Temptation

Tristan has a great sense of humor. One thing he likes to do is joke around. This weekend, he wanted to eat the rest of the cookie cake. I told him we needed to save some for Jacob. He laughs out loud when he eats something that we reserve for Jacob. If a preferred item was eaten sooner than I realized, I would ask Tristan this type of question, “Tristan, where is the cookie cake?” He laughs out loud and points to his stomach.
I only save something for 24 hours. If his big brother does not consume it, it’s fair game for Tristan.
We went to bed with this cookie cake treat in the box. I wondered how long it would last. Surprisingly, we woke up, and it was not gone!

Negotiations

I am still determining what age children begin negotiating, but Tristan has mastered this skill! If we need him to do something, it usually is presented as”first task, then snack.”
The other day, Brian needed to give Tristan a haircut. Tristan does not care for this grooming activity. Brian said to him, “First haircut, then a donut.”
Tristan sat in the chair so fast!!! He sat very nice while Brian cut his hair. Then Tristan ate his donut. Food is a good motivator for him.
Honestly, are we like that sometimes, too?

Photo by Ravi Kant on Pexels.com

This is What Happens…

When Tristan finds a porta-potty, he has to enter by himself. There is not enough room for his man-size body and a parent. This is what happens…

Never Imagined This…

Fifteen years ago, if anyone had told me Tristan could ride in a convertible with the top down, I would have laughed out loud. Let me paint a picture of what life was like…

The Test

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Tristan and I were enjoying a relaxed morning before going to church. We were playing a few games together. Tristan loves color-matching games. We started with that one first. Somewhere, I had obtained color sight word cards that I keep in the box. Sometimes, we incorporate using them in various ways.

From the Backseat

Driving to the park, I am trying to tell Brian which one to go to. We can no longer “spell” what we are thinking because Tristan spells words. We can not sign to each other because Tristan remembers all the sign language we taught him.
I asked Brian, “Do you want to go to a different one?” (I couldn’t say the word new; Tristan recently discovered the meaning of that word.”
Suddenly, we hear from the back seat, “Yes.”
We chuckled; it seems he knows that word, too. He is understanding conversations more and more. Nothing slides past him.
Enjoy another healthy dose of laughter from our home.

Apple Picking – He remembers!

Going to Garwood Orchards is one of my favorite fall family activities. When we announced to Tristan that day the activity was apple picking, he grabbed his communication device. He clicked on the following images: horse, tractor, hayride, apples.

LaPark Playground

LaPark Playground is our “new” favorite park! The playground includes inclusive and handicap-accessible features. LaPark Playground is an all-abilities playground. Tristan loves that he fits on all the equipment.

In his mind, he is still young, similar to a toddler or pre-schooler. However, his body is man-size! This combination can be a challenge.

If you are near La Porte, Indiana, please check it out. The park opened in 2020.

Vocabulary Growth!

Tristan communicates with his Proloquo2go device. He uses it to communicate his thoughts with us. Interestingly, he uses it to build his vocabulary. A word he has discovered is “new.” One day, I used the word in a sentence. He picked up on it. I said something similar to this, “Tristan, today we are going to a new park.”
He loved the “new” park.
The following weekend, he asked for a “new park.” Then he continued in his request. With his device, he tapped “new movie,” “new doctor’s office,” “new McDonald’s,” and his list went on and on and on.

Enjoy the lighter side of autism from our home!

Kind Words From a Stranger

I wish I could go back and thank every soul that has crossed our family’s paths. Especially when we are out in public. It’s rewarding to parent a child or young adult with special needs. Let me share that I can feel intimated going out and about because I can not control how the outing will go! It is like flipping a coin. Tristan’s life is enriched when we take him out into the community; we continue to take each opportunity. I am blessed by each kind word or action I receive when we are with him in the public view. Let me give an example: