Scroll over to page 12 and see my man’s little blurb! Mama so proud!
Wha-wha-wha-WTF?!!?!?!? March 28, 2008
Oh, Mama don’t play that! Don’t be putting my baby in no claustrophobia inducing box!
Can’t these fools think of a better way to help this child calm down during transitions?
I know Ronan’s teacher has several sane options that she could share with them. What about a timer, a PECS schedule, a school rules board focusing on positive reinforcement, or even a calm down spot – something less similar to a dog cage.
I’m all for “you need to sit here until you calm down” - even if I have to sit with him, or keep putting him back on the calm down spot repeatedly.
But, really, is this necessary?
Thoughts?
Music, my first language March 17, 2008
When he was a baby, singing and music were the language that he understood. It soothed him when he cried, and he babbled beats to songs and sounds of instruments as his first words.
When all of the other toddlers were learning functional language, Ronan, although still pretty much non-verbal, was already fluent in music.
When all of the other toddlers were learning functional language, Ronan, although still pretty much non-verbal, was already fluent in music.
This is a painting he did that represents this…
In his own words, “This is my music. Music gives me feelings.”
I always describe Ronan as someone who is aquiring language like a foreigner learning English.
Buy this original art by Ronan James at:
From Sacks pg. 156:
Wittegentstein remarks: “Augustine describes the learning of human language as if the child came into a strange country and did not understand the language of the country; that is, as if it already had a language, only not this one. Or again: as if the child could already think, only not yet speak. And ‘think’ would here mean something like ‘talk to itself”.
camp out! March 17, 2008
We took out the Playhut from the closet today.
Judging by the look on Ronan’s face (and Loudon’s sleepy one!) – yeah, camp out was a big hit.
Never and Nufin’ March 14, 2008
The Loudon has two favorite phrases this week.
“NEVER”
And “NUFIN’”
He is taking his opposition of everything to a new level, and at three years old has found the ultimate protest words for his feelings.
“Loudon, do you want to go with me to get Ronan from school?”
“NEVER! Never can I go to school!”
“Never? But what about Miss June (Ronan’s former teacher)? You love to see Miss June.”
“Miss June nufin’!”
“Nothing? Oh, I’ll bet you’ll give her a big hug when you see her!”
“Never! Nufin’”
Ahh, The Loudon. He totally gave her a huge hug too. Flirt.
The night I was a bad mother March 14, 2008
It had been a long day of stimming, perseverating and redirecting. The cabinets over and over being opened, then slammed- the doors the same thing. Vocal stimming like a mad-man.
I have big sound sensitivity, so with Ronan having a huge need for audio stimulation – together, we drive each other crazy with this.
I tried all the usual – not earning rewards when rules aren’t followed, time-outs, distraction, special activities, etc. Nothing was helping. Gram and Papa visited, and they brought the SUGAR! I shouldn’t have let him eat that much, but I did.
At 10:00 p.m. we finally got him to actually lay down in his bed. These bouts of hyperactivity are so draining for everyone, and it was my fault. I was so exhausted, and even though he was still wanting to bounce off the walls, I knew he was tired too.
Then came the requests. “I have to go pee!”
“You just peed, Ronan.”
“I HAVE to go pee!”
“Fine, let’s go, but no banging cabinets or toilet seats, because Lowie is sleeping – and so is everyone else!”
I escort him to the bathroom, where he does a trickle of pee and then promptly grabs the toilet seat and slams it down in a fit of extra loud giggles.
“Ronan, ENOUGH!”
We get back into bed. I pull the covers up and sigh. He starts banging his head on the wall and reciting addition facts in his booming voice.
“Ronan, quiet, and stop banging your head!”
He laughs like a maniacal Cookie Monster. In fact, that’s what we call his bouts of hyper – Cookie Monstering.
When we were visiting his Auntie in Malibu the previous summer, he ate four Chips Ahoy cookies – we used to be on the GF/CF everything F diet for 2 years, but his tests had come back negative for any sensitivities, so we started reintroducing things on occasion - anyway, the cookies were eaten, and what followed was four straight hours of Cookie Ronan belting out the same phrase from a game on pbskids.org over and over and over. Picture this like Cookie Monster has taken a giant hit off an oversized crack pipe…
“CLICK ON A COOKIE THAT STARTS WITH THE LETTER M. MOUSE…A YOM, YOM, YOM, YOM, YOM, YOM, YOM, YOM, YOM. ERRRRRTTT. AHHHH!!!”
Seriously, by the time he crashed from his high, my sister and I were limp.
I should have learned from history! But no, he loves M&Ms and ice cream cake so much! He should have them once and a while!
That’s like saying a diabetic should eat a hot fudge sundae. Sigh.
So, there we were with Cookie Monster – The Sequel, and it was approaching midnight.
The 10th request for pee was upon us.
“Ronan, you can’t possibly have to pee AGAIN!”
“I want to!”
“NO! Go to SLEEP!”
“PEE!”
“SLEEP!”
“PEE!”
“SLEEP!”
“PEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!”
“GO TO SLEEP!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
Silence.
I hear a grunt.
“Ha! I just peed!”
I frantically feel for his undies. He peed!
“GET OUT OF THE BED!” I am angrily pulling his underwear off, and he starts kicking and slapping at me. I swat his butt once. Not hard, in fact, he was screaming and thrashing so violently, he didn’t even notice…but I did it. I never spank. I hate spanking, but I did it.
I lost control of my anger, and I lost control of the situation. I was a bad mother.
I swore, after being raised in a house full of out-of-control adults, that I would never lose my cool to that point. I did. It was probably the worst feeling that I’ve ever had.
I cried myself to sleep, while Ronan continued Cookie Monstering, albeit, a little more quietly.
The next morning, I sat him down and apologized. It was my fault that he was on overdrive, and I should have checked my emotions.
A while ago, one of my shrinks said to me that what will make the difference in my parenting vs. how I was parented was that I would say I was sorry for my mistakes, and then I would learn from them.
Hmm. Yes, but I still felt like CRAP.
Sometimes, I feel really alone in this world of autism. I know all kids have their challenges and strengths.
But sometimes, it’s just feels more of everything – maybe just one too many Chips Ahoy cookies.
And sometimes, I feel like a bad mother.
Return of the Vominator – Part Deux…or 3, or 4…whatever. March 8, 2008
The Vom. My poor Vom. He is a measly 30 lbs at 3 years old! I don’t know how skinny that is for a three year old (maybe that’s normal!), considering Ronan weighed 30 lbs. at 10 months old – seriously.
Anyway, unbelievably, The Vom caught ANOTHER stomach virus! For 8 straight days he spewed and pooed on every surface. We have slept, collectively, about 8 hours in 8 days.
We saw the doc, and he thinks it was just virus after virus. It was close to IV time if he didn’t turn the corner today, but thankfully, he held down some food and drink – my poor baby.
He was back to bossing Ronan around - “Don’t bang the chair again, Ro! Or you will have a time-out!” lol
Ronan has been spectacular with him while he was sick, keeping quiet while he napped, helping when he ralphed by bringing me wipes and water – too cute.
I was worried that it was something that Vom’s Dad brought home from visiting his chronically ill mother in the rehab- C.Diff. or something like that, but thankfully, no.
My hands are raw from bleaching surfaces and disinfecting poo and spew spots – being a Mom…most rewarding job EVER, but DANG, I’s tired!!
McCain on vaccines and autism March 1, 2008
I really wish the focus would broaden with vaccines (and environmental toxins in general) to include more study of the detriments of introducing things like aluminum, formaldehyde and live viruses, into our children at such a young age (and with such an increased shot schedule).
Anyway, here’s McCain’s stance on thimerosol in vaccines and autism…
I SAY!
http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/02/john-mccain-ent.html
