She Gave Me A Buck

The girl child is willful. I'm sure I've mentioned this. Very, very willful, is my female progeny. Saturday night she was bouncing around at the gate that is between the dining room and the kitchen - a metal gate - when her brother noticed she was acting like she was biting it.

"Julia stop biting that gate!" he said.

At which point she jumped up, and promptly bashed her tooth right out of her mouth.

There was screaming and there was crying. There was terror and panic until I realized it was simply that she'd knocked out a baby tooth. There was a LOT of blood. She declared she would NEVER brush her teeth again.

We softened the event by teaching her all about the tooth fairy. We also thought this was a brilliant ploy to talk her into sleeping in her own bed - RIGHT? Look, you have to sleep in your own bed, so the tooth fairy will come! And we have a special pillow from Disney with the Fairy Godmothers on it, with a wee pocket for the tooth and everything. PERFECT.

Except that she was then so EXCITED because a fairy was coming that she couldn't sleep. Every noise - IS THAT TINKERBELL? (The tooth fairy is now Tinkerbell FYI). She heard a train coming "Is Tinkerbell on a train?" On and on, she'd drift off and then BOOM AWAKE. At 1:30 am I called it and we piled into my bed together snuggled up like bugs and collapsed asleep.

The next morning, I'm not sure what I expected, but at least excitement. We went into her room, looked at the pillow and she pulled out a dollar bill. "She left me a buck" she said flatly, and then starts hunting through her pillows and stuffed animals. "Where is my tooth? Where is my new tooth?" and began to cry.

Oh dear. It turns out she thought that the tooth fairy was going to bring her new tooth and I would put it in. I told her that now that the tooth fairy has visited, now the NEW tooth can start to grow but that it will take some time.

I really can't believe she wasn't at ALL excited about getting money. She was completely disinterested. Whose kid IS she anyway?
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She Gave Me A Buck

The girl child is willful. I'm sure I've mentioned this. Very, very willful, is my female progeny. Saturday night she was bouncing around at the gate that is between the dining room and the kitchen - a metal gate - when her brother noticed she was acting like she was biting it.

"Julia stop biting that gate!" he said.

At which point she jumped up, and promptly bashed her tooth right out of her mouth.

There was screaming and there was crying. There was terror and panic until I realized it was simply that she'd knocked out a baby tooth. There was a LOT of blood. She declared she would NEVER brush her teeth again.

We softened the event by teaching her all about the tooth fairy. We also thought this was a brilliant ploy to talk her into sleeping in her own bed - RIGHT? Look, you have to sleep in your own bed, so the tooth fairy will come! And we have a special pillow from Disney with the Fairy Godmothers on it, with a wee pocket for the tooth and everything. PERFECT.

Except that she was then so EXCITED because a fairy was coming that she couldn't sleep. Every noise - IS THAT TINKERBELL? (The tooth fairy is now Tinkerbell FYI). She heard a train coming "Is Tinkerbell on a train?" On and on, she'd drift off and then BOOM AWAKE. At 1:30 am I called it and we piled into my bed together snuggled up like bugs and collapsed asleep.

The next morning, I'm not sure what I expected, but at least excitement. We went into her room, looked at the pillow and she pulled out a dollar bill. "She left me a buck" she said flatly, and then starts hunting through her pillows and stuffed animals. "Where is my tooth? Where is my new tooth?" and began to cry.

Oh dear. It turns out she thought that the tooth fairy was going to bring her new tooth and I would put it in. I told her that now that the tooth fairy has visited, now the NEW tooth can start to grow but that it will take some time.

I really can't believe she wasn't at ALL excited about getting money. She was completely disinterested. Whose kid IS she anyway?
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The Tunnel of Carpal

As a manager of people who use keyboards, for the past oh 20 years or so, I've always been a skeptic of carpal tunnel. I WOULD SAY NONBELIEVER in fact. But of course, like all things I don't believe in, it ends up happening to me and with a vengeance. My right hand was so whacked and numb and useless the past couple of weeks that I actually started cleaning my office at work, vs doing reports and stuff.

That's how you know it was bad, I chose CLEANING.

It was a busy week regardless, we had science night at school where we all went to see the robot Louis and the robot team have been working on. They can make it run around a room and fight with other robots. I'm guessing this is how SKYNET gets started.

We also went to the science room where there were crafts, according to Julia. In fact we were supposed to be making a cell. Julia just thought it was great to glue buttons onto things. She doesn't respect the cytoplasm, clearly.

We also spent the week getting ready for the big Boy Scout soap box derby. Louis this year was the coolest kid on the block and made a DALEK.

He didn't win anything this year but the admiration of all the nerds and geeks on my FACEBOOK page, which is really alright with me. Nerds and geeks run the world, after all. :)

We may go to a home remodeling show today. I would like to win the lottery and have someone come in and completely redo this house. I love my house. But I lack the mental fortitude to do all the things I want done to change it.

I'm just glad my hand works again. It's good to be back at the computer.

Now, time for WoW. :)


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The Tunnel of Carpal

As a manager of people who use keyboards, for the past oh 20 years or so, I've always been a skeptic of carpal tunnel. I WOULD SAY NONBELIEVER in fact. But of course, like all things I don't believe in, it ends up happening to me and with a vengeance. My right hand was so whacked and numb and useless the past couple of weeks that I actually started cleaning my office at work, vs doing reports and stuff.

That's how you know it was bad, I chose CLEANING.

It was a busy week regardless, we had science night at school where we all went to see the robot Louis and the robot team have been working on. They can make it run around a room and fight with other robots. I'm guessing this is how SKYNET gets started.

We also went to the science room where there were crafts, according to Julia. In fact we were supposed to be making a cell. Julia just thought it was great to glue buttons onto things. She doesn't respect the cytoplasm, clearly.

We also spent the week getting ready for the big Boy Scout soap box derby. Louis this year was the coolest kid on the block and made a DALEK.

He didn't win anything this year but the admiration of all the nerds and geeks on my FACEBOOK page, which is really alright with me. Nerds and geeks run the world, after all. :)

We may go to a home remodeling show today. I would like to win the lottery and have someone come in and completely redo this house. I love my house. But I lack the mental fortitude to do all the things I want done to change it.

I'm just glad my hand works again. It's good to be back at the computer.

Now, time for WoW. :)


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How About You Change Those Boys?

The girl has been getting her sleep schedule off more and more, of late. She wants to stay up with Daddy after we all go to bed. I get her up early on the weekend, about 8 am usually, and so in theory that gets her back on schedule somewhat.
Yesterday I got her up at about 8 after she stayed up playing and going on second wind until after 2am.

She was remarkably not cranky and fussy all day, shockingly. She even fought me on going to bed. I AM NOT TIRED she declared. I knew that couldn't actually be true. I sent her to snuggle in bed with her big brother so I could stay up and watch Masters of Horror with my husband, as close as we get to a date these days.

This morning however, tucked under my chin, was a little blonde ball of blonde, sucking her thumb and in a deep, slack jawed sleep. I kissed her and said good morning, as I heard the boys stirring and running up & down the hall way. I whispered "Let's get up."

She opened her eyes and said "How about you change those boys first?"

I laughed and slipped out of bed around her. She fell back into dead sleep. I tucked her into bed - and the twins and I had breakfast without her or Louis.

There was a bit of screaming and fit throwing at breakfast when I suggest we NOT spit at the table. However it was isolated to a five minute window. Miles is playing ANGRY BIRDS and Charlie is wandering around flipping a ribbon. Mickey Mouse Clubhouse is on but I might be the only one watching it.

I'm going to go wake her up within the next hour, I am going to let her soak up the snuggly sleep however - I know I wish I could.

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How About You Change Those Boys?

The girl has been getting her sleep schedule off more and more, of late. She wants to stay up with Daddy after we all go to bed. I get her up early on the weekend, about 8 am usually, and so in theory that gets her back on schedule somewhat.
Yesterday I got her up at about 8 after she stayed up playing and going on second wind until after 2am.

She was remarkably not cranky and fussy all day, shockingly. She even fought me on going to bed. I AM NOT TIRED she declared. I knew that couldn't actually be true. I sent her to snuggle in bed with her big brother so I could stay up and watch Masters of Horror with my husband, as close as we get to a date these days.

This morning however, tucked under my chin, was a little blonde ball of blonde, sucking her thumb and in a deep, slack jawed sleep. I kissed her and said good morning, as I heard the boys stirring and running up & down the hall way. I whispered "Let's get up."

She opened her eyes and said "How about you change those boys first?"

I laughed and slipped out of bed around her. She fell back into dead sleep. I tucked her into bed - and the twins and I had breakfast without her or Louis.

There was a bit of screaming and fit throwing at breakfast when I suggest we NOT spit at the table. However it was isolated to a five minute window. Miles is playing ANGRY BIRDS and Charlie is wandering around flipping a ribbon. Mickey Mouse Clubhouse is on but I might be the only one watching it.

I'm going to go wake her up within the next hour, I am going to let her soak up the snuggly sleep however - I know I wish I could.

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There's Progress and There's Progress

One of the things that frustrates me sometimes is how autism forces EVERY bit of focus in the house into one child. There are four children who live here. They ALL deserve equal attention. But Autism doesn't see it that way, and when it will, it drives all of your energy and effort into controlling, redirecting and sorting out whatever chaos it's delivering you that day.

In the days that have passed, other things have happened in my life, but they're a blur. I worked. I did a lot of stuff there including completing a major project that went very well. It's fuzzy. I need a shower, but I'm stuck here in this chair enjoying a cup of sweet and creamy coffee (tan and sweet as my friend David says).

Why?

Because for whatever reason, we have relative peace.

There was some brotherly fighting at 8am but I'm not so sure that was "Miles behavior" related so much as twin brothers going at it. I got up however and we had breakfast with relatively little drama. Food was consumed. Coffee was shared.

I came upstairs and brought Miles. He's been listening to various songs on YOUTUBE for a while but has landed on TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALLGAME - his favorite, after some time. I'm impressed how long it took him to GET there. Usually it's his first choice.

That's what's happening right now. This is the fabled LIVE BLOGGING you've heard so much about. Pretty damned amazing isn't it?

What else is going to happen today? Will it stay calm?

I don't even know. I know this coffee is good and the shower is calling me. That's about it.

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There's Progress and There's Progress

One of the things that frustrates me sometimes is how autism forces EVERY bit of focus in the house into one child. There are four children who live here. They ALL deserve equal attention. But Autism doesn't see it that way, and when it will, it drives all of your energy and effort into controlling, redirecting and sorting out whatever chaos it's delivering you that day.

In the days that have passed, other things have happened in my life, but they're a blur. I worked. I did a lot of stuff there including completing a major project that went very well. It's fuzzy. I need a shower, but I'm stuck here in this chair enjoying a cup of sweet and creamy coffee (tan and sweet as my friend David says).

Why?

Because for whatever reason, we have relative peace.

There was some brotherly fighting at 8am but I'm not so sure that was "Miles behavior" related so much as twin brothers going at it. I got up however and we had breakfast with relatively little drama. Food was consumed. Coffee was shared.

I came upstairs and brought Miles. He's been listening to various songs on YOUTUBE for a while but has landed on TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALLGAME - his favorite, after some time. I'm impressed how long it took him to GET there. Usually it's his first choice.

That's what's happening right now. This is the fabled LIVE BLOGGING you've heard so much about. Pretty damned amazing isn't it?

What else is going to happen today? Will it stay calm?

I don't even know. I know this coffee is good and the shower is calling me. That's about it.

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It's Always Something or Something Else

Autism is wearing us out as a family. I know it's just a turn of the wheel and in a few days it'll be back to it's normal level off crazy stress vs. this ramped up version. But MAN, I have to admit I don't even know how we're supposed to deal with it sometimes.

This morning Miles was a sweet, delightful boy. He crawled out of bed and into my arms and there were kisses and hugs. He drank his milk, and there were more kisses and hugs. He played with his little Leap Frog dog thing and laughed and giggled when it said his name. We shared coffee and tickles.

When the bus came, I took a small cup of Coke out and said "No spitting. Say NO SPITTING." He repeated - NO SPIT. I said "You get COKE if you DO NOT SPIT! OK?" He said "No spit." again. I gave him a drink and we said it again and again and again. After a few drinks he wiped his mouth and said "bye please" indicating he wanted to go.

His bus driver said his spitting and screaming was intermittent on the ride in yesterday. I had a long talk with her, and thanked her because seriously, driving a kid who is screaming and spit has to suck.

My husband gets so upset and stressed out that he has an ulcer now. He loves Miles just as much as I do, that's his little sweet boy too. How can you look at this sweet boy and reconcile this little JERK who keeps attacking and hurting Charlie & others?

We talked last night about what do we do? Medicate? Get him a pet? Then I wonder what kind of pet? Would that matter? I'd get him a WHATEVER today if it would help? I am going to contact someone who specializes in behavior - these people don't take insurance however. Isn't that nice? I figure they don't take insurance because they don't have to, which really makes me NOT WANT to have anything to do with them.

I've looked at the MARCUS CENTER website repeatedly. I did register for information but, their website is so confusing and overwhelming. There needs to be a "I need help and don't know what to do" page. That's what I need.  Of course I remember what jerks they were to me on the phone when I was trying to get the twins tested for Autism. Really, all about the money is all they are, based on my experience. They wouldn't even TALK to us without 2k per kid up front. I find it hard to believe you are actually interested in helping ANYONE when you talk to a worried parent like that.

So, I'm having my second cup of coffee and considering getting up off my butt to go to work. I don't know what the weekend holds, I'm either dreading it or really looking forward to it. I'm not sure which it is.

A picture of PO the Panda from the Atlanta Zoo. Just because I can.


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It's Always Something or Something Else

Autism is wearing us out as a family. I know it's just a turn of the wheel and in a few days it'll be back to it's normal level off crazy stress vs. this ramped up version. But MAN, I have to admit I don't even know how we're supposed to deal with it sometimes.

This morning Miles was a sweet, delightful boy. He crawled out of bed and into my arms and there were kisses and hugs. He drank his milk, and there were more kisses and hugs. He played with his little Leap Frog dog thing and laughed and giggled when it said his name. We shared coffee and tickles.

When the bus came, I took a small cup of Coke out and said "No spitting. Say NO SPITTING." He repeated - NO SPIT. I said "You get COKE if you DO NOT SPIT! OK?" He said "No spit." again. I gave him a drink and we said it again and again and again. After a few drinks he wiped his mouth and said "bye please" indicating he wanted to go.

His bus driver said his spitting and screaming was intermittent on the ride in yesterday. I had a long talk with her, and thanked her because seriously, driving a kid who is screaming and spit has to suck.

My husband gets so upset and stressed out that he has an ulcer now. He loves Miles just as much as I do, that's his little sweet boy too. How can you look at this sweet boy and reconcile this little JERK who keeps attacking and hurting Charlie & others?

We talked last night about what do we do? Medicate? Get him a pet? Then I wonder what kind of pet? Would that matter? I'd get him a WHATEVER today if it would help? I am going to contact someone who specializes in behavior - these people don't take insurance however. Isn't that nice? I figure they don't take insurance because they don't have to, which really makes me NOT WANT to have anything to do with them.

I've looked at the MARCUS CENTER website repeatedly. I did register for information but, their website is so confusing and overwhelming. There needs to be a "I need help and don't know what to do" page. That's what I need.  Of course I remember what jerks they were to me on the phone when I was trying to get the twins tested for Autism. Really, all about the money is all they are, based on my experience. They wouldn't even TALK to us without 2k per kid up front. I find it hard to believe you are actually interested in helping ANYONE when you talk to a worried parent like that.

So, I'm having my second cup of coffee and considering getting up off my butt to go to work. I don't know what the weekend holds, I'm either dreading it or really looking forward to it. I'm not sure which it is.

A picture of PO the Panda from the Atlanta Zoo. Just because I can.


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