Braddocs field day

Last year our 4 year old, Braddoc, was diagnosed with Autism, more specifically Aspergers. 

After MANY, MANY months of going through the process to get him an IEP (individual education plan) he finally was able to start preschool, in a Learning Center Classroom, in March.

The bus took him too and from Clinton Elementary school where he was in a class with 4 other boys.

He had 2 teachers, Mrs Lindsey and Mrs Annie, for all 5 boys, it was wonderful for him.

He was in the morning class and HATED riding the bus. 

The bus drivers drive the special needs bus but some how don't have the first clue about special needs kids.

They once told me that Braddoc was covering his ears, shaking and telling them to please stop talking. 

They told me that it was incredibly rude for him to ask an adult that.

I asked them more about the situation and they said that a little girl was screaming and that they were just ignoring her and talking because she wouldn't stop. 

I immediately know why my son was acting the way he was.... he was massively overwhelmed and over stimulated. 

I was so proud of him for actually using his words and asking them to stop talking, but because they don't really understand Autism they said he was being rude.

Sometimes my heart aches so much for the my little boy and for the hard journey that he is on.

I know that the Lord has special plans for him and that as hard and trying as it can be to be his mother, it is also so very rewarding. He teaches me so much every day.

I really love this little boy.

This whole new world of Autism can be overwhelming at times, so when Braddoc had his field day at school I was super excited to get to go hang out with him, and he was excited that A) I was going and B) he didn't have to ride the bus. 

When I go with him to things like this, it almost sends his anxiety through the roof, so sometime I wonder if it makes it worse for him. I know that he loves it and that one day he won't remember how anxious it made him, he will just remember that I was there for him, so I keep going.

They had 5 stations and they met up with the regular education preschool class to go around to all the stations in groups of 3-4 kids. They had soccer, bean bag toss, frisbee, bowling, and badminton.

He had to back up and run to kick the ball. 

It was so cute and so funny!

At the end of all the stations they all got together and played with the parachute. 

I loved this game as a kid.

Braddoc seemed to really like it too. 

But he got tired of it quickly.

The tongue hanging out of his mouth means he is having fun but also that he is getting overly anxious, because he is over stimulated. It was only a few minutes after I took this picture that he came running up to me very overwhelmed and begging me to leave.

I think its so cute when he has his tongue hanging out, but I also know it means he is struggling to keep it together.

After his chance to run through the parachute he was done for the day.

We went inside to eat popsicle's (it was cold and rainy). 

Then we went outside to play on the monkey bars.

Braddoc is super good at the monkey bars and he is so proud of himself.

I loved watching him do the monkey bars.

He can make it all the way across the monkey bars and he has the blisters on his hands to prove it.

He is so proud of those bruises, its like a badge of honor for him.

Its funny because he cries at any boo boo, but he is proud of the blisters.

He had also started hanging off those monkey bars like a champ too.

His tongue also hangs out when he is concentrating on something.

Sometimes it hard to tell if he is anxious or concentrating. 

This time I knew he was concentrating.

I had so much fun hanging out with him.

He loves mommy and Beibers time.

I love it too.

He is the most precious, loving little boy.

He is super cuddly, and kissy. 

He is my sweet boy.

His teachers called him sweet boy too.

He is my baby doll. 

I am so glad that I got to go and spend a few hours with him.

MONTHS of review

I uploaded the pictures but they are kind of all over the place so I will just go with it.... bare with me? 

When the snow finally melted and it was not freezing we took the kids to the Hogle Zoo, we have season passes which is great for lots of visits. The problem however was that everyone had the same idea as we did. The zoo was PACKED! And for Mister B and sensory processing problems, it was a little much for him. We lost him twice, it was so scary and it really made me think about getting him the GPS Autism bracelets.

The kids had a blast overall and enjoyed being there with each other and their friends. 

It was a overprotective moms nightmare because all three of my boys thought they were years older then they actually are and took of to do their own thing on multiple occasions. So yes, fun for them, heart attack inducing for mom.

These are some of our very best friends, The Snows.

On St Patricks day a little leprecuan snuck into our house and left a mess and some treats.

Every year he takes the kids on a scavenger hunt to find his treasure.

(Ignore my room, its the last place to ever get the "magic" decorating touch, but I do have BIG plans for it.)

Sundays are for relaxing.

Aowyn loves all kinds of babies. On the day she got her my little pony baby she would not let it out of her sight.

The kids love that there is no more snow and have been playing on the trampoline 24/7. 

Aowyn loves it, but it scares me because she is still so little.

Trying on daddies boots.

This kid does not like taking naps, but man when he crashes, he crashes.

At the end of February I got called as the 2nd counselor in the Relief Society Presidency and at the end of March I had to through the Relief Society birthday party.

Needless to say March was a very busy month for me.

We made goody boxes in color coded themes and filled them with Easter eggs and chocolate since it was just a few days before Easter.

I had to make 9 different colored coded flower arrangements for each table. 

There was a lot of work involved. Thankfully I had a little Les Miserables on Blue Ray to keep me company..... makes my heart soar.

I got to go with Braddocs preschool class on his first ever field trip to the Hill Aerospace Museum. 

He was very overwhelmed and Im not sure that my being there helped but I sure loved getting to go.

My little Astronaut. 

Then it was time for the birthday..... I was at the church decorating for over 9 hours. 

Plus there was a big confusion and the building was double booked so we got to share with a group of guys who were painting the same room we were in. See the scaffolding in the back? Yeah that was fun! At least they were nice and we could work well together. It cracked me up because they changed their country music to classical music. I would have much preferred the country music but  I guess they thought that Relief Society meant classical music. :)

The middle table held our chocolate fountains and goodies.

Each table was color coded and when the Sisters came in they had to draw a color and sit at that table.

Landon lost a top tooth.

Braddoc and Tayton rediscovered sidewalk chalk.

We had an Easter Egg hunt at the church.

 This of course was Aowyns first hunt where she could walk, I loved watching her toddle around.

We colored eggs at home.

Which, as you know is always a nice clean affair..... ?

We also did our own Easter egg hunt with some friends. I brought candy eggs and my friend brought real eggs. If my kids picked up a real egg they would throw it back down and head for a candy egg. Tayton kept saying, "I no yick dis!" Oh man, my kids are too smart (I hate hard boiled eggs too.)

My mom and dad came up for a few days at Easter, so of course the kids read lots of books and cuddled a lot. (when my parents were not sleeping.)

My parents gave the kids gifts.

And we played.

And the Easter Bunny came and brought lots of goodies.

As soon as Aowyn found the candy we could not pry it away from her, she was eating the candy wrapper and all. And when we took hers away she went and jacked her brothers and then throw a big girly fight when we took that away.

The kids were not cooperating and so I think this was the first year that I dont have Easter pictures.

There are a few picture but none with Braddoc. He was having a rough day.

The day after Easter we headed to the beach in San Diego and stayed for Spring Break.

This trip was when Tayton and Braddoc really bonded and became best buddies.

Aowyn hated when we made her come inside... she loved it out there. And if she was inside she cried at the door until we let her back out.

I loved how the sand had Gold flecks in it. 

The kids decided to dig a giant whole and had a blast doing it over the course of the 3 days we were there.

Part 2 of catch up to follow.