Full of surprises!

I took a few days off from the computer. I just needed a bit of a break. I was spending almost every spare moment of my time researching/talking/chatting about autism and therapies. It can really start to run your life after a while. This week was full of surprises though.

Tuesday I met with our new case manager to discuss Nicholas. She asked a few generic questions(ones that we have been asked by everyone who evals him-you can imagine how many times that has been). As far as therapies goes, I was basically told to just look in the phone book and find some that would take our insurance. UGH! So I looked. I could not find anything for behavioral therapy. I have scoured over the internet to find people...I managed to find one Occupational therapist in our area and I plan on calling her on Monday. They have programs for autism-they are just located in places like Seattle,Bremerton, and Spokane has tons of them. Since gas has gone over $3 a gallon, we are not looking to be driving that far. This is where "autism" can take over your life. Finding any therapy that boasts some success.

One of Nick's obsessions that we could live without is opening/closing windows. He will find any way he can to get to one. He is also obsessed with the screen that is on the other side of the window. He was in the playroom on Wed evening playing with the window and screen, and he managed to rip the bottom of the screen out. I pulled into the driveway to find Nick halfway out the window. I yelled "Nick NO!" and he pulled himself up and into the house. He works his way past the locks, and the rubber stopper is no match when he really gets to going.

He ate a Ritz cracker today!!!! I know this is small potatoes to most, but Nick has been on a ban from eating anything solid since the beginning of the year. Not even his beloved goldfish crackers have touched his lips for a couple of months. Today, he ate a handful of Ritz crackers-oh the joy!!

Tonight was a special night for daddy as well. Nick crawled up onto the couch and sat next to daddy. Not only did he sit with him, but he kind of curled himself into daddy's side and watched some TV. Mike was so happy-Nick had also not done this for months, and Mike was more than happy to resume this activity again. He loves it when Nick gets "comfy" on the couch and just for a few minutes seems to be at total peace with himself. He is not twirling,spinning, or doing anything out of the ordinary...he is just a boy relaxing on the couch. Tonight at bathtime, he even managed to put two words together on his very own. They were "Michael No!". He even used them correctly when Michael was trying to put a toy fish where Nick already had one. Nick wanted that fish to be the "only" fish in that spot, so he said "Michael No!" Like I said, this week was full of surprises! I just hope they keep on coming!