Monday, December 27, 2010

Dodging Dinner!

When it comes to big family dinners, like Christmas dinner for example, my new policy is to dodge as many as possible!  Poor Austin does not like it.  Too many people, too much noise and not enough room for all that action going on around him.  He becomes stimulated and upset.  For years and years I would take him to my Dad's place and he would "misbehave" (or so I thought at the time) like crazy!  He would be doing laps around the kitchen and living room, jumping on the couch, shouting, sitting upside down (to hide his face from people) ... I could go on and on.  I couldn't figure out why he behaved this way.  A lot of the kids ran around playing but I didn't feel it was appropriate for my children.  I used to be so stressed and used to feel that my Dad must think I am a terrible parent.  My son is spoiled!  Not so, but I felt like everyone thought I was a bad parent.  It was a horrible feeling.  :(

Once Austin was diagnosed, we realized that it was all the people and noise that was making him act out of control.  He could not verbalize it at the time but he can now.  He is doing so much better at family functions but I have modified our visits to accommodate Austin's needs.  It works very well and he is happy, the most important thing to me.

This Christmas we told everyone that we would not be attending any dinners because of Austin.  Expecting him to sit and behave (which we now know is impossible when he is anywhere too long) is just not fair to him.  So, I went on visits alone with Austin (leaving Kaleigh with Daddy) and Daddy also went on visits with Austin (while I stayed with Kaleigh) for only an hour or so.  All the visits went quite well and we had a quiet Christmas dinner at home with just my in-laws.  Austin had a great day, even greeting people with a handshake at one get together. :)  Keeping his visits short and without his little sister (for now) is working well for us.  He is doing better all the time and I know in the future we will all be at a table somewhere having turkey and popping open Christmas crackers.  Until then, I am enjoying spending as much time with Austin as possible and seeing him laugh and play, all on Christmas Day!  :) 

*HUGS* to all!  I hope you all had a lovely Christmas!  :)

Up next, a time warp post!  :)

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Sitting 'N' Swimming

An update on how Austin is doing with his swimming lessons.  We decided to put Austin in private sessions.  He is doing GREAT!  (The instructor is wonderful, and of course, aware of Austin's diagnosis.)  He is doing so much better one on one!  He has gotten so much out of just four 1/2 hour classes.  It will still take a while for him to learn, but a goal that can be, and I believe will be, achieved!  YAY Austin!  Well done buddy!  :)

Now, what am I doing while Austin is swimming?  I am sitting, yes, sitting on the side of the pool with the rest of the parents.  I am really enjoying watching my son learn to swim.  It is so much better than pacing around the deck.  I no longer look like the "swimming pool stalker"! LOL!  I am sure the other parents appreciate that this Mommie is no longer blocking their view ... ;)


Wishing you all the best for your holidays and hope Santa is good to all of you!  :) *HUGS*

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Completely Content :)

When Austin was around 10 months old, he was sitting on the floor playing by himself.  My mother just happened to be over that day and said "I have never seen a baby so content to play all alone like that."  I remember stopping and turning my head towards Austin and looking at him, with his toys, playing and smiling.  I didn't think anything was wrong by the way he was playing.  Although, the fact that my mother had been around a lot of children and had said this, should have made my hair stand up on my neck like a startled porcupine!  (It does today when I look back.)  Of course, I told her, which was the truth, I rarely played with Austin because my mother in-law would give me a hard time.  She would say, he was happy playing alone and to leave him be, over and over again.  (You see, her son, my husband, was a needy baby to her.  She always had to play with him, it made him happy.  Funny how children can be that way! lol!)  I blamed myself when Austin's social skills started to be questioned later on and I figured if I had played with him more, he would have interacted better with other children.  I sobbed telling Austin's first speech therapist this one day.  It was tough.  I really thought it was all my fault.

I think of my mother saying what she did to me that day.  I can still see the look on her face, just like it was yesterday.  It will never go away.  I didn't pay the attention I should have then, even though I thought it was an odd thing for her to say.  I was a first time mother, and of course, I dismissed things easily.  Right Tink? ;)

Stay tuned, more time warp posts to come!  *HUGS*

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

"Dance with me Mommie!"

Since Austin was an infant, he has always loved it when I danced with him.  Most people rock their babies or walk them up and down the hallway (some of my family members used to do this with Austin as a newborn ... for hours!).  I found that holding him and playing music softly or singing to him lightly, while dancing with him, really settled him down.  Could not explain it at the time, but it worked!   The "dancing lullaby"! ;)

I have always LOVED dance and used to study when I was young.  I believe everyone is born with a passion in life.  What they are meant, or were put here to do, mine is dance.  Nothing gave me such happiness until I had my children.  I am very blessed. :)

When Austin was a newborn, I used to put on music and dance around ... he LOVED it!  So one day, I picked him up, put on a ballad and waltzed around the house with him, he fell asleep!  When we were at Christmas (the first year he was born, he was only 5 months old), we wanted to settle him to put him to sleep.  He was a bit fussier than normal ... all the people maybe or he may have just been played out.  (I figure it was too stimulating for him looking back now.)  So I took him upstairs in a quiet and dark room and sang to him (Mickey Gilly's "Stand By Me" if you can believe that!) and swayed back and forth slowly ... low and behold ... he settled almost right away and went to sleep.  This worked for months and months when he was little.  It was my little "sleeping spell".  It was so sweet to see him that content and calm.  :)

To this day, Austin LOVES to dance!  He wants me to pick him up and dance around with him.  Uhhh, he is very big but sometimes I do pick him up for a few minutes and dance around the house.  He really thinks it is fun!  I miss that time so much when he was little and I could hold him and dance around as he fell asleep ... it is wonderful to just sit and think about it though.  They grow and change so fast, I am glad I took the time to appreciate the little treasure I was given and can smile at the memory of my little baby boy, happy, secure and asleep in my arms ... what a gift ...  :)

*HUGS*

Conquering Craft

I just got some GREAT news today.  Apparently, Austin is doing so well during craft at school, they have decided that he will not need any written or picture directions.  This is WONDERFUL!  He has struggled with this since last year.  The reason behind it could be because he is sleeping longer and better at night.  I believe that the sleep he is getting is helping him focus better.  So HAPPY and PROUD of Austin!  GOOD JOB LOVEY!  :) 

Stay tuned ... the time warp post is coming up next!

*HUGS*

Thursday, December 2, 2010

"The Cat in the Hat": My Little Guy Knows All About That

I had to post this story.  Yesterday, it was rainy here, not very nice at all for December 1st.  Anyway, Austin LOVES to read.  One of his favourite books is "The Cat in the Hat".  He has this book on his iPad (a generous gift from my Father ... thanks again Dad ox) and reads it all the time.  He pretty much knows it by heart.  I could hear him reciting it yesterday but he was doing it as it is depicted in the book!  He had Kaleigh sitting next to him at the window, looking out together at the rain and reciting the lines from the book verbatim!  It was like watching "The Cat in the Hat" book come to life.  :)  It was so cute!

Just wanted to share a little story that made me smile and I hope it will do the same for you!  *HUGS*