thoughts of a mother of autism

I have never done this before. I am usually praising the progress of my daughter and hopeful of the future, but if I did not share the other side it would not show the true side of a mothers of autism. There are times when I see Maddux's progress but see how far she still has to go. I am hopeful that she will be able to live alone but not positive. I am okay with not knowing, I just want her to live alone, drive a car, get married, have babies and just be her without someone else. These are the things that frustrate me:
why does the english language have to be sooooo confusing? why does "i" come before "e" except after "c".
why can't "o" just say its name. Not if 2 vowels are walking the first one does the talking and it is always long! Try explaining that one!
why can't there be one way to say something. Not have 12 statements that mean the exact same thing? hungry, starving, famished.. not sure on the spelling of that one.. hot, smouldering, spicy, light your tongue on fire... No Maddux your tongue will not catch on fire.. what is fire? why is it hot, like spicy or hot like burn. Like catch a ball? How do you explain catch on fire to Maddux....... SEE WHAT I MEAN!? There are no books on this. It is just language and Maddux struggles with understanding this.
why is it that a typical kids can understand that you start with pancake batter in a bowl made from mix water and eggs and that you make the stove hot and then it creates a pancake. For Maddux the start to finish must be taught. rules, 1.2.3, this is why this and sometimes it means that. Why do you mix? What is a spatula? Why is the stove hot...hot like spicy or hot like burn? It is a cycle that feels like it never ends.
Do not even get me started on word problems.
I know how far Maddux has come and how many things she has been taught and the poor child has to remember so many things just to function everyday. I can not even imagine what goes on in her head when she gets dressed in the morning. Arms first, tag back, over head, pull down, is the straight, is it backwards, now the pants, tag on legs, one leg in other leg in, now stand, pull up, mom zip and button.
I just sometimes want her.... her without the teaching.... her imagination...her stick figure person without 5 fingers bc she does want her stick figure to have five fingers. And no hair bc she does not like hair today. Use dull colors if you want. No need to bright colors today. Because today Maddux does not want to.
This is my struggle for today. Tomorrow I will still feel the same but she will smile and I will be fine. It is late, I had a bad day and I just wanted to share the other side. I want this blog to be real and to not only show her progression but also our struggles. Thanks goodness she is the light of our days which makes all of this so bareable. Most people who see Maddux here and there will not understand this bc she seems so normal but when you look beyond her playing hide a seek and see the things she must remember to function it will show you a different side to this very strong girl.
You know I can not end this post without a picture of our Maddux!

she finally got snow...


according to Maddux the snow "makes her belly better"



I finally got a shot of her without her glasses to get the snowflake on her lashes. the snow hurts her eyes!




thanks for looking~ jaime

Thanksgiving

Maddux "gets" Thanksgiving this year. This has been the first year that she knows family will be here, why we are there and that we are thankful. Maddux this year was thankful and her very own words were:

"I am thankful for Love"


Maddux and her great-grandmother

Maddux and her grammy
all of the grandkids

Our very own family picture!!!!!!!!!!!

Nana and G's house on Thanksgiving!

October is her favorite

Well I have been behind a bit on my blogging but I have 2 to keep up with and it has been a busy fall and Christmas season. We have found a new tradition this year with pumpkin picking at Hill Ridge Farm. This was the first year we have gone to a real pumpkin patch. Pumpkin patches in California just are not the same. We went with our best friends and had the best time! Maddux and an open field...need I say more!


Maddux says, " Mom I can't see a thing!" And of course I give her my glasses.

Loving on her "little sister"


and finally a picture that I am in! Thanks Kelli!

Our real trip! She always loves no matter what!

Art by me!

I have been a little slack in my post this school year but here is my first. We had a family art night and Maddux was there with a few friends from class. She stopped running around long enough to get a shot with Lauren. Daddy even came and helped draw pretty pictures!




One year smarter!

Maddux made it to first grade! This was her first week and these are from her first day. I can not wait to see what thing year brings!





Guess where I am going....

Maddux starts her first day of first grade tomorrow. Her new teachers team teach so Maddux has the added bonus of being taught by 2 great teachers! Hoping this year will bring even more progress than last year. I am sure it will. We are weaning her seizure meds to 1/2 the dose and hoping for big changes. The doctor said we wouldn't see a difference but they have been wrong before! More pictures tomorrow from her first day of first grade!

The Class of 2020!


I just can not believe that Maddux graduated from kindergarten on June 2nd. She PASSED! She will start first grade on July 7th. Almost all the family came down and had a pizza party and celebrated her "big girl shoes" She has come so far this year. She reads, shes writes, she makes patterns, she counts, she's amazing! Although retelling of stories, and multiple task instructions are still a struggle for her she is so amazing in her progress. I can not thank her teachers and one on one specialists enough. You never can. Thank you for a great year filled with memories that I thought I would never have with her.

her family


her Mr. Benson


her Track 1


her friends



her sweet wave

End of the Year

As we are ending the school year on June 3rd I wanted to post my favorite picture of Maddux to date. She has progressed leaps and bounds because of her teachers Ms. Dell, Ms. Grice, Ms. Burns, Ms. Horan, Ms. Hooker, Ms. Holmes, Ms. Willis and one of her favorites... Mr. Benson...the PE teacher. My girl is back with all of the eye contact in the world, laughter and yes attitude. God loves a little attitude. To parents like "us" it means they get it and can feel it. Something Maddux lacked before. Thanks to all of the people in Maddux's world this year. You have been amazing and I would not have her anywhere else! Her graduation performance pictures will be up soon!

Field day

I was so happy to be able to help out on field day this year. There were so many parent volunteers that were there to help out Mr. Benson. He is ONE of Maddux's favorite teachers. All I hear when Maddux gets in the car is, "I give Mr. Benson big hug." Thanks to Ms. Dell I was able to have these photographs. Aside from the artsy ones these are all Ms. Dell. Thanks bunches! And thank you Mr. Benson for you hard work putting together this fun, hot day!