Matthew Sumida

Catching up......

2011-11-05T10:50:00.001-07:00

Seems like forever since I have taken the time to post..but it has been a good few months. Matthew is happy and settled which is all we need to be content.
Most recently we took a trip to the pumpkin patch where Matthew had a ball with friends.

He wanted to be Lightening McQueen...again, but he had so much fun this year. He really enjoyed trick or treating and had a blast.

Probably the most exciting is how well school is going. He loves his teacher and looks forward to going to school every day. He talks about what they do in class constantly and everything is "Mrs. Andersen says..." quite a contrast from last year. He even wants to go to school when he is sick! We recently had his tri-ennial which went well. For the first time I felt like we were all on the same page. The District tested him in many areas for this IEP and he did AMAZING! In the past we have had to argue and defend what we knew Matthew was capable of and it felt SOOOOOOOOOO good to see it in black and white...could not be disputed. It truly was a WOW moment. We still have struggles with repetitive behavior, extreme rigidity, lack of social but he is on a path and it renewed out belief that recovery is possible.
The highlight of the year was yesterday for us. We were told that Matthew's shadow would be out yesterday but his teacher wanted to try and see how he would do without her (in the past we would have kept him home). Because she has such a great rapport with Matthew, we decided to agree. I was so nervous I thought I was going to have a stroke. We prepped him and told him his shadow would be out but that he has been so good and made such great choices that we knew he could do it. He immediately responded "I will do a great job. I will be a big boy like my friends". I was so nervous because the days before were a little tough with regards to rigidity.

At pick up his teacher had a huge smile and told me that HE WAS PERFECT! The best day ever! I had to try not to cry, I was so proud! HE DID IT!!!
It was wonderful for his teacher to see and even more wonderful for Matthew to see that he could do it.
Matthew, you never cease to amaze us. You are such an incredible person and you inspire me. I love you sweet boy! We will still have struggles ahead but we know you will be able to get through anything.
Love, Love Love you Matthew Dean!

Good-bye Summer, Hello Fall....

2011-09-19T13:22:00.000-07:00

It is hard to believe that summer is over. I didn't post much, it was a tough summer....a tough few months even before that. The good news is Matthew seems to be back on track and almost back to his sunny and happy self. I am hoping the difficulties and memories of last year are in the past. We were so nervous about sending him back to school after his experience of pre-k. I don't think I slept for 2 days before the first day of kindergarten. It was for nothing because Matthew did GREAT! We all walked to school his first day to avoid the parking nightmare.

We prepped him and front loaded him as best we could... He did beautifully. Sat like a champ and was such a big boy.

His teacher is so sweet and very good with Matthew. He told her he loved her this week and we are starting to see his excitement for school return! Seeing him in a good place is like hitting the lottery! I am excited to see what this year hold for my angel.

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One of the exciting things about Fall is the return of soccer! Matthew has improved so much from last year! He is having a blast!

He is little but mighty!

Introducing the Green Machine! Here is to a great season!

San Diego 2011

2011-08-09T10:50:00.001-07:00

After 4 ½ years of refraining from any type of family vacation….we thought we would again give it a try. We actually did attempt over nighters twice over the past few years and both were colossal disasters. Autism can really rob a family. Matthew is small but can have a meltdown that can make a mid west hurricane seems like a slight gust of wind. You just give up on going anywhere to avoid having to deal with the screaming, aggression and of course the staring and comments. It is almost like you become a prisoner to your daily routine and rocking the boat by trying a new environment or experience can be more than can be dealt with.

We thought we would try it again by a weekend trip to San Diego. We tried our best to prepare Matthew with photos, social stories and prepping with fun games, legos, puzzles and DVDs for our stay. Still, the start was rough. He was extremely anxious the days before and on the drive down. Once we got there and he saw the beach and the hotel he was extremely happy…. We went into Old Towne for dinner and had a delicious Mexican dinner that he devoured when out of no where…a complete panic attack and meltdown about staying at the hotel. He was distraught and nothing we could say or do was alleviating it. We made a quick exit from the restaurant and drove back to the hotel with Matthew crying the entire way. A friend lent me a copy of Cars 2 and a DVD player and between that and an ice cream sundae in bed, he was comforted. He fought sleep until after 11pm and was up by 6am but he made it through the night without any calls from the neighboring rooms to complain about screaming and crying (thank God!). Overall he did great. We had some issues with rigidity and other behaviors but he had a blast and I think that the next trip will go even better.

Actually, ice cream makes everything better!

Matthew is a water baby for sure and we spent the days at the beach and the pool. He loved it!

He loved ordering and eating snacks by the pool too.

My sweet baby boy. I have to grab every snuggle I can. He is getting stingier with those as he gets older.

As we were playing and feeding the ducks on the beach, Matthew decided he wanted to try riding in a wave runner.

He was sooooooooooooo excited!

Mark got a little heavy with the pedal so Matthew wanted off after about 30 minutes but has already been asking to do it again. Great job brave boy!
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One night there was a marshmellow roast on the beach. Matthew made smores and had a blast running back and forth from the fire rings to the water.

Look how tall my boy is getting!

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Of course we had to go to Belmont Park for my little thrill seeker. He was so upset because he didn't meet most of the height requirements for the rides. He finally settled for a few rides.

My little adventurer!
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We ended our getaway with a trip to Legoland and the Legoland Water Park.

He had fun on the rides but it was sheer joy when we went into the water park.

It was great because he was able to do everything. He could have stayed all day!

It really is a cool place for kids Matthew's size as he met all restrictions for height. He had a blast and is begging to go again. Mark on the other hand will be nursing a sore back for days.
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Overall I would have to say it was a successful trip and Matthew was able to work through some of his rigid issues. We still had some challenges but it was a wonderful first vacation for our family. It has been such a rough few months for Matthew and our family and to see him have a few days of so much fun was very comforting for us. He works so hard and as with all kids with autism, deals with so much. So proud of you sweet pea and looking forward to many more special times with you.

Surfer Boy!

2011-07-24T16:05:00.001-07:00

A wonderful video clip my sister and Rob made of Matthew at Surfer's Healing! Thank you to both of them for making the trek out to spend the day with us and film and edit this very special day! Click Here
What a memory. Even better is that we seem to be making some headway on meds. We have only had 1 meltdown in 10 days and Matthew just seems to be more himself. It has been some of the hardest months as a parents we have had and we know it has been so much worse for my baby. We are proud of you and love you sweet boy!

Surfer's Healing

2011-06-30T08:11:00.000-07:00

At long last....June 29th was here and it was time for Surfer's Healing. Matthew has been excited for months but due to his recent circumstances....lets just say his attitude has been dark. It was a beautiful day and Izzy and his wonderful crew were there waiting for our kids with kindness and incredible patience. Keiko and Rob came down to film the day too.
As expected these days, Matthew had a blow out and was aggressive and assultive with the Surfer's Healing team and Keiko who was trying to help him into a wetsuit. After several kicks and hits to the face of everyone helping some of the volunteers just threw a life jacket on him and played with on the beach and tried to calm him down. As a parent of a child with autism, your mind immediately thinks "Oh no. Here we go again" and I felt tears coming. But no......the clouds parted and the sun came back out when Puna (Matthew's instructor) put him on a board and brought him into the water. Well, he screamed on the way out but enjoyed the thrill of surfing and got up on the waves in! It was so exciting and for that time, he was just a kid named Matthew having a blast, autism was on the back burner for a short time. He was happy, laughing and being a boy. He did awesome and we are thinking of taking him to a week long family surf camp next summer with the Paskowitz Camp.

Look at him go!

In looking back, I wish we could have gotten the suit on him because the water was COLD and coming out was hard but wow! What a wonderful experience!

Izzy Paskowitz the founder of Surfer's Healing and a beautiful and kind soul.
Love you Izzy!

Thank you to Keiko and Rob for coming down to spend the day and film this incredible memory.
We loved sharing this day with friends too!

Yes, the hot blonde is my sister.

Thank you Puna for giving us a memory for a lifetime. You are a gift!

Thank you Surfer's Healing for giving our beautiful children the gift of surfing.
It was a reminder that all things are possible.
I will always have a place in my heart for you all!

Rough times

2011-06-19T10:33:00.000-07:00

It has been awhile since I've posted...it has been a trying time for us. It is a long story but we have meed through a few medication changes and haven't found a balance that works for Matthew. He is struggling to hold it together and unfortunately isn't able to. We pulled him out of school because not only has he been extremely agitated and aggressive, he has been battling terrible insomnia, nausea and vomiting. It is heartbreaking for us and we don't know how to help him. When he is so dis-regulated I just don't feel comfortable having him out of my sight. To help pass the time (he has MAJOR cabin fever) we took a trip to the San Diego Zoo. Except for one 20 minute blow out, he managed to hold steady and had a great time.

We had a nice afternoon together and Matthew is already asking to go back again.

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We met up with a few friend last week to give bowling a try. I was a little nervous given the past few weeks but Matthew enjoyed himself and had fun.

Matthew and his special friend Natalie.

It has been so draining and I am hoping we find that mix that will work for him soon. Meds are hard and when it isn't a right fit, it is arduous. Whe it is a fit, it opens a new world for him so I am hoping and praying we get back to that place soon. I imagine it is awful to feel so uncomfortable in your own skin. I love you Matthew and we will do everything we can to help you through this.

Easter Weekend

2011-04-25T21:21:00.000-07:00

Saturday we took Matthew to the Irvine Railroad Park to meet up with friends for the Easter Eggstraveganza. The kids were so excited! They were adorable!

Matthew could hardly wait to find those candy filled eggs!

My handsome little bubba!

We went with several people but Matthew really stuck close to Natalie. When she got in our car to go there, he said "Natawie, you are butiful". :)

I think the highlight for him was riding the horses. It makes us so excited to try hippotherapy this summer. He is such an animal lover and I am hoping he really benefits from it.

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Matthew has always been a person who does things in his own time. For a few months Mark has been trying to talk him into agreeing to remove the training wheels from his bike, to which he adamantly refused. Out of the blue Saturday he asked Mark to take them off. Said he wants to ride with two wheels now. We went to my mom's house and decided to give it a try.

He had no fear, was determined and in 15 minutes was up on the bike and riding with no support.

We were so proud of him~ Here is the video.

Matthew, you never cease to amaze us. We are so proud of you. You give your 100% at everything you do.
I am almost afraid to say it but I think we may have finally found the right medication for him. He has been so much more relaxed and less agitated. I can see that he is so much happier and almost back to his sunny, vibrant self. It is hard to see him dis-regulated, poor little guy feels terrible and it isn't fair. I would do anything to make it easier for him.
Matthew, we love you more than words can say, you have taught us so much and we are grateful that we get to be mom and dad to you!

The Patch

2011-04-20T18:28:00.000-07:00

Look who was in the local paper called The Patch for coverage on the Etnies Skate Day.
Thank you to Etnies and Askate for giving our beautiful kiddos a day of new experiences, fun and above all acceptance.

Spring Break

2011-04-07T19:51:00.001-07:00

This week was Matthew's spring break so of course...a trip to Disneyland was in order. We went with our friends Trish, Martin and Brenna. Matthew had a great time and enjoyed spending the afternoon with his buddies. He was so friendly and social....
I was over the moon!

And the best, these pictures were not posed for. The kids all grabbed hands when we met up by Thunder Mountain and had fun choosing what rides to go on.

They all loved roller coasters!

Smiles all afternoon.

Such a couple of hams.

It was truly an afternoon to remember. Matthew had a great time and it was wonderful to see him so engaged and happy! A great start for a spring break week.
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W had so much fun that we went back on Wednesday with Brenna.

Of course we rode the Matterhorn a few times but Matthew actually chose to try 2 new rides which totally shocked us.

It was a fun night and we topped it off with a sleep over. I was VERY nervous because we had never tried one. Matthew is very particular about the bed time routine so I wasn't sure how it would go. Especially after an exhausting day at Disneyland. It was a huge success. Matthew and Brenna giggled and played their DS games until they both fell asleep. They were so cute and happy to be together. It was the most interactive we have ever seen Matthew with a friend. He had fun and was asking when Brenna will come sleep over again.

Look at the joy in his face!
Great job precious boy.
I love you and am so proud of you.

Legoland and Skate Day

2011-04-02T19:44:00.000-07:00

It has been a rough few weeks. Matthew hasn't been himself, he really has been off since about December when he experienced some big changes at school which ultimately created a need for change with medication. :( I feel so bad for him and it hurts to see him so dis-regulated. A friend had free tickets to Legoland so I thought a break would be a great diversion. We headed down to Carlsbad with our friends Suzanne and Riley for the day. It was wonderful, and just what we needed. Matthew and Riley had a fantastic time.

The weather was BEAUTIFUL and the park was not crowded at all. It couldn't have been more perfect!

The boys went on so many rides and had a ball.

Matthew and Riley love the crazier rides....look at those smiles!

Suzanne was kind enough to take Matthew on all the rides I couldn't (I get sick as a dog on rides). It was such a fun day. It was one of those times that Matthew had such a phenomenal day, I forgot about autism. I love those days, it reminds me what we are working for.
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April is autism awareness month. Etnies, Askate and Autism Speaks put on a skate clinic for kids with autism on Saturday, National Autism Awareness Day. It was fun and Matthew had a great time. We were able to go with friends which made the day even better!

Matthew was teamed up with Mr. John, he was such a nice young man and they were buddies right off.

My little guy had a good time.

It is so heartwarming to see so many people come and volunteer their time and resources to bring awareness to this disorder and to support the kids affected by it. They really made sure the kids had fun.

Matthew did great. Towards the end he got frustrated with the wrist band and helmet (sensory issue) but overall had a blast. When we got to the car....that was a different story. :(

Autism can be frustrating because of all the unknowns....However this I do know, I love that boy more than my life and I will never give up.
Matthew, you have taught me so much and I am the most blessed person in the entire world because I get to be your mom.

Catching up............

2011-03-14T18:19:00.000-07:00

It seems so long since I posted last....the times goes so fast. The weeks have been busy with school, therapy, trips to Disneyland, basket ball..... I am just posting a few things though because I have a short window of time before Matthew will want the computer again :)
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We recently spent the morning at Kidspace, the coolest kid's museum ever.

There is so much to do, see, climb there.

Special friends....

We met up with Alex and Aidan there.
Aidan is such a cutie, I think they look like they could be cousins.

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We just finished up basket ball. Matthew had fun but was excited to it to be over so he could start soccer again.

How handsome is he?

My little sweet pea getting his trophy. Good job Matthew!
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Matthew with two of his favorite people! Zachary and Andrew.
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Soccer at last!

Matthew started 2 weeks ago and WOW! What a difference from last season. He can stay on the field and go for the ball. He has done such a great job! I could not be more proud!

Score for Sumida!!!!
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Matthew is growing so fast...it makes me a little sad. The past few weeks have been a little rough with Matthew. I think it is largely due to a need for tweaking his medication but still very hard to manage sometimes. It is hardest on Matthew :(
Keep him in your thoughts, he is such a precious boy.

My little Kobe!

2011-01-30T11:33:00.000-08:00

Matthew is enjoying basket ball though he misses soccer. How cute is his team!!! The coaches and "buddies" are wonderful and make it fun!

The All Stars and their coaches and "buddies"!

And he did it!!!

Score!

He may be the littlest guy on the team but he tries hard!

Great job Matthew! We are so proud of you!

My little "All Star"

2011-01-11T10:15:00.001-08:00

Until soccer season starts up again we thought we'd try basket ball with Matthew. I mean (I have zero sports knowledge) it is basically the same theory as soccer right? Get the ball to the opposite side right? Anyway, he enjoyed it though not as much as soccer. Could he be any cuter? So his uniform is a little large too!!! :)

Overall he understood the game and had fun.

That smile.......

Yay! Matthew made a basket! He was so cute, he started jumping up and down yelling "I won, I won!"

Great job handsome boy! We love you!

New Years Eve Fun!

2011-01-08T09:19:00.001-08:00

We decided to take a trip to Wrightwood for a few hours of fun in the snow. Matthew was so excited to go. We got to the bottom of the mountain in great timing, then it took 1 1/2 hours to drive 2 miles to the tubing area! Yikes. We had a few mishaps but Matthew had a blast! He is begging to go back and have a "sleep over" at the snow.

Matthew and Kiran....little adrenaline junkies!

Such fun!
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I haven't posted pics in awhile and didn't take many either. December was a difficult month. Christmas was hard, Matthew was really having a terrible time and has been since early December. The past few days however have been great and I think Matthew is finally getting back to himself. He is such a sweetie and it is hard to see him so off and struggling, it just doesn't seem fair. He works hard and is the best boy ever. We love you sweet pea and are proud of you.

Christmas thru the years....

2010-12-12T14:14:00.000-08:00

My precious boy has grown up so much...I can't believe he is not a baby anymore. It has gone by too fast...sometimes I just want to slow the clock down.
Here is a stroll down Christmas card lane.

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

Our sweet, beautiful boy! We love you so much, I hope you always know that.

Hard Times

2010-12-09T21:26:00.000-08:00

I finally uploaded the photos from the end of season soccer party. It was such a great experience for Matthew and I feel like he really benefited from it. I am looking forward to spring soccer!

Our awesome coaches who made it so much fun!
We love you coach Jon and Joe!

Matthew was so excited to get a trophy!
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So, keeping things real, it has been 2 of the worst weeks I can remember. I was hoping the new meds would help but things seem to get worse by the day. I feel like I am watching Matthew unravel and I can't do anything to help. I imagine it is difficult to be in his skin right now. The meltdowns, insomnia, rigidity is wearing on us right now. Please say a little prayer that the doctor is able to find the med/dose that will help Matthew get back to his sweet, happy and sunny self.
I HATE autism!

Matthew is in love!

2010-12-05T07:39:00.000-08:00

Can you say head over heels? Matthew just adores his Pandy. Pictures say it all!

Nothing like a wet puppy kiss!

Matthew has been so patient and gentle with his Pandy.

He begs to snuggle with Pandy every night.

Pandy is crate trained but we let him stay in bed with Matthew until Matthew falls asleep and then move Pandy to his own crate next to Matthew's bed.
Truth be told it has been a brutal few weeks. We had a change in Matthew's med and the fallout while the doctor tried different meds/doses has been exhausting. Meltdowns every few hours and behaviors we haven't seen in a long time. Of course the person it is hardest on is Matthew, and Pandy has been a great source of comfort to him. After 2 weeks of upheaval I think the doctor has hit the target....I don't want to jinx it yet so I will just save it for another post.

Matthew. you are such a wonderful boy and we love you so much. We are proud of how hard you work. Your smile fills my heart!

The newest Sumida!

2010-11-21T21:53:00.000-08:00

Today Matthew's dream came true....he got a miniature schnauzer puppy! His very favorite (and lucky for us a great dog for an allergy sufferer) type of dog too!

It was a very big decision but Matthew has such a love for dogs and wanted one so badly. I didn't want a dog but felt that it could provide him so much of the companionship he doesn't get from peers. I have seen him connect with dogs in a way he doesn't connect with people. Heartbreaking sometimes but I hope this will build that bridge.

We took him to visit the puppy to make sure he didn't have an allergic reaction. This was his face when he laid eyes on the puppy. We told him that the breeder was a friend and that the puppy was hers. Didn't want to break his heart if he had a reaction and we could take the puppy.

So today.....that puppy became his! We went to pick him up the puppy and when we got back, we put it in our room. We sat Matthew down, told him how much we loved him and had him close his eyes. When he opened them...

He was so happy! I told him initially that he could have a puppy when he is 10. He kept saying, "that is my dog? Am I 10 now? I can keep him?" He was overjoyed!

His smiling face made my entire year! He was gentle and sweet with Pandy (he named the puppy himself) and spent the entire day side by side.

I love you sweet pea and am elated beyond words that you are receiving such joy from your puppy!

Puppy Love!

Family Fun

2010-11-09T17:21:00.001-08:00

Sunday was Andrew's 13th birthday. We went to have brunch and celebrate his becoming a teenager. As usual, Matthew was thrilled to have some time with his cousins.

Matthew and his Auntie Keiko

I absolutely love my nephews...
They are the brightest, sweetest kids and I am so proud of them!

Seeing Matthew so bonded to them makes me so happy.

Halloween

2010-11-02T21:16:00.001-07:00

Last weekend was Halloween, and Matthew had such fun!

We started the day at a local pumpkin patch.

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In the afternoon we went to the Rao's house. Matthew walked in the neighborhood parade and then did some trick or treating. He was so cute, Lightening McQueen!

Matthew and Daddy

Are they cute or what?

Matthew did a great job and enjoyed himself completely. Mark and I loved watching him enjoy and participate.
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This week brought lots of changes. Matthew had had a great year so far and was moved to the pre-k at Wood Canyon. We were happy that the IEP team saw what we have known, Matthew is amazing and capable! We feel bad that he is having to make the change mid-year. Still, we have been fortunate to have wonderful people working with Matthew.

Good bye and thank you to the wonderful pre-school staff, we will miss you!

This is his new teacher. Today was day 1. He was very anxious but he did a great job! We are so proud!

Matthew, we love you sweet boy

Fun at the Pumpkin Patch

2010-10-25T08:23:00.000-07:00

Finally.....a break in the rain! We wanted to get Matthew out for some outside fun before the rain started up again so we went to the Irvine Pumpkin Patch.

Look how tall our little guy is getting!

He loved driving the tractors. Last year he was so impulsive and difficult to reign in that we had to pull him off the tractor after a minute or two. He remembered and said he was going to do it "cowectwy" (correctly) this year and he did great. I think he rode it 3 times! Who says Japanese can't drive?

All smiles in the haunted house

Not really sure why but Matthew LOVES the hay ride. Unfortunately it sent his allergies into orbit. :(

Matthew's highlight was ridding the trotting ponies. He is a complete animal lover. really enjoyed himself.

I love that smile!

Matthew and his Daddy!

A fun day with my little precious....Nothing better!

Not 1 but 2!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2010-10-17T10:51:00.000-07:00

We had such a great soccer game Saturday. Matthew scored his first goal! Then he scored another!!!! WAHOO!!!!!! It was great! He was so excited and we are so proud!
It is not just that he did well today, it goes so much deeper than that. When Matthew was diagnosed we were told that the situation was dire. His autism was severe. We were devastated and thought perhaps we would not get to have the experiences of raising a child that we dreamed of when we saw that first ultrasound when we found out that he was a boy. We were wrong. He has brought us joy beyond what we ever expected. He has worked so hard and has come so far, he is amazing and I am in awe of my son.

I knew someday that eloping (running) would come in handy!

Our awesome coaches, Coach Jon and Coach Joe.
You guys are so inspiring!

Could Mark look any prouder? He was all smiles!

Matthew doesn't quite get "competition" so for working hard and seeing the game to the end Mark took him to the Disney store and got him a toy he has been begging for...a remote control Mater!
We love you sweet boy!
Great Job!

Fun and Sun

2010-10-13T16:10:00.000-07:00

Matthew is having so much fun with soccer. He is doing well and looks forward every week to practice and playing. Last weekend he had a treat, he got to play Riley's team! (for the record, we lost miserably!)

Go little guy!

Taking a break with Dad. It was hot and my poor boy was wilting.

He was excited to see Ashley & Ant cheer him on.

Of course nothing beat seeing cousin Andrew come to his game, even ran the field with him.

The Yellow Jackets
Are they adorable or what?

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We wanted to take advantage of the warm weather so headed to the beach for the afternoon. Matthew had so much fun.

His buddy Kiran.

Matthew LOVES the beach!!!

Romancing the waves.....

The beach had a little park too.

OK, so I may be a tad biased but that little face......
Love you little man!

The "Yellow Jackets"

2010-09-12T07:43:00.000-07:00

Matthew had his first day back to school this week. He was so excited and had a great week.

His wonderful teachers Mrs. G and Miss Mansi.

Daddy was there for his first day back too.
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Such an exciting week. Matthew started soccer this week. I was not sure how it would go but he did so well. He had fun and was really good. Another milestone, when we tried sports last year it was a disaster. It was disheartening to deal with behaviors so I was a bit apprehensive but this year was a dream!
This was my baby at his first practice.

Could he be any more handsome?

Doing some warm up activities.

He had fun and got right into the mix.

A little clip of my guy "dribbling" into the game.

How good is my little soccer stud! My little Pele'!
Love you little guy!

Matthew is 5!

2010-09-02T07:59:00.001-07:00

Sunday was Matthew's 5th b-day! I can hardly believe it, it has gone by too fast. I want to savor every moment as I am sure the next few years will go by even faster. We started the festivities with a Matterhorn cake. GFCF and delicious. It was also his very first b-day cake too.

It was a hit! He loved it.

We just had our families over and our close friends, the Rao family. It was really a happy day for us because Matthew understood the significance of the day. We were able to sing Happy Birthday for the very first time, in the past it would be too much for him. He was so excited to open presents too. He asked several times to open the gifts and had fun unwrapping and seeing what was inside.

His precious Bubby was there to assist in the festivities.

It was a hot day so the cousins all went for a swim.
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Monday we went with Jen and Kiran to Disneyland. The kids were excited to get there. Of course, Matthew had the agenda for the day. Matterhorn, Matterhorn, and more Matterhorn.

Look at those happy faces!

Looks like Matthew corrupted Kiran and he is now a thrill ride junkie too!

It was a warm day so they rode Splash Mountain a few times too. Look at my little guys skinny arms in the air. :)

Such a fun day! There were no crowds, tolerable heat and 2 happy kids. Life is good. It has been a wonderful year for Matthew. Much progress and understanding. We still have a journey ahead but we feel that the most difficult times are behind us, his future is limitless.
I love you Matthew. You have given your Daddy and me the best years of our lives.

Lots of firsts...........

2010-07-19T20:57:00.001-07:00

So the past few weeks have been filled with many "firsts" for Matthew. Below, his first trip to Farrell's and his first real non-GFCF ice cream sunday (yes...enzymes were given). Poor little guy was still so sore from surgery he was done after 3 bites.

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Matthew got his first big boy bike. He picked a green Tony Hawk bike and was excited to help Daddy put it together.

He got the hang of it pretty quick and was off and running!

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We took him to Irvine Park for a bike ride. There was lots of open area for him to test his new bike out.

He also agreed to try his first pony ride. As brave and fearless as he is about most things, this was not something we could talk him into trying before.
He loved it and went again before we left.

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It has been so hot and he could not swim for a few weeks post surgery so we headed for a cool day to a favorite, Pretend City.

He could stay there for hours....

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Over the weekend we met some friends at the beach for Matthew's first bonfire and marsh mellow roast.

Does he have the cutest beach bod or what?

He LOVED it.
*****
He spent Saturday afternoon with his cousins...such a treat. He was over the moon happy.

He was supposed to wait one more week before going into the water but wanted to be with the boys so bad that Mark caved.

He had the best time and was begging for them to spend the night with him. :)
We all ended the afternoon with a trip for frozen yogurt, Matthew's first time trying it.

He LOVED the toppings (mini gummy bears) but wasn't so excited about the yogurt.
*****
Overall he is feeling MUCH better. He is still not eating chips and crunchy foods but he is feeling great and back to his active, busy self.

That smile....there is nothing like it!

Is it already July?

2010-07-05T20:54:00.000-07:00

The summer is going by too fast, it is literally flying by. It is hard to believe it has been a year since Mark's dad passed away. Matthew still speaks of his grandpa, they had a special bond. In remembrance we went to the cemetery on the anniversary of his passing.

After this we grabbed a bite to eat with Mark's family. Matthew enjoyed his cousins, it was nice to see Matthew really connect with them.

*****
We came home and Mark and Matthew engaged in one of their pass times, catching lizards. Yuck!

As long as they keep those things outside, have at it.
*****
Friday Matthew had surgery. His tonsils and adenoids where removed and he had a frenulectomy. I was a wreck but going in he was a brave boy.

After a little "silly juice".

It was actually a BRUTAL day. Matthew was fine going in but had a very hard time coming out of anesthesia and was in a lot of pain. He had such a horrible reaction to the anesthesia, it took the surgeon, anesthesiologist, Mark the nurse and I to hold him down when he came out because he was crazed. They tried a few meds to calm him because he was ripping out his IV and literally could not be contained. It was heartbreaking to see. He does not cry often so it was very difficult to see him so out of sorts. My poor baby! After he awoke again he was back to himself but in pain. He is healing well and in great spirits though still experiencing some discomfort.
*****
For July 4th I got Mark and Matthew matching t-shirts.

Are these two peas in a pod or what?

Matthew swinging his first real golf club. Not bad. Wonder where he gets it? :)
We had our friends over for some dinner and to watch the fire works.

It was a lot of fun. It was beautiful weather and everyone enjoyed the day.

Kiran got in on the golf too!

The kids all had fun and enjoyed the fire works show. Matthew was mellow all day and by the evening was not feeling well at all. He was better today and I think with a few more days of minimal activity will resume to his sunny, happy, energetic self. Poor little thing has been a trooper. He has been on a liquid diet since Friday and on antibiotics and pain killers.
He still manages to be the sweetest boy and gives those smiles that warm me to my toes!
Hope you feel better precious!

Summer is here!

2010-06-24T15:33:00.001-07:00

This school year has flown by. There were lots of tough times this year but a year full of growth and progress. Monday was Matthew's last day with Kelly (on the left). She has been his social skills teacher for 2 years and his shadow for over a year. She has been amazing with unending patience and perseverance and he has learned so much from her. She is moving up north and I am so sad I cry every time I think about it. Kelly-I hope you know the impact you have had on my son and my family. We love you and are grateful every day that you came into our lives....for Matthew and for us.

Tuesday was the last day of this school year for Moulton (School District). It has been a year of much learning and changing there too. Matthew had wonderful teachers. We decided that another year of pre-k would be highly beneficial. Though academically he would do fine in kindergarten we felt that socially he needs another year so he will be in his same class next year. It is great because he can have the same teachers (he loves them) and have many of the same kids as well. Then when he goes to kindergarten he will move on with the kids he is in class with next year.

Thank you Mrs. G and Miss Mansi!

The kids had a fun last day party. Matthew even wore some face paint (that was a first!)

My adorable little man!
*****
To celebrate the end of a good year we surprised Matthew with a trip to Disneyland.

Miss Melanie surprised us with a visit there and rode a few rides too.

******

What a year. Lots of really rough days and lots of tears (Matthew and me)......but lots of wonderful moments too! We love you so much little fellow and are proud of you.

So proud!

2010-06-10T17:18:00.000-07:00

We still have many issues that we are working on but I am so proud of my Matthew I could burst! I would love to show this to the doctor (who will go nameless) who told me Matthew would probably not speak......
How it this for non-verbal?

Counting in 4 languages! Go Matthew! You amaze me every day and I love you so much.
I am so lucky to be your mom!

Catching up....

2010-06-04T12:41:00.000-07:00

It's been a busy few weeks for us. Matthew went to his very first movie! He has been begging to see a "show" so we took him to see Shrek 4. We went to a "sensory friendly" viewing where they keep the lights on and the volume bit lower than usual. You can bring your own snacks (for kids on special diets) and it is an environment that brings the stimuli to a more tolerable level for kids with issues with noise, crowds, etc. Matthew did not care for the movie (we lasted about 20 minutes which is actually a big deal for anyone who knows Matthew) but he does want to go back for Toy Story 3.

**********
Later that day we saw Andrew in a Rubik's Cube speed contest at the Discovery Science Center. His best time was 49 seconds! I was blown away! He was a bit disappointed as he can do 34 seconds but Holy Cow! What a stud! A true MIT candidate, and sooooooooo handsome!

**********
Matthew started swim class and is having a blast.

Warm ups with Coach Ashley
His little teeth were chattering so we got a wetsuit to keep him a little warmer.
Is he cute or what?

He loves swimming this year and has become so brave. I know where we'll be spending lots of time this summer.....if only mommy was swimsuit ready :(

Look at my baby go across the pool!

Relaxing in the jacuzzi after swim class
**********
We had a fun day with our friends Matt, Alex and Aiden this weekend. We went to a BBQ restaurant that had GFCF food for lunch and off to the pool after. Doesn't this cutie look like he could be Matthew's cousin?

**********

These pics are from Matthew's pre-school's year end potluck. Matthew enjoyed having us there and we loved seeing Matthew successful in school. He participated in the games, circle time and chatted with the boys on either side of him during the snack time.

He got to have a GFCF break and had some real pizza. He was in heaven!

As we observed Matthew at the potluck we were reminded again of how big the past few months have been for him. We could not be more proud of the progress he has made this year and how hard he has worked. He inspires us every day. We love you Matthew!

Pinch me........

2010-05-20T08:32:00.000-07:00

Today we had an IEP that we were so happy with....and no attorneys! After a rough 2008 our team for 2009 has been awesome! It was so wonderful to meet with the IEP team and hear how happy everyone is with Matthew's progress and we can all celebrate his successes the past few months. We still have many issues that we are working on but the progress he has made is thrilling.
His favorite thing in the entire world is roller coasters, the ones at Disneyland in particular. He LOVES to watch them on youtube and has become quite adept at navigating the web. He enjoys spelling too and hops on the computer and types in the various rides he likes to watch.....over and over and over and over....! Here is a clip of him doing just that. My smart, sweet little guy. I can hardly believe that in a little more than 3 months he will be 5. Where did the time go? This little fellow has made it the best years of our lives. We love you peanut!

Walk for Autism 2010

2010-04-25T09:30:00.000-07:00

Zachary decided to spend his birthday weekend doing the Walk for Autism in honor of Matthew. He spoke to his school a few weeks ago about the importance of supporting this cause and the devastating effects this disorder has on children and their families. He raised over $3300!
We could not be more proud of this special boy!
Thank you to our friends and family who supported him, we appreciate all of you.
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." - Margaret Mead

Zach, David and the Team Freemont walkers

Zach and David walking with Matthew

Matthew loved being with his cousins. He had a fun day.

As we met several wonderful people and saw children representative of all ends of the spectrum, I was reminded of what I have to be so grateful for and how much hope we have for the future, not only for Matthew but for all the children in our lives affected by autism.
Thank you Zach for doing such a wonderful job and working so hard to make a difference.
You are a wonderful advocate for your cousin and I love you very much.
Happy, Happy Birthday!

2010-04-19T16:34:00.000-07:00

It feels like it has been so long since I have posted but it has been quite busy for us. I ended up having surgery and have pretty much been off my feet for the past 5 weeks. That has kind of put a crimp in our outings. I am posting just a few photos from Easter with Mark's family and a few photos of Matthew at a birthday party with his beaming smile.

He is doing so well right now, I feel like I have to pinch myself at times. We went to Irvine Spectrum yesterday (they have complimentary wheel chairs) and as wandered around we were reminded of when we used to go with Mark's parents. We never let Matthew out of the stroller as he was a HUGE eloper and when we took him to the water area we had 1 person at each entrance to catch Matthew while he ran aimlessly towards every exit. Yesterday he calmly walked along side, even pushing the wheelchair at times and chatting about the mini-schnauzer he wanted us to buy at the pet store. He has come so far, I often look at him and can hardly remember those difficult times. His progress has been nothing short of a miracle. Still, we have issues we are working on but I now know that there is nothing Matthew can't over come.
Mom and Dad are proud of you Matthew! We love you!

Mark and his brother

Matthew and cousins

My little thrill seeker

Wahoooooo!

Oops!

2010-03-15T17:53:00.001-07:00

Matthew has anxiously been waiting for March 12th to arrive, the re-opening of the Matterhorn. He has been trying to hard in school we wanted to give him a big surprise and take him Friday night. Here is that precious face on his favorite ride.

His second favorite is Thunder Mountain.

And this is where the photos of that night as well as the fun came to an end. I was standing on a bench trying to take pictures of Matthew, and as my sister eloquently put it, while trying to snap some photos I snapped something else, my achilles tendon. Fun.

The worst was that I broke my camera lens when I fell. Thankfully, my sister and brother-in-law replaced it for which I will be eternally grateful!
Thanks Keiko and Rob, we love you.

My little Mario Andretti

2010-03-07T19:59:00.000-08:00

Since it did not rain after all today we ventured over to Boomers for Matthew's new favorite thrill....driving go carts with Dad. He had such a good time.

For those who know Matthew well.....this is him standing in line and waiting his turn. Wow!

Getting ready to rip up the road!

Matthew feelin' the need for speed!!!!

Snacks with Dad after a few rounds of racing.

We had such a great weekend and it was nice to be able to see Matthew fully able to participate in activities and enjoy them. He is so much more in control and regulated. In all honesty there are some concerns we have noted since starting meds but overall, we feel that for now, he is reaping much benefit. I wish that things were easier for Matthew but my little trooper never gives up and always forges ahead. He makes us so proud!

As Mark was putting him down tonight he says"Daddy, do you love me?"
Matthew......the answer is Yes! More than anything in the world!

Seeing is believing

2010-03-05T12:43:00.000-08:00

This is a video clip of Matthew taken by his shadow. This was right after the teacher called 4 names to do a project. I could hardly believe it when I saw this the first time. I still get teary every time I watch this because I see Matthew so calm, able to control his impulses and able to participate like the other kids. It is such a big step for my little boy.
I could not be more proud (yes, even the part when he picks his nose).
Great job to the best boy ever!
I love you so much!

At last......

2010-02-28T19:18:00.000-08:00

It has been a few weeks since I have posted anything; I just haven’t had the heart to. The past 6 weeks have been absolutely grueling. Certainly the most difficult for Matthew, but excruciating for Mark and I to watch. In addition to autism, Matthew has severe ADHD. He is such a smart boy but has tremendous hyperactivity and a total inability to focus and attend. We have seen Matthew struggle so hard in this area to do things that come naturally to typical kids, it seems so unfair because we know how hard he tries. It has become more pronounced than autism lately. Honestly, we were frightened at the quick regression happening in front of us recently as well because of his ADHD. After 2 years of wrestling with the options, we came to a decision. We felt that for Matthew, the best help we could give at this time was to address his ADHD….. through medication. To that end we were willing to try this avenue in the hopes we could give Matthew some relief. His self esteem was taking a beating as everyday was a battle at school for focus and extreme hyperactivity which he was not winning and he was acutely aware of this. It breaks my heart to hear him tell me how sorry he is and that he promises to try harder. Using meds was not how we envisioned things but we tried everything we could (diet, biomedical, naturopath, homeopathy, therapy, OT, sensory integration, HBOT, supplement, herbs, etc.) to no avail. We found a wonderful doctor that was able to give us support and guidance and the courage to try this. The first 6 weeks were awful, I saw my son exhibit behaviors that we had not seen in years and even pulled him out of school because the staff was having such difficulties with him. I could see in his eyes his discouragement and frustration as the meds were initially making a tough situation much worse. I imagine he must feel like he drank and entire pot of coffee and can’t stop moving, shaking, feeling on edge and acting out. He stopped sleeping through the night and Monday I hit the wall. He woke up at 1am and could not get back to sleep. I felt such guilt! What had I done to my child? I was ready to throw in the towel.

I spoke with our doctor who encouraged me to wait one more day………Wow.!!!! The clouds went away and the sun came out. If I did not see it with my own eyes, I would have NEVER believed it. Matthew was calm (for him) and in control. The mania and frenetic behavior was gone and he seemed to be at ease. Literally, the very next day! I sent him to school the day after and his aide was in tears as she told me of the composed, calm child she was seeing. He was able to focus and soak in the events that were happening around him. His teacher was thrilled and I love seeing the smile on Matthew’s face each day since when he hears “Matthew had a GREAT day today. Good job!” from the staff. With the ability to have some calm, we have had some great language too. This was our conversation on Wednesday night:

Me: Matthew, time to go to bed.

Matthew: Mom, I jus’ wanna play with my Leapster, watch 106 (channel) and reyax (relax) on the couch.

I was so excited of course I let him. What a great sentence. I know our work is far from over, but I see the light at the end of the tunnel and it has gotten brighter every day this week. I am aware that as children grow, the chemistry in their brains change which results in certain meds becoming ineffective resulting in starting this difficult process over, however, I know that our decision was the right one and a large step forward in Matthew’s progress, regardless of how hard it may seem at the moment.

To celebrate a great weekend, I made Matthew one of his favorite desserts, GFCF chocolate covered strawberries! His face tells it all!

Matthew, you are remarkable and I love you. You have taught me so much and you inspire me. You are extraordinary and there is nothing you can’t do!

I am blessed to be your mom!

Rainy Day Fun

2010-02-07T23:02:00.000-08:00

Matthew was just itching to put his rain boots to use and go puddle jumping when the rain eased up. He had the best time and is waiting for it to rain so he can go again.

His smile and laugh are so contagious, it made Mark and I want to put on boots and join him.

It was such a welcomed time after a very tough week. Very tough...... I hate autism. It feels like we can never completely escape it and just when we feel like we can exhale, it comes back in full force. It just isn't fair. I know I need to be so thankful for the progress he has made, somehow it just doesn't seem enough. My son should not have to work so hard just do do the same things a typical child does without a second thought.
I see his beautiful smile and I know that we will never stop trying until his recovery is complete, in all honesty no one works harder than he does to that end.

Weekends

2010-02-02T10:03:00.000-08:00

Matthew had an extra special date at the park last week.....Danny!

Matthew was so excited and as we waited, he watched every person who walked towards the park and said "Nope, not Danny yet". When he did see Danny in the distance he ran to him and it seemed that no time had passed. Danny and Matthew have a special bond. I can't imagine where Matthew would be without Danny's influence in his life. They were together Monday through Friday for over 2 years and through lots of rough days.

We love you Danny and will always be grateful for you!

***********

Sunday we were so excited to take Matthew to "Snow Day" at the Great Park in Irvine.....until we got there. There were HUGE lines, it was over crowded and barely any snow. Still, Matthew was happy to be there.

Matthew and Dad attempting to build a snow man with the little bit of snow they could muster.

As meager as the man made snow was, Matthew still had fun. Just check out his smile.

He thought the igloos were so cool. What a handsome boy!
*********
An update for HBOT, we have put it on hold for now. HBOT can increase stimming behaviors and even though we saw gains we are now struggling with stimming behaviors that we had not seen in months. Lots of perseveration, verbal stimming, echolalia and lining up of toys, etc. I guess it always feels like you take 2 steps forward and 1 or 1 1/2 steps back. I love Matthew so much and just wish it were easier for him, it hurts to see him struggle. He had an exceptionally bad day at school today and as I scolded him he said "I am sorry Mommy. I try harder. I have a hard time". Just about broke my heart. I am so proud of my incredible son and I will do whatever it takes to help you reach that amazing potential I see in your beautiful face.

Lots of catching up

2010-01-16T11:23:00.000-08:00

I am finally getting around to updating this blog! First, hbot is going well. Matthew goes in and puts the oxygen hood on with no problem. His ears bother him a bit so he sucks on a pacifier to relieve the pressure. He loves the girls who work there and actually likes picking the chamber he will go in that day. He calls it the space ship and his hood his space helmet. He has slept through the night every night since starting hbot! This is HUGE as we have not been able to facilitate that ever.

Kind of small isn't it? We are also seeing changes with his language and complexity of it. This was a conversation about a week ago.

Matthew:Mom, I upset to Daddy!
Me:Why?
Matthew:Ummm, because...Daddy don't listen me. I want to play my computer game all by myself.

We have had lots of great little "wow" moments with regard to conversation lately....did I say conversation? Very exciting!

*******

We spent Christmas Eve with my mom and Christmas Day with Mark's family.

Matthew loves the tent Nagymama gave him.

He was all smiles over his train table!

Matthew with Grandma and cousins

*******
We had a trip to Aquarium of the Pacific with our friends Matt, Alex and Aiden. It was PACKED but Matthew had fun.

Oh the wonderment!

********
We squeezed in a trip to Mountain High with Matt, Alex and Aiden for some snow fun. We tried this same trip in 2008 and stayed in the car the entire time because Matthew was on overload and screamed literally for hours. I remember being so discouraged on the way home and wondered when things would get better.
This time he had a blast! He was so excited to go and see snow and he absolutely loved the inner tubing.

My little thrill seeker could not get enough. I can't wait until he is a little older and can try skiing.

Check out his big smile!

We are so proud of the progress you have made Matthew. Here is to another year of great gains and a step closer to recovery.
We love you!

HBOT and a little holiday fun!

2009-12-21T16:57:00.000-08:00

A fun day! We took Matthew to the Irvine Railroad park to ride the Christmas train and see Santa.

The weather was very nice and the lines were not bad.

We love our little guy!

After the train we went to Ladera Ranch to walk Candy Cane Lane and see the pretty lights.

***********************

Today we started HBOT, or Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy. Here is a link that explain it's use in ways I never could.
http://www.hbotreatment.com/Autism.htm
I know many people would think this is drastic and does not have enough data to prove it's worth, but we have found some great gains with unconventional and alternative medicines. We have friends whose children have benefited greatly from this so we felt we needed to give this a try.
So......today was rough. The chamber is small and we are in for 70 minutes. In addition, Matthew wears a hood that he cannot remove that delivers pure oxygen to him in addition to the pressure from the chamber which is at 1.3 ATA. As the pressure was turned on he creid a lot because his ears hurt. Mine did too. The hood prevented him from rubbing his ears and even wiping away his tears. He did adjust after about 15 minutes or so but did not find it a pleasant experience at all. Needless to say it was a LONG 70 minutes. He was exhausted from crying and and took a nap on the way home. Typically it takes about 20+ dives before any changes are seen so we will see how it goes.

Matthew was all smiles when we got there. He said he was going in the space ship and wearing a helmet like Buzz Lightyear.

You can bring in toys, DVDs and computers. Anything to pass the time but no food or water and the helmet stays on until he exits the chamber.

He was a trooper and it made me so sad that I could not even kiss away his tears. He is such a brave boy and made it through. 1 session down, 39 to go!
His ears were hurting as he had not adjusted to the pressure yet.

Once his ears adjusted he was a little calmer but could not wait to get out!
Mom and Dad are so proud of you Matthew! You did a great job!

Matthew and Santa

2009-12-18T17:02:00.001-08:00

This year is fun as now Matthew gets Santa. He is not particularly fond of sitting in his lap but will in order to tell him that he wants a toy dog (took some prompting to slip the word "toy" in). At least we got him off the kick on answering "brother and sister"!

The smile that makes my day!

2009-12-10T13:03:00.000-08:00

This child is pure joy! The love of my life!

December Days

2009-12-06T22:50:00.000-08:00

This weekend was our kickoff to December. Saturday we got together with Keiko's family to celebrate her 40 th birthday at our favorite place....Shabu! We all love it and have a great time there.

Still fab at 40! Ridiculous that she looks so good.
Happy Birthday Keiko!

All of us with the owner, Hot Mama!
After dinner we took the boys ice skating. It was a beautiful night for it and they had a blast.

My precious nephews....they are growing so fast.
I love you Andrew and Zach!

**********
Sunday we went to get our Christmas tree. Matthew had fun just running around and hiding behind the trees. Does he have an impish face or what? I loved these photos!

He was all smiles and so sweet.

**********
Last night I had a chance to get out with friend and see Roger's Gardens for their Christmas display. It was beautiful, really quite amazing.

Such a nice relaxing evening, perfect way to start a week.

Thanks for a great night!

Thanksgiving week

2009-11-25T08:50:00.000-08:00

Last Saturday our very dear friends, the Derelioglus left for Costa Rica for stem cell replacement therapy for their precious son Riley. You are all in our thoughts and prayers every day and we look forward to your safe return. Please take a moment to look at Riley's blog.
http://healingriley.blogspot.com/
*********
Sunday we enjoyed a delicious Pre-Thanksgiving at Gillian's. Yum!

Great friends and great food....lots to be thankful for!

*********************

Tuesday we met up with a few friends at Disneyland for a day of fun.

Matthew was so excited and of course, bee-lined it for the Matterhorn and then Thunder Mountain to start the day.

I think that he rode the Matterhorn 3 times that day and Thunder Mountain 3 times. Did not get that from me!

We have all been sick so we planned on staying half day..... Matthew was not in agreement!

Matthew and his cousin Avery

Some of my favorite people

Don't you wish you could leave them behind bars sometimes? Lots of times?

Waiting for the parade with such anticipation :)

Trying to catch the snow on Main Street

The end to a great day!

******************
This year we hosted Thanksgiving at our house.

It was really good and Mark was the turkey master.

The grandmas and grandma Sumida, flanked by all the Sumida men

The kids all had a good time and Matthew was excited to see his cousins. It was nice to see him so interested and friendly....he was inviting Justin and Avery into his room to play and shut the door to keep the adults out!
We have had our ups and downs this year, as I am sure any parent of a special needs child experiences....you have incredible highs and desperate lows. Overall, we have so much to be thankful for this year. We have the most wonderful son ever and what he gives us back everyday is worth more than money. Happy Thanksgiving to our sweet boy.

Tee Ball

2009-11-14T10:33:00.000-08:00

Well.......Matthew definitely likes hitting and running when it comes to playing tee ball, it is the throwing and catching he hates. He is getting better and has a pretty good swing. I am sure Daddy will try and transform that to a golf swing some day.
Overall it has been a tough couple of weeks. It feels like you can never exhale because a bump is just around the corner. It seems that a great boom of progress is followed by a period of regression...or maybe a period of difficulty proceeds a streak of progress.......who knows. Regardless, it has just been a draining and hard 2-3 weeks. In keeping things honest, when Matthew goes through hard patches, he does not sleep (up every 1-2 hours through the night), tantrums that you have to see to believe and crazy stimming. It is during these times that the autism just screams at you and it is hard to keep the faith.
After a very upsetting weekend and and polishing off an entire of pint of Ben and Jerry's in one sitting (Elena's fault) I needed to see something positive. I took Matthew to the playground at McDonald's to burn off some energy after school today. There was an adorable girl about Matthew's age. This was the conversation that took place.

Matthew: Mommy, the little girl wanna pay wif me.
Me: Go ask her
Matthew goes over to her
Matthew: Little girl, what you eat for bweakfast? Wanna pay evator (elevator)?
Later she came to show Matthew her Strawberry Short cake notebook. Matthew takes it from her and says
Matthew: Dis is cool. I love strawberries.
He pretends to eat a strawberry off the notebook and then hands it back to her.
******
Then tonight as Mark was eating a piece of candy:
Matthew: Daddy, can I have a little, tiny bite please?

I know that does not seem like much but "little, tiny bite"! Wow, I love that language!

It is these moments that bring me sanity and I try to focus on when it feels like everything else is slipping. I suppose every parent who has a child with autism has fears of regression, going back to that place where your child seemed unreachable. I love Matthew so much and it hurts to see him struggle. I hope and pray for the day when this is only a memory.

Halloween Weekend

2009-11-01T07:03:00.001-08:00

A busy but fun last few days. It was Matthew first Trick-or-Treating adventure. He loves Veggie Tales and wanted to be Bob the Tomato. He looked forward to this for days and had a great time.

He walked in the Halloween parade with Dad.

He got the hang of things very quickly and ran from house to house wanting to fill his bucket with treats!

Matthew and his special friend Brenna

Are they cute or what?

*******************
Friday there was a sing along at school. He was happy to see Mom and Dad at school and sang so loud.

*****************
Thursday we met friends at the local pumpkin patch.

Look how tall my baby is getting!

Rides are Matthew's favorite. The bumpier and faster the better. Love those smiles!

I don't have photos but Matthew and Mark went to Disneyland for a few house over the weekend and Matthew went on the Matterhorn 3 times, Thunder Mountain and Mr. Toad's Wild Ride....he sure does not get that from his mother.
All the fun and enthusiasm from this weekend makes us so excited for this Christmas. Matthew was not too involved in the holidays last year but this year will be so much fun experiencing many things for the first time. Snow, Santa, presents....
Can't wait!

Pumkin Patch

2009-10-25T20:40:00.000-07:00

A fun weekend! Friday we went to the Boo Blast, a carnival fundraiser for the school. We went with Matthew's little friends, Kiran and Brenna.

Matthew of course.......always doing things his way.

What a smile!

Special friends!
*******************

Sunday we went to the Irvine Railroad Park with friends for the Pumpkin Patch and to try out Matthew's new fishing pole! He was so excited!

The kids had fun on the train.

Probably the things Matthew would have enjoyed most was the tractor ride.

Unfortunately he thought it was funny to crash into the hay walls so we decided to end his driving experience. There were a few tears but he understood why. He is at the point where we can reason with him and even though often we struggle with his focus and attention, his compliance and desire to please has made things much easier. He really is such a good boy and as sweet as can be. Love you little guy!

A fun afternoon

2009-10-14T10:58:00.000-07:00

We surprised Matthew after school with an impromptu trip to Disneyland with our friends, the Derelioglus. He was so excited and had a blast. His favorite ride was the Matterhorn. I was really nervous about letting him ride it but he got off and said "Daddy, I want go the "horn" one more time!"

Fun with friends

Look at Matthew....his very first "hamburger"! Disneyland is great about food options and they had a GFCF bun and dedicated fryer so Matthew got to eat what everyone else had! The bread was not very good but he enjoyed it and was all smiles.

Matthew and his favorite ride partner....Daddy!

Good Bye Danny

2009-10-05T22:13:00.000-07:00

It was a very sad day for us today! :(
We said good bye to our Danny.
He has been Matthew's ABA therapist for 2 1/2 years. He started working with Matthew in March 2007. We were reminiscing today about how things were back then......it was not an easy time. No eye contact, constant stimming, maladaptive behaviors and tantrums that could not be believed. Danny was there through all of it, encouraging us and working with Matthew. Danny has been such an wonderful influence in Matthew's life and is largely responsible getting him to where he is now. I can't imagine how things would have been without him. They have such a bond and Matthew loves Danny so much, we all do. I hope he knows how special he will always be to us.

The scratch on Matthew's nose was a spill he took in the backyard today. He cut his lip (a surprising amount of blood) and bumped his head too. Poor little guy was left with scrapes on his little face and a fat lip. Of course he got lots of love and sympathy the rest of the day! :)

These are some photos of Matthew with his cousins from this weekend. Matthew adores them and is very interactive with them.

I love seeing the boys together. Matthew is so happy and playful with them, Matthew talks about them for days after! We love you "Adew" and "Zachawy"!

Adventure City

2009-09-27T21:32:00.000-07:00

After a particularly hard week, the weekend was a welcomed relief. Matthew was his sweet, funny and happy self. Sunday we met friends at Adventure City for an afternoon of fun in the crazy heat.

If there are animals around, Matthew wants to see them....no matter how bad they smell!

Special friends.....

Great afternoons with great friends...what could be better?

Initially Matthew didn't want to ride the roller coaster but after awhile he changed his mind and went twice. It would have been three times but Mark was so done!

That look of sheer delight!

Matthew loves to end the day at Adventure City by playing in the train yard. He had so much fun and was in a great mood. He had moments of difficulty but overall was such a good boy. I feel badly because too often I dwell on the negative instead of recognizing how hard Matthew has worked and how far he has come.
I am so proud of you Matthew and love you so much. You are my joy and I am so blessed to be your mom!
XOXOXOXOXO

Daddy's Birthday

2009-09-24T08:43:00.000-07:00

A busy few days for us..............

Saturday we went to Temecula to celebrate Devin's birthday. I thought this was a cute photo of Matthew with his cousins.

Sunday morning Mark went to Vegas with his brother Kirk for a few days of golf, fun and R & R for his b-day. They had a beautiful suite at the Venetian with a great view of the strip. Of course pictures were the last thing on Mark's mind but he did take a few.

On Mark's b-day we decided to surprise Matthew and pick him up from school for a visit to Disneyland.

It was not crowded but boy was it hot! We went to Tom Sawyer's Island. Matthew had fun but I think it will be a bigger hit once the weather cools down.

He was really good about trying some new things this time and kept saying "Mom, I wanna go more rides".

He was beat on the way home so I tried to give him a lollipop and keep him awake.
Didn't work!

He just could not keep those big brown eyes open a moment longer!
Truth be told it was a fun day but the last hour was hard. The two weeks or so have been very difficult. I think it is partially because Matthew's schedule has changed and he is having some challenges adjusting. We have been dealing with some really tough behaviors, tantrums and all the fun that goes with having a child with autism.
I hate autism and wish my son could be typical...... I am grateful for the progress he has made, progress I would not have believed 2 years ago. I know that we have much to celebrate but I am not feeling it lately.
Regardless, I love my son beyond measure and feel blessed when I see that beautiful face.

Boomers/Pretend City

2009-09-13T21:25:00.000-07:00

It has been a fun past few days so lots of photos to post. Matthew went to a birthday party Thursday night but my camera died after about 5 minutes but I did have these photos that I thought were so cute of my little man. I can't resist that smile!

Saturday, once it cooled off a bit we went to Boomers with our friends the Raos for some fun with the kids.

Is it me or does Matthew always look mischievous?

Look at those smiles!

We had fun and went back for the Rao home for a delicious dinner while the kids played. A wonderful and relaxing evening.
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On Sunday we headed over to Pretend City after social skills to check it out with some friends.
WOW!
Very well put together and you could literally spend hours there. It is literally like a little city with a bank, restaurant, grocer store, beach, post office, house, movie theater, roads to drive cars on, etc. with tons of activities.

The first stop was one of Matthew's favorite...the grocery store.

He had fun running around collecting food

Checking out the "frozen foods" and paying the cashier.

Out sweet buddy Zachary!

The had a cute little 2 bedroom house with a kitchen, tv room and bathroom with dress up clothes. Matthew came out in these red pumps and said "Look Mommy! I find new fwip fwops!" We laughed so hard because he did not want to take then off and walks better in heels than I do.

Washing windows and filling the gas

Picking apples and going through an ATM drive though....yes, the ATM dispenses play money!

Brenna got face paint...doesn't she look adorable!

Cupcakes with Brenna and Riley make any outing even better!
They had a little restaurant with a back kitchen, counter for ordering and place to eat.

They had a little beach too. My Matthew, always the sensory seeker.

There were plenty of chances to dress up too and drive around the city in cars. Kind of funny because the pedestrian cars were mostly BMWs.

Don't mess with Officer Sumida

And then it was time to go home. Overall, the kids had a great time and Matthew is already asking to return. Matthew loved it though due the crowds and noise level he did go into overload mode a bit. He is very sound and light sensitive and too much sensory (visual and auditory) can be a little overwhelming. I realize how far he has come as this type of stimulation would have sent him into orbit last year. Mark and I are enjoying new and fun experiences with Matthew this year that would not have been an option for us in the past. .

Labor Day Weekend/1st Day of school

2009-09-08T21:37:00.001-07:00

We had a big treat this weekend....a 2 day visit from Andrew and Zach. Matthew was so excited to see them and we loved seeing him interact so much and seek them out to play with them. He would just crawl into their laps, asked to be picked up and grabbed their hands. All weekend we heard "I want to pay with cousins/Boys, come pay wif me/I want boys sit next to Maffew".....you get the picture. It was so sweet, made us both tear up. Saturday we played at home in the afternoon and went to boomers in the evening.

Andrew and Zach love the crazy rides.....

Matthew thought it was so fun to watch.

We asked him if he wanted to try riding it and he said "Noooooooooooo. Dat one vewy too scawy!"

Sunday we went out for a yummy breakfast and watched videos and played in the afternoon. We dropped of Matthew with my mom for dinner while we went out for our family favorite....Shabu Shabu. Mmmmm....as Matthew says "Dewicious!"

Stopped by McDonalds for apple fries and to play in the jungle gym

Andrew tried to teach Mark to solve a rubicks cube. Andrew is a whiz at it and his best time this weekend was 1 min 31 seconds! WOW! When we got home the boys played a little more before crashing.

The next day our friends the Roas came over for a swim/lunch date.
The kids were so adorable!

Matthew must have gotten his taste buds from me because he loves his Daddy's salsa. The kids decorated then inhaled the frosting on cupcakes for dessert.
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Today was Matthew's first day of school. I could tell he was a little nervous at first but he did well.
How cute is he?

Matthew's teacher and shadow. Both are very nice.

I have mixed emotions about Matthew going back to school. Even during the more challenging times I have loved our summer together. Last summer we were still in a very intense ABA program as he was under 3 and quite honestly he was not in that place where we could enjoy the experiences with him then that we do now. We are proud of all he has accomplished but want to hold these special years close. We love you little fella'!

Matthew's Birthday Weekend

2009-08-30T20:32:00.001-07:00

What a weekend! We celebrated Matthew's 4th birthday on Saturday with a trip to Disneyland. The heat was mind numbing so we got there early and left by noon. We got annual passes for his birthday so we plan to have lots of return trips when the weather cools.

We bought him Mickey Mouse ears and he loved them. He wore them all day!

Of course being his birthday he wanted a lollipop!

What a face!

Of the attractions we visited, his favorite the the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. We crossed overe to California Adventure to see it. We were not sure if he would sit still but WOW! He loved it!

After coming home and cooling off with a swim, we headed over to the Tabari's home to spend the evening with them. Matthew was so thrilled he reminded us a million times that day....I guess he wanted to make sure we did not forget.

Matthew loves the ladies...especially his "Coach Miss Weesa" and Coach Yazz.

It was Shab's birthday so everyone sang to both of them. Matthew had his own special GFCF cake which he of course sucked the frosting off of in a split second.

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The next day we had our families over to celebrate. All of the kids went swimming and enjoyed a reprieve from the heat.

Matthew is getting so brave in the water. Here he is swimming to Zach.

His boy cousins hung out in the back yard. How cute are all of them? I can't get over how grown up they are becoming.

Matthew was eating inside and saw the boys outside. He picked up his plate, took it outside and says "I go eat with boys. Cousins...I am coming". So wonderful to see his increasing interest in spending time and playing with others.

Matthew can be a little sound sensitive so he sang Happy Birthday solo but everyone clapped and he blew out his candle, then inhaled his cake.

Matthew and cousins

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I can hardly believe that 4 years have gone by since this beautiful boy was born. They have certainly been the happiest of our lives.

We could not be more proud of you sweet boy!

We love you!

My little T-ball star

2009-08-22T19:40:00.000-07:00

In wanting to keep things authentic, I should state how excruciating this week was with Matthew. It was hard and we were feeling very discouraged. It was continual meltdowns, rigidity and tantrums. Mark and I were NOT looking forward to t-ball practice today....we just could not imagine another difficult morning. Then, the skies parted and the sun came out. Matthew had a GREAT practice and we had so much fun watching and cheering him on.

There were a few kiddos missing today but seriously....how adroable are these boys?

That is a smile of great accomplishment!

Look at my boy throw!

I love that mischevious smile!

What a little stud he is! His favorite part is hitting the ball with the bat!

The practice ended with a group hug and a "Go Team!"

We are so very proud of you our little man.

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Had to include some fun pictures of Matthew at Lake Mission Viejo.

I think they look like they could all be related.

Matthew had so much fun on the boogie board and was feeling pretty brave.

My little bathing beauty! I love you Matthew!

Fun, Fun, Fun!!!

2009-08-16T21:23:00.000-07:00

We spent today with friends in Pasadena at Kid Space, a children's museum. It was really cool and the kids had fun. It is very interactive and had many fun things to do.

There was lots of indoor crawl and climbing equipment, painting, sensory things and exploring.

Matthew enjoyed the climbing strustures, one of them went up to the third floor.

There was lots of outdoor fun too. A bike road, slides, water tables, etc.

There was a little creek that the kids could walk down and get wet. Matthew and Aiden loved it and could have probably stayed for much longer.

This is Aiden....what a cutie! We had such a great time with our friends and seeing the kiddos enjoy themselves. Matthew said "I have fun museum mom!"

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We went to a birthday Party at Pump it up on Saturday. Matthew had a ball and was all smiles the entire time.

Matthew loves doing that type of play with his Daddy!

Snuggles are for Mommy!

Truth be told, it had been a really hard week with behaviors and I was a bit worried about taking Matthew. I was concerned that he would get overwhelmed and have a melt down. Wrong! He had so much fun and was elated to be there. He was saying "Wook at me. I go on big, tawy side!" (Look at me, I go on big, scary slide). He was quite the clown trying to snake the party girl's hat and just loved when everyone laughed. He sang Happy Birthday and sat with the other kids for a photo. For that 2 hours, he seemed like every other child at the party. It encouraged me after a week that left me a little depleted emotionally.

Those are the moments we live for.....when we forget that autism is even in our lives and see that beautiful child just loving life.

I love this boy more than anything and I am so proud of how very hard he works and how very far he has come.

Ahhhhh...........

2009-08-10T21:12:00.000-07:00

I typically only post about Matthew but I had to post about my weekend get away with my friend Jen. She took me to the Se in San Diego for a weekend of relaxation and girl time........WOW!

The hotel was ultra chic and beautiful. I loved the door. It was 900 lbs of iron and made such an impressive entrance into the hotel.

OK, our room....GORGEOUS! It was decorated so beautifully and had a relaxing aura. Even the vanity on the bathroom was perfect!

Jen surprised me with a wonderful spa pedicure. I wish the photos showed how luxurious it was.

As if the hotel were not amazing enough....the spa.....WOW!!!!

The relaxation area was very elegant. The showers that were attached to the room where you got massages had it's own steam room..... Thought I died and went to heaven! (I got 2 massages too!)

The pool was very cool. It was on the 3rd floor and was surrounded by cabanas and pool beds. Of course there was no way I was going in the light of day :)

In the evenings there was a Cirque De Soliel type of performance over the pool.

We had such a relaxing time and had a wonderful dinner and desert on Saturday. We went to Chocolat for dessert where I inhaled a crepe filled with nutella. Mmmmmmmm!

We had such a wonderful time and I feel so rested.

Jen, thanks for a wonderful weekend and for your friendship! I love you lots!

Had to include a photo of Matthew at swim class yesterday. Look who is on the kick board by himself!

Matthew and his buddy Brenna devouring GFCF strawberry shortcake! How cute are they!

A Day at the Beach

2009-07-26T21:30:00.000-07:00

It has been so beautiful and warm that a beach day was in order. I took Matthew with our friends on Friday and the kids had a blast. I was reminded how much I love California when I watched Matthew frolic in the waves.

My handsome beach boy!

He had a great time playing in the sand too.

Matthew and his best buddy Brenna

Yummy Kiran

Romancing the waves....

Look at my sweet boy!

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As I was making breakfast I heard someone sneak into the kitchen behind me. I followed him to and caught him in the act!

Matthew loves to sleep with his trucks...This is what I found when I went into his room just before he woke up!

Another HOT weekend

2009-07-19T20:28:00.000-07:00

We went to our nephew Justin's house for his birthday this weekend. Matthew is giving the birthday boy a kiss.

It was a scorcher (111 degrees to be exact) so the kids played in the water to cool down.

Initially Matthew was a bit reserved. He is very social with adults and older kids but can be very aloof with younger children, especially ones his age. He eventually warmed up and was chasing Devin around the house and reaking all kinds of havoc.

Matthew and his "Gwama".

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We had a swim/play date with Brenna and Kiran today and the kids had a blast. The water felt so good!

Matthew's little pals......

Look who is getting so brave and swimming to Daddy!

We topped the day off with some yummy cupcakes. Matthew asked Brenna to go into the backyard with him and then asked her to sit on the bike and he wanted to sit on the back....sooooo cool! I love seeing those times when he initiates with peers.....we have worked so hard for that. Funny the things that now bring us such joy. I look forward to the time those moments become a way of life.

Love those weekends....

2009-07-12T20:20:00.000-07:00

On Friday I took Matthew to the San Diego Zoo and met up with some friends (mine and his). It was crazy hot but Matthew had a good time and wants to go back.

The weary moms!

Matthew just loves the ladies these days!

He loved the elephants. He watched a feeding and got a kick out of seeing them eat lettuce. He said "Mom, ephant eat lots salad. I yuv ephants"

My adorable little boy!

Inspite of the heat and crowds Mattthew did very well and is looking forward to going back. It was so cool to see him so interested and even tell me the names of a few animals I did not think he knew. He shocked me when he yelled out "Mom...I see a wawabee! I want pet it!"

It was not so long ago that I would not have taken Matthew anywhere without Mark or a therapist. I love that we can spend precious moments together and enjoy each others company. I love you little Bubaloo!

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On Saturday we went to a friend's b-day party. Matthew had so much fun between the bounce house and the swimming pool.

Special people in our lives.

Something that was really great was that Matthew was able to sing happy birthday to Logan. The sound of everyone singing used to send him into a complete meltdown, it was too overwhelming. We loved seeing him be able to join in and sing....of course keeping him away from the cake was a whole other Oprah.

The adorable birthday boy.

Spending time with Dad is the best part of any day!

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Today we had a swim play date with Matthew's friend Zachary, Miss 'Nena and Mr. Paul.

Matthew had so much fun and is loving pool time. I think that swim lessons have been great for him.

Zachary and his Mom

Mr. Too Cool for words. Could he be any cuter?