Just putting that out there. If you can in anyway support the cause...buying a bumper sticker or window decal, walking to raise awareness...any little bit helps to go towards research to help find better and/or more ways to help not only the kids who have autism, but the families who care for them.
My Abby is 7 1/2. We have fought this fight for her for over 5 yrs now...and I still don't know all there is to know about it. As each year passes...another milestone is passed but even more loom ahead. We take each day as it comes with our precious girl. It can be at times frustrating, but it makes each goal accomplished that much sweeter for the hard work that went towards it both on her end and on ours.
Showing posts with label autism. Show all posts
Showing posts with label autism. Show all posts
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Reflection
I read the story tonight of a friend who gave birth to her 2nd child, and to find out only when they placed her in her arms that her little angel had Downs Syndrome. She told of the love, but also the grief, the tears, the fears. (while my daughter does not have DS, she does have Autism & developmental delays)
Until a parent is told that their child is special needs, I don't think anyone can understand that, while we LOVE our child, more than life itself, we still cry. We still greive for what we have lost. Even if it is only the loss of the life we thought our child would have. We cry b/c the unknown of parenting a special needs child is scary & overwhelming, and there is that fear of simply the unknown. My mind raced from will she be able to go to college? Will she be able to date? Get married? Have a family? Or the basic of...will I ever hear the words, "I love you" from my daughter...and have her understand what she is saying and MEAN it. Fortunately I HAVE had that privilege. My daughter HAS reached the point where (although only briefly) she will make eye contact and say I love you. She has reached a the point of greeting others and showering them with hugs and smiles. This is truely something I didn't know if or when she would ever do it. I am so greatful for the progress she has made. I love Abby. I know she was placed in my life for a reason. I might not understand that reason right now, and there are days that I find myself confused, frustrated and at my wits end trying to figure out how to parent this complicated child...but I know God has a plan for her. She is a special gem that he gave to me and blunder though I will through her growing up years, my hope is that she will live, laugh, & love life...even if she does it differently than most people. I am blessed to have her in my life.
Until a parent is told that their child is special needs, I don't think anyone can understand that, while we LOVE our child, more than life itself, we still cry. We still greive for what we have lost. Even if it is only the loss of the life we thought our child would have. We cry b/c the unknown of parenting a special needs child is scary & overwhelming, and there is that fear of simply the unknown. My mind raced from will she be able to go to college? Will she be able to date? Get married? Have a family? Or the basic of...will I ever hear the words, "I love you" from my daughter...and have her understand what she is saying and MEAN it. Fortunately I HAVE had that privilege. My daughter HAS reached the point where (although only briefly) she will make eye contact and say I love you. She has reached a the point of greeting others and showering them with hugs and smiles. This is truely something I didn't know if or when she would ever do it. I am so greatful for the progress she has made. I love Abby. I know she was placed in my life for a reason. I might not understand that reason right now, and there are days that I find myself confused, frustrated and at my wits end trying to figure out how to parent this complicated child...but I know God has a plan for her. She is a special gem that he gave to me and blunder though I will through her growing up years, my hope is that she will live, laugh, & love life...even if she does it differently than most people. I am blessed to have her in my life.
Sunday, January 17, 2010
What do you do?
I am a little anxious and a tad frustrated. My Abby has been SO overly tired and weepy lately. At 7 it is UNHEARD of for her to take a nap, yet for the past 2 wks...she takes one on a regular basis if she is not in school. Her little eyes have huge dark cirles under them and she complains that she is tired a lot. I find her curled up on the couch often in the evenings (at 5-6pm)nearly asleep. She also has been complaining of headaches (wwager they are more migraines as she is incapasitated by them). I worry something maybe truely wrong. :( Of course it is a holiday tomorrow so I can't make a dr appt. :( I know I shouldn't borrow trouble, but I have this odd feeling its something more than "just" being tired. Your prayers would be apreciated. Also if anyone who has or works with children with autism thinks that these things sound familiar, I am open to advice!
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Our Family
Now that I have bored you to tears with my intro post and my explaination post...I'd like to introduce my family so that you know who I am talking about when I refer to or say their names.
Abigail, better known to everyone as Abby who just turned 7 in November. Green-eyed, red-headed, stubborn as all get out like her daddy, my firstborn and also my introduction into the world of special needs. Abby has autism. She is high functioning, but still has many issues. As time passes and she gets older, more educational/developmental issues are emerging. Transitioning between activities and mess-ups in her routine continue to be her biggest struggle. Right now, we are also struggling with sleeping issues. Since I also have a toddler that still wakes at night with night terrors, this week I am functioning mainly on coffee and more coffee. :) Her disability aside, Abby LOVES to read, play dress up, is highly competitive in nearly any type of game she plays, excels at math. She is VERY addicted to playing ball and I hope to get her on the Little League T-ball team this year. She is very loving and is constantly hugging those around her...kids and adults alike. She has a way of helping me keep my life in perspective.
Bethany, who is 5 1/2 and can't wait to turn 6 in May, is my prima donna. She loves to sing and dance and draw/paint and has a gift for anything music or art-related. She LOVES anything ballet related (girl after my own heart) and I hope to get her into ballet class here soon. She is also mommy's little clone in looks and in actions. She has a memory like a steel trap and is quick to parrot anything I say...which means I have to be VERY careful with what I say. She is learning to read and making a ton of progress in the area. She is also turned into Little Miss Sassy Pants and since even now Abby struggles with her speech, this is a new area for me to deal with.
Emma, who just turned 3 in October, is my youngest and better known as the resident Drama Queen. She has by far been my most handful at the toddler age since both of her sisters initially had some developmental issues, she has always done things quicker than the older two and even now at age 3 is doing things that the other two didn't do til they were 4 or 5. Currently at age 3, she academically ahead of where her sisters were at this age and gets into TONS more mischief. Just since our move in July, we have had marker on the rugs, pen on the ENTIRE body, toliet paper strewn over an entire bathroom, q-tips all over mommy's bedroom floor...the list could go on...lol She LOVES her markers/crayons and has been the hardest to teach that you only draw on PAPER!!!! Not everything in the world is a canvas for her to draw on! lol She is my cuddlebug, my chatterbox, her little eyes twinkle and her smile lights up a room. Everyone (even complete strangers in a store) love to comment on her red hair and how cute she is...so by 3...she KNOWS she is cute! That grin makes it hard to say no to her...but mommy does lay down the law.
My husband, whom I will mostly refer to as Dom, better known as the person who knows how to push all my buttons and drives me up a wall most the time, but I love him anyways.
Well, that is my family in a nutshell. Now you know who am talking about. ;)
Abigail, better known to everyone as Abby who just turned 7 in November. Green-eyed, red-headed, stubborn as all get out like her daddy, my firstborn and also my introduction into the world of special needs. Abby has autism. She is high functioning, but still has many issues. As time passes and she gets older, more educational/developmental issues are emerging. Transitioning between activities and mess-ups in her routine continue to be her biggest struggle. Right now, we are also struggling with sleeping issues. Since I also have a toddler that still wakes at night with night terrors, this week I am functioning mainly on coffee and more coffee. :) Her disability aside, Abby LOVES to read, play dress up, is highly competitive in nearly any type of game she plays, excels at math. She is VERY addicted to playing ball and I hope to get her on the Little League T-ball team this year. She is very loving and is constantly hugging those around her...kids and adults alike. She has a way of helping me keep my life in perspective.
Bethany, who is 5 1/2 and can't wait to turn 6 in May, is my prima donna. She loves to sing and dance and draw/paint and has a gift for anything music or art-related. She LOVES anything ballet related (girl after my own heart) and I hope to get her into ballet class here soon. She is also mommy's little clone in looks and in actions. She has a memory like a steel trap and is quick to parrot anything I say...which means I have to be VERY careful with what I say. She is learning to read and making a ton of progress in the area. She is also turned into Little Miss Sassy Pants and since even now Abby struggles with her speech, this is a new area for me to deal with.
Emma, who just turned 3 in October, is my youngest and better known as the resident Drama Queen. She has by far been my most handful at the toddler age since both of her sisters initially had some developmental issues, she has always done things quicker than the older two and even now at age 3 is doing things that the other two didn't do til they were 4 or 5. Currently at age 3, she academically ahead of where her sisters were at this age and gets into TONS more mischief. Just since our move in July, we have had marker on the rugs, pen on the ENTIRE body, toliet paper strewn over an entire bathroom, q-tips all over mommy's bedroom floor...the list could go on...lol She LOVES her markers/crayons and has been the hardest to teach that you only draw on PAPER!!!! Not everything in the world is a canvas for her to draw on! lol She is my cuddlebug, my chatterbox, her little eyes twinkle and her smile lights up a room. Everyone (even complete strangers in a store) love to comment on her red hair and how cute she is...so by 3...she KNOWS she is cute! That grin makes it hard to say no to her...but mommy does lay down the law.
My husband, whom I will mostly refer to as Dom, better known as the person who knows how to push all my buttons and drives me up a wall most the time, but I love him anyways.
Well, that is my family in a nutshell. Now you know who am talking about. ;)
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