With the 2011 Holiday season quickly approaching, we have many tough decisions that will need to be made. These decisions revolve around participating in Holiday parties, get together's or other large gatherings. As special needs parents, Lizze and I often find ourselves torn between wanting to attend these events and staying home. As many of you can probably attest to, these types of stimulating events can be very difficult on our ASD kids. In our case, my kids love going to these events, however, at least some of them will quickly become over stimulated. If we don't have problems while we're there, which is typically not the case, we will certainly have problems over the next few days. It's really interesting (and maybe interesting is the wrong words choice here) how my…

In the advent of all three boys getting sick, and both Gavin and Elliott staying home from school tomorrow, Thanksgiving break will begin a day early. I don't remember, off hand, how long their break is this year. I do know that it's at least a week. Oh well, I'll figure something out to help keep everyone entertained. I just hope that Lizze is feeling well in the morning. Three ASD kids is challenging, three sick ASD kids is even more challenging. Hope everyone begins feeling better soon .....

Lizze decided that she was going to stay home and help me with the boys tonight instead of going to the midnight showing of the new Twilight movie. I tried to get her to go with her mom because I know how long she has been looking forward to this. In the end, she decided that staying home and helping me with the kids was what she wanted to do. I wish she would have gone because at least it would have given her a chance to unwind. That said, tonight is going to be a rough night, Elliott, Emmett and possibly Gavin are sick. I'm glad we are both here to deal with this. Sorry it didn't work out tonight honey. I hope we get another chance sometime soon.…

Elliott came home from school and is running another fever. Not to be out done, Emmett is spiking a fever as well and Gavin has a sore throat. Lizze, however, is feeling better. I have been trying to convince her to still for tonight and just take her mom. Lizze is reluctant because everyone is crying or screaming because they are miserable. In Gavin's case he's melting down because he isn't going to grandma's house tonight. He melted down for about 20 minutes before regaling his composer. I'm going to be with Elliott at the doctors in just a bit. I reallybthink he has an ear infection. He experiencing a ton of anxiety at the thought of going to the doctors. Dear Universe, I give up. I will not try…

Over the past 10 years or so, we have been through many things, as far as special needs parenting goes. I was looking back on the last decade and I started thinking about something and I thought I would pose this to you folks to see what your experience is. When Gavin was in kindergarten, he was diagnosed with Aspergers Syndrome. Despite having two independent, very repudiable doctors confirm this diagnosis, the kindergarten teacher wouldn't accept it. I don't want to drag all that drama up again but you needed some background. Anyway, this teacher was a complete nut job. She was convinced that Gavin problems were food allergies and would openly express her opinions to Gavin. Gavin became convinced that everytime he ate anything with sugar that he would…

Lizze attended the IEP meeting for Elliott this morning and I stayed back with Emmett. There were no concerns about Lizze being able to handle this on her own. We have no worries about IEP's at this school but even if we did, Lizze is not someone you want to mess with. Mamma bear is very protective of her children, including the educational rights. When Lizze got home, she was tired and laid down with Emmett for about 5 hours. When she woke up she was not feeling well at all. This doesn't look good for date night. It appears that the universe doesn't want us to get away for even a single night. This is evident by the string of events that have taken place over the past few…

I thought Elliott's IEP meeting was on Monday but it's actually in the morning. I can honestly say that I'm not worried about it. Their school is so good with this kind of stuff. We are very lucky when it comes to school this year for both Elliott and Gavin. Now all I have to do is figure out Emmett's school situation and we can move forward on the education front. :-)

I think I'm going to make it a point to share our daily victories. So many times, these little victories get lost in the shuffle and I never get around to sharing them. Today's victory is pretty simple but significant nonetheless. Elliott, doesn't have as many challenges as some other kids with Aspergers can have. However, one of the things we do struggle with is texture, especially when it comes to food. Elliott has never liked milk. He'll drink chocolate soy milk and that's all. He has got to be one of the pickiest eaters I have ever met. He finds something wrong with almost anything he eats. Anyways, today, out of nowhere, he asked for milk in his cereal.....and he actually ate it. Well, most of it anyway. I…