Corona Virus Week 3: Survival Mode

By the time the weekend rolled around at the end of week 2, we were all exhausted and welcomed the break from the routine. This was so much so that on Saturday, we all basically laid around on the couches all day long watching movies. We were finally shifting into our new normal and accepting that this was how things were going to be for the foreseeable future.

That weekend also timed with what was supposed to be the kids' last talent show with their school and we were all excited because they were all going to be in it this year. The kids were disappointed because they knew it was going to be cancelled so we decided to "perform" anyway. Cody was not as into this version of the performance, but at my begging, he participated. They performed "Come Alive" from the Greatest Showman Soundtrack. 

This year, Kailey was performing "Rainbow" by Kacey Musgraves in sign language with one of her best friends Kailyn. It seemed pretty fitting at this time that the girls were performing a song that had such a strong message at this point in all of our lives. We decided that the girls would still perform it together, at an appropriate social distance (we measured, it was 8 ft.) and so that weekend, we got them dressed, met up at Kailyn's house and had them perform it for us. This was especially emotional for me and Kailyn's mom because we were already in a period of transition as our kids' beloved elementary school is being repurposed into a preschool and our kids will be parting to different schools next year. These events were being seen as some of our "last" together with the school. 

The girls have been close since before they went to Kindergarten together because of their brothers, Colin and Lucas, who were friends first. 

As week 3 started, the kids' school started to shift into "virtual" mode where they were having more interaction with their peers and teachers online. This was an instant mood booster for the kids as they were missing them all so much. 

"This baby horse was just born." (In case you needed the translation!)

We are so incredibly lucky to have teachers that have done everything possible to help Colin (and us) in this time period. They are being incredibly creative, they are reaching out to him (and us), and they are reminding him (and us) how much they care for his happiness and success. With things not always being easy, this alone has been instrumental in getting us through. This is also true for Kailey and Cody, but as you know, learning looks different for Colin and his teachers have helped us so much with this in this difficult time period. 

While social media is really good at showing the "best of", that is certainly not the case here and I hope I portray those moments too. We have our stuff together the best we can, but it is not fool proof and this time period is so hard. When we think things are going well, we are given a harsh dose of reality! We ALL have our moments of impatience, being emotional, angry, or just having a hard time but we all display that in different ways. 

One of the things that really gets us through is the ability to be outside in the sunshine and fresh air. While there are so many things that just scare me about this pandemic, I am also so incredibly grateful for this given time to be with my family and just PLAY. These moments are infrequent in our busy, hectic lives, but we are being given time and we are definitely taking advantage of that. 

We've done a LOT of scootering, bikes, and skateboards and I really *enjoy* watching them do these activities (although our daredevil Cody is stressing me out!). 

We are also trying to be positive and spread positive with chalk messages in the roadway!

We also celebrated Autism Awareness day! 

Corona Virus Week 2 - Transitioning to a New Routine

By the time Friday got here at the end of the first week, I think we all were feeling all of the feels of being overwhelmed, worried, burnt out, stressed, etc. and it was hard getting through the day. It was warm and beautiful out so we decided to "call it a half day" and escape to the beach. We drove south to "our spot" and it was amazing how good the salt air was for our souls. It completely turned the whole day around and it felt so good to be in our most favorite happy place. 

Our Friday night ended on a really fun note as our PTA president organized a virtual Bingo night with our families and it was so much fun! 

This new way of life is challenging in itself, but what I think is the hardest part of all of this is managing our own feelings and worries but staying calm for the kids' sake. The first weekend felt like a relief but also hard at the same time because it was different. We're all used to a life on the go spent with family and friends that we love and knowing we couldn't go anywhere was really challenging for everyone. All in the same breath we can be appreciative of the extra given time we have to spend together but also, having a hard time with the things that we're missing. So, we did the best we could to have fun, relax, and just be together. I'm also so incredibly grateful for technology because we've had the opportunity to meet with friends, family, have the kids take karate classes and attend church all from our home. 

At the start of the next week, I worked at adjusting our schedule a bit to make it work better. We have to be more specific about having a schedule because that has always been the conditions that Colin works better under. While we are in a much different place now with him and his behavior, there are behaviors that Colin will exhibit when he doesn't know or understand what is happening. For example, Colin is the easiest in the morning on a typical school day because he follows the list so explicity; he is typically dressed (with shoes on), teeth brushed, bed made, etc. all before anyone else gets up. He doesn't even need the list anymore because he follows his routine. I knew that I needed to establish a routine for this time period because without it, he becomes obsessive with questions, he gets his "nervous" face, gets upset easily, and will act out in other ways. He is also the easiest to work with right now because he follows the list and routine, which provides him comfort. 

The schedule is adjusted often, depending on the day, and also as we learn what works best and what doesn't. I felt much more confident at the start of the week because things were going pretty smoothly. As with anything though, it came to a screeching halt when we all had a challenging day on Wednesday. We have lots of things that keep us going; the PTA president has been doing spirit days, the kids had "children's time" with the pastor at church, virtual craft time with Nana, and then at dinner, the kids just laughing remembering some of the "best" moments of our time together so far (me and Colin falling in the mud in the trails in week 1). 

The week ended on a positive note with some fresh air, a drive by visit from Aunt Kimmy and Bama, a scavenger rock hunt for Cody's Science, and a Friday night scavenger hung with the kids' school!