ER Trip 2.0

Because of the vast fluctuation of temperatures this past two-ish weeks, I am feeling a bit under the weather today. However, I will write as much as I can, and I have a boatload of pictures to post as well.

So let's start with Sunday, approximately 6 hours after I posted last weeks entry. We are at the ER again, because this time, Alex tried to attack the marker tray on a white board at my cousin Matt and Stacey's wedding shower. It got him right in the chin, so Grandma and I had to take him in. He needed two stitches this time. Also, as soon as he knew we were going to the doctor, the crying stopped, and this is the way he settled in to the ER room:

He only shed one tear when they did the stitches, but he cried even more when they gave him the shot before the stitches with the relaxing medication in it. He didn't cry because he was hurt, he wanted a band-aid on his leg (even though it wasn't bleeding). Grandma laughed a lot when the relaxing medicine started to take hold on him, because he was having so many problems playing iPad and even trying to sit up. But, when all was said and done, he was quite the brave little boy, and he had to check out his new stitches in a mirror one of the nurses brought in for him:

When we came home, and showed both Grandpa and Dad his new battle wound, he then had to steal my phone and take pictures of himself, and these are just SOME of them:

He had quite the week with Dad, since I worked every day this week. He didn't have any pain from his stitches, and played like normal. On Friday, we went back to the doctor to have the stitches taken out, which turned into the same battle we had before. Dad had to hold him, because he was scared what they were going to do. But after he was done, he realized that he was not dead, and all of his face was still there (minus the two stitches that we started calling his "whiskers"), and last night, while he and I were in a silly mood, we took more pictures:

Now, to be completely honest, all of these pictures is really me being strategic. Alex doesn't like having his picture taken normally, so I am trying to make it more enjoyable. Both he and Tony refuse to have a proper picture taken, and when it comes time for us to have family pictures done, I don't want to have to fight with BOTH of them. So I figure I will get the littler one used to it, and then remind the bigger one that he is an adult and this is just something that adults have to suck up and do sometimes. Like... getting a drivers licence photo.

I start school on Monday, and Alex has this next week off with Dad and a couple of days with Grandpa. He starts Kindergarten on the 4th, and I hope he is ready. Full day, going to and from school on the bus, getting to come home instead of Grandpa's after school.... it will be an adventure indeed. Well, apparently it is reading time, so I am going to go get comfy on the couch and listen to him read to me for a while. Oh, and before I go, there is a rumor that he showed Dad how to spell blanket. This has not been confirmed with me yet, for I have not seen it and he refuses to spell it for me. But I am waiting to see it spelled with his magnetic letters sometime soon.

I hope you all have a great week, and I will leave you with some "Alex Riding in Dad's Car" pictures, with his hair blowing in the breeze, and one with his new bedtime shirt from Aunt Amy and Uncle Andy:

Jump Start Week 2 and Other Shenanigans

This has been a daunting week indeed! There has been so much that we have done, so much excitement, and I just cannot wait to tell you all about it!

The first thing is that this was Alex's last week of Jump Start for Kindergarten. He had a bit of a rough week, but I think that with all of the excitement outside of school, he was having a bit of trouble focusing on school. However, I think he has started to get used to his extra classmates, and a lot of fun was had. He does get rather cranky though when he can't go play outside, because that is obviously the highlight of his day. On Thursday it was raining, so they met inside, and he wanted to have none of that. They were supposed to meet outside by the slide! Between me and Mrs. Adam, we got him into the classroom and he is still here so he obviously didn't run away. I think that the issue is getting him to do things outside of what is routine, like on rainy days, when he doesn't really want to. But that is the trick to getting through to Alex: Make him do what he doesn't want to, because he will eventually see that it is fun!

Besides it being the last week of Jump Start, we also undertook the daunting task of finding Dad a new car. Alex went for a test drive with us, and he liked the car that Dad picked out just as much as Dad himself did. It is black, like my car, and Alex looks like he is quite comfortable when he rides in it. We went two hours away to find it, so two days this week we were in the car for 4+ hours. Alex doesn't mind though, because he loves going for car rides, if even just to see the sights.

This week also brought about more Daddy and Alex time. Since Tony has started his new job, He now has 3 days a week (and in two weeks it will be 4 days a week) off, so he and Alex get to cause a lot more shenanigans. I think Alex likes to spend time with Dad when I am not around, because then he gets to relax. I bug him a lot when it is just him and I, and when the three of us are together we both bug Alex a lot. The two of them could spend HOURS at a store, just wandering around, or cruising to wherever they fancy.

Also, we took the Kitties for a ride in the new car while we were flea bombing the house. They have had a pretty rough last week, and since we don't want Alex to be around flea and tick collars, we gave the kitties baths with special shampoo after they were shaved, and flea bombed the house. Kitties complained for the first half of the trip, but then quieted down and enjoyed (or what could have been construed as enjoyment). We went to a new park that Alex has never been to before, with a lake and ducks! He said hi to the ducks, we counted the baby ducklings, and when one quacked at him, he made the face you see above. It was a weird noise!

This week he showed Grandpa and Grandma how to spell "Madison". I think that he pays strong attentions to signs around us, and has become quite the speller because of it. He uses his magnetic letters to spell it, and he spelled it on Grandma and Grandpa's floor, and then again with his letters at home on the fridge. I always like seeing glimpses of what knowledge he has locked away in that head of his. He likes to share sometimes, but most of the stuff he keeps to himself. Its hard for those who are around him that he doesn't like to share his secrets with you or even have much of a conversation. We hope that he gets better at this, but if not, Alex will always remain one of the most mysterious people in a lot of other's lives.

Since I have this semester off from working, I am spending that time trying to get ahead on planning our wedding. I talk to Alex about the stuff, that Mom will be in a white dress and he gets to walk with her and Grandpa to meet Dad, and everyone close to us will be there, and there will be a party after. It is going to be hard for Alex because there will be a lot of people there that he won't know, but we are doing both the ceremony and reception in the same place so that he doesn't have to get used to two new spaces. We want everything to be very Alex-Friendly, because we think this day has something to do with him as well, not just us! It will be exciting for all of us, and I think that as long as he realizes that he can have a good time at the party and not pay attention to the people, he will be fine.

Well, I better get this posted before we start finishing up some housework and putting away the laundry. I hope that everyone out there has an epic week, because I know this household will!

Jump Start, Week 1

I am using my writing of this week's post as a much needed break from writing my final paper for my World Religions class. I am on page 11, out of about 14, so I thought I would take this time to tell you all about Alex's first week of Jump Start!

This week has been devoted to getting used to his new classmates, his new teacher, and the new classroom. He has been figuring out his new boundaries that are coming with being a Kindergartner, and from what I hear, he is doing a marvelous job! While he has not taken part in all of the projects they have done, he still gives some a try, even if it is after everyone else has done theirs. This is a major step from where he was this time last year, where he wouldn't even give projects a chance!

Now this is the face of one satisfied Kindergartner!

Mrs. Harger, his Kindergarten teacher, has been doing a great job of allowing Alex the time to get to know her. He is comfortable being in the classroom with her, and I think that before too long, he will be comfortable with his whole new world. She has put up a lot of great pictures, and this is one of my favorites:

There was a time, not too long ago, that this kid would not even touch play dough. He didn't like the way it felt. Now look at him! Apparently becoming a Kindergartner has come with an upgrade in the virtue of Bravery. Most of this past week he has been picked up by Grandpa at school, which he has been a major fan of! I came to pick him up from their house on Friday, and Grandma told me that Grandpa didn't take her with that day to get Alex from school because Alex likes to ride in the truck so much!

This week, Daddy (Tony) starts his new job, so Alex will be getting used to a lot more time with him. And Alex definitely loves his Daddy time. Yesterday I had to work, and so while I was gone they shaved the cats. Poor kitties are dealing with fleas, and they have a strong dislike of the flea collars. Besides, dealing with the fleas this way, Alex can still play with them and we don't have to worry about him touching the collars. On Friday night, Alex wanted Fat Cat to sleep in bed with him, which he has never really wanted before. But, I told him Fat Cat had to sleep in his own bed. Even right now he is having a conversation with Fat Cat about Grandpa's house.

Well, I am afraid that my break time is over. I will leave you guys with a shorter post this week, since the last two weeks were so long. I hope that you all have a great week!

Family Reunion and Star Stuff

It is actually Saturday when I started writing this post, in the afternoon! I have a chance to start this because the little guy is asleep, and Tony is giving the Kitties a bath. I had a lot of time to think about what I wanted this week's post to cover because I spent the trip to and back from my family reunion thinking about it.

Alex had a good time at the Nofsinger Family Reunion today. There was a bounce house there, and also a playground, not to mention other kids around his age to play with. He was running back and forth from the bounce house to the playground, and since I was trying to show him where his boundaries were, I did a lot of chasing after him. Needless to say, I am one tired mama, who is happy to just sit and type for a while on this rainy afternoon.

He had a good day today, until it started raining and I wanted him to go and sit in the shelter. Then he was not having such a good day. True, the other kids were out there still playing in the rain, but the other kids don't start "school" on Monday. I didn't want him to risk getting sick, and for this, he became mad at me.

While we were there, many people asked me if it is true that the store that I work at is closing. Yes, it is true, that after September 1st, the La Crosse Cheese Corner will be closed. The Viroqua one is still going to be open though. Don't worry about Alex and I, though, we will be fine. I am taking the next four months off (because it would be silly to work my butt off trying to find another part time job to fit my schedule only for four months), and during that time I will be working on various projects that tickle my fancy. We are pretty sure we will be ok financially for these two months, it just means that the stuff we needed to save up for will take a little longer to attain, and there will still be no family vacation (which we were looking forward to, but oh well).

During the trip back, I thought to myself that this is the perfect opportunity to discuss my views on some things that people find quite confusing. With this rather downward turn of events, we still manage to keep our eyes to the sky. While other people turn to faith and the "This is God's plan" bit, as many of you know, we are not that way. We don't believe in God. I have a Religious Studies minor, so I think I am qualified and educated on the subject enough to make a sound choice.

But how do I explain this to Alex? Well, this is cause for another story. On the way back from the reunion today, we passed by the cemetery where my Grandpa and Grandma Nofsinger are buried. I told Alex to wave at them, and say hello, which he did. So how does that make sense to people who don't believe in God? Well, here is how I explained it to my very intelligent almost 6 year old:

When we die, our bodies are either burned or we are put into the ground. Through these processes, our bodies decompose and our chemicals become part of another cycle of chemicals. It has been this way since the world began. All of the chemicals that make us up, come from stars. Deep in the heart of every star is the same stuff that makes up over 99% of our bodies. We are stars! Just in a different form, and minus the nuclear fusion. The chemical processes made organisms, and a bunch of different organisms and chemical processes is what makes us. All of these processes sometimes have different results, which is what makes each and every one of us unique.

The awesome part about what I am teaching my son, is that it is factually true. While people try to say the bible is full of facts, it really isn't. Although, I cannot say that I completely disagree with the idea of religion because it does have the ability to make people feel more important in this universe than really what we are, I disagree with the way it is used to put lines of separation between people, the earth, the sky, intelligence, and most importantly, other people. That is why I disagree with religion for the most part. When I die, I know what happens. I decompose, and all processes shut down. I just hope that I am lucky enough that my chemicals are mixed with Tony's chemicals because they really love each other. And whenever Alex wants to talk to us, he can come to the spot where we were laid and he can. We may not be able to answer, but we will be there (not up in the sky, that is just silly. Unless we can be cremated and sent to space!).

So every year, when we drive this road, Alex and I will talk about how Great Grandpa and Grandma Nofsinger's star stuff that was in them is now earth stuff, just like everyone and everything before them. But, after a long talk about things on the way home, and the excitement of the day, we got home and he passed out rather quickly with his Sneetches book in hand.

Later today we will be going to get Alex some school clothes. I found some t-shirts for him earlier this week that were on clearance, so now I just want to hunt for some long sleeve shirts, pants and maybe a hoodie. With Jump Start starting Monday, I look forward to Alex taking this time to learn his new classroom, his new teacher, and his new routine. So next week's entry will hopefully be full of interesting tidbits of Alex shenanigans.

The second item I wish to address is something that I sadly saw earlier this week. The reason why this is sad to me is because it is STILL an issue, even after it was debunked and the "scientist" responsible was held accountable for all of his false data. Contrary to what was put out into the world there is NO connection between autism and vaccines, especially the MMR vaccine. There have NOT been multiple studies that have shown this. There have NOT been any peer reviewed and trials that have shown this. To not get your child vaccinated is just plain stupidity, because no child should have to fear something so primitive as measles or mumps, which is not only passed from child to child but also through the air (meaning a child not vaccinated is NOT protected because the children around him/her are). It is just a coincidence that the signs for autism show up with the child is developing socially, which is about 1 year to 15 months of age, which is also the same time that they receive this shot. I have said this before... many times. Leave this up to the scientists, and don't let a few bad apples spoil the bunch when it comes to them. As parents, I think it is important to sometimes understand that things are beyond our comprehension when it comes to our children's biology. While this may hurt the pride of many to admit it, at the same time it is important that we not think we understand things, because it could have dire consequences. There are a lot of information out there about Autism that is wrong, that is hurtful, that is negative. It is our job as parents to sift through it and help our children here and now. Don't waste time blaming, it won't help them.

Hopefully I will not have to write about this again for a while.

While sometimes it is difficult, I think that having a child with Autism is something that has changed me for the better. I wasn't able to sit down and talk with people at the family reunion because I was chasing after Alex, but at the same time I definitely get my exercise in. I cannot bring myself to miss these moments (like now, he is roaming around the house in his underwear and my heels... again) because I am too busy looking for a "cure". At the same time, I don't want to push him on other people because he is different, the way he looks at things, the way he speaks, and often people are put off by it. I don't really care if they are, because he is a pretty awesome dude.

Neil deGrasse Tyson, a famous astrophysicist, said it best when he explained, "The best thing you can do for any child, no matter what, is let them explore. It is your job to not stand in the way of their exploration, but be close enough to offer explanations of what they find." Anyone who watches me with Alex can see that I stay close enough, but I don't stand in the way of him getting down and dirty in his environment. And I love every minute of watching him explore.

Well, I better stop typing now. I am afraid what I thought was going to be a short post ran long again. I hope that you and your families have a great week!