randomly chaotic and frequently mundane

It’s interesting seeing how Gage handles all the Christmas decorations.? Mom has quite a few things that light up, play music or dance around.? He’s figured out how to activate most of them.? There are a few that he hasn’t figured out and that he’s learning that he’s not allowed to touch — although he can look all he wants.? We bought the tree today, and we’ll probably decorate it tomorrow.? That’ll be interesting.? I wonder if Gage will take decorations off as fast as we can put them on… or maybe he’ll help out.? He’s never helped decorate a Christmas tree before.

The people across the street have lights in their yard.? it’s a pretty set up, although I’m not a big fan of mixing solid white and multicolored lights.? It doesn’t often look right.? This display isn’t too bad.? The mulitcolored lights could have been done better, that’s for sure.? Gage likes to sit on the couch and look out the window at them.? Sometime next week or next weekend, Sisser and I are going to get the kids in the car and take a drive around and look at the lights in the area.? Grammy (my mom)? might come with us.? It’ll be lots of fun, that’s for sure.

Gage and Kalina seem to be getting along better.? They shared Stun Runner earlier.? They gave each other a hug or two.? Although Kalina bit Gage last night for some reason.? He might have been pushing her though, we didn’t see it.? There was just this sudden burst of crying.? No doubt Gage hit Kalina for biting him (can’t blame him there), because she cried right afterward, too.?

Looking into a web design program for training and all of that good stuff.? I figure I’ve got the basics, and I can do it from pretty much anywhere.? It’s something I’ve been thinking about for awhile, and Joe has looked into some programs for me already.? I’m guessing that he’d like me to do the website for their business.

I’ve been working on the cross stitch thing for my older sisters Christmas present.? I’m not gonna have mom’s finished before Christmas, but I’ll have it started.? I also had “built in” presents for Kalina and Madison — stuff from Noah’s Ark Animal Workshop that I already had on hand.? I just have to figure out something for Michael.? Sisser says she doesn’t want me to get her anything because she can’t afford to get me anything.? So really I’m just shopping for something for Michael and some stuff for Gage.? Woo hoo, and stuff.

or…

Unless they offer? a REALLy good? discount, I’ll never fly Frontier again.

So we get on the plane and everything is cool.? Gage sits in his seat and gets buckled in and everything is great.? It was a Frontier flight, and we were in the front row.? The flight attendants were aware that Gage is autistic and offered to swipe a card so that Gage could watch cartoons during the flight on the tv on the back of the seat in front of him.? I thought that was nice.? Then Gage freaks out.? Unbuckles his seat belt because, let’s face it, it doesn’t take much to figure out THOSE complex devices.? I’m trying to get Gage into his seat and buckled in; he’s kicking, screaming and punching at me.? The flight attendant throws ME and attitude and says “I don’t think that violence is called for here.”? What???? Ok, tell him then.? I’m putting him in his seat and buckling his seat belt.? HE’s the one behaving “violently,” I’m the recipient of the “violence” what the fuck are you telling ME that there’s no need for violence for????? Ok, so all this happens in about a minute.? While Gage was freaking out, they’ve closed the door to the plane.? Then the flight attendant tells me I have 1 minute to get him under control and in his seat or we’ll be removed from the flight.? I informed them that if they did, they would be making other arrangements for me and I would NOT be responsible for any additional costs.? We were removed from the Frontier flight, arrangements were made with US Airways.

During the hour and a half that we had to wait, I decided to get Gage something to eat and give him a dose of Tylenol, since it usually knocks him out.? We get some spaghetti, which he eats a little of.? I should have gone to the McDonalds and got him some fries — he ALWAYS eats those, but I was so frustrated I wasn’t thinking completely clearly.? I got the spaghetti, refilled his cup and dropped in 2 Tylenol meltaways (he won’t eat them for some reason).? The full dose for his age and weight is 3, so I figured I’d add the 3rd closer to the actual flight.? A little while before we have to board, I find one of those “news stand” places that are in just about every airport I’ve ever been in.? Gage immediately grabs a bag of pretzels and I grab him a bag of skittles (at this point, I also added the 3rd Tylenol to his drink).? He’s munching on pretzels as we board the plane.? I give him a little handful of skittles and he’s a happy camper.? He sits in his seat, looks out the window, munches away, sips his? “spiked” kool-aid? and? cuddles with Roo… before we even taxi out, he was asleep.? He was asleep during the emergency instructions and the de-icing process which took at least 10 minutes.? Slept through the takeoff (whew, we got off the ground) and he slept at least 20 minutes into the flight.? He woke up when they announced they’d be passing out headphones for the movie for $5 each.? When he woke up, he cuddled in my lap for awhile then noticed the clouds going by out the window.? So he sat in his seat and watched the clouds.

Eventually, it got dark, so he couldn’t see the clouds anymore.? At this point he had a total meltdown.? He was done, he wanted to get off the plane.? Seriously, he took me up the aisle in search of the door!? The flight attendants were very nice though.? The head flight attendant took us to the front galley (in front of first class) and offered Gage anything he wanted from that snack basket they offer the first class passengers (you know… all the good stuff that us coach passengers never get, LOL).? We sat in the flight attendants seat where it was a little cooler than the rest of the plane and he was nice and calm.? When we started making significant descent to land (I believe we were about 15 minutes from touchdown at that point), we went back to our seat, and after a few moments of freak out, I got him to notice the lights? on the ground.? He was fascinated and watched out the window, calmly, until we landed.? He did freak a bit after we landed because he wanted to go as soon as possible.? I waited till most of the people were off the plane before getting up though.? Didn’t want to run anyone over.

So, Gage and I have moved to New Jersey.? At least for a little while.? I’m gonna get into school and get myself a marketable skill so that when we go back to Colorado there will be some employment options for me.? That would be a good thing.? I’m also gonna work on acquiring a vehicle.? Nothing perfect, but definitely something that would be able to handle the drive out there.? Preferably without blowouts or an emergency transmission rebuild.? Although that particular trip WAS an adventure, it’s not an adventure I’d be interested in re-living without the previous company.? It just wouldn’t be the same.? Especially if I have that kind of adventure with a small child along for the ride.

Being back in Jersey is rather surreal.? So much is different, and yet the same.? Apparently the grocery store has been 3 or 4 different stores since I was last here.? Now it’s a shoprite.? I dunno what all it was before that besides an IGA.? The Peking Wok is still there, so my favorite place for scallion pancakes is still about.? Excellent.? There used to be a chinese place near here in another strip mall that I go delivery from all the time.? They had no minimum order.? I actually ordered 1 egg roll once, just to see if they’d deliver it.? They did.? And it was SO good.? One of the best egg rolls I’ve ever had.? I haven’t called anyone local yet, but we’ve only been here since Saturday evening.? The flight was… interesting.? I’ll post about that later though.? Not in the mood to get into the details at the moment.