On Our Way to 2010. Happy New Year!.....

Wow! Where has the time gone? I looked back and saw that my last post on here was November 3rd. Guess I've been busy! Thanksgiving came and went in a hurry and now Christmas as well. In just a few days we'll be saying goodbye to 2009 and welcoming 2010 with happy hearts.

It's been another great year for Sam, probably the best yet and so much more to come. My little man is happily engaging this world with open arms...who would have ever thought? It's so hard to explain...you just have to see him for yourself.

Sam had a wonderful Christmas and enjoys playing with his new train table and trains very much. He's very protective of it and is not hesitant on giving a tongue lashing to anyone that gets close to it.

The year 2009 brought us so much fun! We decided to take a chance with Sam and step outside of our "safe zone" and go camping...seasonal. Our instincts were right and it couldn't have gone any better for Sam and all of us. We found something that he loves, and now desires, and can't wait for Spring to get here so that we can go back to Whispering Pines. He now has his camper with a slide-out and bunk beds and he's so excited about it!

It's been a tough fall and winter I must say, with all the sickness that has plagued our family. It seems as though Sam and Gabby have been sick with something since we've been home for the season. But, even with all of the sickness, Sam's progress continues to move forward. He's an amazing little boy. He's counting objects up to 20, writing his name and has almost mastered tying his shoes! How about that!!!!! His speech....well, that is something that is just music to my ears! Now it's time to get him potty trained...can't stand the Sammy Specials anymore!

We appreciate all the love and support from Sam's family and friends that have been there and understood how life can be for a family like us. We've lost some family members and friends over time, which makes me very sad and angry at the same time. We always wish things were different and didn't have to be this way. If you know someone that has a child with special needs, has a chronic illness or has a terminal illness of some sort, have a little compassion. Our worlds are turned upside down and we often don't even know what day it is. It is not in any way a typical, normal life by no means. A person cannot judge if they don't know how it is...especially if you never see us. It hurts that there are some out there that are missing so much of the progress that Sam is making, and some that haven't taken the time to even get to know him.

With all of our hearts....We wish everyone a very Happy New Year!!

A Whole New Sam...

Tonight, as I was putting laundry away, I could hear Sam and Gabby playing together in the living room, conversing with one another like two typical children. Sam was speaking very clearly using complete sentences...not missing a word. It was truly music to my ears and it put a huge smile on my face.

He is getting older and better as time goes on. I knew with all the hard work, he would get better. In so many different situations, I see this whole new little boy. He's playing with typical children, conversing with them and just wanting to be with them. Remember, that over 3 1/2 years ago, this was a little boy with no words, wasn't even expected to talk. His autism level was severe. He is now on the mild side and he's come so far and I am so very proud of him.

We are working on the potty training with Sam these days. He is able to stay dry at school and is even now initiating that he has to "go potty" at home. However, he refuses to do the #2 on the potty and we are working on that. As a parent, I can't wait to get that part done!

Sam is very excited about our new camper we bought last weekend. He can't wait to get it to the campground in April. It's got everything he asked for...bunks for him and Gabby and a slide-out! It's great to see him excited about things to come. He's also looking forward to Santa coming as he's been going through the Toys R Us Christmas flyer over and over again for the past week picking out the doll houses and kitchens he wants. Yes, Gabby has taught Sam well!

We all had a great Halloween this year with taking our golf carts out trick 'r' treating. Auntie Lisa and Uncle Fran had their golf cart and we had ours. It was so nice having the whole family with us this year too! We had Grandma and Grandpa Sheidy, Kristie, Emma and Jeff, Auntie Lisa, Uncle Fran, Brittany & Christine. Sam and Gabby got alot of candy and really enjoyed the night.

Sam has a school review coming up this Thursday, and a visit with his neurologist next week. I'm sure these visits will be the most positive ones yet.

As I have said many times, Sam will beat Autism. And based on his progress, he's not far off from doing it.

Great job buddy! Keep up the good, hard work!!! We love you...

An Ending to The Best Summer...

It's hard to believe that the summer came so late and went by so fast this year...almost like a blink.

Thanks to my Aunt Doreen and my Uncle Mike from Maine helping us out, last year while on vacation there, we brought home a 32' travel trailer because our little pop-up just wasn't cutting it. Adam and I talked about the possibility of trying a season with it somewhere, but just weren't sure where to go. After countless hours of online searching, we discovered Whispering Pines Campground in Hope Valley, RI. As I write, my eyes are welling up with tears. These are tears of sadness because I never thought...ever...this would be the best summer. Not only for myself because I'm once again back in my childhood roots of spending summers at campgrounds, but for Adam, Sam & Gabby as well. And I must add that it's been great having my sister and brother-in-law right next to us to enjoy the summer as well...Just like the old times!! We've all in some way bonded with many people there, especially our family on W Road, who have taken our children in like their own and have shown much patience and love to Sam & Gabby. Although there have been many times when BOTH kids have had outbursts, tantrums, meltdowns, etc., everyone has been more than understanding and are often trying to help us out when a situation arises. I will miss WP while we are in hibernation for the winter and I know for certain Adam, Sam & Gabby will too. For now, I will reflect on all the wonderful, fun & exciting memories made this summer, and look forward to next Spring when we get to do it all over again. I truly believe that WP has made a huge positive impact on the progress Sam has made, especially in the social aspect of Autism. Thanks for the BEST SUMMER EVER 2009!!!

We had another PPT with the Town of Tolland last week to decide what's going to happen with Sam. Thankfully, he's staying at River Street at least until next June. Their intent is to hopefully have him start kindergarten in the fall of 2010 here in Tolland, but honestly, I just don't know about that. You know me, if I don't believe he's ready, he's not going anywhere!

Oh yes, the progress he's made...let me start by saying he's doing great!!!!! He's a smart mouthed, funny, an eating machine and so on! If you haven't seen him in a while, you would be amazed at how different he is...in a great way. So often now he says something that any typical child would say and will even play like a typical child. You wouldn't even know he has Autism.

Adam and I have made progress as well! We have accepted the fact that Sam is now riding the bus to and from school!!! That's a very big deal for us!!! Sam loves it and gets upset when I pick him up from school. He wants to ride the bus.

I want to add something personal to this post, only because it may be the only way to reach out to some people that have for whatever reasons, have chosen to distance themselves from us. The past 5 years have come and gone so quickly for Adam and I because everything is always a rush around here, and often nothing ever comes easy. It's very difficult for us to talk on the phone to anyone without kids yelling and screaming in the background. So if we don't call, it's not because we don't think of you, it's because it's an impossible feat. We forget birthdays and anniversaries of one's that we DO care about, so please don't take it personally. Some may think that we are selfish for being away all summer and leaving CT behind. But honestly, this was a risk we took with Sam not knowing which way it was going to go. And it turned out great for our kids...and for us too. After everything that we have been through for the past 5 years, we feel we deserved some kind of break and this is what we chose to do. Adam and I STILL haven't had one night away from the kids since they've been born. If what we chose to do this summer as a family is selfish, then so be it. We miss certain family members and friends very much who we hold dear to our hearts that won't talk to us. As far as the family members go, there have been many, many instances that we could have turned our backs because of the lack of communication and for times not being here when you were needed, but we brushed it off and moved on. An invitation is never needed to visit here nor is it needed at the campground. That goes for everyone. We do love you all and care very much. Enough said and I hope I made some kind of point.

I hope that everyone had an enjoyable summer and look forward to catching up with everyone over the fall and winter. We do miss our CT friends and family!

Life Is Becoming Very Good...

Yes, Life is Becoming Very Good...Finally!

When we decided to buy a camper at the end of last summer and put it at a campground for a season, Adam and I knew it was a huge risk. We weren't sure how Sam was going to react being out of his elements here at home, and if it didn't work, what a financial hit it would have been on Adam and me. Not only have I been able to get back to my roots with camping, but I've been lucky enough to share my love of camping with my family. I honestly believe that camping has been the best therapy for Sam. Many children with Autism have sensory issues, social issues, speech issues, etc. Whispering Pines has everything there to naturally address most of the areas that Sam has been lacking in. His sensory therapy includes enjoying the water and playing in the sand at the beach. His social issues are constantly being challenged with all of the people at the campground and he has made so much progress there. He's very social and is starting to have conversations with all of the wonderful people we have met there and his speech just keeps getting better. We definitely made the right decision and look forward to many more summer's at Whispering Pines. However, if Sam keeps asking for golf carts and other highly priced items, we may have to reconsider! Yes, we bought Sam a golf cart. He loves it and even slept on it Saturday night.

Sam continues to do great in his new classroom with his buddies. It's still difficult getting him out of my car in the morning to go into school, but once he's inside, he's happy to be with his friends and to move on with his day. His teacher made me a book that has pictures with velcro attached to the back of them. With these pictures, Sam is able to use them to tell me about his day and what he did. Right now he's limited to 2 pictures, but should move on to 3 since he's doing so well. As I mentioned in previous posts, our conversation in the car after I picked him up from school was the same thing every day. He would tell me that he peed on the potty and had gym. Now with pictures, he's able to tell me that he had center time, sensory room time, circle time, etc. I love it and I love that school!

Both kids had dentist appointments today and thankfully I had Adam with me. Gabby did great, but unfortunately things didn't go so well for Sam. He will need to go to a pediatric dentist and get sedated in order for him to have his teeth cleaned...poor kid.

I hope everyone is enjoying their summer as much as we are and welcome visitors down at the campground anytime!

The Twins Turn 5...

It's so hard believe how these past 5 years have flown by, but yes, Sam and Gabby turned 5 on June 10th. As I sit and type, I'm reflecting on these past 5 years realizing in all honesty just how tired and sometimes stressed Adam and I both are with all that we do in raising our little tike's. Adam has his role with working day and night painting cars and I have my role in managing everything else that comes along with being a parent to twins. But...being tired and stressed is so worth it when it comes to Sam and Gabby. They also bring so much joy to our lives that we just couldn't ask for anything better than that. The smiles on those little ones faces is enough to melt any one's heart... and how lucky are we to see those smiles every single day? And our little Sam, well let's just say this child is a true fighter with this Autism business. Over the past 3 years since he was diagnosed, he has come so far...so fast. The reason for this is because we as parents work so hard to get the very best education for him and give him all the love and support he needs. The other reason is for the family and friends that have stood by him and us from the very beginning. We've all needed you in so many ways, and you've all been there and we thank you from the bottom of our hearts for never turning your backs on us...especially Samuel. And for the new friends from Whispering Pines that have come into our lives and taken us in like family, we thank you for your understanding, love and support and for caring for our children the way you all do. It warms my heart every time I hear one of you say that you've noticed a positive change in Sam and how it excites you when he does something new and great. This means the world to us.

We continue to enjoy our camping weekends at Whispering Pines and even had a whole week to spend there last week. The weather was terrible and Sam became very sick 3 days into vacation, which turned into a visit to the urgent care center. We aren't sure if Sam had a simple virus or had the H1N1 Virus aka "Swine Flu". He was treated with medication to treat the Swine Flu and started to perk up within 2 days. However, we all ended up on the medication so that the rest of us wouldn't get the virus, which resulted in a $160.00 prescription bill! All in all, we had great company to keep us going throughout the week and we were still very happy to be there.

Some great school news to post...yesterday Sam was moved out of the classroom that he had been in for the past 2 years and moved to a classroom with higher functioning children who are mostly verbal. The children in the class he was in were mostly non-verbal children. This was a great move for Sam as he now can't wait to get out of my car and into school since he is now in the same class with all his buddies! We couldn't be happier for him and it was getting harder to get him to go into the school without the help of a behaviorist and lots of tears.

We are all looking forward to a nice long 4th of July weekend...at the campground of course. We all love being there and it's turning out to be great therapy for Sam. I've even been told that we could possibly write the campground fee and camper cost off on our taxes next year as therapy for Sam...hmmm...not a bad idea!

We hope everyone enjoys their holiday weekend!

A Full Heart...

The reason for the title of this post "A Full Heart" is because the Sheidy's hearts are so full with gratitude and love for all of those who supported Samuel in this years Autism Speaks Walk for Autism. Whether you donated to Autism Speaks, walked with him, fund raised on behalf of him or did all, we will forever be grateful to you for your kindness and generosity. It is with high hopes that someday Sam will be able to read this journal that I created for him and know just how much people love and care about him. He is truly a fighter and has been since the day he was born.

As usual, we've been very busy here...never a moment to rest, but all is well. We didn't go to the campground this past weekend so that we could stay home to celebrate my nephew Geoffrey's 26th birthday Saturday night with a fun party at my sister and brother -in-laws house and then on Sunday we had the annual Autism Speaks Walk for Autism. The weather was awesome and our team turnout was great as usual. I believe when all is said and done, our team will have raised almost $2300. Not too shabby!! We had some new walkers this year to support our little man. Thank you Don & Kathy Baker, Chuck, Robyn & Carmella Willard, Denise, Madison & Marrisa Rivera, Jessica Wojcik, Darcie Finley, Jeff & Emma Bremser and Grandma & Grandpa Sheidy for joining our team and walking with us this year. And a big thank you to all our friends and family who continue to walk with us each year! Sam will someday be able to tell you himself just how much he appreciates what you all do for him. After the walk, we had a get together at our home to celebrate all the progress that Sam has made over the past year and it was alot of fun!

Thanks again everyone!

Samuel's Victory....

Wow! I just looked back to see when my last post for Sam was and can't believe it's been a full month since I last updated! There has been so much going on, that I just now have the time to sit and type all that's been going on in Samuel's Journey.

As most of you may know, we've been going to RI camping on the weekends...with this past weekend being our 3rd. We all have been having so much fun, that when we leave on Sunday's to come back to our first home, we are already starting to count down the days until Friday...when we return to RI. Apparently, the only thing Sam has on his mind at school is camping and has even invited his teachers for a trip down to the campground! Sam and Gabby have made many new friends there and we have noticed that camping is doing Sam a world of good. Not only has he made some new friends, his vocabulary is improving dramatically and he is beginning to approach others with hello's before he is approached.

As mentioned in the title of this post...Samuel's Victory...I am referring to the big PPT meeting that had us sitting on pins and needles for quite some time. Because Sam has made so much progress, we weren't sure going into the meeting which way it was going to go. I so happy to report that Sam will be staying at the River Street Autism Program for at least another year! Because he still needs alot of support in different areas, Tolland does not have a program appropriate for his needs at this time. As much as we would love to see Sam with his peers here in the Tolland school district, we look forward to him making extraordinary progress over the next year at River Street. I will forever be grateful to Sam's teachers for all their hard work with this PPT to keep Sam right where he belongs...for now anyway.

The annual Autism Speaks Walk for Autism is fast approaching and I am delayed in getting out invitations to the walk and our gathering here in Tolland after the walk. We may have a change in plans as far as the gathering goes. Every year, we've had a birthday party for Sam & Gabby, but we are considering just having a get together without having a birthday celebration. We've looked around our home and the kids already have a "Toys R Us" located right here and we honestly don't have room for much more until I can find the time to purge. We are going to think about it for another week and I will then get the invitations out with what we decide. But please...keep the date of Sunday, June 7th open for the annual Autism Speaks Walk for Autism and gathering at the Sheidy's following it. If you need information about how to register, please contact me at sheidy01@comcast.net.

Changing Everyday...

The quilt the children made for World Autism Awareness Day

I was the guest reader

The children enjoying the story

Sam with Susan, his teacher

Sam, Gabby and Mommy with the quilt

Even though most of us have been stuck in the house for most of April because of all the rain, it has been a pretty good month for the Sheidy's so far. Sam and Gabby are extremely excited about bringing the trailer to Rhode Island at some point this weekend when it's not raining and Gabby is about jumping out of her pants knowing the Easter Bunny is coming tomorrow. We aren't doing anything formal this year for Easter. Our dinner may just have to be at a seafood place down in Rhode Island, which is just fine with us. No cooking!

There is so much going on with Sam that I don't even know where to begin. My little man is changing...changing for the better. He is different and I don't know how to describe it because it's so amazing. I awoke this morning to the sound of his voice...his words that he is trying so hard to perfect by correcting himself by saying things over and over again until it sounds right to him. And, he was so happy talking to his Daddy...going on and on about what they were going to do today...a trip to DMV and possibly Rhode Island. There is nothing like opening your eyes to the sweet sound of Sam's voice (when Sam is being sweet of course). Sam's interests also seems to be expanding in many areas as well. For instance, he loves hockey! He can't get enough of the movie MVP with Jack the chimp. He also plays a little street hockey outside with his Daddy and Gabby and he talks about hockey all the time. Looks like we will be getting him on the ice in the fall after all. Sam is also showing signs of having feelings for others. He goes across the hall to the typical pre-school program for 8 hours a week to attend circle, snack and recess time. I can't say enough at how well he is doing in there without much support. Well, while in the typical pre-school program, Sam has taken a liking to a sweet little girl named Yami. Yes, Sam likes a little girl! And, he's already wanting to bring her home to bring her for a ride in his truck (his Ford F-150 battery operated truck)! I honestly never thought that Sam would come so far...so fast. Things are happening so fast for him, that I'm trying to make sure that I don't miss anything. I don't want to miss anything! My only issue is his behavior. The behaviors with Sam are still a bit tough, especially now that he is grunting and hitting Gabby. Poor Gabby takes a lot from him and I hope that we can get this under control and stopped quickly. I was given an opportunity to be a guest reader in the typical pre-school program this past Tuesday and I am so grateful to Mrs. Costello for inviting me. I think I did pretty good job at keeping the kids attention. Sam was excited to have me there...his eyes lit up when I walked in the door. Sam's PPT is approaching rather quickly. The date is May 7th. I honestly have no idea what is going to happen at this meeting. I will fight to keep him where he is at, especially with all this amazing progress he is making.

Just some reminders to our friends and family...

April is Autism Awareness Month. Now is the time to sign up to walk with Team Super Sam Sheidy. The Autism Speaks Walk for Autism is Sunday, June 7th at Walnut Hill Park in New Britain. The link to Sam's personal walk page is: http://www.walknowforautism.org/hartford/supersamsheidy0610

We will be using the same shirts that we had last year since Sam hasn't changed in looks that much. If you walked with us last year and are in need of a new shirt because of fading, or are a new walker on our team, please let me know your shirt sizes by the middle of May so that I can put an order in. Team Super Sam Sheidy is starting to grow and I am anticipating a team of 50 or more this year! And, as an incentive to the two highest fundraisers on our team, Adam and I will present both with a gift for their fundraising efforts.

Lastly, as most of you already may know, families that have children with Autism don't have it easy. Raising a child is tough, but raising a child with Autism takes a toll on us parents. Use the month of April to show your support to your loved ones by offering a hand, an ear and a shoulder...anything you think might help them. You don't know how much it means to us parents to have that kind of help and support.

March Madness...

Mr. Sam O'Sheidy - St. Patrick's Day
Waiting patiently...

Sensory Room Fun

Sam & Gabby with Mrs. Costello - Pre School Teacher at River Street

This month has turned out to be kind of crazy in the Sheidy house. There is so much going on and so little time to accomplish everything on our "to do" list. While we are busy with small home projects and trying to get the camper ready to leave for RI on April 10th, there is still the daily same ol' stuff. I often feel like I'm a recorder being played and rewound and played again constantly. On top of it all, we are preparing for Sam's informal PPT that will be held on May 7th. As I had mentioned in previous posts, this is the meeting that we sit down with the Town of Tolland and Sam's school and decide if he will stay at River Street or transfer to district here in Tolland at the elementary school. If you know Sam, then you know he's not ready to leave River Street. I'm hoping that after the PPT in May, that the end result will be a victory for Sam. Bring it on!! I'm so ready to take on Tolland!!

Sam had his monthly review yesterday. Unfortunately, the little man was a little off...kind of distracted and not focused. I was pleased however, to see Sam working so hard on pronouncing some of the tough syllables that have been giving him so much trouble, such as the letter M. After many attempts of saying "Moo" and "Gum", he had some great success with getting those cute little lips closed enough to do it. He's also now drawing a square and a circle with prompting, and identifying new letters such as Q, F, V & D. He continues to learn how to count objects and is doing better with tracing his name. Sam's teacher informed me that he is spending more time with the "typical" peers at school. He's involved with their circle time, snack time and recess and he absolutely loves it. He actually even has a best friend there and his name is Chris who is also on the Autism Spectrum, but spends most of the time with typical peers. He talks about Chris all the time! We were excited to run into Sam's former Birth to 3 teacher Patty, while at Sam's review. Patty began working with Sam from the age of 15 months right up until he turned 3. She was there to help get us through some of the toughest times, especially when Sam was diagnosed. She was thrilled to see all the progress Sam has made over the past 2 years at River Street.

We've enjoyed some fun visits from our very close friends the Baker's and Sam loves them! He's always asking for Don, Kathy & Krissy. We are so fortunate to have reconnected with them after having lost touch for too long. We aren't having any problem making new memories, especially with our Wii bowling tournaments!

We had a great visit to Maine to visit Uncle Mike, Aunt Doreen, David, Rebecca and Uncle Marc a couple of weeks ago. Sam and Gabby were both great and didn't want to leave as usual. We all love going up there and we couldn't believe how much snow they still had! We even left in the midst of a snow storm. Hopefully, they will start to see some green on the ground very soon.

I've been in touch with my sister-in-law Kim and thankfully, she will be coming very soon to spend the night with Sam & Gabby so that Adam and I can get away for a whole night...Alone! Adam and I have never had a night away from the kids. We are long overdue! Thanks Kim! You don't know how much we appreciate it. Now, where should Adam and I go?????

It's so nice to see the trees budding and the birds chirping. Happy Spring to you all!!!

Most Impressive Yet...

Sam's First Tattoo!

Everyone is feeling good in the Sheidy house.. finally... and all is going well...especially with Sam. The little man had his monthly review last Thursday and as usual, we were amazed at the progress we continue to see. He's such a different little boy at school...so good, that I often wonder...what are we doing wrong at home? At school they are very structured, very scheduled and strict. At home we are not structured, scheduled or strict. I guess it's time for Adam and I to sit down and decide how we are going to proceed with making changes here so that we can also experience positive behavior with Sam. It was so obvious that this little guy is certainly playing us...big time! I once thought that if I read all the books about raising a child with Autism, it would be a little easier. Boy, was I wrong. There isn't any child with Autism alike. They are all different and unique in their own beautiful way. I often sit back and look at him, look at his smile, listen to his laugh, and feel my heart melt when I hear the most beautiful voice coming from a child who was once thought to never speak a word. Thank you God!

At Sam's review, he showed us that he is counting objects that are placed in front of him...up to 10! He hasn't mastered this, but is so darn close. I'm almost certain that by the next review in March, the child will be counting 20 objects! He is able to identify what many different objects are using the picture cards. He's now able to trace his name perfectly and he uses scissors to cut along a pre-drawn line. He's also being taught how to finish off songs that are being sung to him (he has no problem singing along with Taylor Swift!). For every task completion, Sam earns a Thomas the Tank token and once he's received 6 tokens for completing the task while using quiet hands and a quiet voice, he gets to choose whatever he wants to play with for 1 minute. Adam and I always sit stunned at how well this works for him at school. We can't even get him to pick up toys! Again, we need to make changes at home. His toilet training continues on at school and he comes home with many stickers on his shirt for peeing on the potty. I haven't been given the "go ahead" to start at home. I did inquire today as to when we can start and will find out tomorrow. This is awfully cute...Sam and I go through a routine everyday on our way home from school. It kind of goes like this:

Me - "How was your day Sam"

Sam - "Good"

Me- "What did you do today"
Sam - "Pee on the Potty"

One day I didn't ask my usual questions and he caught me on it on the way home. He said "I had good day Mommy...I pee on the potty". I laughed and was so proud that our little routine meant so much to him. I will never forget to ask him about his day again!

Vocabulary and More Vocabulary...

Sorry for the delay in my posts. With all the illnesses that were going around the house, I couldn't find the time to sit and post anything. I miss posting for Sam! Thankfully we are all better now, so here we go...

I honestly don't even know where to begin here. Sam is making tremendous progress. His vocabulary is amazing! My God, my child is amazing! Sam is not a child that you can have a conversation with like you could with a typical 4 1/2 year old, but he is certainly speaking his requests extremely well...almost perfect. He is answering questions and speaking about random things that he sees.

Sam is in LOVE with the Wii!! He is completely awesome at playing and even bowled a 210 last night against his Dad. I challenge anyone to come over and play him!

His behavior is still an issue and we've had to make some changes because this area is extremely difficult for us to get a handle on. We've stopped taking Sam to most stores unless it's absolutely necessary. Adam for the most part ends up having to carry Sam out of the store over his shoulder with him kicking, screaming and crying. We get tired of the stares from people and we don't like putting Sam through something that he doesn't have to go through. It's not fair to him and it's not fair to us. And at any given moment during the whole process of dealing with a screaming, crying child and having to endure the evil stares, I may blast someone and it won't be pretty. He's been also having a hard time wanting to go to school anymore. I believe the reason for this is because they are really cracking down on his behavior issues and he's not getting things his way so easily anymore. I can't wait for them to teach me some of their strategies for dealing with his behavior issues at home.

The Autism Speaks website is up and running. You can register to walk with us at the following web address to access Sam's personal page: http://walknowforautism.org/hartford/supersamsheidy0610

The walk is going to be held on Sunday, June 7th at Walnut Hill Park in New Britain. Following the walk, we will have everyone over for a party to celebrate Sam and Gabby's 5th birthday, which is June 10th. We would love to have EVERYONE with us this year! You won't be sorry you participated this amazing day.

I will end this post on a very special note....

Today, when I picked up Sam from school, he came out with his teacher and he was holding this big pink heart (see picture of it above). He came out with the biggest smile on his face...trying to run to me. When I put my arms around him, he looked at me and said "HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY". That was the best thing my ears have heard coming from my son in a very long time!