Day #104

Pam (ABA Therapist) and mama took the girls to the ATCAA Headstart end of the year celebration this morning and the girls LOVED the water table! Nice grassy area to play on and a slide structure to climb on, plus water and bubbles, they had a great time. They were also given certificates for completing one year in the headstart program, how exciting! We didn't stay for the bbq because by that time Maeve had just about reached her limit for social participation...oh, and poor Josie ended up losing her favorite little LPS mouse toy, knew we shouldn't have brought it darn it. The girls did very well and the parents of the other kids were very accepting of them and I met one mom there who knew straight off that Maeve was autistic because she has a niece on the spectrum who acts very similar to how Maeve does, she was surprised that I had two on the spectrum though...yes, I am lucky to be the mom of 2 beautiful little girls out of the 1 in 252 girls on the autism spectrum :D

Day #103

 

Beth (ATCAA in-home headstart) took Josie and me to the Soulsbyville Headstart classroom, where we met up with Ginger (ABA Therapist), so we could visit and see what next year holds for Josie. She is so ready for a classroom! She walked in smiling and didn't stop, she made a craft, used homemade coconut scented play dough, stacked blocks, went outside and played with bubbles, water, sand and here she is shooting hoops. She didn't really interact with the other kids but the more she is there and around her typically developing peers the more she will imitate and interact. I can see her blossoming in this environment and I just adore teacher Tiffany who is so inclusive, open, caring and has this gentle vibe about her. Yes, I think mama is finally ready and willing to have her baby girl enter a classroom, especially this one! :D

Day #102

Yes, that is Maeve sitting on the edge of the counter near the stove after pushing a chair up to it, she is getting way too handy at finding ways to get where she shouldn't. She is also demonstrating here her new stim, it is sort of an arm rubbing in a circle disco move kind of thing. She has been doing that quite a bit today...not sure if it is anxiety, a sensory thing because she likes the feel of it or a combination...I am betting on a combo :D

Day #101

I thought she got a little too quiet...it is amazing the positions little ones fall asleep in, she woke up with a dent in her forehead too! This was at about 5 o'clock this evening, didn't sleep long but that doesn't really matter, I am looking at a midnight or later bedtime for her. Her sleep cycles are becoming more regular but little naps can really throw a wrench in the works! :D

Day #100

Night number 2 of Maeve feeding herself! YAY! There's no going back now girlie girl mama knows you can do it so none of this bringing me your spoon to feed you, do it yourself. I am so proud, my baby girl has finally decided she will feed herself spoon and all! On a side note, I just found Maeve taking nibbles of graham cracker and spitting it into her empty cup, lovely :D

Day#99

I didn't want to get up either this morning...here are the girls lazily lounging in mama's bed, neither wanted to get up because it was so nice and cozy there :D

Day #98

Josie is all better! She woke up fine this morning and hasn't missed a beat all day YAY! Took the girls for a walk and it felt good to get out in the fresh air again :D

Day #97

Josie woke up vomiting again this morning, just once this time. The rest of the day she was playing and acting fine. Whatever little stomach bug she has is kind of selective, not horrible just annoying :D

Day #96

Josie woke up vomiting this morning, then was fine the rest of the day, eating and drinking like nothing was wrong. Here she is during her nap, my little sick sweetie :D

Day #95

SAND YAY!!!

Keith and Star were up and out this morning at about 4:30-ish and it is so quiet here without my little chatterbox! I miss her already!! 

Beth came for our last ATCAA in-home Headstart day for the year and brought SAND, pink sand which the girls LOVED and our Scholastic order, we always love new books. After that it was try to get down to business and run session as usual but we quickly gave up on that for the day and let the girls play in the water. What a mellow day :D

Day #94

Josie being a goober...can't describe it any better :D

Day #93

Looks like I left the pumpkin bread within Maeve's reach...

Day #92

This is on the wall of Star's counselors waiting area and it just seemed perfect and poignant for how I have been feeling and viewing life lately. Today was Star's last appointment before she moves to live with Keith and Liza. We also had both Maeve and Josie's IEPs this afternoon, the BIG word came up...transition...yes, classroom is where we are headed next year, which is not only a big step for the girls but it is a HUGE step for mama! So I thought this was perfect...I DREAM big every day because without a dream you have nowhere to start. I LIVE life and appreciate every moment because nothing should ever be taken for granted. I LOVE with all my heart and tell the ones I love everyday that I love them because you never know when it will be your final opportunity. Lastly, I have FAITH not only in the Lord and Lady but the knowledge that everything is falling into place as it should. So I will always DREAM, LIVE, LOVE, and have FAITH, for my girls, for myself, for the rest of my life with all my being! :D

Day #91

Josie played with these cups for quite a while this afternoon and I found it very entertaining. She was pouring the sippy cup into the other and blowing on it then she would say things like "is it ready yet?" "go on give it a try". Then the fairy cup would chase the sippy cup around a bit and the sippy cup would scream and say "it's going to get me". She found this all very amusing as did I :D

Day #90

Doesn't seem very comfy but Josie was snuggling in telling her unicorn "night night time for sleep"... and score another one for the Keane girls, Walmart is no problem! No stopping us now! :D

Day #89

I just love Maeve giggle fits! Biggest result from today was...I WON! I had a successful walk with the girls around the cemetery! Treats in hand I set out to do just that and succeeded, thank you very much! You see, Maeve got into a habit of throwing fits to the point of having to be carried or dragged because she wanted to sit and play in the grass there, but not this evening, no ma'am she walked compliantly, no fuss no muss! I am just as persistent as she is and I think that bullheadedness pulled us through because I wasn't giving up on walking with her, I am elated! :D

Day #88

ATCAA In-Home Headstart day today with Beth. She brought "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" to read and a neat caterpillar puppet that turned inside out into the chrysalis and butterfly, very neat, Star loved it!  She also brought some watercolors and coffee filters so the girls could create these butterflies. When they were dry I used pipe cleaners to make the bodies and decided to use a branch and craft wire to make this mobile. I LOVE the colors Maeve and Josie came out with just using a dropper in water color and filters. They worked on this project while I took Star to Mind Matters to be tested for an auditory processing disorder and the result being, yes, she has an auditory processing disorder with dyslexic learning style...can she overcome this, yes...will it be challenging, yes...are we willing to make it happen, hell yes! We have never given up yet and are not planning on it! Just another 'bump in the road' :D

Day #87

After today did not start out as I had hoped I decided to take all the girls to Safeway on my own to pick up some much needed groceries. This is quite a feat! Three girls who are flighty in their own ways and Maeve with her anxiety issues I was a bit apprehensive. Shaking! I found myself praying for strength and a successful trip which to my great happiness turned out just so, THANK YOU! Maeve was a little nervous and vocal but not her usual fight or flight, scream at the top of her lungs, she was mellow by comparison, YAY! Josie is mellow as it is and the dearie didn't even mind groceries piling up on her. Star pulled it together and was the BIGGEST help she has ever been. All in all a humongous WIN for the Keane girls!!!

Day #86

SUPER JOSIE!

I am going to make today's post a catch up on what has been happening in our Autism life... let's see... 

We have recently had Maeve's IPP meeting with our representative from VMRC.

We now have a diagnosis for Star: Asperger's with ADHD and possible auditory processing disorder and we go back to Mind Matters on Monday 14th to test for that.

We have Maeve and Jo's IEPs coming up on the 18th so the team has been scrambling to get things done, we have been doing some speech assessments, the school nurse has contacted to catch up on their medical issues, Emily is hurrying to get her reports done, in a couple days our OT will be meeting with me to go over goals.

The girls are making BIG progress everyday! Maeve will consistently say "hi" and "bye" now and even has a few more words that pop up but aren't as consistent. Josie is talking a bunch more and it is not all echolalia but is more and more the generation of her own thoughts YAY! Maeve's stims seem to be changing...less ripping but more plucking of her toys fuzz, kitty fur (poor Fae) etc., less jumping but more pacing, and joy of joys she started a new one today (notice the sarcasm there) spitting, yes, standing and spitting down but trying to catch it and sift it like she does her beans and things. I am also trying to extinguish a behavior rather rapidly but at the same time trying not to give her attention for it...we will just say she gets into her diaper...

Busy days, good days, trying days, long days, but all are loving days :D

Day #85

Took Star to Columbia Kate's Teahouse this afternoon and here she is spreading Devonshire cream on her white chocolate raspberry scone, YUMMY! We ordered the "Columbia Tea" which comes with choice of 2 cup pot of tea (chocolate chai for Star and Angel's Dream for me), scone of choice with toppings, 4 cucumber tea sandwiches, 4 rosemary wafer crackers with chicken salad and egg salad, and either a lemon bar or macaron for dessert. So worth it!!! Plus the BEST part was spending time with my little lady :D

Day #84

Ingenious! Josie is using the little ketchup bottle from the cooking set to suck the spit up from her mouth and is squirting it all over the table...nice! :D

Day #83

They arrived today! I decided I needed some sort of identification on the girls when we are out in public, just in case they stray away from me. Med IDs are too expensive so I thought why not a fancy, cute "pet tag". So I went onto rossipettags.com and they have a bazillion and one types, sizes, colors, shapes, they are durable, you can choose the font you want, you can have 1, 2, or 3 lines of information and even put an image engraved on the front side, which I guess I forgot to add to Josie's but I still LOVE them! As you see the front side of each tag has their first name, last name and "I am AUTISTIC", the flip side has "If lost please call", home number, my cell number. Now all I need are some cute necklaces to put these on and they may become a permanent pendant the girls wear. SO EXCITED!! :D

Day #82

Do you like Josie's photography? This is what I found among other blurry, close up, blank shots. Not sure when she got a hold of my camera but she must have had a good time with it. Probably was saying,"say cheese" the whole time :D

Day #81

 Today has been a tiring day but is ending up a good day. Beth came this morning for In-Home Headstart and the ladies worked on a special Mother's Day surprise for me with the girls, how exciting! Then as you can see Maeve enjoyed the flour/baby oil mixture Beth created for her sensory bin, I thought it came out looking like streusel topping. Speech for Josie at about 3:30pm. Walk at about 5:30pm. Dinner near 7pm where Josie enjoyed garlic rice, yes that is right, she is eating rice and loving it! Star had her ups and downs but that goes with the territory. Finally all are calm and playing peacefully and mama is ready for bed...thunk! :D

Day #80

Mama isn't but I think the girls are starting to miss having a working television. Although they seem more mellow, not as agitated, sleeping better, and the house has an overall peaceful mood since the t.v. quit about 4 or 5 days ago now. I don't even miss it but when they start looking through the DVDs like this, I think I need to bite the bullet and get another one. I will seriously limit their technology consumption though, an hour a day tops! :D

Day #79

MAEVE IS EATING FRENCH TOAST!!! :D

Day #78

Yes, that is green finger paint all over the carpet. While I was momentarily distracted talking to our Speech Therapist, scheduling appointments for next week, both Maeve and Josie discovered where it was hidden and proceeded to paint the carpet and themselves. Thank goodness for Clorox clean up and Aveeno bubble bath :D

Day #77

 Maeve made herself a very uncomfortable looking nest in her swing, but she is completely happy :D

Day #76

We were a bit early for OT so went to the play yard to wait and here is Josie climbing up on an old school Donald Duck spring rider. After about 15 minutes it was our turn for the OT room. The girls love OT but were a bit fussy today so we called the session after half an hour, walked home and let them get some water play in.

Day #75

Maeve had an appointment today in Sacramento for an MRI of her brain, which went well and here she is in recovery after waking up from the propofol, still a little loopy but enjoying her apple juice. She also had blood taken for some tests our neurologist ordered, bit of drama in that department, but we got it done, about 12 vials worth!  Thank you Emily for taking us to Sacramento, I couldn't have done it without you!

Day #74

 

 We played "store" with Beth this morning for our ATCAA Headstart day. She brought a little shopping cart, which Josie loved, and some different food boxes, fake fruit and veggies, a cash register as well as some price stickers so we could price the different items and practice cashiering. The girls seemed to enjoy it, even if they couldn't sit through the whole story afterward :D