Happy Belated Easter to all! I must say, Sam has been an exceptional boy lately!! Yes, still episodes - however, he is really growing up and is really showing respect and manners!! I will post some pics sometime, showing his magnet chart and 'wall of fame' we've created. We've pitched the sticker chart for good as he was completely abusing it. He would throw tantrums until I would give him things to do to earn the 3 or 4 stickers he still needed to get on a cirlce to receive his 'reward' - I was DONE with that!! Not to mention having to constantly think of cheap rewards that he would even care about!!!!
Today, he walked in the door to see Nasya in the window and opened his arms and said, "Hi Nasya!!" - is was so sweet! Yesterday when she opened her door from her nap, he softly walked over to her and said - "Hi Princess Nasya, do you remember we're going to bowling?? Are you ready to go??" - "I love you!" He is such an awesome little man!!
He has been waking several times in the night freaking out if one of us isn't sleeping on the floor next to his bed - GRRRRRR. Not sure what is provoking this. My back is NOT in good shape and neither of us are getting much sleep. Sya is waking as well, she keeps getting congested/gross runny noses and coughing - therefore does not sleep well and we all suffer. I am really really wanting to exercise - but it is sooooo difficult to get motivated when I am lacking sleep. This needs to become something that I never have to be concerned about - PLEASE GOD!!!!!???
Yesterday was Easter - we spent it out on Dani & Jasper's farm. A farm is always a hit with the kids!! I would LOVE LOVE to have a farm.....oh well. Anyway, Dani and her three kids hosted alone since Jasper is in Afghanistan. Sam, Nasya, Chloe and Willie played SO great together!!! Sya was in awe of Chloe's jewelry (we accidentally came home with a necklace - sorry Chloe -we'll return it:-) So much for thinking she was a tomboy - I think she's an Athletic-Princess-with-a-Tude!!! Talk about independent, sassy and bossy - she's ONLY 2!!! Dear Jesus - please help me guide this little girl now through her teenage years!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
After lunch - Dani and her brother hid eggs outside and the kids had a blast finding them. Sam kept calling Chloe 'Bailey' who is his cousin up in Seattle. Unfortunately we don't see either of them near enough - but one of these days he'll hopefully get them straight:-)!! HI Bailey, Hudson and BabyBean:-)!! Miss you....
All this to say - we are so proud of Sam and his awesome interaction with everyone this past week!! He is properly approaching kids and asking if they want to play; he is not getting aggressive with them when they don't do what he wants; and we HOPE this is a new trend for our family - time will tell!!
Monday, April 25, 2011
Friday, April 22, 2011
I LOVE I LOVE MY KIDS!!!!
There have been soooooo many moments lately where I just have so much fun with Sam and Sya!! Yes - I still have stress - but try to look at the sweet moments - I wish we could stop Sya in her 2's for a couple years! She is so funny and goofy and LOVE how she says things. Sam is really learning how to play with her - he is still VERY aggressive and randomly does awful things to her - but in the good times he makes her laugh hysterically.
Today - right before nap time, Nasya was in the front room and I hear her tell me "No peeking mommy" - I thought about this for maybe ONE second and figured she was up to no good. Yep - I 'peeked' around the corner and sure enough - she told me the same thing and then confessed to jumping!! Naughty girl.
Today - right before nap time, Nasya was in the front room and I hear her tell me "No peeking mommy" - I thought about this for maybe ONE second and figured she was up to no good. Yep - I 'peeked' around the corner and sure enough - she told me the same thing and then confessed to jumping!! Naughty girl.
Sensory Fun
Saga #1: Often, we never know when/where Sam is going to freak over something. Today we were at the farm and were in the back yard. There is a grove of trees in the back and the kids wanted to go in them - but wanted me along. I thought they were scared - but come to find out - Sam wouldn't go in because of all the pine-needle tree branches in the way - so I moved them (so I thought) and still managed to scrape along one or two - on his head. THE SKY came falling down!!!!!!! He freaked out for a period of time and of course grandma doesn't always understand and asked "Now whats wrong with Sam?"
Saga #2: Then we went inside for a short bit before leaving.....Sya likes to play 'tea' so she was playing with all the mugs grandma has on her tv shelves in the kitchen. Well, grandma had just finished telling me that she doesn't dust, which I had all ready noticed the accumulation in the mugs:-) Not soon enough.....Sya had just handed a mug to Sam who has to inspect everything - what does he do? He BLOWS it out - yep - in his face & eyes!!! That was fun for about ten minutes. Luckily I had contact drops to help soothe......
Saga #3: Tuesday we went to pick up Nasya and Sam had to go to the bathroom. I could tell it was urgent so we hurried and went into the adult restroom and I knew what was about to happen. I could smell it. Someone had just come out of there and it now smelled of 'VERY upset stomach & stinky deodorizer' - YUCK for us normal folks:-) Sam walked in and came running back out - dry heaving in the hallway - I was sweating - hoping he was not going to puke!!! Whew - we made it to the other side of the building where he could attempt to go - then the problem was two other boys in there and he was telling them to stop looking at him. He eventually went.
Saga #4: Wednesday Sam came home with his 'spare' pre-school clothes on - that happens frequently. He started out the morning NOT wanting to go to preschool (actually this started the day before) as they told him that they were going to try new soup on that day. Sometimes prepping Aspergians is NOT a good thing!!!!! So - he tried a bite of new stuff and puked it up. I am always doing laundry.
We have had some great mornings - he is often waking now and able to come out of his room without yelling for us!! It is wonderful when that happens! Would be great if this were the start of something and not just a cycle - we shall see:-)
Saga #2: Then we went inside for a short bit before leaving.....Sya likes to play 'tea' so she was playing with all the mugs grandma has on her tv shelves in the kitchen. Well, grandma had just finished telling me that she doesn't dust, which I had all ready noticed the accumulation in the mugs:-) Not soon enough.....Sya had just handed a mug to Sam who has to inspect everything - what does he do? He BLOWS it out - yep - in his face & eyes!!! That was fun for about ten minutes. Luckily I had contact drops to help soothe......
Saga #3: Tuesday we went to pick up Nasya and Sam had to go to the bathroom. I could tell it was urgent so we hurried and went into the adult restroom and I knew what was about to happen. I could smell it. Someone had just come out of there and it now smelled of 'VERY upset stomach & stinky deodorizer' - YUCK for us normal folks:-) Sam walked in and came running back out - dry heaving in the hallway - I was sweating - hoping he was not going to puke!!! Whew - we made it to the other side of the building where he could attempt to go - then the problem was two other boys in there and he was telling them to stop looking at him. He eventually went.
Saga #4: Wednesday Sam came home with his 'spare' pre-school clothes on - that happens frequently. He started out the morning NOT wanting to go to preschool (actually this started the day before) as they told him that they were going to try new soup on that day. Sometimes prepping Aspergians is NOT a good thing!!!!! So - he tried a bite of new stuff and puked it up. I am always doing laundry.
We have had some great mornings - he is often waking now and able to come out of his room without yelling for us!! It is wonderful when that happens! Would be great if this were the start of something and not just a cycle - we shall see:-)
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
WOW! Conference, Amazing People, and Silly Sayings
Okay - John Deere Green again. It's been a month - but I've thought about writing everyday - am tired so will probably forget something but I guess I can always add it:-)
First - this past weekend I was taking a drink of lemon water out of a 64 oz. jug type thing from out of the fridge - the rest of the family was sitting at the table and I hear "Woa - don't drink out of that you hippie!" - Yep - Samuel! We all died laughing!! I said - "WHAT - where did you hear that???" The old man in "Up" I guess......go figure!
Just when we were thinking he was doing soooo great at pretend-play/imagination - he throws me for a loop. We had the neighbor kids over - the boy is a little older than Sam and the girl is a little older than Nasya. Perfect! We were downstairs and the neighbor kids were pretending that Sam's tool bench was an ice cream stand - Sam freaked!! If I had not been right there - he would have for sure yelled in their faces again and again that it's NOT an ice cream stand IT'S a TOOL BENCH!!! And he might have even pushed them away or gotten aggressive with the situation. Today he said that Petey (our cat) could not be a princess....(Let me explain....Sya had a princess wand and she was going around tapping us and making us a princess) Well - Petey could not be a princess because he did not have a crown 'silly'; and Sam got VERY angry when Sya tried to make him a princess....I suppose most big brothers would not like that:-)
I went to an Autism Spectrum Disorder Convention a couple weeks ago - yes two nights of uninterrupted sleep in a quiet hotel room (hmmm, something my hubby gets quite often and needs to appreciate it:-)) - but for some reason I was completely exhausted when I got home!! Probably because we went non-stop the whole time we were there!!! 7:30AM until 8:45pm - LONG days! So - the first day starts off with a nationally known 'Social Skills' speaker/therapist and we are in the front seats (not by choice - that's all that was left:-)) She was talking about how 'neurotypical' people think about how other's think about them. Read it again - it makes sense and is something that Asperger's people REALLY struggle with!! Anyway - there are 800+ people at this conference - and as she is explaining this she steps down off the stage and quickly walks directly in front of - WHO??? ME! She proceeds to talk to everyone about what everyone is thinking - "What is she doing?" Where is she going?" "How do I look?" etc. Then she says, "There is ONE person in this room who is REALLY panicking right now!!" - yep - ME! She proceeds to walk back to the stage and as my heart is pounding - I decide to check my phone for a possible text from my hubby saying "Good Morning Lover" or something like that.......Which brings me to Amazing People....
My text actually read: "Jason got Samuel an iPad!" I was in total shock - and I started getting teary-eyed. Suddenly I didn't hear a thing this fantastic speaker was saying - and was trying to figure out how to fit in the session about iPads! There were 4 different sessions I wanted to go to during that time - but I made a bee-line for the iPad! I was staring at the people who had one to see what they had on theirs - It was helpful somewhat - I did get a great handout that had top education Apps.....we are still finding out it's potential and I am sure we will be for quite some time.
I do wish we could have held on to the iPad before introducing it to Sam - we needed/need to come up with a 'routine' or more of a structured plan - we will have to backtrack - right now he thinks its' primary use is for 'incentive' for him to play games. I knew this would be an issue - For example: he knows he gets iPad time in the afternoon when Sya is sleeping - he gets 20 minutes as long as he has not been naughty. He loses 2 minutes for bad words; not sharing; 5 minutes for hitting/pinching; etc. He can also earn them back - or earn extra if he has been exceptionally good!! HOWEVER - there is a much bigger picture here - I have slowly started to prep him for this - The primary purpose of us wanting an iPad was - using Apps that teach social skills - sharing, not getting in peoples faces, not hitting, lowering his voice, how to go places, turn taking, picture schedules, etc. I found a free App where you can choose - "How To Go To a Grocery Store" "How to Go to the Doctor" "How to Behave Getting a Haircut" etc. Things we all take for granted - but Sam struggles with big time! He is VERY possessive and when he thinks something is HIS - no one else can touch it - he will hoard/hide/and guard like crazy. So - we now are working on that aspect.....will keep you posted.
Nasya - she is getting sooooo big!! Now we hear her saying sassy things like - "Cool _____" "Wait a second!" "Mmmm, delitious!" "I all better now" (just so she can go outside or bye bye) and she has decided on "Sammy" as her name for her brother:-) I didn't think he'd go for that - but he said it was fine:-) There is more to tell - but I have nothing left at the moment - going to bed......
First - this past weekend I was taking a drink of lemon water out of a 64 oz. jug type thing from out of the fridge - the rest of the family was sitting at the table and I hear "Woa - don't drink out of that you hippie!" - Yep - Samuel! We all died laughing!! I said - "WHAT - where did you hear that???" The old man in "Up" I guess......go figure!
Just when we were thinking he was doing soooo great at pretend-play/imagination - he throws me for a loop. We had the neighbor kids over - the boy is a little older than Sam and the girl is a little older than Nasya. Perfect! We were downstairs and the neighbor kids were pretending that Sam's tool bench was an ice cream stand - Sam freaked!! If I had not been right there - he would have for sure yelled in their faces again and again that it's NOT an ice cream stand IT'S a TOOL BENCH!!! And he might have even pushed them away or gotten aggressive with the situation. Today he said that Petey (our cat) could not be a princess....(Let me explain....Sya had a princess wand and she was going around tapping us and making us a princess) Well - Petey could not be a princess because he did not have a crown 'silly'; and Sam got VERY angry when Sya tried to make him a princess....I suppose most big brothers would not like that:-)
I went to an Autism Spectrum Disorder Convention a couple weeks ago - yes two nights of uninterrupted sleep in a quiet hotel room (hmmm, something my hubby gets quite often and needs to appreciate it:-)) - but for some reason I was completely exhausted when I got home!! Probably because we went non-stop the whole time we were there!!! 7:30AM until 8:45pm - LONG days! So - the first day starts off with a nationally known 'Social Skills' speaker/therapist and we are in the front seats (not by choice - that's all that was left:-)) She was talking about how 'neurotypical' people think about how other's think about them. Read it again - it makes sense and is something that Asperger's people REALLY struggle with!! Anyway - there are 800+ people at this conference - and as she is explaining this she steps down off the stage and quickly walks directly in front of - WHO??? ME! She proceeds to talk to everyone about what everyone is thinking - "What is she doing?" Where is she going?" "How do I look?" etc. Then she says, "There is ONE person in this room who is REALLY panicking right now!!" - yep - ME! She proceeds to walk back to the stage and as my heart is pounding - I decide to check my phone for a possible text from my hubby saying "Good Morning Lover" or something like that.......Which brings me to Amazing People....
My text actually read: "Jason got Samuel an iPad!" I was in total shock - and I started getting teary-eyed. Suddenly I didn't hear a thing this fantastic speaker was saying - and was trying to figure out how to fit in the session about iPads! There were 4 different sessions I wanted to go to during that time - but I made a bee-line for the iPad! I was staring at the people who had one to see what they had on theirs - It was helpful somewhat - I did get a great handout that had top education Apps.....we are still finding out it's potential and I am sure we will be for quite some time.
I do wish we could have held on to the iPad before introducing it to Sam - we needed/need to come up with a 'routine' or more of a structured plan - we will have to backtrack - right now he thinks its' primary use is for 'incentive' for him to play games. I knew this would be an issue - For example: he knows he gets iPad time in the afternoon when Sya is sleeping - he gets 20 minutes as long as he has not been naughty. He loses 2 minutes for bad words; not sharing; 5 minutes for hitting/pinching; etc. He can also earn them back - or earn extra if he has been exceptionally good!! HOWEVER - there is a much bigger picture here - I have slowly started to prep him for this - The primary purpose of us wanting an iPad was - using Apps that teach social skills - sharing, not getting in peoples faces, not hitting, lowering his voice, how to go places, turn taking, picture schedules, etc. I found a free App where you can choose - "How To Go To a Grocery Store" "How to Go to the Doctor" "How to Behave Getting a Haircut" etc. Things we all take for granted - but Sam struggles with big time! He is VERY possessive and when he thinks something is HIS - no one else can touch it - he will hoard/hide/and guard like crazy. So - we now are working on that aspect.....will keep you posted.
Nasya - she is getting sooooo big!! Now we hear her saying sassy things like - "Cool _____" "Wait a second!" "Mmmm, delitious!" "I all better now" (just so she can go outside or bye bye) and she has decided on "Sammy" as her name for her brother:-) I didn't think he'd go for that - but he said it was fine:-) There is more to tell - but I have nothing left at the moment - going to bed......
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