Blog Entries tagged 'autism'

Shielding His Eyes at Target

brett@snugfits.com — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 01:00:00 +0100

Gavin and I were in the check out line at Target one chilly evening recently, when Gavin spied this gem on the magazine rack. I caught him staring at it for the longest moment, the wheels in his head were cranking away. The headline "Married to a Crazy Man" is what caught his attention. Finally he turned to me with tears in his eyes and said:
"Dad, why did that girl marry a crazy man?" [...]

All I Want For Christmas Is...

brett@snugfits.com — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 01:00:00 +0100

Another 2 teeth have bitten the dust. Gavin had to have his top 2 removed because they weren't coming out fast enough. The one tooth had been wiggly for nearly 3 months, but it just wasn't coming out! The dentist said it could create an infection in the gums so it had to go. Gavin wasn't as sad about these two as he was about the first tooth. I guess since he was reassured that they always grow bac [...]

Cub Scouting

brett@snugfits.com — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 01:00:00 +0100

Gavin is a Cub Scout - a Wolf Cub, to be exact. He is so proud of this fact, and it has really been an empowering experience for him thus far. He says things like "Cub Scouts don't do it like this, they do it like that." and "That's not the Cub Scout way."

He has a "Hygiene Chart" that he has just become obsessed with. His fixation (autism driven?) on this ch [...]

Story Corps

brett@snugfits.com — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 01:00:00 +0100

Gavin and I did a Storycorps interview yesterday afternoon. Storycorps is a non-profit organization that travels the country recording conversations between two people who have a special relationship. I've been listening to the Storycorps stories on Friday mornings on NPR for a long time, and I'm always moved by the interviews. They feature a 5 minute segment of a conversation that is consistently inspiring and thought provoking.

The format is just a 40 minute conversation. [...]

To give or not to give...

brett@snugfits.com — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 01:00:00 +0100

Gavin accompanied me on a post-Christmas trip to the local Goodwill, and he learned first hand what goodwill means. After "receiving" so much at Christmas time, it was a good opportunity for him to do some giving.

Incognito, Sara had packed up a big black lawn bag full of forgotten toys and tied the top the best she could. To further avoid a huge confrontation on which toys to keep and [...]

Some More Darndest Things

brett@snugfits.com — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 01:00:00 +0100

It was Christmas morning, and Gavin (6) was up at the crack of dawn. He popped out of bed, ready to go look and see if Santa had been there. I brought him into our room so he wouldn't wake his brothers and so they could all approach the bounty under the tree as a unit. (You know, for the best pictures!) He really wasn't saying much, but I could tell he had a lot on his mind about the previous night. He was just humming and stimming around the room like a bee in a mason jar. Of course [...]

Everywhere Are Signs

brett@snugfits.com — Sat, 09 Oct 2010 01:00:00 +0100

We have signs all over the house. Some are labels, some are direction markers, and others are dire warnings. A visitor to our home might ask "Uh, what's up with all the signs?"

Well, let me go back to Gavin's infanthood. When he was little, we put up index cards on everything to help him learn to read. We labeled the doors, windows, fridge, tv, etc. I even wore one around my neck that read "Daddy." Due to autism and the circumstance that he didn't sp [...]

The Tooth is Gone

brett@snugfits.com — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 01:00:00 +0100

Gavin has lost his first tooth. It has been a harrowing experience for him. When he first showed me that his tooth was loose, he was very worried about it. So concerned, in fact, that his eyes filled up with tears at the thought of not having that particular tooth in his mouth anymore. I reassured him that he would get another, bigger better tooth in its place that would last for the rest of his life, as long as [...]

Our Aging Onesie Model

brett@snugfits.com — Sun, 02 May 2010 01:00:00 +0100

I can't believe our first little Snugfits model is about to turn four! He still seems like a baby to me, maybe because I see him on our website everyday modeling some funny onesie or another on his chubby little baby body. He still has that thick marshmallow look to him, but now he's a taller marshmallow.

He's been riding Gavin's bike lately, much to Gavin's dismay, inst [...]

Kids' Digital Cameras

brett@snugfits.com — Sun, 28 Mar 2010 01:00:00 +0100

During the process of getting all the photography done with Bodie modeling the new Snugfits colors, Gavin has become intrigued by cameras. He's just thrilled by the idea of capturing an image and keeping it, going back to it and looking at it again and again. He and Garrett got their own little kid digital cameras back at Christmastime, but right now the interest is really booming. I think he's seeing the practical use of the camera, as he "sits in" on Bodie's photo sess [...]

Bunk Bed!

brett@snugfits.com — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 19:00:00 +0100

Now that the boys are in a bunk bed, bedtime is a little easier. It is a lot more fun now. For some reason they both get pretty wound up right before bed, but reading a book with them can usually get them to settle down. While the top bunk officially started out as Gavin's, they take turns being up there. I still end up falling asleep with a book on my face on the bottom bunk with Garrett most nights. [...]

Where the wild things are too scary

brett@snugfits.com — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 19:00:00 +0100

I took the boys to see 'Where the Wild Things Are'. It was a bad idea. It turned out to be way too scary for Gavin. I was more worried about Garrett, being the younger bro. The shaky camera shots, loud booming bass, and the dark undertone proved too much for Gavin's senses. He has autism, but he can handle certain situations a lot better than others. This event fell into the "others" category.

He was uneasy from the very beginning, before Max even reached the plac [...]

The Halloween Report

brett@snugfits.com — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 19:00:00 +0100

Garrett accepted his spider costume without much fuss. He really wanted to be a goose. Gavin was psyched about his very traditional ghost costume. Bodie didn't have a choice, his costume was the third revolution of our hand me down skeleton. It's a classic - and it matches my glow-in-the-dark Misfits skeleton shirt!

We trick-or-treated up and down our little street, then ventured beyon [...]

The Kindergarten Haircut

brett@snugfits.com — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 20:00:00 +0100

Yes, we cut Gavin's hair! He is growing up. He has started kindergarten and the party is over. Does he miss his long, wavy mane? Well, judging by the photos, one might think so. In exhibit A: He looks looks like some mischievous kid who may have just cut class to sneak into a Backyardigans concert. In mugshot, er, exhibit B: He looks like a common five year old, mired by the humdrum, wearisome duties o [...]

Surfers Healing Autism

brett@snugfits.com — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 20:00:00 +0100

Surfers Healing was pretty incredible this year. Gavin and Garrett both got to surf! Gavin was so sweet with his little brother. He wanted Garrett to go first so he could stand on the beach and cheer for him. It was a really cute moment when Garrett was heading out into the waves, and Gavin was standing on the shore shouting "WOO Garrett! Great job! High five!" Izzy (the founder) took Garrett ou [...]

Gavin's Graduation Anthem

brett@snugfits.com — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 20:00:00 +0100

Gavin had his preschool graduation this week. He was so excited, and I think also very proud to get his certificate. He had been going to the Child Development Center (CDC) since he was two years old, it has been a huge part of his development. When he started there, he was completely "non-verbal and low functioning" - in layman's terms that means he couldn't speak and he was in his own little world all the time. Now he is just a social butterfly and sometimes talks too much! When [...]

Our Grammy Great

brett@snugfits.com — Wed, 27 May 2009 20:00:00 +0100

This is a blog post I've been dreading. I write this post with a very heavy heart, because one of our greatest supporters and fan of Snugfits is now with God. Sara's wonderful Grandma Micki passed away. She was known to us as Grammy, but to our boys as Grammy Great. And great she was! She was such a beautiful soul, so full of life and laughter. I've always written these posts with her in mind, knowing she would be reading them with a smile. It was a way to stay connected beyond p [...]

Don't Touch the Alligator!

brett@snugfits.com — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 20:00:00 +0100

Last weekend I took the terrible trio to the North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher, which is a pretty magnificent place. We go there quite a bit. Its a cheap date - only 8 bucks! They've got a huge tank full of all types of the local sea life, and at 10:30 on Saturdays divers swim around in there and put on a show for the kiddies. These boys love it. Every time, Gavin wants me to go in there an [...]

Halo Hoops Helps

brett@snugfits.com — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 19:00:00 +0100

Gavin has found a new interest. Basketball! We've been going to some of the local semi-pro games and he is just captivated by the action. He can actually sit still for nearly the whole 2+ hour game, which is usually impossible for a little guy like him. He loves the cheering, shooting, and most of all, the dribbling. For whatever reason, he has taken great interest in the dribbling of a basketball. I don't know [...]

The Best Birthday Yet

brett@snugfits.com — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 19:00:00 +0100

Gavin is turning 5. I can't believe it! I don't want it. This boy is growing up too fast! I'll never forget our first night with him, it seems like just a year ago, not 5! He seemed so tiny and fragile. There's me in the picture changing his first dipe. I remember doing that, thinking - "this isn't as easy as I thought it would be." With dogged training, it has bec [...]