Mason is ONE TERRIFFIC KID!

Last Tuesday I was going through Mason's backpack when I came across the most amazing thing I've ever seen!  An award had been given to Mason for Terrific Kid of the month.  Each month each class chooses one student as student of the month.  And this month Mason got the award!  I was sooooo proud of him for such an achievement, that I cried!!  Two years ago, I would receive a daily report from Mason's teachers and most of the time it wasn't a pleasant report.  Although they were wonderful and working hard to help Mason, he was uncooperative with them and most of the time "naughty".  He would run from the teachers, wouldn't sit still for any length of time, and was mean to his teachers and the other children.  Everytime I would get a "bad" report, I would cry for my son and wish there was something I could do for him!  Now, I sit in front of a "terrific award" and cry again, although this time I cry out of happiness, not out of sadness!!  Let me say, that I've always known that Mason had it in him, I wasn't selling him short,  but I also wasn't sure that others would see his potential like I did.  Mason has had some amazing teachers and therapists over the years.  Each one of them brought something to the table that helped him get where he is today.  His special education teacher this year has gone above and beyond to make Mason's kindergarten year a success!!  Thank you Mrs. Eyre for your patience, your determination and above all, your Love!!!  We appreciate you more than you will ever know.

Miracles DO Happen :)

Last Friday, a miracle happened.....  Maybe nothing that you would consider a miracle, but it my books, it was nothing short of amazing!  A typical Friday night around our house...  Mason was playing the wii...  I was doing laundry and dishes.  I told him that he would need to do a page of homework and he immediately started  whining and telling me "NO"!!  So that's when mom pulled out the bribery...  btw I'm the QUEEN of Bribery!!  "Mason, if you do one page of homework, then we can go to the store and buy Valentine's for your friends at school".  It worked like a charm.  He jumped up to the counter and started to pick which page he would do.  He picked a page that was double duty, 2 sides of work.....  I thought to myself...  "This will take forever!"  Which means that the idea backfired, because I will have to sit with him for the next half hour and constantly redirect him back to the page and encourage him to do his "BEST" work.  Homework is like pulling teeth for me...  It would be a lot easier with some vallium present :)  Sooooooo I told him to get started while I finished the last couple dishes.  He immediately wrote his name at the top of the sheet and began tracing the number 11 on the first part of the page...  Hmmmm this is going well.  When he finished (without my help btw), he said "mom, what does dat say"?  I went over to the counter and read the directions to him!  DRAW AND COLOR 11 APPLES The phone rang at that point so I handed him the crayons and ran for the phone.  When I came back he had drawn and colored the most beautiful apple I had ever seen!  I was amazed and he was proud.  So I thought...  you're on a roll, don't stop now.  I told him to finish all 11 apples...  Mason worked very hard while I stayed a short distance away pretending to do dishes.  I had never seen him sit in one spot this long, or stay focused on one activity this long and I hadn't once redirected him!   Mason drew 11 apples.... colored all 11 apples...  stopped after he drew the 11th apple....  didn't run from the table once.... didn't spit on me or hit me....  did both sides of the sheet and was actually happy about doing it!  The ending result......   25 MINUTES...  yes you heard me right... 25 MINUTES ...That is how long he sat there doing his homework, by HIMSELF!!!  Truly a miracle.....


On a side note... When Mason was about 3 1/2, he was working with his OT.  Her name was Trisha!  She told me one time that Mason had a very short attention span and they would work on staying focused.  Her GOAL the first week was 1 minute!  I think after many months, they eventually made it up to 3 minutes, but that was after a lot of hard work and someone sitting with him the entire time.  WOW what a long ways he has come.

Just a Taste!!!!!

It's 6:30 in the morning, I'm rushing through the house trying to find all of the last minute necessities before I throw Mason in the car, kick him out at daycare (that's a joke btw), stop for my Diet Coke , then drive for 45 minutes to work.  Mason is standing in the middle of the kitchen, motionless, waiting for the minute when I yell "come on Mason let's go to the car, mommy is late".  He is holding his instant breakfast, made with SOY milk when suddenly he somewhat falls asleep and the cup drops from his hands.  The container hits the ground, the cup shatters, chocolate soy milk covers the kitchen cupboards...... and I now have a mess that needs to be cleaned up before I can leave.  Mason tells me "I sorry.... I sorry", and although I want to yell, I look at him with is big green sad eyes and say "it's ok Mason".  So I get the mess cleaned up and have now located another container for another batch of chocolate milk....  as I am shaking the container to mix it up, a quiet voice says "Mom....."   and there is a long pause, and then he says  "There's smart......... and there's KMART smart".  I just started to laugh.....  actually almost cry, because this wonderful little boy, just put a smile on my face when I was thinking the world had just ended :)   and yes.......He may watch too much TV.....  but I can only control so much :)

The Beginning

Mason was born on June 4, 2003.  He weighed in at a whopping 9lbs. 5 oz and was 23 inches long!  He entered this world looking somewhat like a 6 month old, never did look like a new born baby!  It apparently was fairly odd to see a baby that was 23 inches long, because nurses flocked around our room just to get a view of such a large creature!  This is the day that my TRUE happiness began.  Raising Mason has been the biggest honor of my life. 

I look back to the day when we sat in the pediatricians office and they announced to us that Mason had 4 of the 5 red flags for AUTISM.  I wanted to scream.... What does that mean?  How could this happen to my beautiful boy?  Who are you to tell me that there is something wrong with him?

Since that day, our lives have not been "NORMAL".  Of course, What is NORMAL anyways?  I decided several years ago that I needed to keep some sort of record about Raising Mason!  But several years ago, there was not time, nor patience, nor energy to sit down and do it :)  I have those things now and want to share my experiences with friends, family and especially Mason.  I hope I can remember all of the good the bad and the ugly. 

Many friends and family members have been on this journey with us.  I'm sure that many will  remember things a lot differently than I do.... so......  I am asking for your stories about Mason.  Happy or sad, I want them all!  I want to be able to look back and see how far we've come.

HERE'S TO THE BEGINNING!!!!!