Also, I'm signed up to attend an all-day "Law Day" tomorrow, put on by TACA. This will help prepare me for Nate's IEP (individualized education program) process with the school district, which has already started.
Friday, February 29, 2008
IFSP to IEP
I just had Lucy's IFSP (individualized family service plan) meeting this morning. At this stage, it's just a formality, really--I just signed some papers--and now her services will start through Regional Center. Now I will schedule her 2 hours per week with Cornerstone (1 hour PT, half hour OT, half hour "infant stim").
Also, I'm signed up to attend an all-day "Law Day" tomorrow, put on by TACA. This will help prepare me for Nate's IEP (individualized education program) process with the school district, which has already started.
Also, I'm signed up to attend an all-day "Law Day" tomorrow, put on by TACA. This will help prepare me for Nate's IEP (individualized education program) process with the school district, which has already started.
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Another nice week
We're having a nice week so far, enjoying the gorgeous weather. We had a picnic at the park again yesterday but didn't stay long because it was actually too hot!
As you can see, I put some new pictures at the top of the blog. The one of Nate and Lucy hugging comes from a series I took the other day when they were being so cute together:
As you can see, I put some new pictures at the top of the blog. The one of Nate and Lucy hugging comes from a series I took the other day when they were being so cute together:
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Week in pictures
Nate at the park--he finally figured out that last climbing structure and was so proud of himself.
Lucy pulling up
"Whoa! I'm amazing!"
Nate waiting on the porch for Daddy to take him to "school" on Wednesday--their special morning.
Lucy pulling up
"Whoa! I'm amazing!"
Nate waiting on the porch for Daddy to take him to "school" on Wednesday--their special morning.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Cute vocab
Nate's current funny pronunciations:
armit = "awmpick"
the letter W = "double-woo"
heart = "hawp"
peekaboo = "geekyboo"
okay = "otay" (a classic)
Lucy = "Weesy" or "Wissy," though he's starting to say "Woocy"
When I told him this morning that I was holding Daddy's suit jacket, he repeated, "Soup jacket."
Sweet boy!
Edit to add some more:
elevator = "evegator"
baby Lincoln (new baby in our church) = "baby Winkin"
Another favorite I just remembered: the number 15 = "five-teen"
armit = "awmpick"
the letter W = "double-woo"
heart = "hawp"
peekaboo = "geekyboo"
okay = "otay" (a classic)
Lucy = "Weesy" or "Wissy," though he's starting to say "Woocy"
When I told him this morning that I was holding Daddy's suit jacket, he repeated, "Soup jacket."
Sweet boy!
Edit to add some more:
elevator = "evegator"
baby Lincoln (new baby in our church) = "baby Winkin"
Another favorite I just remembered: the number 15 = "five-teen"
Favorite meal: taco soup
This taco soup recipe has been a mainstay in the Varela household (though I haven't made it lately). It is so easy and so good, and I often have nearly all of the ingredients on hand.
Taco soup (modified from a crock pot recipe book)
1 lb. ground beef or ground turkey (I use the entire 1.25 lb. package of 99% lean ground turkey from the grocery store)
1/2 cup chopped onion (sometimes I use more)
28-oz. can whole tomatoes with juice
14-oz. can kidney beans with juice
14-oz. can black beans with juice
17-oz. can corn with juice (not creamed corn... I made that mistake once)
8-oz. can tomato sauce (I use the larger size can tomato sauce to make up for the extra meat)
2 packages dry taco seasoning (one hot envelope and one mild envelope, but you may vary this)
Brown beef (turkey) and onions in skillet. Toward end of browning, mix in a packet of hot taco seasoning. Drain if needed. Combine all ingredients (including second seasoning packet) in large pot. Cover and heat to bubbling, then uncover, turn heat super low, and let simmer for as long as desired (sometimes I cook for 20 minutes, sometimes a couple of hours). Stir occasionally.
Notes: Sometimes I stir in an 8-oz. can of tomato paste to thicken it a bit and add some zest. I serve with shredded cheese, tortilla chips to break on top (Jon uses Fritos), sour cream, avocado, etc. The soup saves and reheats really well too. I've made the soup lots of different ways and it always turns out great--sometimes I don't have one of the beans on hand or I add in a different kind of bean like garbanzo.
Taco soup (modified from a crock pot recipe book)
1 lb. ground beef or ground turkey (I use the entire 1.25 lb. package of 99% lean ground turkey from the grocery store)
1/2 cup chopped onion (sometimes I use more)
28-oz. can whole tomatoes with juice
14-oz. can kidney beans with juice
14-oz. can black beans with juice
17-oz. can corn with juice (not creamed corn... I made that mistake once)
8-oz. can tomato sauce (I use the larger size can tomato sauce to make up for the extra meat)
2 packages dry taco seasoning (one hot envelope and one mild envelope, but you may vary this)
Brown beef (turkey) and onions in skillet. Toward end of browning, mix in a packet of hot taco seasoning. Drain if needed. Combine all ingredients (including second seasoning packet) in large pot. Cover and heat to bubbling, then uncover, turn heat super low, and let simmer for as long as desired (sometimes I cook for 20 minutes, sometimes a couple of hours). Stir occasionally.
Notes: Sometimes I stir in an 8-oz. can of tomato paste to thicken it a bit and add some zest. I serve with shredded cheese, tortilla chips to break on top (Jon uses Fritos), sour cream, avocado, etc. The soup saves and reheats really well too. I've made the soup lots of different ways and it always turns out great--sometimes I don't have one of the beans on hand or I add in a different kind of bean like garbanzo.
Monday, February 18, 2008
A bit of cool news
As I was telling Jon about this tonight, I realized I hadn't posted about it on here yet.
I spoke to Nate's ABA supervisor therapist on Thursday at my weekly meeting with her, and she told me that, in Nate's January evaluation, he tested at age level for receptive language and cognition! Age level! Just over a year ago, he had a greater than 50% delay in speech/language development (both receptive and expressive) and 47% delay in cognition.
We are so proud of our son and so thankful to God!
I spoke to Nate's ABA supervisor therapist on Thursday at my weekly meeting with her, and she told me that, in Nate's January evaluation, he tested at age level for receptive language and cognition! Age level! Just over a year ago, he had a greater than 50% delay in speech/language development (both receptive and expressive) and 47% delay in cognition.
We are so proud of our son and so thankful to God!
New autism blog
I've set up a new public blog where I'm going to repost all of my autism-related stuff. I'll still post everything here, too, but now this public blog can be a place I point people to when they ask about what we've done for Nate. (I'm finding that sending invitations to our family blog is cumbersome.) I'm letting you know so you can tell friends too if you find the need! :)
My autism blog (treatingautism.wordpress.com)
My autism blog (treatingautism.wordpress.com)
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Picnics & pictures
Today's weather is perfect by my standards: upper 60s, very slight breeze, and sunny without a cloud in the sky. Yesterday was similar though a bit windier, and so both days I've packed lunch and had a picnic at the park with the kids. Yesterday was the park up the hill from us, and today was the park down the hill. And either Nate is growing up, or being outside makes him more compliant, because he ate everything I gave to him (trail mix with raisins, nuts, and seeds; lots of blueberries; banana; GF chips). That's huge. Lucy ate everything I gave to her (an entire hot dog--peeled, blueberries, peach chips, Cheerios, banana), too, but that's normal. :)
I got in a craft mood this week, and I always feel so accomplished when I take advantage of those moods and break out the sewing machine or scrapbook stuff. So I made two headbands for Lucy. They were sort of a trial run using fabrics I already had on hand. If they end up staying on and she doesn't mind them, I might find more cute fabrics and make more. I also made one for me using the light pink striped fabric, and it turned out OK. (It was the first one I made, so I made all my mistakes with that one.) Here are pictures:
From last night: Daddy's home!
Lucy has been putting everything in her mouth this week, sometimes carrying things around that way like my friend Casey's son used to do all the time.
And since there are so many pictures of Lucy, here's one of Nate this week (the quality is bad, but it's my only one):
Ok, and a random thought: I wish that, in addition to "remove red eye," our computer software also came with "erase runny nose." :)
I got in a craft mood this week, and I always feel so accomplished when I take advantage of those moods and break out the sewing machine or scrapbook stuff. So I made two headbands for Lucy. They were sort of a trial run using fabrics I already had on hand. If they end up staying on and she doesn't mind them, I might find more cute fabrics and make more. I also made one for me using the light pink striped fabric, and it turned out OK. (It was the first one I made, so I made all my mistakes with that one.) Here are pictures:
From last night: Daddy's home!
Lucy has been putting everything in her mouth this week, sometimes carrying things around that way like my friend Casey's son used to do all the time.
And since there are so many pictures of Lucy, here's one of Nate this week (the quality is bad, but it's my only one):
Ok, and a random thought: I wish that, in addition to "remove red eye," our computer software also came with "erase runny nose." :)
Friday, February 15, 2008
Favorite meal: lemon poppy chicken
I just have to share one of my new favorite recipes with you. I love one-dish meals, and though this one is a little bit more labor-intensive than some of the other ones I make, it is definitely worth it.
Rachel Ray's Lemon Poppy Chicken with Mint and Green Pea Couscous
Serves 4
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil (4 times around the pan)
1.5 pounds thin chicken breast cutlets, cut into bite-size dice (I use my regular Costco chicken breasts)
Flour, for dredging
Salt and black pepper
Zest of 2 lemons
2 T poppy seeds (this always seems a little much to me, so I do about 1 to 1.5 T)
3 cups chicken stock
Juice of 1 lemon
2 T butter
1.5 cups couscous
1 (10-ounce) package frozen petite peas
1/2 cup fresh basil, 10 to 12 leaves, chopped or torn
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, a generous handful, chopped
Heat the olive oil in large shallow skillet over medium-high heat until the oil ripples. Dredge the chicken lightly in the flour, add to the skillet, and season liberally with salt and pepper. Brown for a couple of minutes on one side, then turn the chicken pieces and add the lemon zest to the skillet and sprinkle in the poppy seeds. Continue to cook until the chicken is evenly golden brown in color, 6 to 7 minutes. In the last minute or two of cooking, stir in 1.5 cups of the chicken stock, the lemon juice, and 1 T of the butter.
While the chicken cooks, bring the remaining 1.5 cups of chicken stock and 1 T of butter to a boil in a saucepot. Add the couscous and peas, stir, cover the pot, and turn off the heat. Let stand for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork and mix in the basil and mint. Serve the lemon poppy chicken on a bed of the couscous.
(My notes: sometimes the frozen peas don't warm up all the way in the couscous, causing it all to be cold. I think it works best to let the peas thaw a bit first. This meal also makes great leftovers.)
(This meal can be made GFCF by making the following changes: use rice flour or another GF flour instead of regular flour; use CF butter substitute instead of butter--at least for the chicken portion; cook a separate portion of rice and peas to be eaten in place of the couscous mixture.)
Rachel Ray's Lemon Poppy Chicken with Mint and Green Pea Couscous
Serves 4
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil (4 times around the pan)
1.5 pounds thin chicken breast cutlets, cut into bite-size dice (I use my regular Costco chicken breasts)
Flour, for dredging
Salt and black pepper
Zest of 2 lemons
2 T poppy seeds (this always seems a little much to me, so I do about 1 to 1.5 T)
3 cups chicken stock
Juice of 1 lemon
2 T butter
1.5 cups couscous
1 (10-ounce) package frozen petite peas
1/2 cup fresh basil, 10 to 12 leaves, chopped or torn
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, a generous handful, chopped
Heat the olive oil in large shallow skillet over medium-high heat until the oil ripples. Dredge the chicken lightly in the flour, add to the skillet, and season liberally with salt and pepper. Brown for a couple of minutes on one side, then turn the chicken pieces and add the lemon zest to the skillet and sprinkle in the poppy seeds. Continue to cook until the chicken is evenly golden brown in color, 6 to 7 minutes. In the last minute or two of cooking, stir in 1.5 cups of the chicken stock, the lemon juice, and 1 T of the butter.
While the chicken cooks, bring the remaining 1.5 cups of chicken stock and 1 T of butter to a boil in a saucepot. Add the couscous and peas, stir, cover the pot, and turn off the heat. Let stand for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork and mix in the basil and mint. Serve the lemon poppy chicken on a bed of the couscous.
(My notes: sometimes the frozen peas don't warm up all the way in the couscous, causing it all to be cold. I think it works best to let the peas thaw a bit first. This meal also makes great leftovers.)
(This meal can be made GFCF by making the following changes: use rice flour or another GF flour instead of regular flour; use CF butter substitute instead of butter--at least for the chicken portion; cook a separate portion of rice and peas to be eaten in place of the couscous mixture.)
Thursday, February 14, 2008
An exciting week in mothering... + Happy Valentine's Day
So, Nate almost stuck another piece of cereal up his nose this morning. (Actually, I think he did, but not too far since he got it out on his own.) The last time was 6 or 8 months ago while we were in the post office, with a Cheerio. That one he sneezed out.
On Monday, I went to Costco with Lucy while Nate was at therapy. We arrived before the store opened, so I played with Lucy in the back of the car for a while. (We keep the third row of seats down, so it fits the stroller, pack n play, lots of stuff.) I decided to change her diaper, but the diapers were in the front of the car. I don't know exactly what my thought process was, but I decided to leave her in the back of the car instead of take her with me to get the diapers. So I closed the car's back door. And then remembered that I had already locked the car. And my purse, keys, cell phone were in the back of the car next to Lucy. That was a definite, "Oh no oh no oh no!" moment. There were people getting out of the car next to me, so I asked to borrow his cell phone. I called Jon, but he didn't answer. The man asked if we had triple A, and I remembered--yes we do! He had the AAA number programmed into his phone (thank you, God). I called, they came, Lucy was fine, and I hope I never do that again!
In other news, Jon gave me some new comfortable pajamas for Valentine's Day. I had really been wanting some PJs that actually match and are somewhat presentable, and these work great and are really cute. He also gave me a thoughtful card--I can always tell he spends time looking for one that says just the right thing. As my gift to him, Lucy and I stopped by his office today with some cinnamon streusel bread (which I made last night thinking I'd be done before he got home, but he came home early. So I had to tell him it was for a church thing and not for him. That was a sad thing for me to do, because I obviously picked that bread because he would love it. I asked, "Why, would you like this kind of thing?" He said, "Anything with the words cinnamon and streusel in it I LOVE.") and coffee. This was a special surprise, I think, because he works pretty far away so we don't ever go to his office. I also gave him a Barnes & Noble gift card I bought with flute money. Happy Valentine's Day!
On Monday, I went to Costco with Lucy while Nate was at therapy. We arrived before the store opened, so I played with Lucy in the back of the car for a while. (We keep the third row of seats down, so it fits the stroller, pack n play, lots of stuff.) I decided to change her diaper, but the diapers were in the front of the car. I don't know exactly what my thought process was, but I decided to leave her in the back of the car instead of take her with me to get the diapers. So I closed the car's back door. And then remembered that I had already locked the car. And my purse, keys, cell phone were in the back of the car next to Lucy. That was a definite, "Oh no oh no oh no!" moment. There were people getting out of the car next to me, so I asked to borrow his cell phone. I called Jon, but he didn't answer. The man asked if we had triple A, and I remembered--yes we do! He had the AAA number programmed into his phone (thank you, God). I called, they came, Lucy was fine, and I hope I never do that again!
In other news, Jon gave me some new comfortable pajamas for Valentine's Day. I had really been wanting some PJs that actually match and are somewhat presentable, and these work great and are really cute. He also gave me a thoughtful card--I can always tell he spends time looking for one that says just the right thing. As my gift to him, Lucy and I stopped by his office today with some cinnamon streusel bread (which I made last night thinking I'd be done before he got home, but he came home early. So I had to tell him it was for a church thing and not for him. That was a sad thing for me to do, because I obviously picked that bread because he would love it. I asked, "Why, would you like this kind of thing?" He said, "Anything with the words cinnamon and streusel in it I LOVE.") and coffee. This was a special surprise, I think, because he works pretty far away so we don't ever go to his office. I also gave him a Barnes & Noble gift card I bought with flute money. Happy Valentine's Day!
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Vids & pics
Another reason it's nice to have this blog be permission only is I can post videos of bath time without thinking twice... Here's Nate saying, "Lucy--no, no" with my intonation.
And Lucy doing "so big!"
Here's Lucy wearing her new clip today.
My parents got a new computer armoire for us for Christmas. It arrived yesterday and I loooooove it!
And Lucy doing "so big!"
Here's Lucy wearing her new clip today.
My parents got a new computer armoire for us for Christmas. It arrived yesterday and I loooooove it!
Saturday, February 09, 2008
Transition meeting
The first meeting with the school district yesterday was short and easy. It was just one of the school psychologists and me (usually our regional center caseworker would have been there too, but she couldn't come). I spent some time telling her about Nate, his strengths and weaknesses, recent improvements, and his current therapy setup. We nailed down which types of specialists would be evaluating him--speech pathologist, psychologist, occupational therapist, an APE (a kind of physical therapist; I think it stands for adaptive physical education). I also asked what the range of possibilites is for his placement. He could be placed anywhere from a 100% one-on-one therapist-to-child therapy setup to a much more integrated preschool setting with neurotypical peers for at least part of the day. I don't anticipate he'll be on the one-on-one end of the spectrum; he'll probably land somewhere in the middle.
I'm really glad I asked about the placement possibilities, because now I have a couple of months to get used to the idea: no matter what, it sounds like he will be in a program from 8:30-1:30 Monday-Friday (25 hours/week). Even if he were placed in the neurotypical preschool (or when/if he is eventually placed there), which meets 8:30-11:00 every day, he would spend the other 2.5 hours every day in a more specialized setting. (I guess research has shown the 25 hours/week to be an important number to reach.) It just feels so soon to have to let go of this baby of mine and have him in school for so much of every day! When I first left the meeting, I thought, "OK, school 8:30-1:30, nap after that.... well, then it's dinner time and bed time! When will I see him?" That was a bit melodramatic of me, but that was my thought process. I have to remember that 1) he really doesn't take long naps; 2) he'll probably drop the nap before too long; 3) the hours between waking from nap and bed time are full of potential; and 4) this is good for him. As with every other adjustment we've made, I'm sure it will feel hard at first and then just become normal!
Edited to add: this also makes me appreciate being a stay-at-home mom very much. If I were working, then I really would almost never get to see my children.
I'm really glad I asked about the placement possibilities, because now I have a couple of months to get used to the idea: no matter what, it sounds like he will be in a program from 8:30-1:30 Monday-Friday (25 hours/week). Even if he were placed in the neurotypical preschool (or when/if he is eventually placed there), which meets 8:30-11:00 every day, he would spend the other 2.5 hours every day in a more specialized setting. (I guess research has shown the 25 hours/week to be an important number to reach.) It just feels so soon to have to let go of this baby of mine and have him in school for so much of every day! When I first left the meeting, I thought, "OK, school 8:30-1:30, nap after that.... well, then it's dinner time and bed time! When will I see him?" That was a bit melodramatic of me, but that was my thought process. I have to remember that 1) he really doesn't take long naps; 2) he'll probably drop the nap before too long; 3) the hours between waking from nap and bed time are full of potential; and 4) this is good for him. As with every other adjustment we've made, I'm sure it will feel hard at first and then just become normal!
Edited to add: this also makes me appreciate being a stay-at-home mom very much. If I were working, then I really would almost never get to see my children.
Friday, February 08, 2008
Short update
We're hanging around the house this morning, blowing bubbles outside and enjoying the wonderful mid-60s temps.
This afternoon, I have my first meeting with the school district for transitioning Nate's care from the state to them. (This happens when he turns 3 on May 1.) I have heard a couple of good things about this school district (Saddleback). Today's meeting is just a short transition meeting where I anticipate we'll schedule their evalations for Nate and also his official IEP.
Tonight, Jon and I are going to our Bible study's second annual sweetheart's Valentine's dinner, and Colleen is coming over to watch the children. I'm really looking forward to it.
Oh, I'm glad to see that someone other than me also chose "No, never" in the vacuuming poll to the right! :)
Have a nice weekend!
This afternoon, I have my first meeting with the school district for transitioning Nate's care from the state to them. (This happens when he turns 3 on May 1.) I have heard a couple of good things about this school district (Saddleback). Today's meeting is just a short transition meeting where I anticipate we'll schedule their evalations for Nate and also his official IEP.
Tonight, Jon and I are going to our Bible study's second annual sweetheart's Valentine's dinner, and Colleen is coming over to watch the children. I'm really looking forward to it.
Oh, I'm glad to see that someone other than me also chose "No, never" in the vacuuming poll to the right! :)
Have a nice weekend!
Wednesday, February 06, 2008
Lucy's eval
Lucy's evaluation went well today. Before I get to that, I wanted to share what a great job Nate did. He did well at therapy 8:30-12:00 (a long time by 2-year-old standards), then we went to In-n-Out for fries and hamburger patties and he sat so patiently and well in the "big boy seat," and then he understood when I said we were going back to school but Mama would stay with him. Not too long ago, he would have cried when he saw we were going back to the therapy center--not because he hates therapy, but because it was a change in routine. But today, I explained to him while we were eating lunch what we were doing, and he understood. Yay!
Three therapists evaluated Lucy today--one OT and two PTs (I think one of the PTs was in training). The OT observed how she grasps things, whether she transfers objects from one hand to another, if she claps and imitates others' actions, how she tracks moving objects, etc., and she also asked me lots of questions. I said my main concerns were her lack of pointing and pincer grasp. The PTs tested Lucy's reflexes (like if she puts her arms out when she falls forward, falls back), watched her crawl, called her name and made loud noises to see how she'd react, etc., and also asked me questions about her interaction, affection, expression of desires, and more. (I'm remembering this all just in my head as I didn't come home with a written report; we'll get one later.) My main concern in this area is that she doesn't roll from her back to her tummy: if she is on her back, she usually just stays there, even though she has rolled to her tummy before... she just doesn't. She also isn't pulling up consistently yet.
So, Lucy qualifies for a half hour of OT a week and an hour of PT a week (probably broken into two segments). I'll know more about exactly what the goals for her will be after I get the report, but I anticipate they'll be working on her "tone," rolling, and other gross motor skills in PT, and her grasping, imitation, "self care," and fine motor skills in OT.
They said Lucy is at age level for her cognitive abilities and communication, which is great.
I'm happy to be getting Lucy into Cornerstone so early, and I don't think this means much except that it will help her. It's too early to say she does "have" this or she doesn't "have" that. At this point, she just needs a little nudge. :)
Three therapists evaluated Lucy today--one OT and two PTs (I think one of the PTs was in training). The OT observed how she grasps things, whether she transfers objects from one hand to another, if she claps and imitates others' actions, how she tracks moving objects, etc., and she also asked me lots of questions. I said my main concerns were her lack of pointing and pincer grasp. The PTs tested Lucy's reflexes (like if she puts her arms out when she falls forward, falls back), watched her crawl, called her name and made loud noises to see how she'd react, etc., and also asked me questions about her interaction, affection, expression of desires, and more. (I'm remembering this all just in my head as I didn't come home with a written report; we'll get one later.) My main concern in this area is that she doesn't roll from her back to her tummy: if she is on her back, she usually just stays there, even though she has rolled to her tummy before... she just doesn't. She also isn't pulling up consistently yet.
So, Lucy qualifies for a half hour of OT a week and an hour of PT a week (probably broken into two segments). I'll know more about exactly what the goals for her will be after I get the report, but I anticipate they'll be working on her "tone," rolling, and other gross motor skills in PT, and her grasping, imitation, "self care," and fine motor skills in OT.
They said Lucy is at age level for her cognitive abilities and communication, which is great.
I'm happy to be getting Lucy into Cornerstone so early, and I don't think this means much except that it will help her. It's too early to say she does "have" this or she doesn't "have" that. At this point, she just needs a little nudge. :)
New addiction
Shealynn posted something about Etsy, which I'd never heard of. I spent an hour last night browsing through all the fun categories and crafts, and then I bought this adorable clip/barrette for Lucy:
I also bought a strawberry clip from the same seller.
Most of the sellers take Paypal, which is my "fun money," so I will probably be on Etsy every week after flute lessons!
On a completely different note, Lucy has an evaluation today at Cornerstone (Nate's therapy center). I called regional center a couple of months ago and completed the intake information for her, mostly because then she wasn't close to crawling, and having a sibling with autism puts her at higher "risk." So anyway, I'm not largely concerned about Lucy; she is content, active, crawling, clapping, doing quite a few things Nate wasn't doing at this age. But there are a couple of things she might should be doing by now (like pointing), so if she does qualify for any services, I want to get them started right away.
I also bought a strawberry clip from the same seller.
Most of the sellers take Paypal, which is my "fun money," so I will probably be on Etsy every week after flute lessons!
On a completely different note, Lucy has an evaluation today at Cornerstone (Nate's therapy center). I called regional center a couple of months ago and completed the intake information for her, mostly because then she wasn't close to crawling, and having a sibling with autism puts her at higher "risk." So anyway, I'm not largely concerned about Lucy; she is content, active, crawling, clapping, doing quite a few things Nate wasn't doing at this age. But there are a couple of things she might should be doing by now (like pointing), so if she does qualify for any services, I want to get them started right away.
Tuesday, February 05, 2008
I was tagged
Here are my answers.
On Marriage...
How long have you been together?
9 years, married for 5 and a half
How old is he?
30
Who eats more?
Sad to say, but I think I do. As my friend Casey says, Jon eats to live, and I live to eat.
Who said I love you first?
Jon did. It was on my sister's birthday and we were in my parents' kitchen.
Who is taller?
Jon
Who sings better?
I do. :) But Jon has a good voice.
Who is smarter?
Jon is way smarter in the street smarts/general knowledge category. I can handle book smarts pretty well, but that serves barely any purpose outside of school.
Who does the laundry?
I do.
Who does the dishes?
I usually do.
Who sleeps on the right side of the bed?
I do.
Who pays the bills?
I recently took over this job, and I like it for the most part.
Who mows the lawn?
Right now we don't have a lawn, so neither. When we do have a yard, Jon takes care of it.
Who cooks dinner?
I do (does making sandwiches count too?).
Who drives when you are together?
Definitely Jon. I get a little nervous driving when Jon is in the car... silly, huh?
Who is more stubborn?
Hmmm.... probably I am.
Who kissed who first?
Jon kissed me.
Who asked who out?
Jon insists that I threw my phone number at him, but he asked me out. Our first real date was seeing "October Sky" in the theater.
Who proposed?
Jon did--when we were visiting Hanshill (in VA) with my family.
Who is more sensitive?
I am.
Who has more friends?
Jon does.
Who has more siblings?
We both have two younger siblings. Good thing Jon isn't a "typical first child." I am.
Who wears the pants in the family?
Jon does.
On Marriage...
How long have you been together?
9 years, married for 5 and a half
How old is he?
30
Who eats more?
Sad to say, but I think I do. As my friend Casey says, Jon eats to live, and I live to eat.
Who said I love you first?
Jon did. It was on my sister's birthday and we were in my parents' kitchen.
Who is taller?
Jon
Who sings better?
I do. :) But Jon has a good voice.
Who is smarter?
Jon is way smarter in the street smarts/general knowledge category. I can handle book smarts pretty well, but that serves barely any purpose outside of school.
Who does the laundry?
I do.
Who does the dishes?
I usually do.
Who sleeps on the right side of the bed?
I do.
Who pays the bills?
I recently took over this job, and I like it for the most part.
Who mows the lawn?
Right now we don't have a lawn, so neither. When we do have a yard, Jon takes care of it.
Who cooks dinner?
I do (does making sandwiches count too?).
Who drives when you are together?
Definitely Jon. I get a little nervous driving when Jon is in the car... silly, huh?
Who is more stubborn?
Hmmm.... probably I am.
Who kissed who first?
Jon kissed me.
Who asked who out?
Jon insists that I threw my phone number at him, but he asked me out. Our first real date was seeing "October Sky" in the theater.
Who proposed?
Jon did--when we were visiting Hanshill (in VA) with my family.
Who is more sensitive?
I am.
Who has more friends?
Jon does.
Who has more siblings?
We both have two younger siblings. Good thing Jon isn't a "typical first child." I am.
Who wears the pants in the family?
Jon does.
Sunday, February 03, 2008
Mother & babe
We've had a nice, low-key weekend with lots of family time... yay! Today, I had Jon take a few pictures of me with Lucy. I barely have any of me with the kids, since I'm usually the one behind the camera.
Friday, February 01, 2008
Book review: Seeing through new eyes
Last week, I finished reading Seeing through new eyes: Changing the lives of children with autim, Asperger syndrome and other developmental disabilities through vision therapy by Melvin Kaplan. Dr. Van Dyke at the Rimland Center tipped us off to this book and the work this author/doctor does. I had never heard of anything like it.
Kaplan uses prism lenses (special glasses) and vision therapy to alter how people see and perceive their world. He posits that many "undesired" behaviors we see in autism--toe-walking, hand-flapping, dragging hands along walls, stimming, staring at spinning objects (like Nate does)--are children's coping mechanisms, their "logical strategies for adapting to sensory disturbances" (p. 45). These children are "seeing" 20/20 but are not perceiving correctly. He writes that these behaviors are not the problem; they are the solution! They show us what is going wrong perceptually.
He writes that children's toe-walking, stimming with their hands, touching walls when they move "stem from their inability to handle both themselves and space simultaneously. To orient themselves, they flap their hands or touch objects, providing sensory input that tells them where they are in space" (p. 18). Many people with autism have problems with orientation of self (where am I?) and/or organization of space (where is it?).
The purpose of ambient prism lenses is "to actually alter perception in ways that cause patients to reoganize their visual processes[...]. The behavioral changes caused by this alteration of perception often are instantaneous and dramatic. Patients with autism or related disabilities have spent a lifetime developing strategies to compensate for their visual deficits. By the time they arrive at the optometrist's office, these strategies--eye turns, postural warps, self-stimulating behaviors, etc.--are habitual and ingrained. Ambient prism lenses instantly create a new visual world, in which those adaptive mechanisms are no longer either necessary or relevant. As a result, patients must rapidly re-awaken previously suppressed visual processes, in order to make sense of their altered surroundings" (p. 34). Kaplan believes that altering these patients' perception can level the playing field in a way, making it possible for other therapies to be even more effective.
Kaplan includes many interesting and relevant case studies in addition to descriptions of the tests he uses in his practice (including tests for non-verbal patients).
This book was a page turner for me, not only because I found the case studies so interesting, but also because I saw so many children I know reflected in the pages. I see many children at Nate's therapy center walking on their toes while dragging one hand along a wall while a therapist leads them by the other hand. Though I've read of other explanations of some of the behaviors (e.g., toe-walking is the body's response to painful GI tract problems), many of Kaplan's explanations really resonated with me.
I'm not sure if Nate is an excellent candidate for vision therapy, as he doesn't display some of the markers Kaplan mentions multiple times. Nate doesn't toe walk. He doesn't drag his hands along walls. He doesn't flap his hands regularly. However, here are the tidbits in the book I did highlight that describe Nate:
"[Individuals with autism] display a fetish for numbers and letters, as well as spinning objects [...]. Higher visual development, in contrast, involves smooth eye movements and visual search patterns. The autistic pattern is marked by static attention, which is unsustainable, where the latter involves dynamic attention and is sustainable. Dynamic attention requires a concentration of internal energy, and patients who cannot coordinate their eyes are unable to achieve this level of concentration" (p. 55).
"Sometimes children will be comfortable watching certain sections of a video, but cover their ears, scream, or turn their eyes away during other sections. Such behaviors provide valuable insights into the type and amount of visual and sensory input a patient is capable of handling" (p. 61).
There are other times when Nate seems to completely zone out/stare into space when a question is asked, and I've often interpreted it as sensory overload, which may include visual/perceptual components.
I plan on recommending this book to anyone who asks for my "long list" of autism treatment information.
Kaplan uses prism lenses (special glasses) and vision therapy to alter how people see and perceive their world. He posits that many "undesired" behaviors we see in autism--toe-walking, hand-flapping, dragging hands along walls, stimming, staring at spinning objects (like Nate does)--are children's coping mechanisms, their "logical strategies for adapting to sensory disturbances" (p. 45). These children are "seeing" 20/20 but are not perceiving correctly. He writes that these behaviors are not the problem; they are the solution! They show us what is going wrong perceptually.
He writes that children's toe-walking, stimming with their hands, touching walls when they move "stem from their inability to handle both themselves and space simultaneously. To orient themselves, they flap their hands or touch objects, providing sensory input that tells them where they are in space" (p. 18). Many people with autism have problems with orientation of self (where am I?) and/or organization of space (where is it?).
The purpose of ambient prism lenses is "to actually alter perception in ways that cause patients to reoganize their visual processes[...]. The behavioral changes caused by this alteration of perception often are instantaneous and dramatic. Patients with autism or related disabilities have spent a lifetime developing strategies to compensate for their visual deficits. By the time they arrive at the optometrist's office, these strategies--eye turns, postural warps, self-stimulating behaviors, etc.--are habitual and ingrained. Ambient prism lenses instantly create a new visual world, in which those adaptive mechanisms are no longer either necessary or relevant. As a result, patients must rapidly re-awaken previously suppressed visual processes, in order to make sense of their altered surroundings" (p. 34). Kaplan believes that altering these patients' perception can level the playing field in a way, making it possible for other therapies to be even more effective.
Kaplan includes many interesting and relevant case studies in addition to descriptions of the tests he uses in his practice (including tests for non-verbal patients).
This book was a page turner for me, not only because I found the case studies so interesting, but also because I saw so many children I know reflected in the pages. I see many children at Nate's therapy center walking on their toes while dragging one hand along a wall while a therapist leads them by the other hand. Though I've read of other explanations of some of the behaviors (e.g., toe-walking is the body's response to painful GI tract problems), many of Kaplan's explanations really resonated with me.
I'm not sure if Nate is an excellent candidate for vision therapy, as he doesn't display some of the markers Kaplan mentions multiple times. Nate doesn't toe walk. He doesn't drag his hands along walls. He doesn't flap his hands regularly. However, here are the tidbits in the book I did highlight that describe Nate:
"[Individuals with autism] display a fetish for numbers and letters, as well as spinning objects [...]. Higher visual development, in contrast, involves smooth eye movements and visual search patterns. The autistic pattern is marked by static attention, which is unsustainable, where the latter involves dynamic attention and is sustainable. Dynamic attention requires a concentration of internal energy, and patients who cannot coordinate their eyes are unable to achieve this level of concentration" (p. 55).
"Sometimes children will be comfortable watching certain sections of a video, but cover their ears, scream, or turn their eyes away during other sections. Such behaviors provide valuable insights into the type and amount of visual and sensory input a patient is capable of handling" (p. 61).
There are other times when Nate seems to completely zone out/stare into space when a question is asked, and I've often interpreted it as sensory overload, which may include visual/perceptual components.
I plan on recommending this book to anyone who asks for my "long list" of autism treatment information.
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