CocktailMom

Greenbelt Patch: Kids on the Autism Spectrum: Bike Riding

noreply@blogger.com (CocktailMom) — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 15:18:00 +0000

Milestones that are met by our children are documented and recorded—our child’s pediatrician informs us of when those milestones typically happen based on recorded data that coincides with a particular age. Baby should be rolling over at six months old, walking at around one, at three years old should be able to speak in multi-word sentences and by four years old should ride a tricycle.

Every parent has expectations of their children crossing milestones around the same age that they themselves crossed that milestone.

Walking.

Talking.

Loosing teeth.

Grandparents are called to confirm, “Do you remember when I lost my first tooth?”

I grew up in a bicycling family; our family would go on week long bicycling trips while other families went to Disney World. As an adult I want to share my love of bicycle riding with my children. But it’s a milestone for my child, L, who is on the Autism Spectrum that doesn’t come easy.

Like other parents I tried the scooter bike when he was three years old. While the other three-year-olds scooted by, our experience resulted in meltdown after meltdown. The meltdowns by children on the Autism Spectrum are worse than a meltdown by a neurotypical child; there is a lack of communication and there is no compromising.

Needless to say, we gave up on the scooter.

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End of the School Year with Autism

noreply@blogger.com (CocktailMom) — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 13:38:00 +0000

When I look back on the course of our time at Logan's elementary school, I'm amazed at how far we have come. It has not been an easy road, there have been many struggles over the years. There were several meetings during the kindergarten and first grade years where I felt like the mama lion protecting my child.

This year has been different.

I don't know if it's because Logan is older and his understanding of the world has grown along with his understanding of himself and his needs. Or if it's because we have a team of staff who really work hard to help him be successful. We also have a new principal that actually listens to the parents and really hears their concerns. As a mom to a kid on the Autism Spectrum I am extremely thankful for that.

Every school year is different and though I am proud of Logan's accomplishments (honor roll all year long!) I have a bit of anxiety about the next school year. Not knowing who will be his teacher, will it be a good match? Will the teacher have compassion? Will the teacher really try and teach him or let him slip by?

I'll be honest this year has been nice, I haven't had to yell or threaten to bring in a lawyer (both things I have had to do in the past). Logan's teachers this year were engaged in his learning and open to ideas to help him adapt to the classroom environment. I am forever thankful!

I had one wish.

If I could have one wish for this school year. I don't care about Logan making straight A's. I don't care if he doesn't play sports. I wish with all my heart that he makes a friend.

Logan spent every recess walking around the parameter of the playground imagining in his mind. I don't know if anyone ever came up to him and invited him to play. I would ask him everyday after school, "who did you play with at recess?" And everyday the same answer. It breaks my heart to think of him alone in the world without a friend.

In the very beginning of our Autism journey I was sitting in the waiting room with my younger son, Zane, while Logan was attending his bi-weekly speech therapy appointment. A veteran Autism mom looked at us and said "you gave your son with Autism the greatest gift by having another child."
At the time I didn't really understand what she meant by that, but now I do. Logan will always have Zane as a friend and a brother. Even on those days when Zane annoys him and won't stop talking...he can count on Zane to be in his corner.

I didn't understand it then, but I do now.
He does have a friend, it's his brother.

1 year After Breast Surgery

noreply@blogger.com (CocktailMom) — Thu, 30 May 2013 18:04:00 +0000

Today marks the one-year anniversary of my breast surgery. A friend sent me an email this morning and said, “So it’s been a year- what have you learned?”

A lot.

My biggest lesson throughout this year has been to let things go. Committees and organizations that cause me stress, I let them go. The meetings that cause my shoulders to creep up to my earlobes, an anxiety attack as I walk into the room…. those “should-have” duties I have let go in my life. If it doesn’t bring me joy or fill my well spiritually I’ve gotten rid of it.

Also negative people, having a rare type of breast tumor has given me a huge wakeup call in the company I keep. I want my days to be surrounded with people who give compliments, are compassionate, smile and are following their bliss instead of people who are living in a world of negativity and self-doubt.

I have learned the truth to the old saying “life is too short.”

I remain positive because that is all I have…my chances of having another breast tumor are high. I must have mammograms every 6 months for the rest of my life and I’m only 37 years old. I’m looking at my life and how I am living it, differently post surgery.

You don’t need breast cancer to have your own wake up call. Take an assessment of your own life.

Are your days filled with people who lift you up and make you feel good?

Are you following your dreams and committing your life to a higher purpose?

Do you smile more than frown?

Take a moment today and think of your life and how you are living it. Let go of negative things in your life because it's true.... "Life is too Short!"

Routine

noreply@blogger.com (Gretchen) — Tue, 14 May 2013 13:00:00 +0000

"The body itself is to reveal the light that's blazing inside your Presence."

-Rumi

Open the door to your true self- let the world see you!

Gift for a Teenager

noreply@blogger.com (Gretchen) — Mon, 13 May 2013 13:00:00 +0000

Gifts for teenagers don't have to overpriced purchases from Hollister and Abercrombie. Take note of their bedroom decor and make a personalized gift that will enhance their sacred space.

This is the throw pillow that I made for my teenaged niece. Her bedroom colors are black, red and white and I knew she'd love this printed fabric. It's sophisticated and not too girly. I cut the fabric in triangles and then sewed them together to make squares and then pieced it together in a pleasing pattern.

Routine

noreply@blogger.com (Gretchen) — Tue, 07 May 2013 12:30:00 +0000

You are amazing!

Muddy Buddy- Great gift!

noreply@blogger.com (Gretchen) — Mon, 06 May 2013 13:00:00 +0000

Many of you might be trying to come up with a quick and easy gift for your children's teachers for Teacher Appreciation Week. This recipe is so simple and delicious! We made it as a holiday gift for our two boy's teachers and because it's non-holiday specific it's fantastic to make any time of year.

You can find the recipe here.

Make a batch and package in small plastic bags with a note of thanks!

Routine

noreply@blogger.com (Gretchen) — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 11:49:00 +0000

Cultivating patience is hard work.

Girls Night Out- Painting!

noreply@blogger.com (Gretchen) — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 13:44:00 +0000

Are you looking for a fun activity to do with your girlfriends? Tired of going out to bars or nightclubs where it's too loud and you leave with a sore throat from shouting to have a conversation?

In Hyattsville, MD Wet Your Palettes recently opened. Shortly after opening they offered a Groupon. I am a sucker for Groupons, this time it proved to be worth it.

You can bring a bottle of wine to enjoy while learning step by step instructions from a local artist. Every person in the class makes the same painting. On the website you can reserve your space based on the painting that will be completed.

My friend and I had a wonderful time. We spent 2 hours, laughing, talking while enjoying being creative and we walked away with a beautiful picture to remind ourselves of the evening. I'll definitely do this again for a fun girls night out! This would also make a great gift for a friend that already has everything, an evening out with while experiencing something different and creative.

Valentine's Card: worst craft ever continued....

noreply@blogger.com (CocktailMom) — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 14:17:00 +0000

Oh remember that horrible craft project I was telling you about with the melted crayons?

Yeah well I forgot to tell you WHY I made them.

Valentine's day treats for each of my son's classes, oh yes that's right.... 51 of those time-sucking-trippy-crayons.

Remember DO NOT attempt this craft. It sucks!

But the bags I made to go with them were pretty cute. I used The Long Thread's free valentine's printable.

Routine

noreply@blogger.com (CocktailMom) — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 13:57:00 +0000

In every ordinary moment.... I am thankful for my family.

For the joy and the messes they create.

Melted Crayons- worst craft ever!

noreply@blogger.com (CocktailMom) — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 14:07:00 +0000

Have you ever made one of those crafts and half way through the production you ask yourself "why am I doing this?". If you are an avid crafter, I know this has happened to you!

Or maybe afterwards you total up your receipts and discover that you could have purchased the exact item you just made for half the price?

I am not going to tell you how to make these crayons because I don't want you to make the same mistake I made. Oh sure they are cute and the kids love the trippy colors...but it's not worth your time or the money!

I spent $14 dollars on plastic molds that I now can never use for anything else. This project ate up an entire afternoon of just baking, several evenings were spent tearing the paper from each broken crayon to the point that my thumb nail was separating from the nail bed- ouch!

Do not try this at home. Just buy your kids a 64 count box of Crayola crayons and call it a day.

New Responsibilities

noreply@blogger.com (Gretchen) — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 13:30:00 +0000

We have two dogs, one large and one medium hound type dogs.

Our dogs are horrible and I mean horrible walkers. They pull you in opposite directions or will both go charging for a squirrel which results in your shoulder feeling like it's been pulled out of it's socket.

When our nine year old son, Logan, started asking if he could walk the dogs we were really hesitant.

Every evening we take the dogs for a walk, typically the boys are on their scooters way ahead of us but lately Logan has been interested in walking and requesting to hold a leash.

So we tried it, what's the worse that could happen - right?

Well it was as if our eldest and larger dog knew that he had to be gentle, he didn't pull Logan and walked better for him than he does for my wife or I. Logan takes great pride in this new responsibility and I think really enjoys having a more mature chore around our house.

Routine

noreply@blogger.com (CocktailMom) — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 13:45:00 +0000

Every week I sit down at our dining room table with my spiral notebook and I make my week to-do list.
It helps me to feel less anxious.
As I write them down my mind feels free to focus on dreams.

Greenbelt Patch: Blood is Thicker Than Water

noreply@blogger.com (CocktailMom) — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 13:39:00 +0000

Growing up my mom would often tell my sister and I to "watch out for each other".

When the two of us were on our own, without her parent supervision, she would enforce this rule for us to stick together. As children going to a sleepover at my cousin’s house these were the words she would say as we opened the car doors, it continued into our preteen and teen years when she would drop us off at the mall to hang out with friends or go to a party.

I’m sure if you psychoanalyzed the situation it had a lot to do with her own upbringing, my mom and her sister often had to count on each other during their not so grand childhood. Or maybe it was because we grew up in a rough neighborhood, full of boys who sadly saw the back of a police car several times before their eighteenth birthday.

My mother has a collection of stockpile phrases that she continues to use to this day, typical phrases that leave her lips include “she’s the only sister you’ll ever have”, “blood is thicker than water”, “sisters need to stick together”. Often we would roll our eyes and say “yeah mom, whatever.”

There were many years when my sister and I didn’t want to stick together. We spent most of our teen years mumbling, “I hate you” or slamming doors in each other’s face.

And then we became adults.

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Routine

noreply@blogger.com (Gretchen) — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 13:00:00 +0000

Put it on your calendar, a reminder in your phone...Take a Nap this weekend.

Greenbelt Patch: Instilling Thankfulness in Children

noreply@blogger.com (CocktailMom) — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 13:37:00 +0000

It's a struggle for every parent to instill in their children thankfulness and gratitude. Every year before family arrives for a birthday party or Christmas dinner I have to have the pep talk with my children that goes something like this,

"Even if the gift you open isn't something you really wanted you must smile, look the person in the eye and say thank you."

I have this talk because my oldest son, L, is on the Autism Spectrum and one of his unique qualities is that he doesn't have filters. He doesn't have the ability to lie, he can't comprehend the little white lies that we all say in order to make other people feel good—"It's exactly what I wanted" or "I love it, thank you!"—instead he's brutally honest.

I was chatting with his teacher afterschool one day (she knows that I am a yoga instructor) and she mentioned that she started going to the gym and was going to try the yoga classes offered there. L overhears our conversation and inquires, "are you going to the gym because you are fat?"

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Adventure Time: Finn Hat

noreply@blogger.com (Gretchen) — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 16:00:00 +0000

My son's school has a storybook parade on Halloween day. Children are encouraged to dress up like their favorite character from a book. Though Finn from Adventure Time is technically a character from a TV Show, my son when asked what storybook character he wanted to be held up a comic book and insisted comic book characters count too.

It is reading after all.

Luckily finding a pattern for a Finn hat is pretty easy to find after a google search. I had no idea Finn was so popular in the indie arena.
I used this pattern and white felt fabric with Velcro tabs under the chin. It was an easy project to complete and seeing the joy on my son's face made it completely worth it!

Routine

noreply@blogger.com (Gretchen) — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 12:00:00 +0000

Need I say more?

Eternity Birthday Scarf

noreply@blogger.com (Gretchen) — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 13:00:00 +0000

My mother is a lover of knitted and crochet items. She's a thrifty knitter, buying most of her yarn at Joann's Fabric Store or Michael's Craft Store. She hardly ever splurges and purchases "expensive yarn", as she refers to it.

She was the one who taught me how to knit several years ago. Recently while shopping at a local yarn store, A Tangled Skein, I saw this cotton/bamboo blend that I knew my mom would love. The colors remind me of the beach, one of our shared favorite vacation spots and while the winter wind blows the seaside colors will instantly remind her of sandy beaches.

All of my knitted projects, I cast on and begin. I don't follow a pattern, I allow the yarn to spark my own creativity and inspire the piece.

Zen knitting! Give it a try.

Routine

noreply@blogger.com (Gretchen) — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 17:00:00 +0000

You deserve a break.

Go ahead... pour yourself a hot chocolate and ENJOY!

Greenbelt Patch: Avoid DC Crowds and Head to a Baltimore Museum

noreply@blogger.com (CocktailMom) — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 13:32:00 +0000

For parents with kids on the Autism Spectrum, there are many experiences that we have to miss out on due to large, loud crowds. Children on the Autism Spectrum can be over stimulated easily and being put in an environment with a lot of people can lead the child to having a meltdown. My oldest son is on the spectrum and though the meltdowns have become fewer as he’s gotten older, instead over stimulating environments effect his attitude. He becomes “snippy”, short tempered, quick to argue with his brother in other words not pleasant to be around for the rest of the day.

We don’t take advantage of the museums in DC as much as we should mainly because of the crowds. Recently we discovered a hidden gem in Baltimore, The Walters Art Museum. This museum is fantastic for a child on the spectrum, don’t get me wrong it’s great for all kids but for children who are on the spectrum it’s pretty amazing. Here is why:

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Homemade Granola

noreply@blogger.com (CocktailMom) — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 14:26:00 +0000

We are trying to make better choices around our house when it comes to food. Instead of grabbing the low-fat granola bar in it's individual wrapping, I'm choosing the Greek yogurt with a sprinkle of granola. I'm enjoying the change and, dare I say, I actually look forward to this afternoon treat. I used Recipe Girl's recipe but tweaked it slightly.

3 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

1/2 cup sliced almonds

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon grated fresh nutmeg

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

3 tablespoons maple syrup

1/2 cup sunflower seeds, roasted without salt

1/2 cup coarsely chopped dried fruit (I used raisins)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325°F. Spray a large rimmed baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.
Place butter and syrup in microwave safe bowl. Heat until the butter is melted.
Combine the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Stir together until mixed well.
Stir the butter- syrup mixture to the oat mixture; mix until moistened. Spread the oat mixture into the prepared pan and pat down.
Bake on a lower rack for 20 minutes. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and use a spatula to move the granola around and expose pieces that were underneath. Bake an additional 15 to 20 minutes longer, or until the granola is golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool.
When cooled, store in an airtight container for up to two weeks.

Organizing My Thoughts

noreply@blogger.com (Gretchen) — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 15:09:00 +0000

As the saying goes...."I have a lot of irons in the fire."

I run a mobile yoga studio, teaching yoga classes to kids and adults all over the Maryland and Washington DC area,
I'm a portrait photographer,
I write a parenting column for Greenbelt Patch,
I occasionally write on this blog,
I'm in the process of writing a book,
I'm a member of the PTA (not as active as I once was...),
and I'm on a community committee to market our cool neighborhood to prospective buyers.

My plate it pretty full.
So in order to keep my mind clear I need to be organized. Otherwise it will feel like everyday is a panic race to the next item on my calendar, spending way too much time looking for a small piece of paper only to discover it on my mousepad....

You know this drill right?

Here is how I organize my thoughts and notes. I carry around a spiral notebook with me everywhere I go. Nothing fancy, just the spiral one subject notebook that you can get really cheap when the back to school sales are going on. (That is when I stock up!)

If I get an idea for the next chapter of my book I always have pen and paper ready, my to-do list, ideas for blog posts or sequencing my next yoga class are in this notebook.
At the top of each page I write the subject matter really big :BYF (Bee Yoga Fusion), CM (CocktailMom), PTA, etc.
And then once I use all the pages in the spiral notebook I sit down and go through page by page and rip out the pages and put them in a three ring binder.
Several of the pages are recycled, to-do lists for example.
But ideas for future business marketing is stored in its correct divider in the three ring binder, which lives on my desk so that I can refer to it when needed.

How do you organize your thoughts and ideas?

Don't take life so seriously!

noreply@blogger.com (CocktailMom) — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 20:32:00 +0000

I didn't watch the Oscar's last night, I wasn't feeling well and decided to go to bed early. Listening to my body and giving it what it needed much needed rest.

I love the Oscars even when I haven't seen every movie nominated, I end the evening with a wish-list of movies to add to my Redbox desires. In previous years I've thrown Oscar night parties, one year guests dressed up in their ball gowns, another year kids and adults wore their pajamas and we had pack-n-plays in every available bedroom so that the adults could stay up and "party".

So last night I missed the Chicago reunion that everyone on Facebook was talking about this morning, I missed the major trip up the stairs by Jennifer Lawrence. And I missed making my list of movies to see.

When a friend posted this video on Facebook (Thanks Sara!) I cracked up laughing. I love how honest Jennifer Lawrence is and it's a great reminder for all of us to not take life so darn seriously!