Wow, has it really been that long since I last posted?
We seem to be sliding downward again with Jack. Last Thursday he had a meltdown when his tutor got here over her asking him how he was, seriously, that's all it took. He refused to answer and began screaming and crying and throwing things. When it became apparent that he wasn't going to quit anytime soon she just picked him up and carried him up to his play room where he proceeded to go on for what seemed like forever. They eventually got through his work for the day, but not without a lot of tears. Friday was more of the same, not quite as bad, but not what we've come to expect as "normal." No tutor today and it was rough. He had a terrible day at school - which I wasn't expecting being that it was Valentine's Day so there was fun stuff going on, including the cupcakes he helped me make last night. But he had quite a few big tantrums. This entire afternoon was spent picking fights with Liam. Eventually it ended in a big blow out with him slapping me across the face and proceeding to throw everything he could all over the living room. I just sat on the couch holding Liam and ignoring him until he stopped - it was obviously attention seeking - everything he threw he would pause and look at me, waiting to get a reaction. Eventually he realized that he wasn't going to get attention like that and came over and nicely asked for a cup of milk. It amazes me how quickly he can calm down sometimes. I was relieved, for one it was nice that he stopped on his own, and for two, the fact that he did stop just like that was proof that it was simply just trying to get attention. I told him he had to clean up the damage (which was quite extensive, nothing was broken but it looked as if a toy store had exploded in the living room. this quite frankly scares the s*** out of me. he's three and can throw one hell of a tantrum- what will we do when he's 13?!?) before he got his milk and he did with no complaints. We then had a little "heart to heart" about what he did and how it wasn't ok and he curled up on the couch as if nothing had happened. Sometimes it's all so confusing. I wonder if this is the typical "horrible three year old" behavior (because he is three, Autistic or not, he is three years old and has to deal with all that stuff on top of his Autism) or the Autism. I'm hoping to get a chance to sit down and talk with his BCBA (the woman in charge of his tutoring program) and pick her brain about all this stuff. It's hard when you're changing programs as frequently as we have had to this last year. It all just becomes a jumbled mess.
School is still a nightmare. I seriously do not know what I'm going to do with them. UGH! I heard that there is a teacher at the school Jack went to for summer semester that "specializes" in Autism and basically has a preschool classroom set up specifically for Autistic children. So hopefully tomorrow I will begin the process of getting some magical piece of paper called a "geographic exemption" that will give us the ability to go to a different school than where we're charted to go geographically. For real, could they make this maze of education ANY more confusing?! Even if we get the approval to switch schools I have no idea how difficult it will be to get into this woman's class. The person who told me about her said she's the best preschool teacher on the island. Which is great. Except the fact that everyone and their grandma are probably trying to get in there too. Wish me luck. I hate this crap.
Other than that, not much is going on. Just the same old, same old. I did however purchase a new sewing machine a week ago and have been sewing my little heart out! I always enjoyed sewing when I was a little girl and so it's kind of therapeutic. I honestly don't know what I'm doing (lol) but I'm figuring it out as I go. I've made like 5 pairs of pajama pants for the boys, a purse for myself, a valance for the kitchen window (out of an incredibly ugly chicken fabric remnant I found for $1!! I love ugly things- sounds strange- but it's true), and tonight I almost finished sewing a skirt for myself. I've almost got my little sewing corner set up, when I get it finished I'll post a picture. Now if only I could have like a couple days to lock myself away up here and just sew until I couldn't sew anymore I'd be a happy gal!
