Brian has gone back to work, and it is now just me and the boys again. In the middle of the summer, it is so hard to think of resettling into one's routine, but here we are at it again. I get used to Brian being home, to having someone else here. I can simply say "Watch Silas!" and run off to the bathroom without worry, but by myself, I have to make sure he's out of harm's way. (And can I just say, having an extra hand for diapers is wonderful?!)
The boys and I are getting acclimated to our more rigid routine once again. No more we will be going out and taking trips to the zoo, the mall, or whatever else. It is time to buckle down once again. For me here, that means starting some sort of teaching with Caleb. He is very resistant to us teaching him, to be honest. He makes it very difficult. He is behind on things, not just because of his delays, but because he is just plain stubborn. I was just trying to teaching him days of the week, and he was saying "No. No." Lovely, right?
We have managed to teach him the alphabet, and he knows that very well. Body parts we did long ago in the bath. He knows basic colors, but we still need to do more. Lots to do, if only he weren't so resistant!
He is also extremely resistant to potty training. We cannot get anywhere with him right now. He is so fearful and doesn't want anything to do with it. We even put big boy underwear on his stuffed animals. Nothing works.
Silas took one shaky step last night, while trying to get from one wall to another. He's not quite ready yet for walking, but it was neat to see him take one step for now! He will be starting occupational therapy soon. I already had him evaluated for his self-feeding delay, and we were approved, so I am just waiting for his therapist to call me.
He still isn't sleeping through the night, but what else is new? His wake up time varies all over the place. I am so tired, I am practically falling asleep while talking to Brian at about 8:50 p.m. I'm trying get to bed earlier these days.
We still sleep out here in the living room, because it is impossible to share a room with him, and I feel like we are living out of a suitcase. I can't keep things in the room that I need, because he is sleeping! It kind of drives me crazy, but that is life right now, and I simply have to accept it.
I have started a gluten-free, casein-free diet for the boys and me. I have to do it, too, because Silas is nursing. It is hard! No more cheese! Let me tell you how hard it is to be without my coffee creamer in the morning! I have replaced Caleb's yogurt with an almond milk yogurt, and while I can tell he doesn't like it as much, he is eating it, though less than normal. And let me tell you, these gluten-free, casein-free groceries are super expensive. Oh, and no more milk chocolate! Boo!
I will be trying this out for three months to see if it has any positive effects on the boys. If it does, it will become permanent. Many autistic children do well on this diet, but my boys aren't your typical cases, so only time will tell. There are other food sensitivities we might have to figure out, but I'm going to start with this for now.
Changing topics, I was stung by a bee two days ago. It was Brian's last day home; thank God he was here! We were enjoying his last day out on the deck. I saw a bee fly by my right side, and Brian said, "There's a bee by your arm." All my life, when there has been a bee anywhere in my presence, I ignored the old advice to "sit still" and ran like crazy, screaming for good measure. When Brian told me about the bee, I actually decided to stand still. And you know what, I was stung, for the first time in my life. I think I'll go back to running like a crazy person, thank you, and of course, screaming like a girl. It kept me safe before!
Now I know why I always screamed. Boy, did that hurt! Not so much the actual sting, which was nothing more than a needle, but when that venom gets in there, yikes! My arm burned for hours. I panicked at first, fearful I was going to have an allergic reaction (I did not), and I was afraid I wouldn't be able to care for the boys. I'm so glad Brian was here to help me with my arm and help get the boys back inside after it happened, and I'm so glad it happened to me and not the boys! (Brian was stung by multiple bees when he uncovered a hornet's nest when he was five. I cannot, cannot imagine!)
Brian had some changes to his classroom this year. Some are for the best, others are awkward. Time will tell how it goes. I pray he has a great year! We sure do miss him around here. His absence is felt at every moment.
Thanks for reading!
