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Thursday, May 1, 2014

As The Autism World Turns






  1. The boys are still really enjoying their day program that they attend.  I'm so thankful for this!  They have a great weekly schedule that includes a cooking class, pet therapy, music, exercise, movie afternoons, etc.
  2. Quite often Spencer will get home and pull up something new on his laptop.  Sometimes it's a movie or a new song and I know he will have seen it at 'school'.  This morning it was The Brady Bunch on youtube.  You know, the theme song with the heads in the boxes?  He was attempting to sing along and seem surprised that I knew it and joined in!  Hilarious!  I wonder if he has a crush on Marcia! ha.
  3. Although they have grown up with pets, they really don't express any interest at all in them.  Harry seem the most tolerant, even petting a cat if they jump in his lap.   He also loves cows and horses, although I haven't been able to bring one home to the zoo. ha. The other boys will jump up if a cat tries to sit on them.  If I encourage them to pet one, they will touch their head with one finger tip. haha.
  4. Slate seems to love the boys and when I've been tucking them in bed lately, he will jump up on their bed and try to snuggle down between them and sleep, too!  Alex isn't amused at all and scowls, Spencer stands straight up in bed to get away and Harry just lays there and smiles.  I think he's amused at the situation!  I'm not sure if he's amused at Slate, his brothers' reaction or me, who is laughing until tears come, while I keep saying, "It's ok!  Slate is nice!  Here, pet him!"  If only I could capture their faces on camera.  It's hilarious.
  5. Buying things in threes still makes me smile.
  6. Spencer has continued his love of shopping online for DVD's about trains.  He's exhausted amazon.com and has moved on to ebay.  He uses his own money and shows me what he wants on the iPad.  He can use that thing better than I can!  The shipping time is the hardest to understand.  He still thinks if we buy something, dad is going to bring it home that very evening with the rest of the day's mail. 

68 comments:

  1. How wonderful Betsy that you see these amazing things and get to appreciate them all. I love the idea that if you buy something online it would come home that day, how great would that be, I reckon that Spencer has the right idea with that one - if only! It is funny having grown up with so many pets around the house that they are not more taken with them, but I guess we all have likes and dislikes about pets so there is no reason why your boys should be any different is there. How lovely that Slate is so persistent though in wanting to make friends and snuggle with them! He has obviously settled right in to your brood. I am so pleased that your boys are enjoying "school" so much. xx

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    1. Well, you know if amazon.com really does come out with those drones that deliver your orders within 30 minutes, Spencer will be thrilled! haha.

      Life isn't easy with the boys, but there are plenty of things to be thankful for!

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  2. Number four is hilarious! I love animals, but don't like them on or in my bed, so I can sympathize with your boys. :)

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    1. There is no way I can describe how funny the whole thing is...how persistent Slate is, Spencer's head about to hit the ceiling while standing in bed, Alex's look of terror and me laughing hysterically as Harry just lays there smiling. Totally funny.

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  3. Bless precious Slate's heart. He probably would like some male bonding. At least he's persistent and doesn't get his feelings hurt. :-) Maybe he will break through some day. Lynne in NC

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    1. Slate ends up in bed with me. haha. He knows when it's about bedtime and starts calling for us to come back to bed. Then he disappears some time in the night to go prowl outside and shows up on the bed again around 6:30 when my coffee pot turns on. Adorable. :)

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  4. I meant to say yesterday how much I like your new header, I wish I coudl make my photos go right across, mine always huddle on the left, lol, your sons are so handsome and well adjusted, what a wonderful job you did with them, I know each one has their own personalities but parents do have a hand in the outcome, you have a tender gentle hand I would say, it shows in your beautiful children, that fascination with trains is to the max!!!

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    1. You have to resize your photo to the total amount of pixels your blog is. For instance, mine is 1210 pixels wide, so I make my photo that wide, too.

      Thanks, Laurie...they have been a lot of work! And I'm a different person because of them, too. I think we've all grown and matured and changed in ways we never would have without them. :)

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  5. First off - love the header Betsy. What species of plant is that?
    Very interesting to see the differences in your boys. The way they relate or otherwise to the cats.
    Spencer seems a whiz on the iPad. Very impressed.
    Glad you have such fun with them. You are a wonderful mother to them - so loving and so much fun.

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    1. well, what would this world be if we didn't have fun, right? lol.... Yes, I try....you have to have a sense of humor to survive, especially in our family! :) Spencer and Harry can type as fast as me. Astonishing, really.

      Those are violets! They spread quickly and like cool shade.

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    2. Yes, of course violets - must plant some in my garden.

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    3. I put one tiny little plant under a tree several years ago and within two years, the whole space was full of them! Some people think of them as weeds, but I love them.

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  6. We had a few autistic children in our school and they were so different from one another.
    One boy, except for the temper tantrums, not really, just disagreements but the school
    says they are a distraction, talked and behaved like any normal kid. You could not tell,
    except that he had a special care person with him, that he was autistic. He was quite intelligent.
    So I am sure your boys must really fascinate you when they do things different or unexpected.
    They sure do seem like wonderful boys.

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    1. yeah, they are wonderful! I sure would love it if they could talk, though. That would make life SO much easier.

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  7. I enjoyed the glimpse into your boys' world. I so want some kind of communication for my brother, but I will say, making the purchase is a little intimidating. There are so many programs and there is always the fear of him deciding for one reason or another that he doesn't like the device. In spite of that we will eventually find something.
    Tim doesn't like animals either although there is a cat who lives in the group home.

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    1. Has he ever used PECS? It's picture symbols for communication. My boys started out with it in kindergarten. You start very basic and move at their speed. I think it would be perfect for him.

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    2. He's never used anything but Facilitated Communication twenty years ago. It's really sad that he has gone without for so long.

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    3. Well, that's probably what PECS sprouted from...very similar with the symbols and pictures to point to or put in order. We used to carry a strip of symbols around with us that the boys could point to if they needed something, like snack, drink, bathroom.

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  8. smiles...love the little letters in the shoes...and my boys are always wanting to show me something they saw at school....smiles...
    i bet waiting on those dvds is hard on him....

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    1. Sometimes I don't buy matching shoes all the time....but when I do...an initial makes it faster to identify them!

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  9. The boys day school sounds like an excellent program. So glad they enjoy it. I can definitely relate to Spencer's love of online shopping. It is fun!
    Love the Old Navy sneaks. Old navy is one of my favorite places to shop online. They have such great bargains.

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    1. I love online shopping, too! Anything I can buy online, I do. Most of it is free shipping now and the bonus cash or points is awesome! We do tons of business with Old Navy!

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  10. Fun to read! So glad the boys love their time away! The cat in the bed? OK, not so much!

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    1. yeah, they aren't thrilled with any animals in their bed. lol. Unlike their older brother who would love that.

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  11. So good to see a post devoted to the boys! It's been too long! Thanks! :)

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  12. Swanky shoes! They're really nice looking. I love to read about your boys and get a peek at what they are doing. Do they attend their school program year round, or will they be off in the summer? So cool that Spencer likes the Brady Bunch - Marcia, Marcia, Marcia!

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    1. Their program is year long. It really is wonderful...we are so blessed to have it!

      I know! The Brady Bunch! Hilarious!

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  13. aww Love this post of course:I
    Love the boys! but what cute is Slater I can see him try to jump on the bed haha! No only the boys many people don´t like pets in bed when the dogs were little sometimes I have them with me because sometimes they cry where were alone:)

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    1. It seems we've always had a pet sleep with us! But yes, some people don't like it.

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    2. I think the cats would be warm lol
      Is lovely for this time here but the dogs you know...
      I love slater I would love have a pet like him:)

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    3. I don't mind him snuggling up to me at night...just so he lets me turn over occasionally! haha.

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    4. He is cute:))
      He thinks you are your mommy lol

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  14. Thanks for the peek into your boys' world.

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    1. Nothing really new, but I hadn't posted about them in a while! ;)

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  15. I think it is wonderful that your boys have their weekly schedule at the day center.

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  16. I loved reading about your boys. The cat in the bed story made me laugh - I can about see it!

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    1. I'm sure it will happen again tonight....Slate is being very persistent! haha.

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  17. hahaha I wondered if they liked all the cats at your sea
    Poor slate must feel neglected but sure it is some funny
    Uggg to the Brady Bunch
    That tune will stay in your head through lunch
    Then they got all their chipper songs
    Could work for sing alongs

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    1. he had to see it at school
      since here the Brady's are never given a whirl.
      haha.

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    2. Next Green Acres and Petticoat Junction
      Maybe even those hillbillies will start to function

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    3. The Partridge Family and Eight Is Enough
      much better than Billy Goat's Gruff.
      haha.

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  18. Love this post! Is Spencer the only one that looks things up online? Haha, I wouldn't be surprised if he has a crush on Marcia. Funny about their reaction to the cats. Poor Slate with the unrequited love. Oh well, he gets more than enough from you I suppose.

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    1. Harry looks things up, too, but doesn't request the DVD's like Spencer does. He mainly finds movies and songs on youtube that he enjoys. Didn't every boy have a crush on Marcia? haha.
      Yeah, Slate is funny...I'll take him off the bed but he just comes right back like a boomerang, totally oblivious that they are not excited to have him there.

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  19. I envy a parent like you that cares for their autism children like you do. I used to drive a bus just like the one pictured here. They were all adult age and I transported them to a workshop five days a week. This gave me a small glimpse in to the challenges that you face.

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    1. That's exactly the type of program they are in Andy...all adult. They are in a beautiful new building and the staff is really great. You even look a little like their bus driver! Yeah, it's challenging, but it's become a way of life by now for us, so we just keep plodding along! :)

      Hey, love the new photo!

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  20. Thanks for sharing! Pickles sleeps at my feet or on my pillow.

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  21. I am with Spencer on that shipping stuff. : ) Thanks for sharing your day. You are amazing!
    taria

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    1. 30 minutes delivery to your front door would be pretty amazing, wouldn't it? I'm sure it will happen one day...maybe the next generation.

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  22. You won't believe this Betsy....
    Yesterday afternoon...as I was driving down to pick up Miss V...
    I was thinking....wonder how Betsy's boys are doing at their new school? She hasn't written much about them lately...Oh, I do hope they are still happy there....Honestly...I was!♥️
    And look at this....perfect! I am so happy for them...and...you must just laugh yourself silly sometimes!
    Hope you are having a good day...
    I am going to try something different....Raspberry buttermilk breakfast cake.....what do you think???? I'll let you know how it turns out!
    I got 2 packages of raspberries...reduced...so thought I would give it a go...blueberries are still pretty pricey....you used the blackberries...
    Wish me luck!


    Cheers!
    Linda:o)

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    1. Well, how about that? You have psychic powers! haha. You were probably thinking that as I was writing this post! Yes, they are still happy and that makes me happy! :)

      I think raspberries would be really yummy in your breakfast cake! What a great idea! The blackberries would wonderful! Take photos!

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  23. I wonder if Slate is getting a kick out of it too? "Look what I can do when I hop on a bed: get one to frown; one to pop straight up; and one to smile!" No wonder he is a boomerang cat. I can understand your laughter... I bet it's quite funny!

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    1. It would be fun to know if he was amused. He just seems determined and oblivious. Of course nobody is yelling at him or smacking his rump, so he thinks it's all a game. Nugget is always wanting to be close to the triplets, too. Amazing to me how some of them just want to be near them with all the noise and craziness they can produce. lol...

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  24. Love it all - thanks for making me smile. Amazing life you lead Lady...=)

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    1. amazing...well, that's one name for it! hahaha...

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  25. Hi Betsy - a heart-warming read with photos to match .. I'm so pleased the boys are enjoying themselves ... despite their specific likes and dislikes ...

    A film was made about a dairy herd here ... it was awarded at the Sundance Festival and has had accolades else where .. I'll be writing a post about it - if you can make a mental note to check the post out first .. I'll do it later next week, after the A-Z 2014 review ...

    Now .. life is vaguely coming back to normality .. cheers and I'll give you a nudge re the post .. happy weekend .. from a sunny morning here -Hilary

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    1. Harry would love to see photos of the dairy herd! Looking forward to that!

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  26. A perfect peek into your world.
    Thinking you are the best mom ever.

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    1. well, I don't know about that, but I try! Some days are easier than others. I'll tell a crazier story about Alex soon. ha.

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  27. I had to present my research at a poster session at school on Wednesday night. A presenter there showed her research about a robot that has been found to be effective in educating children with autism. She has two children with autism herself so the research was meaningful to her. Have you ever heard of anything like that?

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    1. How very interesting! No, I haven't heard of anything like that before!

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