We had a great morning yesterday with a not so great today...but I went all "super nanny" and had him sit in time out (which he kept getting up from, so I had to keep putting him back) Time outs really make him stop...Today he was upset because one of his toys (a playmobile fort) needed a piece snapped on so that his people wouldn't fall off....he was getting so frustrated and wanted me to stop everything to do it and when I did not....CHAOS...whine, scream, cry!! At breakfast he went on and on and on....I don't want this for breakfast, and then he got stuck on the toy thing...but I did not let him push my buttons today!! It's nice to know that I am not the only mom that has rough days!!

And the award for the worst mother goes to......

For her performance in "This morning's breakfast" goes to me.....yep, one of those mornings...trying to recover feeling like I am the worst mommy in the world! I'd like to give thanks to the oatmeal that was either too hot, or too cold, not enough milk, too much milk....I did turn into a bear and "goldilocks"...how fitting it would be Elliott (my blondie).....but oh how it weighs on a mommy's heart to watch how much he struggles and know that there are so many things he can't help!!! It's mornings like these that I worry sometimes about how he will be treated by others who do not know the "uniqueness" of his character!

He is constipated which only aggravates his moods. We've had three mornings of oatmeal and lunch with yogurt and hopefully things will work themselves out. I know he can't help it, it's just a part of autism....but boy some mornings can be more challenging than others. He has a difficult time expressing his emotions appropriately....and I know that he doesn't mean the things that he says but boy does he send some zingers out at me. Which he always apologizes for and his "sorry" is one of the most heartfelt ones I have heard, you can really feel he means it. We had a big hug and talk before he went to school. He came home from school and did his homework, which started out rough but he got through it. Then he had to go to OT and back home for dinner. He has to work so much harder than everyone else and I am sure that he gets frustrated more now because he is realizing he is different than other kids his age.

Anywho....I feel a bit better sharing this as I know many of us have had crazy mornings....right??? Please tell me I am not the only one!!

I am just wondering....how many moms with children on the spectrum were exposed to Pitocin during labor? They have just released information about Oxytocin and some of the changes it has with autistic children and it's correlation to pitocin....I had a long labor (started and then stopped with one day of pitocin for about 8 hours but no increase in dialation) the next day labor was progressing on its on and they started the pitocin at 2pm but still no progression until they increased the dose at 7PM and my boys were delivered vaginally at 2:35AM and 2:55AM...and I had a severe reaction which was pitocin related after delivery. It just got me to thinking about things, since I never saw a correlation with my boys and their vaccines (we have documented video of what I call losing Elliott....where he was doing things from the get go and slowly started losing his abilities and evenutally his smile) Thankfully with much therapy we are progressing and he has regained and made up ground on many skills (mostly gross and fine motor). But I was curious as to what others thought about the subject?

Ok girls....I finally had a moment to gather some thoughts....20 things that make me happy......

1. The laughter and special moments shared with my boys I could fill up all 25 of these with happiness I have just with them!
2. Just being silly, the kind of silly where you are laughing so hard and cannot stop!
3. going to church....devotional time and prayer...the peaceful feeling always makes me happy.
4. A sunrise at the beach
5. Being with my family
6. Hanging out with my best gal pals anywhere at anytime..the laughter, the fun...priceless.
7. Painting on canvas
8. Capturing a memory in a photograph....I am seldom without my camera (I think it could be my security blanket) I love pictures...looking at old ones in an album and taking new ones!
9. Krispy Kremes Hot Fresh Now Sign....because it is followed by squeals of delight (usually from me, and at least a dozen doughnuts)....sheer bliss.
10. And...I'll just say it....an orgasim...not just any kind...but the Meg Ryan with Billy Crystal in the restaurant scene from "When Harry Met Sally"...the kind that makes you want to smoke afterwards...and you don't even smoke....I seriously can't believe all of you made a list without listing that LMAO
11. Gardening...planting flowers and plants...which is why my hands are always in distress....I love playing in the dirt! I seriously love watching a rose bud unfold and the smell of a jasmine vine.....
12. My fish tank....I love all my cichlids
13. Poetry.....I love it
14. Building sandcastles on the beach with the boys.....the water, fun in the sun....pure happiness.
15. Watching loggerhead turtles hatch on the beach with a starlit sky....miraculous moments!
16. A bubble bath.
17. A great conversation.
18. Hot chocolate....oh who am I kidding here...any kind of chocolate...as long as it is quality chocolate...there is a difference (again I am surprised no one said this either lol)
19. Trips to Walt Disney World
20. Christmas....everything about it, from decorating, to get togethers, the shopping, the baking....everything!
21. Rain on a tin roof.
22. Hearing my favorite songs...and listening to acoustic music.
23. A glass or two of a really great wine
24. The smell of a a baby after a bath...I love the smell of Johnson and Johnson's No More Tears....
25. Love, simple and pure love :)