Wednesday, January 17, 2007

comfort level

It was pretty cold last night. The house was fairly warm in the morning, by about two in the afternoon, I, she who likes bare feet, voluntarily put on socks. At about 7:30, it was cool in the house, even by the computers and couch, all of which are situated near vents. I trekked down stairs, and lo and behold-the pilot light on the furnace had gone out! We have a gas furnase with an electric ignition, so after shutting off gas and power to the heater for five minutes, we powered it back up and FWOOSH!, there was heat. We have space heaters upstairs in the bedrooms, being our heat is lazy, and doesn't so much rise as let itself get pushed around, so at least the bedrooms were toasty. I have been listening for the blowers to kick in, a sure sign the furnace is working.

Mr. Guy, a friend of ours, watched the younger two while I picked Hermes up from the palace of learning, and while he was here, litterally shoveled out the livingroom, making a nice pile of things for me to go through. He figured it was the easiest way to make space for Buddha and Thor to play nicely together, which for him, they did. Thor is very at ease around Mr. Guy, which is good to know, being Mr. Guy lives six doors down, and is our emergency go to guy. He watched Hermes and Buddha when I picked up Hubby, Thor came with. 4:30 is his normal car ride time, and he was not going to let me leave without him. As much as I say he doesn't have a set in stone routine, that is changing as he gets older.

The weather was interesting to Thor, he really isn't to familiar with snow, was too young last year to play in it, and was dealing with the ear infections, but this morning, after dropping Hermes off at the palace of learning, Thor decided that maybe, the mittens he loves so much serve a purpose other than having Curious George on his hands, maybe, the kep his hands safe and warm for a reason. He bent down, and picked up some snow...he threw the snow, he was pleased. Winter seems to be in his comfort zone! He likes the way fall looks, but not feels or sounds. It is really an abrasive season for him, all sharp and rough and crackly noises and feelings, but winter, it is quiet, and pretty, and smooth, and crunchy. I cannot explain the difference between a crackly noise and a crunchy noise, but it exists, and he has a preference. I am really excited that he enjoys snow, and am looking forward to see how he deals with sledding.

Personally, I am becoming more comfortable daily with having a child who is on the autism spectrum. I am no longer feeling the need to quantify him as being high functioning, or barely on the spectrum, or what have you. It is more apparent, as he gets older daily, that he will have some tendancies for a long hall, but at the same time, he is so charismatic, and happy, and loving, and funny, and well, he's just him. Labeling him doean't make him any less Thor, heck, it even helps to understand some of what he does that makes him Thor. Hermes is trying very hard to act as an interpreter, however, it is hard to believe him sometimes, as I doubt that Thor is always trying to do things in Hermes interests over his own. Few two year olds will relinquish a cookie.

Buddha took two unassisted steps in the playpen the other day! I need to let him on the floor more now that it is clean, and I cannot let Thor's accomplishments overshadow Buddha's developmental milestones, or Hermes amazing progress at school. More and more I am becoming more comfortable with the idea that I can do this.

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