Bounceback
December 06, 2010
Those of you who have been reading for some time now -- particularly the stuff I've written about Noah over the past three years or so -- may remember The Thing About Birthday Parties.
(For those of you who haven't been reading that long: The Thing About Birthday Parties is that Birthday Parties Suck Elephant Ass, Most Of The Time.)
But we went to a birthday party on Friday night -- the birthday party of the very same little boy whose at-home, laid-back party was so perfect for Noah when I wrote this post, almost exactly a year ago. The party that came just hours after one of my lowest moment as Noah's mom, a moment that left me frustrated and angry and embarrassed and...scared. So very, very scared.
This year's party was not at his house, though. It was at one of those dreaded kiddie gym places, with the parachute and the games and the singing and a good dozen activities with a dozen transitions in between. Basically, EXACTLY the sort of party we have avoided for years now. A ton of kids, a ton of colors and music pumped in over loudspeakers, with lining up and taking turns and Staying With The Group and Other Kids Bumping Into You and Things That Require Motor-Planning Skills and a million other everyday things that most kids are okay with, because it's a party! It's fun! No reason to melt down and scream sensory bloody murder here, right?
But we went anyway.
He's the one in the blue Yankees shirt. You know, if you couldn't pick him out from the crowd, having the time of his life, just like every other kid there.
That rocks. I love it when they blend in just like every other kid. Makes me feel goooooood.
Wow! It's amazing how far he's come. I'm so happy for you guys, Amy.
Go Noah!
Go Noah. Go Noah. {imagine me dancing and moving my fists around in front of me to the rhythm}
YEA for Noah!!!!
and for the record, i hate those places as well.
W00t! Great to see him having so much fun <3
That's great, so great. So, so, so great. But seriously? YANKEES?
gross.
I don't know what's better, the actual video or the perfect song you picked from Newsies. Now I need to see that movie again, back from the days when Chritian Bale wasn't a schmuck.
Go, Noah!
Yay! Just yay!
Yay! You rock Noah!
Way to go, Noah!!!
Wonderful! It was actually tough to find him in the crowd of jumping toddlers! Love your choice of music too...loved that movie so much :)
(a) Noah rocks
(b) It's my 30th next year and now I think I should hold it at a kiddie gym, because, man, that looks like fun.
Again. With the weepy at work. Stop that.
Again. With the weepy at work. Stop that.
Aw... so sweet to see. What just looks... normal... to everyone else is just so extraordinary! Our older one (w/mild SPD) handled a party like this pretty well recently. Noah is doing so well, too!
Duuuude. Did you have to add the Newsies in there too? Totally tearing up at work.
Go, Noah!
I will never be able to hear that song again without thinking of Noah. Awesome.
I hate those places too. Germ factories and so many opportunities for headbutting and breaking of parts. I took my then Kindergartener to a birthday party and another girl puked on her cake plate. And I stupidly helped clean her up and cuddle her until her parents arrived. Poor kid..and I prayed nonstop for three days that we wouldn't catch whatever that was. We didn't. Yay for Noah - he looks like he's having a blast!
I have tears in my eyes. I still remember taking Matt to Cabin John Park and loving it when he figured out how to play alongside kids that might bump him or ask him to play a game that he did not like. Go Noah !
oh yay! Love that little hop just before he goes into the tunnel the 2nd time. Awesome!
I sense Noah has a little crush on the little girl in the black dress! =0)
Noah is fantastic.
I can almost feel a little stress birdie flying off your shoulder.
Wow. Just wow. Noah is WOW. My son would have at least jumped and flapped a little. He seems to like that little girl too.....heehee. I am so happy for you! Booya!
Yea, Noah! Such wonderful news!
(YES, re: the little girl in black. She's a good friend and soccer buddy of ours. And ALLLLLL the boys have a crush on her. ALLLLLLLLLLL of them.)
That's so great!
Is it weird that even though I don't know you or Noah, that video brought a little tear of joy to my eyes??
Yay Noah!!!
YAAAAAAAY!!!
Amy, that is just so awesome. I'm so happy for you guys. Go Noah!
I completely teared up while watching this. This is such an achievement on his part and yours. Yes!
Go Noah! Go Amy!
So I guess you were the one having the meltdown at the party this year. Crying over how amazing your son is. It's okay...because he IS pretty amazing!!
Bouncy Things AND a Newsies reference? Best post evar.
Go Noah! But wait, take off that shirt! The Yankees are evil!
YES! GO NOAH! :)
That's awesome. I remember last year's party.
Noah is amazing and so are his parents!
Good for Noah. And I think he might have a little thing for the cute little girl next to him, too. :-)
I must be pms'ing because this made me bawl...damn WOOHOO NOAH!
Sobbing yet again. SO proud of Noah. Just so damn proud.
Ridiculous but this video makes me want to cry and smile at the same time - Way to go Noah!
Good for Noah! Except for maybe that Yankees thing...
yay for noah and yay for you Amy! i've been reading for so long now that all this progress just brings tears to my eyes.
Look how long he stays on the bouncy thing! Turning around, playing with that little girl! HOORAY NOAH!
I have been following for so long but have been pretty silent. Seeing Noah, a kid I have grown to love in the non-creepy-even-though-I-haven't-met-him-nor-am-I-related-to-him-but-I-feel-like-I know-him-because-of-the-internet kinda way... I just have to say WOO HOO NOAH!
I was having the crankiest day ever but watching that video of happy little kids having a great time by doing something as simple as bouncing down a whatever-that-inflatible-bouncy-thing was, cheered me right up. My office needs an inflatible bouncy thing.
God, that had to feel so good to see. I'm proud of him! Such a trooper! And well done, parents. :)
That is SO awesome.
YAY NOAH! BOOO YANKEES!
I am SO happy for you guys and super pumped for Noah! Yay!!
YAY NOAH!!!!!!!!!
yay noah!
Waaaahooooooo!!! Go Noah!! Go Amy!!! Way to go!!!!
No words. Sniffling in happyness! YAY Three cheers for PROGRESS! You must be so proud of him.
You stand on them dots Noah! Stand on them good buddy!
Happy Noah + Newsies = I'm a blubbery mess. I'm glad he had such a great time!!!
So cool!
YAY Noah! You rock!
Reading your stuff is like extra hormones for me somehow. I cry when it's good news; I cry when it's bad. Out of all the bad shit you've all been digging through, I'm glad there's some of this, too. Such an affirmation of Your Gut, right?!
Oh I'm so thrilled for you guys.
It's a toss up, I'm sure. On a different day, who knows. But the older he gets, hopefully there will be more and more of him just enjoying the shit out of it.
The kid rocks my socks off. Way to go, Noah!!! And a fist bump for you, Amy. :-)
Adding to the Yay Chorus Of YAY!!1!
Love it! :)
I have read your blog from the very beginning. I know everything you have ever shared.
And this post? Broke my heart in the most wonderful way.
And yeah, as you said on The Stir, there may be a bad day coming soon, to an inconvenient moment near you.
But to see him so relaxed and having fun.... Good job, Mummy and Daddy. Good job, good sacrifice, goof belief in your own sweet boy.
That's terrifically, amazingly awesome! I'm so happy for Noah and for you!
I know alllll about the pains of the birthday party blues when your kid is the one freaking out over the noise/balloons/weird food/etc. It still amazes me when my son adjusts to a change in plans. It still amazes me that my other 2 kids are so FREAKING EASY when it comes to stuff like that.
Go Noah! Glad he had such a great time!
This brought a big smile to my face!
I just cried a little. Darn preggie hormones. Go Noah!
Every time Noah triumphs like this, it makes my day!
So. Awesome.
...and now my eyes are leaking.
Well done, Noah!
Well done, Mom for having the courage to try him again at it.
YAY NOAH!!!!!
Newsies plus happy children = AWESOME AWESOME
Bloody marvellous!
Go Noah! I gotta admit...I'm a little teary.
Oh you mean the one that had his eyes ALWAYS on the little girl in the brown dress??? :-)
The video made me cry. YAY Noah !
Holy Crap. I almost cried when he got back on line to go again.
You and Jason rule. Congratulations! You are doing yeoman's work and it is paying dividends.
Yay Noah! Am getting all sniffly over here.
And Newsies? Awesome!
Yes Noah way to go --And I so know that feeling of my child is ok and he fits in, just don't wish away all of the quirky bits that make him extra special. Who get to decide what is "normal" anyway!!!!
OMG, I am THRILLED for all of you! Way to go Noah!
YAY Noah!!!! =)
Go, go, GO, LITTLE MAN, GO!!
I have tears... Yay Noah!!!
GO NOAH!
This made me cry tears of joy.
I've been reading for a yea or so now and I just have to say,
You are an amazing mother Amy, Noah is the luckiest little boy in the world. Your strength to give him the world and never give up on him has inspired me extremely. Thank you.
Brought tears to my eyes! So happy Noah is able to enjoy parties now!!!
You know, I'm such a sap! This is soooo cool that I found myself getting a little teary eyed. I'm so happy for all of you! I know it's been a rough road sometimes, but you seem to be doing just fine.
The best is yet to come! We early interventioned my Asperger's son from the time he was two. He tested out of services by second grade and last year got the LEAD in the sixth grade play. It wasn't just me crying in the audience - I was joined by his kindergarten teacher who "knew him when." Go Noah!
WOW. I've been reading your blog for years. I'm not sure when I started, but it was well before the "being kicked out of soccer" incident.
I must tell you I am so happy for Noah (and you) that I nearly cried when I saw this video!
THIS IS AWESOME!!!
GO NOAH!!!
This made me want to cheer! So happy for Noah and your family for his progress.
Tears in my eyes because this is amazing. GO NOAH! And when he stops after getting off the jumpy platform to see if that little girl needs help getting up? Wow. Beautiful. Just so beautiful.
now THAT made me cry happy tears! thank you... :)
I was all happy happy la la for you, glad to hear such good news...and then you had to play that damn Newsies song. Blah..tears. So so glad for Noah..and for his Mama who loves him so...
Go Noah, Go!
I have been a hardcore lurker for, oh, 5 years now. After following you for Noah's whole life, I am so, SO proud right now, of him and you and jason. You guys are so inspiring, especially for those of us who have sensory kids.
Thank you so much for sharing this journey.
Wow. Just wow. And also, what is that cool music?
You have no idea how much hope this gives me.
You should be a short film producer! When he finally jumped off the end that first time and the music swelled I got chills! Is it weird that I'm so proud of him?
Go Noah!
Basically unrelated:
your videos always have the best musical backgrounds.