Crafty

I'm sure anyone who checks here is infinitely curious about how I spend my spare time. Lately I have been beading things.

I find some humor in today's project . . . I made this clip and tacked it on to the window frame near where I sit at the kitchen table. Not shown in the photo is that I have clipped Thane's meal session chart to the bottom of it. Hopefully this will save the chart from future food wars, but you never know with Thane!


I also made a long memo holder for near the door. I guess it would look better if it wasn't on unfinished sheetrock, but honestly there are some things that bother me about it anyway and I have to resist re-stringing it.



I am going to do some work with sea glass, possibly something to donate for Braeden's school's auction in May. I don't tend to have a ton to offer for that kind of thing, so this may be worth a try. I've also imported some beads from Hong Kong and from the Czech Republic to use in some elaborate ceiling bead-art. I suppose I should take a photo of my office ceiling and my kitchen as well. My favorite in the kitchen right now is that we have three glass star lanterns. Thane likes to count them . . . una, dos, tres, waffle, cinco!

Fussin' An' A-Feudin'

The first musical theater production of the school year was delayed a bit because the new theater building on campus was completed a month later than expected. The children performed only six days after the construction was completed (after which Dave suggested to the school that they add a balcony and they are considering it!). Anyway, the pictures in the collage below are video camera stills and the lighting wasn't very good (they also don't have a light bar yet), but I figure it is still fun. Braeden is the conductor walking by on the top left.

The Hat Makes a Dave

Thane decided he wanted to go to school today – problem is that it was a holiday. Braeden did have school, further confusing the issue. So Thane then decided he wanted to at least go somewhere. Dave needed to go to the Union Farm Equipment to get back the wheel that fell off when he was plowing last week, so he figured he would just take Thane over there.

Thane told “Daddy” he needed a hat, and was showing him that there was one hanging off a lamp post in the sunroom. Dave grabbed a different one and put in on, to which Thane said, “Now Daddy turned into Dave!”

I giggled as I heard this, but then he still wanted that hat from in the sunroom. They went down in, Thane climbed on a bench and got the hat down. He put it on his head and said, “Now I’m Dave!”

Then Dave and Dave went to the tractor shop, which seemed somehow appropriate.

They came home with a tire and a red fire truck.

Thane's Thoughts

I've gotten good at stealing the computer from Mama, but usually it is so I can play computer games! This time it is because Bryce decided he wanted to know more about my whacky and wild ways. He tagged me in his post on Altering Life by Holding it Still.

These are the rules . . .

Make a list of eight random facts/habits about yourself.

At the end of the list, choose eight people to tag and list their names.

Leave them a comment on each of their websites to let them know that they have been tagged.

The people tagged will write a post on their own website about their eight things, post these rules, and tag eight others.

1) I'm adorable. I'll even tell you so.

2) My favorite videos right now are Blues Clues, Dora, Diego, Backyardigans and Wonder Pets.

3) My temper is a little out of control because I don't like my new teaching plan too much. I think Mama likes it even less. She fell asleep in her recliner after lunch and before snack. Shhhhh. I think I am too much for her some days!

4) I have mastered the big-eyed, blinking, "Pweeeeeeeeeeze" and use it often to get Mommy to play computer games with me. I like to sit on the armrest with my head on her shoulder. When she got annoyed with the computer, I rubbed her shoulder and said, "Don't worry Mama, we'll fix it. I pwomise."

5) I really like to line things up. They don't have to be the same thing like all cars or anything. On my birthday, I lined up my horses, Pat-Pat Rocket, and my cars after opening the gifts.

6) I will only sleep in bed if I have my 8-pound Wiggles blanket over my head. Hiding around the bed is Diego, Dora, and two Tiggers that I call Mommy Jaguar and Baby Jaguar. It bothers me that I can't see sister Alicia on Diego's watch.

7) There are a lot of things I can't have these days. I can't have nice. I can't have good-bye when it is time for my parents to leave me at preschool. I can't have lunch. I can't have snack. I probably say I can't more than any other four-year-old in the world. Oh, but I also thought I couldn't have four, but the calendar disagreed so here we are!

8) When I am excited, I am very, very loud. I scream and bounce up and down like my feet are springs. I laugh in a giddy-happy way. I also flap my hands. Don't worry! You will always know when I am excited!!!

I'll have to visit the blogs to tag them tomorrow, but I will post my choices . . . I tag Tucker and Pepper at Jettison Junk, Aviva at The Ups & Downs of Our Life, Kevin, Patrick and Ryan at the O-Ville, Becky and Carly at One Silly Mama.

Just Try to Picture This

Now that we have two+ feet of snow on the ground, it is time for the annual January thaw. Bleh. It was really, really foggy when we left the house this morning at 7:30 for our first day back to school. Braeden and I were in the car waiting for Dave to bring Thane. He usually carries him out as he is reluctant to go anywhere at that hour. This morning I was trying to point out to Dave that he seemed to forget the short one, but then he steps aside and I see my bed-headed boy for the first time since he woke up. He was dressed in a brown shirt that is one of the 2-in-1 with a brown t-shirt and brown and white striped arms. Then he is wearing orange camo fleece pants that L.L. Bean put on sale the day after Christmas. Then, in his hands, Blue, the bright blue puppy, and her baby brother, Sprinkles (white puppy with a rainbow of stripes). I have to say the monsterous combination of color on a totally foggy morning was just too cute. Both Braeden and I looked at him and announced he was cute! I wish I could have taken a picture as it really was adorable!

Can’t Have Nice

Thane woke up earlier this morning earlier than he had been – which is a good thing considering he should have been at school and I am just taking off until Monday because Braeden is off until then. He gave me fits about getting dressed. He threw something at me, which made me jump funny, and made my lower back hurt on the left side. Gee, thanks! I really needed that.

He got mad and started to do the whole “I mad! I stomp!” routine, which is at least very funny if not useful. But it was going to include a door slam, so I reminded him he needed to be nice to the door. “I CAN’T HAVE NICE!!!!!!!” SLAM! So, I wait it out. He stomps around for a good 10 minutes repeating that “I can’t have nice!” and “No way!” I tackle him and get his shirt on, walk off, and start making breakfast for everyone.

It’s time for our lovely morning behavioral therapy session – otherwise known as eating in most households, but this is totally unnatural so the therapist calls it sessions. As I get things on the table, the oil truck shows up. Just what I needed was to be undressed, serving breakfast at 10 a.m., and to have the oil guy show. I said to Braeden that we’d just hide and let him leave the bill – another $500 down the drain (then it was “only” $298, but I think he came a week early just to get my goat).

”I can’t have breakfast!” Nope, sorry, you will eat, I lift him with my aching back and put him in his chair. I guard against food tossing and drink spilling until we reach our goal, though with an X for lack of compliance. I failed too as I realized as I was doing it that I didn’t fully “prompt” right or “prompt fade” correctly. Luckily there is no score sheet for mommy, but she still knows she blew it.

I took a shower and did some chores and then went to have snack a little early since I need to condense meals a bit because breakfast was supposed to happen before 9. That goes OK . . . he didn’t finish, but what he had chosen wasn’t something he typically finishes (which is a whole other issue, I mean the child eats half a grape, just the puffy part of the popcorn, no crust but won’t touch it if it is crustless, etc., etc.)

Lightning McQueen was missing – he was thrown into the ravine behind the couch (a sectional that is bolted together). We use a “magic stick” to retrieve it. Then he gets mean and tosses it at Braeden who is reading a book in the kitchen. Braeden takes it and says he will return it when Thane apologizes. “I NO HAVE SORRY!” After he extracts an adequate apology from Thane, Braeden tells him he needs to be nice. Oy, not again . . . apparently the wrong choice of words . . . “I CAN’T HAVE NICE!!!!!!” and he wings Lightning as hard as he can at the glass-top range that is still pretty new. I haven’t really had the nerve yet to check for damage. Lightning just missed the fairly new stainless dishwasher after hitting the stove. Thane ran around to the other side of the kitchen island to grab the car and was looking like he was going to try again, I grabbed his hands, took Lightning and put him in an activity time out. Thane started screaming so hard that Braeden and I just watched him turn red and then purple. He screamed a good 10 minutes (length of timeout for throwing a toy).

I think Braeden is trying to make sure Mommy doesn’t get too stressed as he is old enough to know she doesn’t always recover well from morning terrors, so he is playing with little bro upstairs – they are making a fort, reading books, and have been up there for a half hour.

Traditional New Year's Sledding

We have a bit of a family tradition of sledding on the New Year . . . as long as there is snow. Yesterday was a slightly different issue as there was actually too much snow, even before another eight inches or so fell on last night. Thane also got to start the new year with a snow day today. Braeden doesn't start again until Monday, January 7.




Braeden first tackled his little brother and tried to cover him in snow. After being redirected from that endeavor, he launched a snowball at Mist. She doesn't tend to mind!


I always think it is funny to watch her hang out collecting snow all over her head and back.


I have to say I like the big snowflake in the middle of Thane's nose. He looks so cute all bundled up. It's amazing that a child who used to hesitate before walking from carpet to wood now plays in the snow!


Braeden, being Braeden, was looking to make the largest possible snowball to get Daddy with. Poor Dave is such a target to these children! Yet it doesn't stop him from packing down a sled run for the kids.


Mist likes to run circles around him and leave holes in the run. What a helpful dog! She also howls at him and tries to get Dave to play.


I joke we need a snowmobile just for making the sled run down the front lawn. Dave turned to snow shoes and my mind's voice was singing "Stomp, stomp, stomp, we're stomping that Yeti stomp" like Pablo from the "Backyardigans."

Thane decided to wander off toward the driveway as he didn't want to wait any longer.


Sometimes it is best not to try to go over the embankment, as sometimes you end up inside it. When you're now much taller than the snow, it can be very hard to get yourself out again . . .


Which means you have to wait for Daddy the Yeti to stomp over in his snow shoes and rescue you.


Braeden, again being so totally Braeden, decides to go over to the same area and try to encase himself in snow.


Finally! The boys get to start sledding. Unfortunately they left at least one sled out there, so who knows when that will be seen again.

Happy New Year!

I've been meaning to post our holiday card, but haven't been on the right computer. If you click the photo you can see it larger. The images span December 29, 2006 to December 3, 2007.

We wish everyone a very happy, healthy 2008!

Decorating the Tree

Thane's 4!

After weeks of “I can’t have a birthday” and “I can’t have four,” Thane celebrated his birthday pretty happily, despite his birthday being postponed on account of snow.

The big surprise for our family was that Thane decided to join us at the table and frost his own cake. I have some shaky video of his first lick of frosting, and the way he cringed and said “No way!” when we asked if it was good. I thought he might lose it, but he is gaining so much control of hi s gag reflex.



He really enjoyed blowing out the candles. In fact, we had to light them a couple of times so he could do it more than once.




He also enjoyed opening his presents. The biggest hit was the Pat Pat Rocket that Karen and Wayne managed to get for us while they were in stock at a Target in Biddeford. Of course, it is easy for me to say it was worth the effort because I didn’t do the work! Seriously, though, Thane really loves it and Karen tested it for lead before she mailed it. If you look at the picture, which also shows one of his new horses, he is actually moving a character up the stairs into Rocket. It may not seem like much, but it actually shows something pretty major a little guy on the autism spectrum!


My biggest laugh comes from my warped sense of humor. Dave didn’t put S’Mores together beforehand, so check him out screwing in the batteries. This wins for my obscene toy photo of the year. When Braeden was in Montessori, we were doing a 4th of July Parade and Dave was inflating Uncle Sam. The air inlet was . . . guess where?


And, in case that photo of Dave wasn’t silly enough, check him and Braeden (and Dora) out wearing mini Bilibos.


Last is a not so great photograph of Thane’s cake at his birthday party. The back story on the cake is that I finished baking it and let it cool on a rack – first getting a nice grid pattern in the top of one half of the cake. I figured that would be the bottom. I put the cake on a pan and started frosting it. It seemed to be going well until I put the top layer on. As I was frosting it I realized that it was really rather lopsided. I am not sure how it happened, but I was grumbling in my mind about my ugly cake. Thane walks in and in his charming and very breathy way said, “Wow! It’s perfect!”

After I started writing on it, Braeden decided he wanted to come in and help. His initial idea was to use white to make a symbol that it wasn’t for children under three. He decided instead to go around it. Thane came in and decided he wanted to do the red. In fact, he wanted to use all the red. I figured I should let it all go . . . besides, who would notice the fact that the cake is lopsided when it had kid graffiti all over it?!? They were happy! And everyone enjoyed eating it . . . other than Thane.


Another amazing thing to see is that the boy next to Thane with the blower is six months older. At one point he was close to six inches taller than Thane and 15 pounds heavier. Nothing makes it more obvious that Thane is no longer Failure to Thrive than seeing him next to a peer! He sure has changed a lot in so many ways!

All right, I have one more. The dog just looks cute under the tree.

A Gift for Santa

Thane makes me smile a lot lately. Today he saw that I had purchased a small Santa for someone. He was interested in it, so I told him I had a different one for him. I pulled out a little musical Santa with a gift box. He jumped back when it started singing, but he warmed up quickly and opened the box. There was nothing in it as I had planned to use it on Christmas, so he ran to go find a present for Santa. He tried several little cars until he found the right one. He also spied the reindeer in the bag, so he pulled it out and had it say “Hello, Santa.” Santa replied, “Hello, Deer!” Maybe you had to be there, but I was totally charmed!

Snow Day!

These photos were taken late afternoon on Monday – about mid-way through our snow accumulation of 14-15 inches total. It’s funny because two towns to the south there is only about six inches, and two towns to the north about eight, but we have a bit more elevation around here than a lot of coastal towns.

Thane had no school on Tuesday either because most places had a 2-hour delay. Around noon he started asking for his “Snow Soup.” It took me a minute to figure out he meant his snowsuit as I would have never thought he wanted to get bundled up like that on purpose. Luckily his big brother was willing to take him out afterschool because I wasn’t really up for having to chase him through that much snow!

Heard Around

“Good job, Bwaeden! You’re a hero!”

“I wuv you,” from Thane without saying it first.

“Mama, mama, I peed in the potty! I so so big!”

Upon seeing a Santa getting into a Ford: “Where is Santa’s sweigh? Where is the sweigh? Where does Santa go? Santa goes to the North Pole!”

And the funniest in awhile, complete with arms crossed, puffy pout, and stomping. “I mad! I stomp! One, two, three four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen, fifteen, sixteen, seventeen, eighteen, nineteen, twenty, twenty-one, twenty-two, twenty-three, twenty-four, twenty five, twenty-six, twenty-seven” pause “twenty, twenty-one, twenty-two, twenty-three, twenty-four, twenty five, twenty-six, twenty-seven, twenty-eight, twenty-nine, twenty-ten” pause, look at fingers, see everyone else laughing and give up being mad.

Catching Up A Bit

Life has been a bit busier than usual around here. Wait a minute! How could that be? Well, somehow it has happened.

First, we have been working on cleaning up our house and yard a bit better. It is actually making some progress, slowly. I think my friend Kim will be coming once every week or two to help us out, which will be good now that we are no longer having developmental therapy at home or many home visits over the next month or two from anyone.

Dave’s parents came to visit. That totally thrilled Braeden – he liked having people to pay more attention to him. He’s actually harder in that respect than Thane as he always wants people to play or do something with. Grammy got to play lots of games, go ice skating, etc. Thane knew who they were, and even hugged them when they came. He didn’t pay a ton of attention to them while they were here, but he paid more than I really expected . . . and he was regulating himself well. He didn’t let himself get too upset – if he had to go do his thing, he did. The 5-hour drive is a bit uncomfortable for them, but I haven’t really figured out how to travel well with my machines.

Thane has been cute. I was sitting at the kitchen table with Braeden having a talk, and Thane came out and said “Hand.” I gave him my hand, he grabbed it, started shaking, and said “Nice to meet’cha Mama!” Braeden and I started laughing because he was just so adorable. I assumed he learned it from school, but I think it was actually from one of the series two Signing Time! videos.

Along with worrying about him not learning the potty, which he did as quickly as any neurotypical child, I was worried he would have trouble learning letter sounds since he knows the letter names. Again, courtesy of a video (Leap Frog), he learned all the sounds in a day or two. But that brings me to our latest discussions about his behavior. The analyst suggested that he doesn’t have trouble generalizing, but rather than he over-specifies, which appears common in autism spectrum disorders. I think people have a tendency to think that with all his delays and early intervention that Thane probably isn’t all that intelligent. I, on the other hand, think a lot of his “issues” could serve him well. His powers of observation are excellent. His memory is absolutely amazing. His He sticks with things, opens his eyes wide, and really challenges himself to understand (he also just put his undies on his head, but that’s another story!). Perhaps his ability to look at things differently than most of us will help him find the key to something that needs figuring out . . . and his ability to completely tune-out naysayers would actually come in handy!

I’m doing the newsletter for Braeden’s school now, so that is a new challenge of the variety I generally enjoy. I am finding out that my carpal tunnel doesn’t like handwriting much – the computer is actually better. I am also trying to help out with public service activities at Thane’s school, including freezing plates of food for elderly people. We helped out with the Thanksgiving drive, and will help with the Christmas activities as well. I have everything wrapped for Chanukah – and Thane can say the word this year! His speech is so different. He has a lot more scripts that he uses well, but he also is using more original speech so it really wouldn’t stand out to anyone who doesn’t spend a lot of time with him.

Thane just went in and told Dave, “You’re you!” and he likes to say “Yay! You found you!” Maybe he knows we’re lost while we don’t!

I guess that’s all for now. No one would want to read these long messages!

Skates, Trains & Portraits

I got to see Braeden’s school portraits this week – the child is such a ham. I was prepared not to like them because I rarely like portraits, so I waded through photos of a bunch of the other kids I know at school . . . and some where I really wanted to put a picture with a name. There were serious pictures, smiling pictures, and pictures posed against or in trees. Then I looked at Braeden’s. His black-and-white pictures got me calling for Dave to come check them out. He was making faces. My favorite resembles Edvard Munch’s The Scream. I didn’t see anything else like that. He has a future as a clown, I think. I know I should post them after talking about them, but I don’t want to violate the copyright.

On Thursday, Braeden is a train conductor in the play “Fussin’ an’ A-Feudin’” at his school. We have a babysitter for Thane lined up and we’re hoping to have some fun. I wish it was earlier in the week as I have noticed that I am very out of energy by the time Thursday rolls around.

Today Braeden advanced levels in ice-skating. He was pretty happy and proud. He passed on being in the parade at Christmas-by-the-Sea this evening, but he is planning to skate as one of Santa’s elves on Friday night. I have to say that I have always thought he looked a bit like an elf – a Santa’s elf, not a Tokien elf.

Potty Learning

Well, it looks like we're good to go in underwear now . . . though Thane has a rash on backside from unknown origin. It may be from cranberry. He hadn't had any in awhile, and then had a fair amount of it two days in a row. It was the only part of Thanksgiving Dinner that he ate (tmenhough he tolerated other items on his plate without vomiting or fussing, so that's pretty major!).

We met the behavior analyst on November 15th. He suggested we use a timer and have Thane use the potty every 20 minutes. If he didn't go at 20, then try again in 10, and then at 5 minute intervals until he went or had an accident. We were supposed to show disappointment if he messed himself, and cheer on successes and give a reward (we chose gluten-free gummy worms and bears). He did very well through the morning, but got angry about the process in the afternoon and had some bowel accidents. As luck would have it, he was having some issues with his bowels, which sure didn't help us any. But on day two he had no accidents and we could move to a 30, 15, 7.5, then 5 minutes schedule. Bowels were the only thing holding him back from stretching the schedule further until Thursday.

I was getting worried about him running to the potty every time an alarm sounded as it was obvious from day one that the timer was a big influence. He ran and left the table when it went off in the middle of dinner. He was also going in between timers whenever he needed, so it seemed like he understood the concept.

Mid-day Thursday, before all the Thansgiving timers went off, we stopped using his timer and let him self-regulate. No problems that day or Friday. Today we had one accident related to bowel trouble, so again I feel like that is really to be expected given his celiac disease and general tummy issues.

I have to say that Thane continues to amaze us. He has made so many changes and come so far one would hardly know he is the same child. This went so smoothly after the first day, when I was hormonally compromised and shouldn't have chosen that day to start anyway!

My favorite quote for the week is that I said, “Thane, you’re beautiful.” He replied, “Yes, I beautiful. And I big!”

Safe Toys

With the holidays approaching, and Thane's fourth (gasp!) birthday, I've been putting a lot of thought into what to purchase. I am very reluctant to buy toys made in China because we just don't need that kind of risk. One of the blogs I visit has been developing a lead-free toys list for awhile now and it is very helpful.


We seem to have a taste for German toys around here such as Playmobil and Bruder, but I am having little luck finding a rocket for Thane.

There is also a toy giveaway going on throughout the month of November. This week it is a wooden tool chest from Natural Pod. They have a bunch of stuff that looks cool.

Trick-or-Treating Terrorist & Monkey

Treats from School

Thane's SLP-A made treat bags for all the children in his class. Thane didn't really understand it at school, so I took pictures of him checking it out and made her a card. He was so cute about it. He was very excited to find a smooshed grape fruit leather and asked me to open it immediately so he could eat it. He drank his organic apple juice right afterward. She very clearly went for healthy treats that were safe for his allergies and intolerances, which I thought was extra nice. There was also a homemade book in it which he's already gone through several times.

I'll post more on our Halloween tomorrow. I'm tired! You can click on the picture to make it larger.

Happy Halloween!

Nap and Silly

I hate that there are so many “that was cute, I have to write that down moments” in a day that I am left scratching my head and wondering what it was that had me laughing so hard during OT. I guess it will come to me at some point and hopefully I can write it down then.

There are two cute things I can remember from yesterday, other than this photo of Thane napping in what I consider my chair . . . he was singing a lot yesterday, including:

“Row, row, row your boat
Gently down the stream
Merrily, merrily, merrily . . . merrily, merrily
life is but a dream”

Then Dave didn’t something and Thane said:

“Don’t worry, Daddy, I’ll help you.
I’ll help you fix it. We’ll make it better!”

Thane drags his potty chair over to in front of Dave, climbs up onto it, lifts Dave's shirt up and rubs Dave's stomach with his hands.

“There! All better, Daddy.”

Colorful Backyard

Some photos from around our backyard showing some autumn foliage.