We are still paying a very hefty price for the holiday's.. The boys are still completely over stimulated. Gavin seems incapable of thinking for himself at all. Which may actually be part of the regressive cycle we stated a little while ago. He also has an explosive temper that he doesn't always do a good job of managing. Gavin is literally driving me insane. Elliott cries over everything. He has to have 10 of everything and compares what he get to what everyone else gets. He is super whiny and just never seems to quit.... Emmett is completely out of control. He is literally going to push me over the edge. He is going around the house throwing anything he can get can get his little hands on. He's like…

Tuesday is a very busy day for us. The kids are back in school and we are back to the Cleveland Clinic with Gavin. Gavin will see the movement disorder specialist Tuesday afternoon. We have been waiting for this appointment since last summer when these problems began. As you may remember Gavin spent a lost of time in the Cleveland Clinic Pediatric Hospital and Akron Children's Hospital. He can not have his medications changed in any way until we get into to see this specialist. Needless to say Gavin has been struggling since. He needs his medications almost constantly tweaked because of the way his body metabolizes medications. Life has not been easy for anyone, including Gavin. Hopefully we will get some answers that result in us being able to medicate him…

When you are raising a special needs child (or 3 in my case) sacrifice becomes second nature. Don't get me wrong I have freely and happily given things up and would do it again in a heartbeat. However, sometimes I still have feelings of resentment. I feel incredibly guilty for these feelings but I have to acknowledge them because they are part of my truth.  There are days like today that are harder then others to make peace with this. Today Emmett is in rare form. I don't know what is going on with him. He is literally going around the house destroying everything he can. This morning I was sitting on the couch working a some of my Android development stuff, I had my Samsung Epic 4G sitting next to me…

I just got the 2 oldest down to sleep. Gavin is watching Voltron and laying in bed. I read Elliott bedtime stories. I have to read 5 stories. It's always 5 stories. He's very particular. He rarely ever stays awake through the 2nd book but before he falls asleep me makes me promise to finish reading all 5 books even after he falls asleep. I have to do it, I could never break a promise to him intentionally. It's these moments that I realize just how tough his little life is. In many ways it's probably harder then Emmett's or Gavin's. Elliott takes psychological and emotional abuse from Gavin. Gavin just messes with Elliott's head all the time. This is one of the many reasons we do our best to…

One of the things I really try to make sure  do is share our story as honestly as possible. In doing so I know that I personally don't always look that good as a parent, but it's the truth. My reasoning for doing this is so I never compromise the integrity of the Lost and Tired blog. I make lots of mistakes as a parent and I am far from perfect but I really do try to do the best I can. I want people to read my story (I say my story cause it's from my perspective) have a better understanding of what raising a child with special needs is like. I'm the first to admit that our situation is unique and rather extreme. Having multiple children with Autism…

We have 2/3 less children tonight. Gavin and Elliott are getting a break from Emmett and crashing over at Lizze's parents house. Emmett is sleeping and Lizze is sick. We can't watch any of the specials cause we haven't had TV in almost a year. This is the first time I can remember not watching the ball drop. It's really quiet and at least we have that right now :) I hope you all have a safe and Happy New Year... Please continue to spread Autism Awareness. Please continue to share your story and let no one suffer in silence.... Thanks for making the 1st year of Lost and Tired so successful...... Rob

There was a study published last year (November 2009) and appears online in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders that basically says mothers (I would presume stay at home fathers would be included) of Autistic children experience stress levels like that of combat soldiers. That really puts things into perspective. I hope people read this an have a much better understanding of what our families go through. Below is the an article I found at "The Disability Scoop" by MICHELLE DIAMENT. Here is the article: Mothers of adolescents and adults with autism experience chronic stress comparable to combat soldiers and struggle with frequent fatigue and work interruptions, new research finds. These moms also spend significantly more time caregiving than moms of those without disabilities. Researchers followed a group of moms of adolescents…

I have been trying to put together a make shift crash room. I'm really frustrated because I can't seem to get anywhere. We have a trampoline, a basket ball hoop, a play house, a sit and spin, a giant exercise ball and that's about it.  Really the only 2 things that will work is the trampoline and the exercise ball. Maybe the sit and spin. What I really need to try to do is get some type of indoor jungle gym. Something they can physically do to burn off energy.  I want to get foam blocks and attach them to the wall so Emmett can run into it safely.. RIght now Emmett runs into the walls and windows to get whatever sensory (impact type) fix he needs. He also jumps down the…