Locked Up

On Friday afternoon, a very small incident was happened. I was busy in something. My elder son Tanishk was sleeping. My 2 yr old son Tanay went to the bathroom. He was talking a lot. I thought, he is lying down with his brother and talking to him. I went to see what's going on. I saw that he was not on the bed. I called him; he was locked up in the bathroom. He had locked his door from inside. He wasn't aware that he has locked him up. He was saying in his regular voice - "Mumma, open the door".

I was scared but I didn't want to be panic. I thought Tanay will get scared. I calmed down myself and asked him to turn the knob. He was listening, but he didn't understand. I bent on my knees and tried to see through the space under the door. He was standing far away from the door. I just told him to come to the door. He came. I told him to turn the knob. He turned it. He was unlocked. I got relief. He was playing - "Knock knock".

This incident reminded me the incident happened when Tanishk was 3 years old and he had locked him up in his aunt's room. He is always fascinated about his aunt's things - cosmetics, jewelry etc. No one noticed when he entered into the room and had locked himself there. When we realized, we told him to open the door. He was lost in something. Every one called him, shouted - "Turn the knob, open the door". He just repeated the words - "open the door".

My hubby went on the roof to the room's window to tell him to open the door. But he wasn't aware of his presence. He wasn't listening to anyone. We all were very much scared. He was inside more than one hour. He himself was not scared and afraid. He was just lost in doing something. What is he doing inside? What to do? Should we break the door or call for help?

His aunt called 911 to get help. The police came. Everyone thought that they will break the door. I don't remember what he did actually. He just pushed the door back and door was opened. Tanishk was standing there without his pants on and he was playing with his aunt's cosmetics. He had spread her face powder on the floor.

I think even today when he is now 6 years old, he won't open the door. He will just get lost and will be happy that he is not disturbed by somebody until unless he needs something. That was one of the major experiences we have with autism. :)

Tanishk's Birthday 2012

13 May. That was the day when Tanishk was born 6 years before. That was also the day when my mother was born. And this day was very special this year, because this day was also mother's day for 2012. 

Tanishk is now 6 years old. When his birthday was near we were wondering that how should we celebrate it this year, I went through last year's experience. I tried to analyze differences between him as of today and one year before. I was surprised to see that there was no major change. 

Tanishk still doesn't understand the concept of birthday. He wasn't excited much. But he has attended more birthdays at school and at other places. So, he knows only birthday means - cake, candle blowing, cutting the cake and eating the cake. He wasn't excited much about his birthday & celebrations.

Definitely, he has improved academically. He has skills of reading, writing, math, story comprehension, coloring, cutting and pasting, etc. And he is now more understanding and more aware of the environment. He has become more manipulative too. But his vocal stimming (scripting) and sensory issues are same. His social aspect is same. He is not interested in others until unless he is going to get any favorite reward. He has not any concept of getting and giving gifts. He is also not comfortable in crowds.

So, I thought we should celebrate his birthday in such a way that he is comfortable and more aware of the events. This time, I made this as a family event. I just called his grandparents and aunt for his birthday. I showed him excitement about his birthday. I kept telling him that we will celebrate his birthday and I will bake a special cake for him. I also told him that his grandparents and aunt will come. He is comfortable with them.

We decorated our living room a little bit to feel there is a special day. We let him to enjoy in bath tub. He wore new clothes. We arranged our dining table for food. He was aware that something special is there. He was not demanding any gadgets. But still, he wasn't talking much.

When his grandparents and aunt came, he was happy. His grandmother gave him a gift, but he was not behaving properly. I prompted him to take the gift and say "Thank you". I prompted him to open the gift and see what was there. I showed him excitement to encourage him. It was shirt and pant. I told him to say "Thank you dadi (grandmother), it's a nice shirt." He wore it when I prompted him. The best part of all that was, he wasn't resisting at all.

I had baked the GFCF nut vanilla cake and decorated it like an angry bird face. I bake two cakes - yellow and white. I layered the cakes with some pink buttercream frosting in between. I cut the cakes in shape of angry bird. I spread pink & yellow buttercream frosting on the top and sides of the cake. Then I used green sprinklez for eyebrows, apple and walnuts for eyes, gfcf wafer for nose.

GFCF Angry Bird Cake

We lit the candles on the cake and told him to blow the candles. He was nervous and upset while blowing the candles. His little brother Tanay was also trying to low the candles. But none was able to do that. At last, I blew the candles. Tanishk cut the cake and ate the cake. He liked it very much and asked for more cake.

I told Tanay to give gift to Tanishk and say "Happy Birthday". He was more excited than Tanishk. He gave it to Tanishk. Then we prompted Tanishk to say thanks and open the gift. It was his favorite cookies.

I was happy that I didn't let him get lost on his birthday like last year and I am hoping to do same to keep him connected with every one of us. :)

Mother's Day 2012

13 May 2012, Mother's Day. Whole world was celebrating mother's day. But for me, this mother's day was very very special. This was the day, when my mother was born. And also this was the day, when I became mother first time. I had to celebrate this day.

My mother has three sons & two daughters, and I am 4th one. But I am very far away from her. I am in US and she is in India. I haven't met her since 4 years. I hope I will go to meet her sooner. I miss her very much. She is a very nice lady and I am happy that she has got nice daughters-in-law too. They all respect her very much and she also considers them as her daughters. She is an introvert person and talks very less, but she and I share a lot of talks on phone. 13 May is her birthday too. So, I wish my mother Happy Mother's Day and Happy Birthday.

I also wish my mother-in-law Happy Mother's Day. She is opposite to my mother. She is an extrovert person and also enjoys talking on different things. She is very knowledgeable person and she is there to help every person any time. I respect her very much and she is also nice to me. She loves her grandsons very much and always ready to take care of them.

13 May 2006 was the day when I gave birth to my first son and became a mother. Now, I have two sons and I feel very proud of them. I also celebrated my son's birthday. I wish my son Happy Birthday and myself Happy Mother's Day too. I am very proud and thank God for blessing me with two great mothers and two lovely & affectionate sons.

Me with my sons - Tanishk & Tanay

I wish all the mothers in this world a very Happy Mother's Day. :)