As I've griped about previously, my dental insurance is a joke.  Along with my vision insurance as well.  And I've definitely griped about DJ's problems with dentists.  C called me the other night.  C is the mother of one of DJ's friends.  I have often mouthed off about lack of dental care for DJ.  She found an absolute wonderful dentist and wanted to share her with me. 

This sounds way too good to be true.  I called today for an appointment.  Once I had mentioned DJ being on the spectrum, they decided to switch everything around.  They want him to come in for the last appointment of the day when there are no other children there in hopes that will ease DJ a bit.  The feel it will be less hectic and much easier for DJ to handle.  Instead of jumping right into a cleaning (and the subsequent problem teeth), DJ and I will meet with the dentist so DJ can get to know her and the other office staff.  They actually want to make this as PAINLESS as possible for my son.  Who'd have thunk it?

If the visit goes well and if DJ's up for it, they will proceed to clean his teeth after he has met everyone and taken a tour of the facility.  If not, that will be rescheduled for another day.  The dentist wants to talk with DJ and try to find out some of his fears regarding the work getting done on his teeth and try to alleviate them. 

They do not use straight jackets.  They actually use a weighted blanket in hopes that will calm the child.  If that does not work, they will try sedation.  If that does not work, then the dentist will perform the work in a hospital while DJ is under anesthesia.  But first things first, they want to make sure they concur with the first dentist's opinion of even having the tooth pulled. 

You know there has to be a catch, right?  They are not a member of my private insurance.  But at this point, I DON'T CARE!!  I'll pay anything you want, honey.  Here, take my car! 

But, no need.  Their prices are just as sweet.  I don't even think I need to throw them on a credit card!  I'm just so damned excited right now!  I think I forgot to mention, we don't even have a month's wait for this.  He's being seen on June 3rd.  Two weeks!

I know I've mentioned before that I love scary/horror movies.  The only movie that has really ever scared the crap out of me was The Ring - ever.  Nothing has scared me before, nor has scared me since.  I don't usually let DJ watch horror movies.  Ok, I never let him watch horror movies.  It's not because I think he's too young or anything.  It's because he was getting loads of nightmares.  Lots of things scared the crap out of him (monsters in his closet, etc.)  I figured a horror movie wouldn't help. 

I've been watching horror movies as long as I can remember.  I remember being 5 or 6 and watching Alice Sweet Alice.  Mommie Dearest freaked out that Pops let me watch it.  Mommie Dearest was always scared of horror movies.  She doesn't watch them at all.  But I never had any nightmares from it.

I basically let DJ watch whatever he thinks he can handle.  I do limit nudity and things like that but explicit language I don't.  Kids in the school yard talk worse than that!  DJ knows his limits.  He knows if he repeats stuff, he won't be allowed to watch it again.

Today, I call him in to watch The Phantom Menace.  He comes in and tells me he's watching something else on tv.  He told me turn on channel 40 (which is I think HBO).  I turn it on and I see Greg Kinnear and I'm thinking what the hell is he watching.  He doesn't usually watch stuff like this.  If it doesn't have action packed adventure or major comedic episodes in it, he won't watch it.  It turns out he was watching Godsend.  It's not exactly a horror movie, but it has some shock scenes in it.  I was a little apprehensive but it was halfway done so I let him watch the rest of it in the living room with me. 

He really liked the movie.  He kept telling me it was about a boy like him who kept having nightmares...like him.  I'm quite possibly in for a sleepless night tonight.  But I guess we have to start somewhere.  I told him if he gets scared AT ALL in the middle of the night he's to come in my room right away.  I think I'm gonna hook him up with a flashlight or leave the light on in his room or something.   

Well, I've been trying to get my behind in gear because Mommy Dearest finally decided to sell their house.  Of course, she's probably not going to give Pops his fair share and let the courts decide.  The real estate agent came over a few days ago and Pops signed the paperwork.  THEY ALREADY HAVE AN OFFER!  Settlement is June 10.  Which means I need to get all my crap out of the house by NEXT WEEKEND!!!!  Why?  The week after I'm going on vacation in Michigan.  Then I come back and leave for Washington DC until the 12th of June. 

So FMM is going to help me move all my stuff on Saturday.  I'm looking at storage places tomorrow.  He's kind of funny.  I mentioned before how he's this big strong guy.  I call him up the other morning and told him I need to move some stuff from my mom's this Saturday and would he be able to help me.  He said sure.  Then I asked him if he would drive the truck and he said sure.  That's it, didn't even ask what he was moving.  I asked PIC if I should mention the refrigerator he needs to move.  I called him this morning and told him.  Didn't say a word.  I need to marry someone like that.

Pops really wants his car back, soon:)  I've been driving his car since he purchased it last year and he was tooling around in my old Stratus.  While he was in the hospital, I let FMM hold it and now he really wants to buy it.  And he wants to buy for MORE than I would get for trade in.  Pops told me to let him keep it and when he gets his half of the house, he'll pay off his car and give me a few grand for a down payment for a new car.

So I've been car computer shopping:)  I think I've decided on yet another Stratus.  Basically because everything else I like is unaffordable.  This morning I was on the computer "building" my Stratus.  DJ walks in and peers over my shoulder.  "Are you on vehix.com, Mom?"  He evidently watches way too much TV. 

Some of you may know that there isn't a definitive consensus on autism and why some people have it and some people don't.  I can say for fact that DJ's is genetic.  After reading dozens of books (I'm sure some of you know about THAT), I realize my father is without a doubt on the spectrum.  Overlooking his anti social skills, his obsessive interests in telling me the SAME stories over and over again - even ones I witnessed, his frustration levels, and HIS meltdowns, I still marvel at the everyday conversations we have.

Case in point.  Today I went out and bought a bunch of picture frames so I could all of DJ's "professional photos" on my wall.  I know BAD MOMMY!  Trust me, I do have alot of them up.  My father is watching me drive nails in the wall and hanging these pictures and proceeds to tell me, "Hey, Wen, do you know you have 35 pictures of DJ hanging/displayed in the living room?"  I calmly take the nail out of my mouth and say to him, "Why no Dad, I've never taken the time to count them."  Who does this kind of stuff?  An aspie, that's who!

We can't end this entry without a funny comment from DJ.  My father calls DJ in the room and tells him, "DJ, this is no longer the living room.  Your mother has decided to fill every nook and cranny with your face and this is now going to be called the DJ Room."  DJ looks at me and says, "DJ's room?  You mean this is MY world!?  Now I can play with the buttons on the remote as much as I want."

Happy belated Mother's Day to all! 

Now with that out of the way...I just realized I am a total dork.  I mean, I was always a dork.  Now I'm Super Dork!

I started to organize my Favorites because they were getting way too out of hand.  I realized I had enough Charmed links to actually make a Charmed folder.  Yes, I have a Charmed folder in my Favorites.  Yes, it is my favorite show on television.  It's probably the only show I watch.  Of course, they are talking about cancelling it this year.  I even watch the reruns every night on TNT.  I think I need some help!

On the way to the supermarket yesterday, DJ and I did a musical number in the car.  He told me everytime I spoke I had to sing.  We sang our conversation all the way to the local Acme.  His funeral, not mine.  I betcha he never asks me to do that again!

Oh, I threw a cute little Pictures link in the sidebar.  Go check them out if you want to...if you dare!

DJ had SO much fun today!  We went to a local carnival with his friend from school.  Same friend we always hang with.  DJ and Boy1 get along SO good!  I learned today, for sure, that DJ does not take after me when it comes to amusement park attractions.  I'm not a big fan of hills or heights - which basically leaves me out of any fun.  I do LOVE the Scrambler and the Tilt A Whirl, though.  I'm also baby's best friend because I will sit on the Merry Go Round, the teacups, the trucks, etc.  I'm also adept at taking pictures from the sidelines and holding water bottles. 

When asking DJ if he'd like to go on the Merry Go Round, I received as a reply, "Yea, Mom, sure."  Then he rolled his eyes and walked away from me.  Smartass! 

DJ and Boy1 went on just about ride there except for the so-called kiddie rides - numerous times.  The carnival was dead.  Hardly anyone was there.  They were able to keep going back on time after time after time.  And just ONE MORE TIME, PLEASE!  Not only that, they didn't really need us around.  We just followed them around like good puppy dogs parents, occasionally handing out wads of cash for carnie food.  MMMMMM, funnel cake!  I digress.  They went on everything by themselves except for one ride which we wouldn't allow them on.  "No you may not go on the Gravitron.  People throw up on that thing."  Then, "I know YOU won't puke.  But that doesn't mean you won't walk out of there with puke ON you."

It ended with big crocodile tears.  Not because they were leaving the carnival, but because they were leaving each other.  Umm, hello, you will see each other on Monday! 

DJ and I tried to end the night by having a "date" with each other.  He chose renting a movie from Blockbuster.  Kid after my own heart.  We rented the original Star Wars.  He fell asleep after 20 minutes.  Typical male.  Watch out, little girls, he's a keeper!

Another busy day for us.  It seems that now that DJ is getting older, I'm turning into chauffer extraordinaire!  Every weekend is a new adventure.  Today is no different.

This morning we are going to Big Brothers Big Sisters of America to get my son a big brother.  Hopefully a 20 year with LOADS of energy! 

Next we are going to the carnival with a friend of his from school and his dad.  I'm hoping not to drop my paycheck there.  Lucky me, they sell a bracelet for $20 to ride the rides ALL DAY.  It's just the food and game aspect that we're going to have to have a little chat about. 

Yep, this is what makes it ALL better!

At 9:01pm, DJ turned to me and said, "Mommy, it's time for me to go to sleep."  Proceeded to brush his teeth, take his amoxicilin, and crawl into bed.  He was sound asleep by 9:10. 

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.