Monday, November 25, 2013

41. College...

In October, Michael attended an introductory engineering class at UCCS. I wasn't sure how my six year old would like it, but gave it a shot.

On his last day of his college class I asked Michael if he misses college and if he wanted to go back?

His eyes lit up, "When does it start again?"

"In February," I said, "do you want to go back?"

"YEAH!"

What six year old kid likes college?

Wait...

MINE.

His next class will begin in February and he will be disecting... BUGS! Bleeech!!!!

40. The North Star...

One evening, Michael and I went to get an ice cream cone.

As we are driving Michael asks,” Mom is that the North Star?” pointing to a star in the sky.

“No honey, the North Star is the brightest star in the sky,” I respond (not knowing at the time it was the WRONG answer).

We drive for another minute when I see the brightest star in the sky (which happens to be Venus) and say, “Michael look, there’s the North Star.”

Michael immediately responds, “But North is THAT way. I thought the North Star was in the North,” pointing behind us.

“You’re right,” I answer, realizing I gave him the wrong answer, “you’re so smart!”

I am now convinced that if there is a “smarts gene” it skipped a generation, namely ME.

I have since learned that Polaris is the North Star and it is NOT the brightest star in the sky, but does always appear due North.

Once again… way to go Mom!

Autism Benefits in Colorado

At the end of October of this year, I gave a news interview to KOAA regarding the troubling reduced ABA autism benefits in Colorado come 2014.

We have an autism mandate here in Colorado of $34,000 per year per kid, until the age of 9 and $12,000 from 9-12. This translated into 1747 sessions per year per kid for my children.

Come 2014, thanks for the "affordable" care act, Colorado has translated $34,000 per year per kid into 550 sessions per year per kid at 25 minutes a session. This doesn't even come close to what we received before.

I was informed today by the news reporter, Maddie, that on December 2, DORA will hold a meeting to discuss changing the ABA limits. I am excited and I will be there.

Cari Brown, a mother from Fort Collins, CO saw the interview and contacted Maddie. She also started a petition to get the ABA rules changed: 


Please sign this and share it. If you can and are available, please come to the meeting on December 2nd at 1 pm. Meeting will be held at 1560 Broadway, Ste 850, Denver CO 80202.


Wednesday, September 25, 2013

39. Oh... crap...

So Michael has a daily planner from school that I have to sign. The other day I said, "Michael I forgot to sign your planner." Imagine my surprise when Michael says, "Don't worry about it, I signed it for you."

What??? I look and this is what I see... Michael's version of my signature. You can see my real signature above where the teacher put a star next to it.















I am in SO MUCH trouble!

38. The magic of sneakiness...

The other day, before I came downstairs, I had a conversation with my six year old, Michael, about staying in bed, not getting up to follow me.

I go downstairs and I’m there for about 5 minutes when I think I hear something behind me. I look and see nothing. I turn around and continue my thing, when I hear something again. This time I took a chance and said, without turning around, ”Michael come here.” Sure enough, Michael appears from around the corner. He looks at me smiling. I’m trying to look stern but he’s so CUTE.

He smiles and says, ”Mom, at school when no one was looking, I practiced my sneaking and it worked like magic.”

Whoa!!!

37. That... funny bone...

Michael: "Mom, is there a bone in my penis?"
Me thinking: OH CRAP! "No honey, there is no bone in your penis. Your penis is a muscle**."

Yes, I know it is not technically a muscle, but it's the easiest way to explain it to Michael.

Michael: "How can it be a muscle if there is no bone there?"

A long time ago I told him that we have muscles around our arm and leg bones.

Damn! I should've been a doctor. This kids wants to know stuff I don't know about.

**Since then, I have found out that it's more like a sponge that fills up with blood. Not sure I wanted to know that, but for my boys, I'll do anything. I mean... I touch spiders now for Goodness' Sake!!!

36. Life is sooo Confusing...

After I ordered my food at the Taco Bell drive thru tonight, my food was handed to me by a very polite and lovely young man; a very flaming, gay young man (not that there's anything wrong with that - whatever and whomever floats his... boat).
(I'm fairly sure I am not wrong on this, even though it sounds... sexist (?))

 --- Why should us straight people be the only ones to suffer through marriage? ---

As we are driving away, Michael was confused, "Mom, was that a boy or a girl?"
I just burst out laughing because he is so perceptive. I said, "That was a boy honey."
He left it at that.

Man... I'm glad I did not have to explain anything to him. I don't think I'd know how to.

Sunday, May 12, 2013

35. Mother's Day...


Today is Mother's Day.

Michael collected ALL the dandelions from our back yard and had me put them in water so they don't die. They are, of course, sitting in our kitchen window in a glass.

My mother's day flowers. He calls them sunflowers. I did not have the heart to tell him they're weeds. But he sure is adorable.

P.S. Remove that image of a backyard full of dandelions out of your head. :o)

Saturday, May 11, 2013

34. Whoa!!!


As we were driving home today from ACI, Michael looks at the cloudy sky and says, "Those clouds look familiar."

I'm surprised because I have never heard him say the word before, "They do?"

Michael pauses for a second, "Mom, what does familiar mean?"

How can he use the word correctly without knowing its meaning...

"It means that you have seen them before. Do they still seem familiar?"

"Yes."

Goofy kid!