I know that sounds oxymoronic, but these kids are awesome, and if you can get over your own parental expectations and adult hang-ups (this is an ongoing process) then you can find beauty in the most unexpected and amazing places. For example…
On Friday, we stopped at a garage sale. Bean found an antique push-carpet sweeper and was enthralled- it worked well, so I okayed it. He handed over his $2 with great joy, and became the proud owner of an 80 year old sweeper. He’s been vacuuming the house for the last three days continuously. This morning, I found it in his bed:
That’s a top bunk, mind you.
The other day, he painted me a picture, and asked if he could hang it on my door. Absentmindedly I told him to go ahead, and he disappeared with the masking tape and his artwork. Later, when I went in my room, I found his handy-work:
That sucker’s not going anywhere. Ever. The tape wraps all the way around the back.
A few minutes ago, I went in my room to retrieve something. Now, I’m not sure when he even was in there, but clearly the mark of Bean can be seen for all who have eyes to see:
It looks like an accurate make-up model of Angkor Wat to me.
Then the other day, with great joy and jubilation, a big package arrived with Bean’s name on it. Inside was the greatest gift ever- a hammock chair in RAINBOW! My home-teacher has hung it in my room, and he now starts and ends each day hanging in his magic rainbow chair:
I wish I could take this hammock on the plane with us in a few days when we head to grandmas…
*****
Post-Script: This morning, after getting breakfast for the kids, this is what I found in my room:
Hmmm… Okay. Then, when I went downstairs to change the laundry, I found this, our play room:
He says he was making a hill so they could roll down it, and that’s why their table and chair set are wedged under the guest-bed mattress. I have no idea where he put the sheets. I want to stress that I am home with this child constantly- that he is never left unattended. He pulls this stuff off while I’m bathing his sister, or doing the dishes, or in the shower, or going pee. I kid you not. He’s like greased lightning. And I’m convinced he has an invisibility cloak stashed somewhere…
That IS the greatest gift!!!
Yay! for happy things, perspective, and trips to Grandma’s…
Such neat vignettes of living with Autism. So glad you took the time to appreciate them and then share.
Good luck on the plane, glad you get to visit family.
Wow–what is it with the tape? Has anybody done a study on spectrum kids’ fascination with tape? One year for Christmas we gave my son a big box of tape–scotch tape, masking tape, duct tape, electrical tape. He still talks about it as the best present ever. He has moved on now, sort of. This year, he asked for a gift certificate to http://www.tapebrothers.com/ (!)
Bean’s so awesome. That tape job is fantastic. Peanut’s been discovering tape lately and uses it daily. The make-up makes me laugh out loud. I want an cool old carpet sweeper. My grandma had a great one and I’ve never found one as good. The chair rocks.
This post made my day. I just spent the week with my niece who has pretty severe audio processing disorder, and her utter joy at simple things was so fun. You wouldn’t believe how much fun it is to swim with someone who just can’t wipe the smile off her face…
Kristine- I know, with the tape! I actually have my spare rolls locked in my desk drawer to keep them all from being used.
Karen, I DO know how much fun that is… and I’m so glad you got to experience it.
“I want to stress that I am home with this child constantly- that he is never left unattended. He pulls this stuff off while I’m bathing his sister, or doing the dishes, or in the shower, or going pee. I kid you not. He’s like greased lightning. And I’m convinced he has an invisibility cloak stashed somewhere…”
I can’t even tell you how much I relate to this statement. Thanks for sharing!
Oh Tracy. I have the black version– you have the Ginger haired version– but we have the same kid.
The ball in the chair is the best. All the places I have found that ball.
I loathe the exercise ball! And we have three of them. They end up in the strangest of places. So what do I do if my kids aren’t spectrum, but there isn’t a single pic that I couldn’t have, including the sweeper!
Love the funny pictures and your wonderful attitude.