My sotts! My sotts!!

My sotts! My sotts!! Christopher was very determined about his want as I drove away from school so back I turned around took him back in to find out what he wanted. 

Come to Papa!

Today I finally got some of my annuals planted in the front.  While doing so Christopher was hanging out with me.  (Mostly - he did wander some.) It was nice to be outside and with only some interruptions to redirect

Autism Now

Link to PBS Special Series
I am only two clips in so far . . . so far seems to be informative and well done.

Another track meet

SORRY BLOGGER IS HAVING ISSUES WITH VIDEO'S RIGHT NOW - 

HOPE THEY FIX IT SOON.  

In this video we are mostly just giggling.  Its just a glimpse of the fun we have.  But also he says, "Mommy I nice"  and is pointing.  What you can't see is the little girl several yards away.  He is telling me he is nice because he wants to go play with her.  Great awareness and social desire.  However in this case I couldn't let him go for several reasons.  One - I would lose his focus for staying with me while we waited, second she was maybe only a year old and her parents were mostly holding her and so playing seemed not an option.  But I thought it important to point out his desire to socialize and his awareness for needing to play nice. 

Coloring eggs

Thank goodness for good hair days.

With birthdays often comes renewals.

Ahhhh so relaxed.

Yesterday I turned 40.  Today I was given a surprise gift of a full spa day experience.  Thank you hubby.

Eating and stuff.

Eating a variety is a challenge.

Eating enough has been my worry.

But  . . . . this past week or so Christopher has told me when he is hungry, and asks for lunch.  So with that I know he is feeling and recognizing his hunger.  Yeah!

Tonight has been busy - so I haven't had a chance to eat yet - while putting him to bed my stomach rumbled loud and he said - " Mommy you are hungry, you need lunch."

Happy Easter.

Autism Wandering Awareness Alerts Response Education or AWAARE

It is a giant worry of mine that Christopher may unknowingly sneak away and become lost or hurt.
I came across this information today:

"I am Norm"

A year ago : http://chabott.blogspot.com/2010/04/special-guest-speaker-at-dinner-keith.html

I first saw the movie "Including Samuel."  Ironically it keeps coming up over and over again for me in the past two weeks.  And now today I learn that Samuel's Dad is at it again.  Rising to the occasion to raise the bar for society to embrace a growing popular belief through a campaign led by young adults.  "I am Norm".

The next step:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92zvN0tmFKY&feature=share

The Campaign:
http://www.iamnorm.org/home.aspx

How I see it.

This picture below is not quiet perfect, or rather so it seems. 

Stare at the heart of it long enough though and the image corrects itself.

Our Cat the Hunter - Christopher the Helper!

"Mommy, help my mouse is broken!" 

WHAT? EEEEEEEEEWWWW!

Burn Day. Frog Hunting. Target Shooting. Picnic. Marshmallows and Tractor Ride.

Boys outside. Christopher Dressed Himself To Go Outside.

Christopher found his old snowsuit, hat and spare boots.  He had himself all dressed before he came to me and asked to go outside.  Left on right and right on left but he had put his boots on.  

Water Hose Fun!

This photo is really cool, look close you can see Daniel's reflection in glass. 

Photo's Taken by Mr Christopher Himself!

My future photographer!  Love seeing things from his perspective. 

Self Portrait

Counting

Counting to three isn't really new - but it has mostly been in the way of a ready set go, one two three.  However last night we did counting of items/pictures in a book.  He led me in counting the windows on the boat - one, two, three.

Together - all in one photo - this almost never happens.

Family photo taken Christmas 2010

A work in progress . . .

I recently created this other blog to record the work of 3 young 5th grade students doing great things to raise awareness this month and beyond for Autism in their community.  It is a work in progress so visit again and often for more of their inspiring work!

Hang onto your seat - - - -

15 new posts below.

2 things have happened.  

One I was having trouble moving pictures from my phone so I got behind.  Problem solved now.

Two I could say I have been busy - but I am always busy, so I guess truth is I have just been to lazy to take the 5- 10 minutes to post daily.  I will be working to get back into a better routine because I know I have missed many stories that I can't even remember now.

I wish that I had a blog when Hawk was this age - sadly there were so many funny things that he said and or did that I remember being so happy and laughing all the time - but my memory for storying telling sucks.  So I have no record of all those funny times.

Years spent at the rink. Another year complete!!

 I remembered taking these pictures of Christopher at the rink and have been wanting to find the two of them and post as comparison. Finally a moment to do so. 

 These pictures are from Oct 2007 (2 months old).  Watching Hawk at his Greg Carter Skills And Drills.

 These pictures are from Oct 2010 (3years 2 months old).  Watching Hawk at his Greg Carter Skills And Drills.

Looking up to Big Brother.

Genius!

 Ok so he wasn't impressed.  But who ever came up with this mother's helper idea for the public bathroom is genius!

Mardi Gras

Ok this actually occurred back in March but just getting to posting. 

I had painted my nails (something I rarely ever do) and Christopher took notice.  And wanted his done too.  He enjoyed it until he realized that he couldn't just wash it off.  So I got the remover and took the paint of his thumb nail.  FREAKED OUT!  Wanted it painted again.  So now fast forward to April, most of it has naturally worn off and we haven't revisited nail painting. 

Also funny to note - that he was holding his nose during the process, claiming "it stinks!" Well yes dear it in fact stinks - the price you pay for beauty.  Ha ha . 

We also spent some time talking about which finger was which color.  Kinda of an interesting way to learn colors.

Hockey Time and Daddy

Cow boys and Indians

Cow Boy

Well howdie partner! 

Indian 

Found his way into the basement and had great fun painting war paint all over his face with the grease from Daddy's bike.  When he came upstairs he was proud of his adventure and announced "Tad Da" to which I smiled, grabbed his hands from touching anything else and marched him to the bathroom where we scrubbed it all off. 

School days.

He looks so cute wearing his back pack.

He wears in and out of school - Mommy doesn't carry it any more.

Christopher's work on display.

Christopher's first locker.

Sleep eating - 2

What you can't see in this still picture, you can imagine.  He has fallen asleep with his pop, and his tongue is still moving in search of its yummy goodness.

A watched pot doesn't boil.

How about pizza?

Waiting . . . .waiting . . . .waiting . . . for pizza to cook.

While sick.

While he was sick he mostly wanted to be left alone.  Who doesn't.  On this day I think he found comfort sitting under the umbrella watching TV.  

Dead Fly

While at one of our market visits Christopher discovered a dead fly in the window sill.  Concerned because it wasn't moving he asked if we could give him some medicine (big word) to make him better.  I remember going through this with Hawk. So hard to explain that no amount of medicine will bring it back.  Well we tried.  We put the fly onto the table and drooped a little bit of water on him . . . . waited and it didn't work.  Christopher bored of it wandered away.  I cleaned the table and put it to rest in the trash.

Is he dead? Nope just a really tired Cat!

Cat completely conked out right in front of the bathroom door.
Towel left on floor courtesy of one of the boys.

New Tire Swing

This tire swing is the latest addition to our toy/play collection.

Gone is the baby swing, here to stay is the tire swing.  

He is able to use at free will, no more mommy lifting him into the baby swing.  Now he can come and go on the swing on his own.  He is loving it, using it often everyday.  

The added benefit to this is that, shhh he doesn't know this, but it is also another therapy.  Yep, when he's swinging he is strengthen his eye development through the movement and having to refocus on surrounding objects. 

Fixtures at our local market.

Our almost daily stop at our local market.
We stop almost daily to meet with friends, have a treat, and kill time before going to pick up big brother from his after school events or sports.
We are becoming sort of a fixture there in the afternoons.
I get a much needed mid afternoon coffee and Christopher enjoys a chocolate treat.

Cheese!

Pop

And Chocolate!