Jack Turns T-W-O

My baby is a big boy. He is talking more and more everyday, able to identify animals and body parts and his favorite foods. This is all new territory for us since Matthew really didn't start speaking until this year...and even now, he is still below age level. Jack is definitely in the grasp of the Terrible Twos. He is overall a happy child, but if we try to redirect him to a new activity or don't read his mind, he can turn on a dime and throw the mother of all coniption fits. He loves to play "choo choos" and run and run and run. He talks constantly and eats more than the rest of us put together. He and Matty play so awesomely together and are each other's best friends.

We had a family party on Jack's big day and we'll be throwing the big par-tay sometime in November when my hardworking husband finally gets a weekend off.

A Promise to Myself

I will start writing again. I won't let the unkind words and actions of others keep me from being me. I miss writing and sharing my story, even if I'm the only one whoever reads it. I started this blog so that I could have a written history of our family life and it turned from something spiritual to something chaotic. From this moment forward, I will get back to what I love. I will share our family's story and from time to time, I will go back and fill in the blanks. If you don't like what I have to say, don't read it. For those of you encouraging me to return to writing, I thank you. I have much to share and much to catch up on so I ask you for your patience as I organize my thoughts on this endeavour.

An Update on Us

We have had an insane year so far! My computer crashed out around the time Matthew started school and it took about a month to get my new hard drive from HP and I got behind on everything, especially blogging. With Matty being in school, he managed to bring home every germ known to the classroom and I spent 9 out of 12 weeks sick before he was out for the summer. Sure I've been on Facebook but that is mindless for the most part and doesn't require alot of sentence structure or structure of any kind. I'm also on the Walk Committee for the San Diego Walk Now for Autism Speaks 5K happening on September 10th at Liberty Station. If you'd like to join my team or start your own, please let me know! PS- we are also taking donations....

I have to say that 2010 was a crappy year overall. My parents retired and moved to Oregon, my bout with depression, a baby with reflux who didn't sleep through the night, Matthew's behavioral issues we later realized are synonomous with Autism, family drama, etc. It was an exhausting year that I would like to forget ever happened. This year has been amazing though. Matthew's diagnosis of autism meant that we were going to get help for him. He loves going to school and has blossomed. He didn't qualify for summer school but luckily his at home ABA kicked in right after the school year ended. His vocabulary has increased so much! He's still behind in language for his age level but he has made so much progression. He is counting, identifying his alphabet and matching shapes and colors. In the last month, he has even started engaging in pretend play. Parents of normally developing children take that aspect for granted. He knew that toys were for playing with but his playing was primarily stimming. He loved to get down to eye level to watch the wheels spin on his trains and cars rather than just be imaginitive. He liked his Buzz and Woody figures but didn't know what to do with them. Now he makes Buzz fly and he makes Woody walk. Its incredible! I can't believe he goes back to school in less than 2 weeks.

Jack is the man! He is quite verbose and still speaks primarily in jibber jabber, but he is something else. He loves to sing "Bob the Builder" and give fives and knuckles. He loves to laugh and run and make his Mommy tickle him. He just started climbing out of his crib this week...sigh. I guess the big boy bed will be the next big step. Jack is also a big flirt. Whenever Matty's BST comes to the house, Jack jumps in her lap and talks her head off. He also has this flirty look he gives her so she will make eye contact with him. I guess I should be worried, but he's so darn cute!

We just came home from a 10 day trek to Oregon. I have been there several times throughout my lifetime, and a handful of times in the last 10 years, but this is the first time I have made the drive in about 20 years. Tony had never driven north of Beale AFB or been to Oregon (he has been to Washington state a few times). He was absolutely in love with the beauty of Oregon. All of its green, lush wooded areas and rivers flowing peacefully through the city and outlying areas. My parents live on a 400 acre ranch in Banks, OR (about 30 mins west of Portland) and the kids were in heaven.

Ahhhh...New Computer!!!!

Tony got me an early Mother's Day gift...a new laptop! I haven't been posting because it has been such a pain with our virus-ridden desk top. A quick post that used to take 5-10 minutes was taking me nearly an hour and I definitely don't have that kind of time anymore. I will do my best to update my pics as often as possible.