Mother's Day Weekend Fun

I've finally been on this autism journey long enough that I'm not bummed out on Mother's Day.  I am over the sadness of Bobby not acknowledging the day in any way.  I've accepted the fact that he isn't going to bring me breakfast in bed on Mother's Day morning or write me letters that say "I Love you very very very very very much" like I did for my mom when I was little.  I am more sure of how much he loves me, more than I am sure of anything in this world.  He shows me how much he loves me and needs me everyday.  He wants Mommy to lay down with him at night, he wants me to take care of his basic needs because Mommy does it right!!!

Bobby's wonderful teacher makes sure that he helps in making me a Mother's Day present every year and he also helps to make me a card in school.   So naturally I look to Daddy to make sure that my actual Mother's Day is special and he rises to the occasion.  This year he got me a gift that I cannot wait to open!!  It's not here yet, but it is the process.

10 years ago, right before Bobby was born, Daddy got me a gift that I was super excited about...a camcorder.  This camcorder recorded onto mini DV's, they look like miniature VHS tapes.  I video taped everything since Bobby and I were home all day together.  I managed to get all of his firsts...rolling over, sitting up, first steps, birthday's, Christmas's and just everyday living.  Alas, the camcorder broke a few years ago and Daddy upgraded my ability to document all of our family moments when he bought me a much better quality digital camera as a Christmas gift.  We have no ability to watch our home movies on all of these tapes, so Daddy is having them transferred to DVD for me for my Mother's Day gift.  As soon as they get here, I am going to binge watch my baby boy growing up!!!

My plan for Saturday of Mother's Day weekend.....lay around in my pajama's and watch tv all day. Perfect way to spend a rainy day.  Bobby had other plans.  All we heard all day long was, "Grandma house."  Daddy said to see if Grandma would watch Bobby and he would take me out to dinner.  Plan made, we took Bobby to visit his Grandma and he got his wish of playing at Grandma's house. Mommy and Daddy got out for a date night....Happy Mother's Day to me!!!!

We went to the Boston Beanery at Tygart Lake State Park.  We had a nice drive to get there and the rain held off for our dinner.  It's so nice to have a kid free meal when someone is asking you if you want/need anything else.  Perfect Mother's Day treat.  We even got a meal to go and took it home to Grandma as a thank you for watching Bobby.

After we got back home, I put on my pajama's, stretched out on the couch and watched a Mother's Day movie on the Hallmark Channel with NO complaining from my beloved husband.  Bobby however, at bedtime came and put his face right into mine and said "TIME FOR BED!!"  OK Bobby, I get it, you love me, you need me, yadda yadda yadda.  I laughed and took him to bed....Hallmark movie time is over!!

Before we left Grandma's house I asked her what she would like me to make her for dinner to celebrate Mother's Day with her.  Saturday was my day and Sunday was about my mom.  She thought about it for a minute and decided that she wanted a roast with mashed potatoes and gravy.  What Momma wants, Momma gets!!  Bobby and I got up early Sunday morning and headed off to the grocery store to get the supplies to make Grandma's special dinner.

 Smelling the milk to make sure that it is ok!!  Yes Bobby, we do need some milk for the mashed potatoes and gravy.  We will get the small one for you and a regular size to cook with.

He's so helpful pushing the cart.

Later in the morning after the roast was in the crock pot, all of my paperwork for Bobby's waiver was complete, and I had showered and dressed, we headed out again.  This time we went to Lowe's to get a plant to go with Grandma's gift.  FYI, Lowe's is NOT on Bobby's list of places that are acceptable. However, we were just going to the garden section, so it raised the acceptability level...a little.

This was so funny/curious that I had to get out my phone and snap a couple of pictures.  Bobby would run to this spot and look at the doors that lead into the store.

 He would stop dead in his tracks as soon as the doors opened and he would stare into the store.

 He so much wanted to go inside, but just couldn't make himself walk through the doors.

Instead he would turn around and run back to his starting point then run back to the door and look inside.  These are the times that I would totally love to have a glimpse into his brain.  What is keeping him from running into the store??!!!  

We then went home ate lunch and got Bobby changed for the next part of our day.  Sunday wasn't all about Grandma, it was a little about Bobby too.  He had a swim class at the YMCA. We picked up Grandma on the way so that she could watch the kids swim too.

At the end of the class they had a photographer come in and take a group picture of the kids and their helpers.

After the class, we came home and I finished out dinner that I had started in the morning.  Roast, mashed potatoes, corn on the cob, salad.  Yum yum, good call Grandma.  I bought a cake, I just knew that there wasn't any more time in the day to actually bake one.  We had to blow out some candles as Bobby's signal that we are having a celebration.

After the cakes was eaten and the dishes were washed, we took a drive and turned in Bobby's paperwork.  Grandma then went home and I put on my pj's and finished out the rest of Mother's Day laying on the couch.....however, it was after 8 pm by the time that this occurred.  

10 years ago on Mother's Day, I was in the hospital waiting to have my Mother's Day baby.  Even then, Bobby had different plans.  I went home a couple of days later without a baby, he just wasn't ready to be born and went back a few days later.  I can't even believe it, my baby is going to be 10 years old in one short week.  I have been a mother for 10 years.  Wow, time really does fly!! 

It's Getting Easier!!!

After Bobby outgrew a stroller and shopping cart, taking him with me was.....well, exhausting.  In no way whatsoever was taking Bobby to any store fun.  At the beginning of last summer, working on Bobby's shopping skills was one of my main goals.  His behavioral therapist even came out with us to the mall to help develop some shopping strategies.

I'm so excited to say that each time that we have gone out it has been just a little easier.  In fact, the past 3 times that we have gone into a store, I have not had to hold on to Bobby in any way.  I never, ever, never, ever dreamed that this would be the case.

Because today is a snow day and the roads cleared off early, I decided to take Bobby to the grocery store to work on one of his waiver goals (Title XIX Waiver are the services that Bobby receives through the state).  Today's goal, Bobby is to locate 3 items from a list to purchase.  I didn't have picture cards with me, I wasn't really planning on this little trip today, I was planning on him being in school.  Instead, I verbally told him what to find.

First up "bananas," he went right over to the bananas, picked up a bunch and placed them in the basket that I was carrying.  Next "apples," again he went right over and found them.  I got a bag that I knew that he would actually eat.  He doesn't realize that Mommy squeezes all of the apples to find the most firm because Bobby won't touch an apple that is the least bit soft.  Next on our list, "pretzels." These are in the health food section of the store because they are a gluten free variety, he went right over and found the hole where they belong.  Someone bought all of the Snyders Gluten Free Honey Mustard pretzels, of all the nerve!!!!  He picked up the Hot Buffalo Wing flavored instead.  He hasn't tried them yet, but my guess is that he will like them, if he doesn't I'm sure Daddy will.

He already made his goal of finding 3 items!!  Whoo Hoo!!  Since he was doing so well, Mommy pressed on.  I also realized that there weren't many people in the store, so I got out my phone and started snapping some pictures.

Next on our list, "bacon."

Hey, wait a minute, that's not bacon!!!  He studied this shelf for a while.

No, you can't have the family sized Cheetos.  Try again!!!

Yes, you may have a regular sized bag of plain.  He gently placed it in the basket like it was a new born baby!!  OK Bobby, now find the bacon!

He walked right over to the bacon section and picked up a package of center cut Oscar Myer bacon, the only kind that Bobby will eat.  However, he picked up thick cut and I swapped it out for regular sliced because he won't eat the thick.  Oh Bobby, you are such a complicated eater!!!

Next on the list, "french fries."

I didn't even have to tell him which aisle, he went straight to the correct case.  I just stood back to see what he would do.

 He opened the door and pulled out the one that he wanted....waffle fries.

He walked over and put into into the basket.

He then walked to the cashier with me and stood nicely until he realized that the crackers were right behind us.  He ran over and picked up a box of Cheeze Its, I put them back and told him he already had a treat, potato chips.  He was fine and came to the cash register with me.  Waited while I paid and he carried the bag of apples to the car and I carried the other two bags.  He opened his car door, got in and we went home.

I honestly didn't foresee a future where Bobby could walk independently through a store.  Ahhhhh, it's getting easier.

Grocery Shopping With Bobby

Yesterday afternoon I had to run a couple of errands.  Grandma Carolyn came over for a visit and decided to come with us.  The last errand was to stop at the grocery store for a couple of things.  By the way...I HATE to do this chore with Bobby along.  However, he is never going to learn how to do this without being taught and having repeated exposure.

I was driving through Sabraton after dropping of my paperwork at CCIL and decided to stop at the Kroger since Bobby had never been to this grocery store and didn't have a predetermined route in his head that we must follow.

The first hurdle was getting him through the front door.  I had to push him through the door with everything I had, which lead to a second door that I had to push him through.  YEAH!!  We made it in.

All in all, Bobby did a great job!  He does so much better if he is the one to push the shopping cart.  However, he isn't the best at steering, so I have to make constant adjustments.  Grandma wanted to get some pictures on her phone of Bobby shopping in the store (does this make you wonder where I get my picture sickness???).  She got ahead of us while we were getting Bobby's yogurt and snapped some pics...

We ran into a teacher from Bobby's school right here.  She was as excited to see Bobby out shopping as a typical kid would be to run into a teacher out in the community.  Bobby, however, was no fazed at all by seeing her.

Wouldn't you know it, they don't have Bobby's brand of yogurt!!  Mommy had to help look for something similar.

OK Bobby, this is a smooth, banana flavored yogurt...let's try this one.

He put it in the cart and now off to find his English muffins.

He exited the two sets of doors with no problem.  After all, the car is in the parking lot and he LOVES to ride in the car.  Plus we had Grandma Carolyn's car and that makes it even BETTER!!!  As for the yogurt, he dipped an apple slice, a french fry and even tried to use a spoon...but we found it in the garbage can a little later.  He tried it again for a bedtime snack and....threw it away.  Guess there is a trip to Walmart in my near future to get the appropriate yogurt.  Ahhhhh, the joys of selective eating!!