My goal is to have one of Emmett’s friends come over next week. He’s excited about that, and so am I. I wanted to do the same for Elliott, but his way of dealing with his pain is to cut all social interactions, and he’d rather be in his room alone than be around other people. It’s concerning, but it’s also closely monitored. He’s at that age where this wouldn’t be uncommon, so I’m just keeping an eye on him for now.

Gavin is working on his book, but I’m trying to find him some time outside the house. Truth be told, he’s driving me crazy. The constant talking and repeated questions are just like nails on a chalkboard at this point. He doesn’t realize he’s doing this, and he means no harm, but the impact is felt by anyone in the same place as he is for any length of time. I had to shut him down a few times while visiting family today. They’re all so patient with him, but not everyone else in the world will be, and he has to learn.

I think part of the problem is that he talks at you and not with you. When he talks at you, it’s a one way conversation. He’s not listening or picking up on anything the other person is saying or doing. It’s all about whatever he wants to talk about, which is usually video games.

We kept our visit short because I haven’t slept well in over a week. Last night I was unable to sleep due to restless leg, and we had to be up early to have brunch at my parent’s house. It’s was an enjoyable visit, but I was so exhausted, I didn’t eat much and just wanted to come home and crash.