Easter 2011

my three boys, Easter 2011

i cannot believe another Easter has come and gone.

in a lot of ways, Easter was more bittersweet this year.

luckily, the sweet parts were very sweet.

i decided to make a bow tie for each of the boys since isaac had been so disappointed

that only lucas got to wear one last year.

isaac specifically wanted his bow tie to be purple and yellow, as an homage to his 

alter-ego super-villain, the shockaroo.

finding a purple/yellow fabric that wasn't terrible, was a little tricky, but i think i like what

we came up with.  

jacob wanted his bow tie to be red because that's his favorite color.  

admittedly, the control freak within me wanted to veto that because it didn't seem Easter-y enough.  

i got over it, though, and he kept his bow tie on until bed-time 

and was disappointed when i had him take it off.  

lucas didn't care that i made him a bow tie, or what color it was.

he did wear it, though, and that won him enough points that 

he was able to get away with jumping on the trampoline for several minutes without

pants on.

we had to draw the line, however, when he removed his underwear and peed 

(on the trampoline).

that kid is shameless.

(shhhhhh...i kind of love that about him.)

after our annual egg hunt at grandma and poppa's house, 

we headed home to watch "tron" and make

Easter dinner.

i'm pretty sure that i won't remember much about the food.  

but, i hope that when i think back, 

and remember this Easter,

that i will remember feeling...

hopeful,

happy, 

and, maybe, a little triumphant.

spring break 2011: the beginning

it is spring break.  and...

we.  are.  thrilled.

the first thing i heard when i opened isaac and jacob's door yesterday morning was,

"spring break cancun, yeah!!!!"

and, though we have no actual plans involving cancun, we do have quite an agenda:

sky zone -  isaac
fiji -  isaac
make bow ties -  me
make shocka-suit for the shockaroo -  isaac
miniature golf -  jacob
park -  jacob

some of these will be easier to accomplish than others.  and one of them, we just completed yesterday.

(ragain and lucas have yet to submit their wishes.)

i feel relieved to have all 3 boys at home.  even though, we had a rough 45 minutes or so, last night.  

it's 9:30 AM, and we're still in our pajamas.  we have an egg hunt this afternoon.  and we have blueberry coconut cheesecake bars in the fridge.  

practically paradise.   

monday says "uncle"

                                                       lucas, sticky with melted chocolate   

first of all, let me wish you a happy autism awareness month.  it is april.  we have just celebrated our fourth world autism awareness day (april 2nd, as declared by the united nations).  my family and i, along with many of our friends and family have lit our porches and homes with a blue light to raise autism awareness.  it is a small gesture.  but hugely important.  

i will write more about it.  but not tonight.

secondly, the photo above was taken moments after lucas announced, "mom, i love chocolate."  

to be clear, lucas has gained a lot of language.  but the moments where he makes spontaneous statements, that aren't limited to requests or referencing of objects that he's looking at, are really rare.  they're the kind of "getting-to-know-you" sentences that give you an insight into what someone might really be thinking about.  or is really important to them.  and i reacted like you might if you were on a first date with someone who you were desperate to have a something in common with... 

"i love chocolate, too!!!!"  

my gushing could have been embarrassing, but there were limited witnesses.  

and now for today's stats:

one- promise to go to the park after school made quickly to prevent a before-school meltdown.  kiss on each hand of each twin as i walked them onto the schoolyard.  old gentleman who winked at me.  puddle-filled bathroom, after jacob decided to re-wash his hair in the sink after he'd had a shower.

countless- ounces of dr. pepper.  instances of near-tears. (me)  times forcing lucas to put his pajamas back on after he got water on them.  regrets over speaking harshly to the boys, even though i intended to give them a fun movie night. 

smiles given when- lucas climbed on my lap and watched a "how to make a paper boat" tutorial.  i had all three boys under covers while i read the fourth chapter of "the lion, the witch, and the wardrobe". and, when isaac and jacob, while locked in a vicious neck grip, had this conversation,

isaac:  "say 'uncle'!!!"

jacob:  "say 'cheese'!"

i am lucky.  and i am ready to put this day to bed.  

oh, and later this week, i have the opportunity to talk to a group of ladies about autism... fingers crossed for me, alright?