Thursday, March 19, 2009

September Can't Come Soon Enough

Our six-year-old son Jack has atypical autism. Three years ago, he could communicate wants and needs fairly well, but most of his intelligible speech consisted of Blue’s Clues dialogue, “I love you, Mommy,” and “I want chocolate milk.” While his speech is definitely not developing typically, he has made enormous progress. He does not babble anymore, still says “I love you, Mommy,” and (Praise God!) uses more and more spontaneous speech every day. As you read these examples of Jack-Speak, you’ll see how incredibly blessed we are and how hard it is not to laugh all the time.



Jack: I miss Thomas. Mommy, after it’s September, can we go see Thomas?
Me: Yes, Jack.

Jack: Mommy, Thomas is a steam engine, and he’s gots blue paint, and a black funnel, and blue paint, and he’s gots a number 1, and I want to see Thomas just like this Thomas [holds up little blue Thomas engine]. I’m going to see him in September. Mommy, do I go see Thomas in September? I miss Thomas. He’s a steam engine, and he’s gots blue paint, and a black funnel, and axles, and wheels, and he has the number 1 on him. [Note: A real train that looks like Thomas visits our area each September.]

Jack [getting off the bus one day in January]: Mommy, it’s trying to get warm outside!

Jack: Mommy, what are those pipes for?
Me: The sewer.
Jack: What’s that?
Me: When you flush the potty, what’s in the toilet goes into the sewer pipes.
Jack: But what time is it?
Me: Eleven o’clock.
Jack: Why is it eleven o’clock?
Me: It just is.
Jack: I’m going to miss Thomas.
Me: I know.

Jack: Mommy, are we going to Target?
Me: Not today.
Jack: Mommy, I want a Ben Ten watch just like Jacob.
Me: Not today, honey.
Jack: My name is Jack. Mommy, I want a Ben Ten watch just like Jacob.
Me: Not today, Jack.
Jack: But I thought you loved me!

Jack: I miss Thomas. Mommy, after it’s September, can we go see Thomas?
Me: Yes, Jack.

George: Jack, are you eating toothpaste?
Jack: No.
Nick [tattle-tale voice]: I saw you!
Jack [happy voice]: Sorr-eeee!

Jack: Mommy, can I just be naked in my room?
Me: Sure, Jack.


George [in a stern voice]: You don't hit me or speak to me that way. Period.
Jack: Don't call me Period.

Jack: I miss Thomas. Mommy, after it’s September, can we go see Thomas?
Me: Yes, Jack.

Kindergarten Aide: Jack, come to the table. It’s time to write your story.
Jack: Bossy Boots.

Me: I want to steal your nose. [I try to pinch his nose between my knuckles.]
Jack: No, no! I don’t want you to steal my nose!
Me: Really? Well, can I kiss it?
Jack: Okay.
Me [after kissing his nose]: Your nose is so cute!
Jack: And my face is, too.

Jack: Can I have a juice full of a box?

Jack [yelling]: Mommy, come watch me!
Me: Okay. [I walk to top of basement stairs, look down, and see Jack, in his underwear and socks, jumping on the little trampoline.] Jack, why are you naked?!? Put your clothes on!
George: [uncontrollable and unhelpful laughter from kitchen]
Jack: But Mommy…[smiling]
Me: Put your clothes on, naked boy!

Jack: I miss Thomas. Mommy, after it’s September, can we go see Thomas?
Me: Yes, Jack.

Jack: Mommy, can I put on my pajamas?
Me: No, it’s not seven o’clock yet.
Jack: But I thought you loved me!

Jack: I’m so disappointed in you, Mommy.
Me: Why?
Jack: Because I want to see Thomas.

Me: Come here, Jack. I need some lap time with my baby.
Jack: I’m not a baby, Mommy. I’m just a big boy.
Me: How big are you?
Jack: I’m just bigger than an ant.
Me: Bigger than an ant?
Jack: Yeah.

Jack [to George as he leaves for work]: You be careful with your new car, okay, Daddy. Don’t die, okay.

Jack: I miss Thomas. Mommy, after it’s September, can we go see Thomas?
Me: Yes, Jack.

Me: It’s time to brush your teeth and go to bed.
Jack [walking up the stairs, very sad]: I was just thinking about Thomas.
Me [to George]: Oh, the tragedy of it all.
Jack: Mommy, I was not traveling. I was just thinking about Thomas.

Jack: Mommy, can I have M&Ms for breakfast?
Me: No. You may have a banana or cereal.
Jack: But I thought you loved me!

I ask Jack to let Hoover out, and he starts to do so but decides he needs to pee instead, so he runs to the bathroom. I ask Nick to let Hoover out (because this is why I had children in the first place…to let the dog out), and Jack yells from the bathroom, “Remember, Hoooover!!! Safety firrrrrst!”

Jack: Daddy, my tummy wants a juice box.

Jack comes inside rubbing his knee.
Me: What happened?
Jack: The blood started to bleed me.

Jack: I miss Thomas. Mommy, after it’s September, can we go see Thomas?
Me: Yes.

Jack [in trouble and not allowed to watch movies, comes to me carrying his Stitch stuffed toy]: Mommy, Stitch wants to watch Winnie the Pooh.

Jack: Mommy, does you have your pajamas on?
Me: Yes, I do.
Jack: Oh, Mommy! [throws arms around me] I’m so proud of you! You are my best friend!

Me [in silly voice reserved for the dog]: Hoover, my brother, come here and give me kisses.
Jack [walks over from across the room, very serious]: Mommy, look at me. I have something to say to you.
Me: What is it, Jack?
Jack: Mommy, Hoover is not your brother. He is a dog, okay?
Me: Oh, okay Jack.
Jack: Nick is my brother. Okay?

Jack: I miss Thomas. Mommy, after it’s September, can we go see Thomas?
Me: I’ve already answered that question. What do you think?
Jack: Yes.

On a fish-shaped piece of art, Jack has written, “Penguins like fish with sprinkles.”

Jack: Mommy, you are my best lady. I love you.

Jack: I miss Thomas. Mommy, after it’s September, can we go see Thomas?
Me: Yes, Jack.


Note: If you want more information on Jack's language development and autism, please visit my Questioning Autism blog.

8 comments:

  1. I guess my question is:

    Why September?

    Is this one of those arbitrary dates kids believe make a difference ("When I'm a teenager I'll be able to X") or is there some time when it did matter or is it going to?

    Just curious.

    -Jot

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  2. Thomas the Tank Engine (a real train engine pulling real coaches) comes to our area in September. Jack gets to ride the train each year, and there's a bit of a carnival after the ride where they sell Thomas stuff, have clowns and face painting and funnel cakes...you get the picture.

    I thought the second stream-of-consciousness monologue made that clear enough, but I guess not. Sorry about that. I think I'll edit to clarify.

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  3. I see your parenthetical explanation now.

    Thanks for posting these. It's always great when kids are excited about things, but that wait can be pretty bad.

    :)

    -Jot

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  4. George [in a stern voice]: You don't hit me or speak to me that way. Period.
    Jack: Don't call me Period.

    I'm still laughing at that... Hilarious! :)

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  5. OMG!! I am laughing my head off, with a few tears thrown in. So cute and true. What a doll.

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  6. Susan - Don't you wish we all felt as free to express ourselves honestly as Jack does? Thanks for writing this and giving us a glimpse of your precious child and his world.Still chuckling...

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  7. OMG this brought back so many memories! When our boys were little we went in Juna and September to Green Bay Wisconsin to see Thomas and Sir Topamhat. That is probably the same Thomas you all see as I know he goes on tour to all the Railroad museums. Or Public Access TV hosts those events - Thomas still comes. I have so many pictures from those times!
    Tony also does the script talk from lines from TV all the time! I cannot believe he can remember some of that stuff word for word and other simple things he forgets.
    We also have a hard time asking him questions. His answer is usually I Don't Know.
    Tanner my older son loved Thomas. Tony really did not have any favorites until he was way older and then it was Spongebob.
    Tony did love looking a the pretty blue Thomas though!
    I actually had to pull out their scrapbooks of them by Sir Tophamhat in front of Thomas. It is still one of my favorite pictures.

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  8. Penquins like fish with sprinkles.

    That's the good stuff, right there.

    My son was OBSESSED with Thomas, from the age of 3, he had the train table all set up in his version of the Isle of Sodor. Heaven forbid a fingerprint in the dust out of place (I wasn't allowed to clean it..."The quarry is a dirty place Mom!") He asked for a new train for every occasion, and he slowly built up hundreds of dollars worth of little boy crack merchandised by HIT Entertainment. We took him to the live Thomas musical stage show for his 7th birthday, it was a surprise. He was very confused sitting in the stadium, until he heard a train whistle...then he started to shake and hyperventilate. He almost passed out! If it wasn't so scary it would have been funny. Once he got over the shock, it was a pretty awesome birthday present. Then his friends in school were all into Pokemon, and his obsession transferred there. I don't miss getting up at 6:30 am Mon-Fri to watch Thomas (who programs these tv shows anyway????) I was a hairy meltdown kind of morning if he didn't get to sing every word of that damn song...I did finally get rid of the table, but I have all those trains in a box for my grandson someday. Now he's into Bakugan, and I have to admit I miss Thomas.

    Why is it that kids toys are sold as individual pieces of a collection that never ends? Barbies, Thomas, Pokemon, Bakugan...all an evil marketing ploy, because they know that our kids have us wrapped around their sticky little fingers.

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Thanks so much for taking time to comment!