Special Olympic Dance

Saturday night was the Special Olympic Ice Cream Social/Dance. Jaylin is doing the YMCA in this picture. He was on the dance floor the majority of the night and had a blast. We always have a great time and enjoy our times with our friends.

Soccer Clinic Wk 2

Saturday was week 2 of the soccer clinic at Lemoyne. This year instead of t-shirts, the players got jerseys. Jaylin enjoyed playing and Melissa was great with him. I actually asked her if she majored in special education and she said no but she was thinking about it. I told her that she definitely should. After the clinic, we went to lunch at Tully's (Jaylin, Marilyn, Kathleen, and I).

Soccer Clinic Wk 1

On Saturday the 18th, Jaylin went to his firstof a two week soccer clinic at Lemoyne. Jaylin went last year with Paige, Alyssa, and Alena and they had a blast. This year none of them were able to atten. Melissa (one of Lemoyne's girl soccer players) took Jaylin under her wing and they had a great time together. He was definitely excited that it was two weeks this year instead of one.

Basketball Tournament

On Friday the 17th, Jaylin participated in a basketball tournament for Liberty. The youth participants played against the adults in the day hab program. Jaylin had a blast playing.

Who wears heels to play in a basketball game.....MARILYN!!

Jaylin getting his trophy for participating. He was so excited about that.

Autism Awareness

April is Autism Awareness Month. When your child is diagnosed with autism it is a very hard thing to deal with. A lot of people told me that Jaylin would "grow out of it" and really you hope that this would happen. I remember it as if it was yesterday. Jaylin was 4 years old, I was about to graduate high school, and I just looked at him and thought "this is not going away but he is such an amazing kid that we are going to keep working to make things better for him". So from then on, that's what we have been doing and I have to say it just keeps getting better and better. I look at him and have such love and pride at the accomplishments he has made. I'm so proud of the man he is becoming.

We have had quite the journey. I feel like I don't regret anything that has happened because it has gotten us to where we are today. I just wish that we would have found the techniques that have worked for him sooner.

There are definitely days where I really hate autism but the good days out weigh the bad days. Autism has given my family a lot. I have found a passion for helping people that can really benefit from my help and insight. We have met so many amazing people that we may not have met otherwise. We are lucky to have all the people that have helped Jaylin now and in the years past. For the past 5 years, Jaylin has had an amazing, loving, supportive team of teachers that with my help have gotten him to where he is today. I'm so proud of him and can't wait to see where he is next year at this time.

School Birthday Party

I have been slacking on my blogging. You would think that since I was home last week that I could have caught up but of course I didn't. At least I am only behind a little bit, I am almost a year behind in my scrapbooking. On Friday April 3rd, Jaylin celebrated his birthday at school. As you can tell from the last blog he made a cake for his classroom. Here are some pictures of Jaylin with his class. It is so nice to see how happy he is in these pictures. He was struggling at the beginning of the year with school. There were a lot of changes for him and a bit much expectations. It took him a little bit but he's comfortable now and loves it. Miss W and Jaylin. We have been so fortunate to have her for three years now. I would have to say she pretty much loves him as much as I do, thats why she is his "second mom". We have had quite the journey the last three years. He has come so far with the love and support of myself and Miss W. We are very lucky to have her in our lives. Most people aren't as lucky as we are.

Making a Cake

At school on Fridays Jaylin participates in a cooking activity. So I got to thinking that maybe I should send in stuff to make a cake or cupcakes that could be used for a cooking activity the Friday before his birthday. So I asked Kristin, his speech therapist, if I send in stuff if it could be an option. She said of course but she would take care of it all. This year Jaylin is participating in two classrooms so we didnt want to leave anyone out when celebrating his birthday. So Kristin came up with the idea of him making a cake by himself for his main classroom. This would also help her observe how well he could follow directions. Then he would also participate in the group activity of making another cake for the other classroom. Jaylin had a blast! Thanks Bonnie (Miss W/second mom) for taking such fantastic pictures for me!

Talent Show

As I wrote in the blog about Jaylin's birthday, he performed two songs on the piano in Familycapped's talent show. He played "Happy Birthday" which he learned a week before the show and "You are My Sunshine". He froze a little bit when playing "You are My Sunshine" but did a fantastic job. He gets shy about playing when he plays for a group of people so I'm glad he did it. I'm so proud of him. Receiving his certificate for performing from Nick (director of Familycapped) Jaylin and all the other performers in the Talent Show

Happy Easter

We had a nice, relaxing Easter this year. Jaylin woke up and got his basket. He had 2 basket, one with all his favorite candies: skittles, starburst, smarties, and lollipops. I added a chocolate bunny and some mini fruit roll ups to it and the second one had a dry erase board for his magnetic letters (it doesn't hold them though so its going back), a mini basketball hoop for his bedroom, a couple little slinkies, letter foam stickers, and a little sketchpad to draw on or use the letter stickers on. We bummed around the house for a bit and then took showers and got ready to go. We headed over to my mom's house for dinner. My stepdad made lasagna and some pork. It was delicious and he made extra for us to take him. Since we were all together we booked our flights for Florida next month. I can't wait to get away.

Happy 14th Birthday Jaylin

Fourteen years ago at 10:06 pm, Jaylin Tyler was born weighing 7 pounds 14 ounces and was 19 1/2 inches long. He came into this world right on time (due date) and life has been that way ever since. I couldn't imagine my life without him.

We started out our day at bowling. They announced that it was Jaylin's birthday and he was really excited about that. Spongebob helped him earn an 88 and 94. After bowling we headed over to Pizza Hut to have lunch with friends. Jaylin was in heaven with pepperoni pizza, sausage pizza, and breadsticks. After we finished eating, Jaylin opened all the presents his friends brought for him. He got a Marathon Orangemen t-shirt, a Scooby Doo dvd, Now 28 cd, Walmart gift card, Target gift card, Tully's gift card, a multi restaurant gift card, and some money. He loved everything and appreciates it. He was so ready to eat his cake. It was very yummy. We were very excited that Aunt Annie (my best friend/Jaylin's godmother) was able to spend the day with us. She actually saved our day because she met us at my apartment before we left for bowling. I was rushing to leave and locked my keys in my apartment. Thank god she was with us because we would have had to wait for my stepdad to bring my spares and Jaylin would have ended up missing bowling. Luckily, we jumped into her car and headed to bowling.

After lunch, we headed back to my apartment to get my car. Annie followed us to the talent show that Jaylin was in (more to come on that later). After the talent we came home and relaxed. We've been running like crazy for the last two days so Jaylin needed some down time. At 630 we headed to Applebee's for dinner. Jaylin had to get his cheese sticks, steak, and fries.

He had a fantastic birthday. Our little Pizza Hut lunch was a great idea. It was very low key and relaxing. He has one more mini party left at the YMCA tomorrow afternoon and then his birthday week will be over.

Birthday Dinner/Shopping Spree

We started out at talent show rehearsal. Jaylin played the two songs he is performing tomorrow a couple times then we left. He was thrilled to sit down in front of a piano (his piano is still at my mom's house so he's just been playing on his keyboard).

We left and headed to Target. Last year I gave Jaylin money and he picked out what he wanted. He loved it so I decided to do it again this year. He bought In Living Color (saw it last weekend and wanted it, told him he had to wait for birthday money and good thing he did cause it went on sale this week and he saved $5), Tom and Jerry dvd, Scooby Doo dvd, Here Comes Spring dvd collection, Now 29, and Now 30 (both Now cds were on sale as well). After we cashed out we went into the little cafe there and had a small lunch.

We headed to Walmart in East Syracuse looking for Full House Season 1 dvd. Jaylin saw this at FYE 2 weeks ago and I told him he didn't have enough money in his allowance fund and would have to wait until his birthday. He has been obsessing over it since then. I swore I saw it at Walmart but it wasnt at that one and Annie texted me to tell me it wasn't at the Walmart in Cicero either.

So we headed to an Easter party at Mike and Ann's house with a disappointed Jaylin. Jaylin had a good time at the party but was still obsessing over Full House.

After we left the party we headed to Tully's to meet my mom, stepdad, and brother for Jaylin's birthday dinner with them (they will be busy at cheer gym tomorrow so we did it tonight). He had a great time joking around with Grandma.

After dinner, we pick up a cake for his lunch birthday party tomorrow and a cookie cake for his party at the Y on Monday. My brother suggested trying Best Buy for Full House so we headed out to there and found it (on sale). At first, he had Full House Season 1 and 8 in his hand. Then I asked him what he wanted and he said Full House and Cosby Show. I told him he only had $40 left and would have to pick 2 of the 3 dvds that he wanted. So he got Full House Season 1 and Cosby Show Season 1.

Before we headed home, we stopped at Dollar Tree to get some balloons. We get a little centerpiece thing and tie the balloons onto it. Jaylin loves it.

We finally got home after being gone all day and Jaylin starts obsessing over Full House Season 8. I swear it never ends. I explained to him that he spent all the money I gave him today that he may get money tomorrow at his party or he will have to save up money to get it. He is finally accepting this but definitely not happy about it.

Liberty Birthday Party

Tonight starts Jaylin's birthday week. His real birthday is Sunday but he wants to celebrate with everyone so he is having many mini parties. Tonight Marilyn threw him a party with his Liberty friends. He had a great time.John, one of Jaylin's friends, drew a picture of Jaylin on a balloon Marilyn and Jaylin cutting the cake she made him. It was yummy!Jaylin and Marilyn (such a great picture of the two of them)

Jaylin with his Liberty friends that came to his party

Jaylin opening his presents. Marilyn and Judie (the director of the Liberty program) both gave him presents.

Now that the parties have started, he's ready for the next one.....Friday at school!!!