An introduction...

I have been thinking a lot today about my four wildly different autistic children and how unique and interesting they are. So it only makes sense to introduce them all...I'll start with my eldest: Lillith is 13 and diagnosed with Aspberger's and bipolar disorder. She is incredibly creative and complex, and although she's lots of fun (and very funny), she can be very argumentative (indescribably so). She was diagnosed with Aspberger's at age 5, but the bipolar diagnosis was only a few years ago. This explained a lot of behaviors that didn't seem to fit the Aspberger's dx. She loves to write and draw and makes great illustrated stories.
Devlin is 11 and has a PDD-NOS dx. He is also very creative and loves drawing. He is a horror fan (a chip off the old block, he is) and wants to go to school for special effects makeup when he grows up. He is fascinated with Makeup Artist magazine and wants to know how everything is done as far as makeup, prothestetics, etc and actually has made masks that are pretty amazing using paper, paper towels, elmers glue and markers.
Aidan is 6 and has an ASD dx. He is completely nonverbal and VERY active. He can very often be seen on the highest surface in the room and can scale anything like Spiderman. He is very mischievous and thinks it's the funniest thing when knocking things over, or dropping CDs and DVDs behind the heaviest piece of furniture he can find (and he makes sure we see it, because that's even funnier). All that being said, he's got a very sweet disposition and is quite affectionate.
Ava is 3 and has a PDD-NOS dx. She is also nonverbal but I think she will talk at some point. We call her a little diva because she is constantly posing in front of the mirror. She is also quite active and likes to copy her older brother (yikes!!) but hopefully she won't try to match him! Even though she is nonverbal, she is very much interested in interacting with others and is very sociable and very often initiates play, which is encouraging.
And that is just a few sentences to describe my darlings who I love with every fiber of my being and who make me tear my hear out:)!! I'm thankful for my husband every day, because he's the only other person who REALLY understands, and who has the same sense of humor. I think we keep each other relatively sane......