March 25, 2011
by marfmom
1 Comment

Friday Favorites

Welcome to Friday Favorites! If you’re new to the blog, here’s how to play along. Every Friday I devote my post to showcasing awesome blog posts by other bloggers that I’ve read over the past week or two. I invite you to do the same and link up here, OR just link up directly to those posts you’ve loved this week. This is any easy way to share the love and find great new blogs.

It’s been so busy here that I’m behind on Friday Favorites. Today I’ve got a list of links for you, in no particular order. Check them out!

1) Erin Kotecki Vest of Queen of Spain wrote Look Down: I’m in the Wheelchair

2) Jona of Life, Intertwined wrote Healing

3) Jean Winegardner of Stimeyland wrote My 7-Year-Old Knows He Has Autism

4) Dan of Single Dad Laughing wrote Worthless Women and Men Who Make Them

5) Kim Opitz wrote I Support Natural Childbirth… and I’m Planning a Cesarean

6) Anna Quindlen wrote the excellent essay The Best Part of Parenting

March 24, 2011
by marfmom
6 Comments

Silver Lining

We had an interesting appointment with M’s occupational therapist today. When she arrived he was 10 minutes into a tantrum because I’d made him come in from the car. It was one of those fits where you’re torn between laughing at the ridiculousness of the face your kid is making (like a howler monkey) and crying because the tantrums just. keep. coming.

As I’m trying out different tactics to get him calmed down before we’ve wasted his whole therapy session (ignore him? ask questions? apply deep pressure?), the therapist began to PRAISE him.

“I know it’s hard to see because you’re the one at home all day dealing with this, but he’s got GREAT coping skills!” she enthused. “Even though he’s over-stimulated right now, he can still tell you no to things. He’s calling Mommy and inching towards you, which shows he’s trying to calm down. Try picking him up and holding him tight. See now how he keeps pulling your head on top of his? He clearly knows that deep pressure is going to help him.”

I have to admit: I’d never thought about tantruming having a skill set. In my mind, tantrum = inability to cope. I really appreciated having her perspective. Just goes to show, if you look hard enough there is a silver lining for everything!

March 23, 2011
by marfmom
17 Comments

Birthday Cake

For Mark’s birthday a couple of weeks ago, I offered to make him any (gluten-free) cake he wanted. I suggested a koala, legos, or Wii controller designs.

This is what he picked.

Ten points if you can figure out where this cake is from. Hint: the coloring is a bit off, as Mark forgot an ingredient.