Mom to an adult child with Autism - This Blog is made up of shorter posts and longer Face Book Statuses.
Wednesday, March 4, 2015
DC Speaks – Doug’s 153rd Birthday and why Mrs. H is just so jealous.
DC has his own Facebook and Instagram accounts. Instagram is private and I only accept people I absolutely know to follow him. 90% of the photos on this account are photos taken of him by me or someone other than himself. The photos and videos he has taken himself are pages from whatever book he may be reading, food, princesses from either books or the computer screen and videos of YouTube videos of Cinderella dancing (spinning mostly) or other characters spinning. There’s a lot of spinning.
I set up the account for him because he enjoys looking at photos so much. Apparently he enjoys looking at them much more than he enjoys taking them.
His facebook is set for friends only. I thought it would be a good way for his cousins and him to connect. I also thought it would be a good way for some of his father’s family that might feel uncomfortable being “friends” with me, to keep up with what he is doing. A good number of his Dad’s family are friends with me, but he has other cousins (2nd? Once Removed? – I am never clear on that) that are friends with him there.
He is not allowed to write anything unless he asks permission first and then I stand there while he writes whatever it is he wants to write. I hold my breath when I notice a spelling error hoping he does not notice. I know I should correct him and I do if he hasn’t finished the sentence or paragraph and I do always correct him if he is writing anything else. But on a status post, if he notices a typo he will backspace and delete one letter at a time until he reaches the word he wants to correct and then type the whole thing over again. This could take centuries. He is not allowed to accept friend requests until I can figure out who the requester is. He does not post his own photos. I’m sure he could, but his friends will be inundated with photos of Judy Garland, Amy Adams, princesses and Disney characters.
He does go on Facebook on his phone to look at pictures of his friends. He is allowed to do that. So far and it had been 4 years, he has followed all of these rules. I check his phone and his account daily. Lately he is starting to lose interest in typing a status. He does not like to type to begin with, I thought this would help him get used to typing. He still, every once in a while will ask to write something or I will sometimes take a photo and ask him to write what we are doing, but not as often as before. He still does go on everyday to look at pictures though and as I said, he will still post a status or two.
I was thinking about DC’s past status updates and decided to go through and pull out some of my favorites.
(Translations and/or explanations are in parentheses – a few names have been edited – other than that, nothing has been changed or corrected)
So, in no particular order, DC speaks…….
-We Going to Anthony.s for Thanksgiving Dinner i want Tuckey Legs
- i Hate Snow
- i hate Snow . i like going to Work with Mom
- i Hate Snow
(I think he might not like snow very much)
- The Lights is On
- we Had Fun at Halloween Party. i am Happy. Be Brave For No Storm
(worrying about losing power)
- i am so Happy is Halloween
- we going to sleepy Hollow with ‘BB’ and and mom and doug i am so exciting
- i Like the Movies Trouble with The Curves
- i going to Dad.s wedding I am looking handsome
- going to grandmother. s and have some muffins
(“grandmother’s” – from Disney and other books)
- Happt collation
(Graduation)
- luau day like lilo
(Luau day at camp – the only thing he can relate it to is Lilo and Stitch, because Everything is related)
- last day of camp was yestrday. i had a fun. i am going to grandmother.s today. a very merry unBirthday - I went to hospital todat
- i am tired. i went to grandmas i went to winter guard show i did a good job i went to dinner with mom and doug and mom; s freind suzanne and her frien. i dance to wing it i am going to sleep now where has the time gone
- i ate alligator in new Orleans
- We having fun in Florida mrs h will be so jealos
(“Mrs. H. will be so Jealous” – there are quite a few of these. I did not include them all only because I could not find them all. Mrs. H. being jealous began 3 years ago when DC was in his last season of Challengers baseball and DC’s team was invited to Fenway Park for Challengers Day – All Kids Can. Mrs. H. had mentioned that her husband, Mr. H. was so jealous because he would have loved to go to Fenway. I don’t think DC really understood what “jealous” meant at the time, but he did know that he was doing something that Mr. H. wanted to do (I’ve since explained it to him many times in many different ways). Somewhere along the way Mr. H. being jealous evolved into Mrs. H. and it just went from there. I know as does she that he thinks jealousy is a good thing.
- I had turkey leg and turkey wing and bread. with mom and uncle smap and aunt lisa. I like pie. we going to lunch with uncle ted later after that.
- I want a turkey leg today
- phew. I work at theater. we went to the ball. we ate dinner with uncle scamp and aunt lisa. we went to camp Halloween party….
- We going to mountain of oz on Saturday. We taking the airplane tomorrow have to get some rest. I will see my family. We going to dilly wood tomorrow if it does not rain have some fun
- I had fun time. Not New York City. Next week we going to New York City. Lots of food and book store
- Thank you thank you mrs .H happy happy Easter I love jelly beans too
- I am happy to have my birthday Today is my birthday,
- Mrs H will Be Jelous
(I don’t recall what she was so jealous about this time. That was all there was to the post)
- I love jellybeans too
- Have a Thanksgiving day. I don.t have work. i will have dinner With My Family. me and mom doug uncle scamp Aunt Lisa Erica I want turkey Leg
- Mom fell down blood over her I did not take picture she is ok (we were out walking our CharityMiles)
- I did good work at the theater to day I liked the dream girls show. I m not tired
- Happy Birthday to all and to all a Good Wishes Happy birthday DC Tha;ts me
(It was his birthday. I think he was actually thanking people for the Birthday posts on his page)
- I am a ogre
- I am brave
(also storm related)
and my favorite…
- Happy 153 birthday doug
This ‘boy’ puts a smile on my face every single day…..
I set up the account for him because he enjoys looking at photos so much. Apparently he enjoys looking at them much more than he enjoys taking them.
His facebook is set for friends only. I thought it would be a good way for his cousins and him to connect. I also thought it would be a good way for some of his father’s family that might feel uncomfortable being “friends” with me, to keep up with what he is doing. A good number of his Dad’s family are friends with me, but he has other cousins (2nd? Once Removed? – I am never clear on that) that are friends with him there.
He is not allowed to write anything unless he asks permission first and then I stand there while he writes whatever it is he wants to write. I hold my breath when I notice a spelling error hoping he does not notice. I know I should correct him and I do if he hasn’t finished the sentence or paragraph and I do always correct him if he is writing anything else. But on a status post, if he notices a typo he will backspace and delete one letter at a time until he reaches the word he wants to correct and then type the whole thing over again. This could take centuries. He is not allowed to accept friend requests until I can figure out who the requester is. He does not post his own photos. I’m sure he could, but his friends will be inundated with photos of Judy Garland, Amy Adams, princesses and Disney characters.
He does go on Facebook on his phone to look at pictures of his friends. He is allowed to do that. So far and it had been 4 years, he has followed all of these rules. I check his phone and his account daily. Lately he is starting to lose interest in typing a status. He does not like to type to begin with, I thought this would help him get used to typing. He still, every once in a while will ask to write something or I will sometimes take a photo and ask him to write what we are doing, but not as often as before. He still does go on everyday to look at pictures though and as I said, he will still post a status or two.
I was thinking about DC’s past status updates and decided to go through and pull out some of my favorites.
(Translations and/or explanations are in parentheses – a few names have been edited – other than that, nothing has been changed or corrected)
So, in no particular order, DC speaks…….
(I think he might not like snow very much)
(worrying about losing power)
(“grandmother’s” – from Disney and other books)
(Graduation)
(Luau day at camp – the only thing he can relate it to is Lilo and Stitch, because Everything is related)
(“Mrs. H. will be so Jealous” – there are quite a few of these. I did not include them all only because I could not find them all. Mrs. H. being jealous began 3 years ago when DC was in his last season of Challengers baseball and DC’s team was invited to Fenway Park for Challengers Day – All Kids Can. Mrs. H. had mentioned that her husband, Mr. H. was so jealous because he would have loved to go to Fenway. I don’t think DC really understood what “jealous” meant at the time, but he did know that he was doing something that Mr. H. wanted to do (I’ve since explained it to him many times in many different ways). Somewhere along the way Mr. H. being jealous evolved into Mrs. H. and it just went from there. I know as does she that he thinks jealousy is a good thing.
(also storm related)
and my favorite…
This ‘boy’ puts a smile on my face every single day…..