Disneyland with a side of Autism day 2

Day two!  Back to Disneyland!  

We spent 45 minutes to an hour battling anxiety….poor Little Man didn't want to eat or get dressed or anything….he threatened to throw up for about a 1/2 hour or so….but finally was able to master it and get started….

 Taking the Disney bus to the park!

We added a few comfort items to help with the anxiety, the Pooh ears were incorporated quickly, in addition to the green sweater we added an "Are you my mother?" book and a DVD copy of "The Lion King."  

These seemed to help…he held them in the car and on the bus…but generally Dad carried them the rest of the day.  We also had along a Matchbox size "Lightning McQueen" and his blue strap for emergency flapping.

Sweet Pea was seriously sporting the 'tourist' look…we added shades and the laniard with pins for trading with cast members…although she never could part with any of them!

Right of the bat we met up with Minnie Mouse!  She was super sweet!

 Just look at how she greeted our boy!  

He rewarded her with a little hug!

We decided to reward her with some love as well!  Being kind to our boy is the number one way of earning some love in our family!  (Works with Sweet Pea too…just saying'!)

Next we ran into Cruella Deville!  He wasn't so sure about this one!  I think she did great!

Dad was always taking video!  We felt like the Kardashians - only…better looking! ;-)

 A little ballet in the Magical Kingdom?  Yes please!

Next we laid out the big bucks for some face painting….sheesh!  I remember this being $5…just shows how old I am!  Thank goodness you can't tip!

The boys decided to chill out in a quiet spot while Sweet Pea and I stood in line to meet Tinkerbell.  We met Iradessa first…. 

Then finally Tink herself!  She was lovely…it's amazing how well they stay in character at all times!  I was very impressed…especially considering how many kiddos they were meeting!

She asked Sweet Pea if she was a water fairy due to the dolphin on her cheek!

Next, we went on the Finding Nemo Submarine ride.  

We were a bit nervous, as it's very cramped quarters…and once you're on…there's no getting out.  We were praying no one brought a crying kid on board.  

We got lucky and it was smooth sailing….he seemed to enjoy it…especially since Nemo is one of, if not the only, favorite movie he owns.

Sweet Pea was a bit scared, as it gets pretty dark at times….it was really cool how they projected scenes from the movie underwater!

Afterwards, little man needed a break, so I took Sweet Pea on the Autopia ride - and even tho I explained to her my grave disappointment as a child in not being tall enough to drive….she insisted!  And what a crazy driver!  We finally worked out a system where I ran the gas and she steered!

 We finally made it over to the famous castle for a quick tour…and to make an appointment at the Bippity, Boppity Boutique!

On the way to the castle, we met up with the Fairy Godmother! 

 We finally decided to pack it in and call it a day….we watched the Submarine ride as we waited in line to take the monorail back to the front of the park.

As we were walking out….we found ourselves swept up in a parade….we finally got out in front and waited for it to catch up at the gates….

Sweet Boy was a little unsure of how loud it was…but he definitely recognized the characters and seemed to enjoy watching the whole thing!

 All in all, day two was a success.  Poor Sweet Boy was dealing with a lot more anxiety…and we almost called it quits at lunch….but by splitting up and taking turns…we were able to stay at the park and stay together.

After Autopia, Dad and Sweet Pea went on the Star Tours ride while Little Man and I chilled out and did some people watching….

We found that after he'd reached his limit…if we promised 'no more rides'…and honored it…he did just fine.
This was a HUGE part of our trying to let go of what we thought this vaca 'should' look like and embracing what it was going to need to be…..

And he did great.

Disney with a side of Autism

Day two of our Epic Spring Break trip to California …..

We went to Disneyland!

Turns out a lot of other people did too….it was Spring Break for the local schools….which made for some enormous crowds….

Little Man was anxious…but not knowing exactly what it was going to be like…he trusted Dad and Mom, got in the car and took a chance!

We discovered quickly that although we had rented a car to maintain as much autonomy as possible with our comings and goings from the park….we were expected to park it in one of the multiple Disney lots…and catch a Disney shuttle bus to the park!
This actually worked out as our little man really likes to ride busses!

And yeah….you're going to see a lot of the green sweatshirt..!  He refused to take it off….. we decided to let go of as many preconceived notions as possible this trip……we wanted to let go of whatever we had in our head that it was supposed to look like…or how it was supposed to go….and just run with it.

If he needed the sweatshirt to feel safe….then by all means!

The first line we hit was the bag check.  It was way less invasive than I was expecting….really more of a glance than anything.
After that…..since we already had tickets…we proceeded directly to the next line…the line to actually get into the park.
This line was pretty long…but judging by the size of the courtyard and number of turnstiles…not as long as it could have been…we waited for maybe 5 to 10 minutes….

Once we got into the park…first stop was some commercial joy!

She was bound and determined to collect as many autographs as she could!

Our next stop was the Disney Town Hall where we were told we could get a Disability Access Pass.
We waited in another line….sensing the theme?….then had the opportunity to briefly explain to a cast member how Disneyland could help accommodate our little man.

They didn't ask for a diagnosis…they just wanted to know what his challenges would be at the park.
I explained his severe anxiety exacerbated by crowds and confined spaces…..and the amplifying effect of waiting in lines for events he's unsure of the outcome….

The very polite and kind cast member scanned all four of our city passes…activating them for the next 7 days….briefly explained the system, signed us up for a return time on our first ride…(Pirate's of the Caribbean)…and we were on our way!

The Disability Access System (DAS) seemed confusing at first…but after using it a couple times…we figured it out ……

In a nutshell….it's very similar to the Fast Pass system…which, I had read online was something you paid for…this is not true.
Fast Passes, near as I could tell, were free…the trick was getting one within the time frame you were planning to be in the park…as often the FP times were for quite late in the evening….also, Fast Passes were limited each day…so if you didn't get one early…you might miss out.

The DAS system is something you sign up for by doing as we did…getting your tickets 'registered' within the system….once you're registered, you simply visit an info desk - there's one in each 'land' - tell the cast member what ride you would like to try and get a "return time."

The return times are based on how long of a wait the ride is experiencing at the time you schedule.
For instance: The wait for Pirates was 60 minutes, therefore we got a return time for 60 minutes from when we scheduled.  An added bonus was that our return time was good for the return time as well as any time AFTER the return time.

The difference is that we didn't have to rush early to get a Fast Pass…and we didn't have to stay in line to wait…we could go about the park and do whatever we wanted instead.

The only hang up with the DAS is you can only have one return time at a time.
I feel it would have made my day even easier if they would let me schedule all of my rides at once.
However, my husband reasons that they don't know what the wait times are going to be….my retort is then why are return times good for the exact time…AND any time after?
We'll never know.  Probably just a hoop Disney wants to make sure people aren't abusing the system as I'm told they were with the old way.

It turned out to be super easy and not terribly inconvenient.  All of the Disney cast members we encountered were super accommodating, helpful and just plain nice about it.
Of course, our disability was pretty up and front the whole time…there was no doubting we were dealing with some serious anxiety and stress.
We just love spreading awareness!

Waiting for the train around the park.  Lucas actually really enjoyed riding the train.  It was very low key and usually meant we were wrapping things up!

Winnie the Pooh ride….super loud…and apparently Pooh took acid before falling asleep?  Crazy!

Each ride has it's own commercial joy store at the end…Little man finally joined the fun and chose some ears….Pooh ears of course!  That's our boy…always marching along to a different drum!  Made it easier to keep track of him - that's for sure!  There was a sea of Mickey and Minnie ears…but very few Pooh….!

After Pooh we did Splash Mountain….and got pretty wet! 

After that fun…. sweet boy needed a rest so he asked to go on the canoe ride.  This is waiting in line….

Since we haven't mastered the skill of swimming yet…we strapped him into a jacket!  Couldn't believe how cooperative he was about the whole thing!  I think he was just relieved to chill out and be mellow for a bit….he woulda worn just about anything!

The next ride we did was Indiana Jones….It looks empty because we got to go through the Fast Pass line.  We walked past hordes of people that had been waiting upwards of 90 minutes!
I mentioned that I felt kind of guilty waltzing right in like that….my darling husband looks at me and says…."One word, ….Applebees!"
Enough said!
For those of you that know us…you're probably familiar with our sorry tale of having to leave our local Applebees after suffering the crushing disappointment of them removing the Gluten Free steak from their menu!  Not our best moment as a family.
Again.  Spreading awareness wherever we go!

Tarzan's tree house!  I had to stop after and stretch out my Quads!  What a lot of stairs!  But a great view of the park!

We watched a parade as we were waiting in line for the "It's a Small World" ride.  Both kids really enjoyed the music and seeing so many characters!

Our ballerina princess posing in front of "It's a Small World!"

We did wait in line to meet the big man, Mickey Mouse.  I was disappointed that it turned out to be the Mickey from Fantasia as I had spotted him around the park in a tux….but the kids didn't seem to mind!

More ballet at Minnie's house….not her best…she was complaining about the shorts jacking her style!

Little man was loving being inside Minnie's house…but was surprised that all of the furniture was hard…!

Missy was taking full advantage of the lifting of the candy ban with some cotton candy!

We rode the train back to the front of the park as our good friend anxiety was threatening to overtake us!  Dad and I got really good at recognizing regular stress/anxiety that we could soothe him out of…and getting ready for a nuclear meltdown stress/anxiety!

We were all pretty hot and tired…so we decided to pack it in and head back to the car.

We had enjoyed a very full day….and he had exceeded all expectations with keeping it together as well as how many rides he went on….so nobody was upset...

On the way out….who should we run in to?  Our good pal Goofy!

He wasn't sure about all the characters…but was a pretty good sport!

All in all…day two at Disney went so much better than we possibly could have dreamed!

I forgot to mention in my first blog….we brought Harrison the hermit crab too!  Everyone we knew that might take care of him while we were gone…had traveling plans as well….so we packed up his tank and brought him along!  He chilled out on the front dash the whole time…happy as a….well….crab!

Spring Break with a side of Autism (Days 1-3)

So, we took this show on the road…and where do you think we went?
Why, to California of course!
Where else?
We were terrified and yet hopeful.  Could we be 'normal'?  Could we possibly take such an epic trip….would we be able to trick our friend Autism into passiveness? Or would it take over and ruin things for everyone?

We were determined to make this vacation everything for everybody!
I needed everything to be as SAME as possible for my little man….and yet, have an awesome, magical adventure for our sweet princess!
A tall order!

We borrowed the family motorhome, packed up enough food and belongings for a month of winters and took off for the promise land.
(Or at least as far as Klamath Falls, Oregon as we couldn't get there all in one day…California is really far away!)

We didn't tell our sweet boy, of course, as the stress and anxiety we knew it would cause would have killed us all!
In fact, the way we got him into the mo-ho was by telling him we were just going to buy gas!
After we gassed up and Dad hit the highway…little man started getting nervous!
He started suggesting destinations at every exit on the way out of town!
"Winco?"
"Home Depot?"
"Costco?"
Even to the point of asking…"Going to Mom's race?"
No buddy…but nice try!
I finally broke it down for him as he was just not going to let it go.  He stressed out about it for 10 minutes or so….but let us comfort him out of it.  Plus…we were just driving…and he Loves driving!
That night we got into Klamath Falls around 8PM or so….we were all pretty worn out so we set up and went to bed.

The next day was smooth sailing until we got to Sacramento where the traffic picked up and the crazy drivers made us fear for our very lives!  Apparently they don't issue turning indicators on cars in Cali?
We descended upon L.A. in the flat dark around 9 PM or so.
Traffic in L.A. is dicey at best…but in the dark in an unfamiliar rig?
To say the least, we were all on edge by the time we pulled into our R.V. Park…or re-creational park as Missy called it….
Again, we set up and went to bed!

The next day was Easter!  Somehow, the bunny found us!

The kids were pretty impressed that he did all the way in California…and in a mo-ho to boot!
We needed to purchase our tickets to Disneyland, so we banged out breakfast….

…..yes, fresh baked scones…..I take making my boy feel at home seriously!
Then we set off into Anaheim to get some tickets….

As soon as we got our tickets we set off for Hollywood and Universal Studios!

Turns out anxiety was going to be the name of the game this vacation….lots of people - even on Easter!- lots of noise and stimulation overload.
My wonderful, patient, husband - whom I now call "The Autism Whisperer" talked our little man through it in such a way that he was able to exceed most everyone's expectations!

We started off mellow with the classic Studio Tour.  They claimed it was hosted by Jimmy Falon, so I was on high alert!  Turns out…he hosted the VIDEO on the tour….probably best as bail money might have been involved otherwise!  Love me some Jimmy!
Little man did great…even when King Kong and the T-Rex battled it out around and on top of our car! (We got dino slobbered multiple times!)
He wasn't terribly impressed by our Snoop Dog sighting….but Missy sure was! (Once I explained his connection to Katy Perry!)

He's the one in the middle with the hat!

After the tour we went on the Jurassic Park Ride.  Little Man was okay all the way up to the point of getting into the boat….then he dug his heals in and refused to move!  Autie Dad to the rescue!  He convinced our sweet boy that he would be safe and that nothing was going to happen to him….
and then ……this happened…..

We were right in front….and got REALLY wet!
After shopping for some commercial joy….little man played a carnival type game where you whack a box and try to ring the bell?  He didn't ring the bell…but won a Bart stuffy anyway!

Oh yeah….Kevin Bacon wasn't actually there either….but his picture was!

All in all…a very successful day!
Our little man held it together and didn't wander away once!

We developed some strategies for dealing with his anxiety which we would employ countless times in the days to come….and discovered one of the very few perks of Autism…."Front of the Line!"

I guess that's the BIG question in all of this…what with all of the controversy at Disneyland with their changing the Disability Pass …..

I was very impressed with Universal Studios Staff and how they handled our situation.
We didn't even think to ask for a Disability Fast Pass….although we found out later that they most defiantly have one.
We took the giant escalators to the very bottom of the hill…discovered the long lines and went to the information booth in quest of strategies for our sweet boy.
The gal immediately informed me that we were supposed to request a Disability Fast Pass at the front gate….at the TOP of the hill…just inside the main entrance.
Ugh!
By the look on my face…she recognized that making our way back up the hill was not a great option….so she smiled and said…."Here!  How about a 'Front of the Line Pass?!'"
I was so relieved!  We marched on over to the Jurassic Park ride and only had to wait 5 minutes tops!

Missy, ready for anything with her 3D glasses on the tour!

We actually had a similar experience with the Studio Tour….we asked the staff at the tour starting point…they didn't seem familiar at all with what we were asking….so they just let us on right then!
No waiting at all!

What a great view!

GIANT escalators were the preferred mode of transpo up and down the hill!

We were pleased with how things went….and looking forward to trying our hand at Disneyland the next day!

Adventures in a public restroom...

Meanwhile….at the Local Market……

I'm rushing like a fiend….of course, what else is new? Trying to make a couple kid-free stops before picking up my big middle schooler….and I decide I gotta get rid of the super size ice tea I downed at lunch with my sweet Baboo….

Of course, I'm toting a fresh Chai Tea Late from the Bucks cuz I'm exhausted for some inexplicable reason….

Anywho…..I dash into the ladies, set my tea down and manage to disrobe enough to rid myself of aforementioned tea…..when, ….

…...you know what happened….you might as well quit reading right now! 

There's some sort of disturbance in the Force causing a slight shift in the earth's gravity sending my Grande, Soy, Chai Tea Late careening towards the ground!
(Or, maybe the TP deal was slanted on top….it could go either way!)

So…what do I do? Like any good person I start making juggling motions in a vain attempt to stop the inevitable from happening and in so doing…manage to not only NOT stop said event but intensify the repercussions…..

I not only missed the cup all together …but somehow managed to get Late all the way up the stall wall….all down my front…up both arms…and distributed fairly evenly across my coat and scarf.

Next….I did what any girl in this position would do….I started to cry as I watched that sweet river of tea slowly, and yet not-so-slowly, flow towards the drain just outside the stall door….mulling over in my mind-and quickly rejecting!- saving some tea by attempting to scoop some back into the cup….

And that's when….. another gal came in. She was in a hurry too….but stopped short when she came upon a river of tannish material flowing out of my stall accompanied by the sound of my tears…..

But, as I said, she was in a hurry so she tip toed past it and took up residence in the stall adjacent to mine where she embarked upon her own little journey….as quietly as possible…..

I had gotten my wits pulled back together and was attempting to take a quick bath in the sink…giving her lots of water and paper towel cover….

However, I don't think she was counting on me also returning to the scene, paper towels in hand, in an attempt to clean up the mess!
(I AM a mom for Pete's sake! Can't just leave it!)

So….Here she is….clearly regretting whatever she had for lunch….trying to be quiet about it….just hoping for a bit of privacy….
And I'm on my hands and knees, basically at her feet, working on wiping up what has apparently turned into a 32 OZ size tea mess with nothing to recommend me but some cheap recycled paper towels!

Sorry friend!

I did my best and got out of there before we had to look each other in the eyes….

I then immediately reported my mess to the good people at the market…who promptly sent in a teen aged boy with a mop….to further witness her horror…..

So…..if you need to use the ladies' loo at the market…..just steer clear of the center stall ….there's no way that kid found all that tea!

And if you see me tonight…as I have a meeting…..no mention of the latent Chai smell….. okay? 

Halloween

A friend of mine asked me today about Halloween…as I'm a big fan….and I began to share how this year's was a bit of a disappointment….how it started with a knock down drag out with my boy to put his stinking Where's Waldo shirt on….

(You may remember previous posts regarding our troubles with season changes and thus wardrobe adjustments…with how mild this Fall has been…he hasn't fully committed to long sleeves - except on weekends? - so…needless to say…Rube sat on him whilst I crammed on the shirt!)

Next, his aide didn't show up for school on time…so getting to school was a big fiasco….and nobody in the office noticed as they were busy taking selfless in their group costume - The Flinstones!
(Apparently he didn't hear the alarm?  Okay…crap happens…but today of all days? Ugh!)

Then…the same aide forgot to take pictures….withheld his lunch and coked him up on almost an entire pint of Almond Ice Cream I brought so that he could participate in the class party….

So ..most of my day was then spent alone…running errands..until time to pick kids up…run to therapy…race over and get sis…back to therapy for pick up ….you get the drift….

So I was explaining all this and I realized…..wait a minute….it wasn't all that bad….because then we went trick or treating!

Yes it was raining….and hardly anyone was home in our neighborhood….but my sweet boy kept up with our group of neighbor kids….in fact..he was out in front most of the time!

Most houses we hit - he was first to the door….knocking or ringing the bell…he always said "Trick or Treat!' and "Thank you - Happy Halloween!"

I realized I was calling after him, "Slow down!  Wait for the littles!" - just like the other moms in our group were calling after their kids…

I was so proud.  It was just so….so….TYPICAL!

So, even tho we had a very bumpy start….and my day wasn't what I had hoped for…it was all worth it to see my sweet boy running with the pack.

These moments are few and far between…so I'm going to try and soak it in….and rememberer what's important.….Halloween only comes once a year….and my sweet boy nailed it!

A three hour tour!

August 2014

Went to the lake to take a boat out for a test drive yesterday….despite my dream that the seller was a serial killer participating in the mass societal plot to deprive my children of their parents and perpetuating their need for continuous therapy….I don't know, it was a dream people!

Any-who….we thought, "We're meeting at 9:30…we'll take it for a quick spin around the bay…maybe put the sails up for a bit and get a feel for how she sails…..be back by maybe 11….home to feed the kids lunch."

Yeahhhh….totally forgetting this guy is an avid sailer ...selling both of his freshwater boats and moving to the West side…..any day with a bit of wind, in his opinion,  is a good day for a sail!

We put out around 9:45 and don't see that dock again until 2:00!

No water….no food…..thank goodness I'm a sun screen freak as it was pushing 100 degrees! (However,….I forgot the parts I ALWAYS forget in the boat….tops of the knees/thighs! So we did get a funny sunburn….you might say we're the 'bees knees!')

 The seller was awesome….loads of fun to sail with…."What do you call two sailboats on the water?……A race!" Very fun morning/afternoon….however,….not my best plan!

We had been up late drinking wine with the babysitters the night before….Thanks Grandma and Papa for offering to sit and saving our day!….and had barely managed a cup of coffee and piece of toast before we left!

Needless to say, we spent the rest of the afternoon and evening trying to hydrate and recover……..now the fun part's over….let the games begin!

My $100 tank top

A couple years ago my awesome neighbor got me in to Triathlons.

Keep your pants on! Not the big long Ironman deal….Sprints!

 She had been participating in a local Sprint Tri for a couple years as a way to keep motivated for working out/keeping in shape.  I had recently joined her and another neighbor working out at the absolute crack of butt in the morning….and she felt, correctly, that I would be interested.

I only had five weeks to train, so I agreed that finishing would be a good thing!

Incidentally, when I told Rube I wanted to sign up, he freaked out! Claiming I would die…have the big one right in the middle of the race! Thanks for the support goof ball! (He turned out to be my biggest fan/supporter…his initial reaction was so funny though!) 

We show up for my first race…nervous as all get out…a bit shy…and awed by all of the powerful women there strutting around in all their glory. I'm not kidding! These gals got it goin' on! They've got matching gear and fancy race bikes…tricks they're willing to share with newbies…!

I make it down to the beach and find myself alone amongst them as my neighbor is younger than I and gets to start earlier…. I find myself getting more and more excited to get started…when just 3 minutes before I was having trouble keeping my food down and my lower half was in full blast alert/eject the core mode!

When I got to the water…I can't explain it….but I turned into instant beast mode! I forgot how competitive I am!
We need to remember, I'm the youngest of three…and the older two? Boys!

I tore that race up and had so much fun doing it too!
I've participated in two other races since…have added a tri suit, number belt, a racing bike and "race" shoes with special "race laces" to my repertoire. 

This fairly lengthy explanation brings me to present…and my $100 tank top.

These races can be tricky to get in to…you have to sign up a year in advance, lay down the big bucks and hope no vacations or illness prevent you from showing up!

I signed up for a local race that I did for the first time last year….called The Valley Girl. Sadly, I've been fighting a neck/shoulder injury for this entire year plus, so not only haven't been 'training'…but working out in general has been hit and miss!

Rube and my snarky 9 year old had convinced me to just go and see how I do…so I was all set….

Then, the 4th of July weekend…we spent it on our boat, as we like to do when we have it in the water, and all was well until…. Sunday pack up.

I attempted to pull the heavily laden cooler out of the back berth in a pull/twist motion and jacked up my back like no one's business.

I would be lying if I didn't admit to a sense of relief…I couldn't possibly race now! I had been struggling with guilt all week, alternating with frustration as the competitive crazy in me kept welling up…..

Instead of racing, Rube and I made plans to go out on a sailboat we are considering buying….in order to do this, we needed a sitter for the kids as we don't generally introduce complete strangers to the crazy that is our family right off the bat…or at least not in such close quarters!

Insert the in-laws, bless their hearts! They came down the day before to stay the night as we were needing to leave for the lake pretty early.

My Mom-in-law came with me for packet pick up as I figured I would at least get the shirt and water bottle…right?  I mean….I paid for it!

The race staff were all very kind and encouraging…claiming safety over everything…and cheerfully chiming, "We'll see you back next year!"

Which just made me feel worse for my sense of relief….ah well.. After packet pick up, we went grocery shopping…and made a Costco run.... When we got home and were unloading groceries…my husband comes out to help and finds me standing in the garage snickering as I gaze into the back of my mini van….
Thinking I've finally snapped….he comes over to see what I'm looking at…bracing for something bad…or worse, nothing at all!

I'm looking at a scene that I feel is fairly indicative of the year I've had….

There, on one of the back seats, was my new $100 race shirt and packet….and sitting squarely upon it?

A giant Apple Pie that I had just purchased at Costco!