Parker is ready for Kindergarten.

Parker has showed me this week that he is ready for Kindergarten.  He knows his numbers, his alphabet, his colors, and now he showed me he can trace his name!  His teachers told me he could do it but he would never do it for me, until tonight. I was watching a movie with Dylan and I heard Parker scribbling with a pen.  I ran into my office fearing black marks all over my new white desk, but he was using an envelope.  So we went to the kitchen table and I got him another piece of paper.  I let him scribble then thought I would try and write his name with a highlighter and see if he would trace his name for me.  Sure enough, he did.  Several times.  So I moved on to his first and last name.  He did that no problem.  So I wrote the alphabet and he watched and studied how I wrote every letter.  He then took his finger and wanted me to help him say each letter.  We went through the entire list and he says 1/4 of them!  Then he started copying them.  If he missed a line, he would go back and trace it.  He was concentrating so hard and did a fantastic job.  He traced his name 4 times, traced his alphabet 2 times, and numbers 1-23 once.  This took around 15-20 minutes which is HUGE, because he can only sit and concentrate for about 3-4 minutes.

So he is starting to show me that he is ready for kindergarten and I can only thank his teachers and therapists.  I can not take credit for this one at all.  He never wants to write or color with me. So, thank you Ms. Weisel, Mrs. Debbie, Mrs. Linda, Ms. Kari, Ms. Staci, Ms. Jill, Krista, Kacia, and Emily!  I will never be able to repay you for all you are doing with Parker getting him ready for the next step in his life. 

This is the post I have been waiting to write!!!

WE HAVE BEAT LAST YEARS TOTAL!!!!!  As of today, we have raised $11,810.60, and we still have 3 weeks to go!  AMAZING!  And we have 102 registered walkers! It really brings tears to my eyes that we were able to beat last year.  Everyone in the autism community asks how I do it and all I can tell them is that I have a very generous team behind me.  Even if you don't walk with us, if you have donated even a dollar, you are part of Parker's Puzzle Posse!  2 years ago when we were hit with the news of autism, I NEVER would have imagined that we would raised almost $25,000 in two years.  Never!  But every year you help us raise money to help find a cure for autism so they can help our son.  I would never wish autism on anyone, but I do wish that in sometime in your lifetime, you will get the feeling of an amazing team of people who stand behind you and help you and your child like we have.  It is the most amazing thing ever! 
So I know that Thank You is not ever going to be enough to express the amount of love, support, and kindness everyone has showed us.  But Thank You.  Thank you. Thank You!

Parker had a great day last Wednesday!

Parker had a wonderful day on Wednesday! 

We were all down stairs in the toy room and I was talking with Parkers grandpa, when I noticed Parker playing with his letter puzzle.  He had taken all of the letters out of the puzzle board and put the board aside.  He then was taking the letters and putting them in order.  He put them in 4 rows just like the board.  It was out of his sight and turned upside down so he had no way of looking at it.  This was the first time he showed me his ABCs!  The first time, he put the R in front of the Q, but knew something was wrong, but could not pin point it.  So I fixed the letters, and he smiled, knowing they were all correct know.  Then he pushed the letters side, and started again.  We all watched as he put them in order, in the same rows, and this time getting them all correct!  We were all so excited!  So Parker showed us he knows his ABCs.  This was HUGE!!!

Later that day, we went to the park for Dylans baseball practice.  Parker went down every slide like he always does.  But this night, he wanted to swing on the swings.  His OT therapist has been working on his strength and balancing with him.  You need both of these to be able to swing and stay on.  So I put him on the swing, expecting him to want off right away like he always did in the past.  He was never a swing lover.  But this time he stayed on.  So I started pushing him, and HE STAYED ON!!!!  This was huge because he had to use all of those muscles we have been working on and also his balance.  He swung for a good 5 minutes or more!  He was swinging by himself for the first time.  He wasn't moving his legs and pumping by himself, by sitting and balancing all by himself on the big boy swings!  This was amazing!

And to end the wonderful night, he let us brush his teeth without putting up a fight.  He opened, smiled, and even took the toothbrush from me and started brushing the front of his teeth by himself.  Amazing!

Days like this really make me wonder how much this boy knows and is unable to tell us.  Brian and I both think he has a photographic memory, as he put the letters in the same order as the puzzle and knows which cars we move out of a line of 20 cars.  I really wish there was a way to get inside his brain and see everything he knows.  So now we know he can count to 12, knows his ABCs, and most of his colors.  He is SO ready for Kindergarten!!!! 

Love and Prayers,

Katie

Florence Freedom Basket For Sale!

Today's item for Autism Speaks is from the Florence Freedom Baseball team. They have donated a bag full of items. Selling for $30. Items included are 2 tickets to a game this season, 3 baseballs with a rack to hold them, a Barack Obama bobble head, a paperweight hat, and tshirt. Please let me know if you are interested in this bag full of goodies.

Autism Awareness at its finest!

Please watch this video.  It is 8 minutes long but worth the watch.

This is something Brian and I worry about every time we go out to eat or go out anywhere with Parker.  Its really nice to see how people react to a child with signs of autism.  What happened in this video shows that the word is getting out and people are becoming aware of how someone acts if they have autism.

The lady who says "They need to teach him how to behave in public" is correct.  We can not teach our kids how to handle crowds, loud noices, strange places, and strangers unless we take them out into public places.  I have felt just like the mother so many times.  You want them to behave "typical" and become so stressed  that you begin to cry.  I want to pick him up and leave to get out of the situation.  It's not fair to Parker or Dylan and I am trying to not become so stressed and deal with the situation, but most importantly, not care what others are thinking of us. 

Please let me know what you think of the video.  Has this happend to a family and your heart when out to them, or did you find it upsetting?

Thanks

Katie

Barleycorns Fundraiser and Total Raised!

Our next Dine and Donate location is Barleycorns in Cold Spring on April 25th.  They will donate 15% of all food, drinks, and alcohol!  This is an all day event, so please stop by for lunch, or dinner! You must bring the attached flyer!  Thank you so much for all of your support in all of these fundraisers!  It's nice to get out of the house and not have to cook while supporting a great cause!

We have raised $9,764.63 so far!!!!  We are going to beat last years total!  Simply amazing.  Thank you for helping us raise money for Autism Speaks so they can find a cure for our son. 

Also, I only have about 70 raffle tickets left.  If you are interested in winning an iPad 2 for $5, please let me know and I will get you a ticket!

Again, thank you is never enough to let you know who much it means to us, having the best friends and family supporting us in fundraising, but also in supporting Parker.

Lots of love and prayers,

Katie

Gift Certificates for sale!!!!

Here are the gift certificates I have left. Please help us raise money for Autism Speaks by purchasing one (or more) of the following!

Reca Roller Rink Admission Pass - Good on Weds 6:30-8:30 pm, Fri 7-11 pm, or Sat 2-4:30 pm or 7-11 pm. 2 passes for $5.

Susans Salon - Free haircut with Kaitlyn - Expires 4*30*12 - Selling for $10

GameWorks 30 minutes of play - Selling for $5

Mitchell's Fish ...Market - Complimentary Appetizer - Expires 12*30*12 - Selling for $5

Joseph Cadillac and Subaru - Oil Change - Expires 2*14*13 - Selling for $10

Raffle Ticket for a chance to win an iPad 2 - $5