Life after loss with one teenager, two surviving triplets and a rainbow baby
This post is sponsored by Custom Ink. I was compensated by Custom Ink to write this post. All opinions, children and video background noise are my own. Almost every autism parent will tell you their child has a “thing.” A television show, a character, a favorite item– something they’ve been hooked on for years. I know […]
Ashlyn was two when I received the results of her first developmental screening. Her fine motor skills where that of a 6 month old. Her gross motor skills registered at barely 9 months of age and her verbal skills tested at under one year. I knew shortly after her birth that something wasn’t right but […]
Today I picked up a prescription alone. I sat in the car for four, possibly five, glorious minutes and checked Facebook on my phone while I ate a pack of miniature Cadbury Eggs I didn’t have to share. And then my bucket was full. Well it wasn’t full but it was full as could be at this point […]
If you talk to most autism parents they will tell you that they quickly tire of Autism Awareness Month. Every day is Autism Awareness Day in their homes and most of the world is pretty aware at this point, especially with 1 in 68 children affected. They will tell you that we don’t need awareness, we […]
It took a decent amount of bribery and half of December but I talked Ashlyn into making another excellent gift guide for people with autism. Her first one was a hit and I’ve been trying to get her to do another ever since. Two years later we’ve got a new list that’s just as great […]
It was long and more than you expected, I’m sure. But what you don’t know, what you must not have considered despite your career, is that special needs moms prepare for this type of encounter from the time our children exhibit their first behavior that sets them apart from the crowd. You see I know. I […]
I shared this story several years ago but wanted to share it again because it’s such an important issue and because I’m working with AngelSense to help tackle the issue of autism and wandering. One of my closest friends has two boys with autism. I have watched her unload them from her vehicle, clinging to one while holding her […]
This afternoon I carried Sawyer to the car without shoes, Parker and McKenna ran behind. I told them they didn’t need to grab their coats, just hurry, hurry, hurry. Ashlyn ran out with headphones dangling from one pocket, trying to stuff a cell phone into the other. A phone call two minutes prior had shot us into […]
Before my life as a stay-at-home mom/writer/taxi driver, I was the director of an autism center. I had the privilege of watching countless children and teens on the spectrum come in and out of our doors every day. One of my favorite teens was a boy with Asperger’s. He was broad and tall for his […]
Twelve years sit between Ashlyn and her next siblings. I parented through more than half her childhood and nearly survived the middle school years before adding more kids to the mix. Raising a child with autism before parenting her siblings who do not have autism taught me a few things I hadn’t expected. 1. Including others […]
