Home Sweet Home

We drove 2 hours from Tampa to Orlando to catch our flight back to London Gatwick.

Arrived at Orlando in good time. Had Dim Sum at my favourite Chinese Restaurant in International Drive (I go there every time I'm in Orlando.). The food is just as good as I remembered but cost a whole lot more than the last time I was there ... for sure.

The traffic at I4 was busy when we went for lunch. After lunch, I decided to get to the airport early instead of trying to kill time elsewhere .... and get stuck in traffic. Was a mistake as it was smooth sailing from I-Drive. We arrived wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy too early as our flight doesn't depart until 6:05pm. We had 5 hours before we fly and found a spot to sit and wait. Meanwhile, Jem and I took turn to go into shops to kill time. Alex on the other hand kept asking to go to the toilet. What's with this child? 

Along the way, I lost my new Eddie Bauer puffer coat .... I am still mourning my lost. I have not even worn it and now it's gone. I hope the coat will go to a good home and not destroyed by the airport authority.

We did not sleep in the plane but Alex did. He had his head on Jem's lap and his feet on mine. We couldn't move but that's OK.

When we arrived at London Gatwick, we pass Immigration in a zap as our flight was mainly Americans and only a handful of Brits returning. Got our luggage in no time but had to wait a whole hour for Alex's booster seat. Tut tut tut!

OK ..... got everything and brave ourselves to face the -4 degree Celsius outside. Got on the bus and head for our car at the long stay car park. 

Guess what? The car would not start. Called RAC and they got to us in 15 minutes. it turned out that the battery was low. Got the car started and we got home around 11am. 

I don't know why our holidays are always stressful. I don't know why we bother to go away in the first place. Spending all that money to stress ourselves further. Need another holiday to recover from the first holiday. I say this every time and we don't learn. I guess we have the case of learning difficulties. Hmmmm ....

Well, we slept all night and woke up at 10am this morning. Did three loads of laundry and another three to go. I have not even though about cleaning the house but that is tomorrow's problem. I am not going to stress my little brain on such small matter.

Stayed in all day and didn't even look out the window. Home Sweet Home!

Hanukkah at Tampa

After a whole day of walking yesterday, I told Jem that I have used up my quota for the next decade!

We went to IHOP (International House of Pancake) for breakfast with the Reeds. It wasn't exactly greasy spoon cafe but certainly sticky chair cafe. Adrinna had the great fortune of choosing a very sticky chair .... laced with syrup. She could hear ripping sounds when she move her butt (LOL). It was good food and not exactly cheap but then again ... nothing is cheap these days. 

After breakfast, the Greens and the Reeds went separate ways and to meet up for Hanukkah lunch at Bill's mum's house in Tampa Bay.

It's a tradition that the Greens buy a new luggage each time they visit America. We did the same last year because we just love buying stuff. We brought 3 cases with us this time and packed enough for 7 days. We even used space saving bags to give us more space to pack. And that ..... was not enough!

We went to JC Penney, Sears and a luggage shop but we couldn't find a decent one for the money we are willing to part. I cannot believe how expensive luggage cost in America. The prices ranges from $100 to $1000. Both Jem and I looked at each other and thought we came to the wrong place to get what we wanted. We were tempted to walk into Macy's earlier but Jem said it will cost as much if not more. After going in and out of shops, I told Jem that we should try Macy's as we normally get what we want from the last shop. No harm done if there isn't one but have a try and who knows?

Samsonite has a sale on at Macy's and it cost $58 for a 32" wheelie Duffel Bag. I thought it was reasonable considering the silly money we saw in the other places. Next to it was a Pacific Coast 32" wheelie Duffel Bag but without a price tag on. Jem took the Samsonite to the cashier and I went after him and said that I want a price check for this one. When the cashier scanned the box, he told me it cost $39 and I could not believe my ears. I told Jem that I'm going to get this one instead of the Samsonite and he agreed. When I pay for the bag, the cashier gave me an additional 10% discount and I was over the moon. 

We got what we wanted and came back to the hotel to pack our stuff as we will be leaving for Orlando early tomorrow morning. 

We drove to Linda's (Bill's mum) home and found the house full of relatives. It was really busy but fun. Everyone is so friendly and we had a great time. Linda cooked very good Jewish food which was an eye opener for me and Jem. My only experience with Jewish cuisine is Bagel ..... toasted onion bagel ..... hmmmmm

Anyway, Alex played with the other children as well. He was a bit reluctant at the beginning but decided to join them after Erin took him outside with the other children. Erin is such a great girl and Alex adores her. I am so proud of my niece and I just wished she could be with Alex all the time. I know that is not possible and I can only hope that her plans to visit us next summer will come true.

We left before the Reeds and on our drive back to the hotel, Alex said "Taco Bell" when he saw the food chain. It was so funny how our son could say this so accurately when he can't say anything else. Alex could also say "Kohl" when we drive pass the department store.

We will have an early ish night and tomorrow will be a very very long day.  

Boxing Day (Busch Gardens, Tampa)

Alex got up at 5am and wanted Breakfast. 

He didn't make life easy for anyone. He wanted porridge for breakfast!

Well, you could guess .... we woke the Reeds as well and they were not happy bunnies. That's the trouble with staying in a shared accommodation when you have a young child .... 

Got to Busch Gardens before 10am and it was already quite busy. We were all handed a note when we entered the parking area stating that they are expecting the park to be very busy today.

It is not always possible to do thing together when you have a small child. Adrinna and family went their separate way as the children wanted to do the big rides while Alex could only do the little ones. We decided to meet up for lunch and to stay in touch using Erin's cellphone.

Our first stop .... to get a stroller. The park map is bloody useless. It is not easy to find what you want. I had to ask the Janitor to tell me where to get a stroller. When we got there, paid for a stroller, I asked if they do a quick pass for special need children. She was clueless and asked her Supervisor whom is equally clueless. He said "As far as I am aware of, we don't do special passes for anyone". Thanks bloody much!

Not being one who give up easily, I asked for direction to the information counter. Walked around quite a bit and finally found the Customer Service desk at the other entrance (main entrance). I asked the ladies behind the counter if they do special passes and they said yes.

I showed them the letter from our Pediatrician and was told that they needed to see Alex and to measure him. 

Great! I had to go find Alex as he was with his dad at the other side of the park entrance. It was a long way to go back and fro and finally ... after measuring Alex and issued a special access pass, I finally get to relax. It was a very stressful morning for me.

We wanted to take the train at Nairobi Station but missed it. Had to wait 20 minutes for the next one and decided to do something else. Our first stop was Rhino Rally. It's a busy ride but we got in straight away using the pass. It was the best ride out of all the rides and Alex enjoyed the whole experience. According to Busch Garden's description "Rhino Rally transports guests aboard an off-road adventure through the wilds of Africa. Guests experience a blend of up-close animal encounters with an unpredictable safari competition." 

We went to Scorpion next .... "Feel the "sting" of Scorpion's terrifying 60-foot drop and 360 degree loop at incredible speeds. You can find the Scorpion in Timbuktu...If you dare. You must be 42 inches tall to ride and other safety restrictions may apply." Alex enjoyed it so much and was laughing all the way. Jeremy and I on the other hand .... not so much. It was too jerky when it slowed down and we almost had our neck broken. This is surely a sign of old age.

We were on our way to the Congo River Rapids when we past Congo Train Station and saw that the train will be arriving in two minutes. Went for the train instead. It was a fantastic way to see the park and the animals. Shamed we didn't have our cameras as we put our belongings in the locker when we went for Scorpion. 

After the train, we met the Reeds for lunch at Desert Grill in Timbuktu. Adrinna got wet and dry again after Stanley Falls Flume and the kids had fabulous time on Sheikra and Kumba (all the rides that Alex can't go and me ... chicken)

After lunch, we went separate ways again. It wasn't easy to find a ride suitable for Alex and on a full stomach. We walked around for a bit and finally really to face our challenge ..... the Congo River Rapids -  the swift-flowing white water of the Congo River Rapids. Spin through a geyser, face an ominous waterfall, and other thrilling obstacles in a 12-person raft.

I was totally drenched when we came out of the ride despite wearing a poncho from head to knee. I was the wettest of the lot. We saw Adrinna and she was about to queue for the ride and took my poncho. I wished her luck!

Trying to dry myself in the hot sun, we then went for a 4D Pirate show at the Timbuktu theater. Came out with a very wet patch on my chest area. What was dried out is now wet again. Whose idea was it to go for the show???? Oh right .... it was mine. All I wanted was a place to rest my tired feet. Alex was alright .... he was pushed around in the stroller while mummy and daddy walked for miles. And ..... every so often what seemed like every five minutes, Alex asked to go to toilet and we had to go search for one. Luckily, they are never short of loo in Busch Gardens.

After the show, I took Alex to two rides while Jeremy watched and took pictures. The ever popular Carousel and Sandstorm. 

Sandstorm was a popular ride for smaller children and the queue was never ending. I used the pass for this ride and had to stand at the exit to wait for an attendant to tend to us. There were no one there and I was approached by a man and told me that the queue was at the other end. A woman of Spanish descent came to my rescue as she too had a pass. She said that I could wait there with a pass and the man walked off feeling embarrassed.

I still couldn't get use to this special pass thing as I still feel that it isn't fair to the other children when they had to wait for ages while we walk in without having to wait. But, being a mother .... with a child who can't wait and flying 4,000 miles and paying lots of money to be at the park, I am prepared to face my fear and be a bit thick skin to make my child happy. After all, it was all for Alex.

We went looking for more rides suitable for Alex at the Land of Dragons but could not find it and ended up at the other end of the park in Egypt. We walked around Edge of Africa and saw many animals and shelter to rest our tired feet. I am not sure about other people but to me .... the signpost and map are useless. I can't find Land of Dragon and we are still wondering if it existed.

We met the Reeds again for KaTonga, a musical of tales about animals in the jungle. It was very good and a close resemblance to Lion King the musical. I haven't seen the Lion King but I have watched their promos and it was very much like that. It was a good show and I would recommend it to anyone. Alex enjoyed the show and was really excited when the monkeys went somersaulting.

After that, we had snack and drinks with the Reeds and called it a day when Alex complaint about tummy ache. The Reeds stayed on for the rides as it was a bit quieter now.

We got lost on our way back to the hotel and Alex kept saying "Mumma go go hotel .... poo"

Alex really need a Poo and he wasn't joking. Sounded a bit yucky to mention here but he exploded when he sat his bum on the seat. That's all I could reveal - LOL

Summary: It was a good day but stressful at the beginning. I prefer Disney to Busch Gardens as Alex is still too young to fully enjoy the rides. The customer service was poor as they don't know what Autism is and couldn't be bothered to find out making a parent with special need child feeling like a beggar. Disney on the other hand, was great. Didn't need to show them Alex for measurement and was treated respectfully. 

Happy Christmas and Merry Birthday????

It's Christmas and it's also my birthday. Somehow, it doesn't felt like either.

No Christmas tree (the Reeds are Jewish), no waking up to a cold frosty morning (Florida ... what did you expect) and Road trip ..... yeah (????) lets see ..... lost count of the hours on the road from Tallahassee to Tampa. 

According to my trusted (???) SatNav, it should take us 5 hours and 15 minutes (if I recall that correctly) from Tallahassee to our final destination. However ...... we stopped in Ocala for Christmas lunch at a Chinese Buffet restaurant. It was nice and I liked the food but Christmas is not Christmas without Turkey, Beef or Pork with loads of veggies and Brussels Sprouts (yucks). Gravy, trimmings, cranberry sauce and Yorkie Puddie.

After lunch, it was back on the road again. Bill drove his car with his loving wife and children sleeping while I drove our rental Toyota Corolla with my happy family. It was a long straight road and really .... it doesn't feel like Christmas at all as there were many people traveling on the road. We got bored and I overtook Bill for a bit and then he overtook me and we lost him completely. 

We then relied on our trusted SatNav which hasn't failed us yet .......

As we reached Tampa, we were taken to a housing estate in some miles away from where we need to be. We were lost!

Adrinna rang and they too were lost. No SatNav nor Google Map could take anyone to this place as it is a new hotel by the airport. After getting lost a few more times and going through parts of Tampa that no tourist should see, we finally reached the hotel in one piece.

I don't know what you call this but we have two rooms with two double beds in each room, a small living area with a sofa bed and a small kitchen with microwave oven, dishwasher, hob and oven and even a waste disposal in the sink. We were quite impressed. Adrinna and family in one room and the Greens in another.

We all went down to the pool after settling in, Alex was holding onto Erin the whole time and Joshua went swimming and annoying his sister. They had fun!

It's supposedly Christmas and every where's closed. Jeremy fancied a cold beer ..... and we need stuff. Adrinna and I went out looking for milk, drinking water, food and Beer. We found Walgreens and got what we needed and more.

That was our day. It didn't felt like Christmas nor my 39th Birthday but on the brighter side of things, I had my sister's family with me and my own beloved family.

Day 7 - 15 (Tallahassee) Shop till you drop

I cannot believe I'm saying this. Shopping is boring!

There isn't much to do besides shopping and eating in Tallahassee. It's not one of those places a tourist would go. The biggest thing that happened in Tallahassee was the 2000 Election where media around the world came to Tallahassee for the election results. 

It is however, a nice place to live. People are certainly friendlier here than back home but then again, I am meeting all my sister's friends. 

We had a great time here, Alex is very happy with his cousins. Erin adore Alex and Josh played with him quite a bit. We are going to miss them very much. I tried spending more time with my sister as I don't know when I will see her again. 

Alex is speaking more everyday. He is stringing words forming a sentence. Just this morning, he said "Dada meh apple jui" he would previously say "Dada go go apple jui". He is using the word 'make'. 

He also said "I can't get down" the other day (I sat him on the bathroom counter and he wanted to get down).

We took Alex to the park a few times and it's one of the things we can use to keep him calm. He has been very good going in and out of shops with us and when he starts getting fidgety, we'll say .... "Do you want to go to the park?" he will say "OK" and we'll then say that we will go as soon as we finish shopping. It works ... all the time.

Alex has been very close to the family golden retriever, Belle. He is not afraid of her at all and would let her lick his feet. He would sit very close to Belle and stick his feet on her nose. She'll lick him gently and he laugh.

We're so glad that Alex is enjoying himself and can't help to think what would he be like when we get home.

Only 5 days to go but it felt like a long time when you are doing nothing but shopping and eating.

Day 6 (Tallahassee) BatMitzvah

Mazeltov Erin! and Happy Birthday!

My beautiful niece is now a young lady. I am so proud of her.

I cannot believe how time flies. My little niece turned 13 and I am not even ready to let her grow. I am extremely proud of her and I know I'll always will.

The Reeds left for the Temple early and the Greens .... as usual take their own sweet time but managed to arrive on time for once. The culprit here is of course ..... Me! I have a serious problem and that is time keeping. There are previously two important occasion that I managed to be on time. My first date with Jeremy and my wedding day.

Being on time for Erin's BatMitzvah is a good omen.

Alex had a short tantrum, refusing to go to our seats, I tried consoling, bribing and anything I could think of to make it less embarrassing .... nothing worked. My last resort .... I pulled him outside and went down on my knees .... No I wasn't begging!

I said to him sternly, "Stop this INSTANTLY! I will not have anymore of your tantrums! Go sit down and be quiet. Do you understand me?"

To my surprise and to Jeremy's .... he went to the seat quietly and remained that way until the end of the service. Two hours later, Alex is still well behaved and we were so proud of him.

After the service, we had lunch and then Disco. Alex danced with me the whole time and at one point, a little girl came to him and asked him to dance. I had to tell her that Alex is shy but thank you for asking though, she looked so disappointed and I look like the control freak mum - LOL

It was a long day but we all enjoyed the occasion.

Day 5 (Orlando - Tallahassee)

Road trip day!

Driving over five hours and over 200 miles from Orlando to Tallahassee, we've finally arrived at our true destination.

We arrived earlier than planned to find an empty house. My sister Adrinna is busy picking up stuff from shops for the big day. Bill and Erin practising for the Big day at the temple while Josh was still at school.

It wasn't long after that everyone finally got together. It was great to see my niece and nephew. I realized how much I missed them. Alex picked up from where he left last year. He instantly bond with his cousins and soon played chasing and wrestling together.

Adrinna offered to cut Alex's hair as we failed to get this done at home. It was amazing how Alex sat so still and cooperative. She did a great job!

I didn't get to talk to Adrinna after that as she had to go to the temple again.

We went to bed early.

Day 4 (Orlando) Tornado Watch

Looked like we planned our holiday quite well ..... so far. We did Magic Kingdom on the best day of the week.

We woke to a yucky rainy morning that turned into day ... there was a Tornado Watch. We didn't dare to venture far and went shopping at Orlando Premium Outlet Mall instead, as it was just a short drive away from our hotel.

It wasn't easy going in and out of shops on a rainy day as the shops here are like strip malls but on a larger scale. Getting from one section to the other required an umbrella, a Pancho, newspaper or whatever you can find. If you don't have either, try running for your life as the rain is not just drizzle it's RAIN.

Alex was very good ..... up to a point .... after we got all his things that is. We got him loads of clothes from Gymboree and Osh Gosh. I have to say this ..... children clothing ARE definitely more interesting in America.

By the time we finished with Alex's shopping, he was tired of going in and out of shops. If we hadn't hired a funky stroller, I don't think we could last this long. We didn't get much for ourselves as when Alex is not in the mood, there is no point for us to go on.

Before we left, I quickly ran back to Eddie Bauer to get my goose down jacket. I saw this on our way in the mall and that was the only thing I got for myself.

We ordered Chinese again and as usual, we ordered too much ..... again. Had an early night as we needed to travel early in the morning.

Day 3 (Magic Kingdom, Orlando)

Hot, humid, lots of walking and oh so tired!

Despite all my moaning, it was all worthwhile!

The smile on Alex's face brought a lump to my throat. Watching my son laugh with joy riding on the carousel horse, made everything alright.

Our day started very early, waking at 4:00am.

At 8:00am, we were then picked up from the hotel to Marriott's Vacation Club for a supposedly 45 minutes non obligational presentation to get $100 Disney Dollars to spend.

After the presentation, we went to Magic Kingdom and arrived around noon. Although this is not the first time I've been, I was still mesmerised by the beauty of Cinderella Castle.

This visit is not about me, we decided to let Alex make all the choices for the day. Doesn't matter what mummy wants ..... it's all about Alex this time.

We started with Steam train ride around MK from main street station. Followed by Big Thunder Mountain Railroad - Alex was laughing with excitement. Our boy is an adrenalin junkie!

Had lunch and followed by The Magic Carpets of Aladdin, Jungle Cruise and Pirates of the Caribbean.

Straight after, we were just in time to catch the Parade - you were never in Magic Kingdom if you don't have photos of the parade to proof your presence - LOL

After the Parades, we headed to Cinderella Castle for Dumbo the flying Elephant and Cinderella's Golden Carousel.

Finally, at Tomorrowland - we accidentally went into Stitch's Great Escape! and pleasantly surprised by the 4D show. Alex enjoyed it so much that he was clapping and laughing all because Stitch stole a sandwich and burped on us. It smelt of onion breathe and it was awful. Because everyone said "ewe" at the same time, Alex giggled with excitement.

After Stitch, we went to Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin followed by the grand finale .... TTA (Tomorrowland Transit Authority). Sounded posh but it was just a train that go round the buildings.

It was certainly a grand finale ride as we were stuck in the train for at least 15 minutes in the dark because some crazy woman left her carriage and walk in between the tracks. They had to stop the trains to get her out. What a nightmare but thankfully, Alex is OK with it.

We planned to stay for the fireworks at 8:00pm but because it was a long day and we were tired of walking, we decided to head back to the hotel and rest. Alex was really tired as he was awake for 14 hours. We left at 6:00pm.

During our six hours at MK, we enjoyed every moment of it. We got a special pass for Alex and used the Fast track lane for almost all the rides. If we hadn't, we would only be doing half of what we did today. To fully enjoy the park, you need at least three days to do any justice to the place.

We hired a stroller for Alex and that made a big difference to our day. I would recommend Disney Parks to any special need families as it's such a friendly place to be.

Entrance to Park x 3 = $226.86
1 1/2 hrs Presentation = -$100.00
Parking at Disney = $12.00
Stroller Hire = $15.00
Lunch x 3 = $28.00
Souvenir = $5.00

Smile on Alex's face = PRICELESS!

Day 2 (Orlando)

After much needed sleep and rest, Alex woke at 3:00am Orlando time. When Alex wakes, everyone wakes!

We all went back to sleep an hour later and woke up at 9:30am. Well rested and happier, we decided to have a quiet day to chill.

Went to Waffle House for breakfast and decided to do the tourist thing .... taking photos of our food - LOL

Went to a tacky gift shop for a walk ... the American do everything in an over sized manner - not being disrespect to my American readers but everything is much bigger compared to the Brits.

Even the gift shop is tackier than any I have seen.

After breakfast/brunch, we drove to Publix to get a few provision and dinner. We decided to pick up some fried chicken, coleslaw and potato from the deli. I have to say, the American makes food look interesting and not like us back in England with limited choice from a supermarket that is. Pick up some freshly made Sushi .... hmmmmm scrummy, just mentioning it now makes my mouth water.

Got back to the hotel for a swim and then rest. Later went for a walk by the hotel to checkout the food centre .... No biggie.

We decided to take a drive to International Drive and Jem drove this time. It was getting dark and he missed a turning and took us onto a highway and learned our way around after paying $2 for tolls.

International Drive, not what it used to look like eight years ago when I first visited Orlando. It was beautiful in some part with lights decorating the trees, looking magical. At the other end of I-Drive, tackier than anywhere I've seen in my years of travelling. The closest resemblance to the places I've visited is Phuket's Patong Beach night Market.

Don't get me wrong, it's nice just not my cup of tea. Meanwhile every bus that we passed, Alex would say "purpur ba go go airport" or "bu ba go go airport" all the way and back our drive. Our son is obsessed with airports and I bet I know where he'll work when he gets older.

It was a pleasant day 2 of our holiday.

Day 1 (London - Orlando)

One of the most stressful day of our lives!

It was a long long long day but we cannot be prouder parents. Alex was amazing despite all the waiting, waiting and waiting.

We all woke up at around 5:30am and left the house at 7:05am. Traffic was ... Well, what do you expect on a Monday morning? It was rather awful on the M3 but as soon as we got onto the M25, it was rather smooth sailing but not for the other lot at the opposite direction.

Alex was really excited about this trip. We prep him with social stories on the transport mode. First we go on car then bus from the long stay car park to airport. Then train (monorail) to boarding gates and the airplane to Orlando in that order. However, things are never what it seem in real life and social stories especially the author mainly the mum was not up to date with the travel arrangements. She thought it was the north terminal that we are flying from. Well duh! We flew Virgin Atlantic this time which flies from the South terminal (she previously flew on other airlines).

Anyway, Mummy the control freak likes driving and drove past the entrance to the long stay car park and ended up dropping Daddy with the luggage at the terminal. Thanks to Daddy's quick thinking about social story, Alex came with mummy to the car park to board the bus to the terminal.

When we were at the terminal, Alex kept saying "choo choo" but we had to tell him that we don't go on the train at this airport. He was really disappointed but he got over it after saying "choo choo" what seem like a hundred times.

Finally, on the plane! Cannot be prouder with our pain in the backside. He was very well behaved but very fidgety too. He didn't want to sleep and trick his dad and me a few times that he wanted to poo. Well, I knew he needed to as he let go a few smellies when he sat on me. It had to be me ..... aiyah yah yah yah!

By 4:30pm, five hours flying time and after tricking us six times that he wanted to poo, it's my turn to take him to the toilet. Imagine this .... in a small cubicle, my little boy on the bog, straining away while mummy knelt to see if he's doing it, plop came a long one followed by one squirt of 'eau de poo' and another long one and another squirt. The relieve on his face while mummy turned green.

It's strange how he does it like clock work, always at around the same time, not sooner not later.

Meanwhile, mummy and daddy had to endure a whole nine hours of "airport?" his way of saying "are we there yet?" Holy mo! For one limited speech boy, he sure can drive us crazy!

Can I say finally now? No ... but it was finally landed on American soil but not pass the immigration yet. You would think that we will be welcome with open arms but No! There seem to be an attitude with these guys. Considering we are bringing money into this country, we had better treatment from immigration from Atlanta the last time but these Floridians are a different species.

Queued for an hour with 800 other Brits, it was hot and noisy and we can't wait to get to the hotel but all these while Alex was a gem.

After waiting for our luggage twice, we finally had our rental car. Zap on our SatNav and key in the hotel address. "No Match for address" I told Jem to ring the hotel but he said, "we won't miss the hotel it should be along Vineland Road." After paying two tolls at the turnpike, drove along Vineland Road twice, we were no where near Marriott's.

We had to call the hotel and was told that they are at Vineland Avenue, 12 miles from where we were. Meanwhile, it was 7pm Orlando time and 12 midnight UK time, Alex finally fell asleep on the back seat. He was awake for 19 hours and did not complain while mummy and daddy biting each others head off.

Finally! Reached the hotel, checked in, ordered Chinese for dinner and hit the pillow straight after. Don't ask me what time but all I know it's not soon enough.

We cannot be prouder parents but we are ashamed of our own behaviour for snapping at each other.

Have Bribery will travel

Just got home from Auntie Wendy's house in Little Hampton.

It was a cold and sunny day .... we had a great day with Auntie Wendy, Sue (Jeremy's sister), Peter and George (her husband and son). 

We are all very proud of Alex. 

We went out for lunch at a local cafe and it was really busy. Auntie Wendy made a reservation for between 1pm and 1:30pm but because the cafe was really busy, they put her for 1:30pm without letting her know of the changes. We arrived at 1pm and had to wait a whole 30 minutes for a table. 

Alex was so patient and happy while waiting. By the time we ordered and having our first course, it was 2:15pm. Alex started fidgeting and small tantrums emerging .... (he woke up at 3:45am), he was hungry and he was tired.

I told Jeremy to go to the counter to get a roll of Droste chocolate (my favourite) to calm Alex. When Jeremy got to the table with the chocolate, I let Alex hold on to them. I told him that he had to sit nicely while waiting for his Spaghetti Bolognese. He can only have his chocolate if he eats his Spag Bog. It worked wonders! 

He waited patiently for his Spag Bog and then when it arrived, he refused to eat it. I took the chocolate away from him and let him have his tiny tantrum - jumping on the spot. 

We all looked away and continued our lunch while he stood there looking. He calmed down and then I gave him a spoonful of the Spag Bog. He ate it, and then sat down to have some more. He ate a good 3/4 of the plate (it was a generous portion for a four year old) and then we all praised him for being good. He then said "Cho co har" .... as promised, I gave him two discs. He was really happy and we were well impressed with our new strategy - ha ha ha

Looks like bribery goes a long way ............................

Tweet tweet

Woken to the sound of rumbling thunder?

Nope .... it's Alex dragging his toy box and stools around his bedroom.

I got up to see what the fuss is all about. What I saw put a smile on my face.

Alex stripped his bed and moved all his pillows and duvet to make a comfortable little nest on a platform next to his drawers. He dragged his toy box and stool to build a step to reach his nest.

He could have easily got onto his nest all by himself but as soon as he saw me, he said "mumma ..... I can't". He wanted me to help him up.

Alex could do anything on his own but as soon as he sees us or someone he knows pretty well, he will ask for help.

Anyway, after I helped him up, he made himself comfortable and said "tweet tweet".

It's quite strange! (I read quite a bit about autism in forums and discussions where parents share their experiences on what their children do.) Autistic individuals, mostly children like to strip their bed to make a nest on higher places. Is there a reason?

Could it be a characteristic of autism? Similar to hand flapping and repetitive behaviour, he find comfort in building a nest.

I wonder .......

The joy of being a mum (sometimes)

My mornings are mostly filled with surprises and laughters (that is when I have enough sleep).

Monday morning .... The first day of December, I was half awaken by a weeping child. He came to my bed at 5:30am and wanted a hug. We cuddled abit and I fell asleep.

7:00am - I was awaken by "oh oh" and then an empty Tupperware on my face. Alex has eaten all the chocolate tea biscuit for breakfast. He then said "mumma .... Apple ju".

I knew there weren't many of those biscuit left in there as Jeremy had them in the study ... he would have eaten most of them. For all I know, Alex might just have licked all the crumbs (one of those life mysteries) off.

Anyway, back to apple juice. Got up, and on my way downstairs, I passed the study and saw ..... Bob the builder book opened, with all the shapes placed correctly. (Alex got this book from his Aunt Susan yesterday and it's one of those 3 in1 books where you can read, place shapes in certain places and press on the shapes to make sounds.) I was well impressed with my son. Further at the corner where the desk is, he placed his fire engine with it's ladder up against the chair. A fully extended measuring tape placed from the desk to the fire engine via the chair ... as if someone is trying to escape from the scene.

Well, if anyone say an Autistic child is lack of imagination, please come see Alex.

I went downstairs to get his juice and I belted out the biggest laughter I've ever made, Alex decorated my scrabble board with the tiles (picture of evidence to follow) around it.

Made his juice and went upstairs. Quickly grab the camera to collect evidence. Turned on the light and what did I see? Alex with a Hitler moustache.

If this is not joy of motherhood, I don't know what is. I count my blessings everyday for having such a delightful son and a loving husband.

My scrabble board decorated by tiles

Fire Engine to the rescue

Bob the builder 3 in 1 Book

The rest of the shapes