Some Days I Forget...

Some days I forget, or almost forget HistoryBoy is different from any other child because things are going so well. No using mommy as a life life, no hiding, no meltdowns, just a kid being a kid. It was great. Until yesterday...

I am not sure what set it off, or even if it had a trigger. He was playing nicely with his cousin in the morning but even then I could tell he was a little off because I kept having to call him and repeat myself. Then he wouldn't eat lunch even though it was pizza, and if you know HistoryBoy that is one of his favorite food groups. Pizza, Chicken Soup, Grilled Cheese, Hot Dogs and Steamed Dumplings. If I made these every day of his life the child would be happy as a clam. Thankfully he can and will eat other foods too but is VERY gratefully when I have his favorites. But anyway he wouldn't eat, I got him to drink some water but i think he took two bites of pizza.

We head home. It is time for me to lie down and rest. He comes and lays next to me and clings and I ask him what is wrong. He can't or won't say. He just clings. I cuddle him as best I can. I fall asleep and when I awake I realize he has fallen asleep too. I have woken just in time for me to leave for my Doctor's appointment, and I gently awaken HistoryBoy to take him with me. He clings to my arm and doesn't want me to go. I have to go so, I tell him I will drop him off at Mimi's house and he can get some cuddle time from her while I go to my appointment.

I call my mom to make sure she is OK with this arrangement and she says she is. I also let he know he is way off. I do not know what is off but he is not talking, just clinging. I didn't say it but I was thinking, at least he isn't melting down. So I went to my appointment and came back. We had dinner at my mom's and HistoryBoy did eat a little Spaghetti and Meatballs. Not as much as I would have liked. I only gave him a little and he didn't eat all of it, and he wouldn't drink any of his milk. He just kept telling me he was full. After we cleared the table, he wanted me to sit with him in the living room. I sat down and he climbed into my lap. I do need to point out that HistoryBoy is now 11. There is a lot more to him, mostly limbs, looooong legs, than there used to be; he weighs 75 lbs. I shift his weight so it is not really on me and more on the chair. I try to get up after a few minutes but this is where he wants me, close to him. I shift over, so he can sit next to me in the chair and he "allows" that as long as I don't leave him.

After a while we leave to head home. At home, I try talking to him but he isn't opening up. He just says he feels off. So either he doesn't know what is wrong or can't put it into words. A little while later there is a knock at the door HyperGirl and her sister, SassyGirl (HyperGirl came up with the name for her sister) came over. They seemed to bring HistoryBoy out of his funk. He showed them, his new room, which was almost done. And he chattered to them some which I saw as a good sign.

On another note...
The first thing out of HyperGirl's mouth when she saw HistoryBoy's room was "Cool, bunk beds! When can I stay over?" Don't worry Michelle I said NO! Then SassyGirl pipes up "Well I can stay over, I'm not his girlfriend!" Again I said No. LOL HistoryBoy was just laughing, which I took as a good sign.

I'd love to hear from you! Leave a comment or email me at teenahope@gmail.com

Picture of the Week

Another GREAT T-Shirt!

This one is PERFECT for me TOO!!

(JUST LIKE THE LAST ONE!)

WAY too Literal

We all know that our Aspies can be literal. HistoryBoy is very much so but it has become less and less noticeable. Maybe I am just used to it, or maybe it is because he knows he is too literal and has been using his literalness for humor with plays on words and so forth. I am happy about this because from I have read and learned from others, for most Aspies, a sense of humor is non existent but back to my point.

As I started out, HistoryBoy is very literal, I can't use colloquialisms. They just make him go huh? most times. I remember arguing with my brother one time and telling him to take his head out of his butt. HistoryBoy looks at my brother then looks at me, looks back at my brother then tells me "Mom, his head isn't up his butt. How would he get his head up his butt anyway? It's too big." I think we all laughed over that one.

Another time he wasn't paying attention to me, and I called him a space cadet. He asked me if that was an astronaut. I said not exactly. LOL

I told him he was giving me grey hair. Honestly I only have about a dozen or so grey hairs but I attribute each and every one of them to him. And he kept asking me how can he cause my hair to turn color, and he wanted to know what he has to do to make it change color. I am not sure if he wanted to understand the phenomenon or see it in action.

I have been noticing him literalness less and less though. However yesterday we were at a get together and a made a comment. He had a flying monkey stuffed toy. And I made the comment I might not be quoting it exactly right (from an 80s or 90s movie) "and monkeys might fly out my butt" HistoryBoy stared at my butt, looks at his toy monkey and says what? I laugh and repeat what I said. He looks at me again confused, "How is that even possible?" I burst out laughing.

I love my son, he makes my life interesting.

Yes, I Read Teen Fiction and Like It!

Angus makes fun of me for the books I like to read, when I have time in between the naps I take when my body needs to recover and keeping up with HistoryBoy. I love to read. It keeps my brain active and for a little while, I get to relax.

Ok, so I read every Harry Potter book, had them preordered so I'd have them when they came out. I even stayed up all night to read the 7th one. Well my dad wanted to read it and I wanted to be able to give it to him, so when I handed it to him them next day, he was a little surprised. LOL Yes, so maybe HistoryBoy came by some of his obsessive qualities naturally. I have seen each movie in the theater. Oops that is not true I missed one of the more recent ones because I was too sick to sit through it. I own all of the movies on DVD as well. GAGH, Angus will yell I am supposed to say I own them on Blu-ray. LOL Bit of a tech freak is my Angus.

Yes, I also read The Twilight series and loved them much to Angus' disdain. I own them as books and on my e-reader. Angus refused to take me to see the movies when they came though out and since I am not a go to the movies by myself person, which he knows, I had to wait for them to come out on video, MEAN ANGUS! Love you though. But he has NO CHOICE, he is taking me to see Breaking Dawn. :-)

I have read Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events. I read all the way to #9 and have 10-13, I just haven't picked them up to finish. I really to want to know what happens to those poor kids, but I think a Harry Potter Book or Twilight book came out so I stopped reading the series.

I have also read Alyson Noel's Immortal Series #1 - 5 and am eagerly awaiting #6 which just came out, I just have to go pick it up. YAY!

I am thinking about starting the Pretty Little Liars Series, which I am hearing all kinds of good things about. I got them for my e-reader. So if I don't like them, I am not too committed.

I regularly browse the Young Adult section for new books that look interesting. And yes Angus is laughing. Come on guys, there is only so much, "Encyclopedia of WWII Aircraft" that I can take learning about. Sometimes I need something silly and fun. :-)

Have any other suggestions for me, just email them along.

Picture of the Week

BEST T-SHIRT EVER!!

Lupus Doesn't Travel Light ~ My Journey Into Lupus Continues

This is a continuation of my blog from the beginning of June about my journey into Lupus.

If you recall I finished with Unfortunately, Dr. Quinn's diagnosis and estimate for my recovery time now put paid on me returning to school for the rest of the school year. She thought I was recouping well but I wouldn't be well enough to return at all for my freshman year. (I cried for days over that) She wanted me work work on getting healthy so I could go back next year. She couldn't guarantee I would feel up to everything I had done in the past, but I was young and she hoped that since we had caught and diagnosed it "relatively" quickly. (At the time 4 months, did not feel like a quick diagnosis, but in talking to people who have taken years and years to reach this same place I had, I suppose it is), that I would recover most if not all of what had been lost this past few months. I was to continue my regimen of vitamins, anti-inflammatories, rest and swimming.

So began my life with Lupus.

I was very lucky. Dr Quinn's predictions about my youth, my swimming and the fact that my lupus had been *caught* in 4 months were right. I was able to feel almost 100% back to my normal self in the fall when I returned to school. I went out for the soccer team in the fall and then back to the swim team in the winter.

I will say that I was mostly in denial at this point about having Lupus. My mom had gotten me books and taken me to a support group but to me, these people were old AND their stories were SCARY and NOT me. I was F-I-N-E. Funny thing is, I had no problem telling someone I had Lupus. I just pretended it didn't affect me.

I made it through High School. There were up and downs. I don't think I had a year of high school where I missed less than 25 days. If someone sneezed across the room, I got sick and it wasn't for just a day. 24 hour bugs would knock me out for almost a week. But I still pretended everything was normal. Ok, so I had to take meds now to make sure I felt ok, and I had to get regular bloodwork done, but I was OK.

College was where I had to face my limits a little more. I was relatively healthy but I got sick very easily. In the winter, it was awful. It was like one big cold followed by the flu, followed by god knows what else. I didn't get even remotely healthy until spring. I do not remember being healthy for too many Christmases, if any at all. Also, I knew that if I pushed myself, I felt worse and it took me longer to get better. I changed my outlook from Ostrich head in the sand to ok, this isn't going away, but I am not going to let it stop me.

And I didn't. I inherited that stubborn gene from my mom and grandmom. Just ask my dad!

Memories of What Is To Come.

I thought I would relay some humor and struggles that I know are about to start up as school starts up again, and I am SO looking forward to it...

Some days things just don't go your way...

This is how a Tuesday started out (several months ago)

The day started out ok, if slowly for me. I was still recouping from overdoing it last week so when I snooze the wake up alarm to get my son up for school, it is not surprising. I felt achy, so I call my dad and ask if he can take HistoryBoy to school because I feel not quite up to the task the morning. He says ok, and I begin my morning task of getting myself out of bed and HistoryBoy ready for school.

Waking him is an effort this morning. He clings to me like a lifeline. "Cuddle me please" "HistoryBoy, It is already late, you need to get a shower and get ready. Your grandpop will be here to pick you up for school shortly." "But mom I didn't get cuddles" I think leeches cling less. I finally peel all the tentacles off and am able to aim HistoryBoy in the direction of the bathroom and I am even nice enough to start the shower running for him and push him in that direction while I got see what I can make or breakfast.

Normally, it would be a banana oatmeal but I decide to do mini (microwave) pancakes because it is quicker and I really do not feel up to standing in the kitchen long. Ok, breakfast made. Let's see how much progress has been made in the bathroom. Apparently, none. Instead of a clean HistoryBoy, the is a Lego/ WWII battle going on in the shower. When I tell him, ok let's go, time to get dressed, he starts to cry and says but I didn't get washed. We have started off well haven't we. Ok, HistoryBoy, close up your battle and get washed, 2 minutes, Grandpop will be here. Did you get your clothes out? "No, I thought you were going to do it when you made breakfast."

I wonder if he thinks I have a magic dresser for him in the kitchen that pops out clothes while I try to "cook" Ok, yes the washer and dryer are in the kitchen but I did not do laundry today, did I? He whines the whole time he has to get out. He didn't have enough time in the shower. Now there is a knock at my door, it's my dad here to take his royal sluggishness to school for me and he is standing here naked in a towel. HistoryBoy then tells my dad "Mom didn't get me clothes, that is why I am still naked." I didn't kill him, no I didn't... It took ALOT of restraint on my part.

My dad got him off to school and I went back to bed. Hello Day, can we start over?

Insights into the Mind of an 11 Year Old

These little nuggets of info come straight from the horses mouth... Or rather HistoryBoy mouth as it were.

HyperGirl: "She is my best friend. She is pretty much a female version of me."

Random-ness: "Ahhhh" What's wrong? "There are three of me in this mirror with bed head!" I nod in agreement. "Wow! Imagine Three of me! I think that is too many HBs don't you, mom?"Definitely! I don't think I could handle 3 of you. "Yeah two of me could take over the world! Three of me would take over the whole universe!" W

Cellphone: HistoryBoy just turned 11 and is not allowed to have a cell phone although he really wants one. So here are some pieces I think you will enjoy.

1> Why do you need a cell phone? "So I can call you or text you when I get out of school." We will 5 minutes from the school, your bus comes right after school to drop you off. What part would I miss? "But I could TEXT you. You LOVE texting!"

2> HistoryBoy and I have come to an agreement about the cellphone. When he no longers misplaces his mp3 player and gameboy on a regular bases, then we can discuss a cellphone. Until I can ask his at anytime of day where those items are and he knows where they are, no cell phone. He agreed to it. He has asked about it a few times since and I simply ask, Where is your GameBoy? He says "I don't know," sighs and then walks away to go look for it.

3> (THIS ONE IS MY FAVORITE) Now HyperGirl has a cellphone and has bugged HistoryBoy (when she knows where her cellphone is) about when he is going to get a cell phone so she can call or text him. I caught this conversation between them while they were playing one day. "When I are going to get a cellphone?" HyperGirl asked HistoryBoy. He replied to her when I stop losing my GameBoy." She asks "So when is that going to be?" Looking hopeful. HistoryBoy doesn't even look up from the game they are playing and says "Never." I nearly choked in the other room. At least he is honest!

Is it any wonder that I ADORE being his mom 99% of the time? The other 1% o the time I spend threatening him that I am going to sell him on eBay. When he tell me, "HAHA They are SO gonna want their money back!"

Leave a comment or email me

teenahope@gmail.com

Bullying 102

In a previous blog, Bullying 101, I talked about how I realized that bullying isn't something that might happen, it already has and I am prepared for it. At least I hope I am. But I got an introduction to a little more of it this summer.

Sitting by the pool, HistoryBoy comes up to me and asks to make this girl leave him alone. I do not see the girl but if she comes back I tell him let me know and I will help referee. Later on in the day, I am resting and my mom and HistoryBoy that a girl was taking their toys and harassing him so she brought him up to chill out. I could see he was on the verge of a meltdown, so it was probably a good plan.

We headed down the next day to the pool, and the girl was nowhere to be seen. However, later on in the day she shows up and sits down right next to where my son and his friends are playing. I keep an eye on them because I do not want any trouble but she seems intent on reading her book and not bothering the boys. A Little while later, HB is back asking me to make her stop. Now I have been watching, she hasn't been moving closer to them or taking their toys today, so I do not know what the problem is.

To solve the mystery, I move him and his stuff to the other side of the pool. I notice now that she is periodically getting up and walking by the boys. I can't hear what she is saying to them, if she is saying anything, but she is obviously agitating Matthew just because she keeps coming by. I call him over to me. Apparently she has a book, that I am not familiar with that has alot of cats in it and some of them seem like gross, grotesque pictures to HB. He doesn't like it and has told he doesn't want to see them but she keeps walking by. I had seen the last page she had open, I couldn't tell exactly what it was, but it wasn't a cute cuddly cat. As we walk back into the pool, he makes a comment to her about stopping, those pictures are just evil. She looks at me, and flips her book open to a picture of a kitten and says "Is this evil?" HB is unwinding quickly, "That's not what she was showing us." I believe you. Just stay away from her now.

Now I know the score. She was probably only a little older than HistoryBoy. Maybe 13 at the oldest I think, but she wanted to mess with him. I don't know why. Maybe it was because he was the only one who freaked out when she tried to freak the kids out and she liked it. Bullying like this is never easy to spot. I could have been completely unaware of it if I wasn't as in tune with my son and his reactions. I know he wasn't lying to me, not that he can't exaggerate but I had seen her as well, so I knew she was up to something. A part of me wishes I had confronted her and made her apologize or at least explain her actions but she is not my kid or my responsibility. I removed my son and his buddies from the situation, so I felt that was enough. But if I see her next year and she tries it again! GAME ON! LOL

Thankfully she checked out a day or so later and we got a influx of new kids. Which was both good and bad. More on that tomorrow.

Feel free to leave a comment or email me at teenahope@gmail.com

Picture of the Week

Who doesn't?

All Kids Are Hyper Aren't They?

Have you heard these? I know I have.

1. It's just a phase...

Well, when do you think it stops being a phase and starts being a problem? I know my son was hyper (VERY) hyper from an early age. For the first two weeks of his life he only slept 15 minutes at a time, afraid he was going to miss something. You know how the first pics of babies are all pink with closed eyes. Not mine, that's him at the right eyes open. What's up world, here I am. And he wouldn't close them for very long for the next two weeks. It was a LOOOOONG two weeks. Maybe that should have given me an ADHD clue. LOL

2. Oh, all kids are hyper at that age...

I know a lot of kids are hyper. I have seen it, and I can tell the difference when watching kids play the difference (usually) between regular hyper and ADHD hyperactivity. If I can get and keep that hyperactive child attention for a minute or two without magic or medication, then they might just be hyper. But if I have to hold the child down and threaten to tie then to it and repeat, Please look at me. Are you listening? Can I ask you a question? ADD just might be a problem.

These type of helpful comments ones I have heard at every age, so apparently EVERY age kids are hyper. IMAGINE that one. Maybe you just have a hyper child like I do. Hmmmm, something to think about isn't it?

3. Boys have just so much more energy than girls...

Apparently parents that see HistoryBoy play hyperactively are also experts. I hear, "boys always have so much energy." "Oh he is an active one, isn't he?" Do these people never see children play, that my son is such a wonder? Maybe I need to let loose his Aspie-ness on them, then they can really sit in awe. And if boys have so much more energy than girls, these same people have never seen him play with HyperGirl obviously. I need to find these people and put them in a room with both HB and HG. THAT would be *GREAT*!!

I was also once asked if medication "fixed" HistoryBoy problems. Since I don't view him as "broken" and he doesn't need to be "fixed" unless he is a dog or cat, I did my best not to whack the oh so inquisitive person upside her helpful head with my overloaded purse, maybe I ADDed a brick or two. I replied HB was doing fine thanks for asking. Bye. And walked off before she could asked me any other questions and ended up really hitting her.

It's funny how people judge from the outside. I do not mind sitting poolside and chatting with a mom about our kids. Or with friends but it's random outside comments that stick and sometimes dig and drive me nuts. I am sure you have dealt with these type of issues too, if your child is anything like mine. If not, count yourself lucky and blessed. Maybe you will *never* encounter the Idiots, I mean, lovely people, I encounter.

Feel free to leave a comment or email me at teenahope@gmail.com

What Is Your Favorite ...?

Has your Aspie child been asked this "What is your favorite ?" question about anything? HistoryBoy gets this question about whatever he is playing with or talking about. He can never seem to just choose one. Although he and I know he has a favorite but he just can't chose it when asked, why is that?

I'll give you this as an example. HistoryBoy what is your favorite TV show that is shown on TV now. Now I know what his current favorite TV show is, he talks about, we laugh about it. (YES IT IS AN ACTUALLY CHILDREN'S SHOW YAY!!!) and note I also worded the question so he will not include his DVD collection of TV shows no longer on TV which could outweigh current TV. "Mom, I have 3, no 5 favorites or maybe 6" 5 is fine HistoryBoy. See what I mean.

Ok, Let's hear your list.
"Well, number 5 is Modern Marvels." Why do you like it? "You learn about cool stuff like engineering disasters or innovations. I really like stuff like that. Number 4 is Destroy Build Destroy. It's game show race to build a better machine that your opponents then blow theirs ups. It's awesome. Number 3 is Cash Cab, the original one, not Cash Cab Chicago." Why do you like it? "Sometimes I am good at the trivia. I know the history. I don't know all the answers though. But it is fun to watch with you, mom." (There was a hug given in there) Number 2 is a tie between Wild Kratts and Myth Busters. I can't decide which I like better. Why? "Wild Kratts is just awesome with the animals. Zaboomafoo would be on my list if it was still on. The Kratt Brothers are cool so they would be on my list twice." Ok, and Myth Busters? Myth Busters ALWAYS blow something up just because they can." Which brings up to number 1. "Number 1 is Phineas and Ferb. They are brothers. They have a pet platypus and they drive their sister insane. It is so funny."

All of that was to find out his one favorite TV show, which I knew was Phineas and Ferb. Please do not ask him which is his favorite plane, battleship or WWII battle unless you are looking to have a conversation of at least 30 minutes or more with my son. He will go into detail. I asked for detail here because I knew I would get some and not on others. But imagine that when he decides to give you a list of 10, with several ties in there.

His mind is AMAZING. The fact that is can use and store all the information he does makes me wish I had half of his brain capacity. Ok, maybe I did at one point, but I think it leaked out! LOL

Hope you are having a wonderful day! Until tomorrow.

Email me at teenahope@gmail.com

I Know I Am Back In Jersey!

So I am home. It was a long journey, in more ways than one. It was supposed to be a relatively short trip home. I couldn't get a direct flight because of the airport I was flying out of but such is life sometimes, but I didn't expect a storm at my layover or a bomb scare at my destination. So I had to suffer through a horrid flight and delay after delay after delay to get home. FUN! N.O.T!

Now that I am home, our washing machine is broken and the A/C is not working. IT is hotter here then it was in Florida. I think I can chew the air here it is so humid. UGH! Send me back to Florida. Ok, I am complaining. I am sorry. I woke up for the 3rd morning in a row congested from my allergies and achy, very achy and it is getting worse each day.

Part of me is getting sad, I haven't even gotten to tell you about how amazing my trip was, how much better I *was* feeling and I am telling how bad I am feeling now. I was feeling fairly well. I only had two really bad days the whole trip. I had ups and downs of course but I was feeling much better, less achy, and it seems to all be unraveling in a few days.

*Sigh*

Here is hoping for a better tomorrow.

Feel free to leave a comment or email me at teenahope@gmail.com

THE BLOG IS BACK!!

I am BACK! And to top off a wonderful break, the start of a glorious new year of blogs, is HistoryBoy's 11th Birthday! Yes, my wonderful, AMAZING, child is a tween. Thankfully I do not think that means as much for a boy as it does for a girl but I am not pushing my luck.

The next few weeks will be filled with stories about our trip. The ups and downs. Good and bad. And everything in between, and what to do and NOT to do. And something your Aspie will probably definately enjoy along the way, or hate as much as mine did. LOL

But I am back and I thank everyone for your understanding that my best laid plans in keeping this blog running as it should while away just didn't work. I will do better next time.

I am keeping it short today because I have to celebrate and hug my 11 year old because he will still let me. Who knows if he will next year.

Until tomorrow.

Feel free to leave a comment or email me at teenahope@gmail.com

Picture of the Week

Because sometimes Elvis just feels the need

to walk down the streets of Manhattan.

Don't know why, he just does.