The Cookbook Junkies

Dear Blogworld:

Thank you for letting me get my words out. I have so many at times and then sometimes I have so few.

My little boy is doing amazing things – for instance….he is being social. Social – happy and interacting with other humans. Again….don’t want to step too high on the hopes ladder…but things are looking good.

Yesterday after three years of being terrified of the pool and the bath (getting water in his face/eyes) he went swimming at his Aunt Nora’s. He swam (floated) across the pool by himself. He touched the bottom of the pool. He ate dinner at Aunt Nora’s and for the first time (except for when Jim and I visited Johns Hopkins) I had an afternoon without him. The first time in six years. It was scary, weird and relaxing and I missed him horribly and I had such guilt. Nora was happy. Andrew was happy. I was happy. I had to have guilt.

He has been so funny – the other day Jim had the measuring tape open. Andrew had a banana he was in the process of eating. He charged Jim and with a hint of Antonio Banderas in his voice he declared, “My banana is no match for your sword.” I wrote about this on Facebook – I almost wet myself.

Today I read a story about a little girl and her mother (link below). It took my breath. It does put things in perspective. Our struggles are struggles — but I think we all need a wake up call once in a while and these “words” gave me one. Pray for Jessica. I am.

http://jenniferlawler.com/wordpress/?p=747

Sincerely,
Andrew’s Mom

P.S. One funny note – I somehow have become one of my own followers on my blog and can’t seem to unfollow myself. Does this qualify as blogurbation?

It’s July 8th and we’re plugging along.

I have good news. The behavioral consultant helped immensely and Andrew as well as ourselves are doing much better. We were only give three hours and hopefully will be given more. Mike’s techniques are the exact opposite of three years of “parent training” by psychologists techniques. Parent training services are given to parents of special needs children to help deal with difficult issues. Our present psychologist, who we just started seeing about two months ago, agrees with Mike’s techniques. I never did ask if what we’re doing is right – assuming that if three different psychologists tell us how to handle his issues that they must be right but I guess it is a smart thing to talk over ideas and how you are handling things when you see a new doctor/psychologist.

The July 4th weekend was HOT HOT HOT and Andrew and I were sick – I more so. I had 102.3 temperature on the 4th – that coupled with the heat and humidity – everyone thought I was going to expire. Andrew and I went down to Breezy until 2 p.m. then headed home – and Jim came home about 11 p.m. On Monday we had a couple family hours and Jim went to a second cousin’s wedding. So it was a quiet, sick and did I say HOT weekend.

Andrew started summer camp last week and loves it – he is being so social and out going – it’s kinda scary – I don’t want to get my hopes up too high because they can come crashing down….but things do look better. “Camp is great but there are no pretty girls there.”

This morning one sock that I picked out had a hole, I told Andrew to run into the bedroom and get a sock from the basket (clean laundry basket implied)…he’s gone two minutes – “Come on Andrew let’s go.” He runs back. “You scared me.” “Where is the sock?” He runs back to the bedroom. A minute passes – I get up – I go into the bedroom – half his body is in the hamper. “I meant a clean sock Andrew.” He does make me laugh.

Are you wondering what arugula and yams are doing in my title? At 10:30 I had breakfast – some “peppery” arugula (Dear God every television cook says that – okay we know arugula is peppery – enough !!!) and a baked yam — it was tasty and quite filling. I’m trying a new approach to eating – eating what I want when I want. Let’s see if that works.

I’ve been missing lately. Lacking lustre.

It’s been extraordinarily rough the last month – I have no idea what is happening. I have a ray of hope….a behavioral consultant came on Wednesday to help us learn better techniques that work with autistic children. He is the Autism Whisperer. Amazing – it will take a lot of willpower and strength to get through this but we will.

I had written this post a few days earlier and removed it because originally I thought it was therapeutic for me to get it out – and then I realized that not every detail should be put out there for consumption. So after heavy editing – I’m reposting. Sorry for the confusion.

Got a wonderful package of cookies decorated especially for Andrew from these wonderful ladies – Cookies for a Good Cause http://www.cookiesforagoodcause.blogspot.com/. (I had won a contest) but they decorated them up special for Andrew and that made me feel good (you can see a picture on their blog). I made a donation to their cause for shipping the cookies and making Andrew’s day.

Pray for us.