Getting Back To Normal

Historically I am jumping for joy on the eve of Christmas vacation ending.  The boys go back to work and school tomorrow and our normal routine is back.  However this year I feel bad for the boys.  They sure did not get much of a vacation or break.  Starting when Bobby woke up with a temp over 104 degrees which lead to the next 9 days dealing with the flu...definitely not a fun way to spend a school break.  Ending with us not having electricity for most of New Year's day.

Bobby did have a couple of successes with his flu.  First, you may have to be a parent to appreciate this, Bobby made it to the toilet EVERY time he had to vomit.  A major mom victory!!  I didn't have to clean any carpet or floor!!  Now we can start thinking about changing the master bedroom carpet, which happened to be Bobby's vomit location of choice.  It is beyond disgusting.  Has more stains than any floor should be allowed to have.

Second, and the biggest success in our book, he remained seizure free throughout the high fever and sickness.  His first real test since we took him off of his seizure medication in July.

Third and final success...he didn't regress any skills.  This can be a big problem for kids with autism when they are sick, they loose skills that they have (talking, toileting, etc.).  They gain them back when they get better, but you hate to see these kids loose any skills.
Finally on Sunday, after being in the house for over a week, we got out for a little while and went to visit Grandma Carolyn.  It was great just to get out of the house other than just driving Bobby around so that he could "ride in car."

Monday, New Year's Eve day, we decided that we needed to get out of the house again.  Since it was snowy and cold our options of places to go was very limited.  We got in the car, headed north, and stopped off at the Washington, PA mall.  Bobby walked around the mall like a champ.

Daddy went into a store and Bobby and I continued our walk.  We had to go to Sears since Bobby has some odd Sears fascination.  When we got in the store he said "potty."  Thank you for telling me Bobby!!  Let's find the bathroom.  Indeed he did have to potty.

We left and met back up with Daddy.  When we got close to the food court, Bobby b-lined straight to a seat and sat down.  He looked at me and said "french fries."  OK, Mommy will go get you some french fries.  I left Bob and Bobby sitting in their seats and went to get some food.  When I got back Bob said that Bobby sat in his seat perfectly the whole time that I was gone and waited for his food.  Score Bobby!!  It is always a big challenge to eat out when we are not in a booth because Bobby doesn't sit well.  But today he was perfect!!!

When we were almost finished eating, Bob and I discussed the train that they have set up right in front of the food court for children to ride.  The mall was pretty empty and there were no kids around wanting to ride the train.  So, I went up and talked to the woman working the train and explained our situation.  She said that I could ride with him and she wouldn't charge us unless he rode.  

I went back and we cleaned up our area and then walked over towards the train.  Bobby walked right over with me and went in and sat down in a train car.  It was so nice, no line to wait in and she started it up as soon as we got in, we didn't have to wait for other kids to get locked in the cars.  Bobby and I were off riding in his first mall train ride.  No complaints or negative behaviors of any kind!!!  We rode 5 laps around the track, got out when the train stopped and she opened our door.  Bob paid and we walked off.  Not one negative behavior!!!!!!  Bob and I were so excited.  Bobby rode the train!!  These are the times when we know that we are special needs parents...when we are overjoyed that our 8 year old rode a toddler ride!!!  Bobby sat in his chair in the food court and ride a mall ride.  Baby steps that may lead to one day going to an amusement park.  Who knows!!!

When we got home we started preparing for our NYE "party."  The party consisted of a cake that Bobby could "blow the candles out...blow."  For some reason, he says this quote often.  He LOVES to blow the candles out.  Still doesn't eat the cake, but loves those candles.  Alright Bobby, if we are having a cake, you have to help Mommy make the cake!!!!

He really seems to enjoy dumping all of the cake ingredients into the bowl.  I get them ready, call him into the kitchen and he starts dumping!!!

I didn't go the the store to buy the number candles for the cake, so I melted a little chocolate in a zip lock bag, cut the corner off of the back and piped the numbers onto a piece of waxed paper.  I then sprinkles some of the icing sprinkles into the chocolate numbers and had some decorations for the cake.

Finally Bobby gets to "blow out the candles...blow" and he did it 3 times.  Happy 2013 Bobby!

We have been getting just a little bit more snow every day.  Of course, I had to take a couple of pictures.  These I took from the dry comfort of my front porch...

Looks like it isn't going to warm enough for quite a few days for the snow to melt.  I'm not gonna start complaining that I can't wait until summer (I need to keep repeating this to myself).  I hope that 2013 brings great things to Bobby's World!  Happy New Year everyone.