When Tristan was about 6 years old he would NEVER sit. He was always on the move. I had to chase my ever growing non-verbal “toddler” every waking moment. Most of the time I felt more like a security guard instead of a mom. Or maybe a life guard on land(not that one really exists). If something looked dangerous he would gravitate towards it. This went on for years…
15 Years Ago…Our Journey Began
Today is the day our journey with Tristan began. Finally, all the preparation had been done. Paperwork, paperwork, and more paperwork! Waiting, waiting, and more waiting! Of course, we had no idea how the road would bend and curve. We would climb uphill and enjoy the glide down! We did not have much knowledge about autism. In little ways, God had prepared our hearts. Given the choice I would do it all over again. We are blessed to have been gifted with Tristan. I hope one day to write this all down.
Enjoy a glimpse into the early days of our new adventure!
Counting the Days…
Quarantine. Pandemic. Shelter in place. These words mean a lot to many of us. In Tristan’s world not so much. His routine has changed but many aspects of his life remain the same. He is not worried about much. His main concern is food. Overall he is content. But when he is bored…watch out! He will create his own entertainment. Here is one example.
This was one of the latest updates I received from his group home.
Tristan’s Favorite Pictures
When I hand Tristan my phone and let him scroll through the photos he always stops on two pictures. One day he pointed to what he was looking at. I shouldn’t have been surprised but I was. It was food! The chocolate milk in the first picture. The mac-n-cheese in the second picture.
Enjoy another healthy dose of laughter from our home!
Sorting Colors – Tristan’s Way
Currently color sorting activities are a favorite for my forever toddler. I came across one to try with him. This is how it went…
I bought a foam block, sticks, and a box of fruit round cereal. The idea was to have him sort the colors on the sticks. First sorting, then eating the cereal. However, the moment I set out the example with one color on each stick he had a different idea. I turned my back for one second to get the box of cereal and the “sample” was gone. He was smiling and laughing. I asked him if he ate the cereal. The look in his eyes told me he did.
Then I poured some cereal in the bowl and I sorted a couple to demonstrate how this activity was suppose to proceed. He immediately started eating the cereal. The game began! He wanted me to say “don’t eat it!” Then he would laugh. He was definitely enjoying this game.
He was proud of his accomplishment! All the cereal was sorted and gone.
Enjoy another healthy dose of laughter from our home!
This idea came from Play to Learn Preschool. More details can be found at:
If He Only Knew the Value!
I get a report from Tristan’s case manager on how his week went at his residential school and group home. In the email, he is reported as,
The Only Kid I Know…
Tristan is the only kid I know that will not watch the bowling ball roll down the alley to see what pins get knocked down! The more Brian and I said, “Watch the ball!” The more he looked the other way. At one point Tristan was even putting his bowling ball on the ramp and had his back to the lane. It’s like he knew what we wanted him to do and he was trying to show us you can bowl without watching!
Enjoy another healthy dose of laughter from our home!
Tristan Shares His Thoughts
I love hearing my 16-year-old son, Tristan, talk about anything. Since he has autism, his expressive language has varied over the years. He has fluctuated between one word and two-word phrases. He has sprinkled in a few sentences over the years. Currently, he is non-verbal most of the time.
The Label Peeler Strikes Again
My oldest son, Jacob, was working on a project in elementary school. He asked me for a glue stick. I went to the drawer where I kept permanent markers, tape, and glue sticks tucked away so Tristan wouldn’t get them. Jacob worked diligently on his assignment into the late evening. Jacob left it out to dry on the counter overnight.
The next morning I woke up and noticed the project on the counter. I could not believe what I saw.
A Christmas To Remember
Christmas was special with Tristan this year because of his reactions to his gifts. Sometimes, it can be challenging to figure out what toy he would like to have. This year’s reaction was priceless.
