If your child has autism......

then you have at least one room in your house, that looks

like Dr. Seuss' torture chamber.

Get in the Car and Drive!

You are looking at the first time my children have played together! Cotton grabbed Mr. Chief by the hand sort of shoved him in the car (Mr. Chief although surprised was happy to comply) and began to push him around the yard. It was so cute. Mr. Chief had a friend over today, Cotton was busy "bossing" the toddlers around, showing them who (according to him) was next to go down the slide. This is the most interest, or voluntary contact he has ever had with his brother.

HOME STRETCH!!!

This is my last week as a single mom!!!! Woo Hoo! He's coming home, he's coming hoooome! OK enough singing, I am just so darned excited. One thing about it, when your husband leaves every 30 days or so, you really learn to appreciate him. I mean he could sit on the couch and play video games for all I care, as long as I can walk down the street ALONE to get the mail, I am in heaven. Although I am sure it will be an adjustment having him home all the time, and I am not sure how to have an argument, with out the phone beeping at us telling us our 15 min are up.... If you ever want to have a good laugh try having a fight over email!! You can copy and post previous comments, concrete proof of how wrong they are:P But he is off the ground, I know that he is at least on his way, they can not back out now!!!

So, I am dwelling on the topic of receptive language again. I have been debating weather RDI is responsible for the sudden burst, or was it just that Cotton was maturing. Well, today several times actually, I got my answer. He was playing with my ipod and I walked over to him, placed my hand on his shoulder, waited for the "head pop", and said, "put my ipod on the table" (meaning dresser). I pointed to the ipod, and looked at the dresser, he did this no problem. Cotton doesn't know the word ipod, and I said table instead of dresser, he was definitely reading my intent through my non verbal communication. Yup, RDI strikes again!

New Developments

So even though I have self admittedly been a slacker RDI mom for the last few weeks. Cotton has made some pretty amazing jumps forward. First and foremost his receptive language has really begun to blossom! Seriously for 4 years I have been saying the same 3 phrases over and over, all of a sudden he is following direction?! All kinds of direction, stuff I have never said before. So I am thrilled. Also, he has started to be able to express his opinion. Perhaps a pre cursor to a developing self awareness. The picture on the left is an outfit Cotton picked out for bed. Two of the shirts are mine and of course he topped it off with Thomas. He had to have shoes to make the outfit complete. After each article of clothing was added, he would run to the mirror to see his new creation. Well, I am saving for fashion school as we speak:)

This seems to be a theme as of late. He is my little helper at the grocery store and it cracks me up when he jumps up out of the grocery cart "car", to grab the bacon and hot dogs (his favorite foods) least I forget. Don't get me started about the toy store! This is amazing to me, he has never wanted anything, it is exciting to see what he likes.

Good for a few laughs!

If anyone is looking for a completely hilarious way to entertain your children go to http://www.memovies.com/

You send them a picture of your child, and they put their heads in the movie. Mr. Chief flies a plane (Daddy would be proud), drives a truck, and dances with a bee. It is so darned funny, I laughed until I cried. The kids loved it too. I plan on getting one for Cotton. It did take about 3 weeks to get the video, but well worth it.... and now back to our program:)

Week Off

Well, we are recovering from our week off. I needed a break, and plus I SOLD MY HOUSE!!!!:) I am a little worried with all the changes that we will be going through. Not as much about Cotton, as me. I need to really stay focused and keep our objectives in mind. Cotton is a little rigid this week, which for him is really odd, but we were barely home last week, and spent the weekend at my in laws. Next week is spring break, and he will have my undivided attention. I always look forward to having him all to myself. He is so much more in tune, when he is not rushed around, and given the proper time to think and respond. So next week, we will be sleeping in, working on stage 3, and having fun.

P.S. There are NO current pictures of Mr. Chief that are not blurry! He is a hard man to keep up with these days!

Stacking

Cotton's favorite new activity is stacking EVERYTHING. A bit annoying, but just one of those things I guess. I just hope we are not expecting an alien invasion or anything. (I think my dad may be to only one to get this joke, but for any one who was a Spielberg fan in the early '80's, well you know what I mean.) Food, blankets, pillows, books, blocks, nothing is sacred it is all neatly stacked.

Fearless leader

OK, this is a shameless brag on myself. Usually when my husband takes off for the desolate wasteland, I am a mess of I can'ts. Even after doing this for the last 7 years each time, I feel woefully inadequate. BUT, this time I am a super woman. I single handidly cleaned out my entire house from top to bottom, re landscaped the yard, put my fence back up when the storm blew it down, put my house on the market, AND did my taxes! Now that Cotton has decided to sleep, I feel like I can do anything. Not to say I don't miss my husband like heck! Life is so much better with a very strong husband to lift all the heavy objects. But, I know he feels better knowing that I am handling everything, and not sobbing on the phone every week. So, this is my brag, go me.

Long lines and little miracles

So there I was, my 3rd trip to Walmart (today) waiting in the forever lines that only exist on the week ends. I was watching all the "other" kids. The typical kids begging for candy, or crying because they did not get something they wanted. Twirling behind their parents, or hanging on the end of buggies. As I headed for the conveyor belt, Cotton looks up at me and pushes me to the side. He starts to unload the grocery cart. The check out girl said "wow, how old is he", "four" I said. "I would fall flat on the floor if my four year old helped me unload the buggy", she said. "He is a very good boy", I said.

So we head home with oh, about 20, 40lbs bags of fill dirt ( I am selling my house, and it is finally warm enough to do some landscaping.) Cotton "helps" me carry the bags to the wagon, where Mr. Chief was waiting for more dirt. We lug the wagon to the back yard together, and spread the dirt. To be perfectly honest Cotton made it through two bags, and went to walk up and down the fence, but hey we had a very busy day.

I guess the point of my rambling, is that today I felt lucky. I was not jealous of the conversations the other people were having with their children. I was proud, and thought wow, I have remarkable kids. Cotton was really helping me this weekend, he is so much more a part of this family. I don't have to manage him any more, he fully participates. He has his moments of course this is a long road, but for the first time in a long time, I feel like I can breathe. Just in time for Mr. Chief to enter the terrible two's:)

Sleep success!

So I am so proud to announce that Cotton has been sleeping through the night! Cotton always falls asleep on the floor, I always thought he just fell asleep playing. Well, before I go to bed, I would pick him up and put him in bed. Well one night, I forgot, and he slept from 7:30pm to 10am! I thought that is weird, and put it to the test the next night, and again he slept in. It has been 3 beautiful weeks with NO 3am wake up calls. I almost feel functional again.