Here is a piece of our wonderful holiday. This sunset was taken from our balcony at our resort in South Yarmouth, Cape Cod. Stunning and peaceful. My whole being relaxed at this lovely spot. Details to follow in another blog post.
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Wordless Wednesday - Sunset
Here is a piece of our wonderful holiday. This sunset was taken from our balcony at our resort in South Yarmouth, Cape Cod. Stunning and peaceful. My whole being relaxed at this lovely spot. Details to follow in another blog post.
Saturday, August 4, 2012
Nine and Crafty
Yep, my darling Laura is nine now. We had a party at Gotta Paint and made stuff. We ate cake. We had a spa day. She got her ears pierced and is growing up. Life is good. Some photo evidence of it all...
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| Choices, choices... |
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| Shhh... artists at work |
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| Electric red-dye-number-5 tongue |
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| Girls gone wild! (with paint brushes) |
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| Pottery creations before they were fired. |
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| The after results. Gorgeous! |
Thursday, August 2, 2012
Fear Conquored
If you asked me a year ago if Owen would ever be able to go on a plane, I would have said a resounding no. He has a phobia. It is impossible to bring up the idea of flying because he goes into panic mode and then retreats. There is no reasoning through a phobia. That door was closed tight, locked and bolted.
When he was smaller we took a flight back and forth to Mexico. He did just fine and he was just 5. Then we went to Florida when he was 7 and everything fell apart. There was turbulence and the plane tilted as it turned to the airport. Something broke in him and he couldn't handle it. For some children with ASD, certain sensations are felt more intensely. For him, it is proprioception or the feelings of movement that overwhelms him at times. Planes move in unpredictable ways. He panicked on the way home from Florida and I squeezed him tight in my arms, warding off what I could of the hell he was going through for that terrible flight. After that, there would be no more planes. Ever.
There are many sides to my boy. Owen loves learning about the world. Geography, thanks to his unfortunate genetics, is in his blood. Owen loves playing in the ocean, digging his feet into beaches, experiencing the magic of Disney, and has a curiosity about history. He wants to be there. There is the motivation. So we chatted about wonderful places that there are to visit. We watched travel shows, ate different foods and sent postcards from our own journeys. He wants to go too.
Options are available to get through a plane trip. Some people choose to sedate reluctant flyers. Perhaps that would work but I would rather cure the cause, not just treat the symptoms. We were lucky. Our physician practiced a technique called EMDR. (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) It allowed Owen to work through his feelings and cope with it. It worked. The change in his feelings was remarkable.
We booked a "test flight" and Owen helped me work out the details for the flight as well as our super-Saturday day of travel and fun for just the two of us. He was ready to try and we took the leap of faith. We arrived at the airport with plenty of time. Checking through security was uneventful thankfully and we walked the whole airport about 3 times before boarding time. He was anxious but by admitting this, telling the flight staff and pulling out the bag of tricks, he was fine.
He did not want to see the flight take off so he wore a sleep mask. We played some favourite music in his earbud earphones and he put his head on my shoulder. Twenty minutes later we were cruising in the air. Games on the 3DS and chatter kept him happy for the short flight. There was turbulence but it didn't phase him. For landing he just wanted the eye mask and the shoulder to keep him feeling fine. He practically danced off the plane. I am bursting with pride at my boy and how he worked trough this huge accomplishment.
The rest of the day was filled with taxi rides, subway rides, great food, a trip to the Hockey Hall of Fame and a long Via train ride home. (I wasn't about to book another flight in case it all was a disaster.) An exhausted but extremely proud boy rolled into bed that night. I couldn't be happier.
An expensive day it was but the benefits were priceless. We are now thinking about where to vacation next. There is no longer a 'but' or 'if' in our plans, just a 'when'. The door is wide open and the possibilities are endless.
When he was smaller we took a flight back and forth to Mexico. He did just fine and he was just 5. Then we went to Florida when he was 7 and everything fell apart. There was turbulence and the plane tilted as it turned to the airport. Something broke in him and he couldn't handle it. For some children with ASD, certain sensations are felt more intensely. For him, it is proprioception or the feelings of movement that overwhelms him at times. Planes move in unpredictable ways. He panicked on the way home from Florida and I squeezed him tight in my arms, warding off what I could of the hell he was going through for that terrible flight. After that, there would be no more planes. Ever.
There are many sides to my boy. Owen loves learning about the world. Geography, thanks to his unfortunate genetics, is in his blood. Owen loves playing in the ocean, digging his feet into beaches, experiencing the magic of Disney, and has a curiosity about history. He wants to be there. There is the motivation. So we chatted about wonderful places that there are to visit. We watched travel shows, ate different foods and sent postcards from our own journeys. He wants to go too.
Options are available to get through a plane trip. Some people choose to sedate reluctant flyers. Perhaps that would work but I would rather cure the cause, not just treat the symptoms. We were lucky. Our physician practiced a technique called EMDR. (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) It allowed Owen to work through his feelings and cope with it. It worked. The change in his feelings was remarkable.
We booked a "test flight" and Owen helped me work out the details for the flight as well as our super-Saturday day of travel and fun for just the two of us. He was ready to try and we took the leap of faith. We arrived at the airport with plenty of time. Checking through security was uneventful thankfully and we walked the whole airport about 3 times before boarding time. He was anxious but by admitting this, telling the flight staff and pulling out the bag of tricks, he was fine.
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| Anxious but excited on the plane |
He did not want to see the flight take off so he wore a sleep mask. We played some favourite music in his earbud earphones and he put his head on my shoulder. Twenty minutes later we were cruising in the air. Games on the 3DS and chatter kept him happy for the short flight. There was turbulence but it didn't phase him. For landing he just wanted the eye mask and the shoulder to keep him feeling fine. He practically danced off the plane. I am bursting with pride at my boy and how he worked trough this huge accomplishment.
The rest of the day was filled with taxi rides, subway rides, great food, a trip to the Hockey Hall of Fame and a long Via train ride home. (I wasn't about to book another flight in case it all was a disaster.) An exhausted but extremely proud boy rolled into bed that night. I couldn't be happier.
An expensive day it was but the benefits were priceless. We are now thinking about where to vacation next. There is no longer a 'but' or 'if' in our plans, just a 'when'. The door is wide open and the possibilities are endless.
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| Snacking on our Market picnic and playing DS on the train ride home. |
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
Wordless Wednesday
Since I seem to have forgotten how to write, I won't. I'll just post a pic or two and spare you my inability to write something coherent. Your welcome.
Here are a few photos from our time at the cottage. What a beautiful and enjoyable spot. Great for the body mind and soul.
Here are a few photos from our time at the cottage. What a beautiful and enjoyable spot. Great for the body mind and soul.
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Meltdowns
This time its Laura. Everything is setting her off right now.
The latest is a mega-melt because I had the nerve to seal an envelope for her birthday invitations. (FYI - the right thing to do is to tuck the flap thing in and not stick it!) Earlier it was because she wanted to bring an empty peanut butter jar to pick strawberries instead of the baskets they provide. Horrors! Tears flow when I say "no" or don't have an instant play date for her. Never mind if I attempt to help her with homework. She melts as much as a toddler right now except there is no stroller I can strap her in at age almost nine.
Sigh. And we are no where near the teenage years. I need wine and Calvin and Hobbes to see me through.
The latest is a mega-melt because I had the nerve to seal an envelope for her birthday invitations. (FYI - the right thing to do is to tuck the flap thing in and not stick it!) Earlier it was because she wanted to bring an empty peanut butter jar to pick strawberries instead of the baskets they provide. Horrors! Tears flow when I say "no" or don't have an instant play date for her. Never mind if I attempt to help her with homework. She melts as much as a toddler right now except there is no stroller I can strap her in at age almost nine.
Sigh. And we are no where near the teenage years. I need wine and Calvin and Hobbes to see me through.
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Vegas Baby!
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| Windy night in Vegas |
Sisters are awesome. I travelled with my wonderful little sis Sylvia in honour of her turning 40 this year but I feel like I was the one getting the gift. We laughed so hard our faces hurt. We let go of all responsibilities, explored and ceased the day. We grew closer. I am so happy to have shared my trip with her.
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| view from the balcony |
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| Little NY |
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| Love those neon lights! |
They do a show like no other. We enjoyed the Cirque de Soleil production Ka. Unbelievable. There is no way they can defy gravity like that. The show was captivating and a fascinating experience. Many of the shows are free like the amazing fountains at the Bellagio. Very cool.
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| Caesars Palace |
Not all things awesome are in Vegas. We rented a car for a day and drove to the Hoover Dam. The desert is so beautiful and the Dam is an amazing structure. Wow!
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| Dam that's BIG |
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| Hot! 105 F and it went up. |
The city doesn't sleep. And neither should you unless you can't move anymore. We enjoyed all the pleasures of the city until alcohol slushies could not revive us. (Ahem, some details omitted - WHIVSIV you know.)
Thank you Las Vegas! I will be back.
Friday, May 4, 2012
Of Tulips and Turtles
The rain has stopped and the temperature has climbed up to the point that I don’t need mitts. It was a perfect day to venture to the Ottawa’s Tulip Festival gardens. Although I’ve been to these parks before, I am still amazed at how gorgeous the blooms are. Here’s a sample from my measly point-and-shoot.
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