Back from Option Institute

Hi, Everyone!

I'm back safe and sound from my wonderful trip of 5 days to Sheffield Massachusetts.  I spent 5 days with no cooking, no washing up of pee or poo, no dishes and no computer/Internet.  It was an awesome experience to meet so many parents, siblings and grandparents of children with autism/special needs.  There was such a unison of understanding and support.  I wish to return there again as well as have DH go to experience the magic.

Here's a 10  minute video I made to give you my overall impressions.  If you have questions, please do add them to the comment box or email me, and I'll try to answer them either in a new video or reply in text. 



Here's a few photos for your enjoyment:

Thank you for taking the time to read my blog. 
Have a great day!

Going to see Son-Rise

Hi, Everyone

Long time no post about what's going on here... ah, life has a way of living on you. Hehehe. I love my life! It's been great in the last few months, and I can only hope and expect that it will get better.

I'm going away in a few days to the Option Institute (http://www.autismtreatmentcenter.org/) for the Start-Up program. Can I tell you how excited I am about this? I haven't travelled in SO long, that so many things have changed... can I bring my stainless water bottle on the flight? What is this e-ticket? 24 hour check-in on the Internet? I'm really looking forward to this adventure.

I've met up with another mom participant of this program, and we're going to meet in person on Sunday. She's as excited as I am. We'll have lots to talk about on the drive to the Institute. We're very hopefully that what we'll learn will greatly affect how we're helping our children (her with her Little L and me with my Little R). I also think that it will just encourage me to be a more optimal parent. I'm sure that I'll be able to apply the same knowledge to Little S.

Speaking of Little S, here's what she's been up to:
-going to school and LOVING it Monday to Friday
-telling her brother off (he has learn to cover his ears and to close the door on her)
-drawing/writing with clear focus (she's learning cursive writing at school)
-no longer saying "moke" for milk, but actually saying "mailk"
-loves choosing her own clothes in the morning (rather, forcefully denying other clothes she does not want to wear)
-still cries a lot, but I'm teaching her ways of asking for things such as this evening she said forcefully "give me the apple sauce!" I told her, "this is how we ask for more: 'may I have some more applesauce, please?'" With that, she toned down and repeated my phrase and nodded. We do this in other languages too, and it's very interesting to hear the tone become gentle.
-sings a lot in Mandarin, French and English
-seems to have a leadership demeanor (she told an older girl at school to go back into the classroom)
-loves reading books, and if it's not in the language she's expecting she angrily waves her hand in a "stop" gesture
-has an amazingly focused memory (if she tells you she wants something, you could distract her all you want, she'll come back to it)

Little R:
-saying fewer words than 6 months ago, but seems to be improving with his receptive language skills in both English and my language (now, I focus more on speaking to him in English in the playroom)
-looks at me with meaning (for example, he wants something, or he's sharing that something is funny)
-can put on his rain boots without any help
-opens the car door and sits in his booster seat all by himself
-likes going into the driver's seat and "driving" - avoids me by going between his seat and the driver's seat
-likes kicking off his footwear to stand on our front of the house support beams
-will close the door behind him when he needs to have a bowel movement
-squeezes out toothpaste, pumps too much soap, eats hand lotion... etc.
-climbs up on a chair that he pushes to the stove area to cook, find food, and eat/lick the freezer and refrigerator
-climbs on furniture
-screeches and screams in public (freaks some people out) sometimes, also runs off and tries to climb the portable stairs
-learning how to use scissors with help from an adult

I feel that we're connecting, and that he trusts me more and more every day. He's comfortable with me. Now, I need to take it to the next level: how do I use his motivation to help him learn? I'll have lots more to tell once I come back from my 5 day training course in Sheffield Massachusetts. It will be part school and part retreat for me, a place to calm my mind, spirit and body.

Little R and Little S wish lists

Happy Holiday Greetings, dear family and dear friends!

It's again that time of year when you see Christmas trees, reindeer (I saw a car dressed up as a reindeer already) and shoppers every where. In the midst of all this joyous chaos, remember to take the time to relax and be with yourself!

Many of you have asked what our little elves (Little S and Little R) would like for Christmas this year. Again with every year, we hope for wholesome health and happiness. We also wish this for all of you.

As for material gifts, they are not necessary, but we appreciate your thoughtfulness. So, here is a list that I've compiled for this year:

Little S:

1. Dr. Seuss books ( you could ask me to email you a list of books she already has)
2. Chinese, French and Spanish books
3. Chinese abacus or Japanese Soroban
4. musical instruments (already has small xylophone, maracas, sticks (ridged and straight), triangle, tambourine, recorder, harmonica, bells, and train whistle.
5. Chinese, French and Spanish DVDs/music CDs.
6. Signing Time videos Series TWO, vol. 9-13

Little R:

1. Books with human photographs or drawn. Also photo books of animals, houses, insects, buildings, vehicles, food, etc. No books with batteries, please.
2. Socks (currently size 1 boys/child shoes) and underwear (currently wears Joe Fresh size 8 - but he's growing fast!)
3. Contribution toward his Son-rise fund (http://www.son-rise.org/ or http://www.autismtreatmentcenter.org/)
4. Therapy putty (or silly putty)
5. Wide slippers (currently wears size 1 boys/kids shoes)
6. Cars (Disney movie) lunch bag
7. Cars (Disney movie) Thermos food jar
   

Thank you so much for kind and generous gifts from the heart. We wish you all a very warm and cheerful holiday season!

The seasons are changing...

The seasons are changing on the Island of Chez Shaker Family. Little R is no longer receiving ABA - so now, we are blessed to have his cheerful happy laughter chasing us for biting his belly! :) We've also taken him out of after school care. I've enjoyed every moment of the time with him and Little S - I've also endured the aches and pains of them jumping on and away from me.

Little S speaks a LOT now. She can add the word "too" after a sentence. She uses "please" and "thank you" as well as "no thank you!" frequently. She has a very strong will. For some reason, she puts up the feistiest cries and elongations of the body (you know what I mean when you try to pick up a toddler and the toddler stretches to make carrying a most difficult task).

I think Little S has actually been the BEST "therapy" for Little R. They love each other. Little S would boss him around saying "No, Goagoa, no!" or "Goagoa, hol-d my hand, Goagoa." It's really quite funny how she makes "hold" into a two syllable word. Of course when Little R gets too much of her, watch that swipe! He's a really strong little guy. We teach him to be gentle, and he's learning.

Many changes in place. The house must be kept tidy and clean at all times - Mommy - that's me - hardly has time for herself and the computer to do any "work". But keeping my family well fed, dressed, cleaned and sheltered is top priority.

DH and I have started working with Little R. I really love the basis of our program based on the Son-Rise Program.

Alas, must go to bed now. Sweet slumber, here I come.

Little R's progress

Hi, Everyone!

Little R made me very proud yesterday when without a motivator (reinforcer) demonstrated that he knew a LOT more than we knew that he knew.

He met his new speech path for the first time (she taking over for Little R's previous speech path who just had a baby), and he performed incredibly well! So, what am I talking about? Let me highlight with some bullets...

• good eye contact - he wanted grapes so he looked at the jar of grapes, looked at me and then led my hand toward it (okay, this is not really new, but his new speech path - let's just call her Erin, pointed out that this was purposeful eye contact, very taken-for-granted non verbal communication skill that we all use)
• from a choice board of about 10 or more items, he chose the picture of a school bus, and it was exactly what he wanted (this is called choice making - might sound easy to you, but we've spent months and months working on it!)
• when Erin asked if he wanted a duck (as he was holding and looking at the PIC), he said "no" clearly accompanied by shaking his head to emphasize his reply was true - he's been saying "yes" (sounds like "lesh") to most things, so we're glad that he CAN differentiate the two concepts
• he indicated he had to go pee verbally! Of course it was assisted by the dancing and clutching of the penis
• when Eric asked showed him a book with many different pictures and asked him "show me what you drink out of", Little R pointed (well, he touched) the picture of a glass. When she asked "show me what you ride on", he touched the tricycle... he just didn't know "show me what you cook with" - he was supposed to touch frying pan but didn't know it yet
• he understood the present continuous participle, in other words "ing" endings like "show me sleeping, playing, drinking, eating" - he got them all correct!
• he was able to pronounce "apple" clearly! Unfortunately now he's been saying "apple" for the word "open", so what we have to do is not open until he says "open".
• he left said "bye bye" to Erin and waved when we were leaving
• he was able to turn take with Erin and do play how she was trying to play with him (turn taking is another thing we take for granted but is VERY important in social situations)

Wow. I'm really happy to see this progress.

Did I mention that we were doing his SCD/GAPS diet wrong? We were supposed to feed him a lot beef, but he was mostly eating chicken all the time. I remember last year DH said to a CDA friend of mine, "If I have to feed him a cow, I'll feed him a cow." It's really strange from going from no meat to meat EVERY DAY. We are forever grateful to these animals.

Oh, and another thing. Little R has been calling DH by his first name and not "Daddy" - which I find might be more functional. I mean, in a sea of dads if someone asks him "who's Daddy?" Little R can respond perfectly well.

So, what do you think? Is it the diet that's helping? Is it the Verbal ABA? Is it his sister who is learning and demonstrating SO much language right now?

Have a great day, Everyone!

Still recovering, but better

Little S and Little R have been bringing home lots of germs, viruses, bacteria and all that "good" stuff since they've been going to school. They've been sick more often and demand more attention and clean-up (if you know what I mean), but I think the what's worse is when the parents become ill too!

Anyway, I'm still coughing yucky stuff, suffering from headaches and aches, but I'm getting better :) I've complained enough so it's time for a little update on the Little RS couple.

Little S is speaking a LOT more these days stringing together sentences with pronouns, verbs even in the correct syntax (geez, did I just sound like a language techie?). Not only is she a parrot, she's also a broken record. In fact, she's a broken record that gets louder and louder if the request is not tended to. Case of bad parenting, you're thinking? I hope not!

Today I look the Little R and S for a little walk after I picked them up from school since it was nice and sunny. For the first time ever they were both holding hands and walking. It was as if Little R was leading his little sister. I think, in reality, Little S was really holding onto his fingers as Little R dragged her along as they walked. Hm, that should show Little R; he makes me drag him all the time when I hold his hand.

Little S made a cut-out doll of herself this past Saturday with her daddy at art class. She came home talking about "dawder". I don't think I've ever called her "daughter" before, so I'm not sure where she got the word from, but this paper doll was called "Dawder". She really likes it, taking it to potty, toilet, sleep, combing the few hairs that are tapped to the head... The Dawder is just missing a nose and a pair of legs.

Little R has made progress in his eye contact, humour, communication and eating. Unfortunately, we've still been plagued with pinkeye so he hasn't had his worker with him for two days again. Little R is saying "hi" and "bye" as well as flapping his hand to wave. It's really quite cute.

Hope you're all doing well. To your health! Enjoy your day.

Little S, the Little Parrot

As mentioned in a previous post, our family is now on a new diet called the specific carbohydrate diet (SCD). So far so good with the progress Little R is making. He's been crying a bit every day for not wanting to eat certain things we put in front of him, but we've noticed (and others have mentioned) an overall improvement in his listening, awareness of others and even in speech and language.

Having said that Little R is initiating a lot more communication. The last two days when he's had to go do #2, he's been closing the bathroom door to keep others out. In his privacy, he does his business. When I walked in and sat in front of him while he was on the toilet, he grabbed my fingers and tugged them as if telling me to leave. "Do you want me to leave?" He pulled my fingers and tugged them toward the door, "lea," he said. Wow! He told me to leave.

As well, last week during his pink eye days, I was drawing a picture of a house with clouds and then some flat "m"s in the air. "Boods," he said. "Yes! That's right, they are birds," I replied. He's been making quick progress lately, and I believe nutrition and environment have much to do with it. Of course we also need to give credit to his hard work!

Little S has been repeating things like crazy... in which ever language. As we were waiting to use the toilet at a gas station on the way from from Cornwall this weekend, a woman complained, "come on, guy." Now, I let this woman go ahead of us, and after she went into the washroom, Little S said "come on, guy." It was pretty funny. She's a little parrot that walks around and talks... except these last two days as she's been feeling quite poorly.

Some new independent sentences I've heard from her in the last week have been:
"I got the hiccups."
"No, you eat it!"
And a whole bunch of sentences in mixed languages like "cha face" "cha me". In this instance "cha" means to apply cream, oil, etc. to wherever.

Some phrases she's been saying for a while now:

"Dadda cookie."
"Mm, I like it!"
"Watch TV?"
"GaoGao shower."
"Moi moi turn."
"Ma Yi go seep."
"Come back!"

One thing is for certain, we really don't want to say anything that we don't want repeat!