Autism Night Before Christmas (poem)...

A friend forwarded this poem to me and I wanted to share it with you. It is written from the perspective of a mother of a child with autism. Although not all of it applies to my specific situation, I can relate to much of what is expressed here.

If you are a parent of a child with autism (or other special needs), I hope that you find it as moving and inspirational as I did. If you are a parent of a "neurotypical" child, I hope that you learn something from these words, as I also have learned from my own experience with my beautiful daughter, Katelyn.

Autism Night Before Christmas
by Cindy Waeltermann

Twas the Night Before Christmas
And all through the house
The creatures were stirring
Yes, even the mouse

We tried melatonin
And gave a hot bath
But the holiday jitters
They always distract

The children were finally
All nestled in bed
When nightmares of terror
Ran through my OWN head

Did I get the right gift
The right color
And style
Would there be a tantrum
Or even, maybe, a smile?

Our relatives come
But they don't understand
The pleasure he gets
Just from flapping his hands.

"He needs discipline," they say
"Just a well-needed smack,
You must learn to parent…"
And on goes the attack

We smile and nod
Because we know deep inside
The argument is moot
Let them all take a side

We know what it's like
To live with the spectrum
The struggles and triumphs
Achievements, regressions…

But what they don't know
And what they don't see
Is the joy that we feel
Over simplicity

He said "hello"
He ate something green!
He told his first lie!
He did not cause a scene!

He peed on the potty
Who cares if he's ten,
He stopped saying the same thing
Again and again!

Others don't realize
Just how we can cope
How we bravely hang on
At the end of our rope

But what they don't see
Is the joy we can't hide
When our children with autism
Make the tiniest stride

We may look at others
Without the problems we face
With jealousy, hatred
Or even distaste,

But what they don't know
Nor sometimes do we
Is that children with autism
Bring simplicity.

We don't get excited
Over expensive things
We jump for joy
With the progress work brings

Children with autism
Try hard every day
That they make us proud
More than words can say.

They work even harder
Than you or I
To achieve something small
To reach a star in the sky

So to those who don't get it
Or can't get a clue
Take a walk in my shoes
And I'll assure you

That even 10 minutes
Into the walk
You'll look at me
With respect, even shock.

You will realize
What it is I go through
And the next time you judge
I can assure you

That you won't say a thing
You'll be quiet and learn,
Like the years that I did
When the tables were turned……

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas!

Last week, my mother, grandmother, and I decided to brave the idea of taking the girls to get their picture taken with Santa. Last year, it was not a good experience and, as you may recall, I had to sit in the picture, which was completely unplanned (hence my clashing outfit, no make-up, etc.). I was determined that there was no way I was going to be photographed this year!

I had prepped Katelyn to see Santa days before so that she would hopefully not be scared of him. She was excited to see "Santa's house" and she practiced her smile with Mimi (my mother) all morning long. What I didn't expect was that Ashley would be the one who would be completely freaked out!

As soon as we arrived at the mall, Katelyn was talking about Santa. She was excited to see the big tree and all of the decorations around Santa's chair. She needed no encouragement to come say hi to Santa and to give him a high-five. Ashley also came over fairly willingly to give Santa a high-five. However, it got interesting when I tried to put Ashley on his lap. That is when the wailing began! She was not having it!

And then poor Katelyn got a little freaked out (no tears, though, thank God) and stood back from Santa and said, "All done Santa." Santa then brought out two gift boxes for the girls to sit on instead of his lap. Katelyn sat on the gift box with no hesitation. Ashley, however, refused and tried to run away. I decided to sit on the box and have Ashley stand in front of me. This worked and Ashley stopped crying. I then told Santa (and the photographer) that I was NOT going to be in the picture. Santa disagreed. He told me that there was no way the kids were going to be okay with me leaving.

Recalling last year's photo, I reiterated that I was not going to be in the photo. I told the photographer to let me sneak out before snapping the picture. Somehow, I managed to "sneak" my 8-month-pregnant body out from behind Ashley without her noticing and I quickly ran to hide behind some props. Miraculously, Ashley didn't budge and the photographer was able to snap the photo. I couldn't believe it!

After we were done "torturing" Ashley and I was choosing the photo package, Katelyn stayed with Santa, talking up a storm about her beloved Giraffe. I wish we could have gotten a picture of this moment. It was so sweet seeing her have a conversation with Santa. She has come so far in just one year and we have so much to be grateful for this holiday season.

Katelyn Sings Her Favorite Songs...

Since Katelyn loves to sing, her teacher was kind enough to make us a CD of the music that they sing at preschool. On Thanksgiving, Katelyn entertained us by singing and dancing to her favorite songs: Baby Beluga and Moon, Moon, Moon. I captured this on video, as well as her singing some Christmas songs a few days later.

Video of Katelyn Talking About School and More...

Katelyn loves to talk about school and gabs non-stop at home. I shot this video of her last night since she was in a talkative mood. Unfortunately, she is overly sensitive to the sound of Ashley's voice, so she gets a little upset at the end and asks for her comfort activity: A hug from Mommy.

Katelyn Sings the 5 Little Pumpkins...

Katelyn learned this song at school, and we also have the book at home. She loves to sing this song constantly, especially right before bed. She usually does really well on her own and knows the correct words, but unfortunately this was the millionth time she had sung it, so she was being silly (and tired) by the time I took the video :)

Here is Katelyn singing the 5 Little Pumpkins:

Rain, Mud, Wind...Bring It On!

Today was the Autism Speaks Walk Now for Autism event in Boston, and despite the dreadful weather, Team Giraffe's Song accomplished our mission! Granted, our "team" only consisted of 3 people (Me, Kevin, and my grandmother) instead of the 11+ people who were originally planning on walking with us. Thankfully, Kevin's parents babysat the girls for us since we did not want to bring them out in the rain.

The event was held at a horse racetrack, which is 1 1/4 miles long. The track itself is dirt, and when you mix in torrential rain and wind, you get a track full of mud puddles. Many people took a few steps on the track and decided to head back inside for shelter. Kevin was just one of many people who chose not to walk at all, given the conditions. He tried to convince me and Nana that it was a bad idea to attempt the walk, but we were willing to take our chances.

As Nana and I were about to take our first slippery step onto the track, a woman warned us not to bother; "It isn't worth it," she said. Nana and I both looked at each other and thought the same thing: Katelyn is worth it!

With our goal in mind and determination in our hearts, we made our way onto the mud-filled track, which proudly displayed thousands of muddy holes, each in the shape of a footprint. As we pushed forward, we fought against a sea of people who had turned back, not willing or able to withstand the elements. Of course, Nana and I weren't sure how far we would actually make it either, but we were determined to at least add a few of our own footprints to the track in honor of Katelyn.

Battling the fierce winds and heavy rain, we trekked through the filthy mud one step at a time. Cheering each other on, against all odds, we both managed to complete the entire 1 1/4-mile track. Our shoes and pants were stained with mud, but we didn't care. We were proud of ourselves and each other for accomplishing even more than we had set out to do, given the circumstances, not to mention the fact that I am almost 7-months pregnant and Nana is 75 years old! Once we were finished, Kevin rewarded us with coffee and hot chocolate.

Inside, there was a great resource fair consisting of informational booths, activities for children, and merchants selling autism-related items, such as jewelry, scarfs, magnets, and more. Nana and I both got beautiful puzzle-piece pendants with silver chains to commemorate our achievement.

Although the weather conditions were not ideal, we made the best of it and had a great time at our first autism walk. Hopefully next year we will have a beautiful sunny day, but no matter what Mother Nature throws our way, we will be there, ready to face the rain, mud, snow...you name it. Bring it on!

Here are some pictures from the event...




Thank you to everyone who supported Team Giraffe's Song! We raised a total of $810 to date! (Please note, donations can still be made until the end of the year!)

Walk Now for Autism - only ONE week left!

Please join Katelyn and her family and friends in our fight to make a difference in the lives of the more than 1 million Americans living with autism today.

Katelyn was diagnosed with autism in January of 2009 at the age of 30 months. With the help of her dedicated family, friends, and therapists, she is making tremendous strides.

It is our hope that, through vital research conducted by organizations such as Autism Speaks, we can learn more about the causes, treatments, and prevention of autism, while also raising public awareness.

To do our part, we are participating in Walk Now for Autism. We are not only walking in honor of our beloved daughter, we are walking for all who are or will be affected by autism, whether they be family members, friends, or people living "on the spectrum."

To make a donation (tax deductible) to Team Giraffe’s Song, you may either:

1) Visit our Team webpage by clicking here.
2) Use PayPal. Our Team PayPal account is giraffessong@gmail.com.

Thank you for taking an important step in the fight against autism!

Donations are tax deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law.
Autism Speaks 501 (C)(3) Tax Id #: 20-2329938

Matching gift program: Many companies provide their employees with matching gifts. Please consult your employer on its matching gift guidelines and attach matching gift forms accordingly.

Katelyn's 3-year professional photo session...

With much anxiety on my part, we took Katelyn for her 3-year professional pictures back in July. Since our experience at her 2-year and Christmas 2008 sessions did not go well, I was expecting a full-blown screaming meltdown to take place where we would be lucky to get any pictures taken, never mind any decent smiling pictures. However, our little girl surprised us in a very big way! It was the best photo session EVER for Katelyn! She laughed and smiled the whole time, unlike all other previous photo sessions where it was like pulling teeth. I even notified the photographer at the beginning that she has autism and that she may scream and melt down, and at the end of the session, the photographer said she never would have known that Katelyn has autism and that she was such a pleasure to work with. Talk about making my day!

Katelyn has come so far already in just a few months and we are beyond hopeful that her progress will continue.

A month and a half later, I am finally getting around to uploading these photos *blush* ;) These photos are untouched before we had any enhancements and borders added.

It's Been Way Too Long...

It has been quite a few months since my last update and there is so much to catch you all up on. First, I am currently 17 weeks pregnant with our third child, which is the main reason that I have been missing in action due to morning sickness, or in my usual case, 24-hour-a-day sickness. We are hoping for a boy this time and will find out September 1st.

As far as Katelyn goes, there is so much to say that I will inevitably forget something, but I will do my best to remember everything that has happened over the past few months.

You are what you eat...
We started Katelyn on the gluten-free/casein-free diet (GFCF) back on April 28th, which basically means that she no longer eats wheat (and some other grains) or milk products. There is a lot of information on the Internet about the GFCF diet and how it has been shown to help many children with autism. There is a whole science behind the diet that I find fascinating.

After researching and talking with other parents of autistic children who have seen positive results, we decided it was worth a shot. Some of the immediate improvements that we noticed shortly after implementing the diet were less "stimming," a significant increase in speech and language skills, improved behavior (specifically less aggressive behavior towards Ashley), increased social awareness and interaction, increased focus, and a happier demeanor overall.

It certainly was not easy to start the diet, but once we found substitutes for her favorite foods, it definitely got easier. And for those of you who think that your child would "starve" if you tried this diet (I used to feel this way!), just know that the kids who are very picky and only eat certain foods, especially those who limit themselves to gluten and milk products, are usually the ones who will benefit from the diet the most. Of course, vitamins and supplements need to be implemented in order to ensure that certain nutrients, such as calcium, are not deficient.

A few of my favorite sites are GFCFdiet.com, TACA.com, and of course my favorite message board, which has been a lifesaver in so many ways. I also highly recommend the book, The Kid-Friendly ADHD and Autism Cookbook, which not only explains the scientific reasons why the diet works, but offers many great recipes!

Let's get things moving...
Katelyn had been having chronic diarrhea for months, so we decided to take Katelyn to a pediatric gastroenterologist just to be sure that there was nothing serious going on. Well, it turned out that she was severely impacted all the way up to her stomach, and the doctor said that she was probably like that for six months! He then performed an upper endoscopy and colonoscopy, took biopsies, and cleaned her out completely. His immediate suspicion was celiac disease, but he needed to wait for the results of the biopsies.

Two weeks later, we went back for followup and found out that she does not have celiac disease, but she is lactose intolerant. Also, an x-ray revealed that she was once again impacted all the way up, despite being completely cleaned out two weeks prior. The doctor said that it appears that she has very slow motility of her bowels, or that they simply do not "move" like they should. He prescribed Ex-Lax and Miralax to help her bowels function properly. Two weeks later, we returned and discovered that although she was still impacted, it was not as severe as previously, so the doctor is hopeful that the medicine regimen is working and asked us to return in one month, which will be in September.

On the same page...
We had Katelyn's IEP meeting (special education) for preschool back in May and it went extremely well. The school offered us everything we were looking for and are completely on the same page as us when it comes to our concerns for Katelyn. They also agreed to contract with one of our existing ABA providers for the summer, which has been great! We couldn't be happier with our relationship with the school thus far!!!

The wheels on the bus go round and round...
Katelyn attended preschool for the summer session and it was a great success! There were two sessions offered, one specifically for kids with autism and one "regular" classroom that included kids with IEPs. It was decided at her IEP meeting that she would benefit the most from the regular classroom rather than the autistic classroom because she is so verbal now and she has already come so far with her ABA therapy. Katelyn really enjoyed the summer session and loved riding the school bus! She asks for school (and the school bus) all of the time and is excited to go back! I'm excited for her to start school in the fall also!

In September, she will be attending the same preschool full-time with the same teacher, who is absolutely amazing! She will spend some time in a small group setting and then other times in a larger "regular" classroom with peer models. We are very optimistic that she will have a successful school year!

"Autism Genes" Identified...

Yesterday, researchers declared that two studies have led them to the discovery of certain genes that appear to be associated with autism. It is believed that this genetic link may be responsible for roughly 15% of cases of autism spectrum disorders.

This is a remarkable breakthrough, as it will hopefully allow scientists to learn more about the biological causes of autism and also to develop effective treatment options.

I do believe that some cases of autism are genetic (how can it not be when you have some families with multiple kids on the spectrum), but I also believe that there are environmental factors that "trigger" autism in some children (gluten/casein intolerance/allergy and other food sensitivities, vaccine ingredients, leaky gut syndrome, etc.). This is evident in the fact that many children with autism benefit greatly from various biomedical interventions, such as the GFCF diet (gluten-free, casein-free) and chelation (detoxification of metals from the body). I do hope that they continue to research the environmental causes as well.

This quote from Dr. Hakonarson, the leader of the research study, sums up my feelings on this subject:

"There are going to be many genes involved in causing autism," says Dr. Hakonarson. "In most cases, it’s likely that each gene contributes a small amount of risk, and interacts with other genes and environmental factors to trigger the onset of disease."

Here is a video, followed by some related articles, regarding this recent discovery:

Risk of Autism Tied to Genes that Influence Brain Cell Connections

Autism Genes Discovered; Help Shape Connections Among Brain Cells

What the Autism Gene Finding Means for Parents

Katelyn Sings the ABCs and Happy Birthday!

Katelyn has always had a love of singing, but she never sang the actual words to the songs. Instead, she would either hum or put her own "spin" on the lyrics. For example, she might sing to the tune of "This Old Man," but say, "Swing, swing, swing...swing, swing, swing...car, car, kitty, baby, mama, dada, kitty."

Then on Tuesday afternoon, she started singing the ABCs song all on her own! I was starting to sing, "A, B..." and she took right over and sang the entire song, even with the full ending! I couldn't believe it because just that morning I had told one of her ABA therapists that my next goal was to teach her to sing the ABCs all by herself. As always, Katelyn amazed us all! She also has been singing Happy Birthday to everything as well, almost to the point of it becoming an obsession. Her favorite thing to sing Happy Birthday to is a "triangle," (she says ga-ga-gangle) so every night before bed we sing Happy Birthday to the triangle (any triangle...she isn't picky).

Here is a video that I took of her on Wednesday night. She is singing the ABCs and then she sings Happy Birthday to the "triangle" -- it is really a couch pillow, but she calls them "triangles" because she is obsessed with the corners of the pillows. She knows the correct shape is a square, and will say it if you ask her, but she continues to call them triangles anyway since her latest obsession is finding triangles everywhere. I hope you find this video of Katelyn as entertaining as we do :) And thank you as always for following my blog!

Sensory Overload...

When we first started to suspect that Katelyn had autism, we didn't really think that she had sensory issues. However, all of a sudden it has become very apparent that she definitely has a lot of sensory needs. She becomes overstimulated and will get herself all worked up and then crash hard. She will go from being hyper, laughing and talking a mile a minute, and then all of a sudden she will start crying out of nowhere.

It is very common for kids (and adults) with autism to have difficulty regulating their sensory needs and emotions. A lot of these sensory issues can come about due to environmental factors, such as loud noise or bright lights, but the cause is not always obvious. We are still trying to figure out the triggers for some of Katelyn's behaviors and sensory needs.

There are many ways in which to help a person with autism regulate themselves. For instance, sometimes deep pressure helps, which is the case for Katelyn. She likes hard squeezes and squishes, and to be thrown into the couch or covered in pillows and blankets. For this reason, we have implemented a weighted vest, which helps her to remain calm and focused. We have also ordered a weighted blanket, which is supposed to help with this as well. Katelyn also craves activities such as swinging, jumping on the mini trampoline, bouncing on a large exercise ball, and playing with Play-Doh and beans.

Last Thursday, I began implementing a brushing program to help with Katelyn's sensory regulation. It involves brushing her arms, back, and legs every 2 hours with a special brush, and then following this with joint compressions. So far, it seems to be working wonders! Last week, she was having frequent meltdowns and was unable to focus on her therapy, but this week, she has been doing great! She is sitting at the table and attending once again and is remaining much calmer throughout the day. I also believe that it could have to do with the fact that she is now getting used to her much more demanding schedule.

With autism comes many challenges, only one of which is sensory needs, but by educating ourselves and being willing to try new and different methods, we will find what works for Katelyn.

The Sky is the Limit...

Since the end of January, Katelyn had been getting 7.5 hours of ABA per week. We were on waiting lists for a few different ABA providers, hoping to get more hours added. However, it never seemed to pan out.

Then one day I met another local mother at Katelyn's EI playgroup. Her son also has autism, so we began talking about therapies. I mentioned that Katelyn was only getting 7.5 hours per week, despite the fact that it was recommended that she have 20-25 hours per week (and there have been studies that have shown that 20 hours minimum is the "magic number" for ABA to really be most effective). She gave me the information for the ABA provider that her son uses and she said to give them a call since they had offered her a ton of hours from the start. I immediately called them when I got home and asked if they had availability. They were very responsive and were out within a few days to do an intake on Katelyn. Shortly after, they came out and did an evaluation to see what areas they would need to work on with Katelyn.

Because we absolutely love Katelyn's original ABA therapist, I mentioned to her the fact that we were going to be adding another provider to work with Katelyn, but that we wanted to definitely keep her on as well. She spoke with her director and they actually ended up offering us a few more hours with another therapist also!

So, all in all, Katelyn is now receiving 26 hours per week of ABA, in addition to her 1 hour of speech therapy, 1 hour of occupational therapy, and 1 hour of developmental stimulation through EI. This is a HUGE increase in services and we couldn't be more pleased. And now she has a total of 7 therapists!

She has come so far in such a short time with just the 7.5 hours per week, so we can only imagine how high she will soar now that she is getting even more help. The sky is the limit.

How I feel about the "cure" and Jenny McCarthy...

Last night, Kevin and I watched the interview with Jenny McCarthy and Jim Carrey on Larry King Live. Here is my personal opinion on the autism "cure" and Jenny McCarthy's efforts in the "war on autism."

I do not believe that we can "cure" our children (nor would I actually want to), but that we can "recover" our children and help them be able to function as close to NT as possible.

I personally am not looking for a "cure" for Katelyn. I believe that our ASD children can teach us so much about acceptance and love and seeing the world in a whole new way, and I am grateful that Katelyn has come into my life. I love all of her little quirks and obsessions and things that make her HER, but of course I also wish for ways to help her with sensory issues, social skills, and aggression. So I would definitely welcome something that would help her "recover" from the things that will be roadblocks in her life, but would I want her "cured" -- never. To me, autism is a large part of who she is and I love her just the way she is.

I also agree with Temple Grandin that if we "cure" autism, the world would actually suffer because there would no longer be social misfits with brilliant minds inventing all of the wonderful things like the internet, etc. Everyone would be too busy socializing

But I respect those parents who are desperately looking for a cure for their child. All of us have different experiences with our ASD kids and only we as their parents know what it is like to raise them.

As far as Jenny, I read her book, Louder Than Words, when I was waiting to get Katelyn diagnosed. I really enjoyed her book and it gave me hope in a time of worry and confusion. I do think that it is great that she and Jim Carrey are on a mission to educate people about autism, and that they are fighting the battle, but I do believe that she is a little overboard and one-sided. I do wish that she would be more careful and more open-minded about the fact that not every child can be "cured" or "recovered" in the ways that her son has been. She needs to be looking out for the needs of EVERY child with autism.

Here is PART 1 of the Larry King interview with Jenny and Jim:


If you would like to watch the rest of the interview, click the links below:
PART 2
PART 3
PART 4
PART 5

If you would prefer to read the transcript from the show,CLICK HERE.

Glossary: NT = neurotypical or "normal", ASD = autism spectrum disorder

Happy World Autism Awareness Day!

What is World Autism Awareness Day?

"World Autism Awareness Day shines a bright light on autism as a growing global health crisis. WAAD activities help to increase and develop world knowledge of the autism epidemic and impart information regarding the importance of early diagnosis and early intervention. Additionally, WAAD celebrates the unique talents and skills of persons with autism and is a day when individuals with autism are warmly welcomed and embraced in community events around the globe. By bringing together autism organizations all around the world, we will give a voice to the millions of individuals worldwide who are undiagnosed, misunderstood and looking for help. Please join us in our effort to inspire compassion, inclusion and hope."

http://www.worldautismawarenessday.org/atf/cf/%7B2DB64348-B833-4322-837C-8DD9E6DF15EE%7D/WAAD%20Brochure%20English%20Formatted%20for%20Web.pdf

Facts from the Autism Speaks Website:

Did you know…

1 in 150 children is diagnosed with autism
1 in 94 boys is on the autism spectrum
67 children are diagnosed per day
A new case is diagnosed almost every 20 minutes
More children will be diagnosed with autism this year than with AIDS, diabetes & cancer combined
Autism is the fastest-growing serious developmental disability in the U.S.
Autism costs the nation over $35 billion per year, a figure expected to significantly increase in the next decade
Autism receives less than 5% of the research funding of many less prevalent childhood diseases
Boys are four times more likely than girls to have autism
There is no medical detection or cure for autism

The Red Flags of Autism...

(The following red flags may indicate a child is at risk for atypical development, and is in need of an immediate evaluation.) In clinical terms, there are a few “absolute indicators,” often referred to as “red flags,” that indicate that a child should be evaluated. For a parent, these are the “red flags” that your child should be screened to ensure that he/she is on the right developmental path. If your baby shows any of these signs, please ask your pediatrician or family practitioner for an immediate evaluation:

No big smiles or other warm, joyful expressions by six months or thereafter
No back-and-forth sharing of sounds, smiles, or other facial expressions by nine months or thereafter
No babbling by 12 months
No back-and-forth gestures, such as pointing, showing, reaching, or waving by 12 months
No words by 16 months
No two-word meaningful phrases (without imitating or repeating) by 24 months
Any loss of speech or babbling or social skills at any age

http://www.autismspeaks.org/whatisit/index.php

Click here to view the World Autism Awareness Day Brochure.

What are you going to do to spread awareness about autism?

Walk Now for Autism...

"Team Giraffe's Song" will be participating in the Walk Now for Autism event in Boston, Massachusetts, on October 18, 2009.

Please click here to visit our team page and make a donation. Even if you only have one dollar to spare in these difficult economic times, it is one more dollar that we didn't have before. Every little bit counts.

Thank you, as always, for visiting my blog and reading about our experience with autism.

“Never doubt that a small group of dedicated people could change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” – Margaret Mead

Braids, Barrettes, and Balls...

This morning I decided to braid Katelyn's hair. Katelyn thought it was great and asked for "more braid" and began to pull on her hair. Since she had pulled some strands of hair loose, I decided to put a barrette in her hair. Well, that was all it took to bring out the girly girl in Katelyn! She began demanding more and more barrettes! I finally had to say it was enough because otherwise she would have the entire box of barrettes, clips, and scrunchies in her hair all at once :)

Later on while the girls were napping, I decided to bring up Katelyn's old ball tent/tunnel set that she hasn't seen in about a year. The thing is huge, so I only assembled the ball tent and two tunnels. When the girls got up from their naps, I brought them over to the tent. Katelyn immediately became ecstatic and wanted to get in there and play. Ashley also was very interested, so I plopped her right in the middle of the tent.

The girls had a blast, Ashley sampling every colorful ball and Katelyn going in and out of the tunnels. Katelyn also learned to "shoot hoops" with her bumpy ball.

It is indescribable how rewarding it is to see the girls playing so well together. As Ashley gets older and is able to interact more with Katelyn, Katelyn is becoming more and more interested in her baby sister. And of course, Ashley absolutely adores her big sister; her smile lights up the room when she sees Katelyn. Nothing beats seeing my two girls sharing special moments together, making memories that will last a lifetime.

Caught in the Net (Swing, that is)...

When we first showed Katelyn the net swing, she was afraid of it and wanted nothing to do with it. Then a few days later, she asked for it out of the blue. We quickly hooked it up, not wanting to miss the golden opportunity to have her try it out. Just like I had expected, once she tried it, she loved it!!! Now she requests the net swing even more than her "baby swing" (that is what she calls the toddler swing).

The net swing is perfect for her because she can either sit up or lie down in it like a hammock. She also loves to snuggle with Giraffe while relaxing in the net swing. It seems to calm her down, which is a huge plus because she has been extra "stimmy" lately. Now when she feels the need to swing, she will go and grab either the net swing or the "baby swing" and drag it over. It is so nice to be able to provide her with one of her favorite activities while also serving her sensory needs.

Here are some pictures of Katelyn and Giraffe enjoying the net swing:

Chalkin' It Up...

Today, Katelyn, Ashley and I went to my friend Melissa's house for a playdate with her two daughters, Mia and Megan. Mia is a few months older than Katelyn and Megan is only a few months old. I wasn't sure how Katelyn would be since we hadn't been to Melissa's house in over a year. When we first arrived, Katelyn met their dog, Fenway, and she said, "Tucker," who is her uncle's dog. Then Fenway began licking her face and rubbing her and Katelyn clenched her face and said, "Okay, okay, doggie, okay!" It was the cutest thing.

Katelyn was much more interactive with Mia than I had expected. She even played dinosaurs and blocks with her, and shared some snacks. We then went outside since it was such a beautiful day today. Mia brought out some sidewalk chalk and started drawing on the driveway. Katelyn hadn't used sidewalk chalk before, but she went right over and took a piece and began drawing nonstop for a good while. She used different colors and was really focused. I then asked her to draw a circle and she did, which is huge since she usually only draws straight lines. Then I asked her to draw a heart, square and triangle, and she did those as well!

She and Mia collected sticks and played with the wood chips and then it was time for us to leave. Overall, it was a really great day for all of us!

Swing, Swing, Swing...

Since Katelyn is obsessed with swings, we decided to purchase an indoor swing for her that she can use on a daily basis, since we cannot go to the "boo wing" (blue swings) every day. We ordered the Rainy Day Indoor Playground from http://www.adaptivechild.com/, which specializes in toys and therapeutic items for children with special needs. The main swing is for older children (3+) and is just a piece of canvas material that you sit on, so we also purchased a toddler swing (since Katelyn still needs to be strapped in, and Ashley can also use it) and a net swing. The set also comes with a trapeze bar, but I don't think that will be used anytime soon :)

Katelyn was beside herself with excitement when Dada came home and hooked up her new swing! We had already gone to the blue swings today with Mimi, so this was an extra bonus! Once I saw her on the swing, I knew it was the perfect gift for her. I am absolutely positive that it will be used on a daily, if not hourly, basis.

Here are some pictures of Katelyn enjoying her new swing:

Ashley even got a chance to try it out when Katelyn wasn't looking ;)

Making Music Together...

Since Katelyn loves music and craves rhythms and movement, I have been looking for a music and movement class for her to attend. I had asked around, but no one knew of any local classes. However, after a very quick Google search, I stumbled across a listing for a Music Together class, and the best part about it is that it is right down the street from our house! Also, it is offered at 9:30 on Monday mornings, which is when she normally has her Early Intervention playgroup, but since she will be starting the Tuesday transition playgroup next week, she will no longer need the Monday playgroup. So we are free to take the Music Together class!

The next session starts in April, but we were allowed to try a free demo class this morning to see how Katelyn liked it. Needless to say, she LOVED it! The instructor played the guitar and she also played songs off of a CD. The songs were really fun and the kids really got into the movements. The children also played with a variety of instruments, including bells, tambourines, drums, and more. Most of the class consisted of all of us getting up and moving to the music, walking around in a circle, pretending to be doing certain activities like driving a car or hopping like a bunny, etc. It was really, really great! There was also opportunity for Katelyn to interact with other children, including rolling a ball back and forth, which is a social skill that Katelyn really needs right now. Katelyn even ran to the instructor and sat on her lap and gave her a hug! And she was also approaching other children and parents and saying hi. It was like a miracle! This class couldn't be any more perfect for Katelyn!

After the class was over, the instructor asked if I had any questions. I informed her that Katelyn is autistic and she said that she has had a lot of experience teaching music to autistic children. She also commented that she never would have guessed that Katelyn was autistic because she had excellent eye contact and was very outgoing. Hearing someone tell me that she couldn't believe Katelyn is autistic was the most incredible feeling. Katelyn truly is improving more and more each day, and it is almost scary how rapidly it is happening!

Since Katelyn had such a wonderful experience today, I asked if it would be possible to join the current session instead of waiting until April to start. The instructor said that normally they do not allow this, but that she would make an exception since she could see just how much Katelyn loved the class. She also said that she could tell that Katelyn is very musical. She pro-rated the current session for us since there are only three classes left, and she even came to my house and dropped off the songbook and CD! I also signed Katelyn up for the next session, which is from April to June.

I am so excited that Katelyn will be involved in an activity that she truly will enjoy and learn from. Music is her biggest strength and most cherished interest. We need to cultivate her love of music, and also provide opportunities for social development, so that she can continue to blossom. I believe that this will be an experience that will stay with her for a lifetime.

"Pum at Parpy"...

Today we attended our friends' son's birthday party at a place that had indoor rides and games. Katelyn was very excited and even demonstrated some of her newfound social skills! She made eye contact with a boy her age and even said hi after just a little prompting.

She even wanted to go on some of the rides (with Mama or Dada), which is rare!

She especially loved watching the "animal band" and she danced to the music. She kept saying, "More! More!" when the curtain closed, but luckily they started playing again within seconds.

We had to pry her, and Giraffe, off of the stage!

Overall, it was a really great time. It was nice to not have to leave a party early, and it gives me hope that Katelyn will continue to get more and more used to being around other children, especially in loud places. And she really enjoyed it too. When I was putting her to bed for the night, she said, "Pum at Parpy," which was her way of saying that she had fun at the party. It truly made my day to hear her say that. I am now hopeful that we will have many more "pum" days at "parpies" in the future :)