Badlands

While in South Dakota we toured the Badlands. I haven't taken Jonathon before because I was afraid he would obsess on going back, just as he has obsessed over the T-Rex dinosaur at Wall Drug, which is outside the Badlands. I'm not a fan of going to Wall Drug as the drive is LONG and there is not much out there. Surprisingly, Jonathon didn't seem as fascinated as I thought he would be, but then again we ended up doing the usual "speed tour" that we do when Jonathon is with us.

We were out in the middle of nowhere in the Badlands when Jonathon said, "I have to go to the bathroom. You better hurry Vickie." I pulled over and told him to just go outside, quickly. Soon, too soon, he was back in the truck. I asked him if he went and he informed me that he didn't have to go pee, but he was going to have "poop mush." GREAT! I was not about to try to teach him how to go  #2 outside, so checking the map we discovered we were 12 miles away from a campground. I put the pedal to the metal and the speed tour of the Badlands began! He made it to the porta potty just in time!

A few hours later, as we were heading back to my parents, Jonathon started having a blow up. It got to the point that I needed to get him out of the vehicle and get some space between him and us. I told him I was going to stop at a rest area and asked if he knew what that was. He told me "we make it rain." I was confused by his response so I just said "okay..." and explained that we get out fo the vehicle, walk around and go potty at a rest area. I pulled up to the rest area, Grama and Grampa got out and went in to use the restrooms and Jonathon headed to the bushes and trees across the picnic area. I was so proud of him for putting space between himself and us! I was thinking WOW! Maybe he's getting it! He realizes he needs to go and be by himself for a bit! I was impressed... until I looked over and... looked again... and... realized he had WALKED over to the bushes and trees and was "making it rain?"

OH GOOD LORD!

Thankfully there was only one vehicle in the parking lot and they couldn't see him relieving himself!

Pulled Over... Again

The other day, Jonathon, my niece, and I were headed into Rapid City. I wasn't paying attention to how fast I was going and got pulled over...again.  I may have a bit of a lead foot, so it may be that I've been pulled over a few times, but I will never reveal just how many!

As the deputy approached the window and before I could say anything, Jonathon piped up and said, "SO! WHAT SEEMS TO BE THE PROBLEM OFFICER LADY?!" ugh... I was thinking, thanks Jonathon! You just put the nail in my coffin! Instead... I got off with a warning!

After we pulled back onto the roadway Jonathon says "we should teach that police officer how to race Vickie!" Uhmmmmm... probably not Jonathon!

Outlook

Today we went for a drive through Custer State Park. Jonathon was getting a bit grumbly so I decided to pull over and let him stretch his legs and go for a little hike up a trail. As usual, he walks much faster than I do so he reached the top ahead of me. As I approached the top he said "WELCOME TO EVERYTHING VICKIE!" and was excited to show me the amazing view of the Black Hills.

He doesn't have the typical words to say "this view is awesome," but I think his language is so much better!

You're The Best

Sometimes he just melts my heart.

Yesterday in the car he says to Tim and me, "you're the best Vickie-Honey a kid-young man could get and Daddy Tim you're the best Daddy Tim a kid-young man could get."

These moments are rare when he is able to form his thoughts about his feelings and share them with us verbally... it is such a blessing.

Jonathon, you are the best son a Daddy-Tim and a Mom-Vickie-Honey could get.

Eye Contact

Eye contact is overrated for people with autism. They can find it difficult to take in everything a person's face is doing and pay attention to what is being said. If you think about all the movements a person's eyes make while someone is talking it really is a lot. 

People's eyes not only dialate, move, blink, and twitch but some change colors as well. For people with autism trying to focus and concentrate on what a person is saying and being expected to give eye contact  is too much. Within the past year, I've noticed Jonathon looking, not at my eyes, but at my temples. He will actually stop the conversation and move so he can get in just the right position. I've started to talk to him about what he is looking at because I would eventually like to hear, from him, the "why" behind his preferred eye contact, or lack there of.

I'm not a parent who demands eye contact. He glances at me enough for me to know he's listening... that's good enough!