Happy 5th Birthday Ryan!

Happy 5th Birthday Ryan!

We love you very much and are proud to be your parents!  The past five years have been very memorable and we wish you happiness always!

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

 DC and PC

A Message from Ryan's Grandmothers!

Continuing with our special week of blog posts, here's a favorite story from Ryan's grandmother and a letter from Ryan's nonna and papa.  We love the feedback we've been getting about the posts this week.  Keep those emails and Facebook posts coming!  We're glad you're enjoying these special editions!  And for all of you that cried reading the last couple of posts, don't put those tissues away just yet!

DC

Ryan is a sweet, caring, and sensitive boy.  He always enjoyed me visiting him but never wanted me to leave. I would take my coat out of the closet and he would take it from me and put it on the floor.  Then he would fall on it and didn't want to get up.  When he got older he would say "STAY, grandma stay." It always made me glad to come and visit, however sometimes I would have to sneak out when he wasn't looking.

Love you Ryan, 

Grandma

 

 

 

Wow! Ryan- You're 5 years old.  Time sure does fly.  And how quickly a little over a year passed since you were diagnosed on the Autism Spectrum.  What a difference we notice since then.  At first you appeared to have a distant personality.  But since Dr. Bock, a new diet, many supplements and special education, we now see energy, motivation and brightness that comprise a very lovable, spirited and animated "you".  You're too young to realize now but when older you'll know this became possible by the unconditional love your parents have for you.  They continue to be unrelenting in all aspects of your care.  The strength of their love and perseverance will give you a great life and wonderful education.  As you told us not too long ago... "Nonna, papa, - Someday I am going to college."  Well, Ryan, you are absolutely correct and we proudly look forward to that day as much as you do.  In all your ventures we wish you the best.  You are an amazing and very special little boy to us.  May God Bless you on your 5th birthday and always.  

 

We love you,

Nonna and Papa 

 

Julia and Ryan

The story of a brother named Ryan and a sister named Julia....

At first, Ryan wasn't sure what to make of Julia.

But then he realized that she was an eager playmate.

She didn't get upset when he threw sand at her.  She was happy just to be invited into the sandbox.

 

And he could even ride her like a horse.

He now had a partner to dress up with on Halloween.

 

  

 

And someone to take school pictures with.

Someone to go on vacation and spend holidays with.

 

 

 

Someone to act silly with.

 

And over the years there would be lots of hugs and kisses!

 

 

 

 

Someone to start the day with and end the day with.  Someone who would always be by his side.

 

Despite the competitiveness they share, it is clear that Julia looks up to Ryan and it makes him a proud big brother!

I asked Julia if she wanted to say something about Ryan, and here's what she said...                      

                

DC

A Message from Uncle T

Blue was always my favorite color growing up.  Maybe it was because of the Hoot Rod or for the Mets and Rangers or the C-D Mustangs, but recently the color blue has an even more important meaning to me.  A little over a year ago I was asked by the Madison Square Garden Public Relations department if Radio City Music Hall would be able to participate in the annual “Light it up Blue” campaign for Autism Awareness.  I didn’t know too much about Autism but it seemed like an amazing joint effort which would include many famous landmark buildings around the world.  I went to work with our lighting department who would design and assemble a series of gelled lights to create a blue wall wash above the famous 6^th Avenue marquee of Radio City on Autism Awareness Day.  Soon after the initial request to participate in “Light it up Blue”, I learned that my Godson was diagnosed with Autism.  Suddenly I realized that the effort I was making for the many people affected by Autism was much closer to my heart than I originally thought.  I’m proud to say that for the past two years Radio City has continued its support of Autism Awareness and I am honored and proud to participate for my Godson Ryan. Happy Birthday.

Love always,

Uncle T

5/12/06

5/12/10

TF

Week 55 - Happy Mother's Day!

What it means to me to be Ryan's mommy...

-Never knowing what mood I will find Ryan in, but always knowing that I can eventually get him to smile.  And what a smile it is!

-Constantly worrying!  Worrying about his well being, worrying if I'm doing everything I can for him, worrying about his future.

-Tired and busy, yet grateful he's in my life.

-Happy and blessed to feel his love.

Mother's Day Tea at Noah's Ark where I was given handmade gifts and homemade treats!

And Ryan came home from PARC with a card with the following statements answered by him. 

My mom's name is: mom
She is special because: she makes me dinner
I like when my mom: tickles my nose
My mom can do many things!  I think she's best at... her paperwork
My mom is really funny!  She always makes me laugh by...making her funny faces
My mom is as pretty as a... mom
My mom is smart!  She even knows... how to talk on the phone
I'd like to tell my mom...I love her!

Some I got such a good chuckle about and I really enjoyed reading it!  But do you want to know what my best gift was?

Remember this picture taken in March?

Taken May 8, 2011 - The BEST Mother's Day gift ever!

I don't think it is one particular thing that has caused this improvement in his skin but rather a combination of things.  For one, Ryan has been taking showers rather than baths lately.  And afterwards we continue coat his legs with the almond oil.  And during the past week we've been using the new supplement called Glutomine Plus Powder that we mentioned in last week's blog, and have not been giving him his B12 injections.  We're happy to see the improvement and feel the improvement... his skin is so much softer!

Ryan had a pretty bad ear infection this week and needs ear drops twice a day for a week.  His tube is still in his left ear where the infection occurred and if it doesn't fall out soon we'll need to have it surgically removed.  He goes back to the ENT in June for another checkup. 

We had a great Mother's Day in the Campbell family!  Here's a picture of one of my gifts... a blue heart glass necklace with sparkled pieces inside of the glass in the shape of puzzle pieces.  It is part of a collection by a jeweler who donates part of the proceeds towards the fight against Autism.

My other gift I am using to type this blog... a new laptop, my very first laptop!  Much needed and appreciated!

Our moms also enjoyed their gifts and spending time with the kids today.

Getting bored of the same old posts each week?  Getting tired of hearing our side of the story?  Well...

We have some special posts coming up this week in honor of Ryan's 5th birthday.  Be sure to check back each day!  And for those of you who own a Ryan Express shirt, please wear it on Thursday, May 12th for Ryan's big day!

DC

Week 54 - Happy Easter

I want to start off with a funny story... Ryan is obsessed with playing games on Phil's Ipad.  So obsessed that we've had to hide it from him some days and tell him that Phil left it at work.  Well the other day Ryan wanted to play with it and the following conversation occurred:

Ryan: Mommy, I want to play with something.

Me: What do you want to play with? 

Ryan: It starts with a "D".

Me (puzzled because I really thought he was trying to butter me up to play with the Ipad): A "D"? Do you want to play with your doggie? Do you want to dance?

Ryan: No, it's something else.

Me: Well what is it?  I don't know what else starts with a "D".

Ryan: You know mom, "DaIpad".

I had such a laugh! I gave up trying to explain to him that it is "an Ipad" or "THE Ipad" not all one word scrunched together as "DaIpad".  Of course I just had to let him play after that! 


So this video taken Easter morning is mostly about Julia, but I just had to share it.  If you've seen the movie "Hop" you may recognize where Julia is getting her words from!  Kids... so innocent, funny, (and gullible!)

Some pictures of the kids celebrating Easter...

Opening Easter gifts from our neighbor, Carol.

Ryan happy to see that the Easter Bunny left him a new spring coat and his favorite Angry Bird!

The kids with papa

Easter egg hunt

All 60 plastic eggs retrieved.  A job well done!

Ryan spent about 20 minutes practicing his numbers!  We were surprised, yet pleased, with his focus and willingness.

  

This last picture reminds me of a video I watched this week.  Check out this clip about how a little cholesterol helped a little girl with autism.  Thanks to Jess and Kerry for bringing it to our attention.  Can a little cholesterol help?

On the food front, Ryan has been so good about trying out new foods.  He ate raw onion on his sandwich (YUCK!).  That was all my dad's doing!  His breath stunk so bad the rest of the day!  This week he also tried different vegetables out of my salad, and he ate some corn.  We're starting to incorporate a new supplement called Glutomine Plus Powder.  It's primary focus is gastrointestinal support and we're hoping it will help him better digest food and possibly help with skin rashes.  I do have to say, even before we begin this new supplement, Ryan's skin seems to be on the mend.  For the most part his cheeks aren't red unless he's running around playing, his legs are still really rough but the scabs are almost gone, and he hasn't been scratching his skin as much.

 Lately Ryan has to be racing with Julia for EVERYTHING!  He is obsessed with winning and everything has to be a race.  Who is first upstairs, washing their hands, to the door, to turn the TV off, to the front door when the door bell rings, who gets their shoes on or off first, gets their pj's on, this is getting a bit much.  "Losing" one of these situations turns Ryan from a happy kid into a social mess.  It often takes a lot of TLC and coaxing just to get him back to a "happy place" so that we can continue on with the day.  I'm sure many of the parents out there are thinking, well kids are like that and these are age appropriate situations.  Yes, true, but the intensity and the frequency of these situations is not what we deem normal sibling rivalry.  In just one evening we can encounter dozens of these fighting matches and I find myself walking on eggshells, hoping not to say something to trigger an argument. 

I hope that they turn this competitiveness into something productive like first in school work or first in an athletic competition.  However, they really do not seem to want to be the first to clean up so we are not too hopeful!  Here's a video of something that started off fun and ended in the kids arguing.  Luckily Ryan was at the top of the slide or the situation most likely would have turned into a physical match with Phil and I prying them apart.  And I say "Phil and I" because Ryan has become too strong for me to restrain him when he's angry.  This kind of behavior has escalated over the past month and for the first time in a long time we're seeing Ryan's mood swings creep back up.

Today we had a birthday party for a set of seven year old twins, one boy and one girl.  It was at a place called game pad in Pawling, NY.  It was an arcade place in a strip mall and it was packed!  The moment we walked in I thought we were going to have a problem with the amount of noise and people in the place.  However, he did fantastic.  He tried almost every game and really like a game where you rode a motorcycle in a video race.  He pretended that he was a green motorcycle when we left and were in the parking lot.   He had no issue when it came time for cake.  We brought a few of his cupcakes with us and he was content to have just one with everyone else.  He was even fine with Julia eating her cake in the car on the ride home.  When it comes to birthday parties, he has come such a long way.

Ryan had fun playing outdoors this weekend.

Fun with cousins!

Time with Amelia!

Ryan really does like to wear these pajamas!!!

DC