So far in 2010

Julian is still working on potty training. It's a process!

Julian LOVES his teacher, Mrs. Kathy.  He does really well with her!  He lets her touch his mouth to help him form shapes to make sounds (autistic children don't usually like this, and he really didn't either, but he lets her now).  He sits for pretty much the whole hour with her on our living room floor playing games, 'singing' songs, 'reading' books, and things like that.  He does his 'picture/communication' book well with her, and we are going to have to push it more when she's not here, because it really does help.  Some of his pictures have magnets and are on our fridge, so instead of throwing a fit at the fridge, he can point or bring us the picture of what he wants.  This really does work! 

The home communication book is still a work in progress.  It's hard because I don't think I'm creative AT ALL and at the end of a long day, the last thing I want to do is think, but Ryan and I have realized that we HAVE to, for our son.  So, that's the plan this week, to work on Julian's book.  I've got the basics done, and his teacher has printed off tons of pictures for us, and I've cut them out already.  I just have to put velcro on the backs and we have to organize the book.

Julian was pretty sick last week, with the flu, and now he has a cold, but this is the FIRST time this season that he has been sick, and that is AMAZING!  He, before, we be sick with every little thing!  He did get it a worse than Chaeli and Dylan, but it went away pretty fast.  The cold has hit the whole house, not just Julian.  He is still on his immune vitamins and immune juice and I REALLY think it has helped.  Really.  It's just a miracle he has not been sick every week like last year!  With not being sick all the time, he's maintaining his weight so much better, and is still on the weight chart, about 10%, and staying there. We're so happy about this!  He still takes his boost, four to five 8 0z containers a day. 

Julian's occupational therapist only comes once a month, and she was here Jan. 6.  While she was here, she said that the old game 'perfection' was awesome for building his pincer grasp and fine motor skills in general and while shopping with a friend in Canton, I was able to find it for about 50 cents!  I was so excited.  We don't turn it on right now, because the time freaks Julian out, but he practices using the little sticks to put the shapes in over and over! 

Since working with his teacher, Julian will say 'nah' for No, while shaking his head back and forth.  This is AWESOME, because now we know when he means NO!  I know this seems little, but it's been so much help asking him things.  We have heard other 'sounds' but nothing that we can put our finger on, but even this is progress in the right direction!  He's only had a few classes and we already see great strides.  Julian will also 'take turns' during 'perfection', and this is GREAT!  

That's about it for Julian right now.