Life after loss with autism, preemies and a rainbow baby
This is my second year of homeschool preschool. After completing one year with McKenna who believes she should actually be teaching me, I’m expecting this year to go much more smoothly with my youngest. Sawyer tends to be a little more easy going than his sister who has been wearing the same rotation of dark […]
I dug out our copy of The Kissing Hand in hopes it will work on the child who seems immune to its message. On Friday I peeled Sawyer’s hands from behind my neck and left him in the arms of his loving, nurturing, patient, amazing, preschool teacher. The quick goodbye strategy had worked for Ashlyn […]
Everything has been new lately, new house, new school, new doctors, new hairstylist (more scary than a new doctor) and I’ve found myself telling certain stories over and over. One of them being the names of my kids and, when people ask, how we chose each one. I love telling each story because it takes […]
Being outnumbered by small children lends itself to a particular phenomenon that I have a hard time putting into words. Since it’s hard to explain I thought I would give it a semi-creative title, create a barely-fancy illustration and share a story to cover all my bases. Lost In Translation When I had three kids […]
Not long after Sawyer was born we had to part with our rocking chair. It was the glider-type where the chair and ottoman slide in unison, unless it’s being climbed on by two 21 month-olds who are trying to touch their new baby brother’s eyeballs or slide him a Cheerio while he’s nursing. Soon my […]
Crying from upstairs sends me skipping our stairs as I wrap my robe. He never wakes at night. My mind races to a fever or a fall, hoping it’s just a bad dream that I can talk away. Outstretched arms and trembling lips are waiting for me at the door, even though I could have […]
When Ashlyn was four or so and going through all kinds of medical tests, as kids with autism do, I remember one particularly awful appointment. She needed to be sedated and her IV wouldn’t go in and then she fought the anesthesia and I stood there trying to hold her and not cry or scream […]
We told your brother that pretty soon you would be able to run just as fast, pretty soon you would kick the ball into the net and pretty soon you would match him in noise. We explained to your sister that pretty soon you would protest a pink headband and tutu, pretty soon you would […]
Sawyer’s transition to preschool is not going well. Some days I am still peeling him off of me, practicing the Preschool Parent Code: quick in, assure him I’ll be back soon, kiss, hug, quick out. Other days the teacher is prying him from my arms as he cries and I try not to cry and […]
The impressive stack of cushions atop our basement couch makes me cringe but giggles are contagious. “I’m on top of the world!” “I is not afwaid of anyfing!” “I… like… pink.” Superhero capes wave behind as they leap to toy towers. There is much to be cleaned and stopped and quieted. I slide rough edges […]
