Cuddles

The Doodle is coming around.

He's much nicer to his big brother.

He actually loves to play with him now.

And cuddle with him.

And he gets excited to see him.

And he likes it when he sits down next to him as long as he gives him some space.

He even puts his hand in his shirt, a true sign of Doodle Love.

My hope is that they will always have a good relationship.

And get closer and closer as time goes on.

I know the Doodle will probably depend more on his big brother, for obvious reasons.

But I also know that Jimmy can stand to learn a great deal from his little brother.

The Doodle has taught us all a lot and will continue to teach us, if we open our hearts and mind and let him.

Obsessions

Ever since the Doodle got this blue muscle push car for his birthday, he's been a little obsessed with wanting to get pushed around in it...inside.  Don't forget, it's got the quiet ride wheels and a seat belt, so Jimmy straps him in and pushes him around.  Everything is fine until Jimmy gets tired and wants to stop.

Stopping for the Doodle is problem and not an easy option.

He has no emotional skills to know how to handle that and he cries and freaks out until we have to physically remove him from the little blue car and stick him in his time out chair with the seat belt; which then gives us time to hide the car from him and to put it back outside.

At first, when we find something that he loves and that makes him happy, I am so excited.  Finally, I think to myself, and then the obsessions set in and then the meltdowns and then I wish we would have never let him like it.

Today I gave Jimmy a couple of bucks to push him around in the little blue car.  He was doing hot laps around the island with him when all of a sudden his head hit the dash.  The first thing I thought was, OH NO, a head-drop seizure, but then I realized he had just fallen asleep.  Jimmy wore him out.

To See Him Smile

Jimmy loves his little brother.  I love it when they ham it up and the Doodle plays and interacts with him so effortlessly.

We had a little scare at the emergency room on Sunday morning.  Seems the it might be time for the Time Out swing to go away.  He's obviously way too big for it and we're not using it for it's intended purpose.  He weighs 45+ pounds and the swing is meant for a child up to 20 lbs or so.  He's been getting braver and braver and sometimes has no fear or idea of consequences and I think he's bored too.  So he was playing around and standing in the swing the other night, holding onto the metal sides and some how flipped it over and fell down.  I heard a crash and went running in there and the swing was on top of him and he was screaming and crying, a hurt kind of cry.  I know he had to be standing in it or doing something because numerous times I have seen him and stopped him before something like this happened.  You'd think I might have taken that as a sign to get rid of it, but it's honestly my only sanity around here.  How do you punish a 3 year old autistic kid who has no concept of the term NO other than he doesn't like to hear it.  Trying to do the right thing and nip some of the bad behavior with a time out is my only saving Grace.  And it settles him.  But to not be able to strap him into something, doesn't work.  I can't sit there and hold him down and I certainly can't tie him up, although the thought has crossed my mind (just kidding).

So he fell out of the swing and either severely sprained or dislocated his right shoulder. He woke up Sunday morning and was screaming and holding it and couldn't move his right arm.  It doesn't help that he can't talk so trying to figure out exactly where it hurt was a challenge.  I felt so bad, because after he fell, I made him get into bed and he wouldn't go to sleep (like usual) and he was crying and kicking and I was getting so irritated and frustrated.  I had no idea he had really hurt himself.  That kid is pretty tough. 

So to be sure nothing was broken, I took him to the emergency room.  They x-rayed it and found nothing.  The bonus of how double jointed he is, is that if he did dislocate it on the fall, somehow he popped back in...or he maybe he sprained it.

He's doing better now.  He still has a hard time if he has to reach for something or put pressure on it, but it should heal on it's own.

Summertime

It's been a hard week for everyone around here; including the kids. There's nothing better than a mid-day summertime nap to take your mind off things.

This is What a Good Mood Looks Like

Oh Brother

The Doodle is lucky to have such a mature, kind and dedicated big brother that loves him to pieces.

While it must be really hard to live in the shadow of a sibling with special needs, Jimmy takes it in stride. He loves the Doodle so much. We are fortunate that they both go to the same school; Jimmy in 4th grade and the Doodle in the Special Ed Day class. Most kids Jimmy's age might be embarrassed by and ignore their special brother if they saw them getting ready to board a short bus at their school. Not Jimmy. He greets his little brother with open arms and hugs. Sometimes during recess he and his friends will pop over to the Special Ed class just to check on the Doodle and say Hi. The other day our fabulous Nurse Lou Lou came home from school with Doodle and told me how cool she thought it was that Jimmy and his friends were so nice to the him. She was really surprised.

It makes me so happy to realize that we have raised a very sensitive and kind little 9 year old. So far so good. And, I love that they will always have each other. The best sound around our house is when they are playing together impromptu and I can hear the infectious giggles coming from the room. I love to hear Jimmy trying his best to teach the Doodle new things. He has such patience with him. The Doodle really looks up to Jimmy and his eyes light up when he sees him. I've said it before but my favorite time of the week is Saturday morning where I can lay and cuddle in bed and watch cartoons with BOTH of my boys.

Favorites

I can honestly say I don't have a favorite. I think it's because there is such a huge age difference. Each boy requires different things from me. Jimmy is so independent and the Doodle requires so much care.

Jimmy had 6 1/2 years of complete devotion when he was little. He was our first. He was our favorite. I remember telling Jim when I was pregnant with the Doodle I didn't think I would be able to love him as much as I loved Jimmy; but I do. The capacity of the human heart and spirit is amazing.

I look at this picture and can't believe that everything I love, cherish and worry about in the world can fit into my bed.