So Far

... the rest of the household has avoided the puke bug.

The Boy has had quite a bit of make-up work from missing two days of school. We've gradually plodded through it, and he is just about finished.

My $700 fancy-schmancy-environmentally-friendly Fisher & Paykel washing machine quit again, mid-load as usual. We've had it four years and have had endless problems with it. The warranty is now over, so I suspect we will have to get a new washer. This time I am not going to let my darling techno-geek husband pick it out.

The kids and I spent a lot of yesterday at the inlaws' house doing laundry. While there, my son displayed some of his least appealing newest behavior developments. He is really into purposely annoying people. Even BB remarked (when I asked his opinion), "He gets a kick out of jacking with people." He is often grumpy and irritable with adults. For example, MIL asked him a simple question about if he was hot from riding his bike, and he just half-growled at her instead of properly answering her.

MIL suggested I "talk to someone who knows something about autism," so I called up my friend "L," who is a behavior consultant with the school district.

Our families know each other well, and she has spent a lot of time with my son. She asked me some questions, and we determined that he is just misbehaving, rather than having a worsening of his PDD-ish quirks. She suggested she was not even sure he would still be on the PDD spectrum if I had him formally evaluated. She said that he is so interactive and that is not really suggestive of PDD. I know she is telling me this as an informal friend thing, and she is not his doctor and all.... but it was good to hear anyway.

He definitely has issues. I don't doubt that. Sensory integration dysfunction is still alive and well in him. But what she said kind of correlates with the PDD assessment quiz that I have done about him on childbrain.com

In early 2004, when we first thought we had it, right before I took him to the psych, he rated solidly in the "Mild PDD" range. The last couple of times I've done it, the score has suggested "No PDD." He has been doing fine at school, so "L" and I both do not feel he needs more testing or evaluation. In short, he's just being a pain in the behind.


But she gave me some good ideas, stuff she uses with students. We're supposed to praise the heck out of the good behavior, ANY good behavior, even praise just a mere lack of bad behavior. And ignore the bad. That is hard, but so far punishing the bad has done nothing. I have tried spanking, time-outs, removing tv privileges, writing "I will not" sentences, all with no results. So, in the famous words of Uncle Bud in Urban Cowboy, "I'd piss on a spark plug if I thought it would help."

All that laughter and good cheer from the day....

is gone. My son just barfed all over his room right as I was about to go to bed.

The relatives we visited on Sunday announced they were just getting over a vicious stomach virus. It was too late to bolt out the door, so we hung out. Argh.

Anita, you asked...

This is the costume he will most likely get. I am too cheap to spring for the wig, but my dad says I can borrow his Marily Monroe wig. Ask BB why our dad has a Marilyn wig.

Funky Chicken

For the first time in YEARS, we're going to an adult Halloween party. Eddie was really fond of this chicken costume, but they don't make them for people who are 6ft 2. So sad. I was laughing so hard I was crying as he stumbled around the aisle in Target trying to get into this thing. A lady came around the corner behind him and watched, barely containing her laughter. Wonder what the security camera people thought?

Saturday and Sunday

Yesterday we made the yearly trek to the Great Pumpkin Patch. It was a gorgeous sunny day with a little less-than-usual humidity; downright pleasant by coastal Texas standards. The kids immediately picked out their fill of pumpkins. When they weren't looking, I took a few out of the shopping wagon and put them back, because no way did I plan to spend a whole lot of money. When they were done looking they played a bit in the bean bag toss area and we took more than a few photos.

Today we went to Eddie's half-brother's son's 1st birthday. We had not seen their family since last Christmas, so it was fun to get together. He lives about 75 miles from us, but the drive was pleasant and it did not seem to take that long. Since the kids had pigged out on hot dogs and cake I did not feel obligated to make a real dinner that they wouln't eat anyway. They got soup and grilled cheese, baths, and sent off to a fairly early bedtime.

An update

I haven't posted in awhile. For a couple of weeks I was mentally tied up in my parents' serious medical problems. I'd witnessed some pretty difficult things on one particular day, and just didn't have the heart to post anything that made sense without revealing too much. Also, about a month ago, I began having lots of headaches. Spending several days per week feeling lousy hasn't helped me post for sure.

My folks are in kind of a holding pattern medically speaking. We're just waiting to see what happens with the next doctor's appointment.

I had to give the dog another treatment with the good old hand sanitizer. Finally whatever disgusting thing that was in our yard has disappeared.

We have some good things coming up. Fall is my favorite time of year, because it reminds me of my wedding nearly 11 years ago on October 19. My son was born Oct 30, and his sister on November 3rd. It gets crazy for me, with two birthday parties in one week's time, along with Halloween treats for both of their classes, and birthday treats for both of them at school. And of course we have to fit in the evening of trick-or-treating too. At least this year I am not a room mother.

The weather is almost tolerable for being outside. This weekend we will do our annual pumpkin patch trip, where the kids pick out what they want and we drag it to the 'checkout' in a wheelbarrow. I also take LOTS of pictures.

This weekend Eddie is supposed to work nights, which means I see him for about one awake hour per day, and he is largely non-verbal. But we're going to a relative's birthday/swim party in Houston, so he's taken a little time off. It will be nice to break up 4 non-stop single parent days and nights for me.