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!

Back to School and Some Tough Decisions

This week I have thought about a lot of things that I wanted to talk about on here, but as per usual, I have to go through the week and explain all of the awesome that Alex did this week.

On Tuesday, he and I went and got his school supplies. He was such a great kid while we were at the store, helping to pick out his folders and crayons and whatever else his long list had, that I said he could get a new backpack. While there is nothing wrong with the old one, I remember how exciting it was going to school with a new backpack, and we can donate the old one to a little boy that doesn't have one (this is something that I find VERY important that Alex learn: That there are many people out there with less than he has, and there is no reason for him to have excess that he will not use when we can simply donate it). It is another Cars one (of course), and we put his name on the tag (which he was quite excited about). He also got to pick out a Kindergarten Nap-Time Mat, and the one he chose was a blue and green one. He got a pencil box, which he was quite confused about, but we have been keeping his colors in something similar so hopefully he will understand the concept once he has to keep stuff in there.

The thing at the top is his lunch box, which he chose the one with Spiderman on it. This will hold his "back-up lunch", which he only gets in the event that he doesn't eat the hot lunch at school. We are trying to get him to expand his palate, and at the same time not let him know that we are doing it (he is stubborn that way). So he is going to eat with his friends, hopefully they will coerce him into eating school lunch (even if it takes a while).

After we got home, and after Dad came back from Tomah (which I will discuss in a moment), they then took off and had a Man Trip to Best Buy. Alex got a new copy of "Monsters vs Aliens" because he wore his old one out. They also bought some new music and rented a game.

So the reason that Tony was in Tomah is because he had to take a physical assessment for his new job at the Distribution Center there. This is a very exciting thing for our family, indeed! This means that through the school year, he will be home Tuesday through Thursday to take Alex off of the bus, while I will be home on Monday to do so, thus greatly releasing the strain of dealing with our rather rambunctious Kindergartner from my father. Tony will be working Saturday through Monday, 12 hours a day. While he will have to endure quite the drive, by this time next year we are moving to West Salem to be a bit closer to his job and Alex will get to be in an amazing school district.

Which is the first thing that I have to discuss that has been on my mind. This will be very difficult on my dad, as Alex and him are very close. However, I will have to beg and plead with him not to get angry, because this is what is best for Alex. It is not like we are not taking him into account. We were going to move long before Tony got this job. Since they have a day care with teachers that can help him with things he needs to do for school that is right across the street from his school, West Salem seems like a perfect place for him to not only get the best education possible, but also for him to have the ability to play with his peers (whom he has the most difficulty with when it comes to communicating) after school is done.

And, we have to get out of this building. It is like a frat house with people who are long past the age to be acting like that. But that was just a short rant, which if I don't put a cap on could turn into a whole post itself.

I guess that when it comes to the time of having to tell him (being my father), I want to let him know that I have done a lot of research on this, that I am acting in Alex's best interests, and that he cannot think selfishly. Its not like Alex will forget about him or anything. We want it to become a reward for Alex to go down to Grandpa's house, after a long week at school or after he conquered a really hard task. When it comes to my parents, I have to stand up for Alex and let them know that yeah, stuff is hard for him, but he is my kid. They watched me go through hell and back, and I am still standing. I know Alex has that kind of strength in him too, because I see it all the time. I don't want Alex thinking that because something is hard, that he can give up on it, because that is not what they, my parents, taught me to think. I was raised on the idea that hard work could get you anything you wanted, if you wanted it bad enough. This is a quality that I want to instill on Alex, since it has been so pivotal in my life.

How do I know he can do the impossible? Yesterday, I asked him to draw me a map to Grandpa's house when it was drawing time. First he drew this:

This is the first sign he sees on his way to Grandpa's house. Then he flipped the page and drew this:

Which is the road sign on the road that Grandpa lives on. See? Terribly smart kid. And his artwork, with the coloring time that I have him do, is getting pretty amazing. He drew a couple of elephants on his wall, and this one was the best one, which he named "Andrew" (of course):

This week I have watched him grow just a little bit more, as I do every week, but this week I grew a little bit with him. I realized that even though I am scared to discuss a lot of this stuff if you were to see me in person, it is mostly because I like to keep things to myself. Which is just me. And this is the important thing that I realized. Alex doesn't need me to be an advocate, he doesn't need me to be Supermom. He doesn't care how much I do in one day, nor does he really care how much money Daddy or Mommy makes. What he does care about is that we are here, that we are ourselves, and that we love him. The most powerful thing Alex has learned how to say other than "I love you" is "Will you help me?". Because he has the ability to ask for help when he knows he needs it, I don't really worry about what I am doing wrong, because I know that to him, I am doing everything right. He is expanding his mind and he is getting so much better socially, that I know that what Tony and I are doing is the perfect medium between the two terrible extremes: Not caring, and caring too much it is suffocating.

Last night I went to my sister Angela's house to get my oldest nieces's senior pictures (holy cow do I feel old), and I met my second oldest nieces's boyfriend's mom. She was talking about concerns she has for her daughter, who is showing many signs of autism, and she has even done some web research on it. However, her husband denies it, and says that it is not his daughter.

The words I didn't have last night to tell her was this: Autism isn't really ANY of our kids. Any of the 1 in 88. My child is Alexzander, an almost 6 year old who loves reading, dancing to music, and coloring. He somehow manages to find a place in the hearts of everyone he meets, and if he is around you enough you will see that he is a pretty awesome little dude. When he was diagnosed, I didn't look at him differently, like this suddenly made him a different person. There is nothing more frustrating than people thinking that my son IS Autism, instead of "my son just happens to be Autistic". It doesn't mean that you have to change who you are around them, by any means. It just means that he needs a little extra help every once in a while. What is denying that your child is autistic going to do for them in the long run anyway? Nothing but hurt them, I assume. There are so many crazy stereotypes that come with the label of Autism, none of which really pertain to my kid. I am not going to let him think that because he can't do something one way, that he is inferior or it gives him an excuse not to find another way. I am not a good "excuse" person, I really actually hate them. I am not going to tell Alex he cannot do something, because this MIGHT happen. Everything is a learning process with him, with heavy emphasis of the PROCESS. When a child is diagnosed, it is the parents job to find how they learn, what is the best medium for them in which to learn, which leads the way to what their learning process is. Set aside your feelings of inferiority, any ill feelings toward your child, and just become active with them. If there are siblings, they will follow suit. Don't look for "cures" or a cause, because that will make you lose focus on what is really important: Learning your child. You have spent this long with them, you should have the ability to know what they are all about. Let the scientists and doctors work on all of the other stuff.

And for the love of everything right and holy, do not, I repeat, DO NOT listen to a damn word that Jenny McCarthy has to say.

Until next week, I hope that all of you have an amazing time, and thanks for reading my blathering!

Stitch-free and The Golf Outing

Lets start at the beginning of the week, shall we? Monday, Alex had a good day with Grandpa doing Grandpa and Alex things. On Tuesday, Alex went to play group and stayed all by himself. He did a great job listening and following directions, which is great because we are using this as practice for what he can expect in Kindergarten. After he came home, we had some relax time, and then we all went to La Crosse so that I could go to the doctor, and then we went shopping. Alex is always so helpful at the doctor's office. He checked my reflexes and made sure my eyes were working, then made sure that I was breathing, which is always good.

Wednesday, he spent the day with Dad doing guy stuff, and on Thursday, we went up to Onalaska to get his stitches out. Tony had to hold him down, because he was not a fan of anyone touching his finger. We tried to bribe him by getting him a new book and his favorite meal beforehand, but it was still scary for him.

Friday he spent with Grandpa again, and then after Tony and I got done with work, we went down to a golf course outside of Westby to celebrate Uncle Nate's birthday. Alex got to ride around in golf carts, which he loved, and even abandoned me so he could ride around with Grandpa. It is to the point where we have to explain to Alex that he is with Grandpa a lot, and sometimes Grandpa needs some time off from him. So he rode around with me and Tony, and we got in trouble for chasing the geese there (but it was fun!).

Yesterday he was able to spend the day with Grandpa AND Grandma, and apparently he hast started to take all of his toys and make a mountain on their bed with them. When I came to get him on Friday, Grandpa was even in the toy mountain!

Well, the vibrating teether literally lasted about a day, and now most of the plastic covering is gone. When we first gave it to him, he was so lost as to what he was supposed to do with it...

So now, phase two is to go to Once Upon A Child and try to find the necklaces that were suggested to me. Hopefully they will work, but I have to find the time to get up there and get them to check them out.

Today, we are trying to relax. This past week has been hard on me, and I have been rather tired and lacking in energy for most of it. I told Alex that this is the perfect day to just relax and not really do much of anything. So while I am writing this he is playing a game of Blue's Clues, and writing in his notebook trying to figure out his own clues...

I looked at the calendar last night and noticed that we only have two weeks and then he starts Jump Start, which will bring us both up to school time. Some days mom and dad will get him from school, and some days Grandpa will get him from school. It should be really exciting. Also, this means that I need to get my butt in gear and start doing his school supply shopping. He will definitely need new everything, but if I can locate it, I may still have his backpack! He has grown out of a lot of clothes, and his shoes are really not big enough anymore. We have the list of everything he needs, but it is just finding the time to work on getting it. Not only that, but I also have to get supplies of my own for my last semester as an undergraduate student! Man does time fly when you are having fun!



With this post, you all may have noticed that ads have found their way on to my blog. But don't worry. I actually get paid for those being there and I get to control what is on there. So don't start freaking out, I allowed it.

New Tattoo, and a Chewing Problem

This week, I was able to finally find some time to go and get the artwork done that I have wanted for so long. For 45 minutes, and a grand total of only $50, I was able to show that for as long as my skin is on my body, I am proud of my little boy and every aspect that is a part of him.

The rose and the rest of it down below was there before, but I added on the butterfly with the Autism Awareness puzzle pieces for its wings. I am very happy with the way it turned out, and even the artist said it was like it is complete now.

This week also lead me to figure out why Alex has been constantly chewing on things that are not edible. Via a question I asked to the "Always Unique, Totally Intellegent, Sometimes Mysterious" facebook page, I learned that Alex has what is called Pica, where he is either lacking in Iron or Zinc, or he chews to meet some sensory need. It is a disorder where they have a need to eat non-food items to meet these needs. You can read about it at: http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/pica

So after I was given some ideas as to how to conquer this rather costly problem (Alex has eaten buttons off of remotes, his iPad's cover, numerous toys, shirts... and the list goes on), I tried the one that seemed like it would work out the best: A vibrating teether. However, he already has chewed off the plastic tip of the covering, so I think Tony and I will have to resort to buying the (rather expensive to us) chewy tubes. I am lucky that I found some on Amazon, and all they are is just plastic tubes (some in the shape of letters) that are safe to chew on. They are about $5 per tube on Amazon, where other websites have them for about $8 (which is a lot for a little plastic tube to a college student). But we have to try something. We are always worried about whether he will choke on something.

With this, we also are going to see what his doctor has to say about finding some way to test his Iron and Zinc levels to see if that is why he has just randomly started chewing on stuff again. He used to do this before, but then stopped for a period of time, and has just recently started back up again. We worry about him chewing apart his books (that is what happened last time) which we will have an even harder time replacing. It has been a very stressful aspect of Autism, let me assure you.

But let me end this week's post by writing about a happy thing. There has been a massive increase in the amount of attention Alex has wanted from both Tony and I. He used to come home and usually spend most of the evening playing and reading in his room, wanting very little to do with us. But more and more, as the weeks have gone by, he is constantly coming near us when we are on the computer or watching TV and saying, "Mom-mom?" and wanting something or just wanting attention. He tries to communicate with us in his own way, so when he has your attention he will just babble. He tries to get us to play Blue's Clues with him, and will read to us. He talks a boatload, and I will admit that there are times where I am just shaking my head asking where this came from.

He still gets frustrated when you ask him a question he doesn't know how to answer. I am hoping that this will go away, and he will find some way to let people know that he doesn't know how to answer. I read that the ages that an autistic person makes the most progress is between 6 and 10 years of age. Alex will be 6 in September, so for the next four years we are hoping that his communication is where we see the most progress.

I have to keep reminding myself that we are doing the best we can with the resources available to us. And I think that everyone needs to understand that we will always make decisions based on what is best for Alex. They may not think it is what is best for him, but we know what is best for him. It is not our own selfish agendas that we make the decisions we do. We want to give him the maximum amount of opportunities so he can excel to his full potential.