ANOTHER Adventure in Autism (4/15) A Taste of What's to Come...

[preschoolmom]

Oh Kathy, Can I ever relate this this post!!!

My son is mild on the spectrum, but you really described the behaviors he displays so perfectly in this post! The library - for us - it is anytime we want to leave the house. We can't tell him we're leaving until it is time to go - otherwise he screams, "I'm ready to go!" until the rest of us are ready to go!

I hear you on the library ritual, too - the constant supervision - the having to explain to people constantly that your child isn't REALLY misbehaving - they just don't get it...

Anyway - I love your Trip Reports - I enjoy each update!

I'm so glad you got an appt. with a Neurologist AND I'm glad it appears to simply have been the medication - how scary...

 

[mrsksomeday]

Alone time is a wonderful thing to have.

If Billy has to be fixated on going somewhere he could pick worse places than the library. You are such a good mommy!!!

 

[KathyRN137]

Mrsksomeday: That's true; what if he was fixated on the Disney Store?? I'd go broke!

preschoolmom: Sometimes the seemingly neverending repetition feels like water dripping on your forehead... it can really start to drive you nuts if you let it!

Hedy:

Marion: I thought so! Can't wait to read more about your trip!

MRYPPNS: You know you're overdue for some alone time when going grocery shopping or to the dentist by yourself is a treat!

jordanyosh: Better schedule that eye exam!!

jcc0612: Thanks, I'm feeling like WAHOO, too!!

DisMomAmy: Thanks so much!

dismom9761: Thank you!

blue river: I am so relieved, thanks!

Goofster57: Better you're in Blue's pickle, if you were in Buzz's you'd end up in the Fry Daddy!

Montana Disney Fan: Ooops! Did I say that outloud?!




Kathy

 

[beckanoah]

Kathy, I think my dd is mild on the spectrum too, but I feel your pain on the repitition and failure to communicate. Have fun at WDW.


I have read all your trip reports and love them.

 

[KathyRN137]

Kathy, I think my dd is mild on the spectrum too, but I feel your pain on the repitition and failure to communicate. Have fun at WDW.

I have read all your trip reports and love them.

Thanks for coming out of lurkdom! If you ever want to talk about your DD, you can PM me anytime....


Kathy

 

[dismom9761]

Hi Kathy! loved the latest installment.I can't say I understand what its like to care for a child like Billy but I do understand what it is like to get a quiet house after all the chaos of life. I could definitely use that pill after dealing with Peyton on a hard day....He may have to come off of his meds because he is losing weight....

looking forward to seeing the pics of the "booty"

 

[KathyRN137]

Pre-Trip #36:


The Shirt Off My Back


So, a week ago last Tuesday I was enjoying one of the aforementioned mornings when the kids were off at school learning their readin’, writin’, and ’rithmatic and I was left blissfully to my own devices. It so happened that this was the morning of October 2nd and that meant the re-release of The Jungle Book from the Disney movie “vault”. I had pre-ordered and paid for the DVD from the Disney Store several weeks earlier when buying birthday presents for one of my nieces. I did this: a) so I had an excuse to come back to the Disney Store, which is located in a mall a bit further away from where I usually shop, and b) so that I could receive the 15% off-everything*-in-your-order-the-day-you-come-back-with-your-receipt-to-get-your-DVD coupon.


*Everything excluding park tickets. Drat! Now that would be some coupon!


I picked Aunt Rae up from the Senior Apartments and we headed off down the road, listening to Disney's Greatest Hits, Vol. I on the CD player and talking excitedly about the trip and how fast it was approaching. We arrived at the mall and it was decided that we would also use this shopping trip to purchase a few trip-related items. Aunt Rae wanted to pick up some sort of a water bottle on a strap that she could carry in the parks and I wanted to get some nice, new socks for Tricia and Billy.


Hmmm. Now, what should we do first? Socks, water bottle, or Disney Store?

No Contest!



This Disney Store, while delightful, is rather on the smallish side. And at this time of the year, a good portion of it was devoted, naturally, to Halloween costumes. Very cute and very expensive! Believe me, I know first hand… when Tricia was in the “princess years”, she always wanted me to get her Halloween costumes here because these were the “real” Disney princess costumes! Although I sometimes do feel a pang of wistfulness for the bygone princess years, I never seem to feel it around Halloween time!


We browsed throughout the store for a bit and I gravitated toward the t-shirts. The kids already have several short-sleeved Disney-themed shirts, but I was looking to pick up a long-sleeved shirt for each of them. Last year when we went to WDW at the same week in November, we would start out in the morning wearing a short-sleeved t-shirt and a long-sleeved shirt over that, plus a light jacket or sweatshirt. By about 10am, the sweatshirt would come off and by about noon it would get warm enough for us to take off the next layer and be comfortable in short sleeves.


I found some cute shirts, and as they were cheaper if you bought two of them, it worked out great! That, plus the coupon, made them a good buy.



Here is Billy's shirt with one of his favorites, Buzz Lightyear...

And here is Tricia's shirt with her current favorite, Tinkerbell...

Wait until you see the back....

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It's adorable!

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Aunt Rae picked up a pin set for Tricia...

I made her put it in my basket so I could use the coupon for it. She didn’t see anything for Billy, so she decided to wait until we got down there and see what, if anything, he liked in the gift shops. (Can you say “DVD”, Aunt Rae?)



So, we checked out with the shirts, the pins, and of course, the Jungle Book DVD. Sorry, that was the extent of our loot, since we need to save our money for the tempting gift shops of WDW. Socks and water bottle were procured at the sporting goods store…pretty boring…no pics, folks.(Awwww!)


I know, I know. You want pictures.


Okay, well then why don’t I show you pics of some of our other shirts for WDW, particularly those that are “matching”. I will be attempting some iron-on transfer design shirts in the near future and will hopefully post them at a later date. But for now…



These are matching long-sleeved polo shirts that were on sale at www.disneyshopping.com several weeks ago. They're kind of understated, but not bad for $5.99 each.

These are coordinating baseball shirts I ordered from the same website last year...


Tricia:

Billy:

Ed:

And Me:

(Please excuse the wrinkles! I just pulled them out of a bag and need to wash them again!)

(Not pictured: Aunt Rae's Cinderella shirt.)


And these are the famous "Jersey Shirts" from last year... we got so many comments from CMs and shout-outs from fellow guests (Yeah! Jersey!)


Hooray, we can use them again!

And, speaking of recycling..... we can still use our matching set of these:

Ed will proudly wear this, I'm sure...

We both earned one of these after completing the 5K:

There! Hopefully this will placate all you picture-hungry DISers out there for the timebeing!

Have a good night, all!


Kathy

 

[dismom9761]

Love all the shirts.

I am going to the mall soon and hope the Disney Store has the Snow White set of pins-love 'em!

The back of the new Tink shirt is super cute.

 

[jordanyosh]

First, the Binder.
Then Lime Green Mickey Heads.
What's next?

Pins?
T-shirt pics?

I like the deal on the Mickey Polos. I would wear something like that.

 

[melk]

Love the shirts!! You realize that me reading your trip report is costing me money because now I have to go to the Disney Store and look for that super-cute Tinkerbell shirt for my dd's!!!

Good luck making your t-shirts. I got some great designs off the Creative Disigns board and the t-shirts really came out great. We had awesome ones for the PPP but it poured almost all night so they were hidden under our ponchos .

Have fun with the countdown, it's getting close!!!!

 

[Hedy]

Love the shirts! I love Ed's cop Mickey one (if only they had a nurse Minnie for you).

 

[jcc0621]

Great update Kathy. Love the shirts. ALways owrth a little extra drive to go to the Disney Store

 

[beckanoah]

Must not go to the mall, must not go to the mall... must go to the mall.

Gee thanks Kathy. LOL!

 

[Goofster57]

Kathy,
Just getting caught up after a very busy few days.

Enjoyed the updates but what is it with you Women it's either Clothes or Jewelry


(I did get a good laugh with your comment about posting pictures of your Booty)

 

[KathyRN137]

Pre-Trip #37:


Birthday Booty


I almost forgot! I did promise you pictures of my “booty”…. my birthday booty! (aka presents.)


A week before my birthday Ed comes right out and asks me point blank what it is that I want for a present. No hinting, snooping, or beating around the bush for this man… he cuts right to the chase! I answered him honestly; that I was going to WDW in a few weeks and that that was present enough! Let’s face it: I sweet-talked him into buying into the DVC three years ago, and that should cover all birthday presents for the rest of my life!!


“Don’t buy me anything.” I said. “I’ll probably see something I want when we’re down at Disney and you can get me my present then.” It made perfect sense to me. Besides, I had already been spending money on various and sundry items for our trip:
(…Crocs...*cough*...jibbitz ...*cough*... baggallini ...*cough cough* ... Disney shirts) so I was feeling a bit guilty.


Well naturally, my birthday arrives and in addition to some lovely cards, there are not one, but two gift bags waiting for me to open. I began to protest, but Ed just waved it away, saying something along the lines of him wanting me to have a "just a little something" for me to open.


Well, my first present was this....

(The "rose" on the cake is my birthstone.)



Next, I received this....

I love Jim Shore collectibles. I collect Santa Claus figures and have a few of his Santas; this is my first Jim Shore Disney figure. It's titled, "Caring is Contagious". What I really like about it is that Nurse Minnie is holding a bouquet of flowers. Usually when you see an image of a nurse on a get well card or as a figurine they've got her holding either a syringe or a bedpan.


When we first got married I began collecting pieces of the Department 56 North Pole Village. A few years ago, the collection grew to include some Disney-inspired houses and so Ed knows exactly what to get me for Christmas each year! (Sorry, they're all packed away right now... I'll have to post pictures as it gets closer to the Season!)


But, one year Ed decided that the North Pole would not be complete without Cinderella's Castle so he somehow managed to purchase this right under my nose when we were at WDW, and had it shipped home:

(It did look a little out of place!) So I keep it out all year in our china cabinet.


Hope you enjoyed the pics, and thanks for all the birthday good wishes!!


Kathy

 

[Goofster57]

Thanks a LOT ED!!!!!

Some how I don't think the tire gage I got for Sorceress for her birthday last year is going to have the same shine as when I gave it too her.

 

[Marion]

Now THAT is some good booty!


oooooooooooooooooooohhhhhrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr (that was written by Minnie for you )

 

[mrsksomeday]

Ed is a GOOD man!!! We all say "no don't get us anything for our birthday", the good men do it anyway . I loved the nurse, but that castle was amazing!!!

 

[mousescrapper]

Hi Kathy,

sorry I've been away for a few weeks....I'll explain better in my PTR. Trying to get everything caught up tonight

So onto to your PTR, I'm caught up agian and first have to say, in my moment of need you were going through something so scary with Billy having a seizure. Your a wonderful friend. from a far!

I'm glad to hear a cancellation opened and he'll be seen before you leave on your trip. I'll keep you all in my thoughts and it's nothing too-too serious and he'll be OK now and for the upcoming trip. How are the OCD tendancies since he came off med's? better, same? do I sound like the doctor....

As far as DIZ stuff, like the pin post...my DD 8 was eyeing those, she really wants to buy a lanyard in 08 for a small collection she began in 05. She liked the snow white set too. Tell Tricia I think WTP is the cutest too

Liked looking over your itinerary, looking forward to reading how MK on Sat. goes....and some of your ADR's. Gettin close now!

Love the pictures of the shirts the front/back Tink one for Tricia is really cute.

And finally Happy Belated Birthday! Seems like you had a great one, you're one lucky and loved gal.

Happy Disney Day!

Love, me

 

[SwansLoveDisney]

The Minnie nurse is ADORABLE!

I love it!

Cinderella's castle is great too.

What a man...buying you something even though you told him not too! My husband would have thought "Oh, it's my lucky year!"