Both of my boys are non-verbal. First question I am always asked when someone meets my boys is “How do they communicate?”. Next question is always “Do they use AAC?”. Let me give a bit of background real quick. There are several ways someone can communicate if they are non-verbal. These include, but are not […]
We Can’t Talk to You
No one could have prepared me for 18. Not for how the world would react. Not for the emotional toll. Definitely not for the amount of paperwork and tasks that would be required or the amount of time processes would take. When we first received the diagnosis for Z, I always talked about not receiving […]
Coming Up for Air
We are back!!! I had to take a short hiatus (read: 2 1/2 years) from sharing our world. Things got super heavy and hard The truth is I got overwhelmed. I look back at little ol’ me when K was first diagnosed and how I so flippantly said “we already have one with Autism, how […]
Here we go again…
You’ve heard me say this over and over. If you have met one child with Autism, you have met ONE child with Autism. Some people may roll their eyes at this statement. But I am here to give proof this is 100% accurate. When we decided to have another child after Z, we knew the risks. We knew siblings […]
Let’s talk about it…
The hard times. They impact our lives so greatly yet are the least talked about out loud. Why is this? Why do we hold back? Are we afraid of judgment? Are we afraid people will not believe us? Do we not want to relive the moments? Are we sugar-coating our experience? I don’t know. It’s […]
I remember..
I remember you.. Your reactions when you first started to notice differences in your child. How you would talk about his play skills. “He is such a goofball”, “He is so independent, just wants to do his own thing”, or “We haven’t taught him how to play with that yet”. All said with love and […]
A new path ahead..
It happened so fast.. Just like that, the conversation changed. We have gone fourteen years pushing for progress, pushing to get to the “right level”. But that level has moved now. We have turned left at the fork in the road. We find ourselves looking at different scenery. The path seems longer and is all […]
Who is the true Expert?
Parents often complain about how everyone has “advice” for them on how to raise their children. They are often very protective of their parenting and take offense to suggestions. This is especially the case when it comes from someone who has never had their own children. Things get a little tricky in the special needs […]
The quest for immortality..
I think most people are searching for the “fountain of youth”. They want to live forever. But what you may not be aware of is that this topic is front and center forever in our family. The constant question in our hearts is “who will take care of him when we are gone?”. There is […]
Celebrate on your own terms..
Birthdays are a celebration of the past year and the year to come. People are usually hopeful and excited. There are several birthdays that mean something special. At thirteen, you officially become a “teen”. At 18, you are considered an adult and can vote. At 21, you can drink. Along the way are milestones such […]