My husband had a great idea a few weeks ago. I was getting the hummingbird feeder ready to put outside for the summer and he suggested we put it up near Austin's window. Awesome result! Austin is enjoying watching the two hummingbirds that visit immensely.
There is a story to tell about one of the hummingbirds. Austin LOVES Mario as you well know and he wears a red Montreal Canadiens ball cap due to the resemblance of Mario's hat. The Canadiens are a big favourite when it comes to hockey teams here in Quebec, of course. Anyway, Austin was outside playing near his window one day when a hummingbird came swooping down at his head! The red ball cap attracting the hungry little bird. Austin saw it coming and dodged it. Surprisingly, he got a real kick out of the hummingbird thinking his hat was a feeder or flower. He laughed when he said "Mommie, the bird tried to eat my head!".
I love to see the amazement on Austin's face when the hummingbirds hover to eat. We stand together quitely to enjoy the site of these tiny flying jewels. I consider it such a gift to experience the elation that crosses Austin's face when he sees these birds. Truly wonderful! :)
All the best! *HUGS* to all!
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Monday, June 20, 2011
Remembering
The other day I asked Austin a question. He told me the answer and a few minutes later I asked him the same question. (I do this, I call it "Mommie Brain"! lol!) Anyway, when he answered me the second time he said the answer and then "I just told you that Mom!". I almost fell off my seat! I was recounting the story to my husband when I asked Austin another question that we had previously discussed. Again he said "I told you the other day that ... " and proceeded to give the answer. This is a HUGE accomplishment for Austin! Normally he would just give the same answer over and over. Never let you know that he is aware he has been asked whether it was minutes, hours or days ago. I am so pleased for him! YAY for you buddy! Mommie LOVES YOU! OX
*HUGS* and all the best!
A note to Jacquie:
I was so ready to write this post the other day. I was so happy and excited for Austin. I went and checked my blogs that I follow, most of them about Autism, and I came upon yours and read the latest post. It took the wind right out of my sails. You are a wonderful person and Mother and I just wanted to send you my best and let you know I am thinking of you and was so saddened to hear your news. You always offer support and share your experiences with me, I am truly grateful to you. I had to tell you how much I was affected by your post and how it touched my heart. Sending you *HUGS*!
*HUGS* and all the best!
A note to Jacquie:
I was so ready to write this post the other day. I was so happy and excited for Austin. I went and checked my blogs that I follow, most of them about Autism, and I came upon yours and read the latest post. It took the wind right out of my sails. You are a wonderful person and Mother and I just wanted to send you my best and let you know I am thinking of you and was so saddened to hear your news. You always offer support and share your experiences with me, I am truly grateful to you. I had to tell you how much I was affected by your post and how it touched my heart. Sending you *HUGS*!
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Tough Acts to Follow
I just got home from Austin's preschool graduation (he will be entering Grade 1 in September). I am still trying to adjust to the fact that my baby will be 6 and in elementary school, it has all happened so fast ... sniff ... :( On the other hand, I am very happy for Austin because he is so excited to go to "big school". I hope that he gets as lucky with teachers there as he did in preschool. I have to say, they are going to be tough acts to follow ... period! I just adore these two teachers and consider Austin so blessed to have had them in his life for the last two years.
I will always highly recommend this preschool to parents; it is a great school! (Kaleigh will be attending in September and she is so excited!) I cannot say enough good things about Austin's two teachers and the preschool. They have provided support, understanding, caring, guidance, patience and have given their own time to attend meetings that included Austin's team involved in his treatment. They could have turned Austin away; they certainly did not have to take on the responsibility of a second year with Austin. (There are plenty of "typical" children on their waiting list.) They could have said "no" but they didn't. Words cannot express how grateful I am to these two wonderful women. Austin's first experience with school could not have been better and I feel so lucky that they offered their hands to help in a time that was so crucial to Austin; to our family ... They are forever in my heart. They are the reason Austin was flagged which led to his diagnosis. They stood by him and helped in every way possible. It is to both of you that I would like to say, I am so very grateful and appreciate so much what you have done for Austin and for us ... THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU! *BIG, BIG HUGS*
All the best! :) *HUGS* to all!
I will always highly recommend this preschool to parents; it is a great school! (Kaleigh will be attending in September and she is so excited!) I cannot say enough good things about Austin's two teachers and the preschool. They have provided support, understanding, caring, guidance, patience and have given their own time to attend meetings that included Austin's team involved in his treatment. They could have turned Austin away; they certainly did not have to take on the responsibility of a second year with Austin. (There are plenty of "typical" children on their waiting list.) They could have said "no" but they didn't. Words cannot express how grateful I am to these two wonderful women. Austin's first experience with school could not have been better and I feel so lucky that they offered their hands to help in a time that was so crucial to Austin; to our family ... They are forever in my heart. They are the reason Austin was flagged which led to his diagnosis. They stood by him and helped in every way possible. It is to both of you that I would like to say, I am so very grateful and appreciate so much what you have done for Austin and for us ... THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU! *BIG, BIG HUGS*
All the best! :) *HUGS* to all!
Monday, June 6, 2011
FANscination!
A "time-warp" post!
When Austin was around a year old, he discovered fans! We had them in our house, family members' houses had them, the hairdresser had ceiling fans, the stores ... everywhere there were fans and Austin LOVED them! As soon as he saw one, he would run to it "FAN"! It was almost like he was hypnotized by them. I never thought this was odd, truly. Just a bit worrisome if he started to touch the buttons and he may get hurt or break someone's fan. No one else found this odd except Tink ... Tink picked up on a lot of Austin's behaviours and she was the only one who said that this indicated a problem ... I did not believe it at the time. I just thought, he loves the motion of the fan. Wrong ... again ... :(
Austin's fascination with fans lasted over two years. We recently went to the hairdresser's (he has not really been there in a long time) and the hairdresser said, "Hey Austin, there is the fan you loved so much.". Austin did not even bat an eyelash. So I told Austin, "You used to LOVE fans!". "Don't you remember?" Austin barely acknowledged my question. He did not remember. Holy! I could not believe it! Hours and hours this child spent in front of fans and now, he couldn't even remember being so fascinated by them? Completely blows my mind! How something so significant for so long is now insignificant.
I guess if Mario needed a fan to get him to World 9, it would be a completely different story! ;)
All the best! *HUGS* to all! :)
When Austin was around a year old, he discovered fans! We had them in our house, family members' houses had them, the hairdresser had ceiling fans, the stores ... everywhere there were fans and Austin LOVED them! As soon as he saw one, he would run to it "FAN"! It was almost like he was hypnotized by them. I never thought this was odd, truly. Just a bit worrisome if he started to touch the buttons and he may get hurt or break someone's fan. No one else found this odd except Tink ... Tink picked up on a lot of Austin's behaviours and she was the only one who said that this indicated a problem ... I did not believe it at the time. I just thought, he loves the motion of the fan. Wrong ... again ... :(
Austin's fascination with fans lasted over two years. We recently went to the hairdresser's (he has not really been there in a long time) and the hairdresser said, "Hey Austin, there is the fan you loved so much.". Austin did not even bat an eyelash. So I told Austin, "You used to LOVE fans!". "Don't you remember?" Austin barely acknowledged my question. He did not remember. Holy! I could not believe it! Hours and hours this child spent in front of fans and now, he couldn't even remember being so fascinated by them? Completely blows my mind! How something so significant for so long is now insignificant.
I guess if Mario needed a fan to get him to World 9, it would be a completely different story! ;)
All the best! *HUGS* to all! :)
Monday, May 30, 2011
Round 2 Goes to ... Austin! :)
Well, Austin is going to be attending the school we applied for ... YAY! (He was denied last year.) I filed for a "cross-boundary transfer" a while ago to request a school that is better suited for Austin. I was so happy to hear that he will be attending there and the meeting I was at this morning, I have to say, I was very impressed. The team I met with were very thorough, understanding, supportive and professional. I am relieved ... whew! I am so grateful that we have this option for Austin because we feel that introduction to school is extremely important for him. Everyone that I met with this morning considers that a priority, I couldn't be happier!
We will still have to file the report from the Psychiatrist after Austin sees her to ensure the funding comes through for him (Round 3). The school is going to file the documentation they have so far. They really are being very helpful and I am so grateful.
I feel that even though I accomplished this goal, it is Austin who is the winner. He will benefit from this placement, and well, that's what drives me, to get Austin what he needs to succeed. I believe he deserves the best and what parent doesn't want that for their children? :)
*HUGS* to all!
We will still have to file the report from the Psychiatrist after Austin sees her to ensure the funding comes through for him (Round 3). The school is going to file the documentation they have so far. They really are being very helpful and I am so grateful.
I feel that even though I accomplished this goal, it is Austin who is the winner. He will benefit from this placement, and well, that's what drives me, to get Austin what he needs to succeed. I believe he deserves the best and what parent doesn't want that for their children? :)
*HUGS* to all!
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
The Pond
A "time-warp" post.
About 3 years ago, just before Austin turned 3, I gave birth to Kaleigh. She was just a newborn when someone very close to me came to visit with her children. (I have altered her name in my posts to protect her privacy and call her "Tink".) During our visit, my mother in-law came over (she lives next door) and asked to take Austin down to the pond. (We have a pond just around the corner from our house.) I thought it would be okay since I took Austin to the pond all the time and he was always good. We would go and feed the ducks. He really enjoyed it. I didn't think twice about letting him go with my mother in-law since she spent a lot of time with him and she took him to the pond many times before that day. Tink and her children decided to go as well.
Everyone got ready and set out for the pond. I was taking care of Kaleigh (probably nursing because that's all she did for the first while, being a newborn). Not long after, I heard this terrible screaming, crying and shrieking, like I have never heard before. My heart fell out of my chest ... swear! My mother in-law was carrying Austin and he was soaking wet! OMG! "What happened?!" My mother in-law said that Austin had fallen in the pond. How in God's name did he fall in the pond?! Where was he standing to do this? Where was my mother in-law at the time that he could fall in the water? I was too scared to be angry. I have never seen Austin so upset, and still to this day, never seen him this distraught. It was truly frightening. I got him out of the cold wet clothes (it was March/April and the water was very cold!) and calmed down. Tink did not say much at the time. I could tell by the look on her face that she felt badly. Needless to say, I was upset that Austin was left by the pond on his own! "What ifs?" went through my head for days and days ... I still do not like to think about this even now.
Eventually Tink told me that Austin had been standing by the pond and as she was heading up the road with her children she "saw" Austin run into the pond. I thought, why didn't she run after him? My mother in-law said that Austin "fell" in the pond. My mother in-law was just up from the pond clearing a branch one of the other children had thrown in the road. I could not understand why she would do this and leave Austin on his own near the water. Tink's story at the time was meant to alert me to the fact that she believed Austin was impulsive and didn't know fear. She felt he should be checked because he might not be developing "typically". I did not receive this well as you can imagine and was defensive about the subject. (Austin never missed a milestone and was always checked thoroughly by his doctor.) I told her he had never, ever tried to run into the pond and I felt that he must have gotten too close and fell in the water. Either way, I was furious ... he could have drowned! The water is not too deep but you just never know! There are logs and vines everywhere, he could have gotten caught and fell under ... I just can't think about it ...
What happened that day is still a mystery to me. I have no idea what really happened. All I know is that my baby was put in jeopardy. I never leave Austin's side no matter what when we are out. I hang onto him for dear life because I cannot trust what he may do. It is true that 99% of the time, everything goes smoothly, but who wants to take the chance on that 1%. Would you? I think not.
I decided to post this story because of little ones like Adam. Anything can happen to our special little treasures and that horrible day showed me how a second or so could have changed everything I hold dear in my life. I was just very lucky and blessed my son was okay.
All the best ... *HUGS*
About 3 years ago, just before Austin turned 3, I gave birth to Kaleigh. She was just a newborn when someone very close to me came to visit with her children. (I have altered her name in my posts to protect her privacy and call her "Tink".) During our visit, my mother in-law came over (she lives next door) and asked to take Austin down to the pond. (We have a pond just around the corner from our house.) I thought it would be okay since I took Austin to the pond all the time and he was always good. We would go and feed the ducks. He really enjoyed it. I didn't think twice about letting him go with my mother in-law since she spent a lot of time with him and she took him to the pond many times before that day. Tink and her children decided to go as well.
Everyone got ready and set out for the pond. I was taking care of Kaleigh (probably nursing because that's all she did for the first while, being a newborn). Not long after, I heard this terrible screaming, crying and shrieking, like I have never heard before. My heart fell out of my chest ... swear! My mother in-law was carrying Austin and he was soaking wet! OMG! "What happened?!" My mother in-law said that Austin had fallen in the pond. How in God's name did he fall in the pond?! Where was he standing to do this? Where was my mother in-law at the time that he could fall in the water? I was too scared to be angry. I have never seen Austin so upset, and still to this day, never seen him this distraught. It was truly frightening. I got him out of the cold wet clothes (it was March/April and the water was very cold!) and calmed down. Tink did not say much at the time. I could tell by the look on her face that she felt badly. Needless to say, I was upset that Austin was left by the pond on his own! "What ifs?" went through my head for days and days ... I still do not like to think about this even now.
Eventually Tink told me that Austin had been standing by the pond and as she was heading up the road with her children she "saw" Austin run into the pond. I thought, why didn't she run after him? My mother in-law said that Austin "fell" in the pond. My mother in-law was just up from the pond clearing a branch one of the other children had thrown in the road. I could not understand why she would do this and leave Austin on his own near the water. Tink's story at the time was meant to alert me to the fact that she believed Austin was impulsive and didn't know fear. She felt he should be checked because he might not be developing "typically". I did not receive this well as you can imagine and was defensive about the subject. (Austin never missed a milestone and was always checked thoroughly by his doctor.) I told her he had never, ever tried to run into the pond and I felt that he must have gotten too close and fell in the water. Either way, I was furious ... he could have drowned! The water is not too deep but you just never know! There are logs and vines everywhere, he could have gotten caught and fell under ... I just can't think about it ...
What happened that day is still a mystery to me. I have no idea what really happened. All I know is that my baby was put in jeopardy. I never leave Austin's side no matter what when we are out. I hang onto him for dear life because I cannot trust what he may do. It is true that 99% of the time, everything goes smoothly, but who wants to take the chance on that 1%. Would you? I think not.
I decided to post this story because of little ones like Adam. Anything can happen to our special little treasures and that horrible day showed me how a second or so could have changed everything I hold dear in my life. I was just very lucky and blessed my son was okay.
All the best ... *HUGS*
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Little Ones Lost II
I am so sad to let everyone know, that little Adam, who wandered off in April, was found the other day. He drowned the day he went missing and he was recovered this past Tuesday. How terribly sad and tragic.
I wanted to write this post for Adam and feel that awareness is so important to help keep these tragedies from happening again. It only takes a few seconds, and they can disappear and be gone forever.
Poor Adam. I am very sad that he passed away, just a baby ... my deepest sympathies go out to his family and all who love him. I am so very sorry for their devastating loss.
*HUGS* and love to all.
I wanted to write this post for Adam and feel that awareness is so important to help keep these tragedies from happening again. It only takes a few seconds, and they can disappear and be gone forever.
Poor Adam. I am very sad that he passed away, just a baby ... my deepest sympathies go out to his family and all who love him. I am so very sorry for their devastating loss.
*HUGS* and love to all.
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