What a week, what a week, what a week!!
My husband has been at the Autism Treatment Center of America for the past 6 days learning all about the Son Rise program. I am super happy that he went and can't wait to hear all about his time away. The Autism Treatment Center is such an amazing place. There is something so calming, peaceful, and healing there. We don't have many opportunities to be surrounded by other parents that understand what we are going through. At The Autism Treatment Center you are surrounded by people that understand and want to help their children.
I can't wait for Brandon to get home and starting working with Hayden. I am excited to see the changes that have happened in Brandon while he was gone. I must admit I am most excited for him to come home and take back his "jobs" I do NOT like dealing with the trash, recycling, laundry, and checkbook. I did his jobs and I must say I did them well, but I am DONE with them and they are all ready for him to take back!!!
This week we added two more volunteers. We have a total of EIGHT volunteers, that is right EIGHT volunteers!!!!! It is amazing you ask for help and people help you. Why didn't I learn how to ask for help sooner. With Brandon and myself we are a team of ten. I need to come up with a name for Hayden's team. I would love to hear some ideas for a team name!!
I am getting positive feedback from our volunteers. Hayden's eye contact is improving quickly. He is giving complete strangers eye contact and giving me eye contact about 80% of the time now. His using language a lot more too. He said to Ruby as she climbed the barstools this week to, "Be careful Ruby." Hayden is also using more specific words. Instead of saying "help please" he will say "open the door I want a snack" or "more" he says exactly what he wants more of.
I am also seeing him being more affectionate and interactive with others. Hayden gets so excited when his volunteers come to play with him. He loves being in his playroom with them. As soon as they walk in the door he starts saying let's play. I am getting hugs and kisses on a daily basis with out even asking for them.
I am excited for the future and in love with the present. What a gift it is to watch your children grow and develop. I seriously love being Hayden and Ruby's Mommy. They bring so much joy to my life.
Friday, September 30, 2011
Friday, September 16, 2011
Pieces of Us: Today was a good day :)
Pieces of Us: Today was a good day :): I must say that this was over all a rough week for us. I was in a crapy mood and have felt so run down for the past week. Hayden has been ...
Today was a good day :)
I must say that this was over all a rough week for us. I was in a crapy mood and have felt so run down for the past week. Hayden has been tantruming and I have not been my normal tolerant, patient self with him. I feel like we have fed off of each others issues all week.
I must say that as I type this I am breathing deep and letting it all go. Today is a new day after all and I am not perfect nor do I want to be :) Some pretty amazing things happened for us this week too.
We had Hayden's first Son-Rise team meeting. I can not even express how great full and excited for all the people that have stepped forward and are going to work with Hayden. I feel that we are all on the same page and believe in Hayden's recovery. I am thrilled to say that Hayden has 33 hours scheduled in the playroom next week!!!! Yahoo, Yippie, Yahoo!!!!!! Can you feel my excitement? I think we are going to meet my goal of 8-12 hours of therapy a day for Hayden in the next six months. Now to get some more volunteers!
I posted 15 volunteer wanted signs around town this week, placed an ad on the local cable station, in contact with Easter Seals, and the local newspaper is going to do an article on us. I still need to contact the local colleges.
Hayden had a good check up at the Carmel Clinic. Well his behavior there was horrible but the lab results were good. His lead levels dropped from 9.1 to 5.9, and arsenic went from 33 down to 19. He also grew another 2 inches :) That is 4 inches in 10 weeks!! Hayden would not cooperate for a accurate weight. I am proud to say that we have finally outgrown 2T's and is wearing 4T's in a lot of things.
The majority of the week Hayden has slept 9-10 hours a night. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this :)
Today was a nice ending to a crummy mood of a week. Hayden woke up at 4:30 this morning. For some odd reason I woke up in a good mood even though it was 4:30 am. I got us around and we got in hbot. Something truly amazing happened in Hayden's hyperbaric chamber today!! We were laying there side by side reading a book together. When I finished the book I hugged Hayden and he hugged me back :) He squeezed me with all his might. It was the most amazing hug a Mom can receive. A calmness ran through me and I felt as though Hayden truly connected to me and was embracing my presence.
There was a time when Hayden would scream and tense up when I touched him. We have slowly, but surely gotten to the point we are today. I look forward to many more hugs from Hayden.
After we got out of hbot we made waffles together and waited for Daddy and Ruby to get up to have breakfast together. We talked about going to the zoo and I congratulated Hayden many times for all the eye contact he was giving me.
As we pulled into the zoo parking lot I asked the kids where we were. Hayden said,"At the zoo." I then asked the kids what we were going to see and Hayden said, "Bill the Lion." Yep, that was a full loop conversation and I almost wrecked the truck into some handicapped elderly people taking in the "conversation" I just had with Hayden.
We were at the zoo all day today and had a great time. We pretend to swim like sharks, fly like bats, and hop like frogs. I must say I got some pretty strange looks when I was hopping around and sticking my tongue out like a frog with the kids ;) We rode the log ride, carousel, and train. The kids were both so excited to ride the rides. Hayden use to freak out at the thought of it. Then came the bird area.....my least favorite.
I bird seriously flew at me and brushed my shoulder. I am terrified of birds and I screamed, ran, and left my poor kids in the dust. Once I calmed down and located my kids a bird flew over us and it pooped on the ground right in front of us. Ruby then starts screaming it pooped 500 times while grabbing her crotch. I think Hayden wanted to pretend like he didn't know us (I don't blame him). We exited the bird area pretty quickly after that.
We came home had dinner and then I filled the bath tub with a ton of bubbles. I decided that we would all take a bubble bath together. I must say it was a lot of fun. There were bubbles everywhere and I think the neighbors could hear us laughing and carrying on.
Before I knew it, it was bedtime and the kids both were happy to go to bed tonight. I must say today was pretty amazing :)
Hayden giving me great eye contact and ribbiting like a frog.
Ruby loved the boots
Hayden was getting tired of waiting on Ruby trying on the boots.
Ruby was telling me where it's nose was. I asked her where his belly was and she looked at where the belly is at and gave me a dirty look.
I must say that as I type this I am breathing deep and letting it all go. Today is a new day after all and I am not perfect nor do I want to be :) Some pretty amazing things happened for us this week too.
We had Hayden's first Son-Rise team meeting. I can not even express how great full and excited for all the people that have stepped forward and are going to work with Hayden. I feel that we are all on the same page and believe in Hayden's recovery. I am thrilled to say that Hayden has 33 hours scheduled in the playroom next week!!!! Yahoo, Yippie, Yahoo!!!!!! Can you feel my excitement? I think we are going to meet my goal of 8-12 hours of therapy a day for Hayden in the next six months. Now to get some more volunteers!
I posted 15 volunteer wanted signs around town this week, placed an ad on the local cable station, in contact with Easter Seals, and the local newspaper is going to do an article on us. I still need to contact the local colleges.
Hayden had a good check up at the Carmel Clinic. Well his behavior there was horrible but the lab results were good. His lead levels dropped from 9.1 to 5.9, and arsenic went from 33 down to 19. He also grew another 2 inches :) That is 4 inches in 10 weeks!! Hayden would not cooperate for a accurate weight. I am proud to say that we have finally outgrown 2T's and is wearing 4T's in a lot of things.
The majority of the week Hayden has slept 9-10 hours a night. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this :)
Today was a nice ending to a crummy mood of a week. Hayden woke up at 4:30 this morning. For some odd reason I woke up in a good mood even though it was 4:30 am. I got us around and we got in hbot. Something truly amazing happened in Hayden's hyperbaric chamber today!! We were laying there side by side reading a book together. When I finished the book I hugged Hayden and he hugged me back :) He squeezed me with all his might. It was the most amazing hug a Mom can receive. A calmness ran through me and I felt as though Hayden truly connected to me and was embracing my presence.
There was a time when Hayden would scream and tense up when I touched him. We have slowly, but surely gotten to the point we are today. I look forward to many more hugs from Hayden.
After we got out of hbot we made waffles together and waited for Daddy and Ruby to get up to have breakfast together. We talked about going to the zoo and I congratulated Hayden many times for all the eye contact he was giving me.
As we pulled into the zoo parking lot I asked the kids where we were. Hayden said,"At the zoo." I then asked the kids what we were going to see and Hayden said, "Bill the Lion." Yep, that was a full loop conversation and I almost wrecked the truck into some handicapped elderly people taking in the "conversation" I just had with Hayden.
We were at the zoo all day today and had a great time. We pretend to swim like sharks, fly like bats, and hop like frogs. I must say I got some pretty strange looks when I was hopping around and sticking my tongue out like a frog with the kids ;) We rode the log ride, carousel, and train. The kids were both so excited to ride the rides. Hayden use to freak out at the thought of it. Then came the bird area.....my least favorite.
I bird seriously flew at me and brushed my shoulder. I am terrified of birds and I screamed, ran, and left my poor kids in the dust. Once I calmed down and located my kids a bird flew over us and it pooped on the ground right in front of us. Ruby then starts screaming it pooped 500 times while grabbing her crotch. I think Hayden wanted to pretend like he didn't know us (I don't blame him). We exited the bird area pretty quickly after that.
We came home had dinner and then I filled the bath tub with a ton of bubbles. I decided that we would all take a bubble bath together. I must say it was a lot of fun. There were bubbles everywhere and I think the neighbors could hear us laughing and carrying on.
Before I knew it, it was bedtime and the kids both were happy to go to bed tonight. I must say today was pretty amazing :)
My sweet Ruby.....when did she get so grown up?
Ruby LOVES hippos, even ones that look like trashcans :)
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