Alex, I'll take geography for $300

We just got back from visiting family (plus some friends and clients) in Los Angeles, where the temperature was in the 90s and the air was the same color as the hills -- brown. Although we did our usual driving all over town, we also spent more time at our "home base" (my sister's house) than we normally do, and that made this trip more relaxing. (There will be a more detailed post on this subject in a few days.)

On the flight out to L.A., Elijah, using the markers and the ream of paper we brought on board, drew many things. Most important to him was his map of "the United Stades of America" shown below:

If you can't quite make it out, the purple states are Texas and Colorado, and while I have no idea where he thinks the "State of News" is, I can tell him that it isn't a place to be right now.

Though you can't tell from this map, the amount of beachfront property available in Kansas is very limited. And in Elijah's world, that coast-to-coast flight from "York" to "Caforina" sure seems a lot easier. No matter, Elijah was extremely proud of his map, and, during our trip, needed to know where it was on a daily basis.

Our little guy's career as a cartographer continued when we got home, but this time it was global in nature...

Naturally, Washington plays a major role in world affairs and can't be ignored, but its placement is telling. Florida has to be on there, because that's where Mickey Mouse lives, and besides, without Florida, what would be the purpose of spring break? Mexico is where Mom's favorite drink (magaritas) comes from. And Kansas proudly sits right there on top of the world.

After all, there's no place like home.

Emotional Rescue

A byproduct of Elijah's autism is his occasional inability to understand emotions. If we are out somewhere and a child is crying, he will stare intently, smile and say, "Daddy, (s)he is upset." And he fully understands when we are angry; when either Sarah or I raise our voices, he knows he has crossed a certain line. (Admittedly, that line is a lot further out for me than for Sarah, which he also comprehends very well.)

As part of his therapy, he is being shown pictures of facial expressions and asked to convey what emotions are being expressed. Since he was toddler, there has been a poster up in his room with pictures of children showing wide ranges of emotions. He had commented on this poster before (and impersonated the different facial expressions shown) but the new emphasis on reading emotions has inspired Elijah to a series of artistic endeavors as shown below:













































Notice the reason for his pride....the medal on his chest!


But my absolute favorite is this one for obvious reasons:

A Cold Day in........Kansas

Although it was indeed a very cold day, Sarah, Elijah and I made our way to the Kansas Speedway for the Autism Speaks Walk. I don't know what it is about autism walks and the weather, but the previous two times I have participated in this type of event, the weather has been horrible. The first time, it sleeted -- with a wind-chill factor in single digits -- and the other time, rain poured down as if we were in a monsoon.

But because I felt it was our duty to go, I dragged Sarah and Elijah out in the cold. Elijah had a great time (the fact that he was in the wagon the entire two-mile walk, wrapped in warm blankets, didn't hurt) and with TWO moonwalks to jump and slide on, how could he not? Dad had a pretty good time as well, as I got to talk with some people on some autism-related issues and see my little guy laugh and smile. Even Mom, who was tired and cold, eventually got into the spirit of things.

With a "Fall Festival" scheduled for tomorrow at a large metropolitan park, and the weather forecasters saying it will be the same type of day, I know my work is cut out for me if I want to convince Sarah to come with us. But somehow, when she is sitting in the warmth of our home seeing the smile on his face in these pictures, Sarah gets a little more willing to join our little astronaut on another "moonwalk."

Bouncing around in his favorite spot....inside a moon walk.