Monday, May 30, 2011

Autism Ruled the Day Today - gotta make the best of it

Today was one of those beautiful Southern California days where it's warm but not hot a little breezy the perfect day to get the family out for a little outing.  Beach, lake, shopping, park.... anything.

Well today Franklin and his Autism had different plans for us.  Dressing him now is a complete drag.  He's being potty trained so he really just doesn't want to wear clothes at all, and as soon as you get the clothes on him, he has undressed and is running around naked.  I dress him  again, and that makes him cry, I'm trying to block and re-direct his behavior, suffice it to say he as finally dressed and then I had to change my clothes because they were now filled with tears and snot (not mine).

Last night, (I will knock on wood for tonight)  he would NOT go to sleep until after 10, and then he woke up at 3am and wanted to play, so to keep him quiet I joined him in his bedroom and played and finally got him back to sleep at 430, and my alarm was set for 5am I was planning on running a 5K today, but I woke up and just wasn't feeling it and elected to sleep instead.  For my fitness friends,  I am feeling the guilt on this to no end.  I was real excited about running this race, but onward and upward and I'll do the next one in a couple of weeks.

So after the dressing fiasco and packing the car to take the kids to the beach, as soon as we got down to the ocean Franklin threw an enormous fit.  Sometimes the sound of the ocean flips him out, this set off the 2 year old,  but I made sure our family took a g-d damn walk today even if we did ruin everyones serenity of walking on the park above the ocean.

We got some lunch and brought it home and filled the backyard pool up for the kids and it was nothing but smiles laughter and fun for the rest of the afternoon.  I have learned with autism to make lemonade out of a lemon kind of day.  So all in all it was a decent afternoon.

These kind of days used to rule the house, and they happened more often than not, but with all the work that he does and therapy he gets we have a lot more good days than bad days, and I think I forgot that for awhile today.  Probably our last 10 outings have been really good, and he has tolerated most things.

My husband goes immediately to, we can never take them anywhere, we can't vacation, we are stuck at home, blah blah blah.  The Drama Queen in him comes out when any situation that we are involved in is not ideal.  I have to tune that out, because in my husbands defense when Franklin has a good day, daddy is his biggest fan and cheerleader.

Now being that this is the month of graduations and weddings and we actually have quiet a few events to attend, the fear and anxiety is setting in. Will he be good? What will he do? what will people say? What will other kids do to him?  Just overwhelming ridiculous noise in my own head.  I will do the best I can to make the environment as acceptable for him as I can, and if I can't then we will have to leave, and for a couple of the events, I have already gotten babysitters.

So with anticipation, bring on the Pomp and Circumstance and hopefully all good behavior days for my kids.  If you have invited someone to your party and their kid has autism, don't take it personally if they leave, don't come even if they RSVP, bring special food, or their kid isn't dressed up in their finest party attire.  Autism and all that come with it are more than people can take in, so if they do make it be welcoming and happy.  Congratulations to all the graduates, fathers, and brides.

Rebecca

2 comments:

  1. God has blessed him by giving him such a great Mom. God Bless You and Yours!

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