Finding laughter in chaos, Autism

Sometimes finding the laughter in life can be really hard. Here I am working without a to do list. Working on sales for 31, painting my nails, writing a post for this blog and writing a post for my JSN Creative Services blog, keeping up with tsu, facebook, twitter and a sick child with limited speech. She can talk I know she can it's forming the sentences most of the time that's the problem. And usually it's mimicking what she sees and hears on youtube. Thanks Elmo and the other one I keep blocking on the computer but shows up on the ipad anyways. I don't mind hearing Mr. Noodle over and over again but the other one with the language. Goodness!

My list of things to be done are long. So I take a break outside because it sounds like my dog is going nuts as the yard man shows up to cut the front yard. And that's when I see him. My soaping spoon. This is a wooden spoon I have used for years to make soap. Soap that has helped Doodle be more productive. How can soap make a child more productive? My soap does not have the sls chemical in it, therefor her skin is not irritated at all and she can concentrate on what's going on around her. She doesn't have that feeling of "pins stabbing her" like most children on the spectrum get. Sometimes medications can fix this. I don't do medications with Doodle. I address the sensory issues. Making my own soaps was far cheaper for me verses using medications. The money that I save on creating different soaps for different needs has saved me money through the years as well.

Yes, I'm one of those people that pays $1.72 for 10 gallons of laundry detergent. It's basically cost me $.98 for shampoo bars that I will have an ample supply of. And about the same price for soap to clean our bodies with. I have complete control over the entire process and that includes the scents I put in it. I burn the lye off and the soap is ready to use in 2 days. Barely a curing process to deal with.

But back on subject. The soaping spoon. I allowed Doodle to play with it yesterday and this morning I find it no longer a spoon. A former shell of what it's suppose to be. One of the dogs turned it from a wooden spoon to a fork. It's a sad day for me. I'm so broken up about it I made an announcement on my personal facebook page about it, which reads: It is with a heavy heart that I announce the passing of a dear dear friend. He's made lots of soap with me through the years. This morning I found him on the ground. One of the dogs turned him from a wooden spoon to a fork. RIP soaping spoon you served me well.

I do find this all hilarious. This is what I get for letting Doodle play with my spoon. The last time it was used was to dye some of our clothing that makes up our spring and summer wardrobe. Hence the reason way it's purple. I did use him a couple of times to melt the soap to make my laundry detergent. But as for make actual soap it's been almost a year. Well, he was getting on up there in age thanks to the lye. I do have replacements. I've been preparing for this day months ago. It's got some eager players ready to do the job and they are sturdier then he is. Bamboo is suppose to be a stronger wood so we will see.

Hope you guys enjoyed the laugh. Have a great day!

RIP Soaping spoon. You've served me well and you will be missed.

  

Getting work done, sickness and Autism

Another sick day. These allergies she gets are driving me made. She has her ipad, I'm playing way-fm on my computer. I just can't get enough of way-fm. It's a station that truly gets me through the good and bad in life. Face it, raising a child on the spectrum can be a challenge.

With Doodle's new favorite word this week being no I'm about ready to put myself in time out. For a child who's home sick she doesn't act like it. She's up running around, full of energy. I want her energy. I would be able to get so much done if I had a small portion of that energy.

Since I've started watching an itty bitty I'm not really able to get much work done. Children on the spectrum and itty bitty's require so much attention. I'm seriously drowning in work. My to do list has pretty much flipped me off and made a break for it. Normally, I'm so optimistic about life but today, a Monday I am just defeated.

I think it's time to find the rainbow and jump start this day. Something has got to give and it's going to be the to do list. The first thing I can knock off the list is going to be this blog post. The next to be knocked off the list is going to be posting about the new 31 products that are rolling out. I'm sure there is some. Either that or I'll post about what's helpful for families.

They say when you own your own business that you work more hours and more days without days off. Yeah, it's pretty much true. Throw in sick kids and you're pretty much ready to rip your hair out. Oh and let's not forget about this new class I'm taking to help me with illustrating children's books. Pup's I've pretty much left alone except for the images that I had to put in because there were not enough images to get the book finished. My illustrator for that book had a stroke and was told he shouldn't do anymore work and that included art. So of course I had to do what I needed to do. But I'm pretty much happier with it and this way I can continue with the series by using the original work he created. And I can continue to give him credit for it and a paycheck. Life can be hard but the kindness of others doesn't have to be.

Time to find some motivation, some laughter and get this week done! Have a great day everyone.

She was locked in a basement, Autism

I'm sure that most of you have seen the story about the 13 year old girl that was locked in a basement the moment that she got home from school and forced to wear a diaper. It was a story in the news I tried to avoid for as long as possible because my heart said it was a child on the spectrum. And yes it was someone on the spectrum that was done this way.

This is not the only story of heard of where a child on the spectrum was treated cruelly. I've heard of a little boy locked in a dog crate for most of his life. A girl that was locked in a chicken coop. Another boy that was locked in a closet. The list goes on.

I know that children on the spectrum can act a bit "wild". But it is our job as parents to guide and teach our children. So what if it takes a bit longer for them to get it. You've got to keep teaching and keep working with them. That's the only way that you will help your child be the well behaved person that can handle being out in the world.

The moment the news popped up that the teen girl had autism I broke down in tears. Doodle who was playing with her chipmunks in front of me immediately took notice and asked me why I was crying. I'm going to be honest with her. She's 9 and she does understand that people can be down right mean. We've had the discussion several times thanks to the kids around the corner. All I told her was that Mommy needed a hug because a person with autism was treated badly. I also informed her that people with autism shouldn't be treated badly. She knows sometimes that can't be helped.

If we stand up against the abuse of children on the spectrum we may be able to change peoples minds about our children. They are not retarded and I can't say they aren't freaks because Doodle will be the first to tell you that she's a proud freak. She's a Jesus Freak. Both she and I are. And yes we do wear that badge proudly. Call us freaks and we will admit that yes we are Jesus Freaks. No one will take that from us. So what some would think would be an insult against us is actually something we are proud of.

Doodle did give me a hug and told me, "Stop crying mom." She is the light in my world.

And on another note, I follow a few pages on facebook where parents love their kids but hate their autism. They don't understand parents like myself that embrace and love the "disability" that my child has. To me I have a lot of perks with her having autism. We get rock star service at school. Where there are 20+ students to 1 teacher my child gets one on one instruction with her teacher and she has para-educators in the class so that she is always watched. The classes are small. Where parents have to get into lanes at school and wait for their kids to be called out and have to deal with those long lines every single school day I get to pull up in a different area. A para-educator comes out to retrieve Doodle and I am on my way. I'm not stuck with 50 something vehicles bumper to bumper.

Of course this is the first year the school implemented this but at the beginning of the school I insisted on it. The reason I did was because I can't be in those lines. She's always had someone walk her to the area that she was suppose to be at. She would get lost otherwise. And then how would the school like that liability? And because I insisted on that perk all the special needs parents got that perk. Our children even get out 30 minutes before all the other kids get out. So in the afternoons I show up 15 minutes before her class gets out. I've met several people that are along my speed that I chat and hang out with in the afternoons. I really don't know a stranger. These are really great guys that I will fight for. And Doodle calls them her Aunt and Uncles. And yes I do have Doodle give them hugs. They love and adore her just as much as I do.

If I didn't have my friends in the afternoon I don't know what I would do. They get to the school around noon so they can be at the front of the line. If they see Doodle without a para or a teacher, I'm the first to find out about it. We are all family looking out for one another.

So just because my child has a "disability" doesn't mean that she can't be treated like a rock star or enjoy the perks of her "condition". I'm not selfish I just know if I treat my child like the rock star that I know she is she will feel it and expect it. Her behavior also reflects it. No she doesn't act like one of those bratty kids. The compliments that I get on her are that she's very well behaved. Remember in my past posts she hasn't always been so well behaved. That took a lot and I mean a lot of teaching her to behave in public and I was really blessed to have had a teacher that really helped to teach Dana to behave in public places.

I know this blog post is really long but it's stories like today's that are the reason why I do what I do. To teach parents that it's not impossible. Autism or not, life is not about treating these kids like they are the scum of the earth. Because they are not.

Have a great day guys.

This is the picture that the news has posted regarding the girl with autism that was forced to stay in the basement forced to wear a diaper.

For those who don't know about this new story. Here is the link: http://fox8.com/2015/03/27/couple-accused-of-locking-teenage-daughter-in-basement-forcing-her-to-wear-diaper/

Stressful day in Autism

So this is how my morning went. I woke up at 7:30. That's the time that we are at the school for drop off. Luckily for us we live just down the street from the school. Walking distance if we prefer. Well, it was such a rush to get out the door I didn't have time to brush her teeth. We run out to the car and the moment I open the driver side door I hear the first bell ringing. NO! We are so late! The tardy bell will ring the moment that we get there.

Traffic wasn't so bad but the school crossing guard was keeping my lane from going. Oh we are going to be so late. When I finally get through and get to the school her Para-educator is nowhere in site. I get out of the car and walk Doodle to class when her old Para-educator who now directs traffic in the morning says, "Forgot today was the day they don't wear a uniform didn't you?" I hung my head in shame. Yes I forgot. I thought it was next week. I lost track of the days. This is what I get for not paying attention to the notes that come home. By the time I am almost to her class there in the hallway is a little girl probably in the 5th grade. She's in tears, in her school uniform. Doodle is happy and just about skipping to class. The little girls mother is right there beside her trying to comfort her. Her mother is trying to be encouraging. You look so pretty. Don't worry so much. Do you want a hair ribbon in your hair? I can't let Dana feel this way if her classmates are not wearing uniforms. She likes to do things that the other kids are doing. She likes to feel that she's apart of the crowd. Treated lie a normal child. We get to class and I inform them that I will be back with her outfit and that I'm sorry that I forgot about dressing out of uniform.

I run back to the car and head home. I'm so stressed by this point I'm just about beside myself. I haven't even made coffee yet. At home I quickly find an outfit that I know she will wear with no problems. One I don't have to second guess that might be a little loose or a little tight but fits just right. As I walk out the door I make a pot of coffee. I have enough creamer and 1 stevia packet to make just one cup for myself. I will not walk out the door without a cup of coffee. My day doesn't truly begin without a cup of coffee. Thankfully for me I have a coffee maker that's pretty quick. Get my cup made and I am back out the door. By the time I'm almost to my car I've split a bit of my coffee and it looks like her clothes are the causality.

I'm on the verge of just giving up, but checking over her green and white shirt with a lace butterfly sewn to the back and her decorative blue jeans and a sigh of relief falls over my face. No coffee fell on them. Thank you Lord for that little blessing that I would have taken for granted had I not been so stressed out today.

Getting into the car it's back off to the races. I get to the school they let me change her quickly and I'm blessed to walk her to the cafeteria as she again skipped down the hall. Why they don't allow the special needs children to sit with other children in the mornings I have no idea. The school announcements had already been said while I was at home trying to put together her outfit and school was in full swing.

I came back home in which my mother informed me that she was going to be watching a puppy for a few days. Well that's fine. Nothing I have to do and it won't change my schedule any.

At this point I'm still so stressed out I just decided to lay down and calm down a bit so that I can de-stress so I can get back to work. I'm working on animation this week and my business partner is hating it because it has our faces in this animation ad I'm creating. He says it's creepy and I guess having your head turned into a cartoon it is pretty much creepy. But it's really hard to get us together at the same time right now and with this I will only have to create scenes and record his voice to attach to the model. Pretty simple and so far it's a lot of fun to do.

As I was laying down trying to de-stress my mother came into my room and asked if I was asleep. I told her no, just laying down to de-stress. She said, "Can you help me out with this one?" I'm thinking why on earth do I need to help with a puppy? Looking up I realized that's no puppy. She brought home a baby to babysit. An itty bitty. Now I haven't watched an itty bitty since Doodle was that size. I haven't really tried to break my neck trying to hold an itty bitty because having my own child is enough for me. I haven't even babysat for anyone in 10 + years. Face it, autism has kept my hands busy.

He seems like a sweet baby. Doesn't really fuss. But he does like to stay outside all day. And yeah I will admit while laying down I did have a conversation with God that I would like to take today off. Playing with the baby took away my stress and no I'm not getting any work done but it's becoming pretty awesome.

A one point taking him for a walk today we stopped and chatted with some of the neighbors. Do you remember in the past posts that there were neighborhood kids that were torturing Doodle to the point that she no longer wants to walk. Well, no one rents that house longer then 3 months. It's a constant revolving door. The neighbors think it's a section 8 house, I think it's haunted. I've heard of people that live in section 8 and have lived at their homes for years. But a haunted house will be a revolving door. Normally those houses can't stay rented or lived in for longer then 3 months. And that's what I'm hoping for. And the shocker! Doodle and I are not the only ones that are having problems out of those neighbors. Apparently, they disregard other neighbors and are quickly becoming hated in the neighborhood. They flipped off a few neighbors so needless to say the house will be available soon hopefully. Just a month or so to go and Doodle can be back on a normal routine and the pests will be gone. I know I shouldn't say that but I am praying blessings for them. Nothing to harm them. If they can feel the love of God they will change their ways.

Well, time to try and get some work done today if it is at all possible. Have a great day.

My new little buddy.

Mandisa's Overcomer and Autism

This morning was a breeze getting her ready. Doodle put her clothes on without a fight and not once did she say NO SCHOOOOOOL. Candy for a reward to get ready did the trick. This morning I did not offer her with words of candy to get ready. Instead I just gave her a piece of candy for getting dressed without complaint. It's the simple things that makes life so good.

Yesterday I started the hunt on my computers for the artwork for one of the children stories that I'm working on. Surprise they aren't on any of the computers that I have with me. They on the larger giga byte in the upper part of the state.

While trying to figure out what to do Mandisa's Overcomer comes on my iheart radio app. And it hits me. I can recreate them using the jpegs I have. It's going to take far longer to recreate all the images from scratch but in the end I will have a product that I can live with and work with. It will just take some time. Maybe I will get lucky and the Lord will guide my hands and create the work in less time. I can live with that. The point is when life gives you difficulties anything can be overcome. I would like to just snap my fingers and everything would be done but that's not how life works.

And as this blog is being written I get a call from the school nurse. Doodle is having sensory issues with hearing today. Everything is much louder to her today then normal. Well, that's not good. It's not an ear ache it's everything is just too loud and she can't process it all in. But to be on the safe side I head to the school with ear ache medication and Frankincense. Why Frankincense you might ask? Well this is my go to oil that has very positive effects on Doodle. No other oils work as well as Frankincense does. It calms her down, it helped to cure her ear ache when the medication just wasn't working.

I know when the issue started. Yesterday while walking through the neighborhood the guy at the house who's kids say such horrible things to Doodle came riding through our new walking route. We bypass their house like the plague. On two occasions one of the kids said such hateful things. On two different occasions the kids came swarming around Doodle and myself and the boy ran his scooter into my leg and both of the swarming occasions she got violently sick. The first time was with a raging fever 104 and that bad boy stuck around through doctors appointments and countless medications for an entire week. The last time the swarm happened she threw up that night. So to keep Doodles' quality of life intact I decided to go a different route. Well the father, live in boyfriend I don't know but the guy that lives there has a motorcycle. And he decided that it was a perfect time to ride his bike around the neighborhood, on our new route. As he passed he revved the motor.

Well, that was the end of it. Doodle was frozen to the the spot where we stopped. Her little hands pressed against her ears as if trying to keep them from falling off from the side of her head. It was all down hill from there. I'm pretty sure trying to get her to walk in the afternoons is going to pretty much be a thing of the past soon if I don't figure out what to do.

I'm thinking of buying over sized headphones. You know the ones I'm talking about. Just like the ones they used to wear in the 80's. Now to see if I can find a pair that aren't overly expensive. This will help with the sensory but it eventually creates another problem for me. She can't wear the headphones on just about 24/7. She needs to be able to adjust and grow familiar with her surrounds again like she has done so well in the past.

As of right now she has her Frankincense. This will help offset some of the problems and issues that she's experiencing right now. Finding the right oil is key to progressing in a world that is not made for children on the spectrum.

And on that note I have a ton of work that needs to be taken care of and her illustrations fine tuned so that I can begin the conversion process for her new book that's currently in the works.

Have a great day everyone.

Turning a bad day to good, Autism

This morning I've done something that I haven't done ever in my life for a morning. I was making my coffee and looked on the counter. I noticed a bucket of candy that is set aside just for Doodle. Here is a trick that I learned from Doodle's teacher a couple of years ago when Doodle went from a wild child to a well behaved child that I could take out in public.

I have been battling with Doodle this entire school year because she just doesn't want to go to school. At all and it is a hassle to get her ready and out the door on time every single morning. Laying on top of the little bucket was a packet of Spree's. I know where the idea came from and this morning I was going to do it.

I went back to our room, got dressed and turned on the light to get Doodle's uniform. She poked her head out from under the covers and announced, NO SCHOOL. NO SCHOOL. NO SCHOOOOOOL!
I pulled the pack of Spree's out of my pocket and replied, Do you want a piece of candy? Yes, she said in a sing song way.

Get dressed for school and mommy will give you a piece of candy. I handed her her uniform and sat down at the computer to figure out what my day was to look like today. Doodle laid back down on the bed. I calmly prompted her again that if she wanted a piece of candy she would need to get ready for school. When she sat up and put on her shirt it was progress. Then she yelled out, NO SCHOOL!

All I did was hold up one piece of candy for her to see and she was back to getting ready for school. I didn't give her the piece of candy until after I brushed her teeth. It had to go that way because if I gave her the candy before brushing her teeth I would have had to wait for her to eat it and it would have taken forever. Which would have resulted in a tardy.

We were a tad late getting out the door but only by 2 minutes which really caused a problem for me as the traffic was lined past our neighborhood. And that means getting to school on time was a 15 minute time difference. In all honesty I should have just walked her across the street to school, but she does have autism and that means that if she makes a break for it I've widened her field of where she might go. Right now Doodle is a little too lazy and would prefer to ride everywhere. She hates walking and that includes our afternoon walk.

So will tomorrow work out better for getting ready for school without an argument? Only tomorrow will tell. But as for today I'm doing pretty good for my morning and for that I'm happy.

Have a great day everyone.

Work it Autism

Yesterday was the first day that Doodle and I were able to start walking again after she became very sick from an ear infection. This was the worst ear infection that I've ever dealt with on her. Her ear medications just weren't working at all.

After three days the medications the doctor prescribed seemed to be making things worse I decided that I would go old school for her. I started with rubbing some tea tree oil on her ear lobe with my fingers and behind her ear. This helped a little but not by much. I figured frankincense was the next best choice since it is the oil that seems to work the best on keeping her autism in check.

I rubbed that on her ear lobe and on the back of her ear and she began to have immediate relief. Which was a relief to me because as any parent with a child on the spectrum knows, the screaming drives you insane. Doodle normally doesn't scream unless she's in a lot of pain and like I have said countless times in this blog I deal with the sensory issues in order to give her a better chance at functioning in life.

Children on the spectrum normally scream and dealing with the screaming when Doodle had no speak taught me a lot about what was going on. It's kind of like trying to sooth a toddler when they are fighting sleep and have their teeth coming in. Sometimes you know what might be the problem other times you don't.

And considering that Doodle was telling everyone her left ear hurt and it was the right ear that was infected. Sometimes its a hit and miss. Cleaning both ears pretty much told me every single day which ear was the culprit.  And let me just say that cleaning her ears were not the easiest in the world. I have some patience with Doodle's autism but the screaming was horrible. It tried my patience. I have a friend who is a nurse and yes I know not to put q-tips in Doodle's ears. I kept the q-tip outside of the canal and cleared everything that was draining. Keep yourself sane and keep your child's ear drum in tack by only clearing on the outside of the canal. Oh and the vacuum ear cleaner that you can buy just about anywhere, don't waist your money. That product does not work at all.

Well, back to work. Have a great day everyone.

The Story of Us Blog and Autism

I just read a blog post from The Story of Us. You know who this little mother is. She created the video of why moms can't get anything done with a baby around. Her precious little girl takes the clothes out of the drawer as soon as she puts them folded nice and neat in the drawer. The video actually has a lot more to it then just this and of course every mother can relate to this.

Doodle is 9 and has autism. When I do laundry it is a rush to get the clean clothes in the drawers they belong in because well, Doodle likes to throw clean clothes on the floor. Sometimes she even takes off with them and hides them in the bed. 9 year olds shouldn't do things like that. They are old enough to know better. Mentally, Doodle is like a toddler. So get over yourself. It's my life not yours. I'd much rather have this then what most parents who have children on the spectrum go through. She doesn't bang her head anymore, no longer rips her hair out at the roots. We have speech and we have other ways to communicate such as sign language and a communication book. So I'm doing pretty good.

One of the things that hit me the most in The Story of Us blog is not what she had to say about how she goes from place to place with a toddler but what she put at the end. As a Jesus Freak I can relate to the words in the Bible. Some I still struggle with and some I've embraced and taken to heart. The Lord will answer your prayers when you ask. He knows what you are going to ask for before you ask. But the key to this is that you have to ask. Open your mouth and speak it. Which is why TobyMac sings Speak Life. It's the whole what you say is what is important.

Yeah, my morning is consisting of telling the Lord what I need help with today. I sit here typing this and listening to Way-FM. I have it on the iPad. It plays from evening to noon most of the times. I use the music to help keep me in check. If I didn't have the verse going it's pretty hard for me to keep my emotions in check. Pray without ceasing is the best way to keep your connection with God. Remember we are suppose to have Christ living in us.

And on that note I have a lot of things that have to be done today. Have a great day.

Sick days and Autism

So here we are right off of the weekend and Doodle is running a fever. No school for her. Well, actually she started off at school and while I was at Lowes the school called saying she was running a fever. I had a few things that needed to be purchased this morning and luckily for me got them before I had to get Doodle from school. I have a few surprises that are going to be released this week. It was suppose to start today (Monday) but as how Doodle is home sick they just have to be postponed right now. Sick child in the house, you have to keep busy with your child and not your business.

And as most of you know, spring has sprung. Some can feel it and others can't right now. Here where we live, you can feel it and it is wonderful. Yesterday was beach weather. Oh it was so nice! And I will admit on Friday I stopped by my favorite place to purchase clothing for Doodle and myself. The Goodwill Bargain Center. Two over sized bags for $11.45, which means that each article of clothing cost $0.42. And with that spring and summer outfits are fully taken care of. I might have a purchase a few more shorts for Doodle but for right now everything is still fine.

So my week this week looks like what? Well, can't do recordings for youtube as long as Doodle is home. She's a bit loud especially with the ipad. I do have a few sensory projects done for Doodle. As keeping her busy with sensory is very important to her progressing.

And I can now re-shoot the video of clipping Doodle's nails. It takes time to get to a point where you can trim your child's nails with them being wide awake. Your child with ASD that is. And like I've said before, it all started with a cheat. Children on the spectrum want to be treated like everyone else. Even if they have little quirks that might make it a bit impossible. Finding a nail salon that is patient is the most important thing. She got her nails done while I got the exact same treatment. And talking with her during the process makes things a little more comforting for her.

So as I figure out what all I have to do when I am able to go back to work and she goes back to school, life will be a little off whack the next couple of days. Until then I'm rocking my new Big Daddy Weave shirt and enjoying the day, taking care of my Doodle.

Have a fantastic day everyone.