May 20, 2012

We went to an ECSE (Early Childhood Special Education) Family Night Out at the Maple Grove Community Center.  I consider the night out a success.  Jack and Nora had fun.. and Paul came... met teachers and other parents who were very informative, educated, and compassionate about autism.  Paul got to see... like I did at the Pump It Up Sensory Night.... that these are really good events for our family.  An outsider walking probably wouldn't even know that these are special needs kids.  And I guess that's the thing... you've got to know the kids... to know the needs... to make the difference.

We continue to learn more and more about autism.  I'll write more about some quick ways to explain autism later.  i am quite tired at the moment.

One cool thing I learned tonight... is that Jack gets to go free to Sky Zone any time.  How awesome is that?  So if you're in the area.. and want to do something with Jack... Sky Zone is a fun option.  Jack excells at places like Pump It Up and Sky Zone.  They are places where his strengths shine.  It feels good to find things that Jack likes - and that he can enjoy doing with others.

I need to write that today was a good day for Jack.  We kept busy.  We listened to music, visited Sally and Tim's, got to see Jane, John and Jordan, played with dogs, played in the rain, wore rain boots (andy kind of boots for the first time), toured the RV (honked the horn in the RV - twice), went to Family Night Out, grocery shopped at cub.  And Jack ate peanuts (first time ever) and took an apple - put it to his mouth and tried to take a bite.  Jack ultimately decided he didn't want to eat the apple.... but just touching the apple - let alone bringing the apple to his mouth - was HUGE!

Many thanks to Aunt Jane for sharing information about seizures with me today.  I have some questions out to our doctor tonight and am awaiting more information.  There have been two specific occassions where Paul and I wonder if Jack may have had a petit mal seizure.  Once when Jack had the chicken pox and Jack exhibited a strange staring spell (we went to Children's that night)... and another time when I got a call from his daycare (back in spring 2011) saying that Jack's lips had briefly turned blue and that he had shook all over, but when I picked up Jack he was content and showed no signs of anything wrong... I had called the nurseline - but they advised me to just continue to closely observe Jack.....