Sometimes, DJ's Asperger stuff just smacks me right in the face with a big loud DUH!

DJ went to bed at 8:00 the whole school year.  No problems, no tantrums.  Since spring has arrived (along with daylight savings time) he's complained that the sky is blue and he can't go to sleep when the sky is blue.  He can only go to sleep when the sky is black.  To keep the peace in my household I agreed to a 9pm bedtime AS LONG as we didn't have any problems in the morning.

We had a few stumbling blocks the first week but with the combined efforts of myself, his teacher, his bus driver and the bus aide, we have everything rolling smoothly. Unfortunately night time still has it's issues. 

DJ can tell time.  I tell DJ it's bedtime.  He tells me it's not time yet.  I tell him to check the clock.  He looks at the clock and I ask him what time it is.  He tells me it's 9 o'clock.  I tell him 9 o'clock is bedtime.  He starts freaking that I told him he could stay up until 9.  This goes on for a minute or two when my head starts to explode because I really, really, really want my ME time.  Then I tell him we can simply just change his bedtime back to 8 o'clock.  That stops him in his tracks and gets his little behind in his bed.  He also gets to live another day:)

Ok, so tonight it starts at 8.  He tells me he's allowed to stay up until 9 o'clock.  I tell him, "Yes, you go to bed at 9 o'clock."  Here we go....  This time, I put down my book (The ADD Nutrition Solution), and tell him we need to talk.  After about 10 minutes of back and forth and me telling him he needs to make me understand because I evidently swallowed the dumb pill.  So we broke it down.  He is going to watch a bit of tv until 9 o'clock.  I ask him what the numbers on the clock say.  He tells me 9 0 0.  Ok, so he has that right.  Then I say he goes to bed at 9 o'clock.  I tell him the numbers on the clock will say 9 0 0.  He says no.  I told him he could stay up until 9 o'clock.  I asked him if he was going to watch tv until 9 o'clock, then what happens next.  After a few times of going round and round, I finally get it that he is going to bed at 9 0 1. 

Evidently, you can't go to bed at 9:00 if you're staying up until 9:00.  Logically, you would be going to bed at 9:01.  I think we just hit a breakthrough.  But we can all say a collective DUH for mommy.

DJ had strep throat...AGAIN!  I am so tired of this.  This is the 4th time this year he's come down with it.  What's even worse is the doctor insists on seeing him every single time.  I don't know why.  He always gets scarlet fever right along with it and I'm not letting them swab his throat because he hates it.  I really don't feel like dealing with a meltdown when it's plain as day he needs some antibiotics.  Sore throat + fever + scarlet fever rash=strep throat. 

Get a clue!  I hate paying that copay each time.  Though his doctor give me a number to go to the dentist. 

DJ's dentist won't see him anymore.  Now I need to take him and have him hospitalized to get his tooth pulled because he's so scared and I won't authorize the use of a straight jacket while he's awake (I mean, really, they must be nuts.)  It gets better.  His dental insurance won't pay for it and neither will the medical insurance.  So I get to pay out of pocket!  Lucky me. 

This morning I woke up to my cat, Precious, meowing.  Kind of sounded like, "Help me".  In the span of about 5 seconds, I see DJ with a bottle of red nail polish and (yep, you guessed it) red paws on my cat.  Good morning! 

After I shaked the grogginess off, I explained to DJ that we don't paint the cat.  Silly me for not telling him that before!  Silly Precious for letting him!  Please, tell your kids today not to paint your family pets!  I did tell him there better not be a next time and if there was, he was going to get it. 

Sorry for the over usage of the exclamation points!  Now back to your regular programming...

Better Late Than Never
posted 05/25/2005 @ 04:48am

Confusion
posted 05/24/2005 @ 06:31am

And The Countdown Begins
posted 05/23/2005 @ 11:56pm

There's Always Budget!
posted 05/23/2005 @ 12:55pm

Did It Get Better?
posted 05/22/2005 @ 01:48pm

U-Haul This!
posted 05/20/2005 @ 11:26pm

Bush Is Goin' A-Huntin!
posted 05/20/2005 @ 12:50pm

The Ultimate Survivor
posted 05/19/2005 @ 12:43pm

I Really Do Go To Work!
posted 05/18/2005 @ 02:02pm

Why Do I Have Insurance
posted 05/17/2005 @ 11:10pm

Should I Take A Nap Now?
posted 05/15/2005 @ 04:35pm

I Just Love Busy
posted 05/14/2005 @ 08:34pm

Definitely Genetic
posted 05/13/2005 @ 11:57pm

Just Another Day
posted 05/10/2005 @ 11:01pm

Surprised Again!
posted 05/08/2005 @ 12:44am

Today's Events
posted 05/07/2005 @ 09:17am

This Is Why I'm A Mommy
posted 05/06/2005 @ 07:30pm

Update On The Quirks Of Asperger Syndrome
posted 05/06/2005 @ 09:57am

The Quirks Of Asperger Syndrome
posted 05/05/2005 @ 08:47pm

It Never Ends
posted 05/02/2005 @ 05:33pm

Poor Precious!
posted 05/01/2005 @ 10:19am

My baby was on TV tonight!!!  The local news channel had a vist at their school and did some kind of meteorology session.  They videotaped them and showed them on the news station tonight.  DJ is going to be SO EXCITED when he sees it tomorrow!

I've lived in this apartment complex almost 2 years.  After I did wash this weekend, I noticed a few of my new shirts I recently purchased came out wrinkled.  Time to pull out the iron and the ironing board!  Except...I realize I don't have an iron or an ironing board.  I haven't ironed anything in 2 years???? 

I'm off to PIC's house tonight because she actually does own an iron and an ironing board.  Who'd have thunk it?

Yep, folks, it looks like I'm heading out to the zoo today.  Is it only me who finds the zoo extremely boring?  I'm a total animal person, but, come on!  It's not like the animals are doing anything.  They're just kind of sitting, probably thinking, "Why the hell are these people looking at me?"  This should be a fun filled day.  NOT!

It was nowhere as bad as I thought it was going to be.  The first time I went to see her I really wasn't very fond of her.  I didn't really like her attitude towards DJ.  I figured I was giving her one more chance and if she pissed me off, we were out of there.  I'd just look for another one. 

Instead we had a very good visit.  DJ was really good, considering we were stuck in traffic almost 2 hours trying to get there.  Not one meltdown.  Recently, he hasn't had any meltdowns.  I'm not sure why.  When we got there, he was bouncing off the walls.  Much better than having a meltdown in my book.  Of course the doc asked if he was like this all the time.  I told her not to this degree.  Yes, my son is VERY active. 

She talked to him.  Asked him a bunch of questions that he responded to while running around her office.  Seriously, the boy didn't sit down!  Because of all that, we now have a secondary diagnosis of ADHD.  I knew that was coming.  I've been saying that since he was about 2.  Which is why I was floored with the Asperger diagnosis.  I swore it was going to be ADHD. 

She feels that many of his Asperger symptoms have been corrected/improved.  He's made many improvements over the course of the year.  I'm so proud of my guy.  He did it all on his own.  He works hard every day.  He still gets fixated on things, but his temper has completely evened out.  When we were sitting in traffic, alls he said to me was, "Geez, are we ever going to get to the doctor's.  What's up with all this traffic?"  In all honesty, I was the closest to a meltdown!

She does feel he's not ready for mainstreaming any time soon, especially since I won't medicate him.  Right now, he's still in an Asperger support class.  She doesn't feel he should go to Autistic support or to Special Ed.  The Asperger support is only until 2nd grade - next year.  Unless, Philly opens other Asperger support classes for 3rd graders and beyond, it looks like I'll be comtemplating a move out of the city. 

Three cheers for DJ and all he's accomplished!

Ok, for real, I'm back now.  Things have been crazy, crazy, crazy here.  Not crazy as in DJ is driving me nuts kind of crazy.  Crazy as in I haven't really had a free moment between doing the mommy thing, school and work.

School has been really hectic this semester.  Classes are over in two weeks.  I really can't wait.  This semester drained me.  I took Accounting and I aced it - by luck only.  I don't understand it not one bit.  I guessed at everything.  Seriously, I'm going to wind up with like an A+ and I don't know how I did it.  This summer I'm only signed up for two classes:  1) because I want some time off and 2) because I ran out of financial aid:) 

This afternoon I need to run and pick DJ up from school and take him to his appointment with the developmental pediatrician.  I'm not looking forward to it.  I will update more about DJ later.  I will say that he is doing really, really, really good!  And with that, I leave you with a recent picture of him.  Yes, I finally purchased a digital camera and it was the best purchase I ever made.  So expect more of these:)

My Supastar!
posted 04/27/2005 @ 10:44pm

Huh????
posted 04/27/2005 @ 07:44pm

Autism Awareness Day at the Philadelphia Zoo
posted 04/24/2005 @ 08:03am

The Doctor's Office
posted 04/23/2005 @ 07:52am

Didja Miss Me?
posted 04/20/2005 @ 12:23pm