Autism Awareness Month

Thank you stark.raving.mad.mommy for this hilarious post in honor of Autism Awareness Month...I am pretty sure I have heard just about every one of these comments.


If you're the parent or caregiver of a child on the autism spectrum, Autism Awareness Month is not for you. You are already aware of autism. Like, really, really aware. Aware that you need another cup of coffee, a Xanax, and possibly an advanced degee in Education Law.

Autism Awareness Month is for everyone else. To help out, here's my Top Ten Things You Should (and Shouldn't) Say to The Parent of an Autistic Child.

10. DON'T SAY: "Wow, your son is great at math. He's just like Rain Man."

DO SAY: "Wow, your son is great at math."


9. DON'T SAY: "He should probably be in a special class, so other kids won't make fun of him."

DO SAY: "We should probably be teaching our children more empathy."


8. DON'T SAY: "You should try giving your kid more discipline."

DO SAY: "You should try these brownies I made for you."


7. DON'T SAY: "Wow, your kids all seem to have a lot of problems. Have you ever heard of Munchausen by Proxy Syndrome?"

DO SAY: "Wow, you're really on top of things for your kids. It must be hard, but it seems like you're doing a great job."


6. DON'T SAY: "You should change your child to an astronomically expensive, all-organic, gluten-free, casein-free diet of locally-grown organic broccoli and imported, cruelty-free snake oil capsules."

DO SAY: "Please sit down and rest while I make you some bacon-topped meatloaf and pour you a glass of wine."


5. DON'T SAY: "I think autism is over-diagnosed these days. They're handing that label out like Mardi Gras beads."

DO SAY: "I am alarmed by studies that show that autism spectrum disorders are actually under-diagnosed in girls and minorities. Excuse me while I e-mail my legislator about my desire that he or she increase the fundng for autism research and education."


4. DON'T SAY: "Isn't he getting a little big for diapers?"

DO SAY: "Here, I picked up this case of diapers and some extra Febreze for you while I was at the store."


3. DON'T SAY: "I wish my kid was getting free extra help in school like that."

DO SAY: "I wish I had remembered to mention to my legislator my desire that he or she stop slashing the budget for special eduation services like they're freaking Zorro or something. Excuse me while I go send another email."


2. DON'T SAY: "You look exhausted."

DO SAY: "How about if I play Lego Star Wars with your kids for the next four hours while you take a nap?"


1. DON'T SAY: "He's fine / it's no big deal / he'll grow out of it / all kids are like that."

DO SAY: "It's so great that you got the diagnosis, even though he's obviously awesomesauce exactly the way he is."

1.1.11

So many ones!

This is supposed to be the day where everyone takes time to reflect on the past year and finally change their lives in various forms for the better. My thoughts are...really, you only get this one day? On previous New Year Day's I was stressed to find that magical thing to enhance my life. This year I realized that the whole idea behind resolutions is that you plan to evolve as a person. And let me tell you, I can evolve.

The last decade through some major curve-balls my way, both good and bad (of course). Somehow I evolved, revolved, contorted, shifted, changed and rode the current. That's all it is I guess.

So....my advice (if you want it), is to think twice before you resolve to spend 365 days cooking Julia Child masterpieces. It's a little extreme. Just remind yourself that you have the opportunity to make changes in your life everyday. Regardless of how scary it may sound, things happen and plans change. Deal.

With that, I hope that this year brings all the health and happiness you can stand. Cheers!

saturday!

come down to do a little shopping at the "frog church" tomorrow from 9-4. i will be there with the last of my cupcake couture stuff and would love some company! its free admission and they will have all kinds of food/drinks to raise money for their youth group.

covenant united methodist church
on gleneden drive in north spokane

p.s. if you are in a craft-fair kind of mood, you can also stop in to the Mead HS craft fair this weekend. i wont be there, but you know i love to support me some panthers!

just a taste

whenever fall rolls around, i get lots of requests on how to make these yummy treats. they seem to be just enough sweetness to hold off my desire to inhale a whole pumpkin pie. so....here is the big secret recipe:

one box of spice cake mix
one can of pumpkin puree



combine ingredients, use a 1" ice cream scoop to bake them on a parchment-lined baking sheet at 325 for about 12-14 minutes.
sometimes, if i'm feeling really creative, i add a handful of chocolate chips (wow-i know)

if you like yourself some pumpkin pie, or pumpkin spice latte...these will be like heaven in your mouth. and, although i haven't figured out the calories, safe to say they are easier on your waistline too! let me know what you think. happy fall!

how i stroll...

travelling again this week, and just wanted to answer the question we must get a thousand times every trip.

question: "what kind of stroller is that?"

answer: "phil & teds"

to all of the mommies out there, do yourself a favor. bite the bullet of the price tag and pick yourself up one of these puppies. my phil & teds does everything, with a smile! it is a jogger, double stroller, infant seat carrier, shopping cart, and baggage holder. it travels easily, folds nicely and can fit through any doorway or shopping isle.

people often say, "there is no way my kid would sit in the bottom seat. he/she likes to see everything."

my answer is, "you might be surprised. my son thinks it is a little fort and gets some alone time (which is an autistic kids dream)"

as an added bonus, you can stow your littlest baby down below if you use enough blankets to prop them up, which keeps strangers dirty hands/kisses away. most of the time they never knew liam was down there...germs at bay, score!

not a great pic, but i don't have any good ones of our phil & ted, although it is definitely worthy

QOTD:

"Rain, Rain, Go Away...Mother Nature is really pissing me off today."

-unnamed resident of North Spokane

a plea for help

This is one of those wierd last-ditch-efforts that one resorts to when a google dead-end is hit. I am sure that most people know about our son Jackson and his diagnosis of autism. (if you don't...surprise!) Lately, I have been doing more research than normal since I have a bit of free time away from school. I am becoming increasingly more interested in a movement that basically describes autism as a neuro-immune disorder. I went to a lecture tonight by Dr. Michael J. Goldberg and it peaked my interest even further. For the first time, things clicked for me. This is a man who does medical, SCIENTIFIC-BASED research and has had amazing results.

There are things about the various "popular" and celebrity-endorsed protocols that never felt quite right. Supplements, diets, shots, hyperbarric treatments, and heavy metal detox. It is a little hard to swallow sometimes. Yet, as a parent, you are made to feel like your instincts are dumb. I really try not to judge anyone going through this because I do think that every family needs to decide for themselves what they are comfortable with and believe in. There just can't be a one-size-fits-all.

No one wanted to listen when I told them that my son was vomiting for not reason and it was like he had a concusion. I tried to explain that he did not seem to have pain, just confusion. The look on his face during these episodes were strange. Instincts said..."head trauma. Just like an athlete would behave". Further confirmed because he always wanted to eat afterwards.

Things just never come out the way I want to describe. It is just a "feeling". I realize I sound a bit wacko.

Anyway, (rambling now cause it's late...sorry) my plea is this: If you are reading this and have any ideas about, research on, or experience with things like neuroSPECT scans, the XMRV retrovirus or use of SSRI's in autistic children, please let me know.

I just wanted to throw that out to the universe. What can I say, I want a cure just like every other mom out there!

Coming Soon...

Well, it is official. My family is opening a sports bar in North Spokane. Birdy's Sports Bar will have it's Grand Opening Celebration on Saturday, March 20th and I hope to see lots of friendly faces there. Check out the website for more information and to see updated pictures later this weekend. www.birdyssportsbar.com

Needless to say, we are all very excited and proud. And, in case you don't know...we are pretty much the coolest family ever. (seriously) I love my family more than I could ever express and am so proud of us for supporting this new venture using our many hidden talents. (which are secret)

At least come in for a beer, meet the owner and compliment him on the beautiful bar that he built with his own two hands. Then you can walk back and talk to the co-owner and tell her how delicious her "Nacho Girlfriends" are. We have been trying to support local businesses as much as possible during construction and hope you will support us as well.

Cheers!

a little reminder...

a lovely woman, and dear family friend sent out something in their Christmas cards that I think is worth passing along...

It seems that everyone is busy and everyone likes to feel even busier by talking about it...we want to encourage you this christmas to step out of the traffic and take a deep breath. Offer a prayer of thanksgiving for those you love, the blessings you have received, and the hope that Jesus brings in this christmas season. drink a cup of hot tea in front of the Christmas tree; listen to a Christmas carol all the way through; read the wonder of the Savior's birth in Luke 2; call an old friend; watch the fire burn in the fireplace; be quiet, be still.
The real miracle of Christmas is that God Himself came to be among us. Take a moment to consider what difference that really makes in your life...let the busy take care of itself; it will still be there tomorrow.

O little town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie...

now, this whole concept of being still is something that i need to work on. but, i definately think that a real reminder to savor the season and celebrate in the real miracle of Christmas is the simplest thing i can do today.

i hope you get time to do the same...enjoy the season!

yesterday morning i took jackson out for our normal tuesday routine which includes speech therapy at 9am. in the waiting room, i was chatting with a gal who i see every week but never talk to. anyway, her adorable daughter comes up to me, grabs onto my knees and just stares up with the biggest smile you have ever seen. to which, i reply "hey there cutie". her mom apologizes, which i nod off and we start talking. she asks how old jackson is (2 1/2) and if i have any other kids (liam, of course), and if i work (tell her i am in grad school). she then says, in sincerity, "wow, you really have your hands full".

this leads me to my point. this mom, in her late thirties probably, notes how busy life must be for me.

i have to say, i was a little taken back because (did i forget to mention) that her 3 and 4 year old daughters both have down syndrome? i felt like an idiot.

big idiot.

she had no way of knowing that i have been feeling a little sorry for myself lately in dealing with jackson, school and stress in general. and the rest of our conversation centered about all sorts of funny stories about the kids, new therapies/diets, and just normal life stuff. it was great. she had no way of knowing that her small comment would really effect me.

see, sometimes we play the comparison game in life (my truck is better than yours, her boobs are perkier than mine, etc.) you might think that someones situation seems impossible to you. and to keep things in perspective we say "it could always be worse". and that is all true. however, life is hard sometimes and no matter what your life is like, give yourself time to feel bad and then move on.

this is especially true for parenting. nothing irks me more than when parents try to play the comparison game with their children to "one up " the other. parenting is hard work (duh). have a little respect and know that a tired and stressed out parent is sometimes a good parent because they are putting every last bit of effort into their kids.

............lost my focus here, sorry..............

the moral of the story is, that somedays are better than others and no matter what anyone says...give yourself a chance to feel your life and then move on if you are heading down a debbie-downer path.

does that make sense?

awesome. now turn that frown upside down, and go have a shot of whisky. (kidding)