It breaks my heart

Yesterday while riding home  from school, Gabe told me he doesn't like his voice.  He said he wants to talk like his cousin.  How heart breaking.  I don't want Gabe to realize he talks different then other kids.  I don't want other kids to make fun of him.  It breaks my heart to no end knowing other mean children are going to pick on my baby.  I like living in a bubble where I can imagine that all people and all children treat each other with respect.  It won't happen.  Kids are mean....hell big people are mean.  When you don't talk like society thinks you should you are immediately labeled "stupid", "slow", "retarded".  Gabe is none of those.  The one thing I hate most about autism....Gabe's language issues.  If I could fix that today...I would.  I can handle the meltdowns, the need for sameness, the spinning, jumping, echoed speech, but when he knows he talks different....I can't handle that.  I don't want him to feel less....he is no less then anyone else....and I need him to know that.  I love my son...may he always be surrounded by those who love and see him for who he is....he has so much to offer.

Too Much School

Can there be such a thing as too much learning??  You bet!  Poor Gabe is so burned out from school that he cries every time he hears it's a "two school day".  The last two days I have kept him at home.  He needs the break.  We spent an entire Tuesday snuggling and playing Mario Galaxy 2!  Then we went swimming.  It was a great day. 

I am so ready for school to be done.  Gabe's going to go to his first ever day camp at LUF.  An entire week of fun, fun, fun! 

We also decided NO SUMMER SCHOOL (also known as extended school year) for Gabe.  It's a last minute decision...but one that I feel is the right choice for Gabe.  He is totally therapied out.  I can't say I blame him much. Three to four days a week of speech therapy for the last 3 years.  And while I know how important intensive therapy is....Gabe still deserves a break for a job well done. 

So our summer plans are to be lazy and enjoy the pool...and cut back speech and OT to 2 hours a week.  It's going to be a great summer.

Update on the kiddies.

Zane's tubes have been placed.  Yay!  He has had one ear infection since then :-( Boo.   But seems to be doing better.  Matt and I decided it was time to call early intervention for Z, given the fact that he really isn't adding new words and receptively he seems a wee bit delayed. I'm hoping it's just from recurrent ear infections.  His words so far are uh uh (UH OH), cat (for everything), dada, hot (for hot, cold and light) and that's it.  I was hoping for more by now.

Gabe graduates preschool next week!  Then it's off to kindergarten.  I am really having a hard time dealing with the idea that he is going to be in school 5 days a week full time.  I might have a mini meltdown.  My baby isn't my little baby anymore. 

Our pool at our complex is open!  Woo hoo.  Gabe's been swimming twice now.  Zane hates it and cries....but Gabe's a fish.

We have lots of fun things planned for this summer and can't wait to sit back and relax!