Things I'm Thankful For - Autism Style

During the weekend of Thanksgiving, I will be pretty busy....as most of us tend to be during the holidays. So, last week I wrote double-time, and I created Things I'm Thankful For - Autism Style. It's a tribute to the things that I am most thankful for specifically when it comes to living with autism. Some maybe fun & other things serious, but they are all honestly true.

The first thing I am thankful for is my van. I L-O-V-E my mini-van. This past summer, my sister & I talked about me taking care of her 2 kiddos while she was at work. This would include a lot of driving because her oldest is in all day preschool & my Ethan is in half-day preschool......at different schools. Plus, my last car wouldn't have been able to fit 3 car seats plus coats & book bags & snack/drinks. So....this last August we purchased a new-to-us minivan......and I adore it!

Because toting around 3 kiddos is not the easiest thing in the world, I rely a lot on my van. Her side doors will automatically open at the touch of a button on my key....LOVE! So, when the kids run past me going out the door in the morning, I simply push a button & the kids are already climbing in the van while I am closing the front door. It also helps when I'm running errands & need both of my hands for all the usual mom stuff.....holding kids hands, carrying purse/diaper bag/sacks of merchandise, etc. I can push the button & literally drop my load on the floor of the van....and then get things situated. On the inside of the van doors, there are also push buttons that allow the kids to push the buttons....if I choose to unlock this feature. The kids love taking turns pushing the button to close the doors....and it's one less thing for me to do with my already full hands. As the driver, I have the ability to open the side door of my choosing after parking the van. I love this because I can pick the safer side of the van to gather the kids....and they automatically know which side to exit.

We have gotten our morning school routine down pretty good, and the kids & I are like a well oiled machine. But if I didn't have this van, it would be 10 times harder for me.

Other things I love is that we have the stow & go option, so if we need extra space...I can do it myself & not wait for my husband to help me. I also love that each kid has their own space, their own cup holder, and their own air/heat vent. Initially, I wanted a van that had a DVD player installed overhead, but that would have increased the price of the van. Plus, we don't really let Ethan watch that much TV.....it makes him harder to communicate with because it increases his "withdrawn-ness." So, instead, we use a portable DVD player only for long trips. And the plug in for this is RIGHT beside Ethan's seat. It's a beautiful thing.

It also has a CD player. This means I am the kids personal DJ. On the way to the first school, the oldest get to pick the music. One the way to the second school, Ethan gets to pick the music. One the way home from the dropping the boys off at their schools, the youngest gets to pick the music. And, of course, they all like something different. Then we do the same, in reverse, when we pick the kids up from school. Basically, whomever school we are going to or leaving from gets to pick the music. And, honestly, I LOVE music.....so i don't mind being their DJ.....I would be doing it if I was alone anyway!

It also has........are you ready?.........a tape player! I was actually pretty excited about this! I went down to the basement & dug out the few tapes that I had managed to save. One of them was C&C Music Factory. And guess what??? Ethan LOVES the song Everybody Dance Now, and requests it often.....much to my joy & my husband's annoyance. HAHA!!!!!

So, today I am extremely thankful for my wonderful mini-van. I love her (yes, she is a her because she too can multitask), and she makes my day soooooooo much easier & a lot more fun!