Lessons in Parenting: Pride & Joy

As we sail towards the end of another school year, I’m amazed and impressed by my kids and their progress.  I am genuinely proud of them, especially because the things that come easy to other kids aren’t always that easy for them.

Zoe

Aw, isn’t she a cutey?  She is doing really well, and I’m psyched to see what will happen when we progress to the more restrictive diet and start adding supplements.  Not only has she been sleeping through the night since we removed caseins, most nights without melatonin, she has been obeying! Yes, that’s right, she’s actually doing what she’s told.  It’s taken a long route to get here, but man, is it exciting to see your kid with autism understanding and appropriately responding. Yay Zoe!

Not only that, but both at home and in school, she is starting to talk in sentences.  Sentences!!  What a huge milestone (although the obedience one is even better).  This is great news, as today she started speech therapy, every Friday.  So she has activities 5 days a week, and will have 5 weeks of autism camp (FULL days, 9-3, 4 days a week) and continuing speech.  I expect her to ramp up big time, as we add this to the fact that she is a growing girl too.  I’m so excited…my little love, I’m happy for you. I feel you’ll be prepared for kindergarten in 5 months, I just know it!

Amelia
She has been doing so awesome!  She can tell time on the hour, but she is also such a good girl with the diet restrictions. She’s starting drinking the vanilla almond milk, and seems resigned to going without chocolate.  The other kids have treats and Amelia eats her special food with no complaints or begging. In fact, she seems to know or sense when there’s a contraband food, when we let her slip. (I know, I know! We’re working on it!)  She regularly does the things we ask her to do and regularly aces her spelling.  She can introduce herself, by holding out her hand to shake and asking your name.  It’s a beautiful thing to see!  Oh and she takes her vitamins with no fuss at all, every day.  Awesome.

I’m so thrilled.  Could we doing more as parents? Could we be better? I think so. It’s on my to do list, ya know  … schedules and a concrete reward system and faith in the mix, and so on.  For now, though, I think we’re at a good place, and I’m really excited to see how they are growing. This is the good stuff, people, the joy of parenting.  No “delusions” here!