When There's Autism, We Don't Sleep!

I often post on my personal Facebook page, in an autism group, or Tourette Syndrome group the funny details of my life. I tend to be very descriptive, well because my boys inspire so much vividness and imagination in me. So, many times I get told I should write a book. What about, I've no idea. No one is really interested in the life of a homeschooling, stay-at-home-mom of two special needs boys. Who talks to herself way too much, even in public - more often than not, alone too!

That being said, sometimes my posts are a bit too long and involved for any Facebook post really. So, why not post those stories here? If you ever read this blog, I hope you can find some laughter in the lumps, because without laughter, we'd all just cry! lol

My giggle for the week:
So, my youngest son, I call him Evil Genius. Why? Well, you really have to know him. He's too cute for his own good, and somehow ends up doing the craziest things and getting away with them. Or saying the perfect thing in the heat of the moment that will crack even the grumpiest of parent, right up. The only truly evil thing about Evil Genius, is that he does not sleep...like ever. It's part of his world domination plans, to see how long adults can go without actual 6 - 8 hours of sleep. This is why he never slows down during the day too, to keep the sleep deprived adult at attention at all times....it's genius in a way I suppose, if it wasn't being tested on me. 

Anyway, I can't tell you how many times a month, a week, a day, I hear someone ask me why he doesn't sleep! 

--Which is THE most infuriating thing to be asked ever!!--

Can I just tell you all this?! If I knew why he wasn't sleeping, don't you think I'd have figured out a solution by now?! lol Anyway, apparently - well, no I KNOW that somewhere in my reply to the countless people that ask is: some kids with autism just don't sleep. Which isn't really my response, it's his doctor's response. lol 

So, last night, DW didn't go to bed until 2 a.m.! He tried bless his heart but, it just wasn't working, and while I trust him to be up while I'm sleeping, I'm still a mom, so I don't really sleep. I end up sitting up for most of the time with him. Anyway, I finally convince him to try crawling into bed with me. 

Sleeping with a Tourette Syndrome kid at the peak of his jerking, isn't easy but, I figured it would definitely help him feel a bit more relaxed.

So, I wake up at around 3:30 to no hard jerking, and am prematurely congratulating myself on clever I am. I carry him to bed and hop back in my bed, thinking I can ride this out until the sun peeks it's head. 

4:22 a.m. on the dot.....rapid footsteps into my room, stop in my doorway. Gentle nudges at the foot of my bed to give the dog some love, pitter pat of feet as they try to quietly and hurriedly, get to my phone, which at this hour means only one of two things. He needs a flashlight, or he is after a game on the phone because he's played his iPad to death. Then I peak through a very small opening in my eyelids, and see nothing. Begin to think I've imagined the whole thing, except my cell phone is gone. LOL
Wait ten minutes, decide that maybe I should get up and check, but hear the rapid beat of running feet into my room. So, I do what every good mother does, I play dead. tongue emoticon 

He puts the phone back and then runs into his room again. I wait another ten, and hear nothing. I tip toe out into the kitchen, lean into his room, don't see or hear a thing. Make my way stealthily to the bathroom, when I hear rapid moose-like running past the bathroom, and then silence.

As I leave the bathroom to go back to bed, here is Evil Genius, all chipper looking, on the couch. His smiling face illuminated by the glow of his eye pad! 

So, later that afternoon....er I guess it was morning, felt like late afternoon, I was speaking with my mom - I think. I start to tell her how late DW was awake and Evil Genius proudly hollers out: It's his autism. When there's autism we don't sleep! 

I think he's heard me say something similar way too often!