This post is from from my other blog here

If I see the Cat playing with a group of boys, I'll ask him who they are, and inevitably the conversation goes as follows: "Hey, looks like you were having fun playing tag [soccer, basketball, handball] I don't recognize the guy you were playing with. What's his name?" Uh, I dunno. "Do you know what grade he's in?" Uh, no. I dunno. Or sometimes he'll say, "He's my fifth grade buddy!" or "He's on my soccer team!" but won't be able to tell me his name. Several times, someone has shouted out...

[[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, ...

Click here to read the entire blog post

This post is from from my other blog here

If I see the Cat playing with a group of boys, I'll ask him who they are, and inevitably the conversation goes as follows: "Hey, looks like you were having fun playing tag [soccer, basketball, handball] I don't recognize the guy you were playing with. What's his name?" Uh, I dunno. "Do you know what grade he's in?" Uh, no. I dunno. Or sometimes he'll say, "He's my fifth grade buddy!" or "He's on my soccer team!" but won't be able to tell me his name. Several times, someone has shouted out with a smile, "Hi Cat!" and the Cat will say "Hi" but then I'll ...

Click here to read the entire blog post

This post is from from my other blog here

Bear with me for this technical break: So, apparently Feedburner was acquired by Google - and somehow I ended up losing access to my "old" feeds. Although Feedburner insisted I wouldn't lose all my subscribers, I apparently did. So - I've set up a new feed. If you subscribed to my feed before, but are now wondering what's going on - please re-subscribe using the link below. And if you aren't a subscriber, well come on down! enjoy the party! Thanks y'all. Subscribe in a reader

[[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

This post is from from my other blog here

Bear with me for this technical break: So, apparently Feedburner was acquired by Google - and somehow I ended up losing access to my "old" feeds. Although Feedburner insisted I wouldn't lose all my subscribers, I apparently did. So - I've set up a new feed. If you subscribed to my feed before, but are now wondering what's going on - please re-subscribe using the link below. And if you aren't a subscriber, well come on down! enjoy the party! Thanks y'all. Subscribe in a reader

This post is from from my other blog here

Spliggle magically lasted from 8:15am-11:15am and again from around 1:00 to shortly after 2:30pm at the Science Fair today. The break was for him to attend his speech therapy, during which point I literally sat in one place staring into space - oh, and drinking several sodas in an attempt to revive myself. Back at the Fair, I set Splig up with a "clubhouse" on the top of the bleachers with his blankie, DS, a bunch of books, a cooler of soda (which a teacher was quick to tell me had way too...

[[ This is a content summary only. Visit my ...

Click here to read the entire blog post

This post is from from my other blog here

Spliggle magically lasted from 8:15am-11:15am and again from around 1:00 to shortly after 2:30pm at the Science Fair today. The break was for him to attend his speech therapy, during which point I literally sat in one place staring into space - oh, and drinking several sodas in an attempt to revive myself. Back at the Fair, I set Splig up with a "clubhouse" on the top of the bleachers with his blankie, DS, a bunch of books, a cooler of soda (which a teacher was quick to ...

Click here to read the entire blog post

This post is from from my other blog here

From hockey games to science-fair projects, soccer clinics to healthful recipe books, it has been a rather packed weekend. I'm at the point where I don't know my name - and looked at the 3-hole punch machine I had left on the floor while creating recipe books and thought what is that thing? I think that means I am supposed to take a break. My brain to fingers already scrambled enough to create an entry about boiling children instead of chicken, so I'd better step away from both. But in the...

[[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for ...

Click here to read the entire blog post

This post is from from my other blog here

This weekend the Cat turned eight years old. A week ago, the Cat and two of his classmates were assigned to a particular SUV to drive to their class field trip. Three days after the field trip, the SUV's driver complained to the Cat's teacher that he had been "uncooperative" and disrespectful of her wishes. At first the Cat thought it was because he was nervous of a dark, loud room and had cried a little bit. (He revised his story later, saying he wasn't too upset, but his teacher told me he...

[[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website ...

Click here to read the entire blog post

This post is from from my other blog here

Last night, both boys were in their own beds, and Husband and I fell asleep in ours, both knowing today would be A Very Big Day, so we'd better sleep well. At 4:30am, Spliggle slapped me in his sleep. He slapped Husband. And I think the Cat kicked Husband, too, because he leapt out of bed dramatically and went to Splig's room in an attempt to fall back asleep in peace. Indeed, the boys had come to our bed. "I gotta go to the bathroom," explained Splig when he awakened after I tried to...

[[ This is a content summary only. Visit my ...

Click here to read the entire blog post

This post is from from my other blog here



[[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

This post is from from my other blog here

It is the eve of the Cat's birthday. We're supposed to have an exciting long weekend ahead: filled with presents, soccer clinic (where he'll meet an MLS player!) indoor swimming, hockey games, cake and family fun. But the last few days have been draining. Much of it has been independent of the boys (aside from the obvious chauffeur and parenting duties.) I've had lots of work to do, and lots of unexpected glitches out of my control. I've been stressed about both legitimate and superficial...

[[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ...

Click here to read the entire blog post

This post is from from my other blog here

The Cat brought home a big stack of homework. In addition to the usual two packets for the week were two special projects, one of which appears very simple: Please write down 5 important events in your life on the attached paper. You will be using this information for a timeline project... The five events listed? 1) Date and place you were born 2) Date that you walked and if you know, where were you? 3) Your first friend 4) First day of school 5) Important feelings or accomplishments so far...

[[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and ...

Click here to read the entire blog post

This post is from from my other blog here

As an update to the whole caseworker visit situation: I forgot to mention another "goal" the caseworker wanted: When she asked about picking up toys, I explained that most of the time he needs to be reminded, so that became a "goal." Fair enough. (Although I really hated being quizzed on how effective a parent I am in enforcing such rules.) But then she asked me about clearing the table after a meal. I again said that most of the time I'd have to remind him, but then he'd put his dishes in...

[[ This is a content summary only. Visit ...

Click here to read the entire blog post

This post is from from my other blog here

Friday was terrible. A glitch in payroll (not my fault) meant three employees didn't get paid. A popular website for which I work had some major problems with its new "look" (not my fault.) My dad couldn't pick up Spliggle from preschool (not my fault,) so I had to bring him home with me as he sobbed and sobbed that "Pa-pa" wasn't going to play with him. A bunch of other glitches happened throughout the day that were "not my fault," but that affected my ability to get things accomplished...

[[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for ...

Click here to read the entire blog post

This post is from from my other blog here

During our first appointment post-diagnosis, the Cat's then-caseworker from our non-helpful HMO handed me inches worth of paper she had printed off the internet, instead of just giving me the url. She handed me a brochure about a parent support group that met forty minutes away. "Hey, why don't you start a chapter in this area?!" she asked me brightly. Um, what? I was still in disbelief at how much time it had taken to get the diagnosis in the first place, and I was shocked at how our meeting...

[[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, ...

Click here to read the entire blog post

This post is from from my other blog here

The Jett Travolta controversy just keeps popping up. In the email "autism" groups that I belong to, people are discussing it. Friends who know that the Cat is on the spectrum are emailing me articles about it. And so, we keep talking about it, even though knowing any of the answers won't change the result. We keep talking about it because the people in question are celebrities. But these issues pop up in non-celebrity life, too. Just for a moment, pretend John Travolta and Kelly Preston...

[[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and ...

Click here to read the entire blog post

This post is from from my other blog here

'Nastics Boy Okay, so it isn't quite "wordless" Wednesday: Splig started preteam yesterday. This, after we thought he'd start in May (which would still be a little 'early') He jumped around with joy the whole time (and surprisingly didn't tire.) They worked them hard - it was definitely a more challenging class than the preschool recreational class. Splig was glad to be introduced to the "big boys." (where "big" means ages 5 and 6 - there are plenty of "super big" guys who come later in...

[[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and ...

Click here to read the entire blog post

This post is from from my other blog here

Last night I put on Meet the Robinsons for the kids, figuring it would be a fun thing for them to watch. But within a couple minutes, the Cat was in tears. "He has no family!" he wailed of the main character. "He lost his parents?" he asked me through his sobs. Ugh. I didn't know the movie would have this particular theme. I said something quickly about how yes, he is an orphan, but he's going to find his family. Husband jumped in, assuring him that the whole movie would be the adventure in...

[[ This is a content summary only. ...

Click here to read the entire blog post

This post is from from my other blog here

On the day of his death, I was concerned with the chatter that "autism killed Jett Travolta." I am concerned that such speculation will further cement misconceptions the general public has about autism. Since then, Jett's family has released reports regarding "a history of seizures" and claims that he took Depakote for awhile until it became ineffective. This statement is intended to assuage people's concerns that Scientology may have prevented Jett from being treated for his seizure...

[[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

This post is from from my other blog here

until you sent them yours [Or, "I'm a Proud Z-List Friend"] 5) It doesn't arrive until January 5th. Okay, there are folks who send 'em out late, I get that. But... 4) The Holiday letter inside is dated for early December. Hmmm, sure, maybe they started their letter in early December. Yet... 3) You saw this year's holiday card on someone else's wall several weeks ago. So the letter was finished by then. 2) They didn't bother to sign the card inside. (As in, it actually says "Love," with...

[[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and ...

Click here to read the entire blog post

This post is from from my other blog here

Last year I signed the Cat up for a soccer clinic. That past fall I had considered signing him up for the local recreational soccer league, but decided that on top of a brand new school, attempting his first-ever team sport experience would probably be a mistake. Turns out he played soccer every recess and wished he had been part of a team. And so, in January of 2008, we signed him up for the indoor soccer league and the outdoor soccer clinic. At the clinic, most of the parents left after...

[[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website ...

Click here to read the entire blog post

This post is from from my other blog here

Like many people today, I was saddened to hear of 16 year-old Jett Travolta's passing. It is tragic when a young person dies. Many more died today, too, without the celebrity angle. But we read on, worried about how our children could be taken from us, and trying to assure ourselves that it couldn't possibly happen because we've done what we can to keep our kids safe. Reporters look for a reason that we can then dismiss in our own lives: Oh, thank goodness the tragedy was out of their...

[[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full ...

Click here to read the entire blog post

This post is from from my other blog here

Welcome 2009. May it be happy, healthy, and humorous.

[[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]