Boog

Boog

Tuesday, August 30, 2016

Childhood

I despise growing older. Not because of vanity really, but because the older I get, the more tremendous parts of my childhood disappear. 

I learned years ago that Jim Henson passed away. Sad, but at least you still had his creations. Kermit, Miss Piggy, Big Bird and Fraggle Rock were still around. I was sad, but okay because he lived on through characters. 


The Dark Crystal will always be so very dear to me.


David Bowie's sudden passing was a sad day. Obviously because of what immense amount of talent that changed music forever, but for me I had lost the Goblin King. 
He was no longer in his castle in the center of the Goblin City.



Now I've lost the Fox. You won't come across many people unaware of Gene Wilder and his amazing portrayal of Mr. Wonka, an eccentric genius looking for the kindest, most innocent child to give his world to.


I have another memory too, that means even more to me than Mr. Wonka. Gene Wilder played the Fox in the "The Little Prince" movie made in 1974. 
He not only brought such life to the character, but also gave several lessons about life I wouldn't understand until years later.


I understand time exists and people don't live forever. People and things come in and out of your life and some of them leave with a lasting impression. Gene Wilder was one of those people. I will end this post with one of the quotes from the Fox. A quote that I didn't really understand until yesterday when Mr. Wilder decided to "simply look around and view it".








Monday, August 29, 2016

It Was Never About the Chocolate

Gene Wilder was a common fixture in my younger years with Willy Wonka and the Little Prince. Those are some of the first movies I remember seeing.


I looked on his IMDb page to see the last thing he'd been in...

He did a voice for "Yo Gabba Gabba" in 2015. 

Yo Gabba Gabba is one of Boog's all time favorite shows.


So that's Gene Wilder coming full circle from making me smile in the 80's to making Boog smile in 2016. That's a lot of smiling children over those years. I get some peace from that. 







Thursday, August 25, 2016

Namaste Calm and Stress Free. Life's Better that Way.

This can be a very difficult thing to do:

When things are going good, enjoy them and revisit them when things are not so good.

It can be reeeeally hard to do.

I am very, very far from being a happiness guru, but I do have some pretty decent ideas sometimes. Sometimes.


Okay, right now Boog is fantastic. Reading and comprehending even more than I thought. The kid is SMART. Not in the same way other kids may be, but he can do a lot of awesome things other kids can't. He's using the iPad keyboard to type words now. With no assistance. We're getting closer to him being able to type his thoughts and the timeframe is lot quicker than I thought. As in months, maybe even years quicker. He's blowing me away. Thank the Lord for all the people who have gotten us here and those helping us get to the next goal.

Life is Good! 

A week, month, or whenever down the road I may be having a hard time for 10,000 different reasons. I'm not saying it's a quick fix, but the good days can be diluted by the thoughts of days not so great. Sound familiar? I think I can help you!


In my infomercial voice: And YOU can achieve this in just TWO steps! Amazed and want to know more?! Just read below!! (not charging you $19.99 though).

Step One: When something good happens (big or small) write it down, start a notebook, use Word on your PC, notes on your iPhone. Just a date and a quick blurb to remind you about that time. Try to add to it regularly.

Step Two: The next time you are having a hard time (anxiety, stress, crying, hopelessness). You go find that note. Read it. Read it again. Remember the beginning. Remember how far you have come since then. Remember the things you used to worry about at one in the morning that now you can barely remember. Whatever is bothering you now will likely end up one if those distant memories. Breathe. Most importantly, repeat this or something like it:


"My child would not have come this far without me and my hard work and love. We can and will get through this".

Read it again. Say it out loud or just in your head. 

"My child would not have come this far without me and my hard work and love. We can and will get through this".




There's actually some science to this, believe it or not. It's called having a "mantra" or "positive affirmation". You can read more about it here: 



This blog post is as much for me as it is for you. There are so many ups and downs. I love the ups and when there's a down, I will come here and take my own advice (hopefully).


With Love,
Boog's Mommy






And my favorite from a very well-known Doctor:





Thursday, August 18, 2016

They Like Me! They Really Like Me!

I received this email today:





I seriously could not be more honored! The email basically told me that "All About Boog" has been included in the "115 Best Resources for Parents of Children with Special Needs" list created by Total Pediatric Therapy!

A bit about Total Pediatric Therapy from their website:


"Total Pediatrics strives to define quality therapy. As our name implies, we offer the total package. Our therapists are not just therapists; they are the best at what they do. Your child’s health and development is not to be taken lightly. You’re picky about your doctor, why not your therapy team too? You are in control of your child’s development. We provide client-centered care. Our therapists are involved in continuing education programs far beyond what is mandated by state and national boards. Our therapists are passionate about multidisciplinary care, including nursing, nutritionists, and physicians in all decision-making. Our therapists are connected to quality professionals of other disciplines to ensure a thorough plan of care. Our therapists are equipped to utilize telehealth. Our therapists are committed to researching cutting-edge programs, yet equally skilled in tried-and-true traditional approaches to health and wellness.  At Total Pediatrics, you get the total pediatric package without sacrificing quality."


In my thank you reply I mentioned that my journey with Boog has been filled with many ups, downs, smiles and tears. I decided to blog about all of those aspects to give a truly realistic view of being a parent of a child with Autism. Blogging about only the good days would be a half-truth. It also wouldn't help my target audience: Parents with special needs children who are often overwhelmed, worried about the present/future, looking for ways to pay for expensive therapies and frequently feeling isolated or alone.

If a person under that sort of stress has no one they can relate to, it can often lead to them believing their feeling/worries aren't valid. 
ex.: "She blogs all the time and she's happy. Her son's therapy is going great. What is wrong with me? What am I doing wrong?".

I really applaud Total Pediatric Therapy for creating a one-stop-shop of so much helpful (and often hard to find) information. The list contains 115 real-world resources pertaining to Autism and/or special needs children. This is extremely valuable information to so many parents and caregivers who may not have any idea where to start (I was one of them and still am sometimes!).

Please check out their link below and don't forget to share it. It contains pertinent information and resources helpful to anyone with a special needs child in their life.

http://www.totalpediatrictherapy.com/115-best-resources-parents-children-special-needs/


Happy and very Humbled,
Boog's Mommy






Wednesday, August 10, 2016

Tuesday, August 2, 2016

A Bigger Better Buggy!


I love Target. Probably too much.


Boog and I go sometimes, but I end up worn out before we even shop. I put Boog in the buggy with some sort of pillow behind him so it's more comfortable. Getting Boog into the buggy is getting harder and harder for me. Boog is growing and I don't think I will magically become over 5'2" and lifting him is so hard for me.

After all of that, I don't have much room to put the stuff in that I'm buying. Usually if it won't fit under the buggy it's a no go.





     Enter a Game Changer: Caroline's Cart!






Here's a little background from their website:


Caroline’s Cart is a shopping cart created for special needs children. It provides parents and caregivers a viable option to transport a child through a store while grocery shopping, without having the impossible task of having to maneuver a wheelchair and a traditional grocery cart at the same time. It is named after Caroline, the special needs daughter of Drew Ann and David Long.

Drew Ann Long saw the need for Caroline’s Cart after realizing her daughter would outgrow a typical shopping cart. Knowing what was needed, she founded Parent Solution Group, LLC, designed the cart, applied for a patent, and enlisted the services of legal and business professionals to help her bring the cart to market.


No surprise this awesome problem solver was created by parents. Special needs parents are some of the most creative people you'll meet. Forget art school.... We run the school of "How can I do this when it looks impossible and have no clue what to do?". Yep, we rule.


Imagine my happiness when I saw a Caroline's cart at our Target! Boog loved it and it made shopping SO much easier for me. I really appreciate that. It seems like we get so used to being over looked, when something helpful comes along its just purely amazing!



     One happy little shopper along for the ride!




Find out what stores near you have Caroline's carts here: Find a Store


Tell them how awesome they are here: Caroline's Cart Facebook Page


If applicable, tell Target we appreciate them being considerate: Target's Facebook Page




The little things can really be the big things,

Boog's (often shopping) Mommy





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