Be Fair and Share

Dominic has always had a very hard time sharing and actually part of his IEP is working on his social skills. Since Christmas and this new assortment of new toys flowing into the house, he's been getting worse. Every boy type toy in this house he believes is his. No matter if he saw Damien open it for his birthday or Christmas. I'm completely frustrated with him about how he melts down throwing himself on the floor bawling. His Para says he's doing OK with sharing there but you can tell he bites his lip alot of the time and just wants to deck a kid for asking for his toy and having to share.

Tonight was just horrible. It started with a Hotwheel that Damien was playing with that Dominic got for Christmas. He ran up to Damien and snatched it. Then Damien got upset and we told him he couldn't do that (like we always do) and told him to give it back in which he threw it and then threw himself on the floor rolling around screaming and crying. Then Damien kept trying to give it back to him (yeah Damien hates seeing his siblings crying and always trys fixing the situation) and then Dominic just kept screaming and kicking so we sent him to his room.

I just wish this would quit. He going to be 5 in just 2 months. You'd think he would outgrow this stage but he's not. This is like an everyday thing for me and I'm so sick of it.

New Word

"ho ho ho!" (eyes bulging) I couldn't believe it but he was saying this today when I gave him a Santa Mr. Potato Head I bought at Target half off.

January

In January, both boys will be taking some sort of standard Sensory Test. Yesterday when Damien's SLP was here, I had said something about Damien starting to exhibit some of the signs Dominic did when we realized he had SID. She asked what he was doing so I explained about smells making him puke, seeing someone gag making him puke, textures making him puke, disliking certain textures on his hands or touching him, etc. So she definitely wants to get him checked out and she wants Dominic to start in their OT program. I told her I was going to be getting him involved into another center and she really would like me to stick to their free program instead of using our insurance for appointments. So we'll see!

New Word!

"ewwww yuck" That's considered two right?? lol

Ba-Ba

Damien's SLP came over Tuesday right as I came home with Alex and started picking her for head lice so I didn't get to sit in on his therapy. She felt so bad for me at the moment she said she would keep both boys busy with activities so I could get a start on Alex's hair.

Damien is as she thinks "trying" to make words. We're really not getting much new out of him but out of the blue he may just start saying a new sound. He is so good at making sounds of animals. It's just weird that he won't try saying any words. I don't know if he needs to see pictures to SAY a word? You show him a picture of an animal and he'll try sounding like it. If he sees some kind of an action going on like a plate falls on the floor. He'll say "uh oh!!"

His new sound last night was "baa baa" He just kept saying it over and over which was neat because he never has! Dave kept making him say it to me or scream it I should say so I would pick up that it was new. So when she comes next week I'll have another 2 syllable sound to tell her he's making.

There's Just Some Things You Can Tell

I know there are people in my life who think I'm "overacting" or "overrating" the boys problems. I know many other mom's in their own situations feel the same way. Dave's parents are some of the worst when it comes to what we deal with. First they have no idea when they visit once or twice a year. They are one of the firm believers that "Dominic is just a boy" this is "normal" "he's going to grow out of it." I hear this from soooooo many other people. It would be nice if it were true. It does upset me though that so many people believe it's just a "phase." It makes me doubt myself and doubt the Dr's and Teachers who have dealt with him.

There are instances though when we can tell the difference in real and fake with Dominic. This weekend his finger hurt. He made quite the show of it, it was hilarious. He held his pinky up like Dr. Evil all day and would loudly say "oww!" out of the blue. There was the coughing and needing "medicine." These are so typical for little kids to dramatize.

Not typical though: Having things thrown at you when you say no. Having a kid screaming when dressed, having a kid up at 10 pm jumping in bed acting like they took acid, kids only having one color they want of everything, having a kid that won't watch TV unless it's one thing they enjoy, Stacking that one thing in special order, having a kid cry from other kids in the classroom playing because they are too loud, having your kid throw up at the dinner table atleast once or twice a week, having something minimal set your kiddo into a raging fit and ruining their whole day.

How do we get people to understand Special Needs? I almost feel like I need people to come live with me for a week.

"It's Itchy!!!!!"

I bought a sweater for Dominic a month ago that I absolutely love. Dominic hates it. It's really cold right now so I put it on him and he started itching and freaking out saying "it's itchy!" over and over so I pulled it off. I put a long T on and then the Sweater. He was a bit weary but ok in it then. He was still itching his neck though. I hope he lasts 4 hours at school.

DAS~Verbal Apraxia?

Damien's SLP stressed this week that she really thinks he has Verbal Apraxia. We discussed this before but now that he's nearing 2.5 yrs she wonders if that may be part of the problem. We played ball the other day here at the house and she would say "mine!" to have him roll the ball in which he would say "mamma!" then roll it. She'd say "me, my ball, mine!" and he would say "mamma!" and then roll the ball. When I think of it, she has to be right. I've told everyone for years everything is "dis" but I thought it was just the only word he could make but he's been making it ever since he was 10 months. It sounds like for now from her we just keep stimulating his mouth, do more aggressive ST, and praise him for whatever we can get new to come out of his mouth.