Fabulous Miss S.

I'm giving assvice today

My virgin post is live today at The DC Moms, click here to read all about what to do if you suspect your child might have a developmental delay. 

 

 

Tampering for a good cause

I feel a little violated, wronged, a little sad and very disappointed. 

The Autism Speaks puzzle piece car magnet was stolen off the back of my minivan yesterday.  I noticed it today and felt naked, like I was driving my car around at graduation and I'd forgotten to wear underwear, wait ... that's not it. 

Seriously, folks, I do feel very violated. Magnets do not just, fall off of cars. 

Someone wanted it. 

Did someone want to tell me that they think I'm flashing Autism around like a too-big flag at a car dealership that stands out on windy days. 

Did somebody want to hurt me. 

Did someone want to irritate me, anger me, make me a little crazy. 

Well, congratulations assholes, you may have won a battle but you did not win the war.  You have forgotten who you are up against. 

I feel sad that a person out there wanted to support those who live with Autism and was unable to purchase a magnet on their own to demonstrate support.   If you needed it for your car that badly, I would have gladly handed it over, or the other one that I have.  In fact, this tells me that there are not enough Autism Speaks puzzle piece car magnets out there in the world. 

Evidently, we need to have more of them in the world so that no one has to steal one in order to have one of their very own. 

So here is what I am going to do: 

I am going to click over to www.AutismSpeaks.org and pick up a few, or twenty, of these. And some of these too because I shop a lot.  A few of these too, because Noah loves cars.  And! These.  You can never have too many of them.

I am super proud to say that someones hoggish selfish gesture has turned into a $100 donation to Autism Speaks from me, from my non-family fun money account. Because it is JUST THAT IMPORTANT. 

Now, who wants a wristband and car magnet, I have a few extras on hand.  Leave a comment and email me your address at THESTACY AT GMAIL DOT COM and I will mail it you, shipping is on me too!  I'm so generous today, huh?  Generosity in the spirit of assholes is the best kind there is, right? 

Noah, at the 2010 National Walk for Autism Speaks

 

Half

Last Monday I ran the uber-popular Autism Speaks 5K.  It was crowded, the route was full of kids and families but it didn't matter because my goal was just to finish and get my snazzy t-shirt.  My time was, eh ... it was, ok.  A few months ago I ran a sub-30 minute 5K on a treadmill but outside I get bogged down with navigating the course, talking, if I'm running with a friend, and I just don't pace myself well enough yet.  I also run better with my music, because I lose myself in the beat and it helps me keep a better pace. 

I'm fairly confident that I'll learn all that soon enough and I want to get that super small iPod to clip onto my shirt so my arm isn't heavy with my heartrate monitor watch and my current old-school-style-large ipod armband. 

I probably need a new pair of shoes too.

And, I've been needing a new challenge, something to work for and something to be proud of.  I know I can do a 10K because I ran one in April and I nailed those 6.2 miles in 63 minutes, hells yah baby! 

Let's hope I can double my distance because here's what I've gotten myself into now: Wilson Bridge Half Marathon.  It's October 2.  I have 11 weeks to train. Wish me luck.  I know I'm going to need it.

Toe Nail Clipping

Tonight I was putting Noah through a purposeful painful ritual that i'll call TOE NAIL CLIPPING, I know, right?  Send that mother to time out right now!

It's a sensory issue for him, overly sensitive toes, feet, something like that.  I just tell myself it must feel like intense pins and needles. 

He thrashes and screams and fights me and pushes me away.  But, before his toenails grow down and back into his foot, I have to clip them. 

Picture, if you will, a blacksmith holding a horses hoof between his legs facing backward.  I do the same with Noah, basically. 

After one good clipping he screamed, "GET OFF!"

And I looked at Marc and he looked back at me and he asked if that was what I thought it was and I said that it was.

So I looked at Noah, directly in the eyes and told him that I would stop because he asked me to. 

** This is his first "request" and "demand" and it was appropriate and spontaneous. 

Woo Hoo!  Success. 

Not success: the other 9 toenails still in need of attention. 

 

Pieces

Shall we start on a light note?  I'm really bummed that I have too much going on this week; something every day that is keeping me from enjoying a $50 Spa Week facial. 

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I'm really excited that the thing keeping me from a cheap and glorious facial tomorrow is that I get to see some of my favorite writers and ladies at a great event at the Capital Area Food Bank to learn about the Child Hunger Ends Here program.  I'm sure I'll have a lot more to say about this tomorrow night.  I have no idea what I'm going to see or hear and I'm excited for this opportunity to learn.

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Mallory has a weird foot issue that is bothering me.  When she started standing many months ago I pointed it out to the doctor that her left foot seemed to be turned out in an exaggerated sort of way, more so than the right foot.  At the time, the doctor said it was normal for feet to face outward at that age and it was all part of learning to balance and I listened and nodded and waved my hand, Phew! ... next issue, more snot!  But, I was laying on the floor watching her walk the other day and while she still does the just-learned-to-walk lurch thing, it looks like she is reliably using her left foot in a strange way.  She walks sort of on the arch of her left foot, and when she is in her harder soled shoes, the left foot makes a Thub-Thub sound as it smacks on the floor, more so than the other one. 

After a horrifyingly hand-wringy few minutes while I Googled Baby-Foot-Deformity I realized she DOES NOT have a club foot by any stretch of the mind but most likely has a very mild deformity probably corrected with a shoe or even just massage/therapy/manipulation, etc. 

Last time I had that nagging concern feeling in my gut about my child possibly have a tiny bit of a delay I stuffed it down with some Hydrogenated Fat and High Fructose Corn Syrup and then allowed a doctor to talk me out of my concerns.  And Boy! Was he wrong!  (I don't recall writing it at the time but an old pediatrician consistently blew off my concerns about Noah's lack of words, butt rashes, picky eating ... need I go on?)  Do I wait until her 15 month appointment in two and a half weeks, or do I call and go in TOMORROW?  I just want to address this immediately and since I suspect we'll need to see a specialist, why wait?  I'm thinking, proceed with urgency but pass go first and collect that $200 because you are going to need it for that Out-Of-Network specialist, dammit.

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I'm running again. 

I'm running a 5K on Saturday for Autism Speaks.  Of course I have a personal interest in the organization but the run is really for me.  I needed something to train for, something to do all on my own, goals, blah blah blah. 

After a few weeks of NOT running and doing mostly weight training, I got back on a treadmill last week and did a few three mile runs.  Day One I ran 3 miles in 30:22.  Impressive, for me.

Two days later I got back on the treadmill and set out to do it again.  Without setting out to reach this goal or even thinking about it really, I ran 3 miles in 29:53.  I achieved the ever-elusive SUB-30 minute 5K.  I was pretty damn impressed with myself.

I'm really really *really* thinking about doing a brief little 10K on Sunday morning too.  It's only 6 miles, I know I can DO it.   It's mostly downhill.  It is in a dense urban area with lots of stores so there will be plenty of distracting scenery, I mean, why not, right? 

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In between running and weight training to maintain my sanity I am trying to spend quality time with Mallory.  I still feel so much guilt because her life has been impacted so much by Autism. When I mention this piece to other people I usually get a roll of the eyes-nodding of the head Psshaw! because she is SO LOVED! and SO HAPPY! and Don't worry she's going to be the most resilient and most considerate person ever! comment and it's missing the mark, or maybe I'm just not good at explaining what I really feel.  Her reality of not having enough time to eat breakfast, EVER, crawling after me crying in the mornings because she just wants a cuddle or a hug or a few minutes of her mother not rushing around begging Noah to make pee-pees and put his damn shoes on already and "OK! Fine! Here's Super Why but SHOES FIRST THEN SUPER WHY." 

To assuage my own guilt I enrolled her in a class at Romp & Roll and she absolutely loves it.  She acts happy there.  She leaves my side.  She sits in her teacher's lap during story time.  She doesn't get upset when it is time to put the scarves away and get out the shakey eggs.  Who knew that that was a problem!?  Watching her imitate other kids, engage and enjoy these normal activities is like a breath of fresh air on a ten degree day, it feels refreshing at first, until the sting of the cold air reaches your chest and you cringe shut. 

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My little couch potatoes eating in front of the TV.  WHAT?!