A Product Review

Liz hates having her hair washed. It's actually a pretty traumatic experience for her. I'm pretty sure it's all sensory. Poor girl also has curly hair that tangles easily.  So I recently discovered a product sold by Sage Products that allows you to wash and condition hair without water. It looks like a shower cap.
The steps were simple. I stuck it in the microwave for a few seconds, so that it wasn't cold. Then, my sister and I massaged it in for a good 2 or 3 minutes.  Because Liz has curly hair we let it stay on in a few more minutes.
The final result was, her hair did in fact look like it had been washed. It did not condition as well as I would have liked (then again Liz gets huge tangles so easily) but we solved that with a wide tooth comb and some detangler. Liz wasn't thrilled about the cap being on her head, but she did not scream about it. It was a little large because it only comes in adult sizes. The price is also a bit high for regular use (there's only one per package).
Will I order them again? Probably.  Anything to make our lives a little easier!

You can find the product here: http://shop.sageproducts.com/comfort-rinse-free-shampoo-cap-p14.aspx

2 Weeks In The Trenches

Two weeks of school down.  I've already sent several emails to the school. I feel like everything is a battle.  I just want my child to succeed. Am I asking that much? Liz does seem to be enjoying school though.  She's also making friends! 

I know it had been a hard transition for her though. It all comes out when she gets off the bus.   It comes out when she feels safe and loved, at Papa and Nana's home and at our house.  Those are the places where she knows she's surrounded by people who love her and care about her, people who will take her as she is.

It's been a rough few weeks. I am so proud of Liz though.  She has gone out and made friends, had mostly good behavior in school,  and seems to be keeping up with the rest of the class.

I have high hopes that over the next few weeks we will be able to iron out everything with the school.  Until then, I'm trying to take deep breaths and counting to 10 repeatedly.  Trying to not let these past few weeks break my faith in the system. I guess you could say I'm just hanging in there. 

First Day Part 2

I was so excited to get Liz off the bus, but it was not what I had expected or hoped for. I had hoped she would come inside and tell me all about her day. Instead, she got off the bus and angrily threw her things down, refusing to talk. I was pretty emotional. I stepped away for a second and slid down onto the floor, buried my head in my hands, and I cried. I cried more at that moment than I had cried all day. Most children come home from their first day and excitedly spill all the details of what they did. My child could not even tell me if she had a good day or not.
It is in these times that I'm so grateful to have my husband. He understands that sometimes autism is just hard. Just knowing he was there to reach out and give me a hug made all the difference. The remarkable thing about having a child with a disability is the insane amount of teamwork spouses have to give. We are a team. We are there to tell the other that it is okay. I really do not know how I could do this alone.
After awhile, Liz calmed down enough to have a snack. That seemed to help her cheer up some. I never did get a lot of details out of her. She told me she liked her teacher and that was about it.
Today when she came home, it was pretty much the same story. I am hoping that as she adjusts things will get easier. For now I am trying to stay strong and roll with the punches.

First Day of School!

Man I can't believe my Bug started school today! Crazy how that happened so quickly. We started the morning bright and early as Bug has to board to bus between 6:35 and 6:40. Ouch! I am so NOT a morning person.
I was really excited that Liz has a para on her bus, and the bus driver is SO sweet. Liz loves the bus. After she boarded the bus, I followed her to school. I wasn't going to miss out on her first morning. By the time she got to school, she was covered in something black that looked like grease (typical Lizzybug). She went into the gym and had breakfast. She took her sweet time with that. When she was finsihed I was able to walk her to her classroom.
Then that moment came. The moment when I had to hug her goodbye. She didn't want to let go of my neck. She clung for dear life, and begged me not to leave. So I did what I had to do, I let my Lizzybug have her wings, held back tears, and slipped out of the room.
So now I sit here, looking out my bay window, and waiting. Waiting for my Bug to come home. Waiting for a hug. More to come tomorrow, I think I see a bright yellow school bus topping the hill. :-)

Bug and Horses

I don't know if I have mentioned how much Lizzybug loves horses. In fact she is quite remarkable with them. She can get them to do things I can't! She never ceases to amaze me. She can sit in a saddle better than most adults, and she does so with such an ease. She just looks so natural! I don't know how else to describe it. The horses love her just as much as she loves them. For example, just a few weeks ago I was giving the kids a short ride on one of the horses. The horse absolutely refused to move. With some help from a friend, we got him to move. Later, Lizzybug took over holding the horse and led him around the yard. He didn't even hesitate for her, he just followed along.
If Liz goes down to the barn, all the horses flock to her. She just naturally attracts them. I have watched her around horses, and I have personally witnessed the benefits of horses for her. It is because of this that when a friend (and fellow special needs mom) approached me about starting an equine therapy program in our area I told her I was interested in helping. I know this will be a long journey for us, but it will ultimately be rewarding. Now that I have (mostly) recovered from childbirth I am looking forward to the next step of that journey. I am looking forward to seeing what horses can do for other kids with disabilities. This is probably one of the most exciting projects that I have had the oppurtunity to be involved in. It's amazing how much autism has changed my life. I would not be having these amazing experiences without it. Never in a million years would I have dreamed that Lizzybug's diagnosis would be such a blessing in our lives.