My son Cooper received his speech device when he was four years old. At the time I was overwhelmed by it. Not only did I feel the emotional strains of it I felt like getting one was such a huge commitment. Would it work? Should we try it? Will he even use it? I just didn’t know. I didn’t know how much energy I should put into advocating for a device either. I’ve felt this same way with many assistive technology devices. I wanted to try before buying. I recently…
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To my beautiful Austin, This time of year is always filled with memories of four years ago. Memories of you, our perfect newborn boy, the final member of our family. When I think back on these few years of your life, my mind often goes back to the very first time I saw you. I was only 12 weeks pregnant; too soon to know your gender. Or, so we thought. I went to the ultrasound by myself that day and was shocked that we were able to see that you…
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Dear Santa, What I want, can’t be bought in a store. No, what I want, means so much more. It’s something I have waited so long to hear. I really hope my wish is granted, this year. It seems to come so easily for most kids. I hope this wasn’t caused, by something I did. I have cried, and whispered many prayers. Sometimes, I feel like no one is there. The pain is real, and hard to bear. Please, Santa, show me that you care. I’m trying really hard to…
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This December I want to thank and honor the one child that defends my autistic daughter in school. I want you to know that I hear the positive things you are doing. I know you are sticking up for my daughter. And I can never thank you enough. My daughter Lillian was first diagnosed with autism when she was four years old. I had a hard time trusting this diagnosis because there wasn’t much testing done at all. We went the next few years without much help until Lillian was…
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A few nights ago, Jamie and I attended our four-year-olds first Christmas pageant. I can’t even tell you how excited I was to attend. Sawyer had been talking about it for weeks. I knew it was going to be special. Sawyer nailed it. Just like he always does. He stood, sang, participated and hammed it up. And we watched. It was wonderful. It was pretty special to watch him. My little Sawyer’s first Christmas concert. He’s a star! And also appears to have some emotions midway through. He’s on the…
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To my Noah-bug, “Sometimes I just stop and thank God, for having different plans for me than I had for myself. I have been blessed with a miracle.” Ten years ago, a sandy blonde hair, slate grey eyed six pound thirteen ounce bundle of all boy was born. Little did I know I was going to be thrown into a ride on a roller coaster I would have never expected. I thought having a child at 16 was one for the books through those moments and growing up way too…
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Have you ever wondered that? I used to all the time. I would be at a particularly low point in our Autism journey and I would ask that question to my mom or a friend or a doctor. And no one would tell me the truth. I just needed to hear if it was going to get easier or get harder. I needed an honest answer. The problem was I was asking the wrong people. I’m not surprised I get asked this question every day by parents of newly diagnosed…
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(Editor’s Note: This article was provided by Mandy Conner and is part of Cooper’s, ‘I’m Thankful For You’ Campaign.) This December I want honor and thank my daughter Rilyn. Her love for her sister Katelyn ‘KK’ is unbelievable. My oldest daughter Rilyn is 11 and Katelyn is 10. Rilyn and Kk are 15 months apart so the majority of her life she has lived and dealt with Autism on a daily basis. There have been parties we had to miss, vacations cut short and nights where no one slept. Through it…
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Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about my son talking. Or not talking. I want you to know that on the surface I’m okay with having a nonverbal son. And by okay I mean I can picture a future where my adult son does not speak to me. I don’t cry about it anymore. I haven’t for years. It wasn’t fair to him or me. I had to move on. I rarely dwell. I am even excited about his Speech Device and am hopeful that one day he will use…
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The journey called fatherhood is one that is naturally fraught with many twists and turns. There are no concrete directions that you receive at the beginning, but there is at the same time information and advice coming at you from multiple directions and sources. You hope and pray that everything is going to take care of itself as you work frantically to provide the framework necessary for normal growth and development of your child. Why wouldn’t this occur normally, right? Many of the behaviors I am seeing in my son…
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