Be Careful What You Wish For

Me & James in 2003 

Yesterday I wrote:  I want more.  And a few hours later, I got it. During James speech session I got a phone call from the therapist.  Could you come in the back?  Uh-oh, I flew.  They were sitting on bean bags, reading Eric Carle's "From Head to Toe," with the iPad on the ground.  It was on a keyboard screen.  "I am a monkey and I wave my . . . .?  What does the monkey wave, James?"  He began typing A . . .R . . . M. . . S.  "I am a seal and I clap my . . . "  H. . . A. . . N. . .D. . . S.  James became agitated but the therapist plugged on.  James ignored her question and typed "I know."  Then "bathroom" and "ppop" (poop).  "Who do you want to take you to the bathroom, James?  "Om."  That's me!  That is actually what I hear more than "Mom" from my apraxic boy.  So I took him to the bathroom.  He continued at home  What do you want? "Guice" for Juice. "Olizza" for Pizza.  Later he was crying and I asked James what was wrong.  He typed "Cry."  But WHY are you crying?  Again, he typed "C . . .R . . .Y."  Damn, I am doing it again.  Here I am presented with the most amazing gift, one that I only dreamed of . . . and what do I ask for?  MORE.  My sweet, precious, 8 year-old, miracle worker can not only read but write words - and I am not satisfied, I want more.  But you know what? I sure as hell am going to get it!!

Hurry Up and Wait

Our Summer doesn't start until mid-August and I can't wait.  With each passing weekend, it is increasingly hard to go back to the grind. Especially because James is on such a roll.  The toilet training is going smashingly and each week we can count the accidents, not only on one hand, but one finger!  I am comfortable running errands again.  I know James can control his body AND let me know when he has to use the toilet.  The only issue seems to come when he is having a great time.  He doesn't want to stop and go to the bathroom.  We WILL get there.  I have no doubts.  In the past month, between learning to use the toilet and mastering simple words, James has accomplished the improbable.  Now I am super impatient.  I want more.  I want it NOW.
I feel the time left after school and therapy leaves no Mommy and Daddy time.  It's all about bath, homework, dinner and relaxing.  So when school announced that Friday was going to be "Fun In the Sun Day," we started making alternate plans. The school version of "Fun In the Sun" is a lovely attempt at creating a carnival atmosphere for the kids.  Unfortunately, the reality is an unstructured, chaotic mess with crying children in a shade-less asphalt parking lot.  Or so it has been in the past. Better to play hooky and head to the beach for kiddie rides and yummy boardwalk pizza. We'll bring the iPad and teach him crucial, can't-live-without words like "roller coaster"and "ferris wheel"!