Vacation

For the past two weeks I have been in Cambodia. After serious debate, my husband and I decided that we should not attempt taking the younger children with us. We had visions of L. throwing a tantrum on the airplane, having them drop us off somewhere in Asia with no way of getting back. Besides which, it is torture for L. to not have his own bed, and be in his own element. So we chose to have my two sisters stay with the children at our home while we were gone.
L. was perfectly content with the set up. As a matter of fact, I sincerely doubt that he even missed us while we were gone, most likely favoring my sisters over me. There was little more than one small incident during our absence. Apparently L. decided to cut his hair. He was suppose to be in bed, which is usually when he decides to do something naughty. He felt that he needed a trim and cut his hair. My sister said that he came down stairs with his hair completely hacked up in what resembled the mange. She burst out laughing. She said that L. was grinning ear to ear, pleased with the fact that she was experiencing so much mirth over his self make over.
The next day he went to school like that, as there were no beauty salons open so early in the morning. The teacher said that she and the aids got a good laugh out of it too. He got his hair buzzed that afternoon when he came home from school. I count myself lucky in that that was the only mishap during out two week leave.

Birthday

L. had a birthday just a few days ago. I think it was the first time he really understood what it was all about. A week or so before I said to him that his birthday was coming up and he shocked his father and I by stating the day, month, and YEAR he was born. I don't recall ever telling him that he was born in 1999. Weird that he somehow knew. All he wanted, as usual, was a Buzz Lightyear. (Does every autistic kid on the planet love that guy or what?) We got him a few things and I tried to hide them in my closet. This is something else he has never done before, he snooped around until he found where his presents were and then he opened all of them before the big unveiling at the party.
My parents and two of my sisters came to have cake and sing to him. He seemed very pleased with the whole affair. I was really excited that he got into it so much. L. is beginning to come out of his shell a little and act a little more like a child. He knew that the day was about him, that it was his birthday, that the cake was in his honor. It was a thrill.