My child has autism because:
A-she was imunized as a baby
B- I gave her tylonal or mortrin for pain and fevers
C- I didn’t feed her a 100% organic vegan diet
D- because she was 6 weeks early
E- none of the above.

Nice start to a post don’t you think?
The answer is E (f.y.i.) I have a friend who believes everything she hears or reads, it doesn’t matter if its accurate or not.
She doesn’t check.
I am getting tired of all her posts on Facebook by no-name people with out any medical education about things causing autism.

I get so sick and tired of people telling me that I did something to cause her autism, or that it is preventable or any other line of crap.

I firmly believe that people are born with autism. They are sent here by a loving Father in Heaven who knows how amazing they are, and how much good they can do and how much they can help people grow.
I believe that it is all apart of His wonderful plan. Our wonderful children, and the amazing adults with autism are so perfect in the Lords eyes that they are sent here to help US to grow and become who He would have us be.

I really wish people would educate themselves before they open their mouths, or post a load of crap on Facebook.
This doesn’t just go for autism, but also for essential oils (for some reason people think they are a miracle cure all-even for burns), chemicals, toxins, gluten/gluten-free, casin free, special diets, and life in general.

Ok. Rant over. Have a good rest of your day.

We had some of our best friends over this weekend. They are more like family than friends. I love her like a sister, and he has ALWAYS been like a brother to my husband.

They have tried for 6 years to have a baby, where as J and I weren’t trying and had K before we were married a yr. I was pregnant 1 month into our marriage.  Last year my friend had 2 miscarriages. She is now 18 weeks pregnant.

She was always super excited for me while I was pregnant, even though I knew it was killing her that we weren’t trying and they were. But she never showed it.  To this day she has never said anything to be about being jealous, or upset that I had a child and she didnt’. 

J and I were not doing anything to prevent having another baby from the time k was 1 1/2 until she was almost 4. I did not become pregnant, except once and I lost it within a few days of finding out.  

When K was diagnosed with autism, we decided that I should get an iud and that we weren’t going to try for another baby for a while, if ever. 

While my friend was here this past weekend, I was super excited for her (it was the first time I had seen her since she found out she was pregnant). But I understood what she had been feeling when I was pregnant with K.

I am so overjoyed for her pregnancy after so much heart ache and fertility (that DID NOT work, she was off fertility meds when she conceived), but I was also extremely jealous of her.

I realized that I want another baby. Really bad. I didn’t realize that I wanted another one so bad until I was spending time with her. I have other friends who are pregnant right now, and I have felt slightly jealous of them and a little baby hungry. But I only spend a few hours with them at a time. I spent 3 full days with my friend. And it caused me to acknowledge that I really want another.

I have been having some mystery health problems, that the dr’s haven’t been able to figure out. As soon as I am able to get them taken care of I really want to start trying for another baby.

I hope my husband feels the same way….I have to talk to him about it tonight.

We currently have 4 animals in our apartment, K wants 4 more.

I have told her she has great animals right now, and she can’t get any more until she does allergy shots (for her cat and horse allergies, and allergy to most dogs) and we have a house.

The pets she has are : 2 beta fish, a red foot tortoise, and a standard poodle (the big kind)

The pets she wants are :  a ragdoll cat, a red bearded dragon, a cream or black horse, and 2 birds (parakeets) 1 pink and 1 purple.  (yes she is specific about what color animals she wants) She has also shown interest in getting a goat, cow, pig and pony (which she will quickly tell you is absolutely not the same thing a getting a horse).

I have the feeling that we will have a farm when we build or buy a house (hoping to build, have a few lots I like) and that we may have a little vet or zoologist on our hands.

K got a bike for Christmas,

she was so excited!

She did really well with peddling for a while,

then all of the sudden she regressed and couldn’t peddle any more.

This is just one of the frustrations of Autism….

the sudden regression from things we thought were good, not necessarily mastered, but good.

Its so sad and hard to watch her struggle to peddle her bike, and to not be able to, then to go for a minute and then not be able to again. It kills me, I want to help her so badly, but cant. I don’t know how, and it KILLS. ME. DEAD.

For those of you who don’t know, Echolalia is repetition of vocalizations made by another person…

or in K’s situation, it is the quoting of movies and tv shows.  

K doesn’t always know what to say, so she repeats things she has heard.

Almost 100% of the time she uses the quote correctly, 

and she has learned to slightly change the quote if absolutely necessary. 

It amazes me the things she can recall to use in conversations.  But I am so glad that it allows her to communicate with people without too many problems.

K loves music.

I mean LOVES….

She always has music going,

usually Lion King or Red Solo Cup.

It makes me smile, most of the time.

Sometimes it drives me crazy,

in fact I really don’t like listening to her two favorites any more.

But I really love that she loves music.

I think we will start basic piano soon

(she trys to play at my mom’s all the time

so I think we may bring the keyboard over to our house.)

K has had the most wonderful occupational therapist, her name is Julia.  

Julia is the only O.T. K has ever had….

Two weeks ago, Julia told us she was leaving in two weeks.

That means yesterday was our last time with her.

I can’t tell you how hard it was for us.

for k.

We spent a lot of the day crying, and just about all of our session crying.

Julia has become such a HUGE part of our lives.

I don’t think the note and present we gave her can begin to tell her what she means to us.  I have watched the other o.t.s at K’s therapy center, and I don’t know what we are going to do without Julia. The others are good, but they don’t seem to have the relationship with the kids they work with that we have with Julia.  

She has been such a life saver to me the past year and a half that we have been going to her.  We will miss Julia so much. 

I hope that we like our new therapist half as much as we have loved Julia.

It’s like we are losing a part of our family.

Have you ever been in a room and can hear the hum of the lights?

Have you ever been distracted by the sound of the fan?

Has the slightest noise annoyed you to no end?

We have all been in situations like this at one time or another,

for K, she is constantly stuck in a world where everything is too loud.

K is very sensitive to noises.

For a long time, it was hard to go to the grocery store,

or to the mall,

or anything else.

We have found a way to be able to go places.

She wears headphones.

So if you see us out somewhere and want to talk to K,

Please tap her shoulder and she will take off her headphones to talk,

putting them right back on once she is done.

Here are a few of my favorite quotes from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints General Conference sessions this past weekend.

This first set of quotes is from President Packer of the quarum of the quorum of the 12 apostles “Children are an heratige of the Lord, and happy is the man who has a quiver full of them.” “Family time is sacred time” -Do not selfishly avoid having children if you can -If you desire to have children, but can’t, you are still able to be blessed by children, take an active roll in the lives of children around you. -children arr ment to have a mother and father whenever possible

Sister Esplin the 2nd counselor in the general primary presidency -The Lord knows each of our children, and we have the great responsibilty to raise them and train them in the way of the Lord.

Elder Halldtrom of the presidency of the 70 -We can recieve the gatest gift of God—Eternal Life -There is nothing like this church in the world -We must unite the gosple with the church to get the most from it

Elder Oaks of the quorum of the 12 apostiles -our church gives more time and money to charity in the U.S.A.

President Eyring 1st counselor in the presidency -From adversity, strength and blessings come

Elder Holland of the 12 Apostles “Why should you be jealous because I have chosen to be kind?” Talking about being jealous of others blessings

Elder Baxter of the quorum of the 70 When we are feeling alone and need help, we may not be able to go stay with him, but He says “No, you can’t come to me now, but I can come to you.”

President Uchtdorf of the general presicency -“The moment we judge someone else we condem ourselves”

Elder Rasband the presidency if the 70 -acknowledged the question many parents of children with special needs “How can a loving God let this happen?” And “why me?” To these questions he tells us that we all have trials that as we as parents feel we can’t do anymore, if we ask the Lord, He will help us. We as special needs parents have so many things we must do and we often feel we can’t do it all, but with the help of a loving Heavenly Father we can do all that we must. -to those who don’t have special needs children, the statement of “let me know if the is anything I can do to help” is no help at all, don’t ask, show up and do. -the Lord has promised us “I will not leave you comfortless…”

President Monson -we are always in a hurry in today’s world, we need to take a step back and remember what is truely important -“The prize belongs to those who endure to the end” - We need to have stability and direction in our lives and the gospel of Jesus Christ can provide that for us.

Elder Perry of the 12 apostles -We need to be strong and bold in sharing our beliefs with those around us.

Elder Ballard of the 12 apostles -“we have a tool even more remarkable than the best G.P.S. It is the atoning sacrifice of the Savior. That is thing that can bring us home safely.” -Life is much happier and better as we turn to our families. -“NO career can bring you as much fulfilment as raising your family. Said to women

Elder Anderson of the 12 apostles - be an example of what the Lord would have you be. Support those who need your support. Believe in the Lords promises

President Monson told us at the close of conference to settle and and all disputes with our families.

This month is autism awareness month. Through out the month I will be posting about how autism affects my family’s daily lives. Hope you enjoy!