The New School Transition!

Mia's first day of school, and they had her favorite toy waiting for her!

Mia started her kindergarten year of school on August 29, at a brand new school, with brand new people. My biggest concern was the transition from the old to the new school. But, as usual, Mia impressed me with her ability to adapt, and the transitional issues have been minimal.

The only transitional issue that she really has had, has been the one from hanging out with mommy in the morning, and then going to school. Over the years, Mia has grown accustomed to lazy morning proceedings meaning that she was spending the day with mom.  I not only wrapped my living area around Mia’s school needs, I have also wrapped my work life around her school hours also, so our before school and work routine is a lot more laid back. So for the first week and a half, Mia had to adjust to the idea that a lazy morning, still meant she was going to school.

Today though, she has made a full adjustment to this new routine, and upon arrival, looks in the window of the door as if she’s asking her teachers to let her in! Upon entering, she runs up and greets her teacher with a smile, and then runs around the school and greets all of the other teachers as well!

The first couple of weeks there were play for Mia, so she would feel comfortable in this new environment and with her new teachers. Slowly, they have integrated some work into Mia’s routine, and she is already starting to show signs of progress!

Because the I.T.P. (individualized treatment plan} her previous school had in place for her was so vague, it was clear that a more specific approach would be needed. So we recently had a thirty day I.E.P (individualized education plan), to reassess her goals and learning needs. The school wanted to be able to spend at least a month with her to see exactly what her strong points were, and what areas needed to be worked on before a permanent I.E.P. was set in place. What a novel idea!

Walking into this meeting, I was filled with warm feelings of opportunity for Mia, which is something I was very grateful for. Ordinarily, I.E.P. meetings are regarded by parents as an ambush from the school district. Here though, these meetings are constructive, child specific, and detailed to that child’s needs. There are no empty promises about what should happen. Instead goals and timelines are made for optimal success. There seems to be nothing that these people won’t do for the kids that they teach, and I am so lucky that Mia has this opportunity to experience this great approach to learning in her own unique way.

The goals and plans are set in place, and it will be great to see the progress that Mia makes here! Updates to come!

A Mom and Daughter Camping Adventure: Day Two

I rolled over in my sleeping bag, facing Mia to see if she was awake yet. Of course she was, she is just like me in the respect that we are morning glories, opening our petals at the first glimmer of sunshine. Her big blue eyes were full of happiness, and her laughter was full of joy. She slid out of her sleeping bag and closer to me for some snuggle time.
As we laid there, listening to the sounds of birds awakening outside of our tent, I couldn’t help but feel an overwhelming sense of joy. Or was it pride? I couldn’t tell to be honest, I just knew that it was a sense of wonderful. I get this feeling all the time when I’m with my little girl. This mornings feeling was a direct reflection on our time together here.

Though we had only gotten to the White Mountain National Forest the night before, our camping trip was already the best one I had ever been on. Mia was happy, excited to be here. Ready to start out on our adventures of the day. Her eagerness to live life outside of the box is astonishing, and just another sign that I was on the right track in helping her overcome her struggles. I am not one to brag about the things I do for my daughter, but here I will say that if I were not the mom that I am, she would not be who she is today.
It wasn’t long before Mia was ready to get out of the tent. I unzipped the door and Mia popped out with a wonderful spring in her step. She headed to the car, and my initial thought was that she already wanted to go somewhere other than here. But when she went to the door opposite the one she normally gets in, I realized that I was wrong. I unlocked the car, and she reached in for the cooler. She was ready for breakfast and apple juice!!

As I prepared our breakfast, I let the sense of wonderful wash over me again as I realized how special this moment was. In the past, Mia would see an object of desire, such as the car, and it was as though it triggered a video that played in her mind. (Car means we get in, buckle up and go. But we’re not in it. Why aren’t we going? And then the tantrum of frustration would ensue.) At this moment, I could only smile at how amazing it was that Mia’s mind no longer played a “video” when she saw an object of desire (like the car), and how the tantrums of frustration have ceased. She was just…..HAPPY!
After breakfast, we changed our clothes and got ready to venture out of camp. I looked at the map to see what was around for easy hiking trails. I decided on the Mud Brook Trail. It was just down the road from us, and because it shared a name with one of our favorite outdoor aspects (MUD!), it was sure to provide us with a day of fun! I got the pack ready with supplies, and we were soon on the trail.
After heading out on the trail, it became clear that there was very little mud on it. But that was okay. Mia was pretty excited to be out here exploring. As soon as I had our pack on, she ran onto the trail, stopping a little ways in to see if I was still behind her.

The beginning of the trail was relatively flat, but as we continued the trail pitched up a bit. Eventually, we were walking along side the brook, which caused the trail to get quite a bit narrower. This didn’t bother Mia though, she just continued to motivate on up! Well, except for the moments where she had to wait for mom to get done taking pictures!
We spent nearly all day out here in the woods. We had lunch with us, so we found a nice place to park it while we ate. Mia enjoyed the moment of rest and relaxation, but as soon as our food was gone she was ready to get moving again!

It seemed like the day flew by quickly, and before we knew it we were back at camp preparing supper. Mia played happily in the grass while I got everything ready for our evening. We even had a little visitor with us at camp this evening! Can you see him, directly above the logo in the picture below? He was in the tree directly above Mia while she played in the grass, chattering at her the whole time!

Fall Af-FAIR! : Oxford County Fair

It’s here!! Cool crisp air, apples, pumpkins, the last crops of summer. Yes, fall is upon us! Soon the leaves will be turning, displaying for us glorious shades of reds, yellows, and oranges.
And along with fall, comes a tradition for Mia and I. FAIRS!!!! Who doesn’t love the maze of fair food vendors, rides, activities, and most importantly, the people?! Mia and I recently headed out to our first fair of every season, the Oxford County Fair. Grammy and Grampy came along for the adventure as well! It was such a great time!



We headed into the livestock barns to check out all of the animals. Mia sat as one of the bleacher sets inside, taking in the sounds and smells, and watched the people as they went in and out. She even got to see the BIGGEST turkey I think I have ever seen in my life! It was as big as she is, and he was pretty intrigued by her presence!



Mia was treated like a princess, as Grampy carried her around on his shoulders. Mia had the best view from way up here!



Mia and I rode in the big bears together! Once this ride got moving, she couldn’t stop smiling and laughing! She loved it so much, that I had to peel her out of it when it was over!



We took a break and had some typical fair food. Mia snacked on her red hotdogs and shared some hand cut fries with me. We all sat together here for nearly an hour enjoying each others company and our food. For Mia to sit for this long, is no small feat! She did such a great job!



We wandered around a bit more after eating, but Mia was getting tired so we decided to call it an evening. I picked Mia up and danced with her to the music as we walked towards the exit. Until we got to this….



When we got to this ride, Mia squirmed out of my arms to stand on the ground and watch as it spun around in an erratic fashion. She watched each car on the ride spin at it’s own pace. She was intrigued by this ride for nearly fifteen minutes, and every time I asked her if she wanted to go on it, she just smiled big!! I can see that my fear getting on big scary rides is going to have to diminish as Mia gets older!

A Mom and Daughter Camping Adventure: Day One

Adventure ensues in Mia’s world, as one door closes and positively leads her towards the future. It was the day of her pre-k graduation. Today she would move on from the little girl world of school, and into the big world of progress. And what better way to celebrate the beginning of a new adventure, than with a fun one?!

While Mia was at school preparing for her big moment of climbing the steps in front of the big happy graduation sign, and receiving her ‘diploma', I was at home preparing for our big weekend adventure! The night before, I had laid out all of the necessary items. Cook stove, sleeping bags, clothes, toiletries, various other items, and…….THE TENT!!! Yes, mom sure knows how to celebrate an accomplishment, and this celebration was going to transpire as a mother/daughter camping trip in the White Mountain National Forest!

I went through my checklist, and went through it again. I loaded the car with all of our gear, and then checked my list, again. (The phrase measure twice, cut once kind of fits here, just without the cutting!) I prepared myself to be seen in public, and headed to get Mia's Grammy and Grampy, and we went together to Mia's soon to be old school to watch her graduation!

Today, I did not shed a tear during this celebration of transition, which was hard to do because I am the ultimate sentimental mom. Instead, I celebrated this great victory in our lives. The end of this day meant the beginning of a new school, a promising future, and loads of continued success!

Mia exploring our camp site

After Mia's entire class received their due recognitions, she was bid fair well by her teachers and classmates. A few of the teachers will miss her greatly as Mia had formed a solid working relationship with them. I promised that we would return for future visits and updates in progress.

Mia was ready to leave and head out on our adventure. She was excited that I was at school to begin with, and more so because she knew that she was also leaving with me! To see her reaction and demeanor anytime I am around her, would make a very obvious statement to anyone, whether they knew us or not, that Mia is most definitely a mommies girl!

We headed to the car with Mia's grandparents and visited with them for a while when we dropped them back off at their house. After we were done visiting, we headed up route 26 towards Bethel, which would lead us to route 2 to head into Gilead. We turned left onto 113 which winds it’s way through the White Mountain National forest.

We stopped at Hastings Campground to see if they had any spots available. I was glad to see that they did! Mia and I picked out a site, and set up camp! We set up our tent, started a fire, and cooked up some supper. Mia did such a great job during all of this! If she wasn’t standing beside me watching intently on what I was doing, she was just a bit farther away watching from the distance.

I thought to myself how not too long ago, this type of outing would have required her to sit in the car while I set up, so that she wouldn’t be able to run away. It’s safe to say that she’s got a pretty good grasp on how far she is allowed to go though. She stayed within the the campsite at all times, and sat at the picnic table when she needed a moments rest.

It's jammy and food time!!

After we had supper, we crawled into our tent, and started our usual bed time routine in an unusual and exciting place! She laughed loudly at me as I made funny voices to go along with her bedtime book, and then snuggled in close while we listened to her “Froggy” play our usual mix of classical music. She looked me in the eyes with adoration as her smiled beamed from ear to ear.

Mia was happy to be here, within the canvas walls of our tent, laying side by side as mother and daughter, best friends, and great adventurers. I laid there and watched her as she drifted off to sleep, thinking about how this particular interaction, this snuggling and physical show of affection, had not been there before.

Within the past couple of years, Mia has learned that hugs, snuggles, smiles and kisses is a great way to show affection towards the ones she loves. Needless to say, I relish these small moments.

As my thoughts drifted from Mia’s wonderful progress and how well she did today, to what we were going to find for adventure tomorrow, I soon found myself drifting off to sleep. Tomorrow was soon to come, filled with promises of adventure!

My happy little camper!

Mia's EPIC First Word!!

A child's first word is always a BIG accomplishment in the eyes of a parent! No matter what the word is, or how little or how long it takes for a child to say it, the first word is a major milestone in development.

So, after six years of no words because of her battle against Autism, I am sure you can imagine my elation at the first real word to exit Mia's mouth! 

Mia has been in the process of putting sounds together for a little while now, and one day this word just popped out! I'm not sure why it was this word, but it doesn't matter. A word is a word, and one will lead to more!!!

What A Difference A Year Makes: Step Up! For Autism Walk

Setting up for the walk!

Today, Mia and I attended the Step Up! For Autism Walk presented by the Maine Autism Alliance, a non-profit that is commited to “support, empower and celebrate the uniqueness of individuals on the Autism Spectrum and their families.” Please visit the Alliance’s website at www.maineautism.org to read more about their mission, and to keep up with all of their upcoming events!

The walk was held at Back Bay Cove in Portland. We got there around 10:00, and Mia was fast asleep in the car when we arrived. I let her finish her nap since she seemed to really need it, and when she woke up, we mingled with all of the great people around us.

Miss Mia having fun while waiting for the walk to start!

There was quite a decent turn out of people today! As people came in for registration, Mia walked around and took in the sights. She never went too far from me, but far enough for her to feel a sense of independence. She played in some bubbles at one of the kids tables. Yes, played IN the bubbles! You didn’t know that they’re much more fun this way?!

Suddsy bubble pie!

Mia had a few moments where she got a bit overwhelmed, and needed a moment to harness her chi. For these moments, she sat in the quiet of the car as I stood outside of it, and played with a few of her favorite toys. It never took too long for her to calm down and join the crowd again though.

And they're off!!

Soon, it was time to start walking. Mia was more than ready to explore outside of the area we had been in for the last couple of hours. Everyone headed out on the Back Bay Trail, which makes a three mile loop around Back Cove. Mia and I followed the bulk of the group and walked at our own pace. We stopped from time to time to look at different things and so mom could take some pictures. (No surprise there!)

Mia is much like her mother, and loves to look out over the water!

Along the way, Mia also noticed the difference of walking this trail, as opposed to being on a hiking trail in the middle of the woods. Parts of the Back Bay Trail run beside the highway, and I watched her as she glanced towards the bay, and then towards the road that was on the other side of a tall chain link fence. She looked at me with interest, but continued on with her exploration.

It's time to head back mom!

We reached the mile mark on the trail, and Mia started showing me signs that she’d had enough exploring for the moment. We turned and headed back to the meeting area. Today, the only pack of sorts I was carrying was my camera case, so this allowed me the ability to give Mia a piggy back ride, which she loved!
When we got back to the meeting area, Mia meandered around and mingled with people a bit more. We ended up staying until 3:00 or so, and it was a great fun filled day!

You’re probably wondering what the “Difference a year makes” means in the title of this post. One year ago, Mia and I attended the Step Up! For Autism Walk at this same location, but our visit only lasted a half an hour. Mia had a hard time staying within a safe range of me last year, and because I tried to keep her within a certain distance it made for a hard time for her. She had no idea that I was simply trying to keep her from harm, because she had no concept of danger.

In addition to this, Mia also had a habit of seeing something that sparked a “movie” in her mind, and she couldn’t let it go until it was played out. The particular movie that day, happened to be sparked by the site of our Jeep. Once it was in her view, she could not stop the thoughts of getting into it, and riding down the road. When we didn’t actually do that, it also caused her to have a hard time.

But today was a different day. Today was a day where I felt like I was standing outside of our situation, looking in. I never take any amount of Mia’s progress for granted, and I always celebrate every piece. But to be able to look back on the events of one year ago, in comparison to the events of today, and clearly see the leap of growth in Mia’s development, was simply amazing. And others saw it as well. She stayed within a safe distance, and listened when I asked her to follow me. She giggled, and skipped, and was happy to be here amongst everyone. She enjoyed the entire day at this great event, and we can’t wait for the next one! 

Mia has grown so much, and in so many ways!! 

Things That Shouldn’t Go Swimming

Though this post isn’t Mia related, it will explain an obvious difference in my photos from here on out.

First fish on the fly!

I FINALLY caught my first fish on the fly! And then a second, and bigger one! Yep, I was pretty excited! So excited, that in the process of putting the second fish back into the river, I ended up putting my camera into it also.

BUMMER!!

I let it set in a bowl of rice for over a week, and it dried out. It works for the most part, but there is now an obvious “fog” in the direct center of the lens. And it appears that it will not go away. So, some of my pictures will look as though they are off centered, because I now have this new element to work around. Or they might just seem smudgy in the center!

Until I can afford to invest in a new camera, I will just look at this foggy center as an excuse to try out different views and editing filters (rather than getting irritated with myself every time a take a picture)!

Moral of the story, cameras shouldn’t go swimming. Especially the ones that aren’t at all rated as waterproof!

The last clear picture this camera will ever take. And, second fish on the fly!

Sunfishing on Little Pennesseewassee

Mia's favorite place to be....near a body of water!

Mia and I headed out to visit Grammy and Grampy after school. Since Mia has started her new school, her visit time with Grammy, who had graciously taken care of her as an infant, and later before and after school for a total of SIX years, has been limited. I still want this bond to be strong, so I’ll make the trip every time we get the chance!

After we got done visiting, we headed out to find a place to fish. Since we were close to our old neck of the woods, I headed to a place that I was sure would produce at least a few sunfish. But first, we had to stop at the store and get a pack of worms. And, as Mia would have it, a pack of Swedish Fish as well! Mia waited patiently in line as we waited to pay, and was rewarded with her favorite candy when we got back into the car. And then……we were off!

A few more moments down the road, we arrived at Little Pennesseewassee. There’s a little spot on the side of the road with a picnic table, and clear access to the water. An area big enough to allow Mia ample exploring room when she got bored with fishing, well away from the dangers of passing traffic. 

We hopped out of the car, I grabbed the fishing pole, worms and tackle bag as Mia headed for the water excitedly, as she always does! I followed suit, and set up the pole with some weights, a hook, and of course, a worm. I beckoned for Mia to come cast, and she came right over and happily took the fishing pole into her hand. I went through the motions of flipping the bail, casting, and flipping the bail back again. Mia watched as the heavy night crawler and weighted line plopped into the water.

Looking out at the reflections on the water!

It wasn’t much of a wait before we reeled in a big, heavy red breasted sunfish. I showed it to Mia, and she giggled at it. She watched intently as I released the fish from the hook and tossed it back into the water. I put another worm on the hook, which also had Mia’s attention, and then we cast out again.

We were here for about an hour, catching sunfish after sunfish. Mia found great fun in the whole ordeal. I lost count after ten. But one catch surprised me. Well, not so much what we caught, but more so what Mia’s reaction to it was.

I pulled the fish out of the water, and brought it in close to Mia so that she could take a look at it. What she did next was completely unexpected. Mia reached out and touched the fish!!! I was glad to have snapped the shot of her reaching for it!

After she got her hand on it, she looked up and me and let out a very loud and happy screech, with the biggest and proudest smile! I was too excited (and so shocked) to even think about hitting the shutter button on the camera again! I actually think I was screeching with her! Okay, okay, I know I was happily screeching with her! She stepped out of the

Now that Mia has turned into a “hands on” fisherwoman, we can move on to the next task…….baiting the hook!

Reaching out to touch the fish!!