life lately (and a progress update on Noah)

Can you tell we've been a bit busy lately?
Part of it is due to the temperature drop (finally) around here. It feels absolutely awesome out, so we've been taking advantage of it.

Meeting up with friends:

Going out as a family:

 (Noah behaves so well at restaurants, even nicer ones. These were taken at the Cheesecake Factory)

 Soaking up the last little bits of summer fun:

 Monkey Joe's:

 

We bought Noah an Autism Awareness shirt, mostly so that others will be a little more mindful of him. I've watched people's faces completely change once they see it. It's like something on the inside softens, and they begin to reach out and play with him. Those who aren't aware of autism will ask polite questions. Kids become selfless, handing over their toys for Noah to play with. A sweet cashier at Target runs to their break room and back just to hand Noah a box of raisins or a sticker (she remembers Noah's name every time, asks how he's doing, and talks to him the whole time we check out). It's been so refreshing to see that there is still good out there. It's as if Noah teaches people to tap into a more sensitive part of themselves that often goes ignored.

For a little guy who used to be terrified of Monkey Joe, I think this can be counted as progress. :)

 Willing Fall to hurry its little heiney up:

Guess what made a comeback into Noah's diet again this week! That's right... raw pumpkin.
The kid still loves it. Go figure.

I may be a tad bias. But oh my goodness, his cuteness just slays me sometimes.

Pumpkin face 'n all.

 Btw, baking is a GREAT sensory play activity. And cheap.

Just get your vacuum ready, set yourself up next to the sink, and let 'em at it.

I use flour, white sugar, and brown sugar for the different textures.

Once he's done, I suck it all up with the vacuum and wipe the rest right into the sink. Pretty simple. When he's older, I plan on using baking to help teach fractions and measurements (I really wish someone would've done that with me. I probably would've done better in math had I understood what the numbers actually meant).

The other reason for the silence? Well, we've been doing a lot of transitioning the last couple of weeks. Noah has officially aged out of the EI program, much to the disappointment of his coordinator (we're still keeping in touch though! I talked to her yesterday!).
He now is enrolled as part of the public school's "preschool" program, even though it's not really preschool. Noah is going to therapy every day of the week except Wednesdays. Three of those days are at the local elementary school down the road. He's enrolled in OT, Special Ed, and Speech. We've only had one session of each so far, so it remains to be seen as to how much this will benefit him. I'm sure they're all great at what they do. It just takes some time to adjust and figure Noah out. It also doesn't help that they only have 30 minutes a week to do so. But we'll see. Anything is better than nothing.

He's also still doing OT with the private company (looooove them!!) on Tuesdays. His therapist, Ms Kim, is absolutely wonderful with him. She's a mom and grandma, so she has that perfect balance of wisdom, knowing when it's time to push Noah's limits and when it's time to ease up and cuddle him. :) And he's finally stopped crying! He participates well and actually enjoys it.

 (doing his pre-OT run... it's his transition tool of choice. ha)

The other therapists are also there, working with their kids, and they're all so friendly, greeting each kid as they come in. We've introduced brush therapy with Noah this week, and he loves it. I swear I could sit and listen to Kim explain this stuff to me all day. How it affects Noah, how Noah processes the sensory input, and certain signs to look for in the next couple of weeks. Fascinating stuff.

We've been seeing some really great progress with him, and I truly believe it's his OT that's helped. His stimming has decreased so much, and he's becoming a little more verbal.
A few nights ago, I asked him if he was ready to take a bath. He responded with, "Tay ba-ba". That was his first time ever using a two word sentence. I just about invited the neighbors over for a party to celebrate. I was so so excited for him. He's also saying "bye-bye" again.
Noah also knows how to count to 10, but in the past, he hasn't enunciated the words well. It comes out as, "uh-oo-ee" for 1, 2, 3.
This week though? He began to hop around the room, counting each hop and he said both "two" and "six" perfectly! Baby steps. But steps in the right direction.

He's currently obsessed with Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes. He randomly does the motions, attempting to sing along. Even on the trampoline (please ignore our neglected, ugly garden beds. we kind of didn't bother this year.). 

(how do you like that hair??)

Because he's learning to process sensory input correctly, he's getting braver. More aware of his own body and what he's capable of. While most parents freak when their kids start going up the slide backwards or do a superman jump off the arm of the couch, I'm over here encouraging it! It's typical toddler behavior, and I'm all for it!

 A couple of months ago, sitting on a swing unassisted wouldn't have happened. He's never been able to balance himself and wanted to lean back on me for support. Now? No help needed.

Noah's making lots of progress, and it's so exciting to watch. I love seeing him learn and getting to watch him make big steps firsthand.

Anyway, sorry for the novel. Just wanted to get this stuff written down before I forget. I love blogging, but frankly, sitting at a computer just isn't as enticing as getting outside and enjoying the awesome weather with my family. :)

Hope you're having an amazing week!

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I also have a few new posts over at the Poop Whisperer. Check them out if you want!
Why You Gain Weight After Working Out
Pumpkin Spice Latte (vegan friendly option)