What a (beautiful) weekend

Just a short post. We had a great weekend, Nicky was happy and calm. We where very busy and spend Saturday and Sunday all day outside. On Saturday we first went on a walk to the beautiful spring-forest, afterward the kids got their horseback-riding-lessons. Nicky loves this part of Saturdays most. No matter how terrible his mood was before, as soon as he sits on the back of a horse he smiles and enjoys the breeze that goes on up there :)

Saturday afternoon Wolfgang and me tried to get some stuff in the garden done while the boys where riding there bikes. It was too funny, while Philip was trying to draw with chalk on the street, Nicky tried to ride his bike over it. He even got of his bike and tried to hopscotch :O) On the on of the day our ice cream-truck comes and delivers some homemade ice cream for all of us. We had late supper with stuff from our grill (yummy!).

So yesterday, after the boys slept very long, we decided to take them with the bike trailers on that beautiful bike trail that starts in our city. Its all flat and goes through beautiful landscape. Nicky enjoys sitting in the trailer.
We brought stuff for a picnic and found a nice place in a meadow full with bright yellow dandelions.

After that break we went back home, but wanted to make a quick stop at a local hotel here. The hotel is directly on the lake and has a beautiful outside eating area with a playground for the kids.

When we arrived there we saw my new friend with her daughter and husband. The daughter Kim is also Philips best friend, so the both where happy seeing each other and off they went to the playground. Nicky enjoyed a snack and then he was also on the playing equipment. So whats a parent to do when the kids finally offer some time: Sit, chat, have a beer, coffee or whatever. We stayed for three hours and had just such a good time.

When we finally arrived home, we both knew, this was a very special, happy weekend. And even Philip came over to me and said 'Mama, this was a very good day" . Sweety-pie.

Have a great week.

Exposure

We went on a little vacation to a village called "Sun Park" just two hours from here. It's really fun for the kids there. You life in little but spacious houses in a park that includes a big water park and an indoor playground.
Nicky and Philip had so much fun at the water park. It comes with a canyon where Nicky just loooved to drift around. He looked like a smiling cork, really cute. Compared to the days we had before he was just a different child.
The park also had this indoor playground with the usual stuff you find there. It also had a stage, where once a day there was some animation for the kids, like dancing, theater and so on.
As soon as the music started, Nicky was right in the middle of the activities. First the animation people where a little unsure, but they didn't mind. BUT, they other kids ;O) . Some stopped dancing, just being amazed by Nicky and his behaviour.
As a parent you tend to pull him out there, but i think, every exposure to typical children is the best you can get both sides of the kids. I am always open to answer questions to both kids and parents. But parents don't ask, they just look. We are used to that sort of exposure. It still hurts but you just grow that shell. You ask yourself "When do people realize that something is wrong with him?" . Maybe when he starts to wiggle with his hands, maybe when he screams out of joy (for them it's probably more the scream of an animal). Maybe when he starts his crazy dance till the sweat runs down his temples.
You get that almost every day. Even we try to avoid the crowd, we also train with him to go shopping and to places where it can be loud.
But with a child on the spectrum, you never come unprepared. You know where the exit is, you know you have to pull something good out of your pocket to get him out of a favourite activity. You know when his limit is reached.
Today school started after two weeks and he looked very happy seeing his bus driver Heike this morning. We have to think about summer vacation, six weeks can be very long. We have two months to think about it ;o)
Have a nice spring day today! It's beautiful here, everything is in bloom and the different shades of green are amazing.

Spring and school vacation

It has been a while since i posted, the reason is simple: School vacation. It means for most of us parents NO vacation, it means stress and bored kids. For us, it runs from a bored 5-year old to a hyper boy on the autism spectrum. That exactly means that the house has not seen a mop in over two weeks, my washing machine is on vacation too (b/c i have no time to even fill it). We wake up, we eat, we keep the kids entertained, we eat again, we try to keep Nicky quiet, b/c all windows are open due to the temps. We do all the things kids love and still he is so unhappy right now. It's depressing for us, we are not moving an inch forward.
So, it's been hard, but the weather is great, temps in the 80's, we eat outside on our little terrace, or we sit on our balcony over viewing the lake while watching the kids.
I have to admit, with the nice weather and spending the evening on the terrace, i am back to enjoy 1-3 glasses of Riesling wine. It's just sooo good, and it's my treat for a long, hard and frustrating day. No worries though!
And i have Wolfgang, who fights with me through the day, who makes me lough, even when i am close to tears. Did you know 80% of parents with autistic kids getting a divorce or getting separated....?
A Roller-coaster this last two weeks; we are going on a short trip Friday through Monday, let's hope Nicky is doing o.k. with it.
Happy spring!