2012 Autism Walk with Pictures!

We walked the 5k yesterday for Alpine, and it was a lot of fun.

We got there earlyish for parking and to browse the vendor tables.  There were probably the same number of people there as last year, and the day was just gorgeous.  We will be following up on a couple of the vendor tables, but the most interesting one was the special Olympics table.  Apparently Dominic's old enough to start doing some sports type stuff through the special Olympics.   Which we think would be really good for him.  So we've got to get the medical release done (will do that in May at the doc appt) and get him all applied, but there's a ton of individual and team sports he could do. And they're free. Free is good. Very good.

So after we did the vendor tables, Dominic went for a brief visit to the playground:

As always, he had to spend  some time in the weird spinny thing.  (sensory seeker crack)

After the success of taking Shanti with us last year, we brought him again this year.  It was really warm (in then 70's), so we gave him frequent water breaks.  And yes, that is a skull and crossbone pookerchief you see around Shanti's neck.  He's a stylin' poodle.

We've had an interesting evolution with the weird giant stuffed armadillo.   If you remember the first year, Dominic was terrified of it.  And in fact cried. Alot.  Last year, he was only apprehensive and interacted a little bit.  This year, I was SO pleased that he went right up and shook the Armadillo's hand.  No apprehension nothing.

But Later... he spent probably 10 minutes PULLING the armadillos tail saying "TAY LA" while half a dozen adults (including 2 of the Alpine Therapists) laughed hysterically because it was so funny.  The armadillo got in on the act and played with him. It was cute.

In previous years, he's had a hard time with the kids race.  He wouldn't do it without adult help.  This year, tho, Rod started out jogging with him, (and he had the dog on the leash, of course. Best.Dog.Ever) and shortly into it, Dominic took off like a shot and ran the rest of it full tilt. Loved it.  Here he is with is medal.

Then  the real walk started.  Dominic was ahead of us for the majority of it.  Most of the walk was spent with us trying to keep him closer to us ....

When what he really wanted to do was RUN. 

Some of it was like this, tho.

We finished the 5k in right around an hour.  So we were going at a good clip.   Dominic slept in today ... guessing the running wore him out.   So, thinking maybe he might enjoy track and field?