This post is done for sole purpose of me venting.  By sharing some of what I'm going to share with you,  I want to be very clear that I'm venting and not asking for anything.  Today has been a really,  really rough day.  Lizze is really in a tremendous amount of pain right now and there is no relief in sight.She can't even eat without getting sick and that greatly concerns me.  We were still using my parents car today cause the van is still in the shop. Actually.....while we're on the subject of the van,  let's talk about that for a second. I called Waterloo Transmission because I hadn't heard anything back from them.  Turns out they have been trying to call but due to the freaking awesome (total…

Today's Victory is brought to you by all three of my boys.  We had a rough morning but we also had a bit of absolute peace and harmony as well.  All three boys snuggled up together on the couch and watched a movie on NetFlix.  No one was fighting,  yelling or screaming. Not one person was hit or bit either. They just quietly sat there,  together and watched their movie.  I'll say that is a victory if I ever saw one.......   :-)

I'm very big one sharing our stories.  I think that by doing so,  we allow others to have a better understanding of what Autism means to us,  both collectively and on an individual level. I love getting input from other parents touched by Autism as well as the adults with Autism. One of the things that I have been wondering,  but have never gotten around to asking is this. If you could make someone in your life understand,  and I mean truly understand one thing about Autism and it's impact on your life or the life of your family,  what would that one thing be?

While I'm personally in a good mood and feeling quite well,  I already know how this day is gonna go. Lizze is in really rough shape.  She is in a great deal of pain and getting sick almost every time she eats.  She'll spend a large portion on the day sleeping,  just trying to survive it.  Mr.  Emmett John is all over the place.  He spiked another fever last night so therapy is once again canceled for this afternoon.  He's actually in a good mood but very energetic. Elliott's doing pretty well today and will be going to my parent's house this afternoon to make home made pumpkin pie for Thursday. Gavin is still not feeling well.  Actually,  he says he's fine but his body language and aggressive cough say…

I thought I would fill you in on the outcome of parent teacher conferences this morning. I met with Gavin's teachers for about 30 minutes.  They expressed just how well he was doing at school.  I honestly wasn't surprised to hear any of this because I know how well he is doing :-) We also talked about a few concerns with Gavin's regression.  We discussed how his handwriting is getting worse as he continues to experience muscular and neurological regression.  However,  despite all he is working against,  he is doing so incredibly well at school. I'm very,  very proud of him :-) After meeting with Gavin's teachers,  I went down the steps and around the corner to visit Elliott's teachers. Truth be told,  I was worried about Elliot way more…

I have been asked a few times for advice on disciplining.  This is a pretty touchy subject and while I'm happy to share my personal experience,  I'm not claiming to be an expert...at all. It should also be noted that we work very closely with our doctors and therapists when constructing and implementing any new discipline plan. Over the years we have struggled with the idea and the logistics of disciplining our children.  The main reason for this struggle is because we were never sure what was within their control and what wasn't. We didn't want to punish them for something outside of their control but at the same time,  in the real world,  their actions have consequences. We do not spank and we try not to assign consequences while…

Today's Victory goes to Gavin.  Gavin had to go to the doctor's this morning for an evaluation to make sure he was physically doing okay.  We had a very long wait.  I think we sat in the office waiting to be seen for almost an hour and Gavin handled it like a champ. Not only that,  but immediately following that appointment,  he had to get his bloodwork done again. After all the waiting and anticipation,  he did pretty well. For these reasons,  I'm awarding Gavin with Today's Victory. Great job Gavin.....  :-)

I'm very aware that I'm not the only one going through this, but I'm only speaking about my experience in this post. This is not meant to be taken as a blanket statement. As a special needs parent, I have had to make many sacrifices over the past 10 or 11 years. I say this, not as a martyr, but as a means with which to make my point. I've given up my career and most of my possessions, as well as my financial security. All of these and more were given up willingly and without much thought. If I were presented with a chance to go back and change things, I would give them up all over again. However, there is one area that is very difficult to cope…