Tacky Outfit Day

Red Ribbon Week this week. Today is tacky outfit day.

We've got our diagnosis

I picked up the diagnosis report from Dr. Turner today and we now have our official diagnosis.

Aspergers
ADHD
some oppositional symptoms

I looked up the definition of Aspergers as I wasn't sure what the main differences in autism and aspergers was and found this line:

Unlike those with autism, people with AS are not usually withdrawn around others; they approach others, even if awkwardly. For example, a person with AS may engage in a one-sided, long-winded speech about a favorite topic, while misunderstanding or not recognizing the listener's feelings or reactions, such as a need for privacy or haste to leave.[5] This social awkwardness has been called "active but odd".[1] This failure to react appropriately to social interaction may appear as disregard for other people's feelings, and may come across as insensitive.[5] However, not all individuals with AS will approach others. Some of them may even display selective mutism, speaking not at all to most people and excessively to specific people. Some may choose to talk only to people they like.[21]

Now we'll start the journey of OT, ST and PT full time again.

Kackleberry Fun

We took a trip to Kackleberry Farm in Louisville, GA yesterday. We all had a really great time! It would have been more fun if it wasn't 85 degrees! Not October weather!!!

I have so many pictures that I wanted to share so I made a slideshow out of them.

We're on the road to a diagnosis

We visited a new pediatrician on Friday. She was recommended by Chrissy (my sister-in-law). She was great. I had taken tons of papers from me and LJ's teacher about past and current issues and she read through everything. She observed his actions while we were there. Then when she was done reading, she told me that she is certain that he is autistic. Autism spectrum disorder with ADHD and SPD. I'm so glad to finally have a diagnosis. It's not official yet. We'll be seeing a child psychiatrist for the official diagnosis. Hopefully we'll get in quickly with him.

I started a journal today and I'll document everything I can until we go. Today I walked through the living room and found a line of cars. I just smiled and then grabbed my camera. He's not obsessive with lining things up but yesterday he lined up the chairs at his Nana's house and then today I saw the cars lined up.













We started a positive reinforcement sticker chart today. Chrissy recommended this when I asked her for alternative discipline methods. She first suggested every hour, but then thought every half hour might be better for a few days to get him to realize what the system is about. I gave him a sticker for every 30 minutes that he didn't pitch a fit or throw things. For every 30 minutes that he used his manners and played well with his sisters. I gave him a goal of earning 5 stickers in order to get a prize. I figured he'd earn more and wanted to start small so he'd actually earn a prize today and be rewarded and realize that this is a great thing.

He earned 5 stickers today. It probably should've been 6 or maybe 7 but I lost track of time at one point when we were trying to nap. He had chosen his prize this morning and it was a water gun. So tonight, after his bath and teeth brushing, he got his prize. Thought I'd take a pic of him holding his chart and prize. I hope this will work to reinforce the positive and have him strive to behave better.





I'm also trying a method that combines something I saw on Supernanny and the picture scheduling that works well for autistic children. Using signs for labeling off limit things. I saw the idea for keeping younger kids out of the older kids' rooms by putting up a sign on Supernanny. One sign will have a picture of a STOP sign and a hand knocking on a door. This means: Knock and ask if you can come in. The other sign will have a WELCOME sign on it. This means: Come on in and play! I also printed out some NO signs (you know..the circle with the line through the middle) and placed them on things I don't want LJ to touch. My printer screwed up so I only got it to print two signs, but I stuck one on the stove and the other on the front door. I explained that the signs meant that it was dangerous if he opened these things so it was important to remember not to touch them. I hope it'll work. I'm so tired of telling him to stop opening the oven door. I'm so scared he'll do it while it's hot and burn himself.

Cancer really sucks!

Tomorrow we're celebrating the life of my mother-in-law Deborah. Her birthday is on Monday too! She's a wonderful woman...very kind and loving. I'm so happy to have her as my mother-in-law.

She was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer last year and went through a round of chemotherapy. She did well through the treatments. The doctors told her everything looked good and the cancer was at bay. They didn't expect to see it start growing again for about a year. She went back for a follow up roughly 7 weeks after the good news. She'd been having some pain and was concerned. They found fluid buildup from the cancer. It had not stopped growing as they had originally thought but the fluid was masking the cancer from the scan. She started another round of chemo...this time in a pill form. No going to the office to have it done. She went back for a follow up 3 weeks after starting the new meds. The cell count had stayed the same. She was scheduled to go back 3 weeks later for another check. The news wasn't good. The cell count had gone up which meant the chemo meds weren't working. Her other option was another pill form of chemo. The side effect was constant sickness. She'd already decided that she didn't want to live her life being sick everyday. She wanted to enjoy the time she had with her family and friends. The doctors had told her the alternative pill would only prolong life by a month or two and she didn't feel it was worth it if she wouldn't be able to enjoy the life she had left.
The doctors gave her 5-6 months at best without chemo. We're praying like crazy for a miracle! The world just won't be the same without her!

She wanted me to make her a colon cancer awareness shirt for her birthday. So, the shirt was designed and embroidered and it turned into a family affair. Everyone will wear their shirts tomorrow at the cookout in honor of the world's best Mother-in-law!

Who says boys can't pull off pink?

LJ's rockin some new pink hair!! We went in JoAnns the other day to pick up some thread. LJ spotted this hot pink wig sitting on top of the books on the shelf next to the thread. He wanted to try it on and I just knew it was a picture op! I grabbed my phone and snapped the pic. It's my new wallpaper on my phone. It makes me smile every time I look at it!

Wanting a Nook

I've been going back and forth trying to decide if I really wanted an e-reader. I saw the commercial for the Kindle and saw that the price had really come down so I started researching. Trying to decide between the Kindle and the Nook. I asked around on a couple forums and did searches for reviews and finally decided on the Nook. And of course, the fun bonus of the e-reader is the cute covers I can sew for it! Won't that make reading more fun?!

I got a pattern from etsy.com here. The pattern was great and easy to put together. I can't wait to make more. The seller was SUPER fast delivering the pattern. I ordered it around 1:30 am and it was in my inbox within 10 minutes. Now, I probably just caught her up late or maybe the time zone made it not quite so late for her, but that's the fastest pattern delivery I've ever had and I was super excited. Took the pattern to work with me and cut it out during my lunch break. Then came home and started sewing. I used fabrics that I liked, but not my 1st choice just in case it didn't turn out. And since I didn't have a Nook yet, I got the measurements and cut pieces of cardboard out to mimic the Nook in my cover.

Going tomorrow to buy mine!

What a weekend!

We headed to Edisto River for the weekend. The family and friends always get together for July 4th and have a huge cookout. I convinced the husband to go with us this time and it turns out it's really good he came.

We got there Friday night and it was quiet. Mom and dad were there and me and Joe and all out kiddos. Saturday morning everyone else started to arrive. We had bikers and family and friends. We had a great cookout with delicious food. The kids all swam and had a ball. Then we saw some great fireworks on Saturday night. LJ was a little frightened all over again. I'm not sure he'll ever get used to the fireworks. At least he'll sit outside and watch them now. The first year he cried and we had to stand inside with me covering his ears!

Sunday we ended up all getting in the water. There had been big fun having the older guys throwing the younger kids in the water on Saturday so that started up on Sunday too. Well, Ricky decided to jump in and try to splash the kids sitting on the dock. He jumped a couple times and then as he was sitting on a float in the river he looked down to discover that his wedding band was missing! One of the kids said they remember seeing it on his finger before we all got in the water so we assumed that it had to have come off when he jumped one time or the other. Ricky was devastated. He searched everywhere and didn't find it. And we were banking on the fact that Skyler said she'd seen it on his hand earlier.

Turns out we rounded up some dive equipment and Joe went in looking for it. It was almost dark by the time he got in the water but he got a good 45 minutes in looking for it I think. No luck. He did find a pair of sunglasses that one guy had lost the day before but never found the ring. They decided to give up and they'd try at low tide on Monday. So around noon today Joe got into his borrowed dive gear...set up a plan of action and he dove in again. He searched on the left side of the dock first (where he'd been searching the day before) and found nothing. So, he moved to the right side of the dock. Dad kept saying his gut was telling him that's where they'd find it. He searched for about 10 minutes or so (maybe a little longer) on that side and when Ricky went to tug on the rope (it was there sign that he was at the point he needed to turn and sweep back the opposite direction) Joe tugged back really hard to let him know he's seen something and to wait. He came up out of the water gripping with all his life to the diamond wedding band that Ricky had lost in the Edisto River the day before!!! Now my brother has a huge smile and always has, but I think the corners of his lips ACTUALLY touched his ears when Joe handed him that ring!

I think it's amazing that the ring was found! But Ricky was glad and it made a great show for everyone at the river. A great story too.

Then we went down to the sandbar to celebrate and end our weekend and as we were leaving (had to take 2 trips to get everyone home)Ricky turned the boat around and made the motor do a rooster tail and sprayed me, Joe, LJ, Mama, Kevin and Laura. So Mom said that if he did it when he got back that she was going to make sure he got thrown in the river. And sure enough he did it when he got back. So as Ricky was trying to tie up the boat to the dock, Mom hurried off and pushed him in the river. It was perfect timing. He went in easily. But he got out quickly and chased Mom upstairs. She got in the house and tried to lock the sliding glass door. Ricky was trying to open it as we all watched. All of a sudden we heard the sound of shattering glass. Yep..the glass door had shattered! It was a mess! Luckily everyone found it quite humerous. We got the glass cleaned up as good as we could and duct taped a piece of plywood to the doorframe! Talk about redneck living! That'll be the second time the door to the that house has been shattered. They'll be replacing it with french doors this time!

So, we can't say our weekend was boring at all! It's the most fun I've had at Edisto yet.

Changes ahead

We've started a new experiment in hopes that we can calm LJ down. First was something I've been wanting to do for about a year now...and that is install a swing indoors! I bought a chin up bar (on clearance from 100 down to 20!! Score one for me!) It screws into the doorway and I just attached the swing to it. LJ loved it and I have to admit that I took a few turns too and it's fun! Excuse the dirty swing..I grabbed a swing from the swingset outside! I'll be buying a new swing for indoors soon.



The second change we're making is to LJ's diet. We are going gluten free for him. I spent way too much of my paycheck to purchase certain foods (Earth Fare...you're great for what I need but must you charge so much...just be glad I saved so much on that chin up bar!) I bought gluten free cookies, crackers, bread, pancake mix, pasta and pasta sauce. Also got gluten free cereals and peanut butter and jam. We should be set for the week besides a few things I want to pick up Wednesday. I wanted to buy GF waffles, chicken nuggets and frozen dinners but I had another stop to make before heading back home and I didn't have a cooler so I couldn't get the cold stuff.

I sure hope we see a change in him with this. I read another blog and the mom stated that after starting her son on a GF diet for SPD she saw a change. His "mud" poop went to normal and his stimming was reduced. LJ has both of these issues as well as crazy hyperness so we'll see if anything changes. I plan to make it at least 3 or 4 weeks before I say for sure if there's a change.

We also picked up a play-doh playset today on clearance (I love clearance). I got almost an hour of calm sitting down playtime out of LJ. I did sit with him while he played. It was a miracle that he sat for that long. I plan on doing activities with him like this to get him used to sitting for longer periods before school starts.

Update

I have a ton of photos to post and lots to write but I just haven't had the time. Or maybe I've just enjoyed being lazy a little too much.

We went to the beach last week. Myrtle Beach. It was LJ's first time ever seeing the beach. We all had a great time but since we were camping I was ready to leave when we did. We got home and sat around doing nothing the rest of the week and weekend. It was great.

LJ had a dentist appointment to get a tooth filled on Thursday afternoon. I wasn't sure how he'd do. He does great for cleanings, but I wasn't sure how the shot would go over. But he was wonderful! No tears and not even any objections. The whole thing only took about 20 minutes. He's got 1 more small filling to do but I know he'll do good with that too.

LJ gets his braces on his legs Wednesday. His appointment is at 12:30. He's excited, but I think he'll get irritated after he has them on. We'll just do an hour or two for the first few days and gradually work up more time each day. That'll help him get used to wearing them. And I'm getting some vinyl cutouts so he can add a sticker on the back for fun. That way it won't clash with what he's wearing like the prints they offered.

I'll update in the next few days with some pictures.

Heart Attacks for 500 please

What do your kids do when they visit their grandparents? Go outside on the swing? Play board games? Ride their bikes? My girls plot and plan new ways to give their mama a heart attack!

Evans C/O 2010

My little brother graduated Evans High School yesterday! I'm so proud of him. He got College Prep with distinction, Technical Prep, National Vocational Technical Honor Society and Beta seals on his diploma! Way to go Benjamin!

Here are some pics.

Casting

Today went well. Everyone at the office was super sweet and LJ enjoyed the whole experience. They marked some areas on his legs and feet with a blue pen (probably his favorite part of the whole thing) and then put a sock over his leg. Then Ms. Jackie started wrapping his legs up. She did one at a time. It didn't take but a couple minutes for it to dry and she cut it off. He was a champ...he sat very still and only asked 100 questions. hehe

Here are some pics of our casting adventure.

Waiting in the car before the appointment. We got there almost 30 minutes early!



LJ just being LJ while we waited on Ms. Jackie to come in and cast him.



Sitting in Daddy's lap after Ms. Jackie made her blue marks. This pic shows the sock on his foot and the plastic tube is put under there so no slips of the knife are made when cutting the cast off.


This is after the first wrap. The stretchy wrap helps position his foot like they want it.


This the the second wrap. This wrap isn't stretchy and it helps it all dry solid and in place for the mold.


Cutting it off. Really high tech here with the box cutter.


This is what the mold looked like. I didn't get a pic of both of them...they're the same..you get the idea.


You can see the pic of different prints in the background. Those are the girly option. The boy options were awful. Trains and planes, american flags and some horrid camo print (that I'm not sure could even be defined as camo). We went with clear to make them less noticeable and we let LJ pick the color straps he wanted. He chose blue straps. You can see the AFO in the background too. This is what his will look like (minus the ugly print). We go back on June 9 to get them.