AI program

We are looking at putting tristan in our county's AI program:
http://www.inghamisd.org/schools/ai_program.html

there's an opening and since tristan wil be four soon, we can look at
different options for him, other than the special needs preschool
class he's in.

This will offer a full day of instruction, and will be in an area
school, with bussing provided by his home district

They say it's an intensive program and most kids don't need to
continue through 5th grade full day and most are able to function in a
regular classroom within a few years

I have my fingers crossed that all goes well

I visit it next Tuesday.

I'm pretty amazed at how he seems to get into these programs with
limited openings.

the fall after he was in Early On, they got him in preschool at not
quite 3 (the law says 2.5 but usually they wait until the child is 3
unless they believe education will be beneficial earlier) and he got
into a limited seat summer program so he had school all summer, and
now this. I am pleased. They keep saying that a lot of things he does
are really good signs (like being able to tell between skittles and an
m&m wrapper). I'm hopeful but cautious.

I've read that usually real intensive 40hr/week therapy is needed for
progress in kids like him and usually it's better started earlier, as
in the 2-3 range rather than the 4 yr old range, but they seem to
think he will be a kid that will be able to progress significantly in
this program. I really hope so. I know he's bright but it's all
internal and hard for people to see. He likes school so much, I'm
hoping for the best. I also like that even for the lower developed
kids, they still attempt to integrate them with neurotypical children
for at least a few minutes.

they also apparently frequently take trips to the haslett high school
pool. and he loves loves loves to swim. so that is good. The school he
was at in the summer I think had an on site pool so he went there
frequently and I'd get notes on how he loves to swim - I know this of
course from his time in the bathtub and his tendency to try to jump in
the pool at grandpa's - I remember him jumping in the deep end once
and he kept himself afloat for the fraction of a second before my
husband leaped in faster than I've ever seen him move to grab him. and
at a low depth family pool we went to with his godmom he was just
jumping under water. it as great.

I know I said part of me feels like this is another lets get tristan
outta here but it's better for him so even if it is it's okay (he
switched teachers from last school year, but I think that was
partially because his teacher's classroom was changing)

part of me also wonders about that I asked at his IEP in Oct if he
should get any additional therapy of any sort, and they said no, what
was at his school is fine, but maybe that was partially because they
were hoping to get him in this program that will provide what he
needs.

all my fingers are crossed. I want the best for him. and I want him to
be happy and school seems to make him happy.

tristan & stuff

haven't posted much about the kids lately. and the one person who
reads the regularly will know about this stuff already anyway.

tristan has said "alu" and "alu-oo, mom" recently, when giving a hug.
the alu or alu-oo has been around awhile (it's "I love you" as one
word, and probably means "hug!"). But, alu-oo, mom is putting two
words together.

and trister is looking at a possible spot in a full day school for
autistic children. yay! he'll go back to his main school once he meets
"certain developmental milestones," whatever that means.

He gets to go there in January, assuming everything runs smoothly,
since he's going to 4. It'd be nice if the age for such programs was
lower, as I've heard earlier intervention is better done earlier.

spam posting bout lily now

(well I'm not spam posting on lily's blog since I think the last few
posts that mentioned her didn't get sent there I'm spam posting on the
main blog with all of us)

anyway.

she stayed w/ a friend while neal went a hunting and I learned....

SHE WILL FALL ASLEEP IN HER PLAYPEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(we don't have room for a crib)

WaHooooooooooooooooooooooo!

:D

and now tristan's gonna climb in and wake her up. actually I think he
thought about it saw her sleeping and changed his mind. but it still
woke her up.

oh, and one more thing on tristan

not sure if I mentioned this here but he's been copying his sister's
bledder bledder bleh, I guess cause he sees us doing it back and forth
with her and getting so excited (we get excited with him too but I
guess it's easier for him if he's observing us w/ her)

so she's like waving if you say hello, esp if you wave at her

so I'm doing that more anamatedly, since the school is working on
getting him to wave

communication.

last week, I think maybe on Friday, I pointed towards the bus as he
was contemplating the playground and he walked toward it.

Today I came and picked him up from daycare, and held his hand instead
of picking him up.

One of the teachers there asked for a hug before he left, he turned
towards her but hesitated (I interpretted that as yes I want a hug but
don't take me from mommy, I'm ready to go home)

When we got out of the fence (he'd been outside), I directed him
towards the car and asked him where he goes.

Initially he hesitated. then I turned him towards the car again and
asked again. I then put my hand in his and he took me to the door and
brought my hand towards the handle..

When we got home I held his hand and took him w/ me to check the mail
(the boxes are under a stairwell) He just danced around nearby (did
not take off) while I checked the mail.

I then took his hand and we walked towards our apartment. he pulled
back until I switched so he was just holding my finger, instead of
holding hands. I then let go as we stood in front of the door and
asked him to go in. I opened the screen door, he did not take off, I
opened the inside door and he went right in (he usually tries to run
around outside when we are heading home, if he's awake enough).

Then I had come out of the bathroom, and he decided he wanted a bath
so after I'd closed the door he took my hand and then put it on the
knob :)

fishy

he's had I don't know how many shower/baths today - basically cause
I'm being lazy and he loves it - um, like um it's water therapy - ya
that's it ;)

exhausting

I just had to jump up and down singing and dancing and clapping to
keep the little ones from crying while waiting for Lola to get out of
the shower so I could put Tristan in.

Poop.

Poop.

Poop.

poop. poop. poop.

That's the last time I say my son doesn't do something that people say
autistic kids do. I swear every time I do, he starts it up (I said he
didn't smear back when he was first diagnosed. but then, he was only
2.5 then, bout a year or so ago - god it feels like ages).

I get to clean the bathtub.

again.

I cleaned it out this morning....

I guess it's better in the bathtub than in his bedroom. or on my bed.

wait time

at his iep we discussed wait time (this was like oct 27)

we had noticed that according to the notes that got sent home, he was following directions at his summer school after 2 prompts, but didn't appear to be doing that here

the summer school class had all autistic children and had 4 hrs vs 2.5 hrs

they figured the summer school was probably giving him more time to respond and therefore caught him following directions.

they recommended at the iep giving him wait time.

so he was sitting across from me the other night wasn't playing w/ anything really and kept looking at me.

so I clapped my hands, held my arms out (he used to come running as soon as I did this) and said hug, slowly over and over again, while keeping my arms out and looking at him.

He eventually grinned at me got up and came over for a hug.

tried I think later that evening or the next day and it didn't work but he had something he was playing with and Lily was trying to hug me at the same time. He did look up at me and grin, which indicates he acknowledged the request, I think.


Oh, and at the iep, they said the couple of times it sounded like he was saying my name, probably was my name :)

high chair

mommy's hand on try = more food

mommy's hand on side = let me out!

:)

Halloween

HPIM0916
Originally uploaded by navidoll.

(the description in the photo describes the same)

Tristan doesn't seem to get it.

We'd go up to the houses, he'd get all excited. and get mad when he didn't get to go in or couldn't bury his face in the candy bowl they held out to him.

He did seem to like dancing on the decks, when they had decks, and he was very interested in scary decorations.

When we were wrapping things up, we were tired, so we let Lola go up to the houses across the street from where we were and we watched her go, with the strollers kept with us. Lola always got some candy for Tristan (when she stops and thinks, she's the most considerate little girl, she just doesn't always stop and think).

We hadn't had him strapped in the stroller, as we'd been getting him out and walking him up to the doorsteps earlier. So after once or twice watching Lola go up and get candy, he decided to copy her, got up out of the stroller, grabbed my hand, and let me walk him across the street.

He did get mad again when we skipped a house she'd gone to so we could catch up though.