Autism Decided To Show Up Tonight

I know this may seem weird, but sometimes I forget Bucket has autism.  He is considered a mild case although when he was younger, it was considered moderate to severe.  He's really improved over the years and in many cases, acts like a perfectly normal 14 year old boy.  He likes pizza, sleeping, playing video games and avoiding homework and chores.  Yeah, a normal kid.

However, like most auts, he likes his schedule.  I mean, I used to be a laid back "oh we'll figure out what we're going to do when we get there" kind of person, but becoming his mother changed me drastically.  Bucket thrived on routine, schedule, and having his entire day planned out, and so that's what we did.  While that has relaxed somewhat, one thing remains the same, and that is his Friday night schedule.

On Fridays, I work until 4pm.  We order pizza, drive Missy to work, and then Tiger and I go get the pizza.  We are home before 4:30.  We have pizza, and then it's video game time.  Bucket plays video games until 9 or 10, then we turn it off and watch TV on the big screen.  Since Tiger isn't dating anyone or working, he will sometimes go to bed by 8 or 9pm on a Friday night.  He needs tons of sleep, and Bucket doesn't.  Tiger can sleep 15-18 hours on weekends, while Bucket normally goes for 6-8.

Tonight?  A girl showed up.

Desiree is a cute little girl who lives on our street (I say little, she's 15 years old) and she and Tiger have been friends since elementary school.  They have a cute little friendship that is very much brother and sister like, not romantic.  But Desiree threw Bucket off his game.  She interrupted his video game.  Asked questions.  Ate a slice of his pizza.  Was listening to her iPod while he was playing the game.  And Bucket?  Oh, not a happy camper.  At one point, he asked her what her curfew was, meaning he was politely asking her to GET OUT OF THIS HOUSE.  Desiree, having known our family for years, knew exactly why he was asking, and took offense.  A shouting match took place.  Bucket just wanted his Friday night video game time.  Desiree wanted to hang out on our couch.

Eventually, Tiger walked Desiree home, and Bucket happily  jumped into the shower at promptly 8:30, his normal time.  He didn't want to take a shower around a pretty girl, and I guess I can understand that.  But my my...thank you for the reminder, yes, you still have autism, and it is a source of joy, frustration, and laughter.  At least I was laughing, anyway.  What else can you do?

Guess who's not looking at me.  So typical.

I haven't taken any photos this week.  I have been working SO MUCH and I am still coughing from that sinus infection back in January!  I'm going on SIX WEEKS of coughing.  I am so sick of it.  Plus, I can't take anything for it in case I might be pregnant.  So I am still drinking that nasty hot tea and I am not a happy camper.  So no pictures!  Even though I have been feeling icky, I have been reading tons of blogs.  Lots of new ones, and I will share them with my readers soon, in hopes that you like them too.  One of my favorites is called Hems for Her and Katie is so much fun to read.  I'm also thinking about cutting my hair like hers...I'll share that soon too.  Mr. R and I had a long talk about the hair situation.  As in, I'm sick of mine but growing it long only because he asked me to do that.  Plus, he's growing his hair out and I really don't like it on him.  He will not cut his hair, even though in my opinion, he looks like a young Unabomber.  I wish I was kidding.  He told me that he prefers mine long, but that if I cut it, he will support me.  So I'm thinking this hair will be off soon!

It's almost 9pm on a Friday night.  Bucket is out of the shower and it's time for a movie on the big TV in the living room.  Yeah, I'm a party animal all right.