Aspergers/Autism/Sensory Integration Chatter

AHHHH honey....sarah - you know what you should have said to the woman.....

of course my son is screaming....he was looking at YOU!!!!

I have so learnt to be a ***** back...I am so sick to death of having people make me annalyse and explain why my child is behaving the way he is...stuff them...if their going to say stupid comments then im going to give them stupid relies! I think that you can only put up with the stupid snide remarks for so long then flip. I actually had a really nice bloke years ago in the supermarket. WIlhelm was being ferral and this guy tried to touch him to help (wilhelm use to scream and hit himself in the head when this happened)..I just said im sorry he's autistic and the guy said he understood, apologised gave ME a hug. I coudlnt beleive it...someone who actually cared enough to think of me.

OH for the looking thing...I use to hold Wihlem's arms and get down to his level....it drove me insane with frustration...I now do my Kath & Kim thase..

Look at moi WIlhelm...WIlhelm....WWWILLLHELM....looking at Moi

Yes I use the stupid tones and the ups and downs of my voice get his attention...he ends up cracking up laughing and guess what...he does look at me

off to make tea so he doesnt eat it again :rolling eyes:

Hi Lovely ladies. I just found this thread and felt the need to post my experience with Aspergers.
Well, my DH has it. When he was young he had to have speech therapy and physiotherapy amongst other things and the paed told his mother that he was "slightly autistic"(paeds words). But his parents didn't want to believe it. He found it tough making friends when he was growing up and was not very good with his schoolwork. (unless it was something he had a partuicular interest in then he was brilliant)
His Aspergers certainly isn't extreme, but as a wife, the challenges are certainly present. I have had to explain his sometimes rude behaviour to my parents. He is very rigid with routine. And with things like DD's toys etc, they have to all be put away in certain ways and certain places.
Emotionally, he is basically of zero support for me. He just doesn't understand how I feel or have the ability to empathise. I find this the hardest because I cannot rely on him for any emotional support and this was particularly tough when I was diagnosed with PND as he didn't understand and didn't agree with me being on Meds even though they completely saved my sanity. Also with DD, if she is noticeably upset he doesn't really think to console her until I tell him to pick her up and give her a cuddle. So that is hard as well.
You have to be careful what you say to DH as everything you say is taken literally, even when it is obvious to you and I that it isn't meant to be taken that way. He constantly needs re-assurance and I find myself being loaded up with all of his worries.

I think the most important thing is understanding and reminding myself of the reasons why he does things the way he does. That said though, he is aware that some of his actions aren't acceptable and that he needs to try to work on these.

He constantly worries that our DD has Aspergers too but so far she seems to be okay. She has good co-ordination skills, she does acknowledge us and point at things and all of that but it is in the back of my mind and I do worry a little whether our next child will have it. I guess time will tell.

To all of you lovely ladies facing this challenge. Big :hug: to you.
Oh no, I'm at work and I'm all teary now :(

Christy - thanks we can all feel 'normal' together :-)

Maz - you crack me up! I think I responded with a "he's fine" and turned my back on her - I was so over it by then. The little man is getting it back together today and school went well apparently. He got his pokemon book from Bookclub so has been engrossed in that all day and is currently curled up in bed with it.

Spice - thank you for your different perspective and can I say from a mother with a child with aspergers - thank you for loving your partner!!!! It gives me so much hope that DS will find a lovely (and patient) lady and enjoy having a family of his own - if he wants too.

Literal sayings - DS put the fan on tonight and I asked him to turn it down so I didn't get blown away and promptly got a lecture on gravity and how that is physically impossible due the force of gravity on our bodies however if we were in space............ such a cutie.

Oh ~Saram~ :hug: to you sweetie. I sure do love my husband and your little man will find someone special too I'm sure

*groan* picture this... you just get home from an overstimulation episode at the shops which you were at for 15 minutes, because you had too. Then you get home & next door there are people with chainsaw's cutting down trees!!! At midday!!!!

So I now have 1 NT (normal) toddler who is over tired and screaming because she wants to sleep... and 1 over stimuated 4 yr old who has panic attacks with loud noises screaming because there have been chain saws going for the last 45 minutes outside.

Christy - get an MP3 player and always have it on hand woman...and as for the nextdoor neighbour..i would have throw rocks at them :ROFL:

Sarah - I have the same worries about Wilhelm.....I pray and hope that he finds a partner that loves him for the person he is and see's through all the abnormalities. Its to painful for me to think about him not growing old with the love of his life and having his own children when I see how he is with his baby brother.

Spice - Yes...thank you...for allowing us to believe that our babies will to find the love they deserve. Its so beautiful to hear that you have except your DH for everything he is. My worry is that Wilhelm will 'pass' on his traits if he has children so its so lovely to hear that it isnt so. thankyou from the bottom of my heart.

Now on a happy not *wiping away tears* - Wilhelm has had a hair cut WOO HOO!! his carer at school is a qualified hair dresser and I told her that he hasnt been in over a year and she asked if she'd likeher to try to cut it if I aloud it...HELL YES!!!! so my darling has got nicely trimmed hair to which he told me its sick and need's panadol.

Also had a PSG meeting at the school and they have informed me that they are starting a piolet program next year for 5 of their 'special guys' . 2 days a week they will be in a special class room wer they learn things like self grooming, social etiquet and what we all consider normal day to day things. their even thinking putting the kids in swimming lessons so they can learn to swim. I am so wrapped!

ok enough from me...but befoer i go, if your wondering why their acting haywire again

ITS A FULL MOON!!!!!!!!

ohhhh!!!! Full-moon time!!! Maybe they have more fluid on their brains???

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ohhhh!!!! Full-moon time!!! Maybe they have more fluid on their brains???

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hmmm i hav eno idea but garanteed in 2 - 3 days Wilhelm is going to be on a rampage!

That's so funny Maz - I remembered you said that last month when we were all having problems and last night I was outside feeding the dog (at midnight - poor bugger) and I noticed that bloody moon and thought - Maz was right! How did that month go soo fast BTW????

Aww maz :hug:. Just remember that as they grow older and mature their traits will become less and less severe/noticable. Well that is what happened with DH. Many people who know him don't even realise he's any different.

I would be interrested to know whether any of you can trace autism/aspergers back to a parent/grandparent or beyond? I definately think that it's possible there is a biological link but also I've read that sometimes there is a link between it and traumatic birth. My Dh apparently had his oxygen suppy cut off for a short time during birth and so did a friend of mines son who is autistic.

Sarah - yeah were the hell did the month go??!!!
Spice - No autisum on either side...BUT my neice's daughter and son (who is 8 days younger then Mateuaz) are both on the spectrum. I always knew 'somethime' was wrong, right from the time I feel pg...he was a happy little baby, nice and quiet...BUT he didnt want me to hold him then at 6 months when he had his needles my smilie baby looked like he got slapped in the face adn the look never went until he turned 4 and learnt to smile again. He screamed 20 hours of the day..slept only like 5 hours at night...only wanted me..but we wont go there!

Oh dont tell me that about having oxygen cut of at birth...mateauz had the cord wrapped around his neck 3 times and the last month of my pg his HB was all over the place. He was born blue and put into NICU due to lack of oxygen...... he's not like Wilhelm though, he's got different super powers ;)

Spice I've heard that there are definate links to genetics and to traumatic births. In our case... thats about right. Matilda's birth was traumatic and yep my BIL has Asperger's.

BTW BIL is in a long term relationship that is wonderful.... there is hope!

Spice - v. interesting looking at where autism comes from.

my nephew is ASD and we think his sister is probably on the spectrum or at least has some sensory issues.

Both my SIL and I hd pre-clampsia in pg and were induced which at one time was linked to autism but as Maz (I think) said on reflection Xander was very different even in the womb. He nearly broke my ribs with his kicking and one night after seeing a very loud movie I had to leave the cinema as he was kicking that hard! I could barely move the next day. If you could see him in action these days you can understand exactly what he was doing in there as he craves deep pressure stimulation (lots of hits, running into things, pushing on others, headbutting) As a child also he was very dffernt to my DD - which was a big reason why we pursued a dx so much once she was born as we could really see the difference then.

On that note - anyone else find they are slightly paranoid about their younger children? Ariya is so different to DS, she is talking, hit all her milestone (mostly early) seem more coordinated, seeks out mum and dad and Xander, plays beautifully ect but she is not overly fond of being touched/held and walks on her toes a lot? Is this just a normal toddler/baby thing that I am reading too much into? I think so as they are just so opposite in terms of behaviour and likes/dislikes

Saram - yep totally paranoid. Jovie was twirling her wrist the other day... for hours and I just sat and watched her....

Girls... I have to gloat! I got my village!!!! We moved to Sydney to be closer to our village but I guess we didn't expect this much support. We've had friends stop by the shops for us so we don't have to go, neighbours watch Matilda for 30 minutes so we can run to the shops, and today a Nana of one of Matilda's friends came & took Matilda with them to the park! :o I'm at home, Jovie's asleep and ... I don't know what to do with myself!!! Matilda's just 2 doors down at the park and I can rest??? This is unheard of in my world. I've always had to do everything and here people are helping me!

**** Christy..ive got tears swelling in my eyes...that is friggen awesome!!!!! You'll have to sew them sheets you were talking about :). Jed left Wilhelm at a birthday party with NIkolaus and he was perfect...I totally shiat myself when I found out...I was in Melbourne and couldnt come and rescue him if he needed me :(

We also have a break through....Wilhelm got his hair cut!!!!!! his carer is a hair dresser by trade and when I told her about him not wantingto cut his hair she said if it was alright if she could try...I almost kissed her when he came out 3 days later with noticably shorter hair!

Saram - I watch EVERYTHING mateauz does...nto so much Vy but defently Mateauz...high risk of having a son after a spectrum kid having the same IFYKWIM...but Mateauz now pulls himself up on the couch and has started cruising :)

off to go fold washing...ah there Christy...come fold my washing for me :ROFL:

and YAY at the full moon coming and going without any avents this month ;)

On the down side, Matilda hasn't used the toilet today.... when she was at the park she wee'd behind a tree because she didn't want to ask Julie (aka Nana) to bring her home to the toilet. Then this arvo on our way back to the car she could hold it & wee'd all over her shoes. *sigh* She's not been listening the past two days and I think there is so much going on in her head with the move that this maybe our result... unfortunately she won't be able to start school while not using the toilet.

Oh Christy that is so awesome - about the village, that is! That's exactly why we are trying to move back to Brisbane. How has matilda coped with the move? Hope you sort out the toileting issues. I think i saw a discussion on aspect about toileting.

Maz - woohoo on an incident free month! that's awesome news!

We have some good news too! Xander has started trying to read! He has a play station game that involves a lot of reading and after years of us reading to him he turned around the other day and started "reading" the stuff on the screen - just goes to show you just need the right motivation hey :-)

NOT GOING WELL :( I can't even get ANY help from agencies or autism support because we can't even go through another assessment until MARCH!!!

My friends are trying to help, but its been extreme the last 5 days. Let's just say there has been more screaming than not :( . Today has been so awful and a friend came over but there was nothing she could do because Matilda just screaming, kicked and scratched me. ATM its 9.30pm and Matilda is in her bed thrashing her body around screaming & keeping everyone up. I'm so over it... I don't like her right now. I could never say I didn't love her, but I really wish she would just go away for a few days and give me some time. I don't know... feeling pretty low atm.

oh bloody hell Christy...you poor chicken!!!
Do you think the change has caught up with her?? Delayed rection??
My only suggestion is to totally ignore her babe....as hard as it get up and walk away from her when she does this to you. Calmy...without talking and without looking at her. Sometimes those little things can triggen them of worse IFYKWIM. I cant make any eye contact what so ever with Wilhelm at his agro stages and revert to this which 'cools' the situation.

And what your feeling is totally normal when this happens..dont you ever doubt yourself or think your a bad mum for feeling like this. We are aloud to feel like shiat...we cant be happy happy joy joy 100% of the time, especially when our childs are hurting or frustrated.

oh another thing I found helped when Wilhelm was like this was a liquid Iron suppliment called incremin...yellow label with a giraffe on it... I use to hide it in his milo but now he knows when he's bad and ask's for his 'headache' medicine

Give each other some space babe......I wish I could come over and she could kick me instead of you.

Oh Christy :grouphug: I second maz, somethings are best ignored. There have been days where I have taken myself and a cuppa outside as far away from the house as I can possibly get for 5 minutes of peace (as long as he is safe)

We rely a lot on sensory stuff, Xander has a hidey hole under his bed where he goes when stressed, a weighed blanket for deep pressure and I'm hoping to get some mattresses/gym mats to throw himself around on.

Hope things get better:-)

Well yesterday I had to work, my new job is Tuesdays - 10 hours and Saturdays - 10 hours.... So I work a 20 hour week, but only over 2 days. Its full on, but its amazing...

Matilda went with MIL for a few hours and then a friends for 5 hours and then back to MIL here at our house until DH got home. They all had dinner together & I got home while they were in the bath.

I think it did me a world of good being away from her. She was very well behaved for everyone but once DH got home she disolved for 30 minutes. But its been the best day in a week. Today has been okay. I've spent the first half of the morning on the phone trying to get us somewhere. I got us into a private OT starting on next Wednesday, then I got a respite service to come here for 2 hours on a Thursday arvo so I can do our shopping. I can't even park in the car park without issues. She won't put on earphones for the ipod we got her... she won't wear the ear muffs... she won't keep the sunglasses on... so I just think the respite will help.

I felt like a failure calling all these places trying to get some help, but then I thought that it was going to help. I called MIL and asked her to come over tomorrow for an hour and a half so I could go to the shops... there's a chinese massage place next to Woollies so I'm going to duck in there for 30 minutes before doing a power shop I think. I can't handle the hours of screaming so I think I need a recharge before I keep going. Its not going to stop anytime soon...

Hi there,

I really hope you don't mind me dropping in here. I am pg with my first and have been cruising around BB forums. I stopped in here as I am a professional in the area and am passionate about my work with kids and families living with ASDs. I am provisional psychologist and I've been working in home-based therapy, and now an early intervention centre over the past 8 years. I also work as a counsellor with parents coming to terms with diagnosis and dealing with behaviour issues, family stress and the impact on siblings, marriage and life as a whole. I know I will NEVER truly grasp what it is like for families from the inside (that is, assuming this little bump doesn't end up 'on the spectrum') and I have endless admiration and awe for the mothers who nurture these gorgeous kids day in, day out. I do however know a bit about ASD's and just wanted to say...

Please feel free to PM me if you get really stuck with general questions. I DO NOT have all the answers and cannot know or assess your child, but there's a chance I might be able to point you in the direction of a good website or give some general suggestions. I'm not offering my professional services, just someone to chat to who would love to help if she can.

Blessings and big hugs to you all.

Kat - thank you for your offer, it's interesting there are quite a few professionals on here who help with asd and sensory issues which is a great wealth of information to draw on. All the best with your pg.

Christy - Don't ever feel like a failure! These services are there to help us because we need them! We found the only head phones Xander likes are these huge ones Dh got to block out noise on the little ariplanes he used to fly in out west :-) Not exactly 'blending in' material. Does Matlida like electronic games? We got DS a leapster last year for Christmas and it is what he absorbs himself in when we are in stressful situations. It is starting to die so we have him a Nintendo DS for Christmas (from Ebay) It's funny because I caught up with some other people whose boys were on the spectrum and they were all playing on these DS systems - mainly pokemon. Is she interested in anything like that?

As for us - we are not having a very settled week. DS is all over the place like a dogs breakfast - speaking of which our dog was killed on Sunday and we are getting 2 new puppies (yes just to add to the chaos that is our life) but I don't think that has upset him. i think it's more getting close to school holidays - he is wanting to know what we are going to do and when and what day he is going back to school and which class is he in. OMG he is seriously stressing! Holidays are always horrible as he hates the spontenaity. I really should sit down and make a plan..... might help him settles :-( I just hate being so planned out all the time! On the upside we finally started getting some money back through medicare for all the OT sessions. It has taken us 5 months to jump through all the right hoops! Thankfully our bank balance is looking slightly less sad now :-)

oh I hear ya, since school has stopped Matilda needs me to write out a routine everyday and put a timer on for what happens next.... ARGH I'm so not organised enough for that!!!

Tomorrow I have a few things to deal with, but its mainly a home day. I think I will be dropping something off another suburb away. Than we are home for nap time and during naptime MIL is coming over so I can run to the shops... Matilda doesn't nap, but has "quiet time".

Somehow I have to get a rhythm going in our house to help instigate "calm". ARGH!

Blergh

OMSL....I didnt know if that was a burtp or a fart then

Having one of those days too hey babe???? im ready to make Wilhelm a wall hanging atm

mmmm yes. It took an hour of screaming on both of our parts to get Matilda ready for swimming. She refused to eat. She still hasn't eaten anything today yet, no water, nothing. She keeps falling over because she's not looking where she is going, she can't listen... even to 'Stop!!! Don't run into that...."

*groan, moan, *****, cry* ARGH....

thus...

BLERGH

oh siat Christy......Wilhelm is in a whinny mode...I hate fridays cause he's home and can be so horrible.

even to 'Stop!!! Don't run into that...."

Sometimes I think our kids just hear the 'run into that' part and miss the rest !

Try to ask them to do what you want, not what you don't want - like asking them to walk, instead of 'not running'. 'keep your toast on the table' rather than 'don't throw your toast around'.

I've also got this thing going at bedtime and bathtime - not saying, 'its time for a bath' but rather 'what toys are you going to play with in the bath'. Same with bedtime, 'what books are we going to read in bed'. Don't give them a chance to say no.

My Alex has just turned 3 and we're in the process of getting a diagnosis. I thought there was something unusual about him just before he was two and a half. We go to an early intervention place once a week, their program is based on the floortime program from the US and gives you tactics and things to use everyday.

Sorry Barb... I was in a bad place when I read your post, but I can answer now. I do say the right things... I rarely say "Don't!" but sometimes... in the thick of these days... you say what comes out first and don't think. I've had an awful time of this with Matilda because everyone keeps telling me what I am doing wrong and how I should be doing things, so I take things very hard sometimes even when they are given with the best intention.

Well Wednesday we had our first official OT appointment. I felt comfortable as soon as we got there. She asked me what we the hospital had us doing for Matilda. I said "um... nothing, we were given a diagnosis of sensory integration disorder and a request for further assessments for Asperger's" She was horrified. She said "Did they know you were moving?" and I said yes of course... she said "and they just left you... that is appalling" and I was in love.

I told her of a few suggestions from lovely friends, using ipods, ear muffs, picture story books of the move, preparing her in advance for things. I said we had some exercises my OT friend suggested like "rolling in a blanket, jumping on a trampoline, twirling etc...".

She said "You are in a crisis and everyone has just dumped you. You need to work through a crisis and then we can get you exercises etc to work on"

She wants me to do 3 A3 size charts. One for the week and what is happening, one for each day which we do in the morning to show her what is happening when, and one for the lead up to Christmas and the silly season. We've got the Christmas one done so far. But every morning we tell her that what is happening next and how things are going to go. We have started to enforce a stim free time when lights are off and everything is off, maybe a quiet video if she's having a good day, and she has to lay on the lounge for 30 minutes. This is helping heaps already!!!

So our developmental paediatrician appointment is Monday.

christy sooooooo glad that you have finally someone in your corner giving you the help you need - and how brilliant that even in such a short space of time, it has had results. :hug:

Aren't OT's magnificant! They really 'get' our kids. The charts sound great..

We saw the paed last week who "surprise surprise" told us it was all our faults & it was just behavioural after we were there for 5 minutes. *groan*

He said she was unable to regulate her emotions as well as sensory integration disorder... ummmm yeah.... and???? So he wanted us to start a thing called "Watch,Wait and Wonder" in order to provide Matilda with a way to express herself without our interfering but our presence. We have tried it and... nothing. No change... okay its only a week but seriously?? It means both DH & I have 3 turns a week of spending 30 minutes alone with Matilda. We sit on the floor with her, with some toys and nothing else. We don't initiate anything, we sit, if she communicates with us we are allowed to respond but we aren't to stifle her. So the first time I did it, she screamed because she didn't want to be in that room, so we moved and an hour later... maybe we had 5 minutes of doing it the right way. Than she screamed for the rest of the day. The next time I tried it, she went okay, but then screamed the rest of the day. Whenever DH has tried to do it, she has refused and screamed for hours.

I told the paed that I would continue to do it, but I felt like it was something else someone wanted us to do, but it just left DH & I open to more criticism and I didn't like that.

He has referred ME to councelling because I am a "distraught" mother.... I'm sorry, I don't swear but WTF??? OF course I'm frigging distraught!!!! WT???? Wouldn't you be in my situation? On the best day since our move, Matilda has screamed for a minimum of 2-3 hours. ??? Distraught????

*breath in, breath out*

Oh Christy! Big hugs to you! go and find a different paed or if you feel the need perserver and detail everything that is going on so when you walk in next time you are armed with ammo! Will your OT write you a letter/report that you can take in? Oh another thing my SIL did was video tape her DS and took that to the paeds office.

As for the couselling. We were sent to couselling too! It was such a huge waste of time but did help DH and get on the same page on some issues in regards to behaviour. Is amtilda seeing the psychologist too?

**** - what a complete ********!!!!! *maz' blood boiling over now* Its one thing for these 'professionals' to give us advice on how to cope and do things with our kids but lets see how they would react having to live the reality...having them 24/7. Honey...my advice...stop friggen doing it. If its doing your head in stop it. You honestly wont get anywere and whats the point of making the whole house upset when its obviously not working! Maybe the arsehoole should have given you a referal to an Occupational therapist the ****!!! Oh I am SO angry!! Let me at the *****!!!!

We're not having a good time in this house either!!! Last day of school yesterday and Wilhelm just doesnt get it :( Today is thursday mum...its not my day off. And Vy has started being a turd which sets Wilhelm off! She's doing the screaming in public thing...and saying no, kicking me...I could have killed her last night at mass. And Mateauz got a vrius the other week along with conjuntivist which has made him go backwards so it looks like we might have to get a special leg cast to stop his leg turning out :(

It just never rains softly these days :(

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It just never rains softly these days :(

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Nope... it fricken hails.

Poor Wilhelm... its so hard on these super kids. We've had a huge December calender up on the fridge (thanks OT!) and have been counting down the days & talking about Daddy taking holidays and Mummy working more... and Christmas day. Matilda's doing heaps better with that. I started the daily run downs too. I don't have the A3 poster board up yet, but what I do is in the morning when she wakes up I say "okay hun, breakfast first, than you are going to get dressed and brush your hair & your teeth" Than when we are up to brushing hair, I prompt her as to the next thing. Thats helping. She pushes boundaries, but is less hysterical all the time. I can see her anxiety levels dropping.

I think the anixety levels are what get to me. Wilhelm wet the bed 2 nights ago and wet himself straight away at school. I got so peeved cause the stupid receptionist put their clothes on him (which set him of more) when I have a bag there with his name on it and his own clothes in it.

its fantastic that your finding things that are working babe. We dont you boards but for chirstmas we got an advent calender (my mum gets them for the kids) and that helps.....Ive also told him to empty his school bag out which he's happy doing..

I am so having one of those days today.....I could just sit in the corner and cry

Maz - holidays suck! We are on week two and I'm over it! Yesterday he won't even go to OT everything is so out of wack. I hope Vy and Mateauz are back to their selves soon so you can have a bit more peace and that Wilhelm settles for you! DS seems a lot calmer since we got a letter with his new teacher etc, has put his mind at ease a little but the last week of school and first week of hols were the worst! Wish I could give you a hand!

Christy - I'm pleased the day planner is working, which reminds me I have to get ours fixed up, that might help me from tearing my hair out

Also we were told by his teachers that he has been getting on really week with this kid at school and I saw them at a birthday party the other day (BTW have I mentioned how much I hate B'day parties - that's a whole other story) anyway they did get along well, talking about pokemon and acting it out! woohoo I thought and grabbed this kids number. Anyway organised to have a play date - what a disaster. Xander ended up miserable because this child wouldn't stick to his script and then there was the competitiveness - it was almost as if this child could perceive his weakness and just played on it. IYKWIM. I don't know why I bother it always ends badly :-(

Also DS is sick but it is so hard to know what's wrong as he can't pinpoint where the problem is. He won't eat and says his tongue is sore - his throat looks fine? And now he has a sore leg? From his hip to his ankle? It doesn't seem to be muscular as if I poke him he doesn't flinche - just hurts to move and walk on??? I don't know what to do?

Man I wonder if the world understood that when we mean "I need a break" that is exactly what we need. A full break from everything. I wish it were cheaper.

I found a siblings camp for siblings of Aspergers/Autism which has a big camp just for them. I was thinking... there should be a "Mummy weekend" for Mothers of Super Kids.

I would miss my girls something fierce, but I would also get some time to destress.

Sarah - we use incremin, a liquid iron supplimetn for when WIlhelms doesnt eat...works great and I know atleast he's got osmething in him when he's down and out. I hate 'friends' of our kids that do that. Poor Xander..maybe next tiem he has a play date get the play dough out and supervise them playing so you can calmly interact when they have 'off' moments.

Christy - I so hear you babe.....I need a break really bad..Im so nervous and jumpy atm. We saw those camps down here but they cost almost $2000 which is something we jsut cant afford. We've never been on a family holiday so I have bitten the bullet and told jed next september we're going to QLD. We are having so many issues with accomidation! GOD!!! glad Ive started organising now. Cant FLy up cause Wilhelm would freak out about the pressure and the closeness to strangers in a plane...also atleast he'd be familiar in a strange place with our car. Need accomadation so I can cook his meals and have a room that is secure so he doesnt let him self out.....god!!!! Ive been headbutting walls. Jed's dad is looking into timeshare for us up there cause they have unit or little house type accomadation which is perfect for us. Ive gotten onto some of the netwrok down here to ask for some help towards funding for it. I never ask for help, not even respite and my case worker said I should for once...why not but it feels funny asking for a hand out...just not me normally.

AND we had a wet bed AGAIN last night!! :doh: nappy to night for someone :( he's going to go OFF!

enough of my mumblings...better feed the tribe