train meltdown in March

you've already read this on my facebook, but i'm trying to go back and find these stories for you and put them on here.

You can prepare a child who has Autism for new situations. It worked well for our trip to Sky Nails-- I think because I had been there before. I could describe what would happen in great detail, down to the feel of the water and the smell of the chemicals. Her stimming was very pronounced during the pedicure visit, especially towards the end...but the staff and customers alike were very kind and understanding. ... But preparing Emma for a train ride... wasn't as awesome. She immediately hated the idea. Then on most of the way there (over 2 1/2 hours), she said she was carsick and I think was trying to make herself vomit. Finally after soothing her and having her put her window down a crack, she stopped making the wretched sounds into that McDonald's bag and announced it was a "stuck burp" the whole time and she was better. Whew. So...we get there. The gift shop made her happy. I found a bubbly lava toy that she fell in love with. Then while waiting for the train she cried on and off for several minutes saying she was "homesick." Then she was better. We were in line outside waiting to board when panic-meltdown mode kicked in. I am incredibly thankful I was holding her hand because she jerked hard, trying to get away. Pulled and pulled, but in her eyes I could see she didn't know where to go or exactly what she was doing. She pulled us into a concrete post and I said "excuse me" to all those people staring, who we were holding up. ***note: if this had just been Emma and me here, we would've been gone in a flash, but I do have a little boy who was quite eager to be so up close and personal with a real train!" *** so I told Noah to get out of line and stand by me. Of course, this upset HIM. ...I asked Emma, " Are you afraid, baby? What are you afraid of exactly?" Her response was, "Yes! I want to go home!" Then suddenly she just stopped. And we got on last... She was okay until a passenger commented she didn't know if we were going to make it on board. Then the tears came. My phone saved the day. She took photos and edited them for most of the trip. And she laughed. And had fun. Noah did too. I would say I had fun too. But that would be a lie. I was just relieved that she was calm.