KathyRN137
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Apr 14, 2006
Pre-Trip #1: Everything Old is New (Jersey) Again!
Chugga-chugga, chugga-chugga, chugga-chugga, woo-woo!
The little red and green engine in my countdown ticker has been s-l-o-w-l-y making its way along the tracks. Its destination: Walt Disney World! KathyRN and family are goin back!!
The ticker reads "4 months to our WDW Vacation." I cannot wait any longer!
I must start another Pre-Trippie!
*(The Trip Report begins on Page 59 with a PTR Recap)*
Table of Contents:
Post #1: Everything Old is New (Jersey) Again!
Post #23: Ah, Wilderness!
Post #35: The Gambler
Post #47: Like Walking Through a Pool Full of Jell-O
Post #56: Oh, Mike Goodness!
Post #64: AD-R-U-OK?
Post #77: Over the Cliff and Through the Woods...
Post #90: Operational Plan: 2007!!
Post #94: Stating the Obvious, With a KISS!
Post #99: DIAL-A-CROC!
Post #138: To Sleep, Perchance to Dream...
Post #141: 99 Numbers of Cheer on the Wall, 99 Numbers of Cheer!
Post #156: How the Lime Turned Into a Lemon!
Post #195: Molar Madness
Post #232: Goldilocks and the Three Bags
Post #261: The Dog Days of Summer
Post #281: A Nerd's Guide to Multiple-Choice
Post #306: Wherein Ed Downloads My Giblets
Post #333: Hello, Dolly! (Part One)
Post #338: Hello, Dolly! (Part Two)
Post #347: Hello, Dolly! (Part Three)
Post #366: Much Ado About Nothing
Post #377: Making Our Lists, Checking Them Twice
Post #416: Tootsie-Pop Trippie
Post #419: More Tootsie-Roll Center
Post #426: A Pack Rat's Packing List
Post #475: RV Planning Another Adventure?
Post #497: RV Planning Another Adventure? (Part 2)
Post #537: Oh, Deer Me!
Post #547: The Cowboy Way...at Disney!
Post #559: Itty Bitty Nitty Gritty
Post #590: "Hey...You...Guys!"
Post #616: Just a Pair of Pin Heads
Post #650: The Bare Necessities
Post #666: Billy Update
Post #676: Better Than Xanax
Post #687: The Shirt Off My Back
Post #695: Birthday Booty
Post #704: Just a little Mood Music
Post #713: Doctors and Hospitals
Post #741: Ten for Ten!
Post #763: "Into every life, a little rain must fall."
Post #773: The Silver Lining
Post #815: My First Homemade Disney Shirt!
Post #821: Ghosts & Goblins in the Sewer
******************************************
Weve chosen Jersey Week for what will be our fifth family vacation to WDW. We went during Jersey Week last year for the first time and it worked out well. The kids already get 2-1/2 days off for Election Day and the NJ State Teachers Convention, so they only miss half a week of school if we go to Disney for a week (along with a giant chunk of our state population!) This year, the dates are 11/3 - 11/11.
I love going to WDW at this time of year! Yes, its a bit more crowded than during the Value Season months, such as September or January, but its worth the trade-off for the kids to miss fewer days of school. I think the weather is perfect (not too cold, not too hot, very little chance of rain), and we return home just as we begin to gear up for the holiday season. It helps to ease some of the PDD (Post-Disney Depression) if Im forced to get busy with something other than trip planning, and have less time to mope around!
"Pardon me, but have we met?"
If we have, then you already know the story behind the title. If we have not, then a few introductions are in order!
The Cast:
Ed:
DH(46)(Dad): Occupation: Police Lieutenant. Quick-tempered, strong-willed, and protective. Enjoys road biking, and watching TV, especially the Law & Order and the CSI shows. Favorite Character: Grumpy. (That really fits sometimes!)
Tricia:
DD(11): Occupation: Sixth-grader. Bright, impatient, and outgoing. Enjoys reading several books at one time, playing soccer, and playing with her American Girl dolls. Favorite character: Tinkerbell.
Billy:
DS(9): Autistic. Occupation: Special Ed student. Affectionate, noisy, and happy. Enjoys splashing in the pool, spinning, and DVDs: collecting them, categorizing them, watching them. Favorite character: a tie between Woody and Buzz.
Aunt Rae:
AR(77): Eds aunt. Occupation: Spoiler of great-niece and great-nephew. Conscientious, fastidious, and sweet. Enjoys cleaning things that are already clean, eating out, and listening to music, especially Andrea Bocelli. Suffers from Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. (Think: elderly female "Monk") Favorite character: Cinderella.
Kathy:
(43)(Mom): Occupation: RN. Messy, empathetic, and diplomatic. Enjoys old movies, talking on the phone (not texting), and DISing at every opportunity. Favorite character: Winnie-the-Pooh. Oh, and I do like honey in my tea!
Eddie:
DSS(17), my stepson who lives in North Carolina, has opted not to join us this year. (You may recall he flew down and spent three days with us at Disney last year.) Just too much going on with school and extracurricular activities, I guess. Oh well. 
The Accidental Co-Tourists:
About four months ago, I was over at my sister Marilyn's house and the subject of WDW came up. Shes really nuts about WDW, too. She had visited a few times before I ever had the chance, once being her honeymoon trip, but had not been back in several years. (Meanwhile, my family had been every year since 2003.) She was really itching to go back, but was a bit hesitant since her three girls, ages 4, 3, and 1yr. were so young.
She admitted to me that, despite any apprehension she felt about trying to do WDW with a diaper bag, strollers, and little ones who needed to nap, she had taken the plunge and booked a vacation package. She reasoned that if she waited for the baby to be big enough, the older ones would pass on through the prime Disney Princess phase
and it would be lost to her forever.
She was both thrilled and concerned that she might have made a mistake; after all, she and my BIL had never been to WDW with even one small child, let alone three. I told her that I thought that bringing kids at any age was doable, as long as parents planned and toured accordingly. (The reason we had waited until the kids were older was more for financial reasons than anything else.)
So, when are you going, I asked, excited to be able to talk Disney with someone.
November, she replied. Hold on, let me check the calendar for the exact dates
November! I said with surprise. "We're going in November, too!" Well, thats a major coincidence! I wonder
Here it is. Were driving down to Florida, arriving on Saturday, the third. Well spend the weekend with Johns parents in Vero Beach, and then check into the Caribbean Beach Resort on my birthday, Monday the fifth, she looked up from her calendar and saw that my mouth had dropped about all the way down to my chest.
Marilyn, thats the same week that well be there! I practically shouted. Her eyes got as big as saucers.
Youre kidding! she shouted back, and we both began laughing excitedly. We called the kids into the kitchen and told them the incredible news: their mommies had planned their trips to WDW for exactly the same week without even knowing it!
Wild, high-pitched little girl screaming erupted as my two older nieces jumped up and down with their cousin, Tricia. Were going to Disney together! Were going to Disney toether! they yelled. Baby Josie, who had been sitting in the high chair the entire time, caught the excitement of the others. Hah! Hah! Hah! she panted as she kicked her chubby legs wildly.
Billy, a bit startled at the sudden screaming of the girls, had run out of the kitchen with both hands covering his ears. He retreated to the relative calm of the family room and resumed playing with some of his cousins toys. His big sister sat down next to him and tried to explain the reason for all the fuss.
Billy, guess what? Emily and Beth and Josie are going to Walt Disney World when we are! she said. Billy did not acknowledge her. She tried again.
Billy, do you want to go to Walt Disney World with Emily and Beth and Josie?
No, no, no, he shouted. Go with Mommy and Daddy and Tricia and Aunt Rae!
>> Okay, take two:
Billy, she said, a slight hint of exasperation beginning to appear in her voice, Do you want to go with Mommy and Daddy and Tricia and Aunt Rae and Emily and Beth and Josie?
And Aunt Marlin, he grunted.
Yes, and Aunt Marilyn.
And Unca John.
Yes, Billy, and Uncle John, too, she rolled her eyes. Were all going together. Isnt that great?
Billy replied with a resounding, Yes! Then he got up and ran to the front door to get his sneakers. We go to Walt Disney World. Yes. Okay. He pulled on his sneakers and stood up.
Billy was ready to go! It took a few minutes for him to be persuaded that we were not leaving just yet! After a few tears, he forgot about his momentary disappointment with the help of lots of hugs from Mom and the distraction of his cousins attractive DVD collection.
And so now, because we will be meeting my sisters family for some character meals and parades, we will have a Supporting Cast:
Marilyn:
DSis(Turning 39 in the World) Avid scrapbooker. Favorite character: Cinderella.
John:
DBIL(48) Big football fan. Favorite character: Aladdin.
Emily: DN (will be 6) Shy, soft-spoken. Favorite character: Ariel.
Beth: DN (4) Extroverted, fearless. Favorite character: Aurora.
Josie: DN (will be 2) Very happy baby. Born with a medical condition that causes her to be exquisitely sensitive to heat and the sun. Favorite character: Tinkerbell (as far as we can tell!)
Its hard to tell any story that involves our family without first talking a bit about something that affects us all very deeply, and thats Billys autism.
Now, if you really, really want to know more backstory, I invite you to read my completed trip report from last years vacation, Adventures in Autism: WDW, before jumping into this one. (The link is in my signature, below.)
And if you would like to read more about Autistic Spectrum Disorders, the link to Cure Autism Now is: http://cureautismnow.org
Excerpted from my 2006 report:
Autism is a neurological or brain-based disorder that causes problems in cognition, communication, and social interaction. There are many symptoms and conditions associated with autism and it can be difficult to know that a child is autistic just by looking at him. Many people think of the Dustin Hoffman character in Rainman, but those savant characteristics are only shared by a few on the autism spectrum.
Billy attends a special school and receives speech, occupational, and physical therapy. He displays very poor eye contact, impaired conversational abilities, repetitive language and mannerisms such as hand flapping and sniffing objects. He has a degree of hyperactivity and poor attention span that makes it difficult to attend to an activity for more than a few moments without direction and supervision. He has a poor hand/finger grasp and has difficulty with handwriting and other small movements such as buttoning buttons and snapping snaps.
He constantly makes noise humming, singing, scripting pieces of dialogue from his favorite TV shows, and laughing. Big, boisterous belly laughs at nothing in particular. Usually at inappropriate times like in the middle of the homily (sermon) in church! Or, in the middle of watching a baseball game from the stands while others shout, Swing batter, batter! Billy will shout, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer! at the top of his lungs!
That one was pretty funny! In our house we call these moments "adventures in autism."
The 2007 Update:
Billy has made some progress in the past year. At the age of nine, he is reading and doing math that is on an early 2nd grade level. His spontaneous language is increasing and he has begun to initiate play with his sister and his classmates. He sang a beautiful solo in the school art and music show!
Balancing his progress, however, are a number of concerns.
He continues to need lots of refocusing and verbal prompting to stay on task, both at home and at school. He increasingly breaks out into uncontrollable laughter and frequently gets distracted by the repetitive scripting in his head.
His intense focus on DVDs and videos has slowly become more obsessive every room in our house looks like Monument Valley. Stacks of DVDs and videos are arranged on just about every surface. He groups them by artist, by subject, by when he received them (birthday gifts here, Christmas gifts there). DVDs and videos from the library are kept in separate piles. He is constantly pulling them out of the cabinets and we repeatedly have to get after him to put them away. Sometimes he violently refuses, and acts out by screaming and biting, especially if Ed is not home. We considered locking them all up, but upon reflection, we decided to try to work on the situation with behavioral interventions instead. It didnt work.
Several weeks ago I wanted him to come downstairs to brush his teeth and he insisted on carrying an armload of DVDs with him. I made him leave them in his room and he became very upset. As he was brushing his teeth, I got sidetracked with helping Tricia with something for school and he snuck upstairs, scooped up the DVDs (about ten or twelve of them), and proceeded to carry them downstairs to the bathroom.
Suddenly, I heard, a THUMP, THUMP, THUMP, and CRASH! There was Billy at the bottom of the stairs surrounded by DVDs, crying and holding onto his left arm. His wrist was swollen and when we brought him to the ER, sure enough, it was broken! For the next four weeks his arm was in a cast; a difficult thing for any nine year old, but it practically drove Billy crazy.
He picked and pulled at it so much that after two weeks, part of it was disintegrating and we had to bring him back to get his arm re-cast. He couldnt understand why he was not allowed to play on the swings and the slides at recess or play like the other kids during P.E. class. Thank goodness kids heal faster than we do!
If he hadnt been obsessed with the DVDs and tried to carry so many down the stairs, Im convinced he wouldnt have had that accident. For me, it was the final straw.
We had always thought that we would try to manage Billys autistic symptoms without medication unless it was absolutely necessary. Now with the increase in OCD-type behavior at home and the increased need for re-focusing in school that was being reported by his teachers, we decided to have him evaluated by the school psychiatrist.
After the evaluation, the doctor did recommend medication for the obsessive-compulsive behaviors and we reluctantly decided to give it a try. Hes been on it for a few weeks now, and while its still too early to tell if it is helping, there has been one very wonderful development. I dont know if its the medication, and frankly, I really dont care. Because Ive waited for it for nine years......
"I love you, Mommy."
Its an unprompted declaration .not just something he echoes woodenly when I say it to him. He looks me in the eye, wraps his arms around my neck, and tells me that he loves me.
Every night Ive prayed. Ive wished upon a star. Please, God, make him ..a real boy.
"I love you, Mommy" is a beautiful start.
Kathy
Chugga-chugga, chugga-chugga, chugga-chugga, woo-woo!
The little red and green engine in my countdown ticker has been s-l-o-w-l-y making its way along the tracks. Its destination: Walt Disney World! KathyRN and family are goin back!!
The ticker reads "4 months to our WDW Vacation." I cannot wait any longer!
I must start another Pre-Trippie! *(The Trip Report begins on Page 59 with a PTR Recap)*
Table of Contents:
Post #1: Everything Old is New (Jersey) Again!
Post #23: Ah, Wilderness!
Post #35: The Gambler
Post #47: Like Walking Through a Pool Full of Jell-O
Post #56: Oh, Mike Goodness!
Post #64: AD-R-U-OK?
Post #77: Over the Cliff and Through the Woods...
Post #90: Operational Plan: 2007!!
Post #94: Stating the Obvious, With a KISS!
Post #99: DIAL-A-CROC!
Post #138: To Sleep, Perchance to Dream...
Post #141: 99 Numbers of Cheer on the Wall, 99 Numbers of Cheer!
Post #156: How the Lime Turned Into a Lemon!
Post #195: Molar Madness
Post #232: Goldilocks and the Three Bags
Post #261: The Dog Days of Summer
Post #281: A Nerd's Guide to Multiple-Choice
Post #306: Wherein Ed Downloads My Giblets
Post #333: Hello, Dolly! (Part One)
Post #338: Hello, Dolly! (Part Two)
Post #347: Hello, Dolly! (Part Three)
Post #366: Much Ado About Nothing
Post #377: Making Our Lists, Checking Them Twice
Post #416: Tootsie-Pop Trippie
Post #419: More Tootsie-Roll Center
Post #426: A Pack Rat's Packing List
Post #475: RV Planning Another Adventure?
Post #497: RV Planning Another Adventure? (Part 2)
Post #537: Oh, Deer Me!
Post #547: The Cowboy Way...at Disney!
Post #559: Itty Bitty Nitty Gritty
Post #590: "Hey...You...Guys!"
Post #616: Just a Pair of Pin Heads
Post #650: The Bare Necessities
Post #666: Billy Update
Post #676: Better Than Xanax
Post #687: The Shirt Off My Back
Post #695: Birthday Booty
Post #704: Just a little Mood Music
Post #713: Doctors and Hospitals
Post #741: Ten for Ten!
Post #763: "Into every life, a little rain must fall."
Post #773: The Silver Lining
Post #815: My First Homemade Disney Shirt!
Post #821: Ghosts & Goblins in the Sewer
******************************************
Weve chosen Jersey Week for what will be our fifth family vacation to WDW. We went during Jersey Week last year for the first time and it worked out well. The kids already get 2-1/2 days off for Election Day and the NJ State Teachers Convention, so they only miss half a week of school if we go to Disney for a week (along with a giant chunk of our state population!) This year, the dates are 11/3 - 11/11.
I love going to WDW at this time of year! Yes, its a bit more crowded than during the Value Season months, such as September or January, but its worth the trade-off for the kids to miss fewer days of school. I think the weather is perfect (not too cold, not too hot, very little chance of rain), and we return home just as we begin to gear up for the holiday season. It helps to ease some of the PDD (Post-Disney Depression) if Im forced to get busy with something other than trip planning, and have less time to mope around!
"Pardon me, but have we met?"
If we have, then you already know the story behind the title. If we have not, then a few introductions are in order!
******************************
The Cast:
Ed:
DH(46)(Dad): Occupation: Police Lieutenant. Quick-tempered, strong-willed, and protective. Enjoys road biking, and watching TV, especially the Law & Order and the CSI shows. Favorite Character: Grumpy. (That really fits sometimes!)Tricia:
DD(11): Occupation: Sixth-grader. Bright, impatient, and outgoing. Enjoys reading several books at one time, playing soccer, and playing with her American Girl dolls. Favorite character: Tinkerbell. Billy:
DS(9): Autistic. Occupation: Special Ed student. Affectionate, noisy, and happy. Enjoys splashing in the pool, spinning, and DVDs: collecting them, categorizing them, watching them. Favorite character: a tie between Woody and Buzz. Aunt Rae:
AR(77): Eds aunt. Occupation: Spoiler of great-niece and great-nephew. Conscientious, fastidious, and sweet. Enjoys cleaning things that are already clean, eating out, and listening to music, especially Andrea Bocelli. Suffers from Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. (Think: elderly female "Monk") Favorite character: Cinderella.Kathy:
(43)(Mom): Occupation: RN. Messy, empathetic, and diplomatic. Enjoys old movies, talking on the phone (not texting), and DISing at every opportunity. Favorite character: Winnie-the-Pooh. Oh, and I do like honey in my tea!******************************
Eddie:
DSS(17), my stepson who lives in North Carolina, has opted not to join us this year. (You may recall he flew down and spent three days with us at Disney last year.) Just too much going on with school and extracurricular activities, I guess. Oh well. ******************************
The Accidental Co-Tourists:
About four months ago, I was over at my sister Marilyn's house and the subject of WDW came up. Shes really nuts about WDW, too. She had visited a few times before I ever had the chance, once being her honeymoon trip, but had not been back in several years. (Meanwhile, my family had been every year since 2003.) She was really itching to go back, but was a bit hesitant since her three girls, ages 4, 3, and 1yr. were so young.
She admitted to me that, despite any apprehension she felt about trying to do WDW with a diaper bag, strollers, and little ones who needed to nap, she had taken the plunge and booked a vacation package. She reasoned that if she waited for the baby to be big enough, the older ones would pass on through the prime Disney Princess phase
and it would be lost to her forever.She was both thrilled and concerned that she might have made a mistake; after all, she and my BIL had never been to WDW with even one small child, let alone three. I told her that I thought that bringing kids at any age was doable, as long as parents planned and toured accordingly. (The reason we had waited until the kids were older was more for financial reasons than anything else.)
So, when are you going, I asked, excited to be able to talk Disney with someone.
November, she replied. Hold on, let me check the calendar for the exact dates
November! I said with surprise. "We're going in November, too!" Well, thats a major coincidence! I wonder
Here it is. Were driving down to Florida, arriving on Saturday, the third. Well spend the weekend with Johns parents in Vero Beach, and then check into the Caribbean Beach Resort on my birthday, Monday the fifth, she looked up from her calendar and saw that my mouth had dropped about all the way down to my chest.
Marilyn, thats the same week that well be there! I practically shouted. Her eyes got as big as saucers.
Youre kidding! she shouted back, and we both began laughing excitedly. We called the kids into the kitchen and told them the incredible news: their mommies had planned their trips to WDW for exactly the same week without even knowing it!Wild, high-pitched little girl screaming erupted as my two older nieces jumped up and down with their cousin, Tricia. Were going to Disney together! Were going to Disney toether! they yelled. Baby Josie, who had been sitting in the high chair the entire time, caught the excitement of the others. Hah! Hah! Hah! she panted as she kicked her chubby legs wildly.
Billy, a bit startled at the sudden screaming of the girls, had run out of the kitchen with both hands covering his ears. He retreated to the relative calm of the family room and resumed playing with some of his cousins toys. His big sister sat down next to him and tried to explain the reason for all the fuss.
Billy, guess what? Emily and Beth and Josie are going to Walt Disney World when we are! she said. Billy did not acknowledge her. She tried again.
Billy, do you want to go to Walt Disney World with Emily and Beth and Josie?
No, no, no, he shouted. Go with Mommy and Daddy and Tricia and Aunt Rae!
>> Okay, take two:
Billy, she said, a slight hint of exasperation beginning to appear in her voice, Do you want to go with Mommy and Daddy and Tricia and Aunt Rae and Emily and Beth and Josie?
And Aunt Marlin, he grunted.
Yes, and Aunt Marilyn.
And Unca John.
Yes, Billy, and Uncle John, too, she rolled her eyes. Were all going together. Isnt that great?
Billy replied with a resounding, Yes! Then he got up and ran to the front door to get his sneakers. We go to Walt Disney World. Yes. Okay. He pulled on his sneakers and stood up.
Billy was ready to go! It took a few minutes for him to be persuaded that we were not leaving just yet! After a few tears, he forgot about his momentary disappointment with the help of lots of hugs from Mom and the distraction of his cousins attractive DVD collection.
And so now, because we will be meeting my sisters family for some character meals and parades, we will have a Supporting Cast:
Marilyn:
DSis(Turning 39 in the World) Avid scrapbooker. Favorite character: Cinderella.John:
DBIL(48) Big football fan. Favorite character: Aladdin.Emily:
DN (will be 6) Shy, soft-spoken. Favorite character: Ariel.Beth:
DN (4) Extroverted, fearless. Favorite character: Aurora.Josie:
DN (will be 2) Very happy baby. Born with a medical condition that causes her to be exquisitely sensitive to heat and the sun. Favorite character: Tinkerbell (as far as we can tell!)******************************
Its hard to tell any story that involves our family without first talking a bit about something that affects us all very deeply, and thats Billys autism.
Now, if you really, really want to know more backstory, I invite you to read my completed trip report from last years vacation, Adventures in Autism: WDW, before jumping into this one. (The link is in my signature, below.)
And if you would like to read more about Autistic Spectrum Disorders, the link to Cure Autism Now is: http://cureautismnow.org
**************************
Excerpted from my 2006 report:
Autism is a neurological or brain-based disorder that causes problems in cognition, communication, and social interaction. There are many symptoms and conditions associated with autism and it can be difficult to know that a child is autistic just by looking at him. Many people think of the Dustin Hoffman character in Rainman, but those savant characteristics are only shared by a few on the autism spectrum.
Billy attends a special school and receives speech, occupational, and physical therapy. He displays very poor eye contact, impaired conversational abilities, repetitive language and mannerisms such as hand flapping and sniffing objects. He has a degree of hyperactivity and poor attention span that makes it difficult to attend to an activity for more than a few moments without direction and supervision. He has a poor hand/finger grasp and has difficulty with handwriting and other small movements such as buttoning buttons and snapping snaps.
He constantly makes noise humming, singing, scripting pieces of dialogue from his favorite TV shows, and laughing. Big, boisterous belly laughs at nothing in particular. Usually at inappropriate times like in the middle of the homily (sermon) in church! Or, in the middle of watching a baseball game from the stands while others shout, Swing batter, batter! Billy will shout, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer! at the top of his lungs!
That one was pretty funny! In our house we call these moments "adventures in autism."******************************
The 2007 Update:
Billy has made some progress in the past year. At the age of nine, he is reading and doing math that is on an early 2nd grade level. His spontaneous language is increasing and he has begun to initiate play with his sister and his classmates. He sang a beautiful solo in the school art and music show!
Balancing his progress, however, are a number of concerns.
He continues to need lots of refocusing and verbal prompting to stay on task, both at home and at school. He increasingly breaks out into uncontrollable laughter and frequently gets distracted by the repetitive scripting in his head. His intense focus on DVDs and videos has slowly become more obsessive every room in our house looks like Monument Valley. Stacks of DVDs and videos are arranged on just about every surface. He groups them by artist, by subject, by when he received them (birthday gifts here, Christmas gifts there). DVDs and videos from the library are kept in separate piles. He is constantly pulling them out of the cabinets and we repeatedly have to get after him to put them away. Sometimes he violently refuses, and acts out by screaming and biting, especially if Ed is not home. We considered locking them all up, but upon reflection, we decided to try to work on the situation with behavioral interventions instead. It didnt work.
Several weeks ago I wanted him to come downstairs to brush his teeth and he insisted on carrying an armload of DVDs with him. I made him leave them in his room and he became very upset. As he was brushing his teeth, I got sidetracked with helping Tricia with something for school and he snuck upstairs, scooped up the DVDs (about ten or twelve of them), and proceeded to carry them downstairs to the bathroom.
Suddenly, I heard, a THUMP, THUMP, THUMP, and CRASH! There was Billy at the bottom of the stairs surrounded by DVDs, crying and holding onto his left arm. His wrist was swollen and when we brought him to the ER, sure enough, it was broken! For the next four weeks his arm was in a cast; a difficult thing for any nine year old, but it practically drove Billy crazy.
He picked and pulled at it so much that after two weeks, part of it was disintegrating and we had to bring him back to get his arm re-cast. He couldnt understand why he was not allowed to play on the swings and the slides at recess or play like the other kids during P.E. class. Thank goodness kids heal faster than we do!If he hadnt been obsessed with the DVDs and tried to carry so many down the stairs, Im convinced he wouldnt have had that accident. For me, it was the final straw.
We had always thought that we would try to manage Billys autistic symptoms without medication unless it was absolutely necessary. Now with the increase in OCD-type behavior at home and the increased need for re-focusing in school that was being reported by his teachers, we decided to have him evaluated by the school psychiatrist.
After the evaluation, the doctor did recommend medication for the obsessive-compulsive behaviors and we reluctantly decided to give it a try. Hes been on it for a few weeks now, and while its still too early to tell if it is helping, there has been one very wonderful development. I dont know if its the medication, and frankly, I really dont care. Because Ive waited for it for nine years......
"I love you, Mommy."
Its an unprompted declaration .not just something he echoes woodenly when I say it to him. He looks me in the eye, wraps his arms around my neck, and tells me that he loves me.
Every night Ive prayed. Ive wished upon a star. Please, God, make him ..a real boy.
"I love you, Mommy" is a beautiful start.
Kathy
I felt the same way.
Congrats and I am sure your going to have a blast in WDW this November, a great way to celebrate!
