Wantapeanut

LATEST ARTICLES ( 101 )

• New Year, New Direction

  It is no surprise to my regular readers, if I still have any, that I haven't been blogging on a regular basis. I'm not going to make excuses—I just haven't... Read more

  Posted on 03 January 2014 FAMILY, PARENTING, SELF EXPRESSION

• My Return to Work by the Numbers

  It's been a busy while since I've written anything here. So I figured I'd do a quick update with some stats from the past two months, in no particular... Read more

  Posted on 22 December 2013 FAMILY, PARENTING, SELF EXPRESSION

• Staying Connected After Returning to Work

  

  Tomorrow, I'm returning to full time work after being a stay at home mom for over six years. In some ways, it seems like yesterday I was working at my last... Read more

  Posted on 28 October 2013 FAMILY, PARENTING, SELF EXPRESSION

• Why We're Done With Speech Therapy

  Moe has had speech therapy since he was two years old. That's just over four years of speech therapy. Moe has gotten speech from early intervention, from the... Read more

  Posted on 27 September 2013 FAMILY, PARENTING, SELF EXPRESSION

• Making Positive Changes in the Wake of the Stapleton Tragedy

  If you follow many autism blogs or are involved in the autism communities on Facebook, you have certainly by now heard about the attempted murder-suicide of Iss... Read more

  Posted on 07 September 2013 FAMILY, PARENTING, SELF EXPRESSION

• Gold Medal Winner

  

  In the special needs community, we like to say "there are no winners in the hardship olympics." There's no better way to make a parent feel lousy than to... Read more

  Posted on 04 September 2013 FAMILY, PARENTING, SELF EXPRESSION

• The Day I Lost My Mind

  

  Out to breakfast!Write it down, people. August 28, 2013: The day I officially lost my mind. Let me explain.Two weeks ago, Jeff decided to get sick. Like spent... Read more

  Posted on 29 August 2013 FAMILY, PARENTING, SELF EXPRESSION

• Skills, Expertise, and Cheese

  

  A couple years ago I wrote a piece about being (or not being) really good at something. With autistic people, such talents are often called "splinter skills,"... Read more

  Posted on 22 August 2013 FAMILY, PARENTING, SELF EXPRESSION

• It's a Good Life

  

  Yesterday afternoon, Moe ran over to Anabelle, grabbed her ponytail, and threw her to the floor. As far as I could tell, he wasn't being mean, just impulsive.... Read more

  Posted on 06 August 2013 FAMILY, PARENTING, SELF EXPRESSION

• Medication Update

  

  Tenex is a teeny tiny round pill. It is very difficult to cut it into a quarter dose.My last post was about starting medication with Moe. Read more

  Posted on 18 July 2013 FAMILY, PARENTING, SELF EXPRESSION

• Starting Medication

  

  Moe was a great sleeper as a baby. Sure, we had the usual newborn stuff, but after he hit the 4 month mark, he learned to fall asleep on his own and slept... Read more

  Posted on 27 June 2013 FAMILY, PARENTING, SELF EXPRESSION

• Doughnuts and Inspiration

  I've seen a few inspiring videos circulating social media lately. I'm not talking about what is sometimes called "inspiration porn," videos, in which, for... Read more

  Posted on 21 June 2013 SELF EXPRESSION

• Possibilities

  

  I sat on the couch in the mostly dark living room. Blue and green LEDs blinked, indicating our connection to the outside world.Praying for sleep, I leaned into... Read more

  Posted on 11 June 2013 FAMILY, PARENTING, SELF EXPRESSION

• The S-Word

  

  Friday night was one of the worst nights of my life. It wasn't the worst; I was with my brother the night he died. No one was injured (much). No marriages were... Read more

  Posted on 29 May 2013 FAMILY, PARENTING, SELF EXPRESSION

• 2013 Update

  Oh, twenty thirteen, it's been quite a year so far. Time flies when you're busy, even if you're not always having fun.I'm coming down from a few busy months,... Read more

  Posted on 22 May 2013 FAMILY, PARENTING, SELF EXPRESSION

• Lucky

  Every few days I walk the perimeter of our backyard. It is a nice yard, not too big. It is a simple rectangle with a patio and a lawn. Read more

  Posted on 20 May 2013 FAMILY, PARENTING, SELF EXPRESSION

• Finding Inspiration

  

  On Sunday, Mother's Day, I had the most amazing experience. I participated as a cast member in the San Francisco Listen to Your Mother show. Read more

  Posted on 16 May 2013 FAMILY, PARENTING, SELF EXPRESSION

• Rain Or Shine

  

  It's been a hard few weeks. Really hard. Moe hasn't been sleeping. He's dysregulated and aggressive. He bit 3 people and has scratched the hell out of my arms. Read more

  Posted on 08 May 2013 FAMILY, PARENTING, SELF EXPRESSION

• How to Make Fairy Cupcakes, Part 1

  

  I have a few talents. I can write. I am a decent cook and baker. I have a pretty good eye for interior design. I am not, however, crafty.Every so often, however... Read more

  Posted on 02 May 2013 FAMILY, PARENTING, SELF EXPRESSION

• Are You Listening?

  

  I had been sipping tea with honey all day, hoping my voice would hold out just long enough. I parked in the now familiar underground lot of the San Francisco JC... Read more

  Posted on 30 April 2013 FAMILY, PARENTING, SELF EXPRESSION