Thursday, April 14, 2011

Slope Life

One autism "adage" is that development can be "one step forward, two steps back."  You think after 8 years I would understand!  I keep expecting James to reach a milestone, stay there and move on.  It dawned on me this morning WHY I am having trouble internalizing this little saying.  Because it's misleading.  Growth, no matter the person, is not linear.  Gosh, nothing is life really is unless it's man-made!  But I am talking about my James here. It's one step forward, two steps back, three side-ways and 75 diagonally.

He made it through a meal at a restaurant recently without his DVD player.  I thought, this is it!  But no, we're back on it again. After six years, he began sleeping through the night. WOo-Hoo!! Now, two years later, he gives us a hard time about going to bed, alternating with getting up in the middle of the night again.  I grew accustomed to hearing his garbled words.  They dried up.  Yesterday they were back stronger than ever.  Even saying "ring pop" when I asked him what kind of lollipop he wanted - that is after he told me he wanted a "olli-pop!"   His reciprocal language is even more advanced.  I don't always have to look at him or get his complete attention.  I can even yell from another room!  This is unbelievable.  I didn't recognize the extent until recently. I was making his bed and James wanted to watch a movie.  I thought it too late for one of his potentially excitable ones, so I told him that yes, we could watch one, but to pick from ours. I never looked at him.  He left me.  When I went into the living room, I was flabbergasted to find my son sitting on the couch holding a boring, grown up movie.

So what was learned here?  No clue.  I am just keeping steady. Trudging on, pushing forward, plodding along.  Doing my best to keep us on a even track because James' mind doesn't work that way.

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Current Books 1/21/15

  • "A Drop of Blood" by Paul Showers
  • "A Kid's Guide to the American Revolution" by KidCaps
  • "Gravity is a Mystery" by Franklyn M. Branley
  • "Liberty or Death, The American Revolution: 1763-1783" by Betsy Maestro
  • "The American Revolution from A to Z" by Laura Crawford
  • "The Declaration of Independence from A to Z" by Catherine L. Osornio
  • "Why I Sneeze, Shiver, Hiccup, and Yawn" by Melvin Berger

Current Movies 1/21/15

  • Bob the Builder (any & all)
  • Disney's "George of the Jungle"
  • Disney's "Robin Hood"
  • Disney's Frozen
  • Entourage (all seasons, edited by Mom & Dad)
  • The Rookie
  • The School of Rock

Current Music 1/21/15

  • Another Very JD Christmas
  • Bob the Builder
  • CBS 101.1 FM (Oldies)
  • Daddy Mix 1 & 2
  • Peter, Paul and Mommy
  • School of Rock (soundtrack album)