Possible help for Autism

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Princess is improving all the time. Her one teacher actually said she's amazing. Yesterday, DH called me at work to tell me something exciting. I've asked him not to call at a certain time but he couldn't wait. He called to tell me that after asking Princess if mama made the cookies for her, she said "mama" and then ran off laughing. We haven't heard many words from her in months. I could almost say she hasn't really spoke anything in months except jibberish. Maybe one day she will just start talking but until then we will communicate with sign language and pictures.

I haven't gotten very far on her picture book. I have the binder, the pictures, and the velcro. I have even went into her classroom to see how they made their book. The teachers gave me some good ideas. I will start with only things she likes to do and things she likes to eat. I'm also going to take pictures of places we go so I can show her where we're going before we leave. I have to get it done before we get more kids!

We got a call yesterday (DH did), from the agency, about a sibling group of four. We don't know exactly how old they are but we believe they are between the ages of 6 months and 6 years. The oldest is the only one in school. We know it's a mix of boys and girls but we're not sure how many of each. We are taking them in on Monday some time. Monday is going to be really busy.

We have decided to throw Little Prince a birthday party for his third birthday. We don't know if he's ever had a birthday party before but hopefully he will remember this one for a while. I have invited two friends from work that have children about his age. Even though the party will be a few days after his actually birthday, it will still be great for him. I think I will try to make a Mickey Mouse cake and get some balloons. I will have to make some GFCF cupcakes for Princess. I figure I can freeze all but two them to keep for later. Anyway, I have a lot of stuff to do next week.

Hopefully DH and I can get the rest of the stuff out of our house we are trying to sell. The realitor told us we should either lower the price or do some painting. The house is in good shape but I painted in colors we like and they are not neutral. The living room is dark green and the master bedroom is kind of a pink/mauve color. So I will try to get over there in the middle of the week to paint those two rooms at least.

Another Step

We are very pleased with the results from giving Princess Vitamin D and Probiotics. She has been taking them for about a week. She seems to be thinking clearer and not looking so blank. This morning she spilled her juice and when DH told her it was an accident, before he could reach for paper towels, she grabbed a towel and started to clean it up off the floor! This a big thing for her. The other night I heard her up at about 3am. When I went up to see what she was doing, she had taken her wet pullup off, put a clean one and put on a pair of sweat pants. Of course I made go back to bed but I couldn't believe she did that. She's not whining as much when we remind her to go potty. She even puts her bowl or plate in the sink when she's finished with a meal. Yesterday after breakfast she figured out how to carry her plate, fork and sippy cup to the sink at the same time by holding her sippy cup in her mouth. She just seems to be "thinking" more.

She immitates every hand movement I make when I talk to her. DH and I really need to learn more sign language so we can teach her. I think when she immitates my hand movements, she thinks I'm doing a sign. I did get the pictures, for her picture book, printed. I just have to get them laminated. There is always something to do.

The weather has been really wintery in the last few days. We got several inches of snow. That didn't stop us from trying to take the twins for their RSV shots. We actually got half way there and were told we shouldn't go any further. We stopped at a local store to fix the windshield wipers and that's how we found out State Troopers were giving out $50 fines if you got pulled over. Needless to say, we turned around and rescheduled the girl's appointment. Honestly, the roads weren't that bad.

Much to tell...

Wow, I didn't realize that it's been almost two weeks since I wrote anything. Nothing much has changed. Princess has good days and bad. The last few days have been pretty good. She's been giving me a lot of attention with hugs, kisses and smiles. She's been using one of the magnet picture I put on the refrigerator. She wanted to play with the piano the other day and I told her she had to ask. So I showed her the music magnet. After that she would bring me the magnet a couple times a day to play on the piano. DH told me today that he bets she could be taught how to play. At first she just hit the keys with either her fingers or her arms but after I told her she had to use her fingers, that's all she did. Some other good things lately is she went to the potty at least three times yesterday without being asked and her and Little Prince have been watching movies and playing together nicely.

I peeked into his room one afternoon to see what they were doing. They were sitting in one bean bag together watching a movie. It was so cute. Then last evening I heard them giggling in her room and I went to check on them. He was laying on the floor and she was sitting on him. Usually it's the other way around. They wrestle together but usually he is the one that pulls her down and sits on her. She is definitely acting more like an older sister should. Little Prince gave her a kiss and a hug at bedtime and she smiled. In the past, she just layed there.

Little Prince has started this thing with not wanting to wear a diaper but he's not good enough about using the potty to wear big boy underware. It was so funny..a few days ago he said he had to go potty so we ran into the bathroom and I pulled down his pjs and took his dry diaper off to sit him up on the potty (chair on top). I told him to stay there until I came back. I was gone less than a minute when he met me in the hall with his pjs up. I asked him if he had a diaper on (like I didn't know the answer??). He said "No" and tore off toward the livingroom. He's fast and hard to catch. I picked him up and said "oh no you don't, you have to have a diaper on until you start telling me you have to go potty". I short time later he did the same thing! He so funny me makes us laugh a lot. He also amazes us about how much he remembers and the things he says.

Yesterday he was laying on the couch with me (I was unusually tired...other story), and he looked up at me, before he gave me a kiss, and said "I'm so happy". I thought that was amazing for a two year old to say. I just didn't expect it.

Wednesday I took both the kids to the zoo for treat or treat. We went with my friend, her husband and their little boy. We all had fun. Little Prince was a lion and Princess was a pumpkin. I wanted her to be a lamb or Dorothy but I couldn't find a costume. I was glad she wasn't Dorothy by the time we left the zoo. There were a lot of Dorothy's. The zoo was set up really neat. They had different areas set up with different themes. First there was Shreck and Theona. I don't remember the rest of the order but I got a picture of our little lion with some of the Wizard of Oz characters. I took lots of pictures to keep for the kids and to show DH since he was home sick. Little Prince wasn't scared of anyone. He would run right up to the characters with his bag open. He even walked right up to the Davey Jones Locker dude and he was kind of scary. The only thing that was kind of disappointing was they didn't get much candy. We thought that every character should have been giving out something but it was only about 10 booths that had anything. I don't think the kids cared, they don't usually get very much candy anyway and Princess doesn't get anything but an occasional sucker.

Princess is doing real good on the GFCF diet. I have gotten used to make my own bread and having home made pancakes in the freezer. One thing that we are concerned about is her elevated lead level. They had there first doctor check up a few days ago. The doctor was really nice and examined them thoroughly and also ran a CBC (blood test). They told me I could wait for the results but Princess was upset from the exam so we left. The nurse told me she would call only if they found something unusual. She called the house before I even got home. DH told me they found an elevated lead level. That 3.0 and under was perfect but Princess' level was 7.0. She also said they don't do anything until it's a 10. Does that make sense? Should we try to detox her ourselves or have her tested later? What if it's effecting her learning?

What the #$%!!

Princess has regressed! The other day, when I picked her up from day care, the daycare owner told me what she gave Princess for lunch...she gave her chicken nuggets! I don't know if that was what made her regress or if it happened more resently. I have a feeling that she was given the wrong food yesterday. I don't really trust the lady from yesterday. I have a feeling she doesn't really care what she feeds Princess as long as it's easy. Little Prince told me they had hot dogs. So did she feed Princess hot dogs with the buns. Anyway, Princess is back to flapping her arms, spinning, babbling..the whole 9 yards. She even cries when I try to get her to go in the potty. We are keeping them home until Friday, both DH and I have to work. I have to work next weekend but that will be the last time they go to daycare.


DH and I have decided it would be for the best if Princess and Little Prince don't go to daycare anymore. We will just have to work our schedules out so one of us will be home with them. It will also save us about $1000 a month and we will be able to control her food better. Plus, the owner said we should call her if we ever need daycare for a day. I think Little Prince will miss it at first but will get used to it (kind of like his bio-mom).

They had another parental visit this week. Little Prince walked right by mom again to play with the puzzles. Then walked by her again to go to the area they visit in (supervised). Princess wouldn't give her a kiss, at the end of the visit, when asked. I'm not sure, but I think that was their last visit.

Little Prince's parents are thinking about voluntarily giving up parental rights. They have until next month to decide and if they don't, the court hearings will begin. I think if the mom gives up Little Prince, she will give up Princess too. They know we love them and they love us and we can give them a good home. I'm really hoping it happens soon so we can exhale.