Dog Days of Summer

We're off to the cottage. I'll be back Tuesday, the first day of school for older brother. Patrick doesn't start school till the end of that week.

We're spending this long weekend with hubby's family. First time camping with the boys in a tent (I know, we're going to the cottage, but everyone else is tenting and so the boys want to to...it's possible mum will sleep in the cottage). Should be fun.

So then school starts. I've talked to the principal and we're planning to meet before Patrick starts at the end of the week. She's going to get the new LST and the classroom teachers to attend as well. Should be good. I have a written sheet to hand out about seizures and such.

Take Care everyone. I hope you all have a good weekend. I'll miss reading but I'll be back soon!

Get in that photo!

I was sorting through the photos on my computer and one thing is plainly clear. I take most of the pictures when we're on vacation or at any given event. Every once in a while hubby grabs the camera from me and shouts, "hey, mom, get in the picture". Here is one from our trip east last year.

I know there are more pictures of me out there. But the best I can find from my digital camera is about once or twice in a year (not including those annoying photos someone always takes of about 10 people in a room, nobody facing the camera). Hubby likes old fashioned photography...with film. So I do exist in pictures but only in photo albums (and nope, I'm techno-phobic so I don't have a scanner).

Anyhoo, this is me and my boys on the red beaches of PEI. I should note that Patrick is always fabulously behaved on vacation. I want to say he's a different child but that would be inaccurate. He's the same boy...only supremely happy and in his element.

A cute pic

Kristina (and Charlie) over at Autism Vox got me thinking about oceans, lakes, water, swimming, etc. So here's a pic of Patrick in the water, fully clothed, after my father in law told me he wouldn't go in the water. If Patrick had had his way he would have swam out as far as he could (which is pretty far).

Ok, the pic is sideways because aparently I turned my camera to take this pic. I have absolutely no idea how to fix it, so I'm going to leave it there as is.

Cleaning

I'm trying to figure out how to keep a clean house. Or I should say how to keep a house clean. I've been toying with the idea of hiring someone to do some cleaning. Everyone keeps saying I deserve the help, I do have some funding I can use because it's so hard to get workers out here, and I'd love to have a clean house (hubby is a clean freak but has learned to deal since we had Patrick). But, and this might be just me, I feel wierd having a stranger do the cleaning for me. Especially since I'm at home right now. And it feels wierd letting a stranger look at all my stuff. And I'd have to de-clutter before she came every time.

Part of the problem is I KNOW some of it is laziness. Yes, I'm tired. Yes, I'm stressed. But if I had to be perfectly honest with myself some days I just don't feel like cleaning...so I don't.

Anyway, trying to decide.

I'm here, really!

I realized I didn't update after my anxiety post. I actually havn't been too bad this week, just busy with the family. We went for a ride up the river on our boat. We took the kids to A Day out with Thomas. I'm going to try to post a pic (or two if it works). Yay, that's Patrick in one of Thomas' coaches wearing his conductor hat. Ohhh, the (now) first one is Patrick hangin out on the boat! Yay, I posted pics!

Anxiety

I've really gotta chill out. I worry about every.little.thing.

So school starts in 3 weeks for older brother. Starts in just shy of 4 weeks for Patrick. I've got to get in to talk to the principal (who in turn will figure out how to get info to everyone else involved) about Patrick going off his meds, him having to wear a helmet when the kids ride tricycles in the yard, and all the 'what to do in case of a seizure' info. Then I have to figure out how much info the bus company needs. They don't know Patrick has autism but the drivers know he has a developmental delay of some kind because we've had to discuss strategies for keeping him safe. But now I think I need to give them some info on epilepsy in case something happens on his way to/from school.'

Mostly I need everyone to be informed and then make them understand that a seizure is not a big deal, I don't want them calling 911, I want them to call me, keep him safe and comfortable and, if it does last longer than 2 minutes, then they can call an ambulance( that's never happened though).

I'm trying really hard not to be stressed. On the up side, he's started wearing his medic alert bracelet whenever we leave the house and has learned not to take it off unless he has my permission. That's a big deal of course otherwise he'd take if off and lose it the first day of school.

Then, once we get over those hurdles, I'm anxious about the learning/testing part of school. Last year I didn't really care. I teach him stuff at home. All I needed them to do was keep him safe and let him experience school (and learn safety and stuff). He (and they) did a fabulous job. He learned a lot along the way which I'm happy about. But this year I'm worried. He has to prepare for grade 1. I'm so afraid they'll try and test him in the same way they test other children and, frankly, he'll fail. Questions need to be asked a certain way to get the answer you're looking for. And most of the time the answer is in there waiting to come out.

The funny (or sad?) thing about all this worrying is that it's mostly for naught. The teachers are fantastic. The school is great. I'm in there all the time butting my nose in where it doesn't belong (and therefore I know all that's going on). He probably won't have a seizure, and if he does he'll probably be fine (might traumatize the adults involved but, hey, it'll be an experience). They listen to what I say and if I express worry over testing I'm sure they'll take it into account.

Deep Breath.

Socials

We're going to a family BBQ tomorrow. This is at a location that Patrick has been to before but never for this kind of function. Oh, and it might rain.

I'm happy to see everyone. I'm trying really hard not to be a spoilsport. I'm planning and packing and thinking. What I really need to do is relax.

The plan is to take the kids to a museum and let them run off some steam. Don't worry, it is a kids museum. Then we'll head over and see how it goes.

I'm making myself one promise. When I'm done...when I'm ready to go home...when our fun is coming to an end...we're leaving. No appologies, no feeling bad, no letting myself get so stressed that I'm happy to see the open road ahead. We'll stay while we can and then we'll leave. Simple, right?

*mental note to bring with me, even though it might be rude, the one brand of hot dogs that Patrick does not immediately vomit.*

An only child

Patrick doesn't often get a chance to have his parents (and grandparents this time) all to himself. My parents took older brother for the weekend and hubby and I took Patrick down to see hubby's parents. He was so well behaved (a bit hyper and there was some comment...albeit good natured). He also had a really good time. He laughed and played and talked to his grandparents (who he sees rarely since they live so far away)....he was a little chatterbox.

Hubby and I enjoyed the time away too. He likes talking to his dad whom he misses a lot. Also, we got to steal some moments while Patrick played by himself (shock!) and while his grandparents amused him. Even the long drive there and back went well.

All in all, I think he really enjoyed being an only child...temporarily of course.

Bit of a post script. We havn't talked "autism" with the in-laws much since I told them we got the diagnosis. I don't know if they think it's irrelevant, if they're more comfortable ignoring the elephant in the room or what (I have to say they are wonderful with him and don't get bothered by him at all or anything like that). Anyway, hubby was talking to his dad post visit and he must have mentioned how he doesn't remember his kids being like that and hubby said "well, he is autistic after all". His dad didn't say much to that. Hmmmm.