BRAIN MAN IS VERY COOL.

A short clip of Daniel Tammet’s ridiculous genius abilities.  Reminds me of a little someone I know 😉

Umm, I love Nathan so much!

WOW!  Awesome kid!  Love it!

THE BEST DAY EVER

**POST STOLEN FROM OUR OLD BLOG OVER AT THERONANJAMESBLOG.BLOGSPOT.COM.  MAMA IS VERY, VERY LAZY.  VERY LAZY.  VERY.**

I’m pretty sure I have another post entitled, “The Best Day Ever”, but I am blessed with so many of them…what the hell – another Best Day Ever!!!!

We have been witnessing more “brain explosion” here lately. This is how I like to refer to Ronan’s super-learning periods, in which he acquires a huge amount of comprehension in a short span of time.

He’s always advanced like this. I remember two straight years of fervently testing various methods of teaching him how to use the computer mouse (something he desperately wanted to do) and really having no success at all.

Then, one best day, I looked over at him at the computer table. There he was pointing and clicking like he had been doing it as a career his entire life.

It clicked.

And with Ronan, sometimes you can try to help for years, and with every method you can think of, read or learn about, but still…when it clicks, it clicks.

Sometimes, it’s a certain word that turns the click to his understanding, and sometimes it’s just time. Whatever the reason, when a skill that you have been trying so hard to get him to comprehend clicks, it’s just the best day ever.

And not because I want him to be more “normal” or “typical”, but because I know he gets such relief and joy from being able to express his thoughts and feelings to others.

How do I know this?

Well, this is what made the best day ever!

Recently, Ro has been passionate about the Universe. Planets, stars, galaxies, moons…all of it. Did you know about the moon called Callisto? Well, Ro will tell you 10 details about it in 10 seconds!

Anyway, being such an artiste, he decided that he wanted to draw pictures of planets, then scan them, and THEN iron them onto t-shirts for himself and The Loudon to wear. Needless to say, they are awesome, as are all of his creations.

We did a Jupiter shirt for him last week. He was so in love with it, he could barely contain himself – this is something I love so much about Ronan. It’s just so fun to watch him in his excitement over something that others might find so insignificant.

Ronan: MOM!!! I LOVE MY JUPITER SHIRT!!! LOOK AT IT, MOM!!!

Mom: I love it, Ro!!! You did a great job drawing it!

Ronan: (pausing…wheels visibly turning) MOM!!!!!! (quietly incredulous and sighing with relief)…I can TALK to you now, Mom. I can tell you about my feelings. I can tell you how I love Jupiter so much!!!!

Mom: …she isn’t speaking, because she’s crying.

I’m so glad that makes you so happy, Ronan James.

THE BEST DAY EVER!

Ro’s Savant Bro

This guy is so cool.  So much like Ro.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/theguardian/2005/feb/12/weekend7.weekend2

No Lo Compredelo El Engleses.

I like to explain to people that Ronan communicates like a foreigner learning English as a second language.  He’s in Intermediate English.  Next semester, he should be in Conversational English I . 

Ro started at his school when he was 3 years old. Recently, he was tested by his school staff to evaluate his 3 year progress. 

Here’s the first page of his assessment…

The areas that he has trouble with are understanding what is said to him and speaking correctly what he is thinking.  This is a tough task to do when you are learning a foreign language!  lol

Now note his savantism…19 years old for decoding!!!  LOL  And he would have probably tested higher, but 19 years is the cap age on the test!!

When this child is fluent, what will I have on my hands?! 

NASA will be calling.

R to the Ro does ACEO

A SLICE OF AUTISM – ACEO PRINT- by Ronan James – 6 year-old artist AUTISM SUPPORT

Find it and buy it at… http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=12045416 www.ronanjames.etsy.com

Added on Jun 1, 2008

Modern McCarthyism, only this time it’s for reals! We ain’t quacks!

As I sit here listening to Ronan playing his piano, tunes by ear, his savantism in full swing, I wonder what he would have been like if we had known.  Had there been immune testing available, had we kept a safer shot schedule, had there been green vaccines – what kind of Ronan would we have here sitting next to me at his favorite place to be – his music seat. 

And all I think about, all I wonder is, how much anxiety, fear and pain could my child have been spared.  Everyone has their problems, challenges and hard lessons to learn.  But if my baby could have even one day where he didn’t work so hard at asking me for something, if he didn’t have so much anxiety over stopping at the train tracks or hearing a loud noise or tasting something mushy.  If he didn’t get sick so much and have to work SO HARD at reversing his pronouns in the proper order, EVERY DAY, over and over and over – if he could converse with a friend, or even make a friend, if he could have had a life with just a little less of a struggle – and I know every kid is different, and all kids have their own things that they struggle with, but I’m sorry, this is AUTISM, THIS IS DIFFERENT.  This is my child with pain that might have been eased. 

And I think, autism or whatever, no matter what, he would still be Ronan, we would love him as much either way- and he was always destined to have a love affair with his music, albeit, maybe he would have been a little more at ease with life. 

Here’s footage from the rally in D.C. that made me bawl…

http://www.cnn.com/video/?/video/showbiz/2008/06/04/bts.carrey.mccarthy.vaccines.cnn