Autistic Traits

oh yea...there are the traits you read about on all 'diagnose Autism at home' websites, but then there are the others....

This week, on the dual diagnosis board i lurk at, the topic is dumping and throwing. I've discussed the dumping here before...all the toy bins...all the dresser drawers, and the fact that my silverware is in tall tupperware tubs out of reach of my little dumper...

but have i ever spoke of throwing things?? Until now, when Molly just had Down Syndrome, honestly? I was too embarrassed to discuss the 'less than desireable' types of things we deal with. Coming out about the Autism seems to have freed me a little of that embarrassment, so you need to know.

Kids with Autism, tend to vent in ways that make old woman yack in a grocery stores...one being..they throw things. It was intolerable when she was a baby...but now that she can put some weight behind that toss?? it simply HAS to stop!! A full tippy cup hurling across a classroom can do damage.

So, just as a clue-in if you are one of the "sooooooooo much better than me" moms at Walmart who witness a "meltdown" of one of our kiddos??? Try to understand that we are working on this behavior non-stop. NOT taking them into public for fear of the above? Not a solution. In fact, the more our kids are mainstreamed, the easier it is for them to learn to be appropriate.

This was my post back to another mom just facing the long term of her 3 year old's awesome arm:

I would like to say that Molly is over throwing things...but last night? She went for a popsicle...now it's bad enough mommy hasn't been to the store in a week and she is left with just purple ones...(AS IF!!!) BUT the one she pulls out??? it was born with no stick. I hear the cry of anguish explode from her, and honestly, you would have thought someone had just ran over the dog....

AUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!


and then i see the offending member FLY across the kitchen and come to it's final demise on my coffee maker.


ugh


She did throw a tippy cup at summer school last year, and hit her boyfriend in the eye. Not good (although he did beg the aide not to tell anyone) so I am blantently aware of what HAS to happen. We work on this constantly, as it is SOOOOOOOO inappropriate...on one level.


On the other?? for the non verbal??? what else is there?? How else is she to let me know that THIS is a circumstance that is JUST NOT TOLERABLE!! I can so empathize with her...throwing things is as easy to stop for her, as is stopping my tears when im REALLY ANGRY. As much as I don't want them to fall, as inappropriate when i am trying to express myself like a sane human in a situation that I feel is WRONG WRONG WRONG!!

the angrier i get, the more they fill my eyes. After 50 years, is still uncontrollable.


I feel like i need to try to make her understand, that no, in the case of a broken popsicle, this IS not appropriate...but if the big scary man is wanting you to come to the closet with him???

You Go Girl!!!

What a line to walk.

BIRTHDAY TIME!! and a FAMILY REUNION

yesterday, Mommy almost yacked when she discovered she had deleted all the pics from the longggggggg weekend. Shauna armed with Gabes DSL in Springfield came to the rescue (being stuck on sattelite really adds to the frustration) and found them....YAY, for the pics anyway...we decided on El Charro for the birthday dinner, and their delicious enchiladas and the stress over the pics ....made mommy's tummy a virtual volcano!

I am pleased to be able to add the pics and tell you about my fabulous week! First....Ally came to visit on Wednesday, catch some rays and pool time, and bring the baby down. Rays are easy to come by as we are in a stalled weather system that is giving us 100 degree days!! AUGUST IN JUNE!! After the winter we had....no one is complaining. She left Aubrey Jo home with us and went back to Springfield to work...I love having the baby here, even though she steals my toys and pretzels! She is funny! I don't mind that mommy has to spend alot of time with her...but i REALLY DID MIND when bill was loving up on her. THE NERVE!!



She's ready to go!! Actually, this is an adorable float, but wayyyyyyyyy to old for her! mama brought a floatie with a canope on it that worked much better.



The cat got in on the action, trying to teach her how to open the door, but she is still too short



Grandpa Sarge also had some instruction on ham radioes....Aubrey Jo LOVESSSSS her grampa...anytime she'd get bored, she wander down the hall to the radio room. He is like a magnet to little ones!







Then Shauna made it in from DC! YAY! She had a 10th High School Reunion to attend.



She did some Pilates~ in the morning...Aubrey Jo helped with them, too




then FINALLY mom and dad made it in! They missed me SOOOOOOOO MUCH!!




Uncle Bill and Angela joined in...and we just had bunches of fun after that....




In addition to all the kids at my house? everyone brought PUPPIES!! Only Jager, the chocolate lab, was able to manuver the stairs to my hideaway, though...silly dog!




My sibs fight all the time in a funny way....one morning Shauna woke Bill up with my super soaker squirt gun!! He ran out of the bedroom and threw her in the pool with all her clothes on!! They are really funny!!



All that fun left us all tired, but mommy said she was GLAD that the "family couch" was full again!





Then we went to El Charro for a birthday Celebration! MOLLY IS 9!!! She got a plate of her most favoritest rice...and then? SURPRISE!!














All in All...it was the best birthday a girl could want...Momma and I are very tired today, as we clean up...but both of us decided the best kind of vacation, is the EVERYBODY COME HOME vacation.

WELCOME SUMMER!!

Today starts THE WEEK!! I'M SO EXCITED!!

Shauna comes home Thursday, I'm taking the week off...hopefully BOTH the boys will be home...Ally may be down Wednesday to "Club-Spa Gramma" and use the pool, and let me play with Aubrey Jo...Molly's Birthday is the 22nd! so im hoping to have a party for ALL THE KIDS! and I AM JUST PSYCHED!!

I just love it when i can get all my chicks under my wings at the same time. Doesn't happen very often, for SURE!!

Last weekend, instead of blogging, i was at a Birthday Party for a little girl WHO TURNED ONE!! can you BELIEVE IT!! ONE YEAR OLD!! ALREADY!!

it was a blast....

molly and Aubrey got a little face time:



She loved her cake and presents:



Molly fell in love with a zip slide attachment at the park...which I'm currently looking for to add to her playset!



But Aubrey was too little to try...check out that adorable party dress!!



Maybe she's all of one year old...but grampa is STILL HUGE TO HER!!


Molly is still loving every minute of summer school...and all that summer is here in the ozarks. She has no idea her WORLD is about to be ROCKED with the reunion of her siblings. She also LOVESSSSSSSSSSSSSS everyone being home!!

have a GREAT WEEK!!