Birthday Cake

So my sweet baby boy turned seven yesterday and we enjoyed a full day of celebrating including special treats at school, a scavenger hunt for some birthday presents and dinner with family. (We have a few extremely close friends that we consider family and naturally they were included in the festivities.)

Since we moved to CA we started a tradition for Tim's birthday where we have special cakes made for him. One of the great things about being in the SF Bay area is that you can truly find anything here and there are some folks that just do amazing things. One woman we discovered three years ago is Debbie Goard of Debbie Does Cakes. I don't know how to describe her other than to say she is an artist who bakes an incredible cake.

She's come to know Tim over the last three years because she's made cakes based upon all his favorite things. Our first year here she made airplane cupcakes for his birthday. Last year we were in a Super Mario craze and she made an outrageous Toad cake with Toad driving a car from Mario Kart. (You would simply not believe her cakes!)

This year I was stumped and asked her to come up with something. I completely trust her judgment and her creativity so I gave her permission to just go for it.

Look what she came up with:

Can you believe this? This has to be the cutest cake I've ever seen! And the detail is simply amazing. Check out Charlie with his ears flapping in the "wind."

Debbie took all the things that Tim loves (Charlie, airplanes, and Super Mario - those of you familiar with Super Mario will recognize the Toad character on the plane's tail fin), and made them into a cake that could not be more perfect for Tim. (It may be hard to believe but this adorable cake also tastes amazing! I'm actually blogging between bites of the leftovers!)

I have to admit, Chuck was a bit frightened by the cake ... perhaps he was uncomfortable with the thought of that cute little golden retriever being consumed! But Tim LOVED it. In fact, as we were tucking him in to bed that night Andy asked him, "what was your favorite part of your birthday?"

Without hesitation he replied, "airplane cake."

Passions

Like many A Club children, Tim has certain passions that border on obsessions. In particular, Tim is an absolute aviation nut. (I'm so thankful that his interests are interesting to me too!) Like any other die hard A Club parents, we leverage Tim's interests in our efforts to work on his deficits. Fortunately, aviation is a topic rife with language opportunities so we spend an inordinate amount of time at our local General Aviation airport watching airplanes and talking about anything even remotely related to aviation. We've had some great results with this strategy and I'm constantly amazed by Tim's ability to accurately identify aircraft from extraordinary distances. (Just today he spotted a P-52 Mustang, a Cirrus, two Mooneys and countless Cessnas.)

Since the arrival of Charlie approximately 18 months ago, our frequent trips to the airport have included Charlie (at the insistence of Tim.) Charlie eagerly accompanies us every time and patiently waits by Tim until he's seen enough. (Some of our airport outings last for hours ... we also have regular "picnics" at the airport which is code for having a pizza in our strategically parked car as we watch a steady stream of take-offs and landings overhead.)

I know these outings may seem odd to some but I'm certain that I'll remember them forever and with great fondness. And, of course, Charlie will be a part of every memory.

Picture Day

Monday was picture day out here and after years of refusing to buy school pictures, this year I'm giving in. (Don't even get me started on my rant about the photographers who won't take the time to effectively photograph special needs kids ... sheeesh!!!) Naturally, Tim looked as cute as ever and he insisted on including his best friend in the obligatory-if-not-annoying home photo shoot. (I just LOVE that Tim insists on including Charlie in everything!)

Hard to say just who's cuter ....

Phone Pix and Charlie's Delight

The only thing more overdue than my blog entries (not including my library books, annual physical, and oil change), is the upload of all the photos accumulating on my cell phone. I have to admit how surprised I am that I even use a cell phone camera but there have been a few occasions where I've found myself without my trusty bag-o-camera-gear and having to rely on the only other means of recording the moment. Thus, the backlog of camera phone pix.

In sorting through them I found two that I must have taken while admiring Chuck's pure delight. The first was taken on the observation platform at a small, general aviation airport near our home. It's a regular stop for us as Tim is fascinated by all things aeronautical and Charlie is always happy to scamper up the stairs and stand by Tim as they spend hours watching airplanes take off and land.

This last one seems to speak for itself: Pure joy?

Camping for Beginners

So now that we've got the first day of school successfully under our belt, I'm wistfully remembering all the fun things Charlie and Tim did together this summer. There was the beginning of summer when Andy introduced Tim and Charlie to the notion of camping in our backyard:

Naturally, the tent was a big hit - don't know exactly how that zipper survived the countless zipping and unzipping (a real testament to the tents sold in the cheap-skate section of Target!)

Turns out that a back yard tent is a great venue for evening story time so the boys spent quite a few evenings out there reading before bedtime. But at the end of each story, Tim always refused to sleep outside and insisted on retiring to his own bed.

So, we thought we'd try sleeping bags.

Another big hit. Tim crawled in and out of them, made forts out of them, and encouraged Charlie to join him. But this still just wasn't enough to spark Tim's interest in sleeping in the tent. When we asked, he always declined saying, "I want to sleep with Charlie in Tim's bed." That was enough for us. (What do I care if he doesn't want to sleep in a tent? I'm more of a Four Seasons girl anyway!)

So now, in the aftermath of summer, the tent is packed away in the garage and the sleeping bags remain in a heap next to Tim's bed so that he and Charlie can "camp" in his room.

Good enough for me.

Giants Game 2009

Tickets to Giants game: $120

Parking: $40

Wildly overpriced/undersized ball park snacks: $28

Riding the giant Coke bottle slide: included!!

Obligatory first-time-to-the-ballpark souvenirs: $15

Hearing your A Club kid tell his best friend all about his day at the game: Priceless.

Yes, It's Been a Million Years ...

I'm terribly, terribly overdue with this post and yet, as I sit here hammering away at my keyboard, I am simply too tired to be creative. The details of Tim & Charlie's summer will be forthcoming but for now, I'll re-enter the blog world with this brief but nonetheless meaningful note.

We were recently invited to attend a baby blessing for a close friend's new born son. These folks were kind enough to include Tim so naturally my thoughts turned to the MOST important issue: what will he wear?!!

Believe it or not, Tim does not have any dress clothes. He's never been invited to a formal event and, being members of the A Club, we don't typically plan outings that involve fancy clothes or frou-frou accouterments. So I've been carefully planning his outfit for at least the last 6 weeks.

It's nothing too outrageous - more like an east coast prep-school uniform complete with khaki pants, button down shirt, and some buckskin oxfords. But the piece de resistance is this little tie:

How does this relate to Chuck, you ask? Well, if you look closely at that tie, you'll notice that the little yellow blobs are actually little golden retrievers. That was the key to getting Tim excited about wearing a tie. Doesn't he just look irresistible?!!

K-9 Yard Patch

Remember this post about the annoying pee spots? And then remember my dear friend from Virginia who suggested the special biscuits that allegedly neutralized the nuclear power of Charlie's tinkle? I still love my friend to pieces but the dog biscuits ....

Anyway, I had just completed my non-scientific trial of the $10 biscuits when, through the power of the internet (and Kris Jones, the woman who makes those HILARIOUS cards) I was "virtually" introduced to Cory Sonnen. Turns out that Cory Sonnen just happens to own a grass seed company that just happens to make a product designed for this very irritating problem!

Cory was kind enough to send me a sample of his product, K-9 Yard Patch and suggested that we give it a whirl. He explained that the problem we're experiencing is due to the fact that there is something in Charlie's pee that changes the Ph level in the soil where he voids. Since he routinely voids in the same spot, the Ph is all out of whack and grass simply can't grow there.

The K-9 Patch product is sprinkled over the burned out spot and watered just like you'd water your regular lawn. I won't pretend to fully understand the chemistry of this stuff but from what I understand the powdery substance contains both a Ph balancer and some grass seed to get the grass growing once the soil's Ph is corrected.

When the box arrived from Cory, Andy ripped that package out and started sprinkling it on all the brown spots in the yard. Then we waited.

I admit: I was skeptical. (Sorry Cory.)

But, check this out:

That there is new grass growing in the formerly burned out Charlie spot. HALLELUJAH! This stuff worked exactly as Cory said it would - and I'll tell you, we were pretty certain that nothing was going to grow in those spots ever again.

Oh, and one other thing, this little company uses only environmentally safe ingredients in all their products. That means you're not messing with Mother Nature when you're repairing Fido's damage. Saving the earth and my turf - I LOVE THAT!

So, here's a big shout out to Cory Sonnen at K-9 Yard Patch and a hearty 4 paws up rating from Charlie (and his gardeners!)

Oh, and don't forget, if you're looking for Charlie's other reviews, make sure to stop by his review site to see what's new.

Finally, a Solution!

Remember the helter skelter scene I caused when I last attempted to clip Chuck's toe nails?

Well thanks to the magic of the internet and to the sage advice of Melissa Mitchell, proud service dog owner/trainer and follower of this blog, we discovered the PEDIPAWS.

This little phallic looking little device converted Charlie from a bloody sharp-toed mess, into the divinely pedicured show dog that he is (or at least aspires to be.) It's actually quite a simple tool, much like a little dremel, which allowed me to quietly file down Chuck's nails without too much difficulty.

The instruction manual offered some good suggestions for desensitizing your dog to the "pawdicure" experience (basically just introducing the device slowly, over a period of several days, and combining it with lots of treats.) I pushed Chuck just a bit as I know he's a quick study and we managed to do a complete pedi on our first try. Now he's absolutely gorgeous from his big square head to his round little toe nails. Thanks for the advice Michelle!

One other thing ... for anyone looking for Charlie's reviews, check out our new blog devoted entirely to product reviews (dog stuff will stay on this blog but all our other reviews will go here.)

Reviews 2 & 3 (and one extra)

I'm a bit overdue on some of my review party reviews so I thought I'd try to fit two into one post here. First up today is a cute little paper company called lobotoME.

This little company was the brainchild of a self confessed "lister" who kept multitudes of lists for home and work. When her light bulb went on, she started producing pre-printed lists for everything from meal planning to travel packing. They're all printed on recycled papers and have contemporary designs that are infinitely cooler than toting around a crumpled sticky note. They can be found at the Container Store (LOVE that place) and on line. (The "Sit Me" one seemed particularly useful for parents or folks who leave pets with house sitters.)

Next up is an interesting take on packing tape. Yup, that's what I said. (I never imagined I'd be writing about packing tape.) Although I was skeptical at first, I have to say I am a sucker for a cute package and the idea of sending all our annual gifts back east in something better than a recycled Amazon box really got me going.

This was the sample I received at the party. Not surprisingly, the packaging for the packing tape was as cute as the tape itself.

My sample is a pink dotted version with some light pink vines running through the roll. There's a huge variety of colors and patterns (at the party we saw a wood grain, cute little birds, florals, and lace patterns) and there are a few other tape-ish items like envelope wrap arounds and labels. You can find them all at Tapeswell.

Of course, I can't write a post without at least a fleeting reference to Chuck so in his honor I am providing a bonus review.

Say hello to the Frosty Paw. I spotted these little gems in the supermarket frozen section and thought Chuck might enjoy a nice frozen treat during our unseasonably hot June.

Inside the box are four little ice cream cups just like we got when we were kids. (sans the little wooden paddle-spoon.) I peeled off the tabbed top and headed outside to offer it up to the wonder pooch.

This little frozen treat is, quite simply, canine crack. I'm certain that this dog would have stood on his head and cited the Gettysburg Address for just a few licks. He licked that cardboard tub with such ferocity that I don't know how it managed to remain intact. From the time that I peeled back the top until Charlie delivered his last lingering lick, no more than 5 minutes had lapsed (quite impressive considering that the treat was frozen solid.) It was great fun to watch and I look forward to treating Chuck again. Two resounding paws up!

Party Time

We were invited to a party last Friday and the invitation included Tim and Charlie so naturally everyone (including Chuck) had to get spruced up. We ran a little short on time that day so I opted to bathe him in the back yard rather than going to our favorite dog wash and with a little prodding I was able to get Tim on board for the task. So first, we gathered up our gear, ...

... and then got right down to business. Tim happily showered Charlie ...

... and Charlie happily showered Tim.

Now that everyone was clean it was time to fret about the party. Tim LOVES parties but you just never know how things will go (A Club parents surely know what I'm talking about here.) Plus, it wasn't just Tim that we had to fret about ... what if Charlie lost his wits and demonstrated some yet unseen wacky behavior? We (actually, just me) were starting to feel a little pressure about this event.

I'm a big believer that preparation is the key to relieving stress so I decided to work with Tim on preparing for the party. We knew that there would be two other little kids there so we spent the rest of the afternoon practicing names and thinking about ways we could introduce the children to Charlie.

As expected, Charlie was a brilliant ambassador for North Star and our family (except for his need to "download a brown load" in the host's well manicured yard. Did I mention that the host was Andy's former boss? Andy quickly removed any evidence of this minor transgression and I don't think anyone was the wiser.) The children threw tennis balls for Chuck to chase, walked him around the yard like a small pony, offered countless sticks for chewing, and eagerly posed for pictures.

I think Chuck was particularly fond of this little guy because he managed to score a few mouthfuls of pasta from him during dinner. (I saw it all transpire but it was simply too cute to correct!)

While it's always great to see Charlie showered with attention, what really thrills me is when I see Tim being welcomed into a group of kids to play. No doubt Charlie was the ice breaker - these kids clearly adored him. But after wearing Charlie out, the kids all played together and that's what really makes my day.

Yup, that's Tim right in there with the other kids. Can't think of much that makes me happier than that. Of course Tim was tickled pink to play with other kids and their toys. Even today as I type this, he's been peeking over my shoulder looking at the photos and saying, "let's do it again."

Phew.

Pee Spots

See this?

Yup, that's what happens when a well trained dog, capable of voiding on command, chooses to void in the exact same spot every day. This is particularly vexing because Andy just spent several weeks re-landscaping our yard. (I'm talking about a major undertaking involving jackhammers, loads of dirt, and a tractor trailer delivery of a pallet of sod.) Needless to say, my patient husband's patience is wearing thin.

I mentioned this whole thing to my favorite pet shop owner (we love you, Murphy's Paw!) and she informed me that male dogs don't make brown grass. As I blankly stared back at her, she insisted that people actually seek out male dogs because their pee doesn't burn the grass. Has anyone out there ever heard that? If that's true, clearly Chuck has some extraordinary tinkle because his "pee spot" is burned to a crisp.

In my quest to resolve this problem I reached out to my dear friend in Virginia (also the proud mother of two kids and a young dog) and she mentioned a biscuit designed to neutralize whatever it is in urine that burns up my grass. A quick visit to Amazon.com and I had the biscuits in hand within a week.

Today we are well into a non-scientific test using Charlie as my subject. According to the directions on the box, Charlie is to receive two biscuits a day and then after 4-6 weeks we should see results in the form of a lush, spot free yard.

Week four and we're still burned out. I'm giving it two more weeks and then I'm throwing out the biscuits. (Did I mention that the biscuits smell like brussels sprouts? Eew.)

Blog-iversary & Some New Stuff

It's official: I'm a blogger.

I'm one year, 100 posts, and countless new "internet friends" into this little project and have to say, I'm hooked.

Of course, it's always fun to write about my boy and his dog but this blogging adventure has opened some doors for me that I would never have imagined. I've met people I would never have encountered in my REAL life and I've become loyally addicted to their blogs. I've also been taken aback by the power of the internet and the masses that will read about Tim and Charlie. (Would you believe this little blog has had 10,000 page views?!!)

Recently, as a result of my blogging, I was invited to participate in a review panel comprised of bloggers. The panel was given a variety of products to test and then blog about. We gathered locally to receive the goods (although the products came from vendors all over the country) and then engaged in spirited discussions about all the products as they were revealed to us. It was a great night with a group of diverse panelists discussing products I would never have even known about.

Anyway, my only obligation now is to blog about each one in a series of posts. I'll be honest, these products are not necessarily dog products nor do they relate to autism. This is more about an opportunity I had and a chance to do something outside the realm of the A Club. (Surely those of you in the Club know the thrill of the rare foray outside the gates of the Club.)

So, expect to see some unusual posts here in the next few weeks. Don't worry, Charlie is still right here, encouraging me to write and I'll keep writing about him as long as he gives me material to write about!

The Firedog

I've always been a sucker for a guy in a uniform ... and his cute sidekick makes me smile too!

New Artwork

I was recently surfing around on the Etsy site (a great place to find unique artisan type gifts) and I came across this woman who made silhouette prints.  I saw one with a boy, an airplane and a dog and instantly had to have it!  I wrote to the woman and asked if she could make the dog a bit hairy-er so as to look like a golden retriever and within no time I was looking at a silhouette of none other than Tim and Charlie.  (It's noteworthy here that the only thing Tim loves as much as Charlie is airplanes.)  

I haven't had it matted and framed yet but take a peek:  What do you think?

I Give Up

See this?

That's Charlie giving me the stink-eye after I did this to him:

I don't even know why I try to cut his toe nails myself.   Every time I do, we end up with something right out of Helter Skelter.  I even have one of those clippers that have the guide on them so that you don't cut too far into the quick of the nail.  Yeah.  See how effective that is?  That's it.  I'm throwing in the towel and calling a groomer.  Sorry Charlie.

Time Flies

It's been a year - 365 days with Charlie the wonder dog and I just can't believe it.  I could swear it was just a few weeks ago that Patty from North Star handed over the leash at the San Francisco airport and sent me on my way with her sage words of advice:  "I think he has to pee."  As luck would have it, there is actually a pet relief station at SFO and it was there that Charlie and I shared our first intimate moment.  [This picture was taken in the parking lot at SFO just before we headed home to meet Tim for the first time.]

I don't think I'll ever forget that day - meeting Patty after years of waiting for our dog's birth, meeting Charlie as a 5 month old puppy, and introducing Charlie to Tim in the back of my car.  What an exciting day it was.   [This next pic is when Tim met Charlie.]

[Here he was trying out his bed for the first time on that fateful day.]

Of course, I also remember the anxiety of having another non-verbal member of the family.  My first lesson in non-verbal canine communication came on that very first afternoon when I fed Charlie and then neglected to show him where the door to go outside was.  That was the first and only time Chuck pooped in my house.  (We're both quick learners.)

Over the course of the year we've had countless sessions with Wendy the Trainer, both privately and in her group classes, and we've even gotten within inches of the CGC brass ring.  We've watched Charlie learn how to hike, how to walk on a leash, and how to swim like a fish.  He even rides in the car without the nausea that plagued him as a young pup.  (Thanks to Judy the Puppy Raiser for getting him over that unpleasant hump.)  And we've watched him grow from gangly clumsy puppy to giant gangly clumsy dog.

[Look at him then ...]

[... and now.]

Charlie's come a long way for sure, but what is even more thrilling are the changes we've seen in Tim over the course of the year.  The rational side of my brain (whatever is left of it) tells me that the countless therapies, treatments, and specialized schooling that Tim receives every day is explanation for Tim's tremendous strides.  But my heart tells me that Charlie has played a huge role in Tim's development.

From day one Charlie's impact on Tim was evident as we found Tim curled up on the floor and talking to Charlie.  Tim rarely spoke before Charlie arrived.  Now not only does Tim talk to Charlie but Tim's spontaneous language has increased exponentially and it's increasing every week.    

Language isn't the only change in Tim since the arrival of Charlie.  Because we've made Tim responsible for the care and maintenance of Chuck (basically feeding and exercising him) he's learned a great lesson in responsibility.    We've also gotten the empathy lesson from our recent trip to the vet when Charlie suffered from an embedded foxtail and consequent infection.  

Charlie has become Tim's go-to guy for just about everything.  When I pick him up from school his first question is inevitably "Where's Charlie?"  At night he begs to let Charlie sleep on his bed.  At home they play in the yard together, wrestle on the floor, and chase each other all over the house.   The sounds of their companionship are nothing short of intoxicating.

Tim isn't the only one who's experienced the magic of Charlie.  My husband has become the evening walker taking vigorous nightly walks with Chuck which makes both of them very happy and healthy.  And me, ... well Charlie is as close to a second child as you can get without actually getting pregnant.  I absolutely love this dog and all that he has given to my family.

Sure, there have been some occasional headaches because of Charlie:  a few chewed up toys;  some big yellow spots in the yard;  the juice/soda/wine/coffee stains on the rug from an overzealous nose nudge;  vet bills;  the stain on the carpet underneath Charlie's crate.   At one time or another these may have irritated me.  But today, on this one year anniversary, I can barely remember any of them.  

Thanks so much to North Star for sending Charlie to us.  We're looking forward to many, many more dog years together!