Spring Break 2010 was a huge success. In the past, out of school = out of sync.
The first Saturday of Spring Break was Sam's actual birthday and his co-party with his buddy Cam. After kicking off Spring Break '10 with a birthday party we had our work cut out for us. How do you keep a 9yr old and 5 yr old fully engaged while also completing the nursery for your daughter who is going to be born in May? You stick to the basics and remember what it's all about....quality time.
Here were the guidelines we set for Spring Break 2010 and what we took away from the experience:

The rate of Autism in the United States is now reported to be 1 in every 91 children. The "official" prevalence rate is up 50% from 1 in every 150 children just a few short years ago. Am I speechless? Am I surprised? Am I at a loss for words? Am I dumbfounded beyond belief? Are you nuts? Of course I am not surprised, nor bewildered, and I am definitely not speechless. You don't have to be part of the Autism Community for long before you realize that the "official" numbers have been inaccurate for a long time.

It's the question we have all asked ourselves and rarely are willing to talk about openly. It may haunt you while trying to fall asleep at night or it flashes across your mind like an out of control strobe light when someone cuts you off on the highway. What if today is that day?

It's July 4th, 2009 and in the United States that means we are celebrating Independence Day. As I watch my boys play this morning and think of the soldiers who have bravely served our country throughout the years it gives me pause. Many of our friends (including many of you) live in a country where the idea of freedom, and the benefits we often take for granted in the United States, is a distant dream. You face hardships and struggles that we (in much of the free world) only imagine and see in the movies.

Kids tantrum, fuss, squeal, yell, and scream. As a parent, you quickly learn what your tolerance level is.....then you rocket past it by 1,000%. You are able to handle much more than you would expect. Toss some Autism adventures into the mix and you have a real party at times. You talk to yourself, you don't sleep, your child doesn't sleep, you might be married but have no idea when the last time you had a real conversation with your spouse was, and then you have a job. Wait. Yes, that's right, you talk to yourself first.

Allergies have been killing my girls for the past few days. We had an entire Sunday afternoon to fill up, though. Hmm, what to do. It had to be indoors, it should hopefully provide exercise, and it had to be cheap (or better yet free). I may not have mentioned that last (cheap) part, though those who know me should take that as a given. I had a brief daydream (aka unreachable fantasy) of sitting in a comfortable chair and reading while the girls played games on the floor, periodically pausing to run over to me and give me a hug and tell me how much they love me.

It was a good Easter, with a bunch of family in town. The best part of it for Isabella (besides the chocolate) was seeing her two girl cousins. One cousin is Madeline’s age, and one is a year or so older than Isabella. Of course they paired off by age. In the past, the younger cousin wanted to hang out with the older girls, but this time around, she stuck with Isabella.