We had our first Parent Training class last night. It didn't start off on a great note. Our service coordinator is the one who set up the class-they're always the ones who handle contacting the vendors, payment, etc. So we picked our class and time and all that, and I also asked her to see if it was okay to bring Monkey Baby, as he's under 1, still nursing, and won't take a bottle or a binky and barely eats food (to the point where he's now anemic, just found out today ...yay us!) ...she checked and we were given the okay.
We get to class, we're the first ones there. Instructor comes in, and says hi ...you can tell something is up. Then she says "um, normally children aren't allowed in class. Obviously, I'm not going to kick you out, but ...." I apologized and said we were told it was okay by our SC. I'm embarrassed now, and stressing on every little sound he makes. So hubby decides he'll just wait in the car with him. I don't want him to miss the whole class and it's just basic ABA stuff which I've had enough time to read up on anyway, so during the break in the middle of the 3 hour class, we switch off. So we each got to hear half of the first class.
So, for the next 3 weeks, guess we're going to have to leave him so we can both go. Which kinda sucks, because I am sure he's going to cry quite a bit. He's at that age where everyone but people he has daily contact with are strangers, and he cries whenever they come near him. And there is the whole food issue ...the fact that we'll be gone at least 4 hours and he's still 90% nursing. I figure either way is going to be stressful though, either us splitting classes, or us both going and worrying about him.
Had a phone appointment for SSI for Rocket today. I will get some info via mail in about a week, and I have to send in a release for his medical records and all that, and then we wait. I know the likelihood of him just getting approved is pretty slim, but I can hope, right?
That's about it for today!
Friday, January 7, 2011
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
It's been a crazy couple of weeks
I apologize for not posting weekly as I planned on. Life has thrown us a few curve balls in the last few weeks. The biggest one being, The Hubby was laid off. Again. For the 3rd time in 3 years. At least it was on the 23rd of December this time, and not actual Christmas Eve like last year, I suppose! But jeez, what a way to ruin 2 Christmas's in a row! It was extremely stressful last time, the whole "omg we just bought our first home 2 months ago and our 4th baby is due in a month omgomgomg what are we going to do????" stress was way up there. Now we have the "omg we have no savings because of the last two layoffs, last two kids, and now one of our children has been diagnosed with Autism and NOT having gas money to take him to and from therapy is kind of NOT an option." stress, along with all of the usual stress that comes from dropping from being a one income family to a NO income family, at least for the time being.
So yeah ...I have no money but an abundance of stress! : ) Too bad it's not worth anything, well until someone finds a way to like extract the essence of stress and bottle it for freaks who are into that sort of thing. ; )
On to better news. Rocket has made some really cool progress!! He says mom!! And baby!! And connects them to me, and to Monkey Baby and even pictures of other babies, and a doll. He is pointing to things to show what he wants-not every time but each time is amazing! He is learning to recognize letters and can say (sometimes a slightly different version of) A, B, C, D, E, J, O (ooohh), Z (zzzz sound). He says gum, and knows what it means. Kid loves gum, lol! I swear the other night while he was pushing a car, he said GO, and then SPELLED GO, and then said it again! He also said beep beep beep perfectly clear. His eye contact is improving. I mean don't get me wrong, we still have really lousy days that leave me in tears, too. But we have more good days than bad right now.
We also start our parent training tomorrow! Every Thursday this month. I'm not thrilled that we have to complete them before Alta will provide ABA for him, simply because it would have been much better IMO to get a new program going as soon as he was officially diagnosed, but I'm actually really looking forward to learning as much as I can to better help Rocket ...all of us really.
We're doing a tour next week of a school we think we will end up using for his ABA program. They seem pretty awesome and it's not terribly far from here, but I'm guessing it's going to be a tank of gas a week to get him there and back every day. Which means our whole typical monthly gas budget will all be going to me. Yay, more stress! If only I could feed on it instead of food ; ) then it might not matter that I have no time to exercise these days. ; )
Sleep issues have sucked lately. Melatonin isn't doing a damn thing for him. It never helped Hubby either, I wonder if it's connected somehow?
Still trucking along with our weekly speech sessions. They were going amazing for a while, and then it was time to step up expectations a bit, and Rocket wasn't too happy about that. He doesn't want to imitate sounds to get his block, damn it! ; )
Christmas was interesting this year, gift wise. Rocket has taken over everything Monkey Baby got, pretty much. I guess they are developmentally more appropriate for him? He got a set of alphabet blocks that get daily use and he's digging this 3 car race track thingie he got, too. Cars and blocks are always a hit. ; ) Monkey Baby turns one in a few weeks, so I might try to get him a duplicate of the one thing they both seem to covet and Rocket refuses to give up, this pony . He even pushed it down the driveway before getting in the birthmobile yesterday ...it's a fave for sure.
Well, surprisingly, I actually got to say most of what I wanted to! I've been trying to update all week with no success ...either screaming boys, or the baby shutting down the computer every time I got a paragraph or so in. ; ) I'll update on the 1st parent training session asap.
So yeah ...I have no money but an abundance of stress! : ) Too bad it's not worth anything, well until someone finds a way to like extract the essence of stress and bottle it for freaks who are into that sort of thing. ; )
On to better news. Rocket has made some really cool progress!! He says mom!! And baby!! And connects them to me, and to Monkey Baby and even pictures of other babies, and a doll. He is pointing to things to show what he wants-not every time but each time is amazing! He is learning to recognize letters and can say (sometimes a slightly different version of) A, B, C, D, E, J, O (ooohh), Z (zzzz sound). He says gum, and knows what it means. Kid loves gum, lol! I swear the other night while he was pushing a car, he said GO, and then SPELLED GO, and then said it again! He also said beep beep beep perfectly clear. His eye contact is improving. I mean don't get me wrong, we still have really lousy days that leave me in tears, too. But we have more good days than bad right now.
We also start our parent training tomorrow! Every Thursday this month. I'm not thrilled that we have to complete them before Alta will provide ABA for him, simply because it would have been much better IMO to get a new program going as soon as he was officially diagnosed, but I'm actually really looking forward to learning as much as I can to better help Rocket ...all of us really.
We're doing a tour next week of a school we think we will end up using for his ABA program. They seem pretty awesome and it's not terribly far from here, but I'm guessing it's going to be a tank of gas a week to get him there and back every day. Which means our whole typical monthly gas budget will all be going to me. Yay, more stress! If only I could feed on it instead of food ; ) then it might not matter that I have no time to exercise these days. ; )
Sleep issues have sucked lately. Melatonin isn't doing a damn thing for him. It never helped Hubby either, I wonder if it's connected somehow?
Still trucking along with our weekly speech sessions. They were going amazing for a while, and then it was time to step up expectations a bit, and Rocket wasn't too happy about that. He doesn't want to imitate sounds to get his block, damn it! ; )
Christmas was interesting this year, gift wise. Rocket has taken over everything Monkey Baby got, pretty much. I guess they are developmentally more appropriate for him? He got a set of alphabet blocks that get daily use and he's digging this 3 car race track thingie he got, too. Cars and blocks are always a hit. ; ) Monkey Baby turns one in a few weeks, so I might try to get him a duplicate of the one thing they both seem to covet and Rocket refuses to give up, this pony . He even pushed it down the driveway before getting in the birthmobile yesterday ...it's a fave for sure.
Well, surprisingly, I actually got to say most of what I wanted to! I've been trying to update all week with no success ...either screaming boys, or the baby shutting down the computer every time I got a paragraph or so in. ; ) I'll update on the 1st parent training session asap.
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