Pajama Day

Today is Pajama Day at school.  For most kids this is a fun way to get ready for the holidays.  For kids with autism, this can be a stressful way to start the day.  After all, we are breaking the rules.  You DON'T wear pajamas to school, you wear them to bed!!!!  In the past, getting Bobby out of the house in his pajamas has been a little bit of a struggle, today he was great.  One thing that I did different this year, he had never worn these pajamas before.  They were an early Christmas present from Grandma Carolyn, which I kept up for this particular event.  I definitely didn't want to start the day frustrated because something that was supposed to be fun turned into a minor meltdown.  Crazy I know, that a parent has to pre-plan a way to make pajama day stress free!! 

It's crucial that your pajamas and your backpack match!!

Letting the iPad do the talking!!!

Countdown to Christmas

We are finally in the home stretch, just one week left to get everything finished for the big day.  I started making a couple of Christmas cookies this morning.  I found a cute peanut butter reindeer cookie to take with us this evening to our first Christmas dinner of the season at Uncle Chris and Aunt Tiffany's house.  Since it was so extremely easy (and cute), I thought that I would share.

I took store bought peanut butter cookie dough (the break apart kind) and cut each cookie dough round in half.  I then shaped it into a triangular shape and baked at 350 for 12 minutes (I wanted a crunchy cookie to be able to hold up to the decrations when it was picked up). 

While the cookies were baking, I got the decorations ready.  You need two chocolate covered pretzels, one red and two green mini M&M's.  When the cookies come out of the oven, move the cookies with the parchment onto the counter or cutting board.  I left one batch on the warm cookie sheet while I decorated the cookies and the chocolate pretzel melted from the heat and didn't stick to the cookie.  I found that 4 on each baking sheet was the right amount to work on at one time for me.  I full dozen at a time would not give you enough time to decorate before the cookies cooled too much.

The finished product-cute and easy reindeer. 

Bobby's hanging out under the tree making sure that there is enough room for his all of his presents from Santa.  Hope that all of your holiday preparations are not wearing you out too much!!  Merry Christmas.

Santa visits Playworks

When we pulled in the PlayWorks parking lot, Bobby was excited to go in.  We hadn't been in this building since May before his therapy was moved to PlayWorks 2.  He went in and played on the slide for a couple of minutes...

Then steadily other children started showing up to play and wait for Santa's arrival and Bobby was in no mood to be with other children today.  He tried and tried to have someone give him his shoes and leave the building.

Finally managed to keep him there long enough for Santa's arrival and to get his picture taken with Santa.

Grandma Carolyn took Bobby for a ride while I stayed and helped take some pictures.  When they came back, I got in the car and we stopped for lunch at Chick 'fil A.  Bobby was happy again and did a great job sitting and eating (if you disregard the fact that he stole a french fry off of someone's tray on the way to his seat)!  Oh what a kid!!

Don't Call CPS

Attention neighbors...if you heard Bobby yesterday afternoon, I wasn't beating him, just trying to cut his hair!!!!  Next time I think I'll call the doctor and get myself some valuim first!! 

Actually he wasn't quite that bad.  Close!  Each time it gets a tiny, tiny, tiny bit easier.  He did better with the clippers than with the scissors, go figure.  Just don't look too closely, it's not like he will let me straighten it up.  However, he does look presentable. 



Sensitive Santa 2011

Sensitive Santa events are popping up in malls across the country and I am so glad that the Morgantown Mall is participating in the event for the 2nd year.  They open the mall from 8-11 am on a Sunday morning for kids with special needs.  They keep the lights dim and keep the overhead music off for the kids who have sensitivities to these things.  Fortunately lights and noise don't really bother Bobby, but he is heaven that there are no other people there to contend with.  We got there a couple of minutes after 8 this morning, before even the people for the Sensitive Santa event started showing up.

We practiced standing and taking pictures before we left...

When we got to the mall, Bobby had to walk by Sears before he could even think about seeing Santa.  (I have no idea what his Sears fasination is, but it is always the first place that we MUST go when we enter the mall.)

Bob walked with Bobby to Sears while I filled out the form that they have prepared to make the Santa process a little easier.  This way Santa knows the childs name when they get up to him.  Santa also already knows what the child would like for Christmas so that he can try to engage them without having to ask questions.  Since we were there so early, Bobby was number 2 and we didn't have to wait. 

He went right up to Santa but wasn't interested in sitting on his lap.  Santa moved over and let Bobby sit beside him.  It took a couple of tries but Bobby finally sat for a second, long enough to get a picture.



They offered to take the picture again since Santa was pointing.  But I like the picture especially since Bobby is looking in the direction that Santa is pointing.  We said that Santa was showing Bobby where the reindeer were.  Bobby got up and ran out the entrance to walk around the fence that encloses the Santa area.  When he got around to the exit side, Santa encouraged him in to get his candy cane.

 Santa looks pleased that Bobby actually took the candy cane. 

Next I tried to get Bobby to go play in the area that PlayWorks had set up.  He wasn't too interested in playing with their things, after all he has gone there weekly for therapy and played with these items since he was 3.  So no big thrill, after all we are in an mall with barely any people.  So off to the play place we went.  I had second thoughts about letting him play there, since he is too big for the area.  But it was empty....so he got to play in the play place all by himself for over half an hour.  Bobby paradise, no other kids running around!!!

When he was "all done" playing it was time to walk the mall without all of the holiday shoppers in his way...

 One more visit to Sears...

We stopped to say hi to our friends Sonny and Joey.  More families were showing up to see Santa.  Again we had perfect timing.  We got there before the crowds and didn't have to wait!!!  So proud, he did a great job.

Over the River and Through the Woods....

To Grandma's house we went....to put up her Christmas tree.  Putting up a Christmas tree wouldn't be that big of a deal if you didn't have to drag it and all of the decorations out of storage.  At my mom's house, the storage is in the upstairs attic so I offered to come over and get them out for her.  After I picked up Bobby from school we headed to Monongah to get her tree and decorations out of the attic and bring the containers downstairs.  My mom made dinner while I started setting up the tree and Bobby stayed right by my side to make sure that I was doing a good job!

The porch on my mom's house used to be the entire length of the house, but half of the porch was closed in many, many years ago.  This room has always been called the "little room" since it is little and doesn't have much of a purpose.  Recently, it has become an office/computer room, but at Christmas time it has always been the perfect spot for her Christmas tree.  The room has two sets of windows that face the main road so her tree is in view of everyone who drives by her house. 

The first objective for decorating the tree is to clear out the little room and she had this completed before we got there.  Bobby liked being able to get to the windows without anything (table with plants) in his way.


Bobby with his Chrismas karoke microphone, an early present from Grandma.

"I wonder if Santa is going to bring me presents here too...."

"Come on Mom, faster!!!"

Bobby helping out while I took a break to run to the store to get more lights.

"You should see the view from down here!!!"

"Even looks better if you squint!"

We got the tree up and Grandma will put the decorations on after I take Bobby home (so much easier).  Aunt Dianna stopped and helped out for a little while.  Then it was time for dinner.  Mimi and JR stopped by and we had a whole chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, steamed green beans, homemade cranberry sauce, noodles and Bobby passed on all of this and had chicken nuggets...

He prefers to sit at the breakfast bar instead of the table, but most kids do.  He also brought a Christmas decoration over to his spot to look at while he ate. 

Grandma's finished tree

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas

We have finally made it to the end of Thanksgiving break!!  Whoot Whoot!!  One more day before my boys are off to school and work.  The Christmas decorating is done and the house looks like a toy shop.  Bobby has carried his toys from his room to the kitchen and living room.  Can't wait to put them back where they belong tomorrow. 

Bobby loves the decorations.  When he gets up in the morning, he runs over and turns the Christmas tree on and before he goes to bed (or outside), it is his job to turn the tree off.  He enjoyed pulling decorations out of the storage containers and displaying them "Bobby style."

Beautiful, I know.  I especially like the Sesame Street Christmas board book set up at the end of the greenery line.

I took over for the rest of the decorating...

Just a few of our decorative highlights!!

One thing that doesn't feel like Christmas...the weather.

I love that it is 60 degrees, Bobby would prefer snow.  Soon enough Bobby, soon enough.