Hot Dog Casserole

It sparked so much interest in my last posting, that it deserved it's own post!

My Dad was a single Dad when my brother and I were little and I always try to give him kudos for working long hours, taking care of us, cooking, cleaning, teaching, and playing. I never remember him being cranky or tired though I'm sure he had to have been.

One of his cuisines he made on the regular was his hot dog casserole. It was something he could make on a budget and something my brother and I would eat without complaint. It's super simple and it's become one of those recipes I fall back on when I'm tired or the kids want a "movie night".

I don't have exact measurements but it's cooked rotini pasta, hot dogs cut up, an onion chopped up, and mozzarella cheese. Mix it all together in a casserole dish. Cut a stick of butter over the top (or use some safflower oil like we do now!), sprinkle garlic powder, salt, pepper, and bread crumbs over the top. Bake at 350 for 20 to 30 minutes.

Classic kid fare. And at least it has an onion in it, so it's not all bad. At least that's my story, and I'm sticking to it.

Randomicity

The theme for this week's Special Needs blog hop is "Random Thoughts". I only speak in random thoughts, so this should be perfect for me.

So where to begin:

• I totally bombed my treatment practical today and I wanted to throw up, crawl under a rock, or throw something. Wish I had a time machine so I could do it all over again.


• On the ride home from school today Brian was chanting "Percy and Tommy, Percy and Tommy". Any idea what he went to play with as soon as he got home?


• Corbin told his speech therapist that Brian has been flapping his hands a lot more lately. If my 8-year-old is noticing, then it's time for me to admit that something has been off again lately.


• I really really really want a frozen strawberry margarita with sugar on the rim. Right now.


• Brian wrote a letter to Santa at school that said he'd help me with the dishes. I'll have to thank his aide for putting that in there- because I'm holding him to it.


• I cry easily.


• According to Corbin's teacher, he told the whole class yesterday the reason he is so good at math is because his mom has a ton of math trophies. Now the secret that I was a high school mathlete is out.


• We're going to eat my Dad's famous hot dog casserole for dinner and watch Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Don't be hating.

Want to join in the nonsense this week? Click below!!

A Twisted Sense of Humor

I'm sure everyone has heard me talk about Corbin's interest in crying "It's not Fair!", when it comes to some rules that are different between him and Brian. Sometimes he is right.

Take for instance- watching things on television. I will admit, with my head hung in shame, that I sometimes will watch inappropriate things when just Brian is around, thinking he's not soaking it up or paying any attention at all. One should never, ever assume that about a child with autism, by the way.

The other evening Brian fell asleep at 5:00. No poking, prodding, shaking, tickling could wake him up. Of course he was up at 11:00 ready to play, the same time I was just snuggling into my bed. If I'm still awake at that time you can almost always bet I either have my television on Family Guy on Adult Swim or the Chelsea Lately show. I warmed up some of the night's dinner and invited Brian to eat it in my bed, and Family Guy was in the background.

We were good like that for a few minutes and Brian seemed totally involved in his food. There was a hilarious, completely uncalled-for joke, and I was giggling inside, when Brian let out a loud chorus of chuckles. I looked at him and he was completely engrossed in the show.

Still, being the lazy, tired Mom I was, I didn't change the channel. Seconds later, Stewie was punching Lois, and another large round of laughs from Brian.

He definitely gets a lot more than he lets on.

And I'm a bit concerned that he finds it funny when Stewie beats up his mom.

And yes, the television went off at that point.

Did You Know That Autism is on the Rise?

This semester I spent time volunteering at Coastal Opportunities, which is a wonderful non-profit organization, that provides living supports, day-habilitation services, vocational support, and so much more to adults with intellectual disabilities and/or autism. I could go on forever with how wonderful I think they are but that's not really the cause of this sporadic posting.

I'm going to do a presentation tomorrow at school about this service and this population and I was researching more into our state's resources as to why in the world there are waiting lists for such valuable services and I stumbled across this report that Maine put together on Autism last year. Particularly this jumped out at me....

In 1984 there were fewer than 40 individuals identified as having autism in Maine. To provide services to them, the 111th Legislature passed the Autism Act of 1984. Today, in 2009, our schools serve 2,222 students identified with autism.

And then in a document titled, "Realities of Living in Maine with A Disability", had this chart....



I know, old news, right? Autism is rising at an exponential rate. But it still gets me every time. Takes my breath away, want to pull out my hair, and just scream, "Why does no one notice? Or care??".

Our Own Language

The longer time I spend with my kids, the stranger I become. One of the side effects of this phenomenom is how our language has evolved into one that outsiders may not fully understand.

For example:

Wonko (noun): silly, hyperactive person- derived from the British term, wonky.


"Corbin, stop screaming about your boogers at the top of your lungs! You are being such a wonko!"

Peenee (noun): a slang word, invented by Corbin, for the male organ

I don't think there is any need to use this one in a sentence. I think you get the idea.

Lubba-Dubba-Doo (noun): love, hugs, and kisses


A friend of mine's grandmother always would say to him (and all other family members), "Give me some of that lubba-dubba-doo". I liked it, so I stole it.

Snuggle-buggle (noun): one who likes to cuddle


"You are being such a snuggle-buggle and I love it," said affectionately when Brian climbs into my bed at five in the morning.

Easy-Going Brother

I'm always being asked how Corbin and Brian get along. What their relationship is like. I can't say anything bad about it. In fact, they get along better than most any other siblings I've seen. I always thought part of it was that Brian was pretty easy going. He usually won't fight Corbin over a toy. He'll follow Corbin anywhere. Granted, ninety percent of the time their play is only parallel. They're each playing their own thing. But they are always in the same room together and respecting each other's space.

Last night, my beautiful, wonderful, sweet three-year-old niece spent the night. The boys love her and she loves them but they really haven't spent too much time together, at least for long periods of time.

As the evening went on I started to hear a lot more "Brian Be Quiet!" when we were all trying to watch Elf and Brian was jumping back and forth, flapping, yelling "Eeee, Eeee, Eeee". In the bath she didn't want him to put the train tracks on the side of the tub (which he does for every single bath) and it was causing some big time stress for Brian. When Brian made a pillow crash pad on the floor next to the couch to do some repetitive jumping, she wanted to lay on the pillows. (DISCLAIMER: Sabrina, Scarlett is absolutely wonderful and don't take this the wrong way! I know how you overreact!)

None of these things are a big deal , but they made me realize how much Corbin does deal with. I just don't see it and maybe he doesn't either, because it's been this way for years now. It's just part of our life.

I honestly don't hear Brian making his loud yelling noises if I'm concentrating on something else. Corbin likes to play Bakugans in the tub but he can do that with train tracks on the side of the tub, because they are just always there, and he most likely barely notices it now. When Brian has set up some sort of deep pressure obstacle course, Corbin just stays out of the way or he joins in.

My original theory of Brian being easy-going may be backwards, I think it's us that have become easy-going. It's us that have just accepted Brian and learned how to continue on with our lives AROUND any oddities or quirks. To some outsiders, this may seem strange or maybe even sad for Corbin. I, on the other hand, think he is learning empathy, patience, compassion, and so much more and it will shape him into a very amazing young man. Brian couldn't ask for a better big brother.

Brian's Admirers

I volunteer in Brian's classroom on Monday mornings and I usually arrive a little early so I can watch circle time.

Brian uses a backjack chair to help him sit up, rather than sprawl all over the rug, and also gives him a clearer idea of his own personal space.

I love watching him go and grab it out of it's spot at the side of the classroom and carry it over to the rug and find a spot to sit. A lot of the time he likes to put it on top of the letter "B", but if I'm there he tries to make sure it's close to whatever table I'm working at, while still staying on the rug.

The chair is a little awkward to manipulate, especially when someone is only using one hand because the other hand is being sucked on. It's even harder when he has five little girls that seem to be attached to him by magnets, following him around, pushing each other, to make sure they are the ones next to him when he finally find the perfect spot.

It's so funny how little girls are so attentive to Brian. It was the same way last year. I'm almost positive it's because most little girls have that nurturing instinct in them. They want to help him and hug him, and he'll let them, unlike many other little boys.

I hope these girls that he grows up with will always be there to lend a helping hand, I know these things change when they age. And I hope he grows to appreciate it, because right now he's not giving much back to those little girls, besides making sure their clothes are always hair-free (another obsession of his).