Sunday, September 28, 2008

Leo (Language and ECU in one)


Hello Everyone,

How is everyone? We hope that you and your families are doing well. We are doing great these days. We have our tough days but mostly we have been having good days.
K.C. Is doing so well in his new program at school. Each morning he looks forward to going to school. He even smiles while I help him get dressed. He has a "job" at school. He helps cleaning up the classroom by putting things in their proper place. He understands this well, he loves for things to be the same so putting things away as they were before is something he loves to do. His teacher has been great. She stays in contact with me each day either by phone calls or in his communication notebook. About 2 weeks ago I asked the teacher if we could work on potty training K.C. because I believe he is ready. I told her I would still send his pull ups and that I would also be sending kids boxer shorts. The staff at his school have been taking him to the bathroom several times a day and waits in the bathroom with him until he goes. Sometimes he does go and sometimes he doesn't. We have been working on it very hard and I can now officially say that he is nearly day time potty trained. We only put a pull up on him when he rides home on the bus and in the morning on the ride to school. At home he is also doing great potty training. When he gets antsy and walks around looking panicky we hurry him to the bathroom. Yesterday Big Brother was in the bathroom ad K.C. had to go, I hurried Big Brother out just before he almost had an accident. He can't hold it for long so at school and at home we hurry him to the bathroom. He had at least 4 successes a day at the toilet! I am so proud of him, he is such a trooper.

K.C. has been using an augmentative communication device called "LEO." His teacher thinks this device will be best for K.C. so we are having a guy come in with alot of different devices to see which one would work best for K.C. He is using LEO in the classroom but just to be sure before we get one, to let K.C. try different ones. I too think LEO is best for him. This is what LEO is, http://www.assistivetech.com/p-leo.htm

We have been going on early evening walks with the boys. We have to walk in the evening because during the day, it is still around 104 degrees! Our buddy helper walks with Adam and I pull K.C. along in his yellow wagon. He loves this wagon so much in fact, when the sun starts to go down in the evening he pulls the wagon into the kitchen or wherever I am and just stands there! That my friends is communication! I always finish up whatever I am doing and we head out the door! He loves the wagon so much in fact, the above picture is of K.C. and Jayce, K.C. is actually sleeping in this wagon and Big Brother has fell asleep on the couch while watching SpiderMan part 1. K.C. kept trying to pull his wagon through the couch so I moved the couch and pulled the wagon near Big Brother and he fell asleep fast. K.C. never plays with Big Brother or Adam, BUT if they are sleeping he will hang around. He knows! We haven't had the wagon for very long, we ordered it from Lakeshore and it can hold four small kids or one big boy K.C.! We got it here, I also found alot of interesting things here teaching.
http://www.lakeshorelearning.com/seo/ca%7CsearchResults~~p%7CLA979~~.jsp

Big Brother is doing great. We have installed a Tetherball and Tetherball Pole in the backyard. Adam doesn't understand the game but he loves hitting the ball. Big Brother loves having Adam in the backyard because he has no one to play with. He told me yesterday that even though Adam and K.C. can not speak having someone there just to watch is good enough for him! I do watch Big Brother play and play with him sometimes too. He loves having kids to play with and I love seeing him smile.

Adam (we have been calling him "Add Man" these days and sometimes I think I see him grinning when I say it.) He too is doing well in school and his ABA program at home. K.C. Adam and K.C. both have ABA instructors come to our house in the early evening to work with them separately. It's never too late for ABA, Adam is a teenager and has really just began his ABA program since living with us. Before ABA he could not dress himself properly, he now dresses himself. He is still working on brushing his hair, teeth etc but one step at a time. He is getting there and I am very proud of him and I believe he is happy that he has learned so much and can do it all by himself.

I have been having some lower back problems but have an appointment to see a doctor soon. During the day I have time to myself and some days I am so tired that I set the alarm clock for 2:00 p.m. and after the boys leave I had for the bed! One day last week I slept from about 8 til 2 p.m.! Having three boys is a very tiring job and it catches up to you and when it does you have to sleep to keep from getting worn out.

Thank you all for checking in on us, we love having visitors to the blog.

I have added a very important link to my blog. It is at the top right hand corner of my blog. It says, "Please show your support to Lora and Griffin, to learn more please visit, (there is a clickable link on my page.) Please visit her and her Autistic son Griffin, she has something very important to say and I believe we all can learn something from her experience.

12 comments:

Lora said...

WOW! I am so proud of your little men, they are growing up so fast! Each one is doing something amazing and because you are such an amazing and determined mommy and big sister. KC is sure coming along, potty training is a daunting task and I am so glad that the school is being such a great help. What great news about Adam learning and accomplishing such useful and productive tasks such as his self help skills. Last but not least, Big Brother is always such a young man who never ceases to amaze me with his maturity and how much he loves his buddies. It is apparent that your home is filled with love.

Thanks for the link to my new blog, I hope to keep up by staying current especially since I have so much to say.

We love you guys dearly..........Hugs!!!!!!!!!!!

Niksmom said...

Tina, this is such a great post full of lots of successes and possibilities! It certainly sounds like things are looking bright for all your boys. I'm glad you are getting some sleep, too; I can sure relate to the difficulties of trying to cope when you've had little sleep! UGH.

Thanks, too, for the links to the LEO; it looks very interesting and I might discuss it w/Nik's speech therapist.

Wishing you and ALL your boys te very best! xo

Happy Elf Mom (Christine) said...

How exciting on the potty-training. That's the hardest time, when you're almost done with it but have accidents still. :] Bet you're happy!!

The LEO sounds like a great device. I'm guessing it's a computer picture board thing.

Bobbi said...

Wow! I am so happy for your son! It sounds like he is doing great and getting some great help! WTG on the walks and the tether ball. My daugther would love one! I think you are doing awesome! WTG on finding a bigger wagon. My son loved his but we traded it for a jogging stroller, it's easier to push.

Happy Elf Mom (Christine) said...

Have posted a link from your friend in a blog post. This is same "stuff" different day.

THIS IS A CIVIL RIGHTS ISSUE!! When are people going to see that? I guess most people secretly think kids like ours ought to be in institutions and never let out. It gets me so mad and makes me wanna cry all at the same time.

BUT WE MUST WORK TOGETHER TO GET THE TRUTH OUT!!

Sorry to shout at ya, but there it is. Thanks for doing your part, and may God bless you big this weekend.

Ye'he Sh'mey Raba Mevorach said...

Tina - I am thrilled for your successes, and hope and pray your back gets better quickly. I want to wish you a heartfelt Shana Tova - Rosh Hashana is tomorrow (Monday) night. Our blessings for a happy, healthy, uplifting, successful year.

Casdok said...

What a super post! So pleased to hear everything is going well (touch wood).

I bet you are tired! Hope your back gets sorted.

gretchen said...

I am always smiling when I read your updates! The boys are all happy and healthy and loved and getting smarter every day! You should be so proud! Good for you- good for you. Your family is an inspiration. XO

kristina said...

So much going on---so great to hear about how KC is doing with the toilet training. Many cheers----hopw you are getting time to take care of yourself; have you had to lift or otherwise strain your back some? Hope the good reports continue----

BT said...

Such heartening progress, I'm so happy for you and the boys. Potty training is awful for anyone and KC has done so well. Amazing.

Good to be back and catch up, I'd lost your link, now it's bookmarked.
Gina
x

Melinda said...

just popping in for updates and WOW what progress!! I am so happy things are going much better right now for you all!

KAYLAPEARSON.COM said...

Wow such beautiful kids! I hope all is going well for you and i wish you the best. God bless! you have a wonderful blog!