ASA Picnic

I managed to calm down after the doctor's appointment, largely due to a picnic we attended on Saturday. It was held by our local branch of the ASA, and it was encouraging, relaxing (as much as taking our 3 boys to a big park can be), and just such a relief to be with families who understand.

There was a ton of food set up in one pavilion, but not many people sitting down at any given time. Most of the conversations took place quickly, as we passed each other on the playgrounds or swings, or while juggling plates and children.

One thing I noticed was that the parents of teenagers got to sit down and eat a regular meal. The parents of kids under ten or so were doing lots of running, chasing and generally following kids around.

Once the twins had worn themselves out I had some actual conversations with other parents, and felt validated for sticking with my approach of some ABA and a lot of intensive playing, singing, jumping and so on, in a natural enviromnent. One mom kept telling me "Buy them a computer!" because her son has taught himself to read and do all sorts of other things on the computer. He was the cutest little five year old, walking around reading every sign he could find.

I finally figured out what G. means when he points to his chin and says, "Boo". He saw a lady with a plastic spoon, and started following her around saying "Boo!" and "Peesh!" (please), until she went and got him his own spoon. He has a thing he does where he bounces a spoon up and down, and says "one, two, fwee, foe". I'm sure it's from a movie.

Now if I could just figure out:

"Fwee, fwee...oooooooooo"
"Care-a bear-a" (it's not care bears, because he doesn't know them)
and about twenty other things that he says all day long, I'd have some peace of mind. I feel as if I live with someone who constantly speaks to me in a foreign language, and I do mean constantly.

As usual, we only managed to take pictures after everyone was exhausted.