The One Where I Overschedule Our Day

You might wonder how many things can a family with four kids do in the course of one day. A good answer is probably one, considering the fact that we have two special little guys who need a lot more help than so called "typical" children. In typical ME fashion, though, I scheduled to run my first 5k ever early in the morning and then attend a Special Needs Egg hunt down in Norcross, followed by the family picnic held by that group.
So first I made my family get out of bed at 6 am on a Saturday to go do this thing with me.

I did a fairly shit job. I'm okay with that. I also never did one before and I'm with acknowledging that I'm not good at this whole running thing - yet. I don't need to be told I'm doing better than the people who didn't even show up. I may or may not be doing better than them, I don't know their story. What I know for real is that I'm a beginner at this and I wasn't counting on doing well, I was counting on finishing. So I made my family get up and watch me do a shit job but achieve a goal - I finished a 5k.
After that we went to Krystal and I ate like I had never had food before in my entire life.

It was possibly the best breakfast I ever consumed - which is completely untrue but you might have thought otherwise had you been there.

The special needs Easter Egg hunt was probably one of the best things ever for our special little guys. They held it in an enclosed baseball field - this helps out the parents with runners - and there were an amazing amount of eggs.

Charlie's MO was to run around and stuff as much candy in his mouth right there on the spot. Louis was charged with helping him actually get some into the basket.

Miles understood the drill more, he remembered, but he didn't really want to pick them up. He just wanted to step on them. To each his own, I supposed.

Julia however racked it up. Even with all three of my little kids getting FULL buckets (Louis is of course too big for such things, he says - although jumped right in to help Charlie) there was a ton of candy and eggs left on the field. The organizers REALLY out did themselves this year. Some years I've been to events where some kids got huge heaping buckets of eggs and other kids got about 6. This wasn't like that - there was MORE than enough for everyone which was so incredibly generous. I know it really meant a lot to the parents like me, the ones whose little guys normally "don't get as much" just because they don't quite understand or aren't able to participate at the same level as other children.

It's just candy and it's NOT important yet - the gesture was massive.

Afterward we went up to the shelter to enjoy the family picnic.

This pic makes me laugh - probably bcse Claire took it and couldn't see what she was shooting. She ALMOST got us!

Hot dogs and chips and wee tiny cupcakes were served and there was great rejoicing. I have to admit, by this time we'd all been up for hours and it was showing. We were getting tired. I considered suggesting the playground to the husband, did suggest it and then he looked at me like I'd lost my mind. We didn't suggest it to the children but beat a retreat to the car after we ate.

We started the drive home - and then Rita's happened. The car is still jacked up from the accident and we haven't been able to get the air conditioning fixed because everything is taking forever. So we were hot. And the car was hot. And the air was hot in the world. And Rita's was on the way home so...

Eventually we got home, and I collapsed asleep like the dead.

I don't think I was ever that tired in my entire life.

Doing lots of things sucks.

But it was totally awesome.

The One Where I Overschedule Our Day

You might wonder how many things can a family with four kids do in the course of one day. A good answer is probably one, considering the fact that we have two special little guys who need a lot more help than so called "typical" children. In typical ME fashion, though, I scheduled to run my first 5k ever early in the morning and then attend a Special Needs Egg hunt down in Norcross, followed by the family picnic held by that group.
So first I made my family get out of bed at 6 am on a Saturday to go do this thing with me.

I did a fairly shit job. I'm okay with that. I also never did one before and I'm with acknowledging that I'm not good at this whole running thing - yet. I don't need to be told I'm doing better than the people who didn't even show up. I may or may not be doing better than them, I don't know their story. What I know for real is that I'm a beginner at this and I wasn't counting on doing well, I was counting on finishing. So I made my family get up and watch me do a shit job but achieve a goal - I finished a 5k.
After that we went to Krystal and I ate like I had never had food before in my entire life.

It was possibly the best breakfast I ever consumed - which is completely untrue but you might have thought otherwise had you been there.

The special needs Easter Egg hunt was probably one of the best things ever for our special little guys. They held it in an enclosed baseball field - this helps out the parents with runners - and there were an amazing amount of eggs.

Charlie's MO was to run around and stuff as much candy in his mouth right there on the spot. Louis was charged with helping him actually get some into the basket.

Miles understood the drill more, he remembered, but he didn't really want to pick them up. He just wanted to step on them. To each his own, I supposed.

Julia however racked it up. Even with all three of my little kids getting FULL buckets (Louis is of course too big for such things, he says - although jumped right in to help Charlie) there was a ton of candy and eggs left on the field. The organizers REALLY out did themselves this year. Some years I've been to events where some kids got huge heaping buckets of eggs and other kids got about 6. This wasn't like that - there was MORE than enough for everyone which was so incredibly generous. I know it really meant a lot to the parents like me, the ones whose little guys normally "don't get as much" just because they don't quite understand or aren't able to participate at the same level as other children.

It's just candy and it's NOT important yet - the gesture was massive.

Afterward we went up to the shelter to enjoy the family picnic.

This pic makes me laugh - probably bcse Claire took it and couldn't see what she was shooting. She ALMOST got us!

Hot dogs and chips and wee tiny cupcakes were served and there was great rejoicing. I have to admit, by this time we'd all been up for hours and it was showing. We were getting tired. I considered suggesting the playground to the husband, did suggest it and then he looked at me like I'd lost my mind. We didn't suggest it to the children but beat a retreat to the car after we ate.

We started the drive home - and then Rita's happened. The car is still jacked up from the accident and we haven't been able to get the air conditioning fixed because everything is taking forever. So we were hot. And the car was hot. And the air was hot in the world. And Rita's was on the way home so...

Eventually we got home, and I collapsed asleep like the dead.

I don't think I was ever that tired in my entire life.

Doing lots of things sucks.

But it was totally awesome.

A Pool Party In November

I heard on the news this morning that there is a Polar Vortex of Doom coming our way before the end of November. I guess it's a good thing then, that our local park had a pool and pizza party for special needs families now, as we'd have all frozen running to our cars afterward were it later in the month.

I said to the family, everyone get in the pool so I can take your picture. Then they promptly went and got as far away from me as they could.

Jerks.
The loved it though and it was a great night for just swimming and playing with the family. I love watching my children when they are having so much fun that they can't stand it. The event was in the shallow pool for the safety of all of our special little guys. I think we were tied for loving the lazy river vs. the big slide. Louis love of the big slide was HUGE despite his initial misgivings. We laughed because he's now at that age, afraid of it - but once he does it, he's the king of it. He's going to love the water park this summer.

I had a big fail while I was there, and now I'm all regretting it and stuff. There was another family there at our table while we ate, they had what I thought was about an 18 month old baby. I kind of wondered what the babies disability was, but the whole place was full of disabilities and it seemed weird to ask "So what's wrong with YOUR kid? Let's tell disabled kid stories."
But as I was packing up, she asked me if the boy were autistic and so I said yes. She then asked me "So how did you know?"

I told the story, one I've told for years here. Then she says "He doesn't talk" motioning to the baby on her lap, which didn't strike me TOO odd as he looked like a baby still. And then she said "He's going to be three." Oh. Yeah. That's wrong.
I asked her if she belonged to Spectrum, I talked to her about how to join, and where she got tested (same place we did). She has him in Babies Can't Wait which is great so we sit and talked.
But then I failed, because I could've given her my contact info and I don't know why but I didn't. It didn't OCCUR to me. I should have.
She's at the start. She has in her arms a baby, a baby who is three. It's going to be so different and hard when that baby is five, and six, and seven. There will be progress but still she'll be reminded that her ten year old is still a baby, in so many ways. I feel really bad I didn't give her someone to reach out to, at least to remind her to contact Spectrum and join. We smiled and chatted about what he can do well, she told me can spell. I was reminded of Miles, who even now can read and write.

So we had an excellent evening, a perfect family evening of fun with cheap pizza and lemonade and swimming. That's the best part. Swimming and swimming and swimming. It was over too soon but it felt like it went on forever. At least, this morning that's how my body feels lol. Part of that was because I went down THIS slide more than once.

My body disliked it every time, man I don't take the jolts and bumps like I used to. Even better was when I hit the water the fist time, my boob popped out. Thanks for failing me swimming suit. It was dinner AND a show for those still eating. My solution was to go again. Why? Because YOLO.

Thanks for the party Bogan Park. It was excellent.

And Danielle with the three year old, I hope I see you posting on Spectrum. Because I'm going to reach out and say hi and give you my contact info. I'm sorry I didn't do it before.
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A Pool Party In November

I heard on the news this morning that there is a Polar Vortex of Doom coming our way before the end of November. I guess it's a good thing then, that our local park had a pool and pizza party for special needs families now, as we'd have all frozen running to our cars afterward were it later in the month.

I said to the family, everyone get in the pool so I can take your picture. Then they promptly went and got as far away from me as they could.

Jerks.
The loved it though and it was a great night for just swimming and playing with the family. I love watching my children when they are having so much fun that they can't stand it. The event was in the shallow pool for the safety of all of our special little guys. I think we were tied for loving the lazy river vs. the big slide. Louis love of the big slide was HUGE despite his initial misgivings. We laughed because he's now at that age, afraid of it - but once he does it, he's the king of it. He's going to love the water park this summer.

I had a big fail while I was there, and now I'm all regretting it and stuff. There was another family there at our table while we ate, they had what I thought was about an 18 month old baby. I kind of wondered what the babies disability was, but the whole place was full of disabilities and it seemed weird to ask "So what's wrong with YOUR kid? Let's tell disabled kid stories."
But as I was packing up, she asked me if the boy were autistic and so I said yes. She then asked me "So how did you know?"

I told the story, one I've told for years here. Then she says "He doesn't talk" motioning to the baby on her lap, which didn't strike me TOO odd as he looked like a baby still. And then she said "He's going to be three." Oh. Yeah. That's wrong.
I asked her if she belonged to Spectrum, I talked to her about how to join, and where she got tested (same place we did). She has him in Babies Can't Wait which is great so we sit and talked.
But then I failed, because I could've given her my contact info and I don't know why but I didn't. It didn't OCCUR to me. I should have.
She's at the start. She has in her arms a baby, a baby who is three. It's going to be so different and hard when that baby is five, and six, and seven. There will be progress but still she'll be reminded that her ten year old is still a baby, in so many ways. I feel really bad I didn't give her someone to reach out to, at least to remind her to contact Spectrum and join. We smiled and chatted about what he can do well, she told me can spell. I was reminded of Miles, who even now can read and write.

So we had an excellent evening, a perfect family evening of fun with cheap pizza and lemonade and swimming. That's the best part. Swimming and swimming and swimming. It was over too soon but it felt like it went on forever. At least, this morning that's how my body feels lol. Part of that was because I went down THIS slide more than once.

My body disliked it every time, man I don't take the jolts and bumps like I used to. Even better was when I hit the water the fist time, my boob popped out. Thanks for failing me swimming suit. It was dinner AND a show for those still eating. My solution was to go again. Why? Because YOLO.

Thanks for the party Bogan Park. It was excellent.

And Danielle with the three year old, I hope I see you posting on Spectrum. Because I'm going to reach out and say hi and give you my contact info. I'm sorry I didn't do it before.
Tweet

The Special Olympics

I had two athletes in the Special Olympics this year, and that was enough reason to take the time off of work, and to take the oldest boy out of school. When your children are Special Needs, there aren't Holiday Plays (nee Christmas Plays) and school functions that it really works well to be a part of, or are even included in. We try to go to things, or we used to, but as time passes I guess even we give up a little at going mainstream.

It was hot, too hot for special little guys who have trouble waiting and understanding concepts like patience. I actually kinda think that next year we should volunteer to split up and help out the individual classes, the kids get so bored and frustrated waiting.

Miles teacher was able to take the moderate kids over to the play area though, and that was a great distraction.

Eventually our heats came up. If you don't know how it works, they divide the athletes into groups and you go in your little groups through the various activities.

My Charlie is in the severe autism class. It has a level number - level 1? I forget. But his group only did the race because it was a really long wait, and everyone was super cranky. Plus Charlie was scared when the race started by all the noise. That's my sweet Charlie covering his ears and screaming.

But before you think his day was all bad, let me assure you it wasn't. After all - he got to see one of his old teachers and despite being upset during the race he left it behind him (rare for my little guy on the Spectrum, being upset doesn't always fade so fast).

That's his teacher in the white shirt behind him. Laura - she's TOTALLY FRAU REISINGER. That's all I'm saying. Inside joke, sorry.

At the end there are awards and everyone gets to be celebrated. Even little boys who don't want to go down the track.

Miles did much better, he got to play all the games and won more than one ribbon which his interest was mediocre at best.

He even won a second place ribbon for something but I have no idea what. Long jump? Good grief I'm a terrible parent I don't know. I suppose it doesn't matter, I did see him win it after all. Obviously the pic below isn't second place.

That's a lot of pictures for one day out. But, my oldest and youngest do a lot of things. I plaster my FB and my plurk and instagram with images of them, doing this doing that going here going there. Along for the ride always, are Miles and Charlie. Today was one of those rare days, that they brought us along with them. 

We were all glad to come.

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The Special Olympics

I had two athletes in the Special Olympics this year, and that was enough reason to take the time off of work, and to take the oldest boy out of school. When your children are Special Needs, there aren't Holiday Plays (nee Christmas Plays) and school functions that it really works well to be a part of, or are even included in. We try to go to things, or we used to, but as time passes I guess even we give up a little at going mainstream.

It was hot, too hot for special little guys who have trouble waiting and understanding concepts like patience. I actually kinda think that next year we should volunteer to split up and help out the individual classes, the kids get so bored and frustrated waiting.

Miles teacher was able to take the moderate kids over to the play area though, and that was a great distraction.

Eventually our heats came up. If you don't know how it works, they divide the athletes into groups and you go in your little groups through the various activities.

My Charlie is in the severe autism class. It has a level number - level 1? I forget. But his group only did the race because it was a really long wait, and everyone was super cranky. Plus Charlie was scared when the race started by all the noise. That's my sweet Charlie covering his ears and screaming.

But before you think his day was all bad, let me assure you it wasn't. After all - he got to see one of his old teachers and despite being upset during the race he left it behind him (rare for my little guy on the Spectrum, being upset doesn't always fade so fast).

That's his teacher in the white shirt behind him. Laura - she's TOTALLY FRAU REISINGER. That's all I'm saying. Inside joke, sorry.

At the end there are awards and everyone gets to be celebrated. Even little boys who don't want to go down the track.

Miles did much better, he got to play all the games and won more than one ribbon which his interest was mediocre at best.

He even won a second place ribbon for something but I have no idea what. Long jump? Good grief I'm a terrible parent I don't know. I suppose it doesn't matter, I did see him win it after all. Obviously the pic below isn't second place.

That's a lot of pictures for one day out. But, my oldest and youngest do a lot of things. I plaster my FB and my plurk and instagram with images of them, doing this doing that going here going there. Along for the ride always, are Miles and Charlie. Today was one of those rare days, that they brought us along with them. 

We were all glad to come.

Tweet