header

header

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Alex's Obsessions

Quite a while back I blogged about Spencer and
his obsessions. Alex is next on my list! Alex is our
most austistic of the triplets. All of them are non-verbal
but Spencer and Harry will verbalize a single word
request. Alex hasn't been able to
say a single word yet. He does nod
and gesture to communicate. But don't get
that confused with having a voice! He has a big
one and is actually very loud! :)
~~~~
Alex has been my little shadow this summer! He
is very interested in watching what I am doing
and has become very knowledgeable about
household chores. He knows how to unload the
dishwasher, empty trash cans, and put away
the folded laundry.
~~~~
But as with a lot of children with autism, even
a good thing can turn into an obsession.
Alex obsesses about having things in a straight
line. The shoes above are a good example.
This line is straight to him. He has to make sure
the heels are touching and then that starts a curve
that can't be straightened. I've seen their shoes
like this and will straighten the line with all the toes
touching the baseboard, only to walk by a few minutes
later and he has "corrected" the situation. :)
The tv remotes have to be perfectly lined up on the
coffee table and he will straighten them many times a day.
~~~~
Alex also is very obsessed with the trash cans and what
goes in them. For a while, he was throwing all kinds of
things away when we weren't looking.....unopened mail,
papers on my desk, even an insurance policy that
we needed to sign and mail back....luckily we thought
of Alex, and dug through the garbage and found it. :)
~~~~
This summer, the trash obsession has risen to a new
level with tissues! He comes running when he hears
me pull a new one out of the box! Even with his
sound reduction headset on, he can hear that!
He stands beside me, waiting to take it from me
to throw away. It is actually quite humerous because
sometimes he takes it from me before I'm finished
wiping my nose! He also has to have the trash
arranged a certain way in the trashcan!
And he does this with dirty clothes in the hamper!
~~~~
So, if you need anything organized, (even trash!)
let me know and I'll send Alex right over!
Hold on to your tissue until you are finished
with it, though!

35 comments:

  1. I love the picture on your post today!! Thanks also for the very kind comment you left me today!! And yes, Grant's story is quite amazing!!
    Dismal, dismal day for Hendricks last weekend. I couldn't even watch!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. hey! with the exception of not hearing our children's thoughts...autism is really an incredible and fascinating journey! i love autistic kiddos...big ones, little ones, and all ones in between...

    some day...sigh...some day...it'll all make sense! your boys are amazing...i wish i were closer to visit and hang out with them...give you and the hubby a date night...if you're ever in arkansas...RUN AWAY!!...jk...ar is beautiful!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Granola ~ you are so funny...you need a date night with your hubby just as bad as I do! :) But you are sweet to think of us clear over there in Arkansas! Alex is a sweetheart...he's made me laugh this summer!

    ReplyDelete
  4. That is so funny! What a good obsession to have though! Parker likes to take a tissue, wipe his nose, and then stuff it back in the box. I am constantly reminding him to throw it away. One day Molly grabbed some that he had used that I hadn't noticed, she was very grossed out! Too cute that he likes to throw the tissues away.

    ReplyDelete
  5. The human mind is truly a fascinating thing, and that little row of shoes is so sweet.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Bobbi ~ it is rather funny to us, but when someone comes over who isn't used to their things being taken away and thrown in the trash, it's a little weird. :) I guess I'm glad they don't get put back in the kleenex box!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Pamela ~ yes, it is sweet. We are used to seeing everything in rows....and 3 pairs of everything! ;)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Betsy, every time you write about one of the boys you endear them to me a little more. They are precious individuals with unique personalities created for the glory of God.

    Love the shoes!

    ReplyDelete
  9. That Alex!! Love him!! I sure do miss hearing his gleeful sounds since we moved.

    ReplyDelete
  10. MG ~ you are so sweet. Thanks for loving my boys without even meeting them. Alex is especially a sweetheart. I'll need to warn his new teacher about the tissue obsession! :)

    ReplyDelete
  11. Jill ~ I'm surprised you can't still hear them! :)

    ReplyDelete
  12. My place would keep him busy for weeks! I love the picture.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Willow ~ I'll send him right over! But I must warn you...he loves to eat! :)

    ReplyDelete
  14. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    ReplyDelete
  15. That picture is great!!!!!!
    He would have a hey day in my house, everything needs to be organized!! I am sure I could learn a lot by watching him!!

    ReplyDelete
  16. Thanks for coming by my blog. I like your blog too, and would love to stay in touch. This post today was so sweet. I'm glad you have a sense of humor about it. My husband's elderly aunt lived with us for a while and had some of the same kinds of obsessions. Esp. throwing things away! Some days the things she did were funny, and some days they weren't and it all had to do with my mood!

    ReplyDelete
  17. Betsy, I am learning alot about autism by reading your blog. I am so glad that the boys help out with household chores. I think that Alex would be a whiz at training my dog to stop taking all our shoes and tossing them all over the floor! I have been a total failure at it.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Lady Em ~ When he's all done at Willow's, I'll send him down south! :)

    ReplyDelete
  19. Rosezilla ~ hey, thanks for coming back. I've added you to my blogroll so I'll know when you update. Cute about your husband's aunt...yes, you must keep a sense of humor! :)

    ReplyDelete
  20. Lavinia ~ Alex would let Bebbers mess up the shoes and then he would just line them up again....in a curve with the heels all touching, of course! :) I'll lend him to you for a few days, though, to organize your trash and used tissues! :) (but you must return him...I'd be missing him too much!)

    ReplyDelete
  21. Betsy, Alex would love my place...one of my 'things' is that I have at least one kleenex box in every room of my house. I just have to have kleenex always near at hand.....!

    ReplyDelete
  22. Lavinia ~ well, he would love that! He also makes sure the kleenex boxes are straight on the table...no cock-eyed placement...just like the remotes!
    I will say that we have gone through the kleenex much faster this summer since I'm not allowed to put one in my pocket for a second use!

    ReplyDelete
  23. Betsy, that looks like my back porch, only Steve (my dh) is the one who is obsessively neat. He undoes the damage of the shoes the rest of us (including Pamela) fling in a pile . . .

    If only you can find a way to channel Alex's neatness without driving the rest of you crazy. . . He sounds so much like my dh who also lines up the remotes!

    ReplyDelete
  24. Betsy, it is so interesting to learn about your boys. Alex sounds like such a sweet fellow. He would be in overload heaven in my home. It is dire need of an organizational guru. Sounds like Alex would fit the bill to a T.

    ReplyDelete
  25. Stevie ~ He is a sweetie! I wish he would actually clean and not just straighten, though! Maybe we can work on that!

    ReplyDelete
  26. Thanks for sharing more of your story. It's an amazing one at that. Very touching.

    ReplyDelete
  27. My autistic nephew who is now 21 has to have that sort of routine and order also. He has no speech but did learn some sign language signs. He actually has a job where he uses some of those organization traits, and it's amazing how well he does.

    ReplyDelete
  28. Heck.......having him bring order to the TV remote would be a good thing!!! At least you can find it when you need it. Be blessed my friend.

    ReplyDelete
  29. I love the graceful arc formed by the heels all lined up together.

    Bets, you have such a witty and moving way of describing these interesting traits of your triplets. I think you should be published. :)

    ReplyDelete
  30. BPG ~ yes, a beautiful arch...maybe that is what he sees in it! :) I've been told that I should write a book of my "adventures" in raising these guys....maybe when I'm old....

    ReplyDelete
  31. Pat ~ I'd love to know more about your nephew and the type of job he has! I'll email you!

    ReplyDelete
  32. Strider...LOL...that's for sure! And when the remote goes missing, Alex is on a MISSION to find it! :)

    ReplyDelete
  33. What a sweet post..you tell a great story and I enjoy my visit..

    Michelle

    ReplyDelete
  34. Dear Betsy and your five men,

    I think I'm going to enjoy knowing you all. Nice post with the shoes. All about observation of the obsessions :)

    ReplyDelete

I'm serving coffee! Stay and chat!
And no awards, please! Your comments are my awards!