My daughter, A., is an only child -- at least, for now. While for a brief period of time she really wanted a sibling, she has now decided she is better off without one, and dislikes the fact that Thomas and I are considering trying for a baby sometime in the not *too* distant future. We've had many conversations, of course, about how she would ...

For many years now, A. has carried a long-standing obsession with an obscure final boss from a Kirby 64 video game -- the infamous Zero-Two. I can't remember exactly when the obsession began, but I do know that she wanted to dress up like this character for Halloween of 2008, and I spent a very long time creating a gigantic cardboard cut-out of ...

This is part 1 of a 3 part series on our summer vacation. To read part 2 click here. To read part 3 click here.  So, the first week of September, we had a Big Alley Family Vacation. This was A. and I's first time participating in this time-honored tradition of my husband's family. Thomas spent many summer weeks of his youth ...

Going back to school after the holidays wasn't nearly as traumatic an experience for A. as going back to daycare. There were several days before school started that A. had to actually spend the entire day in daycare, and she was none-to-happy about this plan. In fact, for the first time in a long while, A. actually fell into complete meltdown ...

Do you know what's harder than mothering an autistic child while working two jobs, trying to keep up with your writing, and attempting to continue a fitness regimen? Trying to do all of this when you're sick as a dog. As Thomas can attest, I tend to be the World's Biggest Baby when I get sick. I whine, I moan, I complain. I toss, I turn, I take ...