The Hokey Pokey

From 5:00 to 6:30 pm in our house in known as the witching hour. I can't wait for Geoff to get home in the evenings -- the boys are like little monkeys, running wild and free and REALLY noisy. It's literally a zoo in here! Sometimes I put in a DVD, mostly Curious George and try to make dinner in peace, other times it's music, but it doesn't always tame the natives. So Geoff normally gets a call about 5 pm, "Where are you? I hope you're on your way home. Please tell me you're pulling in the neighborhood. The boys are wild!"

Geoff got home tonight and was our hero -- he brought pizza. I was on strike and the boys had been craving it. Shortly after dinner, Tyler went upstairs to hang out with Geoff and go to the bathroom. We have no privacy in our house with little ones, so Geoff is in the bathroom with Tyler as his audience. All of a sudden, Tyler busts out with the Hokey Pokey, "You put your right foot in, you put your right foot out, you put your right foot in and you shake it all about..." and starts demonstrating the dance for Geoff. Apparently this is the new song he learned at OT this week with Juliana. Talk about funny!

The Nag Song

Tyler is obsessed with pancakes lately. He wants them every single morning (and for dinner too) and sometimes I just don't feel like getting the griddle out and making them. I tell him, "variety is good, let's have biscuits." And now Luke asks for pancakes almost every morning too. With Luke, I am so lucky, he will eat ANYTHING and I do mean anything.

So as soon as we get downstairs, the early bird will say, "Mommy, I want pancakes, now!" I often have to redirect him and tell him to use the word "please." I don't do very well with a demanding 5 year old at 6:30 am in the morning, especially when I haven't had my coffee. Thankfully Pillsbury has some frozen pancakes that I can just heat up in the microwave. This makes my demanding little boy very happy, but not quite as happy as the real deal. In response to the nagging, I tell Tyler, "No nagging, Mommy doesn't like that." To which he responds with a song he has coined for this very occasion, set to a classical melody.

Nag, nag nag, nag nag nag nag nag nag
(the verse repeats itself)

So here begins my first laugh of the day, Tyler style.

Splish Splash

There is no better way to spend a summer day than hanging out with Aunt Karen at the splash park in her neighborhood.

Hop Scotch

Tyler's game


All lined up

Hop, Hop, Hop!

This is really amazing and cool! This morning I went upstairs to get Luke up so he could eat his breakfast. When we came down stairs, Tyler had created his own personal hop scotch game on the living room floor. He took his Sesame Street flash cards and lined them up from 1-10. He got the idea from one of his Curious George episodes, and just recreated one on our floor. Whoever says that autistics can't imitate is wrong in my opinion.

Once Luke saw what was going on, he had to get in on the action. So he started counting and playing hopscotch. Then Luke messed up Tyler's alignment, which threw him into a tizzy. Tyler tells Luke, "Lukie, you need to go and eat your breakfast!" In other words, don't mess with my hopscotch! It's interesting having one child who thrives in chaos and one who thrives in order. When their two worlds collide, it's really funny! My little odd couple.

Cars in the Purse

The purse

The almost empty Hot Wheels Box

Tyler and Luke cracked me up today. Grammy and Pa got home from Alaska, after a long trip home (13 hour travel time) and all the boys could think of was going over there immediately, as soon as they got home. When I told the boys that Grammy and Pa needed a nap, there was a mini rebellion which was quelled only when I promised to take them over after nap, meaning the boys' nap.

So we go about our day, off to Borders to use up Tyler's gift card and then onward to meet Daddy for lunch. Then home. As soon as we get home, it starts again. And now, Tyler is REALLY mad that we are still not at Grammy and Pa's. "After Luke's nap," I tell him. So, I come downstairs, after getting little man down for a nap and he tells me, "Mommy, I need my purse. I need to pack." I'm like, "what purse and packing for what?" And Tyler says,"I'm going to Grammy's!" So he gets his Easter sack (the purse) and packs up nearly 100 of his hot wheels cars. Boy, am I in trouble. He means business!

The Poo-Poo Monster

It is becoming increasingly difficult to potty train Tyler. He is terrified of pooping on the potty. I have tried everything short of giving him the world to just go and poop on the potty. He cries, screams and acts like he is being abused. He has even regressed with going pee-pee on the potty. So, I am not sure what to do other than try and be patient.

I think we will be seeing a gastroenterologist soon to make sure everything is okay. The problem is that it take months to get an appointment. There are only a handful of them in the Austin area, so the waiting game is so frustrating!

I already have so many people judging me every day if there is an outburst in public, or if he is engaging in one of his autistic behaviors, such as stimming or being completely OCD or repetitive. Can't someone throw me a bone or something? And now this is the new one I get, "How old is your child? He's 5 and not potty trained!" As if at times I don't feel like the world's worst parent, even though I know that is not the case. I get so tired of all of the stares! One day I will be really bad and wear a "Screw You, My Child has Autism" shirt. Walk in my shoes and you will realize it is not a walk in the park.

Life throws you for a loop at times, but I am hopeful! One day it will happen, and it will be like magic. It will be as if the universe was in total alignment, if even for just a second. And I do believe in magic.

Splashin' Good Time

There is nothing better than ending a lazy summer day with a trip to Amy's Ice Cream and some sprinkler fun at Southpark Meadows.

The Joys of Boys and their Toys

Tyler's birthday was June 2 but we celebrated with my Dad and sisters today. Aunt Sharisse hosted the party and we ordered pizza and had Toy Story cupcakes and ice cream. The boys had a blast playing with their cousins and became intrigued with some new toys today -- nerf guns. They all sounded like a herd of wild animals chasing each other through the house. The joys of boys and their toys.

No Tears for Fears

Geoff took the boys to get their hair cut today. They look so grown up! I couldn't believe my eyes when they walked in the door -- they are definitely little men now. Tyler was so proud of his haircut he even talked about it at bedtime tonight, "Mommy, I get my hair cut today!" While saying this, he was lovingly caressing his hair. Tyler looks like a little soldier with his new buzz cut for summer. I am really proud of Luke -- he was a little champ today getting his hair cut! No tears for fears -- he just chillaxed and let Cindy cut his hair.

My Clean Teeth

Yesterday we had a very successful trip to the dentist. I had heard horror stories of taking an autistic to the dentist, so I was prepared for the worst -- Tyler crying, screaming and vomiting and me leaving in tears. I did what most parents who have Temple Grandin-like visual autistics -- I made a social story about going to the dentist. We talked about it for a week and I showed him pictures of his dentist, hygienist, the office, etc. It worked like a charm! Now I need to work on Luke. All he would let the hygienist do was count his teeth and grudgingly at that.

Epiphany and trouble with brother

I had an epiphany today. It has been almost 2 years since Tyler was diagnosed with autism and I was thinking of how far he has come, especially in terms of his language development. I am so grateful for his wonderful doctors, therapists and teachers, many of whom have been working with us since the beginning. He would not be where he is today without them.

We have moved from crazy obsessions over ceiling fans and A/C units to a funny new one -- the answering machine. If anyone has noticed, I have stopped answering my home phone. This is to keep the peace in the house, so Tyler can hear the message and all hell does not break loose. I was thinking of how funny, yet how annoying this new obsession is! And to boot, it is a social one. Who would've thought we would ever have moved past the blasted fan and A/C unit. I used to curse them and now I just look back and laugh at the ridiculousness.

Today is Wednesday, an occupational therapy day, so we went to McDonald's afterward to get a box, i.e. a Happy Meal. This is weekly ritual of ours. All was happy in the Grumbles house until big brother pilfered the remaining french fries from little brother's plate. This started the French Fries Revolution. Thank goodness it did not last as long as the French Revolution or have as much blood shed. Well, the war is over now and it is almost time for all good little boys to take a nap.