That's a relief!

Today we had our first OT session in three weeks because the boys had been sick or the OT was on vacation. I expected it to go badly as we've had a terrible three weeks with feeding. It went better than I imagined. She said that she's personally not concerned about any signs of autism in either child any longer because they have finally learned to calm down and sort of self soothe themselves appropriately in social situations. They are more social with non-family members and more social with non-family members who need to physically work with them which has taken all of 15mos to be able to do and has always been one of our IFSP achievement goals. Also, their stranger anxiety has gotten better even though Evan still has moments of terror for no apparent reason when someone says hello. And our OT said the key for her is that the boys have started to point at everything and make a sound that sounds like the word "see" with the inflection of a question or an exclamation. Our OT works through the local school system for the Early Intervention and Infants and Toddlers program and when she's not making home visits to families like ours she's working in the local elementary school with her autistic students. She said that none of the autistic children she's ever worked with in her 20 years ever points and makes sounds with inflection like that until after much work and they are much older.

This is a huge weight off of my shoulders because it is the first time where one of our many professional advisers on the boys has finally stated something positive in regards to their potential for out growing their social anxiety and beating the odds of autism as a result of their prematurity. Granted in no way does this give them the clean bill of health with regards to an actual evaluation for autism. It just means at this time we see no reason to need to have an evaluation. HUGE relief.

Another funny thing that happened today was that when the therapist was working with the boys today we had the windows open. The neighbors son decided to ride his motorbike around in the yard (he's not supposed to be doing this, and I may rat him out to his father) and the noise was very loud. Cameron and Evan both stopped what they were doing and pointed to the window. Then Cameron covered his head with his hands (because he doesn't know where his ears are yet) and began to pout and whimper. He's easily startled and flinches or blinks at loud sudden noises, where as Evan (surprisingly) not and didn't seemed bothered by the noise as much as Cameron.

And the piece de resistance today was the double crying fit when our OT got ready to leave and was saying her goodbyes. Now that the boys know to wave bye-bye and understand the concept of someone going away we are making a big production of it in attempt to get one of the boys to say the words along with the action. No words were said, but they both melted down because (are you ready for this???) THEY DIDN'T WANT HER TO LEAVE!!! It has taken over a year to get the boys to let the PT even touch them, and 8 months to get them to not melt down when either the PT or the OT walk in to the room. And now they cry when she's leaving. WTF???? Yet another reason why the OT thinks we're in the clear with any basic social dysfunctional orders.

Whew!

Oh and today we had our first turn to jelly moment. The kind where a kid wants something and is told no and is so upset by this that they turn to a bawling mass of jelly with forehead resting on forearm. Cameron was climbing up and standing on the seat of his Fisher Price Sit & Learn lounge chair/side table/lamp thing and I told him no and removed him from the toy to put the toy away. He leaned against the grown up chair in the playroom and flopped his head down on his forearm in sobs, legs barely keeping him upright, in despair that he was not allowed to stand on his chair anymore. Thank god he wasn't looking in my direction because I was on the floor laughing. Too cute. For now. He was easily distracted with another toy and quickly forgot all about his chair climbing. For now.

Daddy taught us how to climb steps!




The boys love their new bath towels!