Thinking Back

This last month I have been really thinking about the beginning of our journey.  How far we have come.   All the challenges we still face daily.  I am in a good place right now.  My son is struggling with school and with the increase social demands he has placed on him.  I worry constantly but I also have peace.  We have people in our lives that love us in spite of our challenges.  We have a good team at my son's school that really care if he does well, and understand him enough to help him reach his goals.   I have pushed from day one to have him in a regular class setting.  I am grateful to his teacher who is really try to help him.   We have a great Occupational therapist that we love.  Our Gymnastic program instructors are uneducated but so willing to do whatever I ask them to do.  We are creating a very good working environment for him.  As summer approaches I look forward to having more time with my boy and being able to guide him better.  In the beginning I could have never imagined that we would be doing "normal" after school programs.  I was so caught up in his tantrums and unable to see the big picture.  I am so grateful!!! I love being his mom!  and I love learning with him!

1st White Slip

Well this year has brought a lot of challenges/ headaches/tears.  Mostly for me!  Funny huh!  Well last week I got a call from my sons teacher stating that he had hit a classmate and would be bring home a White Slip!  I was unsure of what that was so I asked.  They said if he got 3 he would be suspended.  Well I guess that is pretty serious.  So I anxiously awaited him coming home from school.  I took him to a quiet place to talk and guess what he said, " Mom, Steven took my Legos and so I kicked him.  He is so mean"  I didn't know what to say.  1st my son didn't hit anyone. 2nd good for him this Steven kid has been picking on him all year! So what was I to do?  Well, I told him it is important not to kick people because someone could get hurt, and it is better to use our words.  Deep down I was so proud he stuck up for himself! :)

Recipes

“Soy” Sauce 1


4 tbsp. beef bouillon

4 tsp. balsamic vinegar

2 tsp. dark molasses

1/4 tsp. ground ginger

1 pinch white pepper

1 pinch garlic powder

1 1/2 cups water



In a saucepan over medium heat, stir together the beef bouillon, balsamic vinegar, molasses, ginger, white pepper, garlic powder and water. Boil gently until liquid is reduced to about 1 cup, about 15 minutes.







“Soy” Sauce 2

240ml/8fl.oz Molasses

90ml/3fl.oz. Balsamic Vinegar

Sugar to taste



Place all the ingredients in a mixing bowl and mix until well blended.







Worcestershire Sauce*

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

2 tbsp. “soy” sauce

2 tbsp. water

1 tbsp. molasses

1/4 tsp. ground ginger

1/4 tsp. dry mustard

1/4 tsp. onion powder

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

1/8 tsp. cinnamon

1/8 tsp. pepper



Place all ingredients in a medium saucepan and stir thoroughly. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Simmer 1 minute. Let cool. Store in the refrigerator. Makes about 3/4 cup. Shake well before using.



*Be careful when purchasing Worcestershire Sauce as some brands are made with malted vinegar which are usually not gluten free.





--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Weighted Blanket

My sons Occupational therapist recommended a weighted blanket!  This has been a successful tool in decreasing and shortening meltdowns.   Sometimes my son just needs a break away from the crowd, or noise of the house.  I find that if I separate  him before the meltdown starts the blanket works within minutes and he is able to rejoin the party/ day!  We are loving this addition to our life.

Why is winter so hard?/ Happy Birthday!

As I reflect back over the years winters are so hard for my son with Aspergers.  He is always sick or moody because of the weather.  This year is no different.  I am seeing more evidence of his trials this year in particular because of him being in kindergarten.  He is acting out more at school.  He is so bored and has s difficult time sitting still through the introductory lessons of this letter says, and this is how you but that word together.  He fidgets and squirms, and gets in trouble.  I hurt for my little boy. 

He turned 6 the beginning of the month.  We had a wonderful party for him.  It was the first year we invited his friends.  We are bless with numerous people in our life who love him unconditionally.  We has a couple friends from our neighborhood and one from school come.  We had a wonderful time.  I was quite nervous about the whole day but I had planned well.  We had a very structured party at a gymnastics place.  They had a coach instruct them and take them through a huge obstacle course, they did a trampoline trick section, and snow ball fight with foam.  The kids were laughing and all having such a great time.  We served Popsicles and cupcakes while my son opened presents.  He smiled the entire time.  Grinning ear to ear!  It was a wonderful day!  He felt important, and most of all loved!  I couldn't ask for better friends and family !  They help us more than they know!

Already?

I can not believe how much friends can change the course of our days.   My son was really sad last week and I asked him what was wrong.  He took a minute and I could tell he was deciding if he should really tell me what was wrong.  He said, "the kids are mean to me, the call me names." I asked him who these kids were and he named a few kids.  I hate that they are in our neighborhood/ward. :( Then at bed time as he was going to sleep it all came out.  At school his class had a substitute teacher and he was unprepared (which was my fault, I forgot to remind him and walk him through what would happen at school) he was very upset.  When he is upset he cries and so all the boys on the bus called him 'baby face', and 'cry baby' he even said someone called him stupid.  I was so heart broken for him.  As he was telling me he started crying again.  I have never felt so sad.

The Bus!

School is in full swing!  I marvel at how well my son is doing! I am a little paranoid and feel like I need to protect him but he has come so far. He is succeeding in the classroom and thriving in school.  Always so happy to go.  We have had a few troubles that I would like to share.  After the first week of school, my son was crying everyday getting off the bus.  I was perplexed about the reasons for this.  I was having trouble getting him to calm down and tell me the problem.  Is turn out to be friends.  He wanted to have a friend over or go to a friends house everyday and the kids would plan whose house the would go to on the bus.  For a couple of week I tried to figure out how to help him.  Turned out to be a simple fix and I am much relieved.  We wrote a schedule for after school.  1. get of the bus, 2. RACE home, 3. Eat lunch, 4. make a choice, ie friends, or home work, movie, etc.  Turns out that Racing home is the best thing in our day.  We never have the fight or tears associated with whether a friend can play. This served as a huge reminder to me how much my little guy needs friends in his life.  I pray daily that he can make and keep some great friends that will love him for is differences and help him progress through the challenges.  Thus far it has been hard.  Some of the neighbor kids have told him that he is stupid and oh how my heart hurt trying to love him and buoy him up.  He is so tender hearted.  I also pray that I have the wisdom of how to help him through the meanness of others.  What a challenge, it is so hard to be a mom.