Santa, Meh..

He needed to be bribed with a lollipop to sit and then wouldn't smile. Oh Well. At least he's not crying and looking at the camera!

School Days...

Our 1st school photo!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Another mom shared this and I thought it was great.

LISTEN TO THE MUSTN'TS

Listen to the MUSTN'TS, child,
Listen to the DON'TS
Listen to the SHOULDN'TS
The IMPOSSIBLES, the WON'TS
Listen to the NEVER HAVES
Then listen close to me --
Anything can happen, child
ANYTHING can be.

By: Shel Silverstein

Color Me Happy

Owen has NEVER been into coloring, painting, Playdoh. If it's Arts and Crafts, he's not having any part of it--normally.

Well, today I decided to reintroduce Owen's archenemy

The Magna Doodle.

This has been brought out and put away SOO many times. He doesn't like that it's on string, he holds it the wrong way, etc. It's been a very frustrating toy for him.

Well, today was different.

I made 1 mark to give him a prompt and then he took it from me, and took off.

He was a Scribbling Fool!

After lots of praise and hand clapping on his part, this was our finished product.

Long Time, Long Post!

Things have been busy in the World of Owen!

We went to the DAN! MD and got our results of the Poop Test and Metals Test..

And the winner is Candida...

Yup. Owen's chock full of the bad stuff. Many children on the spectrum have what is called a "leaky gut". This is basically defined as too much yeast in the bowels and intestine. You can also click here to read more http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/QAA361058/what-is-leaky-gut.html.

Soo, what will happen? Owen's now on an Antifungal therapy. Nystatin. It's liquid and he's on it 4 times a day and for at least 3 months, maybe longer.

Also, his Metal Test. He's loaded up with Metals. What this means is his body is not
properly getting 'rid' of the metals that are naturally found is some foods. Such as arsenic-- Did you know that there are trace amounts of Arsenic found in chicken? You can read more here..

http://www.ehow.com/how_2166080_use-chelation-therapy-autism.html

After we heal Owen's gut, he's going to do Chelation Therapy. Not sure if it will be Oral or IV, but it's a must for us to attempt to recover him..

Now, we have our Vitamins and Suppliments! He's deficient in a few areas, nothing crazy but we need to get that up to snuff. We've added some Intestinal Support Vitamins, Vitamin D, and a bunch of others. Luckily, Owen's a juicehound so we are able to just add the vitamins to his morning and evening juice and he sucks it right down.

Progress? He's doing awesome. We've been Gluten Free now for 5 weeks and he's doing so much stuff. He's more aware of his body and his surrounding. He's trying to sing, he's laughing much more hardily, he's running so fast and climbing everywhere. As far as speech-He's really trying to mimic sounds and he's got much more Oompf! to the strength of his voice. It's amazing. I've actually got a log of everything and I plan to post it all over the next day or so.

The Week In Review- Coo Coo Cachoo..

Short week at school...

Here's our reports:

Tuesday, 9/29

I had Speech, OT and PT

I also have been doing a great job with one step directions during the day! I also did a great job rolling the ball at gym, and I played in the computer area.

Wednesday, 9/30

Today I had Speech and did another great job in Gym. I also played very well in the block area..

Thursday 10/1
*NO report, don't know why...

Friday 10/2

Today I had Speech and OT. I am also coughing for Voula, the ST when asked to say "Ah".. It's pretty funny. I also played in the Science Area.

Someday it just might.

Report from Miss Beth:

RE: Gross Motor Imitation Direction "Do This"

Owen is too busy trying to flirt his way out of these to actually do them. He seems to have forgotten that flirting isn't going to get him out of work.

Week 2! The Week in Review...

Monday, 9/21

Today I had LIBRARY! and I got to check out a book. Pictures to follow...

Owen wet through his clothes today but he did really nice following directions!

Today I played in the toy area!

Tuesday, 9/22

Today I had Speech, OT and PT-- I was busy!

I also wet through my clothes again today. We are going to change him earlier in the morning to try and fix this problem.

Today I played in the block area!

Wednesday, 9/23

Today I had Speech, and boy I wasn't happy with Ms. Vuola, but I did very well.

I also did a great job at Gym Class and very good listening at Circle Time.

I also played in the toy area, book area and computer area!

After school I had Hippotherapy and did really well. Photos are coming!

Thursday, 9/24

I think that Owen thinks Miss Beth is crazy during circle. I just laugh at her.

Today I had OT and PT and played in the block area

Friday, 9/25

Today I had Speech and OT. I also played like a superstar during Intergrated Recess and got a WOW certificate. My 1st one. Go Owen.

I also played in the toy area!

School has started!

and Owen is doing great! The week in review so far!


Notes from Miss Beth:

First Day 9/15

--had a little bit of a rough start, but did a nice job with my PECs book and everyone noticed how much babbling I was doing. I didn't say any words, but lots of sound.

Today I played in the toy and block areas

9/16/09

--had a much better adjustment this am! Like I never left.

Today I played in the art and book areas

9/17/09

I keep laughing at Miss Beth during Circle Time. I keep laughing at her. I also did a great job with my PECs today

Today I played in the toy and sand/water areas

I also went to PT today. My 1st session with Miss Susan. She said I made a big improvement and I did my "homework" over Summer and got big and strong!

9/18/09

--worked very well with Miss Beth this morning! She was very pleased.

Today I played in the toy area

Overall, a great 1st week!

For those who aren't aware-- PECs is actually Picture Exchange Communication. Many kids use this to talk when they don't have the words. It involves being shown photos and actually having to remove the photo from a book and bring it to a teacher or parent to show what they want. Owen is in the 1st stages of this book and is doing just awesome!

The only downside-- Crappy 1st day photos. Someone wasn't very cooperative. :(

I see you!

We've rediscovered the joy of Peek A Boo!
Now, I have to cover his face with my hands and then he yells and laughs.

It's too cute, and I just love it.

Also, I've attached a clip of him clapping--Hopefully this works!

My new favorite quote...

"Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not." ~Dr. Seuss

A girl I went to high school with posted this on Facebook. I just love it.

Do you know what this is?

Owen does. This is a BABAMA.

Yay Owen!

35 Pounds of sheer, unmitigated charm and cute.

Hey all,

Owen's Old Man here. Just wanted to tell a quick story.

Aside from clapping up a storm now, our Pint-sized Casanova has been picking up the ladies lately. These are full fledged women in bikinis at our pool.

The first one was sitting on the steps where Owen normally gets out of the pool. So he went up to her looking all charming and cute and she smiles at him. He takes her by the hand and begins to pull her into the pool, and she goes with him, the poor starstruck woman!

He then lets go of her hand once she has moved off the step and climbs out of the pool and smiles broadly, obviously proud that he has duped this woman.

“I can't believe I fell for that!” she laughs as the people at the pool chuckle at Owen's little maneuver.

He tries again with another girl who is sitting on the steps reading her book. This time the girl (a blond this time. You can't say he's partial, except he like the ladies!) is wise to his game and says “Uh-uh. I'm not moving” Owen turns on the charm and she says “Now what are you going to do?” and smiles.

He then proceeded to use her like a banister, to climb out, much to everyone's amusement and my chagrin.

One of the regulars says “Man, if we pulled that move we'd get arrested!”

He also played a lo of grab-ass with the moms at the Sprayground at the park on Monday. I say “sorry” and they all say the same thing “It's OK, he's cute!”

That's my son, Johnny Suave, the Ladies' Man.

No explanation needed!

If you're happy and you know it...

CLAP YOUR HANDS!

Owen NEVER clapped his hands. He just skipped this as an infant. Well, he does it now. They have been working on this at school and yesterday I was playing with him and said "Clap your hands!" expecting to have to initiate it and he did it all on his own.

So great, and the best part is that I started yelling "Good boy!" and clapped myself and he got this smirk on his face like he knew
what he did was special.

I'm going to try and get it on video but I'm assuming that he won't do it as par for the course :)

No, Whoa, and the big O

Owen has been very chatty over the last week or so!

Mostly babble, but we have had some word activity..

1st up: NO!

The scene: Owen wanted to have more juice and Daddy said "No, you need to have water". Owen then got mad, started to stomp his feet and say "No, No, No". Good times!

2nd: Whoa!

Scene: playing around, slipped and yelled "whoa!" Appropriately, and very cute!

and the big one... HIS NAME!

Rich and Owen were in the supermarket and Rich was singing his name to him "Owen, Owen.." and Owen very softly said " Oh- in" "Oh-in".

It was great, or so I hear.. as once again: I MISSED IT! Aaaaahhhh!

That's what I get for working a 40 hour work week this week!

More to come, later!

The River is drying up!

Owen still drools.. quite a bit at times. He tends to "pool" his saliva in his mouth instead of swallowing and then it just falls out because he does have low tone.

Well, what a difference school makes.. Over the last 2 weeks or so, it's been next to nothing! Vuola his ST said she's been really working on his mouth and doing exercises and thought we should see a difference soon, but it's started. Wow! He actually wore a shirt ALL day the other day.. No mid afternoon change!

Talking, Dry Shirts, and a cute little boy, Oh My!

Did you hear that?

I picked Owen up from school today and I saw Miss Beth. Today, she and Owen's Speech Therapist, Vuola heard him say "Hi". Someone came in to the classroom and said "Hi" to the students and she said she heard a tiny little voice next to her say "Hi" right back.

Yup, it was Owen.

She said that if she wasn't right next to him she wouldn't have heard it, and Vuola was next to him on the other side and heard it as well. Go Owen!

In other notes, we got his Progress Report today and they are working on:

Simple One Step Directions:
Current Targets are: Stand up, Sit down and give me

Gross Motor Imitation direction: "do this"
Current Targets are: Arms Up, clap hands, tap knees "think head, shoulders, knees and toes"

Receptive Object Identification: "touch ________"

Gestural Communication "What do you want" with a point to desired item

Coloring: Just to do it!

PECS: This is a picture identification system in which they use photos and prompting to get Owen to 'express". Right now, he's been doing "ok" with 2 photos, but they are trying to get him to 1 photo for a few basic items. When I have more info, I'll post it...

And as usual, he tried to run back into school because he wasn't ready to leave! Too cute!

The Juice Cup Runneth Over...

Yesterday I picked Owen up from school and saw Miss Beth. I asked her how the culprit did today and I got more details on Owen's juice spree..

Well, Miss Beth gave Owen his own juice when she saw he didn't have any. She keeps a stash in the class in case kids need more, spill, etc. So, Owen had 2 cups with a straw. This apparently didn't cut it.

It was AFTER his 2 cups during his 10 minute snack break that he was trying the old "Wink and a Smile" routine and stealing juice!

The kid is like a camel! Where's his hump?

In other news, apparently Owen is doing great during circle time. He sits now and just laughs! He's not really "participating" in circle, but she's happy he's so being so attentive. She said that he watches her the entire time, which is great.

Also, every Wednesday during Summer session some High School volunteers are coming in and teaching the kids ball skills! They have a T-Ball stand and have everyone hitting the ball and attempting to catch and Owen did great and had a blast!

Wanted: Juice Thief

I got an e-mail today from Miss Beth, Owen's teacher. Daddy forgot to put a juice box in Owen's snack bag today and Owen was waiting until other kids turned their heads and was trying to steal their juice. She said it was really, really funny!

Regardless, I felt bad that the poor kid was thirsty. As everyone knows, Owen loves his drink!

On another note, leaving school today on the way to the sitter, Owen waved "Bye Bye" when prompted and I think blew a kiss! I'm not sure, but it looked like it.. He also attempted to knock on the sitter's door! He gave it a few slaps while I was knocking! So Cool!

Get it IN!

Owen loves yogurt. He will eat it all day, every day if you let him. When you open the fridge he will run and take out a cup of it and try to open it. Today was no exception..

The exception was that tonight we were having drinkable yogurt. But, the container had Owen's girlfriend Dora on the box and the containers..

So, the foil top wasn't coming off as fast as the boy with no patience wanted so he holding his straw yelled "IN" and attempted to put his straw in the container. WOW! Rich and I both shocked tried to get him to say it again and, he was too busy drinking by this point.

So about 3.5 seconds later, after Owen sucked it down, he immediately went into the kitchen to put his empty container on the kitchen counter which he does with all his cups when he wants a refill. Again, really great..

What has even better was that when Rich told him the yogurt was all done, he could have something else, he yelled and gestured at the counter, basically saying "Uh, excuse me? I know what I want!"

So, a cranky fit later, he's now eating Blueberries saying "Num Num" like Cookie Monster on Sesame Street.

Too Cute!

Paging Mommy and Daddy...

Tonight when Owen was getting ready for bed, Rich was cutting his toenails (Mommy's not allowed to do it) and he did NOT want his toenails cut at all. He called Mama and Daddy! Just once each time, very softly, and...

I MISSED IT!

He said it, it's what matters but still...

I MISSED IT!

Play Doh, The Snack of Champions

I picked Owen up from school today, and I saw his favorite aide, Notch which is a nickname of a something I can't pronounce.. Anyway, she told me that he was very mindful today of directions and played with Play Doh! Of course, excited but knowing Owen, I asked "Did he eat it?" and the answer was "Oh Yeah!"..

But, after a few redirections by her, he was successful and had a ball! Yay.. I've tried many times to get him to play with it, but he has had no interest..

Time to go home!

Those were the words of the day. Apparently Owen didn't really want to listen much today when it came to getting up and moving around the classroom, but when Miss Beth said "Time to go home, go get your backpack!" He ran to his cubby! He's so funny..

Miss Beth said that his Speech Therapist has been doing a lot of work in his mouth and really getting him to move his tongue and he's not complaining or crying about it.

Go Owen!