Our Crazy Crew

This Year is Flying By!

2010-10-16T21:33:00.002-04:00

I can't believe it is already October 16th! This year is really flying by.

The weather is getting a little cooler and I just love the cool, crisp mornings we have had lately. Of course, it doesn't last long and it gets back up into the mid 80's by noon time!

I have been asked when I would like to become a trainer at work. I think I am ready to take it up to the next level and see what happens. I won't start training until January when we have the new college program kids start, but at least I know I will get a few decent paychecks out of it :)

Things are pretty much the same around here between school, work, and Britney's taekwondo.

We are all excited to be able to get to go to the Tampa Bay Lightning hockey games this year. We got season tickets and we've already won our first game! Our next game is Monday night. It will be another fun night out for us.

Pretty soon it will be Halloween. Tomorrow Britney and I are going to pumpkin carve. I hope they come out good. Wish me luck!! Next, we will be looking for costumes. Britney wants to be a scary witch and i'm still not sure what to get for Tyler. Its got to be something without a mask. Maybe a SWAT team officer. We will see....

Been MIA For a Long Time!!

2010-10-03T20:46:00.002-04:00

So, there have been so many things going on in my crazy life that I am finally taking a few moments to catch everyone up.

The kids are back in our local county school. We had them in a different county for the rest of the year once Christmas vacation was over. They did well and loved the school, but it was just too much getting them there and picking them up in the afternoon.

This past April, I found out I was expecting another baby and a few weeks after, suffered an ectopic pregnancy. After going through this and finding out I needed surgery, I decided to have my tubes tied. If I was to get pregnant again, chances are that I would suffer from another ectopic and I just did not want to go through it again.

I also started working full-time in April and had to take practically the whole month of May off with my surgery.

Tyler is doing great. He is amazing us more and more every day. He is getting there with his training. He has been trying so hard and I know we will get there sometime soon!

Britney is taking taekwondo. She LOVES it! She was dancing last year too, but has decided to just stick with taekwondo. She is now a yellow belt with green bar. I am so very proud of her.

I hope to be able to come on and post more often, but it just seems like i'm always on the go.

100th Day of School Celebration

2010-02-02T18:14:00.002-05:00

This Friday will be a fun-filled day at school for the kids. Friday will mark the 100th day of school. The school has tons of cool things planned for the day. The kids were asked to design their own t-shirts with 100 things on it. They are also going to bring in 100 pennies each and the proceeds will go towards pennies for pasta. Later on that night from 5-9, the school is holding their carnival. We will head to the carnival once i'm home from work and have a nice family night out! Here are some pictures of the kids finished t-shirts....

Busy Month

2010-01-29T12:52:00.003-05:00

January has been a busy month! We enrolled the kids in a new school in a different county. The schools in our county are not the greatest and we wanted to be sure both kids got the education they deserve. So far, the kids are doing well. They are making new friends and settling into the new school routines fairly well. Tyler actually looks forward to going to school. Every morning he will say to me "school today?" The new school gives more homework than the others did, but it goes back to my point of wanting to the kids to succeed in their academics.

We are still trying to get Tyler potty trained. I wish I was inside his head so I knew EXACTLY when he was going to go! We just keep missing it...what a pain!

Britney continues her dancing classes and we are gearing up for her recital in June. The costume book has been coming together and I even got to preview what her costumes will look like. They are cute!

I am working anywhere from 1-3 days a week. Disney is real slow. I am trying to pursue a secretarial job through Disney as well. I should hopefully know if the job is mine soon!

That's all I got for now.

Happy Holiday!

2009-12-27T17:40:00.003-05:00

Its hard to believe another Christmas has come and gone. The year goes by way to fast now! Both kids enjoyed Christmas. Santa had a hard time coming up with gifts this year for them. They both have all the electronics, so its getting harder and harder each year to be creative with gifts!

Britney got a few BIG gifts. Santa gave her an early present this month. She went to see Miley Cyrus with Kevin. They had great seats. They sat 3 rows from the stage! Britney was so happy!! She also got a cat. So far Sophie is behaving and has not charged the cat.

Tyler got some DS games, Candy Land game, The Zippity from Leapster. He has been feeling a little under the weather lately, so hopefully he will feel better to play some of these games this week.

I got a beautiful diamond/sapphire ring and my Mr. Coffee Frappe maker. Kevin got a back massager, storage caddy for his phone, keys & wallet. He also got an automatic change machine and last but not least shaving stuff!

The tree and decorations are down till next year already!

Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!!!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2009-11-26T13:20:00.003-05:00

From our house to yours, we wish you all a Happy and safe Thanksgiving!

Happy 8th Birthday Tyler!!

2009-11-26T13:15:00.002-05:00

Its hard to believe that my sweet boy is 8 years old today! Tyler has changed our lives in so many ways. We can't imagine our lives without him. Even though autism has taken so much from us, the one thing it will never take is our love for eachother. We all hope you have a great day baby boy.

We love you!

Momma, Daddy, and Britney x0x0x0

Why Is It So Hard!

2009-11-10T10:13:00.002-05:00

So we are still trying to get Tyler potty trained. We just keep missing everytime he needs to go! I have woken up the past 5 mornings and Tyler has had huge messes. I just don't know why its so hard for us and Tyler to get it all done! I have a potty chart on the wall just like at school. He will read all the steps but when it comes to actually "going," he won't do it! Tyler will be 8 in a few weeks and I just can't take this anymore! I want him to be in underwear and be able to go to the bathroom independently. This is yet another example of how autism can affect your child's life and yours. If it would only just click in his head. I wonder what "pieces" of this puzzle he is still not understanding. I pray this is over soon!!!!!

Autism Speaks Video

2009-11-10T10:11:00.002-05:00

Here is a video that was posted by Autism Speaks. Be sure to pause my playlist so you can hear the video....

Waves of Grief

2009-11-04T10:32:00.003-05:00

For the past few weeks, I have been suffering from waves of grief.

Last Friday was when it all started to hit me again. Tyler's class was having a Halloween celebration/Pizza party at school. I went down to help out and bring some cookies in for the class. As the kids were eating their pizza and starting to decorate cookies, we were told to get ready for the monthly fire drill. We were getting the kids ready to exit the class when all of a sudden, comes the blaring sound of the alarm. Tyler lost it! Screaming, tears, just scared out of his mind! As we were making our way to the parking lot, I asked the paras if he is always like this and they said no. Maybe its because I was there and he was looking for reassurance from me. I don't know. Once we got the all clear to go back inside, he was still freaked out. I calmed him down to an extent and ended up taking him home early.

Monday morning things were fine getting the kids up and ready for school. Once I got Ty to school, the tears began to fall again. He was fine all weekend and I wasn't sure if he was getting sick. I left him and got a call from the teacher that he was still crying and not eating anything. She said he kept looking at the fire alarm box in the class and would cry and "wait" for it to go off again. My poor little man was still freaked out! Maybe he is more sensitive to the sounds around him now.

He was fine today. Every morning when I pull away, we wave goodbye and he waits till I'm out of sight to head to class. He was waving and smiling this morning, so maybe he's forgetting about it--until next month!

This is just another wave of grief that I have been experiencing on my journey with autism. My son has great days, months and then something like this sets him back.

Another thing that is bothering me is how people can just totally ignore the fact that my son exists. People need to realize that my son has feelings too and even though he can't express them, he still feels them. My son is so special to me and it hurts to see people just brush him off like a piece of gum on a shoe.

Its just been a bad few weeks and I want it all to be over!

Update on Us

2009-09-28T21:46:00.003-04:00

Tyler is doing great! He is thriving more and more each day with his academics and has done fairly well with his general ed. pull out experience so far. He has been going with 2nd graders. This not only is going to improve his academics, but will also improve his social skills. I am so amazed at my little guy. He continues to surprise me every day!

Britney is riding the bus now to and from school. She's a "big girl" now..LOL! She is getting better academically as well. She is always wanting to write words and make notes and things. She's too funny. She is taking dance classes 2 times a week. Monday nights she has hip hop and on Saturday, she has tap and ballet.

I am still working at Animal Kingdom. Things are really slow. Its most likely due to the economy and the recent ticket price raise. I have been getting 1 day a week basically all summer. I actually have 2 days next week! I just might break the $50 a week paycheck...WHOO HOO!!

Sorry its been so long since i've posted. Things have been crazy with the home improvements and the back to school routines.

Home Improvements Part 2

2009-09-28T21:42:00.002-04:00

Home Improvements

2009-09-28T21:28:00.003-04:00

Here is part 1 of some home improvement photos that we did over the summer. Part 2 to follow.

Its Been So Long!

2009-07-31T07:59:00.002-04:00

It has been so long since I have posted but we have had a busy summer!

Britney finished her summer dance classes last week and she liked it so much that we have signed her up for classes in the fall. I'm glad we found something to keep her occupied for a few hours a week.

Tyler is doing well. He continues to talk more each day, even if most of it is repeating what you have just said to him..LOL! We are still tackling the potty training with him. I cannot wait until I can put this terrible task behind me!

As far as me, I am still working at Disney. I am lucky to get one day a week some times, but I will take what I can get I guess.

We are renovating the house. We just finished ripping out the wall to wall carpet and replaced it with porcelain tile. We got the kids bunk beds and re did their rooms. Our next project will be gutting our master bath and doing that over. That demo will start this Tuesday. It will be nice when its all done.

We have the landscapers coming today to take out all the old bushes and replace with new bushes and flowers. I am not a green thumb by any means, so its nice to admire the work when its done and know I have the easy part which is to water it, or let mother nature do her thing to help with watering as well.

So, sorry its been so long. I will post pictures of our completed projects in the next few weeks!

Slideshow of Disney Cruise

2009-06-13T15:25:00.002-04:00

Last Week of School!

2009-05-31T19:18:00.002-04:00

We are officially starting our last week of school. I can't believe the year is already over!

Tomorrow, they are doing kindergarten awards at Britney's school. I still don't know if they are supposed to dress up or not. I will find out in the morning and bring a dress for her in the afternoon.

Wednesday, Tyler's class is performing Twinkle Twinkle in the school talent show. Later that afternoon, I will be heading to Britney's school to celebrate her birthday with the class, along with the end of the year class party. One of the other moms is bringing pizzas in.

I still have to find out what to get for the teachers and paras too at some point. That might be Tuesday's mission.

Thursday, Britney will be 6. I am taking her on a 3 day Disney cruise. She is so excited! I ordered a princess bath set to be waiting for her in our room when we arrive. At dinner that night, there will be a birthday cake and singing for her.

Kevin will be staying home w/Tyler doing guy things. They are thinking of going to SeaWorld Aquatica and to the Orlando Magic/LA Lakers playoff game.

I will post pics when I get back.

Meeting Went Well

2009-05-13T18:24:00.002-04:00

Yesterday morning, I went to Tyler's IEP meeting.

Tyler has had great progress this year. He has excelled in math and reading and loves both subjects alot!

All of his goals have been met for the year and the teacher even had to come up with a few more to finish out the school year.

I made my own goals that I wanted to implement for next year. All of my goals that I wanted to add, had already been placed by the teachers and therapists, so I was happy.

We will be trying out mainstreaming Tyler for math and reading next year. He will be in 2nd grade, but with his delays, he will be in a regular 1st grade class for those. He might be a little more advanced to begin the school year, but I will take it. He will also be mainstreamed for block activities like music, library, computers as well. Tyler is at the point now where I think he CAN handle these changes. I don't want to hold my buddy back. We will try the mainstreaming and if all works out, we will increase his mainstreaming in other subjects for 3rd grade.

All in all, I think our meeting went well!!

Explorations V Field Trip

2009-04-30T20:52:00.003-04:00

Today Britney's class went to the Explorations V Children's Museum for their field trip. The kids made volcanoes from clay and made them erupt. The kids thought it was really cool. They got to keep the volcanoes and we now can make one at home from directions they put on the packages.

The kids had a lot of fun playing with different things throughout the museum. I think the thing the kids enjoyed most was grocery shopping and dancing on the stage.

On the way back to school, most of the kids took naps so it was quiet for a few minutes. The kids got bag lunches that they ate in the classroom once we got back. They were all starving from all the playing!

It was a fun day and I'm glad I got to share it with my girl!

Am I Really Reading This?

2009-04-29T09:59:00.001-04:00

I received this link from Tyler's teacher from last year and wanted to share with everyone...

Autism researchers announce breakthrough in identifying gene
Autism researchers at UM and other universities announced a genetic breakthrough that could lead to improved treatment and prevention of the disorder.
BY FRED TASKER
ftasker@MiamiHerald.com
Researchers say they have found the first piece of the genetic puzzle that could lead to greatly improved diagnosis, treatment and even prevention of autism.

A multi-university team, which included the University of Miami School of Medicine, has identified a gene associated with autism, according to a report published Tuesday in the peer-reviewed medical journal Nature.

It may be only one of as many as 50 genes involved, and environmental factors are also involved, but Margaret Pericak-Vance, director of UM's Institute for Human Genomics, says the discovery could lead to practical results within a decade.

''Things are moving so fast, in the next five years or so you can see some of this information being translated maybe into prediction, even therapies,'' she said.

Therapies that would prevent autism are ''farther down the pike,'' she said.

The study is a collaboration of the UM institute, Vanderbilt University, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, the University of Washington in Seattle and the University of California, Los Angeles.

In the study, research teams visited a dozen sites around the country and studied more than 10,000 subjects, including individuals with autism spectrum disorder, family members and volunteers without the disorder.

Autism is a serious developmental problem that usually appears before age 3, affecting a child's ability to communicate and interact with others. Experts believe autism affects as many as one in 150 children in the United States, making it one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders.

The apparent culprit is a gene involved in making connections among cells in the developing brain, the study said.

Diagnosing autism is often difficult because it manifests itself in different ways in different children. Treatment and therapies also are in flux. Some focus on reducing problem behaviors, while others set up highly structured educational programs or rely on drugs. Getting a firmer grasp on autism's genetic makeup could make drug therapies much more effective, Pericak-Vance said.

Because individuals with autism vary so widely, many autism researchers had doubted that common genetic factors ever would be found. The breakthrough was possible because of the mapping of the human genome, a 15-year project by hundreds of genetics researchers completed in 2003, which identified and mapped the 25,000 or so genes that control and operate the human body.

It also was assisted by cutting-edge technology -- a lightning-fast, $1 million-plus ''Illumina Platform,'' an ungainly machine that used computer chips to compare, contrast and analyze thousands of genetic-factor samples from the 10,000 test subjects.

Pericak-Vance has been instrumental in gene research, making similar discoveries about the genetic background of Alzheimer's disease in 1993, multiple sclerosis in 2000 and macular degeneration in 2005.

She is one of nearly 50 top researchers recruited from Duke University by UM Medical School dean Pascal Goldschmidt, who in turn was recruited from Duke by UM president Donna Shalala in 2006 as part of Shalala's $1 billion program to create the Institute of Human Genomics to boost UM's reputation as a research institution.

Thomas Lehner, branch chief of the Genomics Research Branch of the National Institute of Mental Health, which was not part of the study, called the finding ``exciting.''

''The more we understand the biology of autism, the more likely we are to find treatments that may lead to prevention,'' he said.

Autism is one of the most genetically complex disorders, Pericak-Vance said.

Unlike breast cancer, which in some cases can be strongly predicted by the existence of a single gene, autism may be caused by up to 50 genes interacting with each other, the prenatal and postnatal environment and lifestyle.

''Now it might be possible to see if different children respond differently to various therapies -- both drug therapies and behavioral therapies -- so you don't have to go through so much trial and error,'' she said.

Pericak-Vance compared the discovery to solving a jigsaw puzzle -- with the first gene identified, others will be easier to place.

``You think you have a 100-piece puzzle, and then it turns out to be a 1,000-piece puzzle, and you throw it on the table and you go crazy because you can't find anything. Then you find a corner piece, and then the outside rim starts falling into place.

``Well, we've got a big corner piece now.''

Happy Easter!!!

2009-04-12T18:19:00.003-04:00

I hope everyone had a Happy Easter. I worked until 1 this afternoon, so we had our Easter dinner around 4. It was yummy! We had ham, my homemade mac and cheese and rolls. Tyler had peanut butter toast. He has a real bad cough/cold so he will be staying home tomorrow to recouperate. The kids had fun looking for their hidden eggs and seem to enjoy the gifts the Easter Bunny left for them.

Another weekend behind us and waiting for the new crazy week to begin.

Eye Exam

2009-04-08T20:41:00.002-04:00

I took Tyler for an eye exam this afternoon.

When school started this year, the county did check ups on all the kids. I received a blue form in the mail and it stated that Ty had a "possible" vision problem. I hadn't noticed anything out of the ordinary at home, but his teacher said that he likes to be on her lap reading books. I went to set up the appointment last week, but needed a few days for Tyler's insurance to get the referral to the doctor's office. When I set the appointment up, I told them that Tyler was autistic and COULD NOT do a standard eye exam. I was told they would have pictures for him to look at. Well, today they try to measure his eyes, dialate them, have him read lines..NO GO! We were able to get some drops in his eyes and the doctor was kind of rude. I told the doctor, again, that Tyler was autistic and that is why he was playing with everything in the exam room. The doctor backed off and did what he needed to do and let Tyler "play" with the eye chart buttons when we were done. Based on what the doctor saw, he said Ty's vision is 20/25! No glasses for Tyler..thank god! I don't know how he would have worn glasses. He hates things on his face/eyes! Tyler will go back in a year for another check up.

Britney is next. I received a blue form for her b/c she has a lazy eye and the county is freaking about it. Makes you wonder how "accurate" the tests at school are. I know she has a lazy eye, and I had one when I was younger too. I just had to do eye exercises. I was without glasses till I was 13, so hopefully my kids can hold off till they are in their teens too!

One down, one to go!

April 2nd, World Autism Awareness Day

2009-04-02T13:49:00.003-04:00

Please take the time today to think of Tyler and the other children who are affected by this disability. The cases are growing second to second each day. There is no cure for autism. I just hope with all the research going on, we can hopefully have a cure for autism and have our little boy back.

Giving It Another Try

2009-03-25T18:00:00.002-04:00

Today when I got home with the kids, Kevin was on his computer. He called Britney over to talk to her. He was showing her the dancing school that she went to before and dropped out. He was thinking of some things that she could do over the Summer so she won't be bored and to get her to socialize more. At first, she was apprehensive but he convinced her to go down to the school and check it out again.

They just got back and we have paid for her to take 2 classes a week. If she likes it, and dosen't drop out this time, we will see about getting her in classes during school.

The first time she went, she was 3 and was about to start school. Now that she is older and knows some kids, she might enjoy it now.

So, we are going to give it another try and see what happens.

She is like her mother in the dancing aspect. When I was younger, I did the same thing and dropped out. I freaked because I could not do a somersault..LOL! I know Britney will be better than me!

A+

2009-03-25T13:07:00.003-04:00

Yesterday while I was looking through the kids backpacks, I found some papers that Tyler had done. He had a math test and he got all the problems right! The teacher even put an A+, 100% and a huge smiley face on the paper. It even looks like he wrote the answers all by himself! Tyler really LOVES math and reading and is good at it. I am hoping we can have him pulled out for those subjects next year. I am constantly amazed at my sons ability of things he CAN do and not so much on his disability. He has come such a long way and I know he has it in him to succeed. Days like this make me so hopeful for his future. We are proudly displaying the perfect test paper on the front of the refrigerator!

Its Been A While

2009-02-28T15:53:00.002-05:00

Things have been crazy around here for the past month. I was in a car accident on January 30th. My car is still being fixed. I am seeing a chiropractor for my back and neck that was hurt in the accident. I have a rental until my car is back with me. I am still really nervous driving. I probably will be for a long time!

Sophie had her puppies on Thursday. She needed a c-section. She was a few days overdue and was getting big. Its a good thing we took her for the surgery because when the vet was getting the pups out, he said there was 2 pups stuck in her birth canal and they were losing fluid. We are happy to report that all of the pups made it--10 to be exact! Kevin is getting up with the pups every 3-4 hours throughout the night. During the day, Britney helps out when she is home. It will be a long few weeks before the pups can eat on their own and things can get back to normal a little.

We went away on a 4 day Bahama cruise last week. The kids had a blast in Coco Cay. They went down a 40 ft water slide and had fun climbing on the inflatable climbers in the water. I was sick before, during and a little still now with a bad cold. I wish I could have enjoyed myself a little more, but that's how it is.

Here is a few pics of the kids at Coco Cay...

Busy, Busy, Busy

2009-01-20T18:32:00.002-05:00

Its been a busy couple of weeks around our house.

The kids have been off from school since Friday. They were both not feeling well on Friday and then they had yesterday off due to MLK b-day and today was a teacher work day. They will have a short week this week. Its been one LONG weekend!

I have been lucky to get 1 day a week now working, so I am very close to looking elsewhere. I go back this Friday for a 6 hour shift and then NO hours at all next week!

Today we had the carpet in our bedroom ripped out and replaced with porcelain tile. We also re-did our master bath tile to match. Kevin and I are camping out on couches and kids floors for the night. We will be able to sleep in our room again tomorrow night once the floor is grouted tomorrow.

We got a new toilet as well b/c the one we have now has a mind of its own and will keep running sometimes. I am probably gonna look for a new countertop for the bathroom too. I will have a ton of cleaning to do, but once everything is back in its place, things will look nice.

As you can tell, things around here are busy, busy, busy!

Happy New Year!

2009-01-01T12:29:00.003-05:00

Just wanted to wish my family and friends a Happy New Year!

2008 was a good year for the kids. Tyler has come such a long way. He is amazing me more and more each day. I am hopeful that 2009 will be just as amazing for him. I can't believe he is already 7 years old. Where has the time gone? Britney is the typical 5 year old. Wants/needs everything! She is a great little sis to Tyler. She has contributed to his successes this year too. She has taught him how to play together and its wonderful to see that he is responding in such a typical way with her.

I hope everyone had a great 2008 and has an even better 2009 too!

Britney's New Ride

2008-12-13T19:25:00.003-05:00

The other day we got a memo in Britney's agenda. It told us to bring her to the community center at 8:30 this morning. She would need her memo to get a ticket for a bike raffle. I am still sick, so Kevin said he would take her. When they got there, she got a ticket for the bike. Kevin was told she would be receiving a bike and not have to enter her ticket into the raffle! How cool is that? The kids got to choose which bike they wanted and were still going to be able to pick out another gift. The teachers from the area schools choose 1 student from each of their classes to go to these events. Britney was picked by her teacher. I think is nice the teacher thought of her. I think Britney felt special today too. Now all we need is some training wheels and she's got a new ride!

Chuck E Cheese

2008-12-13T19:19:00.002-05:00

Here is a picture of Britney and her "boyfriend" Toby. Britney and I met up with him and his parents last Monday night. They recently moved to a different city and before they left, we exchanged phone numbers and addresses. Since Toby moved, all he talks about is Britney and how much he misses her. His mom called us Monday after school and invited us to Chuck E Cheese to celebrate Toby's 6th Birthday. It was just the 2 kids, me and his parents. His real party is tomorrow, but we won't be able to make it. The kids had fun and we will get together again during the Christmas Break. Toby is a sweet kid and Britney is so funny when she is around him. Young love. Gotta love it!

Christmas Decorating

2008-12-01T20:19:00.003-05:00

We got our "real" tree on Saturday. In the past, we have had artificial ones. I didn't feel like getting it down from the attic and putting it together, so we gave in and got a real one. We set it all up and let it loosen up for the day/night. I went to work on Sunday and when I got home, Britney and I decorated it. It looks pretty good. I also decorated the bushes out front and I have a wreath with prelit lights on the door. I will be tying my big red bows on the carriage lights tomorrow.

We got some of our shopping started for the kids, so we are doing good!

I will probably go out this week and pick up a few more things. I need to buy a grab gift for my work party on Friday night too.

Its beginning to look a lot like Christmas...minus the snow!!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

2008-11-27T10:02:00.002-05:00

Just wanted to Wish everyone a Happy, Safe Thanksgiving! I hope all the turkey dinners come out fabulous and everyone goes home stuffed just like a turkey. For all of you crazy people heading out for Black Friday, have fun and think of me at work at 6am!

Happy 7th Birthday, Tyler!!!

2008-11-26T09:54:00.001-05:00

I can't believe that 7 years ago today, my little buddy Tyler was born. He was such a good baby, slept good for us and everything!

Tyler being diagnosed with autism has challenged not only him, but us as well. He strives to be the best and there are days that you would not even know he is autistic.

He is the light of my life and I can't picture my life without my little buddy.

Happy Birthday, Tyler!!

Love,
Momma, Daddy, and Britney x0x0

Nice Compliment

2008-11-24T10:51:00.003-05:00

This morning I packed the kids in the van, sick and all and went to the grocery store. I needed to get the rest of our Thanksgiving meal. I had one kid in the seat part of the cart and another sitting where the food would soon be. As we maneuvered through the store and the cart filled up, the kids needed to walk with me. Britney helped me push while Tyler guided us at the front. We got everything we needed without any protest from the kids as to when we would be done or freaking out because they wanted something and made our way to the check out. There was an older woman in front of us and she turns to me and said that she had seen us throughout the store and wanted to compliment me on how well behaved my kids were. She said she has NEVER seen children act so good. I politely thanked her, all the while feeling horrible with this darn cold/flu bug. I told her I was actually suprised the kids were so good for me too considering they are sick and Tyler is autistic. She just smiled and loaded her things up in her cart. After she was done, she turns to us again and told us to have a good day and Happy Thanksgiving. I told her the same. It made me feel good that people notice that I am not a horrible parent, even though I question myself all the time.

Thanksgiving Break

2008-11-21T12:52:00.002-05:00

The kids will be on Thanksgiving break as of 2:45 this afternoon. I'm not sure what we will do this weekend. Kevin is in Vegas till Monday night. I might take the kids bowling. I want to get them some jackets, so will probably take a ride to Jc Penney for their big sale tomorrow. We have had some really cold weather this week. We are all paying for it too with bad colds! I feel so run down and I need to get better. I am scheduled to work Tuesday from 7:30 till 1:30 and again on Friday from 6am-2:30! Kevin will be shopping by himself on Black Friday again this year unless I can find someone to work for me. Don't you just love the holidays???

Lab Work

2008-11-17T16:41:00.002-05:00

This month, both kids had well visit check ups. They are where they are supposed to be with height, weight, etc. I asked if we could have Tyler's iron checked to see if he may be anemic. We got a lab slip for the blood test. When I took Britney for her check up, we got a lab slip for a urinalysis test. When the girls turn 5, they like to check their kidneys and make sure everything is ok.

I decided to get the labs done today. I picked up the kids and told Britney that if she had to go to the bathroom, she will have to hold it a little longer. She couldn't do it, so I had her go in one of those kiddie bowls with a lid. I was hoping that it would be ok. Luckily, the lab said it was fine and I just switched it out with one the lab provided.

The fun part was next, getting Tyler's blood drawn. I had him sit on my lap and I just hugged him tight while 2 nurses were on either side of him doing what they needed to do. He whined for a quick second, drew some tears and it was all over. No fighting me, kicking, not even high pitched screeching! He did really good.

Just another mini milestone we have conquered. Tyler is growing more and more every day and I feel so proud of him right now!

Parent/Teacher Conference

2008-11-13T20:13:00.002-05:00

I've been a little busy this week, so I am finally posting this now.

I met with Tyler's teacher about his report card and how he is doing up to this point in the school year.

Tyler is doing so well! He has met all but a few of his goals for this year already! His speech is getting better. The teacher said that he is more vocal every day and will protest and say "No" to things he may not want to do, but knows he has to do them. That sounds like a typical first grade response to me..:)

The teacher would like to see the autistic classroom turn into a general ed somewhere down the road. I asked her how she thought Tyler would do in this setting. She said that she thinks Tyler could handle it.

I am excited about this because she not only wants Tyler to succeed and be mainstreamed, but all the other kids as well. This teacher is awesome and she is giving these kids a little nudge to get them so that one day they just may be with typical children in typical classrooms!

This just goes to show you that with a little hope, these kids can go far and grow up and have normal lives.

I love my little buddy and I am so very proud of him and how much he has accomplished, autistic or not!

Community Yard Sale

2008-11-08T17:31:00.002-05:00

We had our annual community yard sale today. I still have TONS of clothes that no longer fit the kids and I know someone is always looking for kid clothes. I had 2 bins full and 2 other huge space bags full. We did pretty good with getting rid of some of the clothes. We sold 2 room a/c units, video camera, water bubbler and some other kitchen stuff we no longer use. We did pretty well. We made $300! I think that is around the same amount we made last year too. I am exhausted because we were out there at 7:30 and were packing up finally around 1:30. There will be another yard sale in April. I'm sure we will be putting more stuff out then.

I've Been Selected

2008-11-07T12:55:00.002-05:00

I was asked by Britney's teacher today if I would consider being the Classroom Mom. I told the teacher I would do it. I like to see how the teacher interacts with the kids and how she makes the learning fun for the kids. My only concern is that Britney is easily distracted if i'm in the room. I won't be in the classroom every day, but when I am, I want Brit to focus on her work. I will try out my new position and if its too much on Britney, then I will still volunteer without taking on the other responsibilites that come along with being Classroom Mom.

Good Report Cards

2008-11-06T19:43:00.002-05:00

The kids got their report cards the other day. Britney did pretty well and Tyler did even better! I had my teacher conference with Ty's teacher today and so far, most of his goals for this year have been met. Tyler loves to help the teachers and paras out. If there is something out of place, my little buddy will put it where it belongs. He will write on the board things like this:
Today is.....
Yesterday was....
Tomorrow will be... and fill in the right day of the week. He really enjoys doing this and it has become his little "day starter" so to speak.

Tyler's handwriting has gotten better and he LOVES reading. I am thinking of getting Tyler the new Leap Frog reader pen for Christmas.

We are still trying to tackle the potty training. Good news is that he went twice last week in school! Now, if I can only get him to do it at home.

I am proud of my kids and I know they will succeed in whatever is thrown at them!

Baby Teeth

2008-11-01T13:53:00.002-04:00

I have been wondering when Britney would lose some of her baby teeth. About a month ago, I looked in her mouth and discovered that she had 2 permanent teeth growing behind her baby teeth on the bottom. Tyler was 5 when he lost his and it seemed like she should have lost them by now. Well, she just came to me now and was all excited. She said "Momma, look." She lost one of the bottom baby teeth and the other is hanging by a thread. I asked her what she did with the tooth and she said she choked on it...LOL! So, the tooth fairy will have to leave a note for Britney tonight telling her she needs to save her baby teeth. I have only been able to save one of Tyler's 4 he lost too. He swallowed his too. Never a dull moment with these kids!

More Puppies Sold!

2008-10-31T20:14:00.001-04:00

The pups are 6 weeks old today. We got 2 more calls on the pups. So, we have 4 sold and 3 more to go. Check out these pics of the pups. They are cute, but we have 3 already and I think that is more than enough!

Halloween 2008

2008-10-31T20:03:00.003-04:00

Tyler's school was having a Halloween parade and a fall festival today. The kids were able to dress up in their costumes and have fun on the bounce house and get some goodies during their class parties. Tyler did awesome. He kept his costume on and participated without any trouble. I went to pick him up a little early and was able to talk with his teacher. She can't believe how much he has grown academically in just the few months school has been back in session.

Tonight, our neighborhood had Trick or Treat from 6-8pm. We went out and were not having any luck when we stumbled upon a house with a woman who was totally unprepared for the kids. She ended up giving Britney a 6 pack of donuts and Tyler some chips in a bowl. You should have seen the look on the kids faces. Not too sure what to think of the crazy lady! The kids did good. Tyler enjoyed himself. He's becoming more independent every day. When we got back home I watched as Brit passed out candy. I bought 6 bags and we got rid of every single piece!

It was a great day and here are some pics from tonight. Britney was Cinderella and Tyler was a Transformer.

Some Great News

2008-10-31T20:00:00.002-04:00

Yesterday I went to pick up Tyler from school. As I was walking to the car his para had some exciting news. Tyler went to the bathroom twice this week! Although I wish he had done it for me first at home, I am glad he finally is getting the hang of it. Tyler has come such a long way and this seems to be the biggest milestone that we are working on. I don't want to jinx myself, but hopefully soon we can be pull up/wipe free!!!

2 Puppies Sold!

2008-10-21T19:29:00.002-04:00

The puppies are 4 weeks old now. The time has gone by so fast! 2 of the brindle males are sold and will be going home with their new families around the 19th of November. I can't believe how big they all are already. One of the pups is tipping the scales at almost 9lbs! The pups are able to eat blended up dog food/unimilk mixture and some yogurt. It is so funny to see them all eating. They all have little teeth too. Sophie is being a good momma. I know how it is to have your kids depend on you so much. I only have 2 and she is looking after 7! So, 2 puppies sold and 5 more to go!!!

On the Mend

2008-10-21T19:21:00.002-04:00

Friday the kids didn't have school so I decided to call the doctor to have them look at Tyler. He had been sick since Wednesday and was not getting any better. The nurse informed me that they were overbooked and they could not see Tyler. I knew he needed some kind of medicine other than over the counter Tylenol. I told the nurse that I felt he had bronchitis and that he was favoring his ear. She told me what to do for the weekend and if his symptoms persisted, to take him to the ER. I even tried taking him to the walk in clinic across the street, but they do not take the insurance Tyler has. What a way to start the long weekend!

Saturday morning, 6:30 to be exact, I was off to the ER with Ty. He slept maybe a few hours and I knew I needed to help him. After seeing the doctor in the ER, we had our diagnosis. A bad ear infection and URI. Tyler did so much better letting the doc look at him than he did in years past. I was proud of him.

We were on our way by 8am. I dropped Ty off at home and went to fill the prescriptions. Finally home after some issues with the ear drops by 9:30. Gave him the first dose, orally and boy was that fun!

He got better as the days went on and to be safe, I kept him home from school yesterday. He went to school today and was able to make it through the day.

My little man is on the mend and i'm glad he is able to handle taking medicine better now...:)

Change in Weather

2008-10-15T18:55:00.002-04:00

The weather has been so nice lately. No humidity, not too much rain. Its been nice "fall like" weather for Florida. Since the weather is changing, getting a bit cooler now you know what will happen. Last week Kevin was in bed with the flu. Britney had a little stuffy nose and was achy. I kept her home one day last week. Yesterday Tyler started feeling yucky. I kept him home yesterday to relax, which he didn't. He went to sleep by 8:30 last night and decided to wake up at 2 this morning to play video games. He fell back asleep till it was time for school. He made it through the day ok, but his nose is still real runny. Tomorrow is picture day for him. I am volunteering, so if he still is not feeling good, I will just dismiss him early and bring him home.

I like when it gets cooler down here. Its a little more enjoyable, but when we all get sick, its no fun. Next one in line is me to get some kind of sickness, maybe I will be lucky and I will dodge the bullet!

Been a busy 3 weeks!

2008-10-10T22:13:00.002-04:00

Well, the puppies are officially 3 weeks old now. They are getting so big! All of their eyes are open now and they are able to walk around a little bit, although they are all like drunken sailors..LOL! We have been able to give Sophie a little break and feed the pups blended up puppy food and formula mixed. The pups eat it up, but make such a mess in the process. They take baths in the food practically.

Last night, I brought Britney to her school so the kindergarten classes could perform 2 songs they learned during the fist official PTA gathering. They elected officers and had some more parents sign up for helping throughout the year. Britney did good singing the songs.

Today was Britney's picture day. I volunteered to help out. When you volunteer for picture day, you get a free package, so its worth it! All the kids pictures were taken by 1:30 so I think we did pretty good time wise.

I have to go to a meeting with Britney's teacher on Tueday for parent/teacher conference. I know Britney is doing ok. There are just a few things we will be discussing. Nothing major.

Tyler is doing awesome! Talking more and more everyday. He's my little buddy. Tyler's pictures will be this Thursday. I have signed up to volunteer at his school as well for yet another set of free pics.

The kids will be off on Friday due to teacher workshop day. I will actually have 2 mornings I can sleep in a bit later!!!

So, its been a busy 3 weeks w/the pups and will be busy for the next week coming up.

Puppy Pics

2008-09-25T11:03:00.003-04:00

Look at how cute they all look all huddled up together in the laundry basket!

Sophie is really doing good with them. She is actually wanting them around her all the time. She is getting used to the routine to be able to feed the pups. I can't believe its been a week already. A few of the pups are little pigs!

Almost puppy time!

2008-09-13T15:35:00.002-04:00

Sophie is due to give birth any day now. I feel so bad for her because she is so huge and you can tell its really bothering her. I think I would feel so uncomfortable too, especially if I was carrying around 10 puppies!

Kevin has all of the supplies we need to help Sophie with the birthing of the pups. We won't be able to go anywhere once the pups are here because Sophie is so big she could accidentally fall over on the pups. We will be staying home for the next 8-10 weeks. It will be cool to see some pups born again.

Britney is looking forward to helping out feeding the pups too. The only thing she dosen't realize is that these pups are going to be sold and we are not keeping them!

I will post pics of the pups when they are born! :)

Site Words

2008-09-13T15:33:00.002-04:00

Britney's teacher sent hom a list of words for the first 9 weeks of school. We have been practicing these words every day.

Today I thought I would see how many Tyler could read. He did pretty good. He read boy, girl, school, cat really fast!

He will always say "The End" once a movie is finished and he sees those words on the screen too.

My little buddy keeps suprising me every day! :)

Been 3 weeks already!

2008-09-07T19:31:00.002-04:00

I can't believe that school has been back for almost 3 weeks! The kids are doing well. Britney is learning something new every day. She has learned how to color "inside" the lines now. She has made a few friends and likes her teacher alot. Tyler is doing pretty good with his school work. He's trying his best and that is all I can hope for. His new teacher loves to be with the kids and is willing to do whatever it takes to help the kids. I know its still early, but I really hope she works out and is just as great as Tyler's teacher last year.

Almost time to get the kids settled in for another school day tomorrow...

Miniature Golf

2008-09-07T19:27:00.002-04:00

Yesterday we took the kids to Summerland Mini Golf at Disney. I received one round of mini golf for 4 as one of my rewards. The kids didn't know how to hold or swing the club that well but they gave it their best shots and had fun. Tyler and I both got holes in one! Tyler did way better mini golfing this time than the last time we took him. He just ran around the other time. I think since we have a golf arcade game now, he associates it a little better and knows what to do to a certain extent. We will bring them golfing again sometime! I just might have the next Tiger Woods and Michelle Wie on my hands...LOL! :)

Routines

2008-08-27T11:33:00.004-04:00

School has been back in session since last Tuesday. The kids are easing back into the daily routines.

Britney got to pick from the treasure box at school on Friday because she stayed on the green bone AND received green dog stamps all week. She was so excited to share her treasure with me when she got home. She got a mini composition book. She loves kindergarten and has made a few friends already. She's growing up so fast!

Tyler is doing ok. He's been doing his work and participating in class. I know it will be a little longer for him to adjust to the routines again, but so far so good.

The first few weeks are always rough on the kids and parents, but we are adjusting.

Good Day!

2008-08-18T16:06:00.002-04:00

The kids both had great first days today. Tyler came out smiling. He talked and listened and participated in all his subjects today.

Britney got a green dog (green being good :)) She liked going to "big school" and is looking forward to another day.

Due to the possible Hurricane Fay, they have cancelled school for the next 2 days. The kids will resume classes on Thursday.

Just when you think they are getting back into their old routines, a curve ball comes at you!

It was a good day though, so i'm happy. We survived day one!!

Tomorrow Is The Big Day!

2008-08-17T17:09:00.002-04:00

Tomorrow at 7:45am will mark the First Day of School for the kids. Tyler is returning to the school he was in last year, only change is a different teacher than last year. He will be in 1st Grade. I know it will be an adjustment for him in the beginning, so we will see what happens.

Britney will be going to the new elementary school across the street. She will be in Kindergarten! I can't believe my "baby" is already in Kindergarten! I know she will love it. The teacher commented on how much Britney seems to already know. I told Britney she can be the teacher's helper and help with the other kids who may not know how to do some things she already can.

So, I am off to get the kids bathed, in pj's and get their things ready for tomorrow morning. I will update tomorrow on how the kids days went. Wish us luck!!!

Countdown Begins

2008-08-10T19:07:00.002-04:00

The countdown has begun for the First Day of School. Next Monday will be the kids first day back. We will be going to the schools on Thursday for orientation.

Today I was able to get out of work early and I took Britney to the mall to get her backpack and lunch tote. She wanted an Ariel backpack (shocker). I got her the matching tote that can clip right to her backpack for FREE!!

On the way home, we stopped at Target and I picked up Ty's backpack. I grabbed a few pairs of cute shoes for Britney as well. Now all that is left is to get the kids some new sneakers and they are all set for reading, writing, and rythmatic!

I've got the Staples back to school commercial playing in my head right now...

Need To Experiment

2008-08-06T19:04:00.002-04:00

Since Tyler has gotten over the "bug" he had, he won't eat his usual foods of choice. The other day he was throwing a fit because he wanted pizza and we were out. I went to the store and they didn't have the brand he likes. I picked up another kind and he refuses to eat it. He won't eat grilled cheese anymore, just dumps it in the trash. He also won't touch more than 2 pieces of his peanut butter toast. I think I need to experiment with different foods and see if maybe his taste in food is changing. I hope that may be the case and I can now start giving him things that are actually better for him rather than the handful of usuals. It would make meals around here so much easier rather than being a short order cook all the time. Time will tell...

My Poor Little Guy

2008-08-01T16:59:00.002-04:00

Tyler is sick. He hasn't been feeling good since yesterday afternoon. I knew something was up when he was actually laying down and fell asleep! He felt warm all day yesterday and even still this morning. When I went out earlier, I picked up some Tylenol for him. He seems like he is a little better, but still not my Tyler. Hopefully its just the aches and pains of a cold and nothing more. At least he can relax and not have to worry about missing school which starts on the 18th. My Poor Little Guy...:(

Back to School Rush

2008-08-01T16:46:00.003-04:00

Today I took Britney to the new JC Penney that just opened up down the street. Since she will be in Kindergarten, she needs to now wear school uniforms. We got a good jump start on her uniforms. We got 4 shirts (buy one get one for $1), 2 skorts, 2 pairs of shorts. I spent over $100 for all of it. Now all I need to get is some shoes and sneakers for her. Tyler got a few shirts as well. He dosen't need much since he already started wearing the "uniform" clothes for Kindergarten last year. I think he will be ok until Christmas time with what he has now. He just needs sneakers now for himself too.

After our trip to JC Penny, we dropped off the clothes and took another trip to Wal-Mart with the school supply list. I spent about $40 on school supplies. I think that is just ridiculous! When I was growing up, teachers and/or the school supplied everything. Oh well, its all done and bagged up waiting for new backpacks that still need to be bought. That is probably going to be my project for next week.

I think things went pretty good today considering the amount of money spent. You could say this makes a good mastercard commercial. Goes something like:

School Uniforms-$100
School Supplies-$40
Grand Opening Day @Jc Penney Balloon-FREE!
Spending time with Britney-Priceless as always!

Arcade Mania

2008-07-19T19:40:00.002-04:00

We have converted Kevin's man cave into the game room. We now have a bubble hockey table and 5 arcade games. Tyler has taken a liking to all of them. I think his favorite one is the Golden Tee Golf. That is the first one we purchased. One day Kevin took the kids to Sam's Club and they had it out. Tyler kept going over and playing it. He's pretty good with the golf game. His other favorites are the Simpson Bowling and an NBA Basketball/NFL Blitz combo. The other games we have he plays but dosen't really "get it" too much.

For the longest time Tyler was all about the Nintendo Wii, but looks like the arcades have taken its place.

Maybe we should advertise our mini arcade and start charging people to come and use them...

Summer So Far

2008-07-07T19:04:00.002-04:00

Our Summer is going good so far. We have been spending more time at home and letting the kids go in the pool. Gas prices are just ridiculous! We go to the mall and things like that once a week.

I am still working part-time. Still have no idea when I will get my full-time position, if ever. I put in an application for substituting at the schools in our county. I have to call the school board office and find out when the next available date is for taking a 3 hour orientation class. I know that Brit's new school will definitely use me. The principal told me she would love to have me on board when I took Brit for her screening for Kindergarten. If I get more jobs through the school, it will mean more money for me than I make at Disney. So, if it works out, I will bid farewell to Disney.

The kids are doing awesome. Tyler is still going strong and hasn't lost any skills gained. If anything, he is talking more! I still have to work more intensly on the dreaded potty training. That is going to be my priority next week as I only am scheduled to work one day next week.

Other than that, Summer is going by and before you know it, the kids will be back in school.

That is our Summer in a nut shell so far...

Diversity Presentation

2008-06-18T20:45:00.002-04:00

Last week one of my managers approached me to talk to the "big wigs" and other coordinators from the other parks about my personal autism journey. I went over to the meeting today and I was really nervous. I did a few presentations in front of my co-workers back in April and I was ok. When I saw 25-30 people in the conference room today I felt like I was going to throw up! I was first up on today's agenda. Everyone watched the Souls video and from there I stood up and spoke from my heart about my story with Tyler. My speaking was only about 10 minutes, but it seemed so much longer with all those eyes on me. Everyone was impressed and said I did a great job. They had some questions for me. One of my coordinators has a 25 year- old son with autism and he helped me with everyones questions so it took some pressure off me. I think I really opened up everyones eyes a little more and you never know, they may have me do more of these presentations for other cast members at the other parks.

My Little Baldie

2008-06-18T20:33:00.003-04:00

Since Tyler's hair has gotten so long and it is Summer time, I figured it was time Kevin gave Ty a wiffle. It didn't exactly turn out like a wiffle. He is more bald than having a wiffle. I cried the whole time Kevin was clipping the hair. It has NEVER looked like this before. He looks like he is sick. Hopefully he will have wiffle like hair by the time school starts. I still love my baldie even if he does look sickly.

One Year Anniversary

2008-06-18T20:14:00.005-04:00

On June 14, 2008 I celebrated my one year anniversary working for Disney's Animal Kingdom. Yesterday at work, we had a small sales huddle. During the huddle I was presented with my Steam Boat Willie pin and a card signed by all of the managers. I will keep that same pin until my 5th anniversary and then receive one once I reach my 5 year mark. I can't believe its been a year already. Time has flown by so fast!!! Now if I can only receive the long awaited call from casting telling me they have a full-time position available. The waiting continues....

Graduation for the Kids

2008-06-03T07:08:00.004-04:00

Just some pics of the kids and their teachers during their graduation ceremonies. I can't believe my babies are growing up so fast! The time is flying by!

Another Small Victory

2008-05-24T17:18:00.002-04:00

This morning I was making french toast sticks for Britney. Tyler saw the syrup on the counter and pointed to it. I made him some to see how much he would eat. I cut the sticks into fours and gave him a fork. He ate all by himself, fork and all! We have tried many times before to have him use silverware, but today he really did it and seemed to enjoy eating with something other than his hands for a change. Another small victory for us...

Dedicated to Tyler

2008-05-15T10:48:00.004-04:00

This music video you are about to view is by Lee Ann Womack. It is called "I Hope You Dance." This song has a history behind it for me. When I was pregnant with Tyler, I had the CD single for this song. I would put the song on and sing along and let Tyler hear my voice. Its ironic now that all of these words that are being sung mean so much more to me. It is teaching Tyler to NEVER give up and reach for anything he wants. I love Tyler so much and I am NEVER giving up on him. He has come such a long way and funny as it seems, this song feels like it was written for us...
**Pause my playlist for this**

YouTube - Lee Ann Womack - I Hope You Dance

Look At Her Go!!

2008-05-12T21:28:00.003-04:00

Pause the music on my playlist on the right. She is saying "Hi" to Grammy and Papa at the end of her swim.

Britney the 4 year old Diva

2008-05-12T20:13:00.003-04:00

I am really at the end of my rope with her. No matter what I do, she won't listen to me. I tell her to pick up her mess, she ignores me. I tell her to get ready for school, she tells me 2 more minutes. She will mind Kevin 9 out of 10 times, but I just don't know what to do. I think a big part of it is looking for attention because we spend so much time focusing on helping Tyler that she feels left out. I feel sad that she might feel this way, but how can I explain to her that Tyler is different and needs more help with things she can do already.

When I was picking up Tyler today, I joked with her that the police were coming to get her because they were driving down the road with sirens blaring. Just when I said that to her, Tyler's para brought him out to the car. I told her to get in the back and buckle in her seat. She proceeded to tell me NO I DON'T HAVE TO!!! I was embarrassed because the para looked shocked that my little girl would talk to me like that. She kept it up until I told her she would be going to the corner when we got home and if she continued, she would increase her time in the corner. She quickly ran back and buckled in her seat.

Britney is the 4 year old Diva. Please tell me it will get better....

Appointments and school activities

2008-05-12T20:07:00.002-04:00

This week is dedicated to appointments and school activities. Today, I went for my yearly eye exam. Things look good. I ordered more contacts.

Tomorrow is Britney's Field Day. They have been practicing for a few weeks now. They will do a few games and end with a tug of war against the other Pre-K class. I keep telling Britney she needs to pull hard to beat Ms. Jones' class!

Wednesday Kevin will be taking Britney for her physical and SHOTS. We keep telling her it dosen't hurt, just feels cold (bad mommy I know). She needs these to be done for entrance to Kindergarten. As soon as we get that done, I can register her for Kindergarten.

Thursday is Tyler's IEP. I am not worried at all about it. He has had awesome progress this year with reaching goals. We will implement new ones for next year. We will even be discussing ESY for Tyler.

Friday Kevin and a few friends are heading to Miami for the night. I will be left with the kids and dogs to take care of..YIPPEE!!!

Not sure what the weekend will bring, but so far this is what will be happening this week for us...

Slideshow of Britney

2008-04-24T13:00:00.001-04:00

Slideshow of Tyler

2008-04-24T12:53:00.001-04:00

Seeing Progress Every Day

2008-04-24T08:51:00.002-04:00

I had a meeting with Tyler's teacher yesterday. We went over some goals that we are going to implement for his upcoming IEP meeting. We went over his progress report and report card and I am amazed at how many of his goals he has mastered! I am so happy that my little guy is doing so well. Ms. Santos even told me that one day Tyler and his friend Brian took over her role one morning. Tyler and Brian grabbed her pointer, got all the schedules set up and began the day. She said she just stood back and let them go with it. It showed her that Brian and Tyler were not only interacting, but they were trying to teach the others. It was such a cute story she shared with me. I met the speech therapist yesterday too. She said she cannot believe how much Tyler has changed since October. It makes me feel good about my decision to place him in the autistic classroom. Tyler needed it, and his progress is getting better every day.

At our IEP meeting, we will also be discussing if we are going to send Tyler for ESY. ESY is extended school year. He would be going half a day for 4 weeks. Its not that much, but it will keep him from regressing and retaining the skills he has learned.

Happy Birthday Kevin!!!

2008-04-24T08:48:00.003-04:00

Today is Kevin's 37th birthday! I surprised him and went to Dunkin Donuts after dropping the kids off at school. Not sure what we will do the rest of the day. Kevin is not really big on celebrating being another year older, but I think it would be nice to have a little something with the kids. We will see what happens...

Sleeping Issues

2008-04-12T17:41:00.002-04:00

Tyler has been having horrible sleeping issues for almost 6 months now. He starts out by laying in his bed for maybe 10 minutes then gets up and climbs in beside Kevin. Once he is sleeping, I will put him back in his bed, but that dosen't last till morning lately. In the middle of the night, he was climbing back in our bed and keeping us up with all the rolling around and kicking. I figured out how to get him out of our bed. I put extra pillows and a comforter on the floor for him. That worked for a bit. The "spot" for Tyler is next to the dresser. If Tyler moves, he whacks his head and wakes up. That is what happened at 1:30 this morning, and he has been up since then. He took a little nap earlier and I had to get him back up so he would go to sleep at a somewhat normal time tonight. He was a total bear for about a half an hour but now he is ok. He's happily eating pizza and playing on his computer. I really don't know what to do. Maybe he's just growing up and his habits are changing. I hope tonight is a better night...

What a week!

2008-04-11T12:43:00.002-04:00

I have not had to work since Monday! I have been playing catch up around the house with things that I have put off because I haven't had the time because I have been working so much. Finally got the tire patched on the van today. It was becoming a pain in the neck to keep filling the tire with air every morning. 75 cents adds up! Although it took over 2 hours for the tire to be patched, good thing is, its done now!! The dealership even throws in a free car wash. For the wait time, I think they should! Later on today, we may take a ride to the new strip mall down the street and check out the stores. Tomorrow night, Kevin and a few friends are heading to a fight in Tampa. I will just be hanging out with the kids.

The kids are back to their usual routines now that their break is over. The first few days back in school, Tyler was protesting like crazy. He's better now on all accounts, even staying in his bed all night again!

What a week!!!!

First Day Presenting My Story

2008-04-06T20:41:00.002-04:00

Today I was given the opportunity to speak to 7 cast members about our personal autism journey and what life is like every day for us and many other families. We started by watching the Souls DVD, followed by a copy for each person of our personal story with Tyler. My co-workers really seemed interested in what I was saying and asked some great questions. I think I opened their eyes more to autism and it made me feel like I was making a difference. As the next few weeks go on, I will be continuing my presentations and when all is said and done, I sincerely hope that by me taking the time, my fellow co-workers will be more understanding and compassionate towards our guests that we see at our ticket windows who have children with autism. Updates to follow in the next few days/weeks...

Rain, Rain Go Away

2008-04-06T15:27:00.002-04:00

This time of year, we get rain every day. Most times, the rain comes and goes quickly. The past 2 days have been horrible! We had really strong storms late yesterday and the rain started just as I was heading home from work this afternoon. It is crazy the amount of rain! We had gutters installed almost a month ago to take away some of the water from the house. When I was changing out of my uniform, I looked at the pool deck. Water is overflowing onto the deck from the gutters. Kevin is out playing in the rain right now to try and block one of the gutters so the rain falls down the other side on the grass area. If the rain keeps up, and we can't re-direct it, it will be coming into the house and getting the rugs wet...Rain, Rain, Go Away!!!!

This is my story

2008-04-01T20:55:00.002-04:00

This is what I have typed up to submit as my presentation for my co-workers about our personal journey with Tyler so far....

April is Autism Awareness Month

I am gathering you all here today to talk to you about a very special cause that is near and dear to my heart. I know most of you know, but for those that don't, my 6 year old son Tyler has autism. We knew that something wasn't quite right with him when he was a little over a year old. He hit all of his milestones, including walking, not even crawling at 7 1/2 months! We thought for sure we had a genius on our hands. When he was over a year old, we took him to speech therapy. I thought he was just delayed and he could catch up. No big deal. He was my first child, so I just chalked it up to me needing to brush up on parenting 101.

He was in speech therapy for a year and a half. Even during that time, he made very little progress. I was wondering what would come next. He was now turning 3 and would be heading off to pre-school. Before he started pre-school, we took him to the pre-school readiness specialists. They did some tests on him and when they gave us their final report, they suspected he was developmentally delayed.

We took him to a new pediatrician who immediately gave us the number of a pediatric neurologist. We set up the appointment and got a battery of tests done on Tyler to find out what was wrong with our little guy. We finally found out on November 8, 2005 (a day I will NEVER forget), that our son was autistic. His "true" diagnosis is PDD-NOS, which is the milder form of autism. I felt crushed. My hopes and dreams had died. How could I deal with this, who could help me.

The neurologist that we saw recommended a new speech therapy facility for Tyler because we told her we were getting absolutely no where with our current one. We started the new facility in July of 2006. The therapist we worked with was awesome! She actually got my son to speak his first words. Even though I wish he would have done it for me, I am glad she got him to speak. To hear those few words from him was amazing. I literally broke down crying during his session. I could see that all was not lost and my son just may be ok.

Tyler is currently enrolled in a special autistic classroom in Davenport. He has been in the new setting since this past October and it has done wonders for him. He is talking more, spelling his first and last name, counting to 50, singing, reading a little and learning something new every day. He still will have struggles along the way, but I cannot tell you all how much it means to me that my son is learning and is even able communicate simple things to us. Our biggest obstacle is still the dreaded potty training. Tyler is slowly getting it though. Hopefully soon my house will be totally pull up free!!!

I wanted to let everyone know that April is Autism Awareness Month. I know that Build-A-Bear is selling purple satin hearts for $1.00. All of the proceeds will go directly to Autism Speaks. Autism Speaks is an organization that works with families, educators, specialists. They send out emails to let people know of upcoming seminars, walks, etc. Toys R Us also does various fund raising events throughout the year.

The biggest obstacle families face is not being able to get health care coverage for their child with autism. A lot of health care providers won't take on families with autistic children because of the expense that comes along with it. A bill was just put through to the senate to provide health care coverage for children with autism. This bill, once approved, will enable autistic children to be covered for any kind of therapies they need, including ABA therapy. ABA therapy is the most expensive kind of therapy there is. One session could run you $100!

I am including some more information about autism so you can all better understand what life is like every day for families like mine.

Making a Presentation

2008-03-31T18:37:00.002-04:00

In the next few days/weeks, I will be educating my co-workers on Autism and awareness. April is Autism Awareness Month and I really don't think my co-workers actually know too much about autism and how much it can affect your life and your childs. I typed up a story about my personal journey with Tyler and what we have gone through to get him to where he is today. I am also going to show the Souls DVD so it can give others a glimpse of every day life. My managers thought it was an awesome idea and they jumped at the chance to give me the opportunity to present this information. I am nervous, but my co-workers are great. I know that after giving them some more info they will appreciate how lucky they are, and maybe give them a new appreciation for me being an advocate for my son.

Come Such a Long Way

2008-03-27T12:36:00.002-04:00

Last night, Tyler just kept talking and talking. He was saying something but I don't know if its a nursery rhyme or just repeating a story from a book. He kept saying "little duck, little duck, what do you see; I see a sheep looking at me." And just kept adding more animals into the mix. I think that is the most EVER words he has spoken in one breath. He has even taken an interest in books more too. He was laying in our bed last night flipping through a Thomas the Train book.

Every morning when he comes with me to drop Britney off, her teacher will say good morning to him. Now, he walks right up to her and says good morning before she does.

When he is playing Starfall on the computer, he will go to the calendar section. This morning, I asked him what day it was. He said "March 27, 2008." He even said Thursday too. I am just so happy that he IS learning, and he is continuing to learn. Every day something new amazes me about my special boy. Tyler has come such a long way. Even though he is delayed in other areas, it seems like he is getting there one day at a time. I have so much hope for him and for his future. He proves us wrong daily, so I hope he keeps it up...

Happy Thursday!!!

2008-03-27T12:29:00.002-04:00

I have today off, so I am playing catch up around here. I did some errands this morning. I have to go back to work tomorrow, but I don't have to be there until 10am. We are having a pizza party because we have all worked hard for the past few weeks and the managers felt we deserved a little something. I will have Saturday off too. We will probably just hang out and spend time with the kids. The kids are on their school vacation next week. I have to work 5 days again next week, so Kevin's cousin has volunteered to take Britney for a few days. Britney likes to go over to her house and spend time with her and her daughter and their pets. I think Britney likes it even more because she is the "center" of attention and she dosen't have to compete with Tyler for attention. Nothing else is new around here. Happy Thursday!!!

Cadbury Creme Eggs

2008-03-20T20:46:00.003-04:00

Ever since I was little, I have always LOVED to get these in my Easter basket. The only time they are around is for Easter, so I usually buy 4 of them every time I go shopping. I really don't know what it is I love about them, maybe its the chocolate, or the sugary "egg yolk middle", or because they are just plain old YUMMY! They say the Christmas holiday packs on the pounds, but for me looks like its Easter because of the Cadbury Eggs.

Britney Scissorhands

2008-03-20T19:38:00.002-04:00

A little while ago, I noticed that Britney looked a little "different." When I got a closer look, I was horrified by what I was looking at. She had taken it upon herself to CUT HER HAIR!!! Looking at what she had done, I was either going to have to "fix" it or take her to Walmart to have it fixed at the hair salon. I was able to make it look alright. Not great, but it will have to do. She has been in desperate need of a haircut, but I haven't had the time to take her. I gave her bangs a trim last night, so maybe that is what got her started. All I can say is she reminds me of the movie Edward Scissorhands because there was hair all over the place once I caught on to what she had done. Oh, the joys of kids with scissors...

Just Like Typical Children

2008-03-16T17:09:00.002-04:00

I came home from work and the kids wanted to go in the pool (shocker!!). They had been in the pool up until lunch time and when I got home Brit just woke up from a nap and Ty was playing his Wii. As I am sitting and watching the kids happily playing in the pool, Britney says to Tyler "Tyler give me 5." He swims the whole length of the pool, under water, to get to his sister. She goes under water and they both are giving 5's to each other. Watching this it made me realize how much at that moment, BOTH my kids acted just like typical children would. What is really great is the fact that Tyler initiated giving Britney 5 after that for about 10 more times in a row. Every time, they both came up from the water giggling. Every day I am amazed at how much Tyler CAN understand and you would never know that he was autistic when he does little things like this. Time to get my fishies back out of the pool...

My Little Fishies

2008-03-15T14:51:00.003-04:00

This morning we went to a new outside mall. On the way back home, Kevin asked the kids if they wanted to go in the pool (stupid question). We finally got our heat pump fixed and the kids have been swimming every day after school this week. Tyler literally strips down on the way home from school and races through the house to be the first one dressed and in the pool. So, as soon as we walk in the door from the mall, off comes the clothes! Tyler is so funny. He really enjoys swimming, diving and just being goofy. Britney is slowly breaking herself in swimming too. She will stay in the shallow end and go under. Now, the next step will be trying to have her go out a little deeper with daddy. The pool is a good thing because it tires the kids out and they go to bed with little difficulty. I am proud of Tyler learning how to swim too. He has been swimming on his own since last year and is doing great. My little fishies are relaxing now and I bet they are waiting to hear those magic words again :)

Spring Cleaning

2008-03-14T20:40:00.003-04:00

Tonight after we went out for burgers, I decided it was time to go through the kids closets and get rid of lots of junk that we don't want/need anymore. We are also having carpet installed in the spare room, and the kids rooms this week, so that is another reason for my sudden burst of energy. You can't believe the amount of stuffed animals that were shoved in Britney's closet! Every time we go to Sea World, we hit the arcade and we always come home with TONS of overstuffed stuffed animals..LOL. I have saved all the kids clothes since they were both babies and I will be giving most of Brit's stuff to a lady at my work. Her daughter-in-law is due in a few months, so I figured I would offer the clothes. The lady across the street just had a baby boy, so there is another option to get rid of Tyler's old clothes too. I can't believe my kids were ever that little. Some of the cute little outfits made me think back and flash foward to now. How quickly things can change and how fast my babies have grown up.

At least now that I have started my Spring cleaning, maybe the rest of the house will get done (one day) before next Spring...

More of the Same

2008-03-13T19:29:00.003-04:00

Well, I have worked all week again this week. I have today through Saturday off, then back to work all next week. On the days I have off, it is spent playing catch up around the house, grocery shopping, etc. I know that the parks will be especially busy in the coming weeks with Spring Breakers, school vacations, and the Easter holiday week. I have been informed that they may "need" me to work during these busy weeks. I can't complain about getting better paychecks, but things at home are in such disarray that I feel like I live in a pig pen! I am still working with Tyler and the potty training and it seems like I can't even dedicate myself to that anymore because I am doing a million other things playing catch up. I am just taking things one day at a time and doing the best that I can. More of the Same I guess...

Finally Making the Connection

2008-03-06T20:52:00.003-05:00

So, I am still on the potty training journey with Tyler. I have been working harder than ever to get him on his way to being pull-up free. He is learning to sit longer on the potty, but still isn't actually "going" on the potty yet. Lately, though, every time he has pooped, I find him wiping himself up because he can't stand the feeling. Tonight after bath time, I was putting some vaseline on him because of a small rash and as I was doing that, he was trying to poop. I brought him in the bathroom and he sat for almost 10 minutes. I knew he had to go, but again, no luck. I can honestly say that I think he is finally making the connection. As far as what is scaring him to go on the potty rather than his pull-up is still a mystery to me. I'm NOT giving up, just gotta work harder and I know one day this will be a HUGE victory not only for me to have both kids in underwear, but for my little buddy who is becoming quite the big boy :)

How the Weekend Played Out

2008-03-02T08:52:00.002-05:00

Well, here it is Sunday morning. Kevin called a little while ago telling me they were waiting their clearance off the boat. Friday while the kids were in school, I did some painting in the spare room (soon to be kids playroom). We will be getting new rugs for the playroom and the kids bedrooms soon. The afternoon was uneventful. Saturday morning, guess who woke up sick as a dog...ME! Oh what a joy to be home alone with the kids, sick! I spent 99.9% of the day in bed. I dozed off a few times, but the kids did fine. I went to bed by 9:30 and woke up at 7:30 this morning. I feel so much better. Must have been the darn 24 hr bug that Tyler had last week. I hope this is the end of the bug for all of us. I will just take it easy the rest of the day and get things ready for tomorrow. I have to work all week, so its gonna be another crazy week coming up.

Gonna Be a Long Weekend

2008-02-28T17:51:00.002-05:00

Kevin and his friend have gone on a 4 day Bahama cruise. They left earlier today. While they will be having fun, I am stuck at home with 2 sick kids! Tyler has been sick since last Friday with some kind of bug. He has gone to school all week this week so far, but keeps having accidents in his pullups. I think the bug is still lingering. I hope it goes away soon because I CANNOT stand doing laundry every 2 seconds and running baths to clean him up!

Britney stayed home from school today. She said her stomach was hurting. Kevin took us out for breakfast before he left. We went to a buffet place down the street. Britney had a small plate of food but would not touch it until her chocolate milk came. The milk came and maybe 2 minutes later she threw up. So much for my breakfast! I scooped her up and as we are making our way through the restaurant, she throws up again on the floor. I needed to get her out of there and FAST! As soon as we hit the door, here comes round 3! By this time, she is covered and is in desperate need of a bath and some Pepto. Got her home, cleaned up, and she seems to be a little better now. Her teacher called and said that she is also sick at home with the same bug my kids have. Something is going around the schools, and I pray to God it goes away...FAST! Otherwise, its gonna be a long weekend for me!!! Calgon take me away...

Poor Baby

2008-02-22T11:33:00.003-05:00

Tyler woke up at 4:30 this morning throwing up. After another round of throwing up, he did go back to sleep around 6:00. He hasn't eaten anything and we are pumping him full of gatorade to keep him hydrated. He had another episode around 10. So far so good since then. He is playing on his computer now. I hope this is just a quick 24 hr bug and it dosen't turn into something worse. Poor baby can't even tell us what is wrong and it stinks! We will just keep watch and hope this passes soon!!!

Catching my Breath

2008-02-21T12:22:00.002-05:00

I FINALLY have a day off from work. I am exhausted and now my task for the next few days is to play catch up at home. The house is in total disarray and I have a million and one things to do. I have been working more than usual this week because of the February school vacations up North. The parks have been SUPER busy too. I actually had the opportunity to work at Hollywood Studios (formerly known as MGM) because they were short on help. It was kind of funny to see me in my Animal Kingdom uniform working at Hollywood Studios where their costumes are totally different. I didn't mind working at the studios, but I still prefer to work where I am in my comfort zone. I was so nervous all day yesterday being in a new environment, even if it was only for a 6 hour shift. I will do what I can to straighten up around here and whatever dosen't get done, I will just have to do when I have a chance. I will be back working on Sunday. At least I have a few days to relax...

Perfect Attendance Award

2008-02-16T15:46:00.003-05:00

Yesterday when I was going through the kids backpacks to sign their agenda's I got a nice surprise. Tucked inside Tyler's agenda was a certificate made out to him for Perfect Attendance during the 2nd Quarter of school! I know its not a major award, but it is nice to know the kids get recognized for attendance and other things in school. One day, I hope Tyler will be as proud of his accomplishment as I am!!

Seeing Gains Every Day

2008-02-14T20:26:00.002-05:00

I have been noticing huge gains in Tyler's skills every day. Just the other day the kids in his class took turns singing "Where is Thumper" but using their names instead. When it was Tyler's turn, the teacher said he did awesome! I made him sing it for me a few times while he was in the tub and it is really great to see how much he is enjoying learning, even though it can be a great struggle for him. He was on his favorite website on the computer, Starfall the other night and he was actually reading the words when they would come across the screen. I was totally shocked! I looked at Kevin and said "He is reading." As days go by, the words are coming out easier for him and I can't tell you how great it feels to know that he is able to communicate to us, simple words they may be, but they are coming!! Days like these make me grateful for all the help we have gotten and knowing my son's future is looking brighter every day!

Tyler's Report Card

2008-02-07T12:54:00.001-05:00

Tyler got his report card the other day. He is doing AWESOME! He got all S's and 1 N, which was categorized as works independently. He is getting better every day with moderate to minimal help from the teacher. I know it will come one day. The teacher said that he is such a character. He is usually the first student in the class every morning. She says he will run to his cubby and put his things away and make a mad dash for the computer before the other kids arrive. She said he knows how to turn on the computer, type the password, and get the site he wants. He is just so darn smart! She also said he is MUCH more verbal now than he was when he first started with her. I have seen a HUGE improvement at home with him too. He is not as agitated. He is more mellow and won't throw fits as much anymore when I ask him to do something. He is even initiating with his potty training. Even though he still hasn't "gone" on the potty yet, he is getting it more every day. I am just so happy to see where Tyler is at this point in his little life now, as compared to where he was a year ago. My little man shows me something new every day. I have those days when I just wonder what will happen in the future for Tyler, but for now, I am just so grateful that he has had such great teachers/therapists working with him and getting him where he is today. I love my son so much!!!

Counting My Blessings

2008-02-06T09:47:00.000-05:00

Monday at work I had guests come to my window. They were a family of 3. Mom, Dad, and Son. The mother starts talking to me about what kind of ticket they want and the son was hitting her. She was telling him to stop and the dad took the son to the side of the window so the mom could finish the transaction with me. She asked if we had special needs pricing. Unfortunately, Disney isn't that generous. I did inform her of the special needs pass. She told me her son was autistic. I told her about Tyler and his diagnosis. She told me her son was first diagnosed w/pdd nos and as years went by, he got worse. His diagnosis now is SEVERE autism. He is 17 years old. My heart really went out to this woman. I could see the exhaustion in her eyes and made me really evaluate where Tyler is right now, and to count my blessings because it could be alot worse. Since working for Disney, I have had a handful of guests at my window whose children are autistic, and every time it hits me hard. I always have to step away from the window when I am done with their transactions and take a deep breath.

The Big Game

2008-02-04T19:45:00.000-05:00

As game time got closer, I felt like the Patriots were really gonna do it again this year. I came home from work and changed my clothes. I even put on my Tom Brady jersey. We had awesome food and some of Kevin's friends over to watch the game with us. Almost everyone was rooting for the Giants to win, but I was silently rooting for my New England team. I will admit I know absolutely nothing about football, and really don't care for it but, when your team that you have grown up watching all your life is in a huge game like this, you can't help but get excited.

Everything looked like it was going the Patriots way, until the last 2:45 to go in the 4th Quarter. That is when things took a fast nosedive. Everyone else in the room was going crazy because they knew at that point their Giants had won. I have to say I was in such shock and even this morning when I got to work, I was still kind of dazed about last night.

There is always next year, but to ruin a perfect season, which would have been a historic event for the Patriots, is such a bummer! I really feel bad for all the players. They put their blood, sweat, and tears into this season, only to be kicked in the face.

I guess you just never know what will happen until it happens...

The Family Bed

2008-02-02T18:20:00.000-05:00

I took these pictures last night. Both kids decided they wanted to sleep with me while Kevin was out with some of his friends. Our bed has become the family bed lately....

Superbowl Sunday

2008-01-31T20:36:00.001-05:00

We are getting ready for the big game. Kevin has placed an order for some awesome cheesesteak and meatball subs. We will be ordering pizza and probably some boneless buffalo wings too. It should be fun. We are just having a few people over to watch the big game with us. Nothing huge. I am working until 2:30 and when I get home I will help set up. I will try and stay up for the whole game, but can't promise anything. I need to get the kids ready for school and myself ready for work Monday morning. We will have to see what happens.

GO PATRIOTS!!!!!!!!!