Growing Up

Steven had hip surgery about 2 weeks ago and I don't know what they did to him, but he seems to have grown up. He has handled it very well. It has been amazing seeing how fast he is healing, but he also different in other ways. Last night he remembered an advent calendar we used to put up at Christmas but haven't for years. I don't like it because of all the small parts and it's just another thing for me to do. He never enjoyed small action figures. His fine motors skills just weren't good enough to maneuver those little parts. I got it out and he had so much fun putting it together.

One For Bekah

I know I ususally write about Steven here, but I have two stories about his princess that are just to priceless not to share. Bekah has dyslexia and part of her disability is that she misunderstands what she hears sometimes (at least thats what Childrens Hospital said, maybe she just can't hear), but anyway it makes for some interesting conversations. We have had 2 such incidents recently. One was when I was complaining about our lap top and how bad I wanted a new one. Now you need to know I consider the lap top Scott's computer so when I refer to it I say Dad's computer. So as I was telling her how I wanted a new one I said "As soon as Dad's dies I'm getting a Mac." Her very sincere and worried reply was "Why do you have to wait for Dad to die." While your still laughing I'll go on to the next one. Friday night Scott had a terrible migrain headache and in an effort to get rid of it he was using oxygen (I know it's weird but we have oxygen at our house), we keep it upstairs so he was laying in her bed using it. So when I told her "Dad had a terrible migrain and had to lay in your bed with the oxygen", she said (again completely seriously), "who is Austin."

Tip a Cop

I sometimes wonder if Steven will ever really have a job, but after today I think I can put that fear to rest. We helped out at Old Chicago today with some local police officers, raising money for Special Olympics. It was called "Tip a Cop". There were envelopes on each table for people to leave donations in. I wasn't sure exactly to expect. I was a little worried they would just expect the athelets to go around and ask for donations. But I was happily surprised that they actually got to work and visit with the guests. Which made people very generous. I think meeting the kids and seeing them as a valuable person was great. The kids got to work with the hostess on seating and giving out menus, as well as clean up. Steven totally amazed me. He worked the whole time (except for when he ate his lunch). He was clearly tired at the end, but he probably worked 3hrs. Not bad for his first time. I feel confident he will have a job one day.

Confused?

Steven has recently discovered an old movie on VHS that he likes. We don't use VHS very often so he is not quite up on how to get it started. Friday while I was at work he came home from school and did his chores as always and then got ready for a movie. He must have tried very hard to figure out the VHS because by the time he called me all I heard as I answered the phone was a very stressed "I'm so fused, Mom. I can't do it." It was so funny, maybe you had to be there but I thought I would share. Unfortunatly he never did get it to work. So when I got home we had VHS lessons. Now he's got it.

Mountain Mobility

This summer Steven started using Mtn Mobility (a bus service for people with special needs). This bus takes riders from point A to point B without stops in between. They know their riders and their needs so it is perfect to provide more indepenance. His very first ride was quite exciting. Due to some confusion at the day camp he was leaving he accidentally got on the regular bus. There were other kids from the camp on that bus so we thought he could just ride with them and get off with them (one of the kids had a cell phone) and I could pick him up. I had called this other camper to ask them to keep Steven with them, so we had a plan. Well the regular bus makes regular stops and at one of them Steven saw a Mtn Mobility bus like he was supposed to ride and thought "oh, there's my bus". So he gets off. The other camper that was supposed to be with him wasn't sure what to do and by the time I got a call the bus he was on was gone and Steven was on his own. I kept getting calls that Steven had gotten on the wrong bus, wait it's o.k. he's with some friends, wait it's not o.k. he got off, he's alone and we don't know where he is!!! WHAT! So naturally I am freaking out. Well thank goodness for our small community. Steven went to the Mtn Mobility bus he saw and the driver called into the office and found out that there had been a mix up with Steven and graciouslly took him home. It was a good learning experience. And it was nice to see him get where he was going on his own. I needed to be drugged by the end of it but it all worked out o.k.

Silly Boy

Steven was so tired while we played skipbo tonight that he figured out a way to hold his head and his cards, but he had a little trouble seeing them. Silly Boy.

Be Cool!

Steven has been in rare form for being funny lately. Maybe he should be a comedian. So the other day he sees one of our kids friends walking up to the door. Steven thinks this particular young person is very cool and wants them to like him. He turns to all of us in the room and says, "Hey everyone, Eric's coming.........Be Cool". Again we laughed until we cried.