An APRIL Adventure in Autism: 2008 (8/8) Time to Say Good-Bye....

[mousescrapper]

HFA is High-Functioning Autism. Often covers what is classified as Asperger's and PDD-NOS, as well as plain old HFA. Sarah (my DD11) is HFA, too.

sorry for the high-jack Kathy...but wvdislover...my DS (10) is HFA too...

** When he came around the second time, Billy got up and gave him the biggest hug, just like he was an old friend!! He really made Billy feel special... I can't believe I forgot about it!!

that is such a special story...how sweet! Maybe on another trip you'll meet him again and remember his name!

Love this picture!



We told him that there were lots of nice places for a butterfly to live in Epcot. If you were a butterfly, isn’t that where you’d want to live?

Me too!

Once more, I felt that old familiar pang as I watched the three “typical” kids laugh and talk so easily with each other while Billy stood off to the side... a ten year-old boy unable to join in,


I understnad in many ways!

Can't wait for more fun!

Scrappie

 

[DearDaisyinDurham]

Really enjoyed the update Kathy! Once on a trip to SoCal, we happened to be at the SD Zoo & one of the kids saw a friend from school, it's such a neat bonus!

 

[aspen37]

Hi Anna!

You're right, it has been a long time!! Good to "see" you again!

I'd love to read about the Podcast Cruise... I'm reading Jaime's DL TR... where is the Cruise thread??

Kudos to you for getting into shape... I've started back walking (just walking, mind you, and I'm feeling sore!!)


Kathy

I'm glad to be back over here reading all of your reports. I thought it was funny that Ed had you take a picture of the former Security Guard from the WL and put it in your TR. She has know idea that a lot of people now know who she is and that she isn't very nice. It was good to know that they did move her out of the WL.
We had a thread (threads) over on the podcast boards. We were really just talking to each other about everything but the cruise most of the time. It was a great place to really get to know the people going on the cruise. We are now talking about the next cruise. We now have our own board in the podcast area.
I'm waiting for Jamie to start writing her TR about the cruise and all of the pre and post cruise fun. Like you she is a great story teller. I haven't seen much in the way of people talking about the cruise thou. It was a great time. Jamie got some great pictures with that x-shot thing she has. She really is good at using it. So I guess we will have to wait for her to start writing her report.

I always feel sore for about a week in the beginning of a new workout. Hang in there it will start feeling a little easier soon.

 

[KathyRN137]

sorry for the high-jack Kathy...but wvdislover...my DS (10) is HFA too...

No worries... we're all on the same page. It's not a hi-jack in my book...

Puh-leez!! I grew up in a big family... there was never just one person talking at the dinner table... I think we all talked at the same time and finished each other's sentences, too!!!


Kathy

 

[KathyRN137]

Really enjoyed the update Kathy! Once on a trip to SoCal, we happened to be at the SD Zoo & one of the kids saw a friend from school, it's such a neat bonus!

Hi Erin!

After remembering this and writing about it, I'm even more excited that my DNiece will be joining us on our next trip! I think it will be so good for Tricia to have a same-age, same-sex buddy to hang with (and the cousins all get along so well!)


Kathy

 

[KathyRN137]

I'm waiting for Jamie to start writing her TR about the cruise and all of the pre and post cruise fun.

I always feel sore for about a week in the beginning of a new workout. Hang in there it will start feeling a little easier soon.

Thanks for the encouragement!!

Perhaps Jamie is trying to finish her DL report before starting on the cruise... I sure am looking forward to that!


Kathy

 

[Goofster57]

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[wvdislover]

Thanks for chiming in mousescrapper...it's always nice to know that someone else is in the same boat

Kathy, I was so feeling your pain when you were talking about Billy being off to the side. It kills me sometimes to see Sarah being a loner, and wish that she "fit in" with the other kids...on the bright side, though, it was very cool to see the other kids including Billy on MS, and Tricia helping her brother. It's so easy for us to still baby our kids. I'm having to really work on that one, and let Sarah show us how much she actually can do by herself! Continuing on the bright side, Sarah actually has some real friends now. She has a group of about 4 or 5 girls at her dance studio (we switched to a new one this past year, so she could get a fresh start socially) who have accepted her and include her in their conversations! We went out to lunch with one yesterday, and have plans to do stuff with a few of the others in the next few weeks! I am so excited for her! Now, if I can just stop sticking my nose in to check on her...

Looking forward to your next update!

 

[KathyRN137]

Sarah actually has some real friends now. She has a group of about 4 or 5 girls at her dance studio (we switched to a new one this past year, so she could get a fresh start socially) who have accepted her and include her in their conversations!

That's great!! So happy for her!

Billy's class had a field trip today to a small local amusement park. His teacher wrote that he went on every ride and was asking friends to sit with him on different rides, which they did.

I was so pleased!

It's just the little social things that most people take for granted... yet they are such big steps for autistic children!!

Kathy

 

[KathyRN137]

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I'll be expecting you!!

Kathy

 

[wvdislover]

That's great!! So happy for her!

Billy's class had a field trip today to a small local amusement park. His teacher wrote that he went on every ride and was asking friends to sit with him on different rides, which they did.

I was so pleased!

It's just the little social things that most people take for granted... yet they are such big steps for autistic children!!

Kathy

That is SO great! I know you were happy and so proud of him!

 

[jordanyosh]

Love you, too, J You're a special part of my DIS family!


Kathy

2012 baybee!!!!

 

[jordanyosh]

That's great!! So happy for her!

Billy's class had a field trip today to a small local amusement park. His teacher wrote that he went on every ride and was asking friends to sit with him on different rides, which they did.

I was so pleased!

It's just the little social things that most people take for granted... yet they are such big steps for autistic children!!

Kathy

 

[karriemouse]

Billy's class had a field trip today to a small local amusement park. His teacher wrote that he went on every ride and was asking friends to sit with him on different rides, which they did.

Yay Billy!!

This post made me tear up - it's so easy for those of us without special children to take this sort of thing for granted. Goes off to hug kids...

 

[KathyRN137]

It's just the little social things that most people take for granted... yet they are such big steps for autistic children!!

Kathy

That is SO great! I know you were happy and so proud of him!

Yay Billy!!

This post made me tear up - it's so easy for those of us without special children to take this sort of thing for granted. Goes off to hug kids...

Thanks! Every bit of your support is so very appreciated!!

Having a child with a developmental disability is a source of both little heartaches and little joys... it truly is a daily adventure!

Kathy

 

[KathyRN137]

2012 baybee!!!!

Oh Yeah!!


Kathy

 

[KathyRN137]

Chapter 27: More Future World Frivolity

Still Thursday, 4/24/08

Epcot ~ Future World



We had just finished riding Mission Space – Green and had parted ways with Tricia’s friend, Catherine, and her family. Now we were crossing back over to the West side of Future World so we could ride Soarin’. As we passed the Fountain of Nations we were sprayed with a bit of the gentle mist from its dancing water. It felt lovely on what had become a rather hot and sunny afternoon!

As we entered the ever-congested Land Pavilion and made our way down the escalator, we eagerly anticipated the sensation of flight and the scented breezes of California. It was almost 2pm, but we had eaten such a late and filling breakfast that we were able to resist the tempting aromas of Sunshine Seasons as we pushed on toward our goal.

Naturally, we had to take a picture of PATRICK for Aunt Rae… she always comments on how handsome he is and jokes that he would be her ideal “boyfriend!” ( I wonder if Patrick is seeing anyone??)


Tricia was slightly perturbed when we were ushered into the middle row… she always hopes for the top row because she doesn’t like how the illusion of hang gliding is broken when she sees the row of feet dangling above our heads. And every time I say the same thing,


“Well, then don’t look up!”


This is my favorite Epcot attraction and I always find it exhilarating, no matter how many times we’ve done it! The other day I was listening to the Official Album CD while driving and I actually got goose bumps during the Soarin’ music! It’s definitely a must-do for us!!


During our previous trip to the World, Spaceship Earth had still been in the midst of its rehab, so we were anxious to fit this into our one-day-at-Epcot plan! Off we went toward the huge park icon...

I remember the wait in the queue as being fair-to-middlin’... perhaps about 15 min or so?? It moved, slowly but steadily, but may have just seemed to take longer because Billy was getting a bit wutzy... he wanted to pace back and forth and there was no room for him to do so. Ed and I decided that after SE we would all take a walk back to World Showcase so he could burn off a bit of energy.


We climbed aboard our bright blue ride vehicle and, of course, Billy was completely mesmerized by the new interactive touch screen. So much so, that he kept looking at it and trying to touch it and turn it on throughout the entire first half of the ride instead of looking at the audio-animatronics!! We kept re-directing his attention to the changing scenes as we moved from the time of The Caveman to Modern Day, but other than the destruction of Rome (fire!) he seemed almost oblivious to them! Hmmm.


He was much more interested in the second half of the ride... the part where the screen turned on and we were asked a few questions and a little video played. We laughed as our own faces were inserted into the cartoon-like characters on the screen. For Billy, this was, indeed, the best part of the entire ride. (But I really enjoyed looking at all of the spruced-up audio-animatronic scenes... they are so life-like!)


Because we were not permitted to use flash, I decided not to try for any photos. (I figured it would be a waste of time and that none of them would turn out!) It was actually a nice change because I could just sit back and enjoy instead of getting so wrapped up in capturing the experience digitally.


We exited our time-traveling vehicle and found ourselves immediately thrust into the middle of “Project Tomorrow”... a collection of interactive games and exhibits that I found very reminiscent of those in Innoventions. Boy, it was crowded there! Obviously there is a continuous influx of guests exiting the SE ride and, unlike the gift “dump” shops at the end of many attractions that most guests just pass through, many of these guests decide to stay around and play the games.


I have to say it was a bit overwhelming at first... we roamed around looking for an empty terminal but found that they were not only in use, there were often one or two guests hovering around waiting to play! Eventually we moved away from that one area and stumbled upon a game that no one seemed interested in but looked like it could be a lot of fun...

Power City

It was played using “hockey” sticks and players needed to move a virtual “puck” across the “city” under their feet to get the power to where it needed to be. I honestly forget how the game worked, but Ed and Tricia seemed to have a great time playing. It was a bit involved, so Billy and I sat out and just enjoyed watching the two of them run around like crazy trying to power the city...

Billy thought it was so funny to see his Daddy and his sister scrambling around the board... He just laughed and laughed as he watched them play!

Goodness! I was wiping away the tears I was getting from laughing so hard at Billy!! Oh, it was too much!!


They were able to play a second time, but then other guests began queuing up to play, so they had to quit after finishing their game. After that, we walked around for a few minutes looking for something else to play, but it was really just too crowded and we didn’t feel like standing around waiting for a turn. We were beginning to get a bit hungry, anyway, so we decided to take that walk over to World Showcase and find ourselves some early dinner.


But, on the way, Tricia and I got a bit...um...distracted...

It is darn near impossible for me to resist this store!! After giving strict admonishments not to “take forever in there,” Ed took Billy off to go look at some dancing water while we girls browsed the store. I was in search of those car decals with the Disney family members each wearing mouse ears, but I was unsuccessful. They seemed to be sold out of the mommies and the daddies... so I opted to buy a Tinkerbelle car magnet instead. Tricia found a key chain she liked and we were true to our promise and left with just these meager few purchases in our possession.


We caught up with the boys at the Fountain of Nations and Ed was happy to report that they had just finished watching the entire choreographed water ballet, which had delighted Billy and kept him quite entertained. We set out in earnest toward the World Showcase Lagoon, stopping to admire the nautical flag-themed flowerbeds planted along the East and West Lakes.

Stitch is the Lifeguard?? Oh boy... I sure hope everyone can swim!

We had arrived at World Showcase and faced the moment of truth... should we turn right or should we turn left??


"Tune in" next time to find out!!!

Kathy

 

[DisMomAmy]

Kathy

That's a great picture of Billy!

My boys both enjoyed the new interactive screens on SSE a lot too! We ended up riding twice during our trip.

 

[KathyRN137]

That's a great picture of Billy!

My boys both enjoyed the new interactive screens on SSE a lot too! We ended up riding twice during our trip.

Thanks, Amy!! Too bad its blurry... he was rocking back and forth so much!


Kathy

 

[jcc0621]

That picture of Billy laughing is priceless

We always seem to go left