Happy Halloween!

One is the loneliest number ...

As a parent of a special needs child, I often find myself feeling like I am the ONLY one going through a struggle. I think its a common feeling amongst people but its magnified for parents of special needs kids -- whatever the special need may be. So I often find comfort when I hear about or talk to other parents going through their own issues. It might not be the same as ours, but there's comfort in the commonality.

Today we had behavior assessment plan meeting as an addendum to Jacob's IEP. I think it went well. Nothing earth shattering. We firmed up our plan of action within the classroom to make school successful for him. We are hoping to get the teachers an aide to help Jacob especially in the mornings when he seems most agitated or anxious.

Near the end of the meeting, two of the attendees had to leave to attend another IEP meeting. I found comfort in knowing its not just us going through the process. I mean I know its not just us but sometimes the concrete reminders are nice. We spent so much of last year feeling isolated in a struggle against his former school in Kentucky.

Prayer vigil for Baby Stellan

Go here and read about Baby Stellan.

Things I never thought I'd do #2

Order self-warming toilet seat covers so that my son will actually sit on the toilet and not perch above it like a bird. Though I will say, it must take some coordination to squat the way he does. There's always a positive!

Eeny Meeny Miney Mo

In the awesome words of Kristina Chew ...

Autism is lifelong; it’s neither something that you catch or that you can be cured from, and focusing too much on trying to cure autism can distract from the pressing realities of teaching, supporting, taking care of, and being with people who are autistic.

Ten Myths About Autism

ABC News.com has a list of ten common myths about Autism: Autism Myths

Again, we know these are myths, rumors or untruths, yet we still embrace those who spread them. Jenny McCarthy anyone? Oh wait ... I mean Mother Warrior Princess of Shining Light.

Snow, say it ain't so.

I swear I heard the weatherman say there was snow in the 10-day forecast. Dave assures me it will just be a flurry or two. Hrmph. Like that makes it better. Someone tell me again why we moved here?

Muffin Top

Oh muffin top, oh muffin top
Oh cursed, cursed belly flop.

Where once my abs were made of steel,
now they are like pudding left to congeal.

Fall pictures

Taken by the fabulous Danielle. Email me if you want her contact information. She does awesome work.

I am on a roll ...

Another great quote from Jim Sinclair in his outline of the presentation he gave at the 1993 International Conference on Autism in Toronto.

Autism isn't something a person has, or a "shell" that a person is trapped inside. There's no normal child hidden behind the autism. Autism is a way of being. It is pervasive; it colors every experience, every sensation, perception, thought, emotion, and encounter, every aspect of existence. It is not possible to separate the autism from the person--and if it were possible, the person you'd have left would not be the same person you started with.

This is important, so take a moment to consider it: Autism is a way of being. It is not possible to separate the person from the autism.

Therefore, when parents say,

"I wish my child did not have autism,"

what they're really saying is,

"I wish the autistic child I have did not exist, and I had a different (non-autistic) child instead."

Read that again. This is what we hear when you mourn over our existence. This is what we hear when you pray for a cure. This is what we know, when you tell us of your fondest hopes and dreams for us: that your greatest wish is that one day we will cease to be, and strangers you can love will move in behind our faces.

Circle Queen

I saw this quote from the TV show House, M.D. in reference to how most of the world views autism (thanks in part to Autism Speaks and Jenny "Warrior Mom" McCarthy):

“Spoken like a true circle queen. See, skinny, socially privileged white people get to draw this neat little circle around themselves. Everyone inside the circle is normal. Everyone outside the circle needs to be beaten, broken, and reset, so they can be brought back into the circle. Failing that, they should be institutionalized. Or worse — pitied.”

How true, how true. We are so worried about making people fit in. There's no room for differences. And when they show up, we are hell bent on making them disappear.

What's your agenda?

Everyone has an agenda.

A local coffee shop is giving away a free drink every day this week. Its a nice treat for customers. But it comes with an agenda. Get people in for the free drinks and hopefully they'll come back.

The same goes for politics. Draw people in with your rhetoric and hopefully they'll vote for you in November.

Of course, if you buy into their agenda, you are right. If you don't, watch out.

So sweet

My friend Danielle snapped some pictures with her iPhone of Moo. Danielle is a very talented photographer and will be taking pictures of both kids on Friday -- with her real camera. As for these shots, Moo was already wearing the dress and I loved the look with the pumpkins. Its so Moo.

Heart

I found this quote on another blog and I love it.

"Birth is just the first of countless times we will confront the fear of the unknown for the love of the child." Peggy O’Mara

I don't know if there is a truer statement about having children. Children force us to confront fear every day some small - will they fall and hurt themselves as they learn to walk? - and some big - will they be content in their future lives? The big bad boogeyman seems to lurk behind ever corner.

The unknowns are overwhelming at times. I think I most fear them at night when the kids are laying next to me at bed. When they sleep, they look the most innocent and the most fragile. I wish I could keep them there forever -- warm and safe next to me.

On a lighter note ...

I can't get this darn song out of my head ...
Carmencita

Watching the video is like eating Trix with strawberry milk while snorting Pixie Sticks.

And yet I love both the song and the video. Better lay off the Pixie Sticks.

Apparently

Its amazing the ignorance still perpetuated in the United States about autism when there is supposedly so much "awareness". Apparently, because my son can talk and be social, he doesn't have autism. I thought that's why it was called the Autism SPECTRUM. Because children with autism - like the rest of the world - vary in their issues.

But what do I know -- I am just a dumb Mom.

No left turn ...

I have a question that bears repeating because I have never gotten a good answer: Why is it impossible to make a left hand turn at major intersections in Michigan? I would like to find the civil engineer who decided that in Michigan, we must go right before we can go left.

I think her or she is the same person who decided that all Michiganders must appreciate Bob Seger music.