QUICK TRIPS AND POSTS

Here is a quick post while I'm waiting for my ipod to download some new songs in preparation for our trip. No, this isn't the trip to Texas, but to Salt Lake. Mercedes has a MRI at Primary Children's for her Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis, supposedly. IMO, our family has auto-immune disorders, so there you go.

I hope all is well while I am gone. I hope Bill can feed the kids GF/CF/SF without any problems. I've made lists for him. And now, I make an end of these sayings...

PREPARING

According to the boys' DAN dr, Ryder does have a metabolic disorder, and so do some other kids with autism. I've had several telephone appointments with Thoughtful House, and we are still in the gathering info stage. They want Ryder to be completely gfcfsf before his visit with them. (gluten free, casein free, soy free). We've done this three times, but always fall off the diet because of the cost, the inconvenience, the taste, etc. I'm trying to gear up again; get rid of all of the bad foods in the house and get Bill's 40th birthday out of the way this week so we can all start on March 1st. I cannot deny the last time we were on it that it helped with Ryder's tummy pain. The other boys, I'm not so sure. I have to take pics of Ryder's tummy and poop for the doctors, so I've been busying myself with that. I wish I could post some of his poop on here, because it is amazing to see how that could come out of just a little guy. But I won't. :D In the photos you can see his abdomen bloated. This is actually on a good day. It's usually alot worse than this.

BLOWN AWAY

Why do Hunter and Ryder have less autistic behaviors when they have a fever? I have noticed this phenomenon since Hunter was a toddler. I used to love it when he would get a fever because he would act like a typical child! No hyperactivity, his thinking was clearer, he was able to show affection, etc.
The same goes for Ryder. Ryder has better eye contact, an increased "awareness" of his surroundings, and he'll even say several words. Once the fever is gone, all of this disappears.

Both Ryder and Hunter have been sick with upper respiratory colds lately. Yesterday, Ryder was pacing the house and his pajamas bottoms were about to fall down. I said, "Ryder, pull up your pants." And he said, "Up!" Then tried to pull up his pants. I was blown away.
Then today, I heard someone playing the piano in the other room. I figured it was Mercedes playing hymns, because for every hymn she learns, her grandpa will pay her one dollar. I went in there and it wasn't Mercedes. It was Hunter! He has never taken a piano lesson in his life. He was playing hymns with BOTH hands. I felt his head, which was very hot, and his hands were icy cold. A fever! I was blown away.
So, the question now is, how do I get these kids to always have a fever?

AUTISM SPECTRUM QUOTIENT

If you have ever wondered where you lie on the autism spectrum, check out this questionnaire...

http://glennrowe.net/BaronCohen/AutismSpectrumQuotient/AutismSpectrumQuotient.aspx

I scored a 23.

ROMANTIC MATH

He was teaching her arithmetic,
Said it was his mission.
He kissed her once,
He kissed her twice,
And said, "Now that's addition."
And so he added smack on smack
In silent satisfaction.
She sweetly gave him kisses back
And he said, "That's subtraction."
Then he kissed her as she kissed him
With naught an explanation.
Then both together smiled and said,
"Hurrah for multiplication!"
Her dad appeared upon the scene
And made a quick decision.
He kicked the lad three blocks away,
And that was long division.

--Author Unknown

GROWING LIKE WEEDS AND SEEDS

I went to the mall today for the first time in probably 5 years. I can't believe how things have changed. I've been in and out of some stores that are on the outside edges of the mall, but not all the way into the mall like today. Even the vending machines are different!
I went to seven different stores trying to find Mercedes some extra long khaki pants in her size for school. She has such long legs, and hardly a torso, so it's hard to find her size. Her waist is higher than mine,and I am 5'7". She is 5'6" and 13 years old.
We are having a heck of a time trying to figure out which high school to send her to this Fall. Registration is already here! I don't want to re-live my high school days vicariously through Mercedes. It was an absolute killer for me. I did not do well socially and I did not play the social games. I just wanted to do my work and go home. Don't bother me.

Mason told me this morning, that he knows why he has grown so tall. (He's the tallest 2nd grader in his class and on his JR Jazz basketball team). I asked him why. He replied, "Because when I was four I ate a whole apple, even the seeds, and the seeds are helping me grow tall."