Sunday, February 5, 2012

2-4-12 Malachi is starting to understand how autism affects his life

Malachi does this thing where he slides his mattress over so he can sleep between it and the wall in like a crack space. I get it- it's a sensory thing where he wants to feel pressed in to relax. ..but it always bums me out because he ends up pushing the mattress off the bunk bed and it's either half hanging off the bed OR totally on the floor the next day and I have to try to shove it back on the bunk and then you know how you always bang your head when you are making up the lower bed of a bunk bed?
so I get cranky about it- and he knows it.
So last night he preemptively explains his sleeping arrangement before I can complain saying
" listen! I like to sleep differently! everyone's different! it's because of my Autism!"
Of course he can't pronounce that word so every time he brings it up it takes me about 5 times before I know what the heck he's trying to say.
Eventually I say " your AUTISM?!" and he says " YES!!! THAT'S why I like to sleep differently!"
He seems totally annoyed by my ignorance and says " DON'T YOU KNOW ABOUT AUTISM?!"
I say " yes- i know about autism. I knew about that a long time ago actually.."
he's already covering his head up in his blanket cocoon and is obviously really sleepy
I say " you know- I don't mind that you have Autism"
from somewhere under the blanket he mumbles " Yes I know"
then I say " ..I think you're a cool kid"
" yes! I know! can't you see I need to sleep? I need my rest!!"

:)

2 comments:

  1. this really makes me smile, because your malachai is like my captain comic. and i stumbled my way here because you liked my comment on artsyville's pic...happy to 'meet' you. you can find me at musingsinmayhem.wordpress.com.

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