Oh yeah, and we are counting.

Forgot if I mentioned this already but Christopher is counting now too.  It's been the last two weeks that he would say it more in a repeat to me.  But now he his counting on his own up to three.

Language - more and more each day.

Seems like we are experiencing a mini explosion in terms of language.  He is asking "whats tat" to everything, and then most of the time repeats the answer.  Yesterday while in the yard he was chasing a butterfly and I heard him say unprompted "Boo ler fy"  That a big word to say!

Edit to this post: After reading this post and seeing it with a picture of a butterfly, the irony of the symbolism to this post struck me.  My little "Boo ler fy" is emerging.

Summertime, hose, puddles, and pool all fun with water = bath time blues cured!

Bathing has always been a challenge.  But it seems we've rounded a corner on this.  Not only does Christopher willingly and purposefully get him self wet in puddles and with the hose, I now find him playing in the shower!

This is a rather long video of Christopher playing in the shower.  Hawk joins in too.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CoVQyvRRBaA

Other water fun photo:

McDonald's Playground with Mommy and Auntie KK

No pictures for this one.  But none the less a story worth telling.  The men and the older children went to play a round of par 3 golf so Auntie KK, Christopher and I went down the street to the McDonald's to play.

First off a normal trip to McDonald's is drive through.  We never actually go in. But this time that was the point.  They had a large indoor play structure.  When we pulled into the parking lot Christopher had on no shoes, so a few minutes were spent slipping on his shoes to walk in.  Only to have to take them off.  Play structure rule I forgot about.  Had I remembered I would have probably just carried him in.  Giant pitch fit about taking off shoes!  To the point that I said ok, put your shoes on. Fortunately at this point there is only one other child and his dad in the room. I sat at the structure entrance and he and I had a conversation about "If you want to go in then you'll have to take off you shoes"

Me: Do you want to go in?
C: GO!
Me: Ok, fun, but you have to take off your shoes.
C: Cry
Me: Sorry your sad.  It would be fun to go in.
C: Led go n
Me: Ok take off your shoes and you can go in.
C: Cry
REPEAT this scenario 3 more times.
then C: Plops to the ground and says "shoes off"

YEAH! Took all of 5 mins and he was over it.

Ready to have fun. At first I had to go in with him.  We played for awhile up inside and he had no interest in going down the slide.  Eventually I convinced him to come down the slide on my back.

Once out he noticed others eating and went to their table and sat on the floor near them.  Like he was the family dog down waiting for something to fall.  So we went to the counter and bought the usual.  Med Fry and Coke.  He willingly and with out prompting sat in the adult chair at the table with Auntie KK and I.

After the eating break he took about 4 trips from the table to the structure before he was brave enough to go in on his own.  Then boom! He was in and having a blast.  At this point there are many children and parents in the room and the noise volume is much greater then it was when we arrived.   But this doesn't bother him.  Up , through and down several times.  Inside he find a small piece of paper that was from a Happy Meal Toy.  He shrieked his dolphin sounding happiest laugh.  And proceeded to show it to everyone one like he just found a dollar bill or something.  He showed it to the other children, and every Dad in the place.  Holding it out "whats tat, ear yo go, more dolphin laughing"

At one point a young girl bumped her head inside the structure and was crying, Christopher's response was a genuinely sincere "don't cwry".

Also one of the dad's was calling up the slide to his son David to come on down.  Christopher was very aware and tried to be helpful.  Making great eye contact with the Dad he repeated the Dad.  "David, down. Where'd he go" with arms and shoulders shrugged up.

When it was time for us to go we started our 3, 2, 1 count down.  I met him at the bottom of the slide with his shoes to scoop him up and go.  Except he pulled a move I didn't think possible.  He turned and climbed backwards up the slide to the safety of the upper structure.  KK said she saw him shrug and say "Ha" when he succeeded in his escape.  LOL.  Up I went.  Out he came and off we went.

Good trip.  Good time. Good company. Successes all around.

Autism Speaks

Use this link to learn and understand more about the Autism Speaks Organization
http://www.autismspeaks.org/docs/strategic_plan/AS_Strategic_Plan_2009_2011.pdf

I myself have yet to get through all 130 pages, but so far it's rather interesting.  I have heard both negative and positive comments about this organization.  I have been of the opinion that it has been great in terms of public awareness.  After looking at this plan it seems clear that they are well more than that.

Big Birthday Party!

This past weekend we combined Cousin Kalstar, the cousin Lucco Trio, and Christopher's birthdays.  Kalstar turns 10! the Trio 2 this past Feb, and Christopher 3 this Aug.

It was one big fun outdoor party.  Being completely present to the party I have no pictures!

1) Christopher had many great moments through out this day.  First off, when Poppy arrived he ran to him and gave him kisses.   

2) He played and engaged with the other children in the pool.

3) When he started off in the direction of the front yard away from everyone, Daddy whistled and called to him to come back.  Upon hearing the whistle he stopped, turned and most amazingly listened to Daddy's request and re-joined us in the back yard.

4) Language was plentiful.  Many thank-you's for all the great toys he received.

Fun on the tractor.

Following Big Brothers Bad Example to climb up the front of tractor while Daddy fuels it up.

Word Recognition

In Christopher's sleep room I had printed off a number of animal Google images and taped them up to the wall above his bed.  Lately he has really latched on to one flash light (we have many but it has to be this one) and takes it to bed with him each night.  He calls it his "Watt".  He has always referred to lights as watts.  Not sure why but considering the wattage seems appropriate.  Anyway, while putting him to bed the other night he was shining the flashlight at the pictures and I started to request that he shine on specific animals.  Where is the monkey? the doggies? the pig? etc . . . . he got each and every one of them.  He was so proud of him self.

This is so exciting, and reassuring that he is understanding!  I will be printing more pictures of other items, number and letters and see if we can expand on this as a learning game.   Thinking we may even sit in a dim room and use the flashlight to guide us through books.

Keep up the good  work Christopher!

Ok hang on . . .

Six new posts below.  Just getting caught up.

Bath time!

Jumping on the tractor.

Catch me if you can . . . .

Besides these being really cute and the fact that he had put on his boots and let himself outside, these pictures are significant because if you notice . . . he's looking back at me!  This in new!  An awareness that I am behind him.  Exciting stuff.  At one point tonight he even stopped and said with out promoting "Theese" as in cheese for the camera.

Just simply cuteness.

Figuring out Poppy's windmill and making necessary adjustments.

One time many visits ago he watched Poppy placing the bolts in the back that provide the needed weight to allow the windmill to spin.  He never forgets.  And fixed it just right.

4th of July

These pictures are from our visit back to my hometown to see friends in the parade and enjoy a fun family outing.  

This picture is a picture I never imagined for my children.  I used to see children on a leash and gasp.  Never understood why that would necessary. Till now.  I made a special trip to the store the day before the parade just to purchase this harness.  And let me tell you, it was great!  No he didn't like it most of the time but the alternatives of possibly loosing him and or once again sticking him in the stroller alienating him from the fun didn't sound pleasing to me either.  This was definitely my own personal peace of mind for the day that enabled us to all enjoy and experience this outing. 

Our friend Leland on his tractor!

Our friend Jimmy playing the bag pipes.

Better vantage view from Uncle Bob's shoulders.

Hawk chilling out. Sometimes it is good to have little brother, as you never know when you may need to take a seat. 

My boys, all three of them.

Taking a break in the shade from the heat!

All this equals great time at the 4th of July Parade.

Bye Bye Mickey Mouse!

For a couple of weeks there have been signs of a mouse living in my car.  Gross! At first I wasn't sure, but then after seeing that food had been munched on and droppings left I knew for sure.  Maybe it was mis-belief at first, but yesterday it was clear something needed to be done.  For a month now my blinkers have worked intermediately even after replacing the flasher.  Grrr, lets hope I don't have to replace any wires! GROSS! And Frustrating. 

Well I set two traps last night.  Assuming there is just one mouse, problem is now solved!  I got him! But I will not be touching it, for that I will have Dan go and retrieve it. Next step super vacuum and bleaching of the interior spaces!  Grrr.  Of all the places this little guy could have staked claim to, why my car? 

Er ye gode dawdee.

Dan and Christopher were do some kitchen clean up.  Short of this story is that Dan's hand were wet and when he turn to get the hand towel it wasn't hanging on the stove.  Rather he was met with a cute little face looking up at him with towel hung out at arms length and heard a soft and confident  "Er ye gode dawdee".

Christopher had anticipated his daddy's need and used a full sentence!

Love this video! Just stumbled on it the other day.

BRILLIANT!
Can you with out hesitation recite the alphabet in animals?

http://www.whatyououghttoknow.com/show/2008/07/18/autism/

Visit with Gram Gram in CT

Today we took the drive to visit with Gram Gram.  We brought grinders for lunch, and ate them on the back porch.  Next we went to the farm to enjoy ice-cream and visit the cows.  We got to see old friends too.  Mavis and the family were enjoying a family picnic at the farm house.  Nice to see old friends.  Great to have ice-cream. And really nice to spend time with Gram-Gram.  Now we are home all scattered about the house relaxing, after a quick dip in the pool to cool off.  It is so hot this 4th of July! 

Fire Works and a quick link to Visit Hawk

Maybe next year Christopher will make it to see the fireworks!

Visit Hawk's Page to see his Fireworks experience:
http://hawkchabo.blogspot.com/2010/07/4th-of-july-fireworks.html

These are the times that are really tricky striking a balance for the need of each of our boys when their needs collide.   I really wished for Christopher to be able to experience the fireworks with us but the little guy just couldn't stay awake.  And for Hawk it would have been more fun if he could have walked to the field and tried to connect with friends, but I think the roof top chair and frosty was a fair compromise that aloud us to remain all together as a family.  The other option; an option that we find we have to go with is the "Tag Team Parent" I go with one child and Dan goes with the other.  This makes it hard to spend family time together all 4 of us.  Sometimes it works, sometimes not.  Which brings me to another thought/realization.  I no longer have a rigid plan for how an outing is going to unfold.  Rather a series of mini plans for the what ifs and now just roll with it.  This is so much easier and enjoyable . . .  what took me so long to learn this.  This would have been a helpful skill even before having children.

The Wild

This photo is my little guy growing up.  He knew all to well that it was bed time.  Why Disney Channel starts their movies at 8pm is beyond me however this night as with most summer nights we were late getting Christopher to bed.  He saw the first 5 minutes of this movie and was hooked!  So a couple of things are happening here that are worth mentioning.  First I believe he has learned the art of Mommy's theory or rule of thumb that is applied to his big brother.  That is something Hawk and I came to terms with long ago, if there's going to be any wiggle room on the time you go to bed "You Must Stay Off the Mommy Radar!" Hawk has perfected this to a tee.  He thinks that he's getting away with something big and I get peace and quiet while he gets to express some mini freedom to control his own bonus time.  How I know Christopher gets this is that each time I walked into the room or even past it for that matter he made himself as small as he could so as if I couldn't see him and said "No".  I assured him after a couple of these protests that he would be allowed to watch the rest of the movie and then bed. 

The other point worthy of noting is that he wasn't just hooked on the pictures, movement and sounds of the movie but he really was following the story line.  Repeating the characters lines.  Shouting out at appropriate times for one or another character to "watch out" or "no don't".  At one point in the movie the Daddy Lion falls over a cliff and for this Christopher shouted out over and over "Oh no Daddy!" Daddy get up!" Dan Sr came into the room thinking that he was actually being called in, I explained the movie and then Daddy sat and finished it off with his Christopher by his side.

Then it was off to bed when the movie ended.  No fuss. Just bed.  Good Night my little boy!