Living with Autism

My little lady is on a cycle of waking up at between 3 and 4am, every night. We don't know what causes it so I don't know what to change to fix it.
All I can do is go into her room with my quilt and pillow and lay down beside her and try to encourage her to lie still and go back to sleep.
Ignoring her just leads to an extremely energetic session of bed jumping (note to self: get 3 new slats for bed) and squealing along to Elmo in Grouchland.

Thanks to our recent attic conversion* we rearranged the bedrooms so that Bratski now has the room furthest from everyone else. So I have attempted some control over her behavior as her screaming doesn't have as much power as it did when she was in the box room next to our horrible neighbors.
But there are limits to one's behavioural analysis techniques at 4 o'clock in the morning, and until David Coleman takes up my invitation to sleep over; Going into her room and falling asleep to the sound of Elmo and Huxley, is the "plan&…

Pouring Rain this weekend. So a lot of fugging around in my dressing gown while Mr Hammie took Bratty to McDonalds, Tesco and then home.

She wanted the beach but the waves are about 6 feet, so I compromised with a swim at the Glenview.

My otter in the baby pool. She can swim in the big pool too.


Then into town for the usual while Bratty stayed with Angel at home.
(Wagamama)
ebi kare lomen, ebi Katsu x 12 and terriyaki steak soba


And now Bratty has plans for this. She can say it as she points to the picture on the iPhone,
which is very powerful. But it is bucketing down.... so I am prevaricating.






I have been talking about this promotion on my work blog. I would be much obliged if you could share the link or logo via your blogs or tweets. And if you are in Ireland and in the market for a smart phone - well this one is pretty sweet. And ten euros from each one sold goes directly to autism groups around the country. That is every phone sold, whether you get it free on a plan or pay as you go.

80…

Forgive the delay in blogging;

I had all this planned for last Monday and a whole day to do it. Then when I was coming OUT of the school AFTER drop off, two cars crashed in front of me and one of them richocheted off my front bonnet.

I was fine, but one of the drivers of the other car had a dodgy back so was taken away in an ambulance and then we all had to wait for the Guards (police)

Then I wasn't fine, because the other driver (at fault, perhaps mentally unstable) decided to leave the scene before the cops arrived (illegal in the event of an injury) and did I mention he was a Pikey with a Pikey son who was very aggressive?

So for once I just rang my Mr Hammie and said "please come and help me" and then had a little cry behind my Jacqui O's.

There were two lovely witnesses who were passing at the time of the accident, who waited with me for almost an hour, just to tell the guards whose fault it was, (we formed a gang) and my car was driveable at least.

Eventually a moto…

Tonight I was in the Glenview hotel watching Boo swim. We go every night now while Bratty goes to Maccas and for a forest walk with her Angel.

There was another mum sitting nearby on the plastic patio chairs with a very small but alert little baby in a carry seat. This little baby was wearing the cutest little stripey jumpsuit and was sitting up looking out at the pool where his two brothers were having a swimming lesson. He seemed to be following the sound of his mothers voice as she called to the boys.

And I had a sudden little wistful thought, imagine if my babies were that small again - but I knew what I know now? And I could use that to help them through what was going to be a tough but interesting couple of years as we found out together that they were autistic and more.

Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't change them for a minute. They are who they are because they have autism and they are strong and healthy and robust and vibrant little individuals.

But I would change many of t…

Paul Smith Targets Breast Cancer with this excellent tote


I find I have a confession to make.

Two months ago I went for an annual lady health check and the doctor found a lump in my right breast.

A lump that I hadn't noticed. I will stop here and say "everything was fine" okay? so keep reading. Why hadn't I noticed? because I am not very well endowed so most days my breasts are made up of the latest science and technology available in the Bra Shop.

And what I do have is mostly made up of lumps so how am I to tell?

I should pay more attention I know. My big sister was diagnosed with Breast Cancer just after her 40th birthday in 2006. And yes, she too is okay.

She had an awful time of it, several operations, a long spell of chemo, a lot of worry over getting a reconstruction (she got one - eventually) and then the recovery from all of that.

I saw her at Christmas time and she looks fantastic with her new dark Botticelli curls and pert, buxom bust line. She is doing great than…

I got my iPhone back yesterday *kneels in prayer* and while I am trying to re-install all my bits via the pc, which is full of junk downloaded by Boo; I got bored and started looking at blogs.

And since I have been using the new Tocco from Samsung to film Bratty and Boo doing their thing (excellent camera) I really enjoyed this clip from Darragh Doyle




and how did they do it?



Yes, these people really understand viral marketing. Stay tuned for more.....

xx

It is not as dramatic as knowing what day of the week a date is, but it sure means as much to us.



Bratty didn't say a word until she was 6, and that was as a result of home based Verbal Behaviour, PECs and very skilled differential reinforcement - all coming under the umbrella of A.B.A.



It was nothing to do with speech therapy as we were in a school that didn't provide it. (Back Then) So don't despair if your child is not talking yet - it will come. Bratty can use 3 words together to request things which most people will understand. But she also uses her PECS as a back up when she thinks you don't understand (or she isn't getting her own way).



I filmed this on my new Tocco phone which has a touch screen a bit like the iPhone. Bratty can search for the videos independently and then play them. She actually prompts herself to say the next word of the song....



xx



Yup, O2 got me the phone after I spotted it and asked if I could try out the video thingie. I have been tr…