Monday Mayhem
Happy birthday Annie!
The concept of “little sister having a birthday” doesn’t fit well with Jack this year. The usual autism spectrum traits have come out in full force, and with the birthday celebrations we have had considerable ‘mayhem’!!!
Tomorrow we should be back to normal though… in the meantime, we’re all going to take some time out and do some more trampolining. The trampoline is new to our house, and has been fabulous. Long live the trampoline!
December 3rd, 2007 at 3:55 am
OK. I need details on the trampoline. Only because we just purchased one and I was panged in whether I made a good choice. I can wait until the pictures come up to be specific….I’ll be back….
December 3rd, 2007 at 10:37 am
Happy birthday Annie!
Lovely photos!
December 3rd, 2007 at 11:31 am
Thanks Casdok!
Jen P
-The trampoline has only been a recent addition to the household! We had always planned on getting a mini trampoline for the kids to jump on (Jack’s field worker and Kindergarten teacher had suggested it would be good therapy for him - he has a lot of trouble working out ’space’ and so they thought jumping would help him in understanding the idea of space around him, as well as movement and helping him to work off some energy.
The trampoline we have has padding and a net surrounding it so that the kids are protected from falling off or from hurting themselves on the springs. I guess injuries are possible, but I figure Jack is going to jump on things anyway (like the furniture if he can get away with it) so at least this way I can contain where he jumps. We do have a one at a time and must be supervised rule, especially at this stage when the kids are still young.
As you can see in the photos, the kids even convinced Steve and I to get on the trampoline - I liked trampolining as a kid but I never thought I’d do that again!!!
December 3rd, 2007 at 12:50 pm
Hi Elissa,
Thanks for visiting my blog! I love your new trampoline! We’ve had a mini-tramp since SB was in the Infant and Toddler Program (the PT recommended it) and he still uses it. But I’ve been thinking about getting a big one as the jumping is so calming for him. The large one would also help more with understanding space issues since our tramp can only fit one kid at a time. Do you mind me asking which brand you bought?
December 3rd, 2007 at 1:55 pm
Hi Tulipmom!
The trampoline is a ‘Bounce Pro’ made by Gametime Sports. We chose a style that had the net fixed to the trampoline on the inside of the springs instead of the outside (we thought it might be a bit safer if the kids fell against it). And they are so calming aren’t they!!
December 3rd, 2007 at 3:40 pm
Happy Birthday Annie! Trampolines are so much fun!
December 3rd, 2007 at 3:45 pm
We have a mini one that stays outside. Too dangerous with the fireplace in the living room.
Little boys b-day was yesterday as well. Eldest… OMG… us too… full ASD… He’s still having difficulty with the fact his younger bro is now capable of being an active member of the family. Not a silent, baby-like one. Most kids learn this long before their little bro’s turn 6, so we’re having trouble.
Hope you had a good party… we did.
S.
December 3rd, 2007 at 4:53 pm
Happy Birthday Annie! The trampoline looks like a blast. How fun!!
December 3rd, 2007 at 5:03 pm
Happy Birthday Annie!
The trampoline is really good exercise for adults. When I had the Kiddos in gymnastics and they would have their little I don’t want to participate episodes, I’d let them sit and watch and I would go jump and get my heartrate up. We got a mini-one and it is on its way. It has an 80 pound limit so I guess I won’t be jumping on it. I can’t make myself buy an outdoor one because we have 2 neighbors with one very similar to yours. Of course we can’t jump on it because we haven’t been invited to….but you never know…one day…we really are nice neighbors…at least we mean well! =o)
December 3rd, 2007 at 8:37 pm
Thanks to Maizie, Joy, Jen P and fw2 for your lovely birthday wishes!
fw2 - I’m still trying to work out exactly what it was about his sister’s birthday that caused so much of a problem for him! I think mostly the sensory stuff and ‘activity’ of the day. Anyway, she was oblivious to most of it so it didn’t bother her (at least while she’s still young anyway).
December 3rd, 2007 at 8:58 pm
Mine was a “he’s getting attention and I’m not” and a “I can do that - candles, open presents” instead of letting his bro do it and “but I want to play with that”.
All very “normal” but combined to create one frustrating child who finally started hitting his head on the chair seats. My Mom got him calmed down again but he was just WOUND the rest of the evening.
S.
December 4th, 2007 at 12:40 am
fw2 - Yes we had the ‘attention’ thing and the ‘I can do that for her’ too. As you say, in the end we were totally ‘wound up’ here as well.
I’m glad the day is over!
December 10th, 2007 at 6:36 am
Thanks for the tramp info. I’ll have to check that out.