The BOOGIE!

  

 So ever since Jacob was little he had a boogie. I have no idea why he calls his blanket this!!!! A blanket that he loves rubbing under his nose, wrapping around his head and sniffing.  Yes I said sniffing. I know it is some comfort for him, sensory or calming, I don't know. We started with these baby blue fuzzy fleece ones and we had backups too. They had "baby boy" on one or baby like symbols on them. Around his 3rd Christmas Santa delivered a space themed one because the baby ones were too... you know...baby.  I think Santa just knew that we needed to grow up in the blanket department. Also a backup Eric Carl one was bought shortly after because a backup always happens to be needed once in a while. I am proud of him recently with being able to use the backup for a longer time.We left the space one at my parents house and a meltdown happened but he was easily diverted to the thought of the backup at home. It has been two weeks and he loves the thought that Papa and Nema are taking care of it.
     This blanket has come with all sorts of challenges. Just like a pacifier we have had to wean him off it. It is only a home thing now. Before it was doctors appointments, preschool, car rides and everywhere. Now  it is trips and at home occasionally he asks to take it for the car ride. Trying to keep a socially unacceptable thing from the public is hard. I mean he is 6 and quiet frankly he has way more socially unacceptable behaviors. I don't think it is going to be years from now until it is not a part of his daily life. We gotta pick our battles sometimes. I thought cutting the nasty corner off and resewing it was going to be hard. I guess he has taught me that he is way more flexible than I thought and I don't give him enough credit. He surprises me in  so many ways and I love watching him grow before my eyes. We all need a good cuddle with our favorite boogie.

Double Edged Sword

Jacob is obsessed with "The Magic School Bus" books right now. He sleeps with them, carries them around all day when at home. Reads them at least once a day and  now I made the discovery of the shows on our Netflix account..... so now he is asking to watch them everyday. Mostly the space ones and he seems OCD about it. But like all of his OCD things they change without warning. Like he gets as much out of the topic or show and then is done. I love the books and they have him thinking about space and now the human body. He is asking for additional books and materials on the subjects too. He is pretty much self guiding his own education and it is scary. He is rattling off facts and numbers to me all day long. Yesterday morning we had our Jerry Maguire moment. He blurts out that my brain is 3 lbs , his is 2 lbs and a baby's is 1 lb. So I picture that adorable kid in the movie.....ya he just said that and I say are you now going to tell me bees sense fear? I am amazed at times and frustrated by the constant nagging to watch the Planet Magic School Bus episode for the 80th time.  But I give in once in awhile. It makes me think of the book I just read  The Spark: A Mother's Story of Nurturing Genius by Kristine Barnett. Her son Jacob and mine have so many parallels it is scary. I am constantly looking for our Jacob's spark. Right now I am feeding his brain with whatever he asks about because things right now are meltdown free and actually "normal" for once.....

Just don't ask him to sit still

You can ask Jacob about plants vs zombies and you'll get an answer. Just don't ask him to sit still. Seriously he is the squirmiest kid I know!  It is as if you dumped fire ants on him sometimes. I know its a sensory thing. He needs extra input which is deep pressure or needs to get up and run around. It always seems to be when we are sitting down to eat or he is needing to be still. Waiting rooms are a nightmare!!!!  This was a huge issue waiting for speech and social group this year. I always got irritated by the staff telling him what to do right after I just asked him to. As if them asking is going to magically make him listen.  I bring things for him to do. I have little fidgets like transformers, or puzzle games. Which seems to help but if there is a delay or anything else that catches his eye, he can get antsy. Hugs seem to help but you never know when the need arises. We are working on him expressing this need and to let us know when he needs this extra input. It is slow going, so if you see us and he is running circles around us, just smile and give us a wave and don't forget to ask him about plants vs zombies.