Watch out, watch out, there's a Toby about!

You can always tell when Toby has been in a room. For a start there's a tell-tale trail of crumbs from his constant munching (he 'grazes' all day), then there's another trail of discarded clothing (he'll not wear trousers or socks in the house) but the biggest give-away is the little stacks. Everywhere he goes he is compelled to stack items. It always makes me smile as I wander round the house after he's gone off to school which is something I need to do today. This last week he's been very distressed to leave his beloved lego stack at home (school won't allow him to take it as it 'distracts' him). It's hard to wrench it off him in the mornings and drag him to the school bus crying and screaming while trying to reassure him that lego will be there after school. I'm looking at the battered and chewed lego now, sitting on his little table ready to  be taken up and 'loved' when he gets home- who knew lego could be a snuggly?

Comments

[raspberry]

That is so cool, I don't think I could stack that neatly, actually I know I can't because everything falls out of the kitchen cupboard!

[Suzie Sews]

Oh this is so such a nice little reminder of where your babe has been. We love, sorry, I mean we 'LOVE' lego in our house, both kids play for hours with it. Oh how sad to have to watch your babe leave feeling upset. Mind you I have a little chap who sneeks little toys in his pocket to school, his teacher has had words with me about it . But I know that when he holds the bit of lego or little car tight it brings him some security. Sometimes these little things can be so difficult.
SUzie Sews

[Roo]

The stacks gave me a little smile this morning too. I love the picture of the blocks by the window.

[carolyn]

Oh lego can certainly be snuggly all of my boys took lego creations to bed at one time or another. Toby is certainly a very accomplished stacker, I could use his help to tidy the kitchen cupboards.

[lucy]

I love the stacks. What an excellent organisation skill. If only I could find some of that in me.....

[monica]

that is very very sweet. Maybe he swould teach that to my boys... they are more into 'scattering'...

[Zoe]

Love all the little stacks but especially the ones near the lamp. Are you putting your feet up and knitting before they get back from school?

[Jocelyn House]

I love this tale of the stacks your son constructs around your house, and I must say, from the photos, constructs them extremely well. I have two sons, both falling within the Autism Spectrum disorder, at the milder end. It manifests with my oldest son if he gets in trouble for something - just can't handle people being upset with him, and also in the need for routine. Benny, my younger son loves numbers and puzzles and if you can combine the two (ie things like Sudoku) he is in heaven. He is also a devotee of Lego (or Duplo in this case - he still prefers these larger blocks)and has to spend time each day with his blocks. Very visually oriented. His older brother also shares this trait. He has graduated to Lego. Give him a picture from a Lego catalogue and without instructions he can build it. To me these are the little things that make them the individuals that they are, and that I love.

Jocelyn House
Bungendore NSW, Australia

[Sarah]

I love that. Its like little art installations all over the house!

Those blocks in the second photo? BEST TOY EVER! I love the sound quality and the ability to make "endless" arrangements. Such a great toy!

[Ali]

Love the way Toby's Clinique installation is the exact same shape as the lamp. Rocking spatial awareness Mister!

[myra]

I love the stacks! It always makes me smile too when I see evidence of my little ones hands around the house. Yeah Toby!

[lyn]

And you can see where he's coming from can't you - creating order out of everyday things.

What a brilliant little boy.

[Maddy]

I wonder if the Lego people employ lots of Autistic people to create the next invention, Bailey is mad on Bionicles and Lego. We also have little bits of chewed up Lego all over the house and a huge tug-o-war to get it off him as he heads out the door to school. Bailey now combines pipe cleaners with lego/bionicles and makes people that can move about. What amazing and fantastic imagination.

Maybe Toby will be in construction? Engineer perhaps.

[Jo]

He has an eye for it! They all balance well and the clinique stack is particularly appealing!

[gachora]

Ah bless, I think that is rather sweet - sure beats the trail of destruction and chaos my lot leave! ;-)

Francis likes lego, but has this disconcerting habit of leaving it scattered like small land mines for the unsuspecting to step upon... Just wish he would play with it more rather than his holy trinity of PS2, GBA or computer .

[louise]

the stacks are very precious. i loved the cure for death by lightning, and her others as well!

[little jenny wren]

I'll join with the others, the stacks are beautiful.They are so neatly stacked and sorted.

[Rebecca (felter in rural Ireland)]

I gave up using moisturiser because of the time wasted to get it to come out of the bottle, if only I had a stack like that which facilitated its exit!

My girls LOVE lego, kidsknex and geomeg ... anything for building, constructing, making

Toby has a talent for getting his creations to blend perfectly with their surroundings, they look like they belong (as of course they do)

[kirsten]

Hi! I just found you - and from the gorgeous cupcakes and this post, I like you already! I believe we have a lot in common! :)

who needs trousers indoors anyway? not my boy! :)

[Heather]

Hello

Out of sync with your posts I know - but I have just read through your blog posts and was particularly touched by the posts on Autism.

I have 3 children - my eldest, my daughter is 19 (son 16 and son 3) - my daughter has a translocation of chromosomes and is wholly Unique. she has the misfortune to look very very normal - she has developed quite complicated and sophisticated coping strategies that mean on face value she can appear to all intents and purposes 'normal' - whereas she has the functioning mental age of anything from between 5-7 depending on the activity.

I read with understanding the issue about birthdays - and I know well the feeling of mourning the loss of a childs future - more the mourning of my hopes for her, all those dreams you have for your unborn child never to be realised.

I would like to say it gets easier as they grow - but they seem to find new ways to challenge us! and new ways to show us smiles and tears - I find myself more frustrated with a teenager that wasn't apparent when she was small.

My daughter too has a world of compulsive behaviours that become part and parcel of our lives at home that would probably be incomprehensible to most families.

My best wishes to you and your family - and to say this is a lovely blog and I love your knitted bits and pieces - I shall visit often

Heather