of spice cookies and macaroons made the following day . . .

Overwhelmed

2009-08-20T17:19:00.000-07:00

by Joel Samberg

Mr. Webster says it's "feeling, showing, marked by nervous strain."
When a cargo load of tension pounds upon my weary brain
I smash guitars
I throw glass jars
I scream and curse
Become perverse
My music blares
From down dark stairs
... and then I feel much better.
Mr. Webster says "excite, provoke," to feed the heart's sensation
To keep it pimping, keep it warm
I need some stimulation
Like eating food
And being shrewd
Or cashing checks
And having sex
Like opening night
And being right
... without it I would fade.
Mr. webster says "lack of success, a decline or decay."
When stimulation fails to touch
My heart for just one day
I smash guitars
I throw glass jars
I scream and curse
Become perverse
My music blares
From down dark stairs
... and I don't feel much better.

Farewell Summer

2009-08-17T06:49:00.000-07:00

My beautiful boy started his first day of kindergarten at a new private school this morning. I've been torturing myself for weeks about the decision to send him there vs. the neighborhood public school or homeschooling. I worry constantly about whether or not I'm serving him in the ways that are best for him. But a few things happened this morning that have given me a sense of peace and perspective.

First, we had this lovely (and very typical, I might add) interaction this morning:

This morning I climbed into bed to wake my little man. He opened his eyes and looked up at me immediately.

Me: Good morning, sweet boy.

JC: No, is not time a wake up in the mornin yet.

Me: (giggling) It's not?

JC: (smiling back at me) I missed you.

Me: (melting) I missed you, too, sweet boy. Today is the first day of school!

JC: I remember wa first day of zoo school before. . . and wa first day of BS (his last school) . . . and now I have wa first day of . . .

Me: MA (name of new school) and kindergarten

JC: (Big smile)

Me: Are you excited?

JC: Yes, I start first day at one more schoool.

Me: Yes. You're a kindergartener now.

JC: (looking at the window) It's not mornin yet

Me: We have to wake up early on school days. Let's go potty and then have some breakfast.

JC: What's for beckfass, mommy?

Me: An egg omelet w/ vegetables and a little cheese on top.

JC: I don't remember dat in a while.

<3>

This interaction told me a few things: 1) I am absolutely blessed; 2) He is eager to be back in a school environment around other children; 3) He trusts me (not sure how I came to that conclusion, but it's what I felt)

Then, as we drove to school this morning I reminded him to have fun and be a good friend. And I explained that some children are still learning to talk while others talk very well. And some use sign language. And that it's OK. Everyone learns differently.

He seemed to really be taking it all in.

As I dropped him off, I told him that I loved him and would pick him up after lunch. He greeted the classroom assistants who took him from the car at the car circle with enthusiasm, and as they walked toward the school building, he looked back twice and waved good-bye. *sniff* He is such a brave and confident young man. I'd like to think that I have had some small part of that, though I think most of his awesomeness is his own doing.

Last, but certainly not least, I read my friend K's blog this morning and it brought me to tears. In part because I'm in a pretty vulnerable place with my little man growing up before my eyes, and in part because her words are so true. I WILL make mistakes as a parent. We all do. And heaven knows I made my share with my first-born. And with a special needs child those fears are magnified, as it is sometimes impossible to be objective and even more impossible to predict the future. But I also do something right, something important: I let him know daily how wanted and wonderful he is.

If you have a chance to read or follow my friend's blog, I highly recommend it. She's a gem. <3>

Here is the entry in particular that moved me this morning: http://drycappucino.blogspot.com/2009/08/sooc-saturday-being-loved-part-two.html

Love to all!

Green & Blue

2009-08-01T12:43:00.000-07:00

I've realized recently that I am most at peace when I'm surrounded by green and blue. Trees, grass, sky, water. I'm not very athletic, G-d knows, but I love parks, picnics and outdoor markets. And I love just sitting outside, doing nothing, just being. And whenever I dream of having quality alone time, I always imagine sitting alone under an old oak tree on a grassy hill. And I've often thought I should be buried under a tree when I pass.

So perhaps dh's idea of relocating to NC (Charlotte area) in a year or two is something we should consider more seriously. Rumor has it there's plenty of green there. And mild temps. Change of seasons but very little snow. Hills. Trees. Hills. Trees. Sky. Lakes. Hmmm.

His argument for it is of course the change of seasons and milder summers, but also that it would be half way between my family and his, and a short enough distance that we could drive it in a day and have our car with us for the visit. Sounds reasonable. We'll see if it comes to pass.

We are presently living in a condo, which was a move intended to cut spending so that we could put the $ saved toward more important priorities. It was a big adjustment initially, as we downsized from a 4br house to a 2 br condo, but what we miss more than space is having our own outdoor gathering place. We do have a TINY screened patio out back here, but it's not comfortable for more than one person at a time, really. It's the one thing dh and I both complain about regularly. Otherwise our place has become cozy and comfortable enough. Our needs are met and the general location is good (next to a nice park, centrally located, etc.).

But while in NJ for our vacation recently, we stayed with dh's younger brother, D. D lives in a bungalow at the end of a dead-end street that backs up to a high school field. The perimiter of the school field is fenced and overgrown with trees, shrubs and vines, so he only has neighbors in front (across the street) and on one side. And even on the side there is a patch of green between his house and his neighbors. So, because he can, he chooses not to put curtains on the windows, except for sheers on the bedroom windows. And it's actually quite nice. Private, natural, and plenty of light.

While we were there we all got sick so we spent two full days hanging around D's house, infecting it will our coughs and sniffles. And it was actually very soothing. From his front porch we saw chipmunks, rabbits, squirrel, and birds. I almost expected Snow White and her Seven Dwarfs to knock on the door. :0) So, again, perhaps NC isn't such a bad idea, after all.

Zoo School

2009-07-31T05:55:00.000-07:00

JC and I have been attending the "Animal Adventure Club" at Lowry Park Zoo this summer. It's a class available to 3-5 year olds and their parents. Each week we learn about a new animal, listen to a story about the animal, do a coloring page and a craft, and when possible we get a close-up look at the animal or a substitute (this week we got to see an owl instead of a penguin, and the day that we studied caterpillars we got to see a Giant African Millipede instead).
After the class, everyone gets to go to the zoo (seperate from the Zoo School) to see the animals of the week. At that point we usually seperate and stay at the zoo for a while, exploring other things, having snacks, riding rides, etc.. It's a good two hour drive from where we live, but we have family there and some weeks we spend the night. Even on weeks that we don't, it's been worth the drive and we've had a ton of fun. I FINALLY got a few pictures yesterday before the rain set in . . .

*Photos are in reverse order. I'm still learning over here.

You can start at the bottom and work your way up if you'd like. :) *

Waterfalls inside Zoo entrance

Tot Playground at the Zoo School

We had class outside this morning

Got to see a beautiful owl

Emperor Penguins are bigger than Little Men! :)

This is where we normally gather for class

Our Penguin craft, made w/ potato stamps :)

The other half of the classroom

The walk to the Zoo School from the back lot. LOVE the trees . . .

The Power of Negative Thinking

2009-07-29T16:31:00.001-07:00

I am a firm believer in the power of positive thinking, and I like to think of myself as an optimist, generally. And when faced with big obstacles, I do try to employ the power of positive thinking to get me over, around or through them. But unfortunately, as much as I *believe* in the benefits of positive thoughts, I don't always remember to use the power on the smaller, day-to-day tasks and relations. Instead I tend to slip into the habit of negative thoughts fairly often, usually without realizing it. Today, I realized it.

The day started out well enough. JC and I slept in a bit (8:30 yay!), had breakfast, piddled around and got ready for some errands. For some reason(s) (the fact that it's *that* time of the month being one of them), despite sleeping in, I still felt tired today. We went to the bank to have a form notarized, made two seperate trips to Target, went to the library, came home a couple of times in between, then headed out to a "free play" session at MyGym. But throughout the day, especially while driving to and fro each of these places, negative thoughts won out.

They started out innocently enough, like thinking of how frustrated I feel when my dh gives JC snacks immediately before bedtime, despite at least a dozen discussions about how it is bad for his reflux. From there I found myself thinking about what I could do to change dh's behavior without being a nagging witch (again). I noted how mean I can be when I'm frustrated or angry and pondered how I might behave differently to obtain different results. Because while my feelings of frustration might be justified (and of course I believe they are), my harsh replies aren't necessary, nor are they particularly effective, based on the results.

Then I noted how impatient I was toward a cashier at a gas station who carded me for cigarettes and didn't accept the expired NJ license I had in my wallet (current license was in my purse in the car). "I'm 37 years old, ma'am," I snapped before huffing out to my car to retrieve my wallet. When I returned, I attempted to soften up a bit, realizing that the woman was just doing her job, but I didn't apologize or acknowledge my awareness to her and basically avoided eye contact and got out as quickly as I could.

So essentially, even though I was reflecting on my behavior, the process of reliving those experiences and the anger and frustration that I felt, combined with the disappointment I felt in being so jerk-like, started impacting my overall mood and patience. Of course it didn't help that my autistic son had increased physical clinginess, OCD behaviors and whining today. In fact, I'm sure my negative energy threw him off even further - even though all of these were thoughts in my head and I didn't speak a word about any of them. He feels it and sees it.

So by the time we got to MyGym, after a long drive in traffic and some additional negative thoughts (this time about a friendship that has felt "off" lately), I really wasn't in the right head space. And JC continued to be off. He immediately noted the music, which was a CD that played clips of theme songs from various kid TV shows (Handy Manny, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Jack's Big Music Show, etc.) and he started asking, "What show is that from, Mom?" Over and over and over and over- and over -every minute or so. He was totally preoccupied. And they had the CD on repeat, so he asked again about the same songs even though he knew the answer or had already been told that I didn't know the show. *giggle/sigh* I could physically feel my patience being depleted and my stress level rising. And I was so tired of being grabbed and pulled and poked.

Then I realized that I had to snap out of it. I wasn't being fun or helping the situation. I was tired, irritated, and I had a lousy attitude. I was being a jerk. But thanks to JC I was quickly reminded that Negative attitude + ASD son on an off day is guaranteed to = multiplied unpleasant emotions and stress. JC is very sensitive to others' emotions and will become more difficult as my frustration level rises, so I knew I had to shift and snap out of it. The more anxious, physical, and intense he becomes, the calmer I need to become. If I'm not, he feels it and reacts to it, quite negatively. This is likely true for every child, and adult, for that matter, but with JC it is magnified and backfires (see Dammit post - and trust me).

So, I pretended to be pleasant and calm when he rudely demanded more juice, gum, whatever. I exaggerated my "thank you's" and used my best, peaceful, pleasant voice with him. Instead of being a wall, I became a swinging door (which is how I try to operate on my good days with him). And in the process, I think I found an answer to how to handle my husband when he doesn't do what we've agreed to. What's that, you ask? Fake it! ;) I will PRETEND to be a kind, patient, understanding wife.

If you want to be confident, act confident. If you want to be happy, act happy. If you want to be patient and kind, act patient and kind. In time you will become. That's what they tell me, anyway. And on this night I choose to believe . . . and remember. And my husband is sleeping, of course, so hopefully I'll remember tomorrow, too.

And we're off!

2009-07-16T13:04:00.000-07:00

The boys and I will be heading out this evening for our family vacation to NJ and NYC. Looking forward to the sights and time away from the daily routine (or lack thereof as can be the case some of the time).

I finally replaced the cord for my camera that my little guy chewed on several months ago with a card reader/writer for only $13. The delay is the price I pay for ignorance and spending so much time under my rock instead of keeping up with modern advancements. There are other prices I pay, of course, but let's not go there today.

The good news is that I was able to upload all of the photos that have been stored on my camera since December, freeing it up for pictures of one happy boy and his Lady Liberty . . . and friends, etc. :)

Will hopefully figure out how to post pictures here when we return.

Peace. Out.

For the Love of "Damn it"!

2009-07-14T17:30:00.000-07:00

So the story begins at my dad's house a few weeks ago. JC is exceptionally hyper when we're there for some reason and this time was no exception. Actually, he might've been a bit better than times before, but I doubt that was noticed by anyone but me.

Anyway, my dad has a glass-top sofa table featuring probably 20 framed photographs. Several of them are pictures of my kids (his grandchildren) that I have given to him over the years (it's what you do for a grumpy man who needs nothing and says he wants nothing, especially when you're poor like we are.) So JC was checking them out, and they started falling over. So I tried to intervene, catching one just before it fell off the table. And just as quickly as I'd set one back up, he'd be on to another. The kid is fast. After about the 3rd time of catching a frame just in the knick of time, I grew frustrated and firmly said, "No! Damn it!" Shame on me for having a potty mouth.

Well, my very perceptive little man picked up on this new word instantly and seemed to know that it held power. He immediately grabbed me and started repeating, "No, damn it!! No, damn it! No, DAMN IT!" while giggling. I decided it was best not to give him any attention and to change the subject. I thought it worked. But as I've said, he's a smart little dude.

A week or so later he overheard me say damn it again. (insert blushing emoticon here) This time I tried to play it off as if I'd said "darn-it" and I explained that sometimes I say darn-it when I feel frustrated. His response? "Darn-it means damn it, mom!" LOL Oy! Once again, I make an effort not to make a big deal out of it and was sure to turn my head away to hide the amused expression on my face. He repeated himself a few more times and I ignored and tried to distract him.

Fast forward to this past weekend at the park. My daughter and I were sitting on the bench and she wanted to take a picture of JC and I, so I told JC to give me a kiss so she could capture the kiss. So JC and I are in the "kiss pose" - I think he was holding my face , but I could be misremembering - and I kept waiting to hear the click of the camera. Seconds went by and JC stayed there in the kiss pose with me, which is surprising, really, so perhaps he was waiting to hear the click, too? Anyway, I started giggling as our lips were pressed together, thinking it was adorable that JC was posing with me this long, but apparently we just missed the click because M had already taken the picture. My giggle turned into full-blown laughter, which of course broke the pose. This frustrated JC and in the excitement of the moment, he smacked my mouth. It hurt. LOL So, I responded by yelling "Ouch!" and covering my mouth with my hand. JC responded, apparently trying to help me express myself with more passion, by saying, "Damn it!" (We really need emoticons here, folks!)

Again, I tried to play it off by telling him that the appropriate word is "darn-it" and he again explained to me that it means the same damn thing as damn it. Then he told me that darn-it rhymes with damn it. I finally broke down and told him that damn \it is not a nice word and that we should not say it anymore. He continued with a few other exchanges and questions about the words darn-it and damn it, which amused his sister, making it necessary for both of us to turn away and cover our faces so that JC wouldn't see our smiles. Then we carried on with our park outing, trying to put it all behind us. But that wasn't the end. Oh no, I'm afraid this might be a life-long tradition. I hope I'm wrong, but at the same time I'm so pleased that my potty mouth has improved enough that I use damn it more often than the S word or the F word. Yikes.

So then today we went to a local Chick-Fil-A so that we could play on their playground to expend some energy before the academic eval he had scheduled at the private school I've decided to send him to on a modified schedule. All was going well, I was a good girl and used only nice words. Suddenly, JC came out of one of the tunnels and said, "It smells yucky! It smells wike poop!" I explored the tunnel but found no poop smell. He insisted. I finally realized that he'd had a bout of reflux and spit-up on his shirt (the whole reflux thing is another story) and it smelled acidic, like vomit. So I told him that I thought what he smelled was vomit, not poop, and I tried to explain what vomit was. He took it in, quietly. Then suddenly said, "Vomit rhymes with damn it. They both 'begin' with the same ending sound, mom!"

Well, yes they do, son. They do indeed.

The good news, of course, is that he's picking up on ending sounds and beginning to experiment with rhyming. I take the good wherever I can get it. :)

A first time for everything!

2009-07-14T07:08:00.000-07:00

While waiting for the dryer to finish its cycle, I want to take a moment to share a "first." Just moments ago as I was moving laundry through, I heard what sounded like someone moving furniture around. I assumed it was the lady who lives upstairs, but as I walked back into the kitchen I found my son standing on a chair at the kitchen sink, attempting to rinse some scratches off of a DVD! Ha!! :-)

Those who know us understand the value of a DVD in my son's world, but what's cool is that this is the first time in his life that he has pulled a chair or other object over to assist himself in gaining access to something beyond his reach. The lack of this milestone was something we noted early on, but over time forgot about (bigger fish to fry at the time) and didn't worry much about because he was at least gaining language and the ability to ask for assistance - and ask he does! Unlike many children on the spectrum, JC is pretty dependent on interaction with us to get his needs met (while some children might be more independent and less engaged), in part because of dyspraxia (coordination disorder) and low muscle tone. So he needs us to help him w/ his physical needs, and to navigate the physical world, more than a child w/ autism only (not that this is a cup of tea, mind you - and remember, it's a spectrum, so what you see can vary GREATLY - but hopefully you get the point).

Similarly, several weeks ago while visiting my father (from here on we'll just call him the Grumpy Grandad), JC stepped out into the back yard with his little pile of VHS tapes we'd picked up at the library. He was having a little picnic of sorts, and sat down in the grass to admire his collection. Well apparently the grass wasn't particularly comfortable (FL grass isn't soft like it is up north - the stuff has to be tough enough to withstand the brutal heat), so he walked over to the french doors, picked up the little carpet that he found there, and drug it back out to the grass. He then proceeded to place all of his VHS tapes onto the rug before sitting down on the little patch of rug that remaind untouched by the tapes. ;) Great thinking, little man! ;)

Anyway, YAY! :) He's gaining independence and adding new pieces to the puzzle - out of order and a bit late, but we're not in a race, so it's all good. The power of motivation is quite amazing, isn't it?

Memory

2009-07-12T20:25:00.001-07:00

I am always so amazed by my son's memory. Perhaps this is exaggerated by the fact that my memory (especially long-term) is so poor, but even so, JC's memory is definitely one of his greatest assets. It is his memory - at least in part - that made it possible for him to read so early, all by sight (though he has developed excellent decoding skills on his own as well). It is also his memory, I think, that fuels some of his obessions - like collections, for instance. He's always making connections to things he's seen before, so when he sees (or hears) something that is part of a series or collection, for instance - like different episodes of a video collection or different varieties of auto tags (a new interest since our trip to the tag agency earlier this month) - he becomes passionately interested in studying them, collecting them and discussing them. This interest can and does become obssessive, but it does appear that over time he moves on to newer, broader interests, which is nice - and important.

This afternoon, while walking around a lake downtown, we passed a family enjoying a picnic under a shade tree. JC noted that the girl - a teenager - was eating a Rice Crispy treat, so he excitedly announced, "I remember sister eats that snack before!" (which sounds more like, "I wememah siser eats wat snack befoa!) Sure enough, last summer when M was home from college with us, we stocked up on the boxes of 100 calorie Rice Crispy treats for her and she ate them daily. M was quite pleased that he remembered. So was I.
He might be delayed, dyspraxic, autistic . . . but he's my smart boy. <3

I'll procrastinate later, thank you very much

2009-07-12T16:48:00.000-07:00

So I've finally started trying to work out the details of our upcoming trip to NJ. And it's a good thing I didn't wait any longer, as I realized that I had the dates wrong. I thought we were leaving Friday night, but we're actually leaving Thursday night. Makes a bit of a difference, particularly given that we have "zoo school" in Tampa (2 hours away) on Thursday morning and I'll be staying there overnight on Wednesday to deliver our rodent (dog) to my dad's for his keeping. This leaves Monday - Wed to get everything planned, packed and ready to roll. Let the prayers begin.

I'm really excited about this trip and only wish we had more $ set aside for a bit more freedom of choice while we're there, but such is life. We'll have to get by on a shoestring budget. If FL public schools can do it, so can we. *eyeroll*

We'll get to see family and friends, which is what it's really all about of course. But we'll also get to see Lady Liberty as a special treat for the little man (let's go ahead and add this to the list of reasons my life is fuller because of my son, as it might not be a priority otherwise) and are now planning to meet up with some friends and their children in Central Park. Can I get a "WHOOOT!!" please? Yeah, nice, that's it. :)

Neither of us has really spent any time in NYC before, so we're pumped. And of course there is SO much to see and do that we won't be able to squeeze in (or afford) on our first-ever day trip, but Central Park is actually at the top of my list of places I'd want to visit anyway, so I'm a happy camper.

We'll also get to spend some time with my girlfriend Steph, her sweet husband and her two great kiddos - one boy, one girl. Her son also has autism and we met on an online forum early on and used to get together at least once a month with our boys when we still lived up in NJ. They're good, fun, genuine folks and I'm looking forward to hanging out in their back yard and letting the boys do whatever it is they please (within reason). Their yard is awesome. :)

Oh, and we want to take JC (the little man) to the boardwalk in Ocean City. He's sure to be overwhelmed with excitement about the business of it all. We have nice beaches in FL, but we don't have boardwalks like they do in NJ. It's a totally different beach experience down here.

Otherwise, we had a nice day today. Dh had to work most of the day, but my daughter was in town for a Best Buddies conference so I was blessed with her presence for several hours today. We drove to downtown and walked around Lake Eola and the farmer's market. We stopped a bit so that JC could enjoy the live music (man singing and playing acoustic guitar) with some other children, then we grabbed a hot dog lunch and had a picnic in the shade. Afterward we walked around the lake, people and bird watching. We saw a snake-bird eating a fish, a wounded swan (and many that weren't wounded, of course), and at least 5 large turtles . . . and ducks and pigeons (which little man remembered as "Bert's favorite kind!!") . . . and lots of dogs, which my daughter enjoyed. It was a really pleasant afternoon outdoors with the two folks I love the most in the world. I love outdoor markets and concerts. Love, love, love 'em.

Like a kid in a candy store . . .

2009-07-10T05:59:00.000-07:00

I <3 educational products. Seriously love them. If someone gave me $1000 to blow right now, I would undoubtedly spend the bulk on books, flashcards and manipulatives (not that $1000 would get me very far, as this stuff costs a fortune). Never mind that I could use some new clothes and need to replace my glasses that broke a couple of weeks ago. I'd still choose educational products. I've been browsing through a catalog this morning, circling things I'd love to have and use with my boy.

A few months ago I'd have beat myself up about this, believing I needed to get a life. Now, I'm trying to accept that perhaps this IS life for me, and instead of fighting it or belittling it, I need to surrender and accept. No, this doesn't mean I need to go broke(er) purchasing items from educational catalogs, but that perhaps I need to recognize that I truly feel excited and "in my element" when exploring these materials and considering all of the original ideas and how they've been put to use in such creative ways.

That's Silly, Mom!!

2009-07-09T16:33:00.000-07:00

My son, as those who know me are aware, is very fond of production company logos. His favorite, by far, is Columbia/Tristar (the "torch lady" and the pegasus images). Well, he was very pleased to learn that the Statue of Liberty is also a "torch lady." And for his birthday my grandmother sent him a "Ready to Read" book titled Wonders of America: The Statue of Liberty. So today we were reading it (he can read very well for a child with delays in so many areas, which is a blessing for which I am very grateful) and discussing it, because we're heading to NJ at the end of next week and hope to get to see the Lady up close while we're there. He is BEYOND excited about this. Anyway, after we finished reading he asked me to, "Sing wa Statue of Wiberty song, mom!" Of course I'm sure there is one, but I haven't a clue how it goes, so I made something up, and he sat perfectly still and listened closely. I don't remember exactly what I came up with, but I basically retold the story of how she was a gift from France and they had to take her apart to bring her to the USA. He loved it. And, folks, I sound like Joe Cocker . . . with a head cold.

From there, I decided to check Youtube to see if I could find a patriotic song with images of our Lady. Sure enough, there is a youtube video of Celine Dion singing God Bless America that featured many images of the statue, the American flag, bald eagles, mountains and prairies. I explained to my boy that each of these images were symbols of America, the country we live in. I was feeling the love. :)

So then I decided to search for "statue of liberty song" and here's what I found (Lady Liberty singing "Rescue Me"):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sx28oc2yOuQ

I WISH I could've captured the look on my son's face when she opened her eyes and started singing!! LOL It was priceless. Mind you, he has about a dozen printed pictures of her from various positions that he treasures, even sleeps with on occasion, so he is intimately familiar with her face. He knew something was wrong. Very, very WRONG. His eyes were as big as twin moons and he started backing away from the computer, folding his arms around himself as if he were afraid. Poor guy! LOl So I asked him if he was afraid and he said, "No, Statue of Wiberty not talks!" I assured him that he was right and that it was a computer trick, just like the way a video we'd watched earlier tricked us by showing a cat jumping backwards up to the top of a china cabinet (which he thought was hysterical and wanted to do himself). He seemed relieved.

And we carried on. Hopefully he's not terribly scarred from the sight.

The First Sprout

2009-07-08T21:51:00.000-07:00

Oooh, I have a blog. And the green grass grows all around, all around . . .