Bee Smart my Baby Bumblebee

I had the very expensive eventhough used... Baby Bumblebee videos arrive today. Owen shows some interest in them; Ruby on the hand has no interest in them at all. DH has no idea of the market price of these videos and I have no intention of telling him.

So, who knows how they'll work out. Maybe, I'll be able to figure out an ABA type activity to do with them.

I do admit, I had hoped to be able to just put in a DVD and fix the speech problems on Bumblebee autopilot while I enjoyed a coffee... and some donuts...a massage... Oh well, the pitfalls of eternal optimism and the attempt at easy... I'm sure if search ebay some more I can find something else if I type in "Autism".

My Sonny Boy

Well I had to post this pic of Owen to my blog. Partly because it's been seldom to get such a good shot. Part to due to camera speed lagtime, the perpetual mess around the house and on the children's faces, and him being in the photoegenic "mood".

He's being doing pretty good today and he's been doing welll with at least referencing me; I'm uncertain if it's because of my goodlooks, charming personality, or he's hoping to hit me up for a premature cookie loan. Anyhow he's been trying to make some sounds like "t..t..t" for tickle, "rah" for ROOOARR! and "dah" for boo.

Anyhow, Owen will be 2 next month and my oldest ds, Lewis, will 18 yo... 11 days after. My other ds, Henry, will be 15 yo this year, which really isn't significant but I should include him to give a full idea of the family picture. Three boys and three girls. I hold at least some hope for myself that "I won't make the same mistakes in the next 16".

Fly me to the moon....

I have been taking Ruby to the church on Tuesday and Thursday mornings to familiarize her with the surroundings.

We currently don’t go out much with her because she meltdowns so easily. This a huge transition and step outside the literal house “box”. I wouldn’t even dream of stepping foot into someone else’s home with her partly because of the emotional toll to her, the impact on the home owners and their belongings, and my own nerves with trying to keep an eye on her. I don‘t think I‘d even be able to form a coherent sentence for the visit.

So anyhow, she has gotten somewhat better with new place meltdown issues and she has less pica/ oral seeking than she did 6 months ago but we’re not in the “green” yet. Usually me and her dad do caregiver tag team with her. Although we’ve applied for respite for her no one’s has put up their hand in 10 months and I have very very few, ok no people, whom I can trust with her safety and if knowing all of her ASD details would likely not take on the liability.

Our usual stomping grounds, have been home, daycare, and an intermittent shopping trip for quick amenities like milk or diapers and the park. So adding church is feeling like wearing moon boots for everyone involved her, me, and the church ppl. “Houston we have take off.”

Down the Rabbit Hole

When we learned of autism we suddenly seemed propelled on a rollercoaster rocket ride into a land that we never even considered. Perhaps, it’s how Alice felt when she fell down the rabbit hole.
It’s funny now how something so obvious we didn’t see until the time of Ruby‘s autism diagnosis.

It has taken some huge learning curves to adapt to our new environment. Weighted vests, picture exchange and things like finding out the that “up “ isn’t “up”. Even manoeuvring the politics within autism. Politics you say? Yeah that‘s likely another post.

The hardest part is negotiating both worlds at the same time neither seems to adapt to the other very well and I'm the gatekeeper often overpowered by some sort vacuum vortex that attempts to suck you in or blow you out of the way.

I wonder if I've been changed in the night? Let me think. Was I the same when I got up this morning? I almost think I can remember feeling a little different. But if I'm not the same, the next question is 'Who in the world am I?' Ah, that's the great puzzle! ~Alice in Wonderland

Off to kindergarten in fall?

I'm in a bit of a dilemma with Ruby starting school in the fall. Our Developmental Pediatrician recommends she stay at daycare for the year but really doesn't have an intimate knowledge of Ruby or the daycare facility. She's also been practicing for a very long and some of her ideas I feel are outdated. The daycare facilty has none to little knowledge of autism and I continually need to explain stuff.

Ruby is non-verbal mod autistic and in my opinion she has at least a near average IQ but I'm her mother so don't hold me to it; it could be higher. She attends a regular daycare with an aide right now and will attend a regular kindergarten classroom with an aide if we send her. There are no "special ed" schools or segregated classrooms where we are... I'm thankful in some ways I don't have to make a decision on that issue.

Her program and assistance will be directed by the school resource (spec.ed) teacher (RT) and autism services team; they act as consultants to the school and RT. The RT sees no reason why my dd shouldn't start school and I saw no concern or flinching in his face; he went on to reassure me by telling me they just had another child who was non-verbal upon entry leave verbal and has gone to highschool (likely with assistance but I didn't ask).

Our resource consultant doesn't feel she's ready for school but I don't think Ruby will ever be actually ready or have an opportune time to start if I wait for "readiness". I've filled in the paperwork but admit I'm very nervous and it being a tremendous leap of faith. I can't say how I'll actually feel in 11th hour and hopefully the mid summer school conference will help make my decision.