The Miles Cake Walk

Miles had a full boar day of Halloween excitement this last Saturday. He started out at his school, Grace, and ended up in the basement of a church up the road. As he hoped around with sugar ripping through his motions, he gave most everyone a smile in his pumpkin attire. The coolest event of the day was during a cake walk in the church. Carrie had to essentially lead him by the hand over to the cirlce and get him started on his first ever cake walk. As they walked around in circles to 'rock lobster' blaring loudly, Carrie had to carefully keep a hold on his hand. When the music stopped and the winner was announced, I was quite shocked that it was Miles. At the announcement, Miles just looked stunned at the overload of information. His luck landed him a orange pumpkin cake matching his own digs. It made me ponder the pomp and circumstance of our small Miles as I'm sure most looked on wondering why he wasn't more ecstatic about his new cake. The truth is, Miles doesn't need luck, a contest or a 'win' to act ecstatic about anything in particular. His moments of spontanaiety happen when he sees fit and sometimes the little kid gets to win his cake and eat it too.

Miles Attends Obama Rally in KCMO - 10.18.08

Miles, The New Videographer

Big Socks and Small Jokes

The other day I was getting Miles ready to go on our nightly adventure to the park. It's a time of sheer excitement and Miles loves getting his shoes and socks on for the outing. Earlier this week, I was getting ready to put on my socks and ready to help him put his on. Before that was to happen, I pulled one of my many joking moments with Miles when I told him he could try my socks on while I would attempt to put his on. As I slipped the mouth of his sock over three of my toes, he reared back in uncontrollable laughter. As he rose again red faced and still giggling, he began putting my socks on. Within seconds he had both on and they went up to the bottom of his shorts. He laughed as though this was the most amazing thing to ever happen to him. From there, my tiny joke became a new Miles sensational obsession. He had to take my socks to the park to fill with rocks and hold on to for lasting comfort. The following morning while getting him ready for school, he seemed completely disoriented. While on the changing table, he lolled around in an uncharacteristic silence until he saw my socks tucked in my front pant pocket. At that sight, he inhaled loudly and squealed for a pair of my socks. From there, it was sheer pandemonium as he got another pair of my white socks and tore around in kid glee. I'm again guilty of a good joke back firing, but it is hugely amusing to me that he gets so charged about things that are so mundane. Another pleasant anomolie of Miles and his cool march into a very unique and intriguing personality. Alas, karma is going to hit me hard when the weather gets colder and I try to find a good pair of white socks that I won't be able to locate. Miles will have all of them scattered around the house as I finally realize that the joke was on me the whole time.

The Public, Miles and The Stars

I find myself really soaking in the ways that Miles mingles with this world and vice versa. The other day, I was at the playground getting ready to take him across the hanging slider he likes so much and he was giggling like a hyena. Shortly thereafter, a little girl came up and started asking him questions, which prompted sign language. At this, she asked, 'Is he deaf?' I told her that he was mostly non-verbal and we went on our way. After this interaction, I remember Carrie telling me that people are going to start noticing the way Miles is in relationship to other kids in his age range. Nothing too glaring, but non-verbal nature is going to raise some questions in folks. I can't even count how many times we are out and someone asks Miles a set of questions. I usually let Miles say his 'hi' or 'bye' or any other verbal surprise that will arise without saying anything. Other times, I have to stop the woman cutting his hair or the person checking our groceries out and tell them that he is non-verbal. At that point, they clamour up and get that huge question mark on their countenance. Sometimes I say 'Autism Spectrum' to clear the air, other times I just let the silence linger becuase I don't have the stamina to get into it or get the consoling look. On the flip side of this, I love what gets his motor churning in that over the top affection he is so familiar with giving people. There's an older grandmother type next door to us that smokes on a regular basis in front of her house. It used to be that Miles would unleash a litany of 'hi's' on her as she stood out front. Now, he tears away like his shoes are on fire to give her a huge hug. I see the relief and joy on this woman's face as Miles again warms a heart down like a hot flame licking candle wax. It's an amazing sight to see. At any rate, another tiny puncture of light into the world of Miles and our family. Oh, and one last thing, Miles is really getting into looking at the stars at night. We sat on the porch for a good stretch of time last night glancing over a blanket of small celestial punctures. Again, it was one of those sponge moments when each of my pores soaked in the goodness of a spill I wanted to happen.

The First Day of Fall ..

In honor of the summer that just went by, I have put together a highlight reel of Miles and some of his pleasures ..

The Fun of Dirt

Miles has been tearing along quite nicely lately. He's hopping on his new bike and riding quite well. The braking is still a bit of an issue, but he's getting the overall hang of balance and the like. He keeps getting solid comments back from school on his in-room learning and overall beahavior and grasp of therapy. The bottom line is that he loves school and continues to thrive in that envirnoment. Lately, I've noticed that his attention span is really peaking out. He's much more apt to read several books at the end of the night, put together a big set of blocks or simply play his own world out in a field of mud. Business as usual while the world rotates around in his eager eye balls ..