Special Exposure Wednesday SPD & Eating

Tafari & Ezra
Team Tezra

SPD & Eating

Sensory Processing Disorder is my biggest hurdle in getting him to eat. He goes through fazes. For awhile it was only beef hot dogs, eggs, and fruit. I give him supplements for the vegetables and vitamins he's missing. This baffles me as we know eggs do not have the best texture. Yet other foods he will touch and toss. It's been a real struggle. A few months ago he was at a picnic and decided he liked Hot Links...and I mean really hot Louisiana style Links... go figure! So now he doesn't like hot dogs anymore. He will still eat eggs though. Fruit is always his number one love. 

If we go out he will eat other foods. But only if he gets it from someone else's plate. But these foods are still in the meat and fruit category.  

SPD affects him mainly when he is offered with too many choices. His plate needs to be prepared simple and to the point. First a small plate of cut up meat. Next course is the small plate of cut up fruit. Then a few drops of vitamins in his juice cup. I have to make sure he doesn't see me though, lol! If I put anymore on his plate he has Sensory Overload and will not eat anything.

What are some of the hurdles you have to overcome during mealtimes?

STBM I just texted you

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Send Them Back Monday!

My Tween Iz and his friends:

"Why you not call man?"

"I just texted Fernando dude, chill out!"

Those two sentences are like nails on a chalkboard to me. Why you not call man? What kind of sentence is that? That alone proves my theory School should still be in session! Also I just "texted"...It's text. I just texted you... that means nothing!! nothing!! nothing!!!! It's like nails on a chalkboard!!

Iz deep in the Fridge...

Iz: "Mom there's no food!" 

Me: "There is a whole kitchen full of food!"

Iz: "Nothing I like, I'm starving!"
I give Iz "the look"
Iz: "I know, I know there are babies starving in Africa"

Me: "There are babies starving in Africa, and you don't know what Hungry is kid!"

Iz: "C'mon mom, I'm tired of hearing that, when's the last time you were in Africa?"

Me: "When I was a baby starving, Smart Ass!!"

I wake up to a notice taped on my door...

This is your Bus Driver. Will pick Tafari up at 8:09am and return him at 1:32pm. Summer School begins Monday!

I do the happy dance all over the Apartment!

Iz asks to see the note, I give it to him.

Iz: Mom stop dancing.

Me: Don't Hate cuz I got the moves!

Iz: No really Mom, stop dancing

Me: Watchu know about the Cabbage Patch, Running Man, & The White Girl (Molly Ringwalds dance in The Breakfast Club), and I do each dance like an 80's pro!

Iz: No Mom, really... stop dancing!!

Me: When I'm tired.... I still got it! (really I'm huffing, puffing, and sweating)

Iz shoves the notice towards me and says: Read the bottom!

Bottom of note: Summer School is four weeks long.

Me: WTH?? Four Weeks!! But regular School isn't back in session until September!

Iz: I'm glad I don't have Summer School.

Me: Go to your room!

Iz: Why?

Me: Because there are children starving in Africa. 

STBM

(click home to view & link up with latest STBM post)

Did school really end just two weeks ago? 

Are you already ready for your kids to go back to school? 

Are you now preparing three full meals a day and snacks for not just your kids but for half of the neighborhood?

Is your Tween ungrateful?

Is your Teen hormonal?

Do you make really Awesome plans to get out of the house and nobody wants to go? 

Does everyone pile in the car, then whine and argue the whole trip?

Are you constantly hearing "can so and so spend the night?"

Do your kids think you are a money tree? 

Are you already broke and June isn't even over yet?

  

Is your spouse worse than the kids at times? 

Do you keep checking the Calendar for the first day of School? 

Are your grandkids really cute but tearing up your house?

If your kids being around the house all day is driving you crazy I've got just the Meme for you! 

(Starts tomorrow and runs every Monday through Summer)

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The Scholar

Weekend Warriors will be canceled this week 
to pay tribute to my son, The Scholar. 

He just Graduated from High School 
and this is his speech! I am so proud of him!

Chandler Tipton

Graduation Speech

​There is a moment that I hope each of you have experienced at least once in your lives – Where you can remember each of those big "firsts" that paved the way for each experience that came after it.  You can remember when you were the only kid on the planet to have tried those awesome things called pancakes, and to jump that far off the park’s swing, (and to cry that loudly when you fell and scraped your knee).​I can remember all of these moments so well because I am still having them.  The only difference is that the pancakes and swing set have been replaced by sushi and cars.  High School introduced to us the appealing concept of reinvention, and this vast transition from child to adult is held largely within the confines of the classroom.  Each day, we see the people around us trying on new faces, forming new perspectives on a world that they are so rapidly gaining an understanding of.  And this lifestyle of constant change becomes normal to us.  The trends pass by, the friends come and go, and (for whatever reason) the pants get lower and tighter.​But if I've found one thing to be consistent, it's that the time we spend here allows us to find our extended family.  Initially, not one of our choosing.​But lucky for us, however, we get to sift through the masses and separate the distant cousins from our brothers and sisters (and perhaps a few crazy Aunts and Uncles).  But if you’re lucky enough, you find a couple of relationships that last you a lifetime.  And though that number may be few, they are the ones who help you (pardon the phrase) “become what you are to be”.

​When you look at it this way, this graduation seems like a final tribute to the exciting discoveries of our youth, and a promise to continue to look for more.  So, the big question remains - What comes next?  I'll tell you now, I really don't know.  I don't know exactly which of you I'm going to keep in touch with, I don't know which days I'll remember above others, and I sure as heck don't know what I want to be when I "grow up" - Can any of us?  But if I've learned anything in these past few years is that that's OK.  I don't have to know right now!

​This stage of life is ending, but life itself is not.  Let's think about this statistically:​Our generation is expected to live until about 77-80 years of age (if not older).  According to these stats, this means that we're not even a quarter of the way through our lives yet.  Cool, right?​What this means to me is that this chapter of our lives, (while pivotal and transitory), is still just a chapter.  It's OK if we leave here today weary and unsure.  We can be afraid of not knowing what's next, because the fun part is trying to figure it out; At this point, we're fooling ourselves if we think we have all the answers.​We can’t stop here.  I believe that if nothing else, my experience in this place was a test of endurance.  But this endurance would mean nothing if today represented the end of my search for higher and deeper truths.  We owe it to ourselves and everyone who got us here - Our friends, our family, and our teachers who made it possible for all of us to walk this stage today - to carry this momentum into our adult lives. I encourage each of you here before me today to step off this stage and continue without breaking stride, because today is no end, it’s not even a real beginning.  It’s just one big transition.​I'd like to close today with a passage written by one of my personal heroes - Scientist Carl Sagan.  Here, Sagan talks about an image of the Earth taken from the edge of our Galaxy, an image that had been the most distant shot of our planet to date:​"We succeeded in taking that picture [from deep space], and, if you look at it, you see a dot. That's here. That's home. That's us. On it, everyone you ever heard of, every human being who ever lived, lived out their lives. The aggregate of all our joys and sufferings, thousands of confident religions, ideologies and economic doctrines, every hunter and forager, every hero and coward, every creator and destroyer of civilizations, every king and peasant, every young couple in love, every hopeful child, every mother and father, every inventor and explorer, every teacher of morals, every corrupt politician, every superstar, every supreme leader, every saint and sinner in the history of our species, lived there on a mote of dust, suspended in a sunbeam.​Our posturings, our imagined self-importance, the delusion that we have some privileged position in the universe, are challenged by this point of pale light.​Our planet is a lonely speck in the great enveloping cosmic dark. In our obscurity -- in all this vastness -- there is no hint that help will come from elsewhere to save us from ourselves. It is up to us."
 
​Graduates, Friends, Families - It is indeed up to us.

​Congratulations, and good luck to you all.

From Baby...

 To Boy...

To Man...

Thursday Thunks WTF 10 ft. Duck?

1. It became officially summer on Monday. What's your favorite part of winter?

The awesome 60* weather. It's my favorite temperature. Thank you Southern California!

2. What was your worst summer vacation ever?

I spent a lot of money to go visit an old friend last Summer. She was pregnant, hormonal, and very mean.

3. Kimber's husband just got the dream job that he's hoped for. So a big shout out to her and Anthony! Tell us about the best job that you ever had.

Congrats to Kimber's Hubby!! 

When my eldest son was 2 I got a job at a non-profit Urban Garden in San Francisco. It was located on Divisidero a few blocks north of Haight. I was able to take my son to work. I use to tend to the garden with him wrapped on my back. Cool huh? Yup I was the hip mamma!

4. Who is probably talking a load of crap about you right now?

My babydaddy. Um yeah not a reliable source, and we will keep it at that. He's still my son's father and I will not bash him in a public forum. Now if you'd like to stop by for coffee we can have a good ole fashion yakkety yak session.

5. An alien appears and offers you the opportunity to repeat one year of your life. You will still know everything that you know now. He explains that no matter what you do differently, when you are returned to the present nothing will have changed. What year would you pick and why?

My eldest son's 8th grade year. Why... he is a teen and I am not going to tell my elder children's personal stories online. They are so lucky I didn't start blogging when they were babes... LMAO!

6. Name three things you have on you at all times. Explain why.

My Silver Ring (it says... Embrace Life) I got it to replace my wedding ring, My Phone... I have 4 kids it would be irresponsible not to have my phone on me at all times, and last but not least... My Bra because my breasts would have gravel marks if I didn't.

7. When was the last time you wrote a letter to someone on paper and mailed it?

A week and a half ago. I wrote my friend's daughter Kaya and sent her 20 dollars and a T-shirt, cuz I love her like that.  Besides, I call her Lil' Lady Scarface... she drives a hard bargain.

8. If you could have everyone in the blogosphere read just one of your posts, which post would you pick and why?

My Peace Corps Post. I think it shows the absolute beauty and simplicity of the late 60's-early 70's. It shows that not everyone was sitting around dropping acid. There were people out there making a difference. It reminds me of my parents love for me and my country.

9. I recently read that the music industry continues to decline at an alarming rate. In the last year it said the sales of Michael Jackson's and The Beatles' music are the only artists who sales continue to climb. The article stated that the two are holding up the industry. Have you bought a CD or mp3 of either artist recently?

Um no. I love both artists. I think there is a difference though. The Beatles I could listen to any day anytime. Michael Jackson I have to be in a flashback funky mode. But MJ does rock on a road trip... you know flippin' channels trying to find the right station in an unknown area... then bam!..... all of a sudden you hear... "Annie are you ok?, are you ok Annie?, Annie or you ok? are you ok Annie? You've been hit by, you've been hit by a Smooooth Criminal" (then you remember why Michael Jackson Freakin' Rocks!!)

10. What radio ad right now do you find so annoying that you'd rather have a tooth drilled than hear it again?

I don't listen to the radio. I only listen to the radio when I have a car. I haven't had a car for 3 years now. But there is no advertisement that would warrant a tooth being drilled.

11. Berleen walks into a bar on a hot Minnesota day. At the bar sits a priest, a rabbi and a minister. A ten foot duck walks into the bar right after Berleen. What drink do you think Berleen orders?

What the F*%k is this question really about?? Berleen what kinda bars do you go too? Why is a priest, rabbi, & minister in a bar? Why does your drink depend on whose in the bar? Why is the duck 10 ft and not 9 or 11 ft?

12. There is a knock on your door. It can be anyone in the world. Who would you want it to be?

Chandler

13. What would be the worst entertainment or sporting that you could be forced to watch?

Bowling.... (bumper bowling i'm down!.. regular bowling... now that's cause for a tooth drilling)

Wordless Wednesday

KEN

Wishing you a Safe Surgery 

All's fair in love and war

There's my Happy Baby!!!

Thanks to all of you for your comments on my post yesterday. It really meant a lot to me. The blogging world is such a beautiful support system. It's something nobody will ever understand unless you are in it. It's one of the reasons it was so important to me to publish that post. Most of my blog is very cheery and uplifting. But, in order to truly share myself and be genuine, the darkest moments are important to share as well. Especially for moms like myself that live the dark secret of being physically attacked by our Special Needs kids. It was the roughest day we've had so far. I am used to the middle of the night meltdowns and even sleep in a defense position. It's actually kind of funny because my tween, Iz, and I both got it down. Pillow over right side of head with arm securing it. The other arm swung around covering our nose. If you don't cover your nose and he wakes up before you, he jams his finger in it. That hurts!!! One time I almost called 911 because I felt faint and couldn't get the bleeding to stop. Someday I will get Iz to take a pic of me sleeping so you can see my defense style sleeping position. I could take one of him... he has an extra pillow to cover his groin! Sometimes after the millionth time trying to wake Iz up for school I will just yell "Watch your Balls here he comes!!"... he jumps out of bed immediately, it's hysterical!! We tend to laugh at most things and its very therapeutic. 

I think the baby's schedule being thrown off was just too much for him. Routine's are so important to all of our children. I got some great emails from special needs and non-special needs moms telling me their stories. I felt so much better!!  Thank goodness for Summer School next week! 

Today we are going out to the park right after breakfast. I couldn't fathom taking him out yesterday after such a Huge Meltdown. Autistic or not... there was no way I could reward that behavior. We stayed in all day, he finally napped while I did the crazy rocking back and forth to calm myself down. After the park I am taking him to my friends moms house while I exercise. Hopefully I don't lose anymore hair or I will have to cut it all off. I was telling another blogger friend of mine, he's a smart kid... you see he didn't rip his own hair out! In order to save my hair and sanity, I think this summer we will begin non-school days at the park. He drives a hard bargain, but "all's fair in love and war".

SPD, Meltdowns, and Toddler Stage?!!!

I am having some problems lately trying to figure out if it's SPD (Sensory Processing Disorder) or my Toddler's age. He definitely has SPD. That's not in question. My concerns are trying to separate when he is having Sensory issues or just being a Toddler. Three and a half years old is a very trying time for any mother. Now add to that your child being Non-Verbal. It's very frustrating at times. Today was one of those days for me. It is his first full day out of school. I am very bruised and battered from his nightly Meltdowns. Some nights I wake up to a punch in the face or a kick in the ribs. I am afraid to let him sleep alone. I am afraid he will injure himself. 

Today I wanted to stay home.The sun is out, it's bright and pretty, but I'm exhausted! So I planned to just hang with Tafari. I woke up to being bit on the thigh. While I was nursing my thigh he kicked me in my back. I had a couple of kids t.v. shows lined up for him to watch and he did good for a minute. Until he bit my DVR. I had to hold him down for ten minutes to calm him down. The whole time he tried to scratch my eyes out. He cried I cried. He threw my phone at me. So like a true blogger I took pics.

Tearful Battered Mom... 

he ripped three dreadlocks out of my head.

Mid-Meltdown, 

tearing up and attempting to destroy

dining room.

 He hasn't had a daytime meltdown like this in months. All my skills went out the window today. I think he had a Meltdown because of the School Summer schedule. Thank goodness Summer School starts Monday. All our therapists are off this week too. Lisa, my angel, my in-home therapist is off until Monday too! I didn't realize how much Tafari and I rely on our routine. I finally got him to watch some Hip Hop Harry. Today was not a Spongebob day. It upset him even more. He flipped out on Spongebob. I wish that sponge could've took some of his punches! SPD, Meltdowns, and Toddler stages. It's hard to tell the difference at times.

In between all of this I am getting calls trying to be lured into adult drama.... you've got to be kidding me!!! Like I have the time to care!!

Well now he's napping and I feel better. 

Blogging is truly Therapeutic!

Meet me on Monday early in the morn

1. How many brothers and sisters do you have?

Eleven: I am the Eldest

2. What is your favorite thing to do?

Read

3. What countries have you visited?

Spain, The Netherlands-lived in Holland for awhile, Mexico, United States, Born in Uganda

4. Are you a morning or a night person?

Morning!!!

5. What's your favorite cereal?

Grape Nuts or Granola i only eat cereal if I have a Banana to put in it, No Banana=No Cereal. 

Thanks Java for a fun way to start the week!

Sundays In My City its a Saturday Picnic

The day before the Picnic and Tafari ,
Unknown Miho in this pic ;)

sends a shout out to the Unknown Family

Hope your Having a Happy Father's Day,

Unknown Papi!

*******

1st annual Summer Autism Picnic

(I forgot to get permission from parents to post pics online, 

so most pics are of my family and families I know personally)

My kids & I

The Scholar, The Comedian, Mr. Attitude, Me, & Tafari

We are an extremely Comedic cast of Characters!

Grandparents & Grandkids

Visit Unknown Mami for Sundays in My City

Autism/Aspergers families...
join The Autspot for online Support!

Weekend Warriors #13

I have a busy weekend planning

our 1st Annual Autism Family Picnic 
with The Autspot. 

So, I am posting weekend warriors early! 

Hope you all have an excellent and blessed weekend!

Click Here to see how it works:

WEEKEND WARRIORS

There are no rules...(feel free to post an old or new post!)
This meme is for both Special Needs and Non-Special Needs Families
Educate yourself and your children about ours
this will run through the whole weekend
(Friday evening posted by 9pm PST
thru Noon Monday, PST )
so that Special Needs Families
will have time to participate..
we never know what any day is going to be like..

This weeks Question:

Do you, your child, or family member have 

SPD (sensory processing disorder) issues? 

What is a day in your life like? 

 *Please link an old or new post, 
all other special needs please link

whatever posts or pics you'd like today*

My Answer to this Weeks Question:

My past post click here
 

 My Pic of the Day:

Our Autism Class School field trip at Pump It Up.

The Teachers and Aids dared me 
to run through the obstacle course,

it was a big race between me and Miss Kiesha... 
guess who not only lost,

but got stuck and needed assistance getting out?!!!!
(do you see Miss. Kiesha leaning over on the left,
pretending she's worried... um no, 
she took off after seeing me stuck to win the Race!!)

Please link directly to your Weekend Warrior Post
(feel free to link posts with Special Needs Giveaways 
and informational links, but please, no links 
to ads for expensive items the average household 

cannot afford) 

 

Email Next weeks questions to KnottyLbc@yahoo.com

Special Exposure WW Lemonade Stands

Emily and Tafari  
click here for our next Event!