Catching Up

This is the type of post I usually save for the “Other Blog” – random things and Facebook posts, but I felt as if there was a need for some levity over here. If not levity, than at least the need for me to not be complaining about something, because that is all I’ve got lately.

Anyway, DC seems to be adjusting well to his the art room at his day program. His anxiety levels have come back down to his normal level of anxiety. Oddly, he still has not needed to wear a mustache since that meeting in March when he found out he’d be leaving the old department. It is odd because although he was wearing one almost every day for the last month or two in that department, it was a regular thing for him to do when he was feeling anxious in the morning ( a few times a month, maybe).

I am not complaining. It’s a good thing. It is just odd when you are used to certain things and they stop happening.

The other “up” side of not working in the greenhouse is he no longer has to wear the dreaded sunscreen and bug spray every morning (which might be another reason why he is not currently needing to wear a mustache). Also, no shorts!

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I bought him a bunch of “capri” pants and he loves them.

Since he’s no longer in the greenhouse – I don’t get the notes from his program that he really needs to be wearing shorts *(I don’t get any notes at all – but that’s another story).

Even though he doesn’t need to wear shorts, he sure does love the 3/4 pants.

(I bought the pants before I knew he would be changing departments – I thought they would help with his “I hate shorts” transition but even though he doesn’t HAVE to wear them, he does – everyday – except camp days. Wearing shorts to camp was never an issue for him. I do not know why.)

*“I don’t get any notes at all “was true at the time I wrote the post (July) – I have started receiving some since.

Having said that … I am a little bit concerned about changes that may be coming down the pike there. He does not need to be disrupted again so soon. More about that when I/if I hear more.

Moving on…

This subject came up the other day and I remembered when I first saw and shared the post below and how after 33 years, (or really the 26 years that he has been able to verbally communicate), I finally understood why DC pronounces “W” the way he does.

(If you follow our FB Page, some of these may be familiar to you)

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So this kind of just blew my mind…

DC has ALWAYS pronounced “W” when he is spelling out loud as “D-W” – always.

It’s just the way he says “W”. Now I’m wondering if this is why.

(Doug, who has selective hearing just told me he’s never noticed DC saying it that way so I just asked DC to spell ‘walk’

DC: D-W, A,L,K )

Another realization that I shared on my page a few years back that I was just talking about the other day because he has stopped using the phrase “It’s Good to Be Fine” and for some reason has started using again…

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One of the things that DC says and has said over many years, on a regular basis is: “It’s good to be fine”. He has little ‘catch phrases’ like “Enjoy the fun” that he’s used forever that I don’t really think about because I’ve heard them for so long.

So last week during one of the many rainstorms we have had, DC said “EVERYTHING is good to be fine.”

Ding!!! Ding!!!

It’s ‘going’ to be fine; that’s what he’s been saying all of this time!

#MomFail

Many of DC’s phrases or words have been incorporated into our day to day life. I will still call the refrigerator the “refridg-a-lator“, devastated is “dis-a-vited“, grated parmesan cheese is still and will always be “Sparkling Cheese” on the grocery list. I love you, madly is still I love you “magly“.

Speaking of Grocery Lists:

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Whenever DC adds to or starts a new grocery list – he starts in the middle of the page. I don’t know why.

Also: Cheese Slices

I still do not know why he begins every list in the middle of the page. I will surely be back to explain if I ever figure this out.

He tried something new in June – Pizza with ham and pineapple. Now, as much as I love it when he tries something new, this is something I would not have cared in the least if he refused it.

Yes, he loves pizza and yes, he likes pineapple. He also likes ham, but always has to be reminded that he likes it, Mixing things that he might like individually, together is never an incentive for DC to try anything – and if he does try, he usually says he doesn’t like it. (I have to admit that I am the same way with a lot of foods).

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Luau night activity. Pizza with ham and pineapple (yuk). Wasn’t sure how that would go over and warned him ahead of time but he ate it. He didn’t even try to remove anything!

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I am officially giving up on the #bandaid / marker/tape corner. (Jan 2024)

August 2024 – I did add a few new baskets

But… the “corner” has spread.

I am fully aware that this is a battle that I will never win.

Secrets, Surprises and Pizza…………

Posted by TakingItAStepAtATime

Yesterday‘s post, a re-posted portion of an earlier post with some additions touched on DC’s inability to keep a secret and/or the real possibly that he really does not understand the concept at all. The portion that I did not post yesterday delves into the subject a bit more.

Because I do not like to post more than once or twice a week, I was saving the second part of the original post for next week. Today is my birthday (it is official – I am OLD!) and DC, being DC just could not contain himself. The events of this morning ran right along the same lines as the post I was saving, so I am posting it today.

It is all he talked about all week. Just to be clear, he is not really excited about my birthday, he is excited about the prospect of going to dinner. Today he is getting lunch and dinner as I am going to meet him at his job for lunch and then out to dinner later – and we wonder why I can’t seem to lose any weight….seriously.

His official birthday observance activities started yesterday with a phone message, that of course he had help with (video at the end). He loves doing things like this. He loves the praise he receives and yes, he does love it when something he’s done makes me happy.

The moment Doug left yesterday, DC began telling me about the “Cards in the Drawer surprise for tomorrow – Mom’s birthday“. Apparently they had hidden birthday cards in the coffee table drawer. Then he decided to show me the “Cards in the drawer for tomorrow” – He put them back, I suppose so he could “surprise” me with them today.

The first thing he did this morning after saying “Happy Birthday, Mom!” was to give me the surprise cards. There were two – one from DC and one from Doug. I am not sure that Doug had intended for me to have them already and I didn’t want to phone and wake him at 6am, so I opened the card that was from DC. I told him that I would wait for Doug to open the other. As I said, DC loves praise and loves to give me gifts so after I thanked him for the beautiful card and gift, he presented me with a gift my friend at work had given me the day before. (more praise, please). I am sure he will continue to present me with random items from around the house for the rest of the day as he did on Valentine’s Day after I finished opening his gift.

A secret or surprise is never safe with DC and he will be taking credit for any and all gifts or cards that I receive.

And tomorrow (actually, probably tonight as soon as we return from dinner when in his mind my birthday is officially over) … he will begin to obsess about our trip to New York the day before his birthday next week (with best friend “BB”) and the Winter Guard show in New Jersey ON his birthday.

Below is the secrets and surprises portion of the original post I mentioned earlier:

Secrets, Surprises and Pizza…………

We were asked to write a memory for his Winter Guard Director’s Birthday. It was a surprise. I worried that he would give the surprise away before her gift was presented to her 3 weeks later.

Just what is a secret?

A secret, is DC whispering in a raspy voice louder than his already very loud voice.

A secret is pizza for breakfast.

There are times, not often, but there are times, when we have left-over pizza in the house. When there is left-over pizza, DC loves to have it for breakfast. This happens all of once every couple of months, but I know my son. If anyone were to ask him what he had for breakfast, he will answer pizza. If someone should ask him the next day, he will answer “pizza”, not because he had it again, but because 1) That is what he would have wanted to have 2) It becomes a standard answer because he is tired of answering questions 3) That was his favorite breakfast that week so that’s his answer and he is sticking with it.

Not wanting people to think I give him pizza every morning, we decided to call it “Secret Breakfast”. Well…. as I said, DC doesn’t understand the concept of a secret, so anytime we go out with friends for pizza, or we are at a party where pizza is being served, he always begs for “Secret Breakfast” – at which time I have to explain what “Secret Breakfast” is to my friends or other parents, (because of course, they ask – wouldn’t you?) completely defeating the purpose of the secret part of “Secret Breakfast”. At this point “Secret Breakfast” is just something we call pizza, people now just ask him if he wants to take some home for “Secret Breakfast”, and yes, they also call it “Secret Breakfast” when they offer.

What is a surprise?

A surprise pretty much runs along the same lines as a secret. If we buy a gift, and I tell him not to say anything because it is a surprise, the very first thing he will do when he sees the person that we bought the gift for is:

– Go over to that person, point at them and says (to me) “Don’t tell anyone, surprise, shhh” and many times he will even announce just what the surprise is. I suppose because he is addressing me and not the person, he thinks he is not giving it all away.

Knowing all of this, I should have realized that the next time we went to Winter Guard practice, he would ask about Mrs. F’s birthday – by practice day it was still two weeks away. I was worried that if he mentioned it in front of her she would know that something was in the works. There would be no other reason for DC to know that her birthday was coming. I reminded him over and over and held my breath for the next two weeks. Fortunately he did not give it away, not for lack of trying though – he did mention it a number of times at practice but luckily she was not close enough to hear it.

Historically there has never been a gift or a surprise that has not been revealed early by DC. Most of the time I opt not to even tell him, but in cases like this when he plays a part in the surprise by either choosing a gift, or writing a card or in this case, drawing a picture, it can’t be avoided.

We just got very lucky that all of his “Don’t tell anyone, surprise, shhh” (‘s) all happened out of earshot of Mrs. F.

******

My Birthday Phone Message:

(and just a thought…. it’s my birthday, wouldn’t someone love to come and clean my house? Just once… I don’t ask for much. Or the car…. the car could use a wash….. anybody?)