Figuring Out Jacob's Puzzle

The puzzle piece represents the Autism world with the idea that the causes of Autism are puzzling and the thought that any one with this condition does not fit in. I was thinking about a few things about the puzzle piece and how it relates to Jacob.  More of how I visually see his condition. I love puzzles and also have been really good at them since I was little. I do feel like everyday is a challenge and can see the the puzzle pieces. I feel like we get them together once and awhile but then one piece alters just as quickly as we get the pieces together. We haven't been afraid to stop trying to fit a piece that just wasn't working in Jacobs puzzle. We have switched therapy, preschool and now school to get him what services we think will be best for him. Autism is puzzling and I am reminded daily that I am going to be kept on my toes with him. Some times I torture myself with thoughts of how bad that event will be and it goes smoothly and others not expecting will be an issue and then they are. I honestly feel like it is a evolving puzzle one that changes as he grows. I love it that he challenges me, because with him I am a better person.

Starting Home School

  Home school came faster than I thought. I am so far three days in and have what I think is a great plan. Executing it will be another story. I have done enough thinking about what I am going to do to wear a person into frazzles. Now comes the fun part, teaching and spending time with Jacob. I have set aside two hours in the morning to work on home school. I also have him doing things at therapy the rest of the day to keep him on track for math and reading. The most challenging aspect of the whole thing has been figuring out where to start with him. Age wise, yes he is a first grader, but academically he is much higher. I am engaging him in science, writing and history this year as well as art. What is so great about this is he is going to have an individual educational plan that focusing on his weaknesses and we don't have to repeat or "review" what he already knows like it was in kindergarten for him.  If I ever hear "I'm bored" I would be surprised.  Him expressing this was a huge red flag before the anxiety attacks happened last fall at school. Having him tested last year was a great start to know where to begin with him. So I feel like we are prepared.
     I am honestly excited about being his teacher and wish I had done the same for Sophia. I know this is what he needs right now since he is such a different learner than what public school can accommodate for. I feel like he is going to have a great year and can't wait to see how much he grows.

Buying a Rocket Ship

Our space obsession has gotten serious now....So the other day Jacob was talking about the atmosphere and how many miles it takes to get out of the atmosphere and into space, which he says is around 60 miles. He then compared it to his dad's  running time which is 3 miles in 25 minutes and how it would be a long time to leave the atmosphere. Jason told him that there are quicker ways to leave the atmosphere by using a rocket for example. Jacob then asked if we could get him a rocket, and Jason told him he didn't have a rocket fund or money to get one. So fast forward to this morning, Jason comes home with four quarters from Grandpa. Jacob is super excited and says " Four quarters is a dollar, and I am going to save these up to buy my rocket ship". I don't have the heart to tell him he can't and how near impossible that is going to be. It will have to be a toy rocket for now.....

Bubbling up with T-ball

I signed Jacob up for t-ball and I have to admit that after 7 practices things are going fairly well. I mean, who is counting anyway right? He has parts of it he loves and others you can just tell his attention span is fading. I was a bit picky in what t-ball I signed him up for too. I mean the little guy has NEVER played organized sports and doesn't have a clue about the rules of the game. I signed him up for the more informational and skill learning class. They play one game the entire summer and I was told today it was more a showcase than a game. Thank God! Jacob is a huge sore loser and cannot control his anger sometimes in a loss. Imagine the steam coming out of your ears mad. Well that is exactly how today went anyway when they played a little game with his team. Every time he didn't get the win he used his hands to show he was bubbling up with steam and used his hands to show it blowing out his ears. Of course there are sound effects to go along with this. Not quiet and cutesy ones either. Jacob is not a withdrawn Autistic he is more the explosive and overly expressive kind. He is a sensory seeker and to be honest it can be a daunting  task to give him what he needs. Last Sunday morning is a great example of sensory seeking at its finest and of course at a public restaurant. He hummed loudly and covered his ears to hear it in his head as he banged this elbows on the table for more sound. I tried rubbing him and giving him really tight hugs as this usually works but it seemed to not be enough. You never know when he is going to need more and the wait for the food was effecting us all at this point. I am glad he didn't scream, or yell about where his food was and a quick game of tracing letters on his back and him guessing which ones I traced distracted him while we waited. I need to be honest and try harder myself to work on finding how to help him control these issues. I do have to say that telling us he is bubbling up with angry is much better than before with no way of knowing what he is feeling and him going directly into a huge meltdown. Baby steps I guess....bubbles, steam and all!

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.