Happy New Year
I am enjoying the evening with my boys. I could go to church with the family or I could go uptown and watch the fireworks. But this year hanging out at home with a white russian and dinner is much more appealing. I guess I am getting old it was bound to happen. All I do know is after 3 nights of staying up until 5:00 or 5:30 with my son. It would be ideal to be asleep when 2007 rolls in. There is an old saying that whatever you are doing the last day of the year you will be doing all of the coming year. Hmm sleep? Well there are definitely worse things :)
Something kind of cool happened early this morning that I haven't told anyone. Mostly because it is surrounded by terrible circumstances, typical for me I guess. My son was up late and I was so very tired. It is an age old dance between us 15 years of it actually. But for some reason he decided to leave the house. He has never done that before. I must have dozed off it was about 3:30 and the 1st thing I noticed was I didn't hear him. He has this sound he makes it is like background music to me now and whenever I don't hear it I know something is wrong. I got up and went looking. The sliding glass doors were open and the lights in the garage were on. I called my son's name, thinking he was in the garage. Even the puppy jumped up (even she was sleeping). And a police officer appears and says "ma'am". I nearly jump out of my skin I am so startled. And he asks if I have a brother who is autistic. I go rushing out and explain my son is autistic and he tells me they have him. He wandered off and wound up at a house a couple of blocks away and began knocking on the door. They called the police (friendly neighbors) and the officer asked him his name.
Now my son knowing his phone number and address is a decade long fight. It is a battle I have every year at his IEP. What good are the other reading goals if he can't tell someone his phone number or address if he is lost? I can't even recall how many times I have made this point or asked this question. Well the circumstances were terrible but it turns out my son does know his address and telephone number and my name. It is how the police were able to bring him home. Of course after I got over the elation and relief of that I went to radio shack and bought buzzers for the doors that will go off if he opens them. We don't want any night time walks alone in the future.
I am not a big New Years resolution person I have broad goals for myself. Personal growth goals, parenting goals, financial goals, and I like to reflect at the end of the year. How am I doing as a person, a mother, a co-worker? Am I the person I want to be? Am I where I want to be for 36 almost 37? Things like that. I resolve to be kinder to others this year than I was last. I resolve to continue to ask for help when I need it instead of trying to do it all alone. I resolve to save more and spend less. I resolve to post more entries on the blog instead of just pics or memes :)
Happy New Year...
Something kind of cool happened early this morning that I haven't told anyone. Mostly because it is surrounded by terrible circumstances, typical for me I guess. My son was up late and I was so very tired. It is an age old dance between us 15 years of it actually. But for some reason he decided to leave the house. He has never done that before. I must have dozed off it was about 3:30 and the 1st thing I noticed was I didn't hear him. He has this sound he makes it is like background music to me now and whenever I don't hear it I know something is wrong. I got up and went looking. The sliding glass doors were open and the lights in the garage were on. I called my son's name, thinking he was in the garage. Even the puppy jumped up (even she was sleeping). And a police officer appears and says "ma'am". I nearly jump out of my skin I am so startled. And he asks if I have a brother who is autistic. I go rushing out and explain my son is autistic and he tells me they have him. He wandered off and wound up at a house a couple of blocks away and began knocking on the door. They called the police (friendly neighbors) and the officer asked him his name.
Now my son knowing his phone number and address is a decade long fight. It is a battle I have every year at his IEP. What good are the other reading goals if he can't tell someone his phone number or address if he is lost? I can't even recall how many times I have made this point or asked this question. Well the circumstances were terrible but it turns out my son does know his address and telephone number and my name. It is how the police were able to bring him home. Of course after I got over the elation and relief of that I went to radio shack and bought buzzers for the doors that will go off if he opens them. We don't want any night time walks alone in the future.
I am not a big New Years resolution person I have broad goals for myself. Personal growth goals, parenting goals, financial goals, and I like to reflect at the end of the year. How am I doing as a person, a mother, a co-worker? Am I the person I want to be? Am I where I want to be for 36 almost 37? Things like that. I resolve to be kinder to others this year than I was last. I resolve to continue to ask for help when I need it instead of trying to do it all alone. I resolve to save more and spend less. I resolve to post more entries on the blog instead of just pics or memes :)
Happy New Year...
posted by Cat at
9:39 PM
7 Comments:
Escapees can be very scary. The address telephone number thingy can be very scary. Mine are still smallish and the only way I can get them to remember the latter is to sing it to a little ditty.
I just hope that by the time they are teens [or adults!!] Emergency personnel with know that someone singing their telephone number and address does not necessarily mean that they're drunk.
Cheers
Cat,
All the best to you in your endeavours in 2007.
You are a true inspiration and I wish all good things to you.
Happy New Year!!!!
Spirit
Oh my goodness. You seem alot more calm about it than perhaps I would be. I hope your new year changed course soon!
That's very scary. I'm glad it ended with everyone safe and sound!
Happy New Year.
Oblivion
I am very glad to hear he is safe. That must have been a very scary moment for you. Happy new year and I wish you all the best with your goals.
So glad to hear that your son was safe and this new year that started out with a relative bang didn't fully implode. Hope the remaining days are calmer, that you get the rest you need and that you and the boys are always happy!
mcewen-I had been very lucky this was my son's first escape. He never left the house before even though lord knows with his sleep habits I am sure he had opportunities. It is the small wins though and finding out he knew his address and phone number was an important small win.
Spirit-thank you and the same to you.
lbp-it comes from 15 years of practice and high stress situations believe me. It has been a big fear of mine and it happened but my son was ok. So I guess the relief of that kept me from freaking.
Oblivion-thanks, I went out and rigged every door in the house. Relief yes, but still preparing for next time, or should I say preparing for there not to be a next time.
FL-thanks, and Happy New Year to you...
fadkog-I must admit that for the last 3 years or so I have been concerned about something like this. Not so much leaving the house that wasn't expected but being away from me or the school and encountering law enforcement. Will they know he is special needs, will he be able to tell them where he lives. Here is a 235 african american male who likes to jump up and down and has very limited language. So for the police officers to be so kind, and for my son to be ok and know his address, I know its crazy to make a big deal of it but for me it was a big deal. Now I know leaving the house is a possibility and I can warn his care provider so she can also add the alarms to her doors. I guess my main feeling is I know it could have been worse and I am just so grateful and relieved it turned out the way it did.
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