Finally Celebrated

Opening one of the myriad of gifts I got him which was a nice foam spiderman puzzle.
The really nice spiderman carpet was a gift from the neighbour sisters 2 appartmentds down.
Thank you!!

While my guests ate supper I gave Aaron a couple presents to open.
This was a toystory memory game.
Aaron is into several obsessions at the same time:
spiderman
toystory
thomas and friends (the new thomas the tank engine)

We practiced all week to blow out candles, a couple days he had it down.
Today not so much. He tried and tried but couldn't get those candles blown out.
Instead he kept blowing up his hair. Which was so cute.
There was a comment made by one of the guests which was: I have never seen a person to make their kid suffer so much.
In reality what he means is that I never seen a person be so hard on their child.
After hearing this several times in the past couple years I found it the right oppurtunity to tell said person that I'm doing what I'm supposed to be doing with Aaron. I'm commended by many (those who deal with Aaron and I outside of family) that I'm doing the right thing. What this person deems as suffering is in actuallity me pushing Aaron just a little harder to accomplish any said task. I don't believe in coddling Aaron and want him to really try. Given that he does have some form of autism it is harder to get through to him and for him to understand the task at hand. I'm a little louder than usual, and a little repetivite and annoying as well. But it gets the job done. Aaron learns what he's to learn and we accomplish one more thing in life that makes us both happy. I don't make any excuses for the way I parent Aaron. Yes I agree it's annoying as hell but it works for us, he's learning which is most important for him and for me.


He didn't get that last candle blown out, but even I know what the limits are in what Aaron can do and we call it a draw and try again another year. I call this asuccess to even allow having that cake anywhere near him let alone sitting on his tray!

Next year's goal is to actually have him EAT some cake!

Every year at this time I try once again to get Aaron accustomed to eating food. I always give up around October. I pulled out my binder and reread everything and cried some at my failure as a mom to teach my child a basic human function. And then I decided to be proactive and take action. Instead of food we are going to the basics which is desensitizing his face and mouth and tongue. No food is introduced at the sessions. Each week I set little goals. I keep track of our progress in a little journal that I've had for several years. It's nice to have this journal to look back on, to see what I've tried, why I'd given up and the motivation to keep on going.

For the next 3 months we do 15-20 minute sessions right after school of mouth play, tongue tickles and rubbing and all sorts of weird things. I'm motivated to do this by Aaron actually understanding what is being asked of him. I believe we can make progress quicker. In the one week we've been playing these games and having these sessions I find his sensory seeking (the tongue licking the face off) is less! I've also noticed that he will do as I ask of him! Hooray!

Go Aaron!!

Thank you all for the birthday wishes!

Here's to another great year Aaron!!