Has It Really Been 3 Weeks??

 I can’t believe it’s been 3 weeks since we started Brain Balance.  One thing I’ve learned for sure is that I suck at blogging!!  Another thing I know for sure is that I am plum wore out ya’ll!!  Every night I sit down to update and then just pass out.  So, now I have no idea where to start.  We have been doing his exercises religiously every day for 3 weeks.  This sweet little boy has to be the most adaptable kid with Autism there ever was.  He is doing all of his exercises like a BOSS!!  I thought I would bullet some of the changes we’ve seen rather than try to write about them in paragraphs because I know you have better things to do than sit in front of the computer reading this all day.  

•  The first thing we did to limit screen time was turn it off in the van.  He’s asked for it a few times but other than that it’s like he doesn’t even know it’s there anymore (told you, adaptable)

•  The first thing we noticed is his ability to catch a ball.  He likes to sit at the top of the stairs while we stand at the bottom.  He would always “trap” the ball.  Now he can catch it off to his side, over his head and when thrown right at him.

• He has a baseball mitt that he’s had for over a year and could never squeeze it shut.  You had to shovel the ball into the mitt.  One night Matt was throwing a plastic ball with him and he asked for his mitt.  Then when Matt threw a foam baseball to him he tried to catch it with the mitt and squeezed it!!

• While we were playing ball with him one night he looked at Matt and said “The ball is stuck under Taylor’s bed”.   That is a very complete, very descriptive sentence.

• Last Sunday, Abby had a swim meet so Matt took Drew to church.  He said that Drew actually walked up to the stage for the Children’s moment and paid attention to Dr. Bob more than he ever has.  So much so that a friend at church made a comment to Matt.

• I made pork chops in homemade cream of mushroom soup and rice for dinner one night.  He used to eat rice a long time ago and then decided he didn’t like it anymore.  We put some rice on his plate and he ate it!  A little later that night I was putting dinner away and I had put the pork chops in a container and was pouring the sauce on top and he looks over and says “Ew, that’s gross!”  Which was awesome…disgust is a right brain emotion!!!

• The next night he ate some pasta and wanted more but there wasn’t any so I asked him if he wanted some rice instead and he said yes.  Then he ate an entire bowl of rice!

•  The kids and I went to Chick-fil-A last week.  He’s never been a “dipper” of his chicken nuggets.  We were sitting at a table and I had some Chick-fil-A sauce (don’t judge) and he reaches over and says “my turn” and grabs it and starts dipping his chicken and fries. 

• His appetite has gotten so much better (but not varied yet).  We went back to Chick-fil-A the next day (again, don’t judge we’ve had 3 snow days and limited screen time) and had a picnic in the back of my van.  He ate his entire kids meal with 6 nuggets, then ate most of my fries and some of Abby’s…all with sauce!!

• I have a little cold and every time I cough he says “Mommy, cover you (he says you not your) mouth when you cough” (which I do btw)

That’s all I can think of right now. 

 

Last Thursday Matt and I went back to Atlanta for the nutrition lecture (wow, was that a lot of information) and a quick check in with Drew’s BB coach.  Since he was doing so well with his exercises she changed a couple of them up a little and then added three new ones.  We came home with supplements for Drew.  He has to take Amino Acids twice a day on an empty stomach and then he can’t eat for 30 minutes.  Then he takes fish oil, liquid vitamins and liquid minerals in the morning with food.  He takes these with no problem!  LOVE that kid!! 

Well, I guess I will wrap this up for tonight and post all of the nutrition information tomorrow (which by the way, we were able to get his blood drawn here in Knoxville and sent to the lab…yay!)  Drew and I will go back to Atlanta this coming Thursday to get the results from his blood work and for a 4 week center check in with Drew and his coach, Jessica.  I’m really excited about his trip.  I can’t wait to see how he is doing!

Goodnight All.  Sweet Dreams.