Adaptability

So much of what I've heard and read about kids with ASD is how they crave predictable structured routine and wig out at major deviations/change. So I've been dreading the effect our house-move would have on Nyx. Well, our little monkey surprised me!

For a week now, we've been packing up. Our middle daughter was visiting from out of town. Playgroups were missed. Car trips were short and frequent. Meals were off schedule, bedtime and naps all over the place. Chaos, right?  Kiddo took it all in stride. Minimal fussing, (mostly) easily settled or distracted (although she had a major meltdown this evening when my wife and I both had to go out suddenly and Big Sister had to pinch-hit for awhile).

Most amazing of all, she spent 90% of Friday without me, spent Friday night at her Grandparents' house, and stayed with them until dinnertime Saturday. Didn't faze her. I am blown away at how easily she has handled all this. Even first bedtime in a new bed in a new room was no fuss - music, snuggles, sleep. 

So I guess the lesson here is that as long as she has "her people" and her stuff, she can cope with sudden change pretty darn well. Better, I think, then her parents do!

Summer Flies and Butterflies

Checking in, we are having a good summer! My eldest daughter (20) is living with us now, and Nyx adores Sissy! (still won’t say Mama, but I think that’s an “m” issue, nothing personal!). Her language and social/imaginative stuff is really coming along steady now, we see daily improvement. Of course, the closer we get to her 2nd birthday the more we are wading into “Terrible Twos”, but thus far it’s not too awful.

So we met with our OT this morning and she filled us in on how our Kickstart program works. We have 3 sessions with her and 3 with the SLP, and then one with both of them together. These 7 sessions are for them to do a really thorough assessment and offer some guidance as we go, then they turn us over to the Parental Coach (who has OT and SLP training), for 10 weekly sessions where we work through the program step by step based on their recommendations.

At the end of that 10 weeks, we get monthly follow-ups until we get picked up by the public system; we can also continue as much private therapy as our insurance will cover. So we’re not left hanging, which is good to know!

Our OT is very nice, Nyx took to her right away and even hugged her when it was time to go! I feel really optimistic that this team is going to help our family tremendously. :D

In 2 weeks we meet the director of the special preschool for ASD kids; they only have 9-10 spaces so we’re really hoping to get a spot for January, which will follow closely on the end of the other program. Fingers crossed - I think it will be so great for her and I am really stoked at the idea of 3 hours/day, 5 days/week of “off duty” time.

Oh, and and and! We’re moving next week to a big beautiful house with a fenced yard and basement playroom and Nyx will finally get her own room/bed! She picked out her own sheets - pink and green - which go with NOTHING else in the room, but she wanted them and said so! I almost cried in Wal-Mart, I was so happy. :)

Oh, and A.J. Jenkins is my new hero. He does kids' songs for a YouTube channel (which I've forgotten the name of, but you can look him up by name), and they are FANTASTIC!  Our favourite is "Butterfly Song 2", which teaches colours and is soothing and gentle - great for bedtime. 

I’m babbling. I’m happy! I want to hug everyone because life is good.