For years, we’ve described Milo as being “stuck in a loop.” These days, that loop involves repeated questions about Llama Llama toys and birthday parties. In this episode, we reflect on how looping has evolved from something that trapped our family in cycles of anger and anxiety to something that’s become part of Milo’s daily rhythm—and often, how he communicates. 

Topics discussed: autism parenting, repetitive behaviors, scripting, anxiety in autism, ABA therapy, speech therapy, emotional regulation, autism and medication.

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Thank you to our friend Tom Evanchuck for the use of his song, "Sunshine," as our theme music. Follow Tom on Spotify.

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What happens when a simple carnival game becomes an impossible challenge for your family? We're sharing two stories about navigating arcades and fair games with our son Milo, who is autistic—and how those decisions impact our neurotypical daughters, Nora and June.

From a yellow Baby Shark prize at the Geauga County Fair to an unfortunate claw machine incident at a birthday party, we open up about sensory overload, managing public meltdowns, and navigating frank conversations with our daughters about our own limitations as parents.

We discuss why we now avoid the Midway, how setting expectations ahead of time helps, and what it means to "play the long game" when teaching siblings with different needs to navigate the world together.

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Thank you to our friend Tom Evanchuck for the use of his song, "Sunshine," as our theme music. Follow Tom on Spotify.

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We’re sharing the full story behind Milo’s January surgery — including a tonsillectomy and turbinate reduction — and how we navigated it as parents of an autistic child who thrives on routine, predictability, and trust.  We rewind to early speech concerns, chronic congestion, adenoid removal, allergy testing, and the long road to understanding Milo’s needs. 

We also share practical takeaways for families navigating surgery and recovery with autistic kids:
 • how we prepared Milo using social stories and visual supports
 • what actually helped during recovery (and what didn’t)
 • medication routines, food struggles, and safe-food surprises
 • advocating across providers before surgery

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Thank you to our friend Tom Evanchuck for the use of his song, "Sunshine," as our theme music. Follow Tom on Spotify.

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When Ty takes the girls to swim lessons, Lisa is home alone with Milo — something that once felt impossible. We're giving you a glimpse into the rhythms of our home and what it can feel like to parent an autistic child when you’re not the preferred parent. 

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Thank you to our friend Tom Evanchuck for the use of his song, "Sunshine," as our theme music. Follow Tom on Spotify.

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For Milo's 7th birthday, we're reflecting on some of the highs and lows and lessons learned in the last year. 

We reference this episode about Milo's 6th birthday: E3: Cake

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Thank you to our friend Tom Evanchuck for the use of his song, "Sunshine," as our theme music. Follow Tom on Spotify.

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When Ty joins Nora at a friend’s birthday party, he finds himself in the middle of an all-out Nerf battle—with a room full of boys Milo’s age.

It sparks an uncomfortable realization: what happens when you can play easily with other kids your son’s age… but not in the same way with your own child? Is it wrong to feel guilt—or even sadness—about that?

Maybe it's just part of the emotional tightrope we walk as parents.

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Thank you to our friend Tom Evanchuck for the use of his song, "Sunshine," as our theme music. Follow Tom on Spotify.

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Camel or avocado? You never know.

In this episode, we share a few small moments that show how much Milo has changed over the past year. What begins with a simple joke at the kitchen counter turns into a conversation about humor, communication, and emotional regulation. We talk about how Milo is not just expressing himself more clearly but also connecting with others through teasing and shared jokes. 

"Santa? Bye bye!" 

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Thank you to our friend Tom Evanchuck for the use of his song, "Sunshine," as our theme music. Follow Tom on Spotify.

Thank you for being here!

Tune in for a little message of gratitude to our listeners and a quick update on the future of the podcast.

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Email us at [email protected]

Thank you to our friend Tom Evanchuck for the use of his song, "Sunshine," as our theme music. Follow Tom on Spotify.

Thank you for being here!

In this episode, we’re unpacking all the emotions that come with receiving an unexpected phone call about your child—and why those feelings can linger long after the moment has passed. We’re also sharing a recent glimmer with Milo that definitely brightened our week!

 We’ve got just one episode left before we wrap up Season 1. We’ll be taking a short break and returning in January with brand-new episodes, just in time for Milo’s 7th birthday—and his birthday gift, a tonsillectomy. More on that to come! 

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Thank you to our friend Tom Evanchuck for the use of his song, "Sunshine," as our theme music. Follow Tom on Spotify.

Thank you for being here!

About three years ago, before we’d even begun Milo’s autism evaluation, we decided to try something that felt “normal”: a fall family photoshoot. What followed was 15 minutes of chaos—apple-eating, shirt-lifting, tear-filled chaos—and a gallery of photos that captured much more than we intended.

In this episode, we revisit that afternoon in the field, the pressure Lisa felt to “get it right,” and the grief tucked inside those imperfect images. And we share what it feels like to view those photos now, with three years of growth behind us: a kid who suddenly shouts “Cheese!” for the camera, a family that has learned to redefine normal, and the understanding that it’s okay when things don’t look picture-perfect. They rarely do.

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Email us at [email protected]

Thank you to our friend Tom Evanchuck for the use of his song, "Sunshine," as our theme music. Follow Tom on Spotify.

Thank you for being here!