Bryce’s Christmas presents had a little bit of a theme this year. We focused his gifts on his favourite thing right now: Boxing rings! Also a couple of gifts were for his favourite thing to do ever: Draw! Bryce loves to draw!

When Bryce started to open his boxing related gifts, he got really excited. Like, the anticipation was killing him. Every time we walked past the toys section in Walmart he would point out this boxing ring and would say, “Want boxing ring!” and we knew that was going to be one of his Christmas presents. As he started to open his stocking, I think he knew! (His stocking had the wrestler figurines in it.)

We tried to capture his excitement on film! We hope you can see how happy he was! Look at that smile! Love it!

From our family to yours, we’d like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas!

From Bryce, Tanaya, and Daniel

One of our family traditions come Christmas time is making a gingerbread house. We got one of those pre-built gingerbread houses (which saves a lot of hassle and headache) and Bryce decorated it, with a little help from daddy.

What’s your favourite activity to do that gets you in the holiday season? Leave it in a comment, or Like us on Facebook and post it on our page.

Thanks for reading,
Tanaya

BubblesMakeHimSmile.com headed down to Brentwood Town Centre and donated 5 Bubble Blowers and a grocery bag full of canned goods to The Beat Cares Holiday Toy and Food Drive. Donations go to The Lower Mainland Christmas Bureau, The Greater Vancouver Food Bank Society and The Salvation Army to help local families in need for this holiday season.

It was in the late evening, and really cold, butt he spirits of everyone, all the volunteers, was just so warm and refreshing at the same time. We wish them a ton of success this year!

Oh, and Bryce met Santa!

We challenge everyone who loves someone with autism to donate $50 in new unwrapped toys, non-perishable foods, or monetary to any organization collecting these types of donations in your area to help families in need this holiday season!

Thanks for reading,
Tanaya, Daniel, and Bryce

We did it last year and we’re doing it again this year!

BubblesMakeHimSmile.com is donating 5 Bubble Blowers to The Beat Cares Holiday Toy and Food Drive and we challenge everyone who loves someone with autism to donate $50 in new unwrapped toys, non-perishable foods, or monetary to any organization collecting these types of donations in your area to help families in need this holiday season!

Thanks for reading,
Tanaya, Daniel, and Bryce

I parked my car in my parking stall and sat there in the dark with Bryce as I reminisced about the day.

I reached my arm behind my seat, just wanting to hold Bryce’s hand. As he grabbed my hand all my troubles seemed to dissipate and I was happy again. I love you, Bryce.

Thanks for reading,
Tanaya

Happy Halloween from BubblesMakeHimSmile.com!

It’s beginning to look a lot like... Halloween! Halloween is my favourite time of year. You can dress up as anything and no one judges you, or laughs at you, or thinks you’re weird (well, depending on what your costume is, you may still be weird hehe) Not to mention you get free candy for just dressing up! I’m in!

Every year our family dresses up in some type of theme. It’s usually whatever is “big” that year or something Bryce is into. Last year he really enjoyed playing New Super Mario Bros. on Wii so Bryce dressed up as Mario, Daniel was Luigi, and I was fittingly, Princess Peach. Seeing as the costumes still fit we decided to be the Mario Bros. family again this year as well.

Today there was a local costume parade and early trick or treating event going on so we got decked up and participate. It was a nice little turn out, and it was great practice for Bryce to get ready for Halloween day’s trick or treating. He especially enjoyed a yellow balloon sword the balloon artist made him.

In the evening we decided to carve our pumpkin. Bryce just LOVES pulling out the ooey gooey sticky pumpkin guts...

It was a team effort. Bryce created the pumpkin design, I drew it on the pumpkin, and Daniel carved it out. Here’s our Halloween pumpkin!

Halloween can be a scary experience for any child, but it doesn’t have to be. Here’s 12 ways to enjoy Halloween with your child with autism for a pleasant and positive experience.

Thanks for reading,
Tanaya

On Saturday, October 8th, 2011 we will be selling bubble blowers at George Preston Arena in Langley, British Columbia, Canada at the Kids Swap n Shop event. All proceeds benefit the Bubbles Make Him Smile Therapy Fund.

This is a one stop shop for all your families needs!

Educational Applications for iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch
www.igetitapps.com

i Get It applications are designed to support language skill development including vocabulary, sentence structure, and social skills, which are the foundation of understanding and expressing ideas with others. All of the apps allow for importing personal photos, text, and audio so the child has both visual and audio support.

Identification Series are applications that support learning pertinent personal information.

• All About Me
• i Get... My Family
• i Get... My Classmates
• i Get... People at School
• i Get... People in My Community

I See-quence Series are photo social stories that help children in situations that they may have difficulty understanding.

• i See-quence... Going to the Beach
• i See-quence... Going to Birthday Parties
• i See-quence... Going to Easter Egg Hunts
• i See-quence... Going to Fireworks
• i See-quence... Going to the Grocery Store
• i See-quence... Going to the Playground

I can honestly say I love and admire both of these series. My favourite feature about I Get It Apps is the ability to customize every single aspect of them. You don’t like the picture they used for reference? Then take your own picture and use that instead. Record your own voice to add audio to the text and picture, making it not only familiar for your child, but friendly and even fun. There are a ton of apps out there with half of these features for 10 times more the price, but there is honestly no comparison. You will be surprised on how much this app has to offer!

Not to mention, the app developer actually listens to peoples feedback, their wants, and their needs of her apps and is constantly striving to improve them (not that they need improving or anything!!) I have a ton of respect for anyone that makes apps for their children, for our children, just to help make life easier. I really admire her compassion and ambition. She really is a remarkable woman who I am very honoured to know and call a friend.

We are a huge and proud supporter of I Get It Apps!

I Get It, do you?

Thanks for reading,
Tanaya

My footage from British Columbia’s 4th Annual Walk Now for Autism Speaks in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

Let me know if this sounds all too familiar.

Your child has a favourite article of clothing. That favourite article of clothing goes from being their favourite to becoming their must-wear everyday or else it’s the end of the world as we know it. Anyone whose following our blog from the beginning knows that this is something we fight ever single day.

Forever, that outfit for Bryce was this... the “brown and yellow” shirt that Bryce has now accepted as, and says, “Bye shirt, too small,” whenever he sees a picture of it. It was the first outfit that he became obsessed with.

When that outfit became too small we were looking for alternatives and had no success. Thankfully, one of readers gave us a great suggestion for a replacement and “orange and brown” became the new favourite.

A couple days ago we noticed a hole in the elbow of the orange and brown shirt. Here we go again! I immediately thought. It’s not like all hell breaks loose when it comes to shopping for a new shirt or anything, but we just know how attached he gets to these “favourite” shirts. They have to be way too small or damaged beyond repair in order for him to accept the fact that it’s time for something new, and he’s just started to accept that now.

So here’s the new shirt... which he has named, “Boom!” He picked it out himself after declining a ton of options and realizing his requests for orange or brown shirts weren’t available.

I have had people joke around (or be dead serious) and ask me, “If it’s his favourite shirt, why don’t you buy it in all sizes?” I would always laugh thinking that it was a silly idea, until it dawned on me, why not? So without further adieu, here’s his new shirt in small, medium, and large...

I’m crossing my fingers that comic phrases and action words never go out of style.

Oh, and he also picked out this little hoodie, which isn’t only super cute, but it’s the first time he ‘opened’ his wardrobe (on his own) to more than one article of clothing. It’s groundbreaking, and just in time for back-to-school!

Thanks for reading,
Tanaya

Join us for British Columbia’s 4th Annual Walk Now For Autism Speaks!

Sunday, September 25, 2011
Nat Bailey Stadium
4601 Ontario Street
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Walk Now for Autism Speaks is a family-friendly FUNdraising event for the entire community! Come out and enjoy a playland of activities for children of all ages. Slides and bouncy houses, sand/water/bubble stations, crafts and face painting, mascots, music and other entertainment, special guests, and more!

Our goal is to raise $300. British Columbia’s goal is $300,000.

Please show your support and help us reach these goals!

Donate or Join Team BubblesMakeHimSmile.com here: http://www.walknowforautismspeaks.ca/team/BubblesMakeHimSmile

For more information about the event please visit: http://www.walknowforautismspeaks.ca/

Sending out a shout-out and big thank you to the Terminal City Rollergirls (TCRG) for inviting our family to your roller derby event and for your contributions that you are making to the autism community!

Another special thanks to “Pretty Painful” of Public Frenemy of TCRG who got us tickets to their event. Thanks so much!

A little back story: “Pretty Painful” noticed our bubbles at Canada Day for Canada Place and while we spoke briefly, she mentioned her league would be participating in the Walk Now for Autism event this year. We had no intentions of participating this year, but I remember thinking it’s really great that the community is getting more involved every year.

She later contacted us on our website interested in getting one of our bubble blowers and after corresponding back and forth in emails, we learned more about her and that she was a member and skater for the Terminal City Rollergirls and as part of the Community Service Committee that they’d be fundraising for Autism Speaks Canada for their upcoming bout on August 13th. She also mentioned that they would also be participating in the Vancouver Gay Pride Parade, too.

She continued saying that she was thinking they might be able to work with us or at the very least get us tickets to their roller derby event and if we were interested to let her know. She even went above and beyond seeing if it was possible for us to be able to sell our bubble blowers at the event. Never had gone to a roller derby before, and of course not going to pass up her generousity, we accepted immediately!

So Bryce got to meet “Pretty Painful” (who we think is pretty awesome). We also stopped by the Walk Now for Autism Speaks booth they had set up there. The woman running the booth has a daughter on the spectrum (which, always seems to be a huge deal to me for some reason, as most of our interactions with people who love someone on the spectrum is usually online.) She gave us some rub on tattoos (and a couple for my cheeks, hehe), an Autism Speaks car magnet, and generously upgraded our invite to free V.I.P. seating passes, which they were selling to raise funds for TEAM TCRG for the Walk Now for Autism Speaks event this year.

I personally believe everything happens for a reason. It was just really inspiring how everything just happened the way it did. Inspired by “Pretty Painful” and Terminal City Rollergirls extreme generousity towards us and giving their time to the autism community, we have decided that this year we will be participating in the Walk Now for Autism Speaks event as well and to not take away from Team TCRG and their fundraising efforts, we’ll tell ya about that in another blog. :)

Thank you again TCRG and “Pretty Painful”! We really did have a great time and wish you tons of success!

Thanks for reading,
Bryce, Tanaya, and Daniel

Oh, and incase you were wondering, Public Frenemy totally squashed the competition!

About Public Frenemy:

The new crew in town with a hip hop theme.
The colours they wear are bright orange and green

A Frenemy is an enemy who acts like your friend.
By keeping your enemies closer this team will transcend.

Straight from the Roller rink to Terminal City,
These girls are sassy and street, while always lookin’ pretty.

They’re jokesters but they skate with style and skills.
Guaranteed if you’re up against them, they’ll give you the chills.

To their fans they are Public Frenemy #1.
With mean hits and crazy footwork, they’re always having fun.

Next season the other teams will be in shock,
Cause this team isn’t another Jenny from the block.

With the beats from the boom box of real hip hop,
Watch all as Public Frenemy rises to the top!

Know your Frenemy!!

For more information about Terminal City Rollergirls or Public Frenemy, please visit this website: http://www.TerminalCityRollergirls.com/

The Story Mouse is offering our BubblesMakeHimSmile.com readers THREE of their most popular books for your iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch for FREE from Friday, August 12th, 2011 to Monday, August 15th, 2011!

Here’s how to get your FREE stories:

First, visit and “Like” The Story Mouse on Facebook. Feel free to say, “Hi!” while you’re there: #/TheStoryMouse

Next, download the latest version of The Story Mouse app from Apple’s App Store. Here’s the link:  http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/story-mouse/id390726873?mt=8It

Finally, once the app is installed on your device (wait for the little “installing” wheel to stop spinning) tap on “info” and enter the code in the “voucher” box. The stories related to your voucher will then unlock and that’s it - you can keep them forever. Other stories are available to buy if you’d like them.

The special Bubbles Make Him Smile code will appear on The Story Mouse’s Facebook page on Friday, August 12th, 2011 and be active until Monday, August 15th, 2011, so when you have the code, use it quickly, and we hope you enjoy your THREE FREE stories:

• Little Red Riding Hood
• Jack & the Beanstalk
• The Owl & the Pussycat

Oh, and did we forget to mention that The Story Mouse comes with a FREE story with the app? So you’ll get FOUR FREE stories all together!

A HUGE and SPECIAL thanks to The Story Mouse for inviting us to share their app with all of our friends. :) Much appreciated!

Thanks for reading,
Bryce, Tanaya, and Daniel

**Don’t forget to rate or review any apps you ever get! App developers appreciate your feedback!**
Note: iTunes policy prevents you from rating or writing reviews for apps you obtained from a redeemed code, however, please consider contacting the app developers by other means (email, Facebook, Twitter) to leave your review.

About The Story Mouse:

The Story Mouse is a growing collection of virtual books for children with audio, illustrations, and text, bringing the world’s favourite children’s stories and fairy tales to life on your iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch. We all remember the stories we grew up with - those which have been handed down through the generations, and now they’re here, lovingly retold with wit, flair, and bags of character.

Traditional storytelling is accompanied by lovely illustrations to make a great listening and reading experience. Stories from the Story Mouse are presented as virtual books. The presenter reads the story aloud as the text appears. On the iPad, each page has an illustration on the left, with the text on the right. On iPhone and iPod touch, the illustrations are displayed full screen when you hold the device vertically. Turn horizontally to display the text. Whether listening at bedtime or on a long journey, these magical fairy tales will both entertain and educate.

All our traditional stories are a pure listening experience for younger children, as well as a read-along experience for those who are learning to read. The Story Mouse comes with a free story. You can safely purchase more stories using your iTunes account. More stories will be added in future updates. If you haven’t purchased a story yet, you can still sample the first few pages. Once you have purchased a story, it can be retrieved on all devices associated with your iTunes account.

For more information about The Story Mouse, please visit their website: http://www.TheStoryMouse.com

We will be documenting this whole HBOT experience and sharing pictures, videos, and reporting everything we can on our blog, Facebook, and Twitter.

If you have any questions for us, or just questions in general that we may be able to answer, please contact us.

Thanks for reading,
Tanaya

To learn more about Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) to treat autism, please visit Vitalia Health Care.

It is no secret that Bryce has an amazing memory and attention to detail. Whether it’s drawing or building something that he likes, he can do it all from memory. It honestly just blows my mind how he can be so precise and how he has such a great imagination. Today he proved to me again just how incredibly creative and talented he really is.

One of his favourite things right now is Wii Boxing Sports. He loves it! He plays it mostly for the music and the camera spinning in the end when the game is over (if you have no idea what I mean, you really just have to play the game to understand as it’s just one of those things that are hard to explain.) But there is something about the boxing ring itself that he is just so fascinated with. He loves drawing, painting, and building replicas of the boxing ring in that game. Here is his latest masterpieces of it.

It was really just mesmerizing to watch him build these. It was pure silent in the room as he concentrated. It seemed like he had pre-determined where every block was going to go and knew exactly how he wanted it. Each piece played an important part, and it had to fit and be put in just the right spot.

You should of seen the smile on his face when he was done as he said, “Good job. Made boxing ring.” I love that he loves certain things and is just so passionate about it.

Thanks for reading,
Tanaya

I wanted to share Bryce’s top 5 favourite things that he must-have around him at all time (well, for now).

1.) An Olympic Torch – Bryce will carry a homemade torch with him everywhere. It’s the kind the torch carriers held during the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics. This becomes his best friend. It is made out of a couple paper towel rolls, some hockey tape, and a piece of paper coloured in and cut like a flame. Bryce made it himself.

2.) Magna Doodle – Bryce loves to draw. This Toy Story 3 Magna Doodle was a gift from his uncle and aunt from Christmas last year. As you can tell, it’s seen better days. Bryce tends to chew on the string attached to the pen. He even cracked open the pen from chewing on it and the magnet piece fell out. Thankfully we were able to fix it with some hockey tape, which if you haven’t guessed it by now, is our quick ‘duct tape’ fix in this household. We are working on getting another Magna Doodle, but for some reason, a decent size drawing board of a Magna Doodle isn’t easy to find. The original Magna Doodle was perfect, but that’s also hard to come by.

3.) Blanket – I think this blanket was a wedding gift handmade by Daniel’s aunt. It’s also the second blanket Bryce has ever known. He absolutely loves it. It goes with him around the house as if it was his shadow and he will wrap himself in it saying, “Blankie, nice and warm,” even on the hottest days. It’s been chewed on, like everything else he owns, and it has a pretty little hole in the middle of it. He absolutely loves it though.

4.) Bubble Blowers – I know what you’re thinking. Why is bubbles, coming from a family who named their blog, Bubbles Make Him Smile, 4th on the list? I can explain! If the bubble blowers were an indoor activity, it would be first on the list, I promise. These guys, (always has to be two of them, with pink solution containers) sit on the corner of his little desk in his bedroom when they are not in use. When we’re out and about he’ll bring them. Needless to say we always have to have bubble solution in stock. Hey, bubble solution companies, feel free to contact us any time, eh? hehe

5.) Wii Sports Boxing – Last but not least is the boxing game from Wii Sports. He loves, loves, loves the boxing ring. I have no idea why. He is fascinated with it though. If he’s not playing the game, he’s watching videos on YouTube of people playing it. He draws it on his magna doodle, makes a boxing ring with Mega Bloks, or rolls up pieces of paper to form the ring. It’s something he plays at least once a day and he will sit their and just play it. It’s not for the violence, or the whole fighting part of it. He likes the boxing ring itself. After the fight is over it sort of slowly rotates around the boxing ring and you can catch him easily watching this part of the game for hours. I don’t know what it is, but there’s just something about the boxing ring. Who knows?

If their was a #6, it would be his iPad, which we were able to get thanks to your generous donations. It didn’t make the top 5 list because it’s more of an educational tool than it is a toy for him, but it is something that I think is one of his favourite things.

Oh and he still loves his Nintendo DSi. It would make the top 10 list.

So what is your child’s must-have with them at all time favourite thing?

Thanks for reading,
Tanaya