Best of Friends!!!!

My girls with 2 of their buddies.  Their moms also happen to be close friends of mine.

They are a cute bunch aren't they?  And Katlynn beauty really shines through.  Anyone want to pick her up for AD's?  Seriously?  She is meant to do it!!!

A little bit of this and that...

So I haven't posted since June.  We've been kind if busy here in the Smith house.  So since June 2012,  we have moved into a new home,  Katlynn started Kindergarten and is doing so well.  It amazes me how well she blends in with typical peers.  She is doing fine academically and pretty darn good socially.  I am so glad we chose to mainstream her.  It has been the right choice so far.  She is not falling behind,  she seems to be able to keep up with the pace of general ed kindergarten just fine.  Audrie has been a great big sister and has really looked after her.

We ended ABA in August and while it was hard for me to let it go,  Katlynn really was ready.  As of right now,  we only get some OT for an outside therapy service and other then that... Katlynn's only therapy has been swimming lessons and Dance lessons both which are also typical programs with typical kiddos and she has done just fine.  The swimming was a rough start, but she grew so much with her skills over the Summer we really enjoyed watch her progress. Her musical theater class has been great for her and has taught her so much. She has her first Dance recital in June 2012 and she did really great.  She really enjoyed herself and surprisingly   she was never overwhelmed.  I think I was more overwhelmed then she was.  lol

She has really become a social, friendly (yet feisty) little girl who doesn't let her disability stop her from doing anything.  She is outgoing and loves to make people smile.

She has taught me so much about life and about acceptance.

Updates!!!

Wow,  So much had happen since last post.  Well,  Katlynn and Audrie have had their preschool promotion and are now Kindergartners.  So exciting!!!

We also went on a camping trip to the Sequoias which was a blast for the kids.  

Injini: Child Development Game Suite GIVEAWAY! (a $50 app!)

I have this LITE version of this app and I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it.  It is amazing and I would love more then anything to win the full version for Katlynn. I think it would be an amazing tool for her.  Please check it out and download the lite version free.  Right now it is only $29 which is way less then the normal retail price of the app, but it is truly by far one of my favorite ones out there.  HELP ME WIN!!

http://www.smartappsforkids.com/2012/04/injini-child-development-game-suite-giveaway-30-app.html

Spring 2012 School picture

ABA

I feel so bad for those out there who have had negative ABA experiences with the RIGITY, forced training, etc. I think about 6 month into Katlynn's ABA it did get like that and was like that for about 6 months. Building compliance it was called. Yes, they did the DVD skits, and the waiting for eye contact, but you know what.... it worked. While I won't give ABA all the credit for her progress (because I think whats really helped is just getting her out in the world and playing with typical peers). We've never let Autism take over our lives. That is a rule I had from the get go. It is consuming yes, but it will never rule us as a family. I refuse to ever let it. I refuse to not say she can't do something because of her autism and I will admit, I have used that in the past, but then she never ceases to surprise me. Anyhow, back to ABA. This my friends is what we did today.

This was in addition to hide and go seek and playing some cutting fun. 

Anyhow,  for those who have had a bad experience, please consider another vendor who may use another method that works better for your child.  It's like bio-medical intervention. It doesn't work for every child just as ABA doesn't. 

BFF's!!!!

She loves her friends and they love her.

Katlynn at 4.5 months!!

Before/After Autism pics

So you will see Katlynns pictures and you will see a mostly happy smiling baby throughout.  There were times she took a bad picture and looked miserable, but it was probably a cold,  ear infection or some other case of some snot infested crud going through my house.

As I have said before and I will say again,  Katlynn was different from birth.  She was always a different baby. More cranky , less social, etc.  Do I think vaccines cause her injury?  Nope. I don't think they cause her autism. Do I think they may have exasperated her symptoms, yes!   Do I think she is vaccine injured... I don't really know.  I could say yes, assuming that is the cause, but I really don't know.

I wanted to share some pictures of her from birth until now and you tell me what you think. I will just grab some  random pictures and list her age below.

Audrie and Katlynn

8 weeks old. 

Katlynn then Audrie (6 months old)

Katlynn was so happy

These are bith when she was about 8-9 months old.  

Again, very happy.

Katlynn's 1st birthday

Katlynn at 18 months. 

   Just over 2 year old.  Just before her Dx of Autism

2.5 years old. 

3 year old- First day of preschool- 2010

Last day of preschool 2011

These last tow were taken a couple weeks ago 2012.  

So you see... she has always seemed like a really happy baby and has always had some issues from birth.  So really, I don't really know. 

Guess who's going to General Ed Kinder!!!!!

Katlynn is going to General Ed Kindergarten.  Woo-hoo!  This is a small feat in many I am sure I will have down the road.  She will be in class with Audrie..  I am elated and scared at the same time.  Part of me wants to shelter her.  She is my baby of the bunch and I feel like she is the one I have to protect.  I know for her school is always going to be a journey with challenges.   I also know she is bright,  and strong willed and will do well.  I just have a tendency to think about all the what if's and the negatives of the future.  Shes come so far this past 15 months its like she is a different child.  I am excited to be able to watch her grow and learn and progress until a sweet, smart young girl.  Thank you so much to everyone who has helped with this process.  My husband,  my other daughters (also Katlynn's best friends),  my friends,  Katlynn's teachers and therapists.  Without you guys,  she would not be where she is today.  This has been a BIG step in a very positive direction.

Because ur not a Smith if there isn't Chaos

So last week Dave and I were on the house hunt again sitting at the PC looking at houses.  Katlynn was running in and out of the house playing with her stick horse when all of the sudden we hard 'SMACK'.  She had slipped and hit the corner of the wall at the baseboard.  Of course because it happens all so often in this house, we were pretty calm.  Then blood started to come and we were still pretty calm, until more blood started to come and then we decided we should probably head to the ER.  Two staples later Katlynn was a total trooper.  Hardly any crying at all.  We shall see how she is next week when she has them removed.

On the way home from the hospital acting perfectly fine. 

100%%%%%%% POTTY TRAINED!!!!

We are now 100% potty trained both day and night.  No more pull ups,  cloth diapers,  etc.  Just BIG GIRL panties.  If you would have asked me how potty training was going 6 months ago I would have said... It isn't going. It wasn't going.  However,  in the past 2 months,  it seems as though something just clicked for her.  She got it.

Woo Hoo!!!

She is iPad bound

Grandpa graciously gave Katlynn a fabulous gift of an iPad and she is loving it.

Wrapping up 2011

I totally had an epic fail with the 52 week posts about Katlynn and her progress through the year.

There was a lot we had going on and the biggest thing was my husband getting really sick and being sick over the course of about 3-4 months.  It was a complete nightmare.

Anyhow about Christmas.  Katlynn still didn't show all the enthusiasm and hype about Santa, but she did seem very into the Christopher Elf making his visit and stay for 3 weeks moving every night.  Katlynn was almost always the first one to find him with a big smile and joy.

Santa of course brought her tons of horse books, and goodies and she was totally into it.  She enjoyed it this year.

Katlynn had a great year with progress.  She grew so much in ALL areas, but mostly in speech and social. She is like a completely different kid now.  It's been really amazing to watch her blossom into this kid who seems... well,  typical in so many ways.  She talks back,  storms out of the room and tattle tails.  All age appropriate behaviors of typical kids.  She is no longer having 20 minute crying fits and uncontrollable tantrums.  She can now vocalize pretty much anything and every need or want.

She did pick up the whole Sponge habit and repeats a lot of things I would prefer her not to, but I think that's minor in the big scheme of things.

And... Drumroll... She is completely potty trained!!!!!  Even dry 90% of the time at night.  It was a long year with potty training and I think in just the past 6 weeks it just clicked with poop and everything.  It's been amazing and so nice having her just go on her own and not having to take her every hour on the hours.

Sometimes I wonder if her diagnosis will change.  I don't believe autism ever goes away though, I just think if caught early enough in kids like Katlynn the signs and symptoms are less severe and CAN be reversed.

And to think this has all been done with no special treatments, diets, or programs.  I can honestly speak from my experience as her mother and say that Pre-school and the fact I have never treated her any different then I do my other kids or any other kid, has made a difference.  I treat her like she is completely normal, and therefore it really shows.  There have been times, where it's been VERY trying when she was first diagnosed, but I promised myself I would not single her out due to her diagnosis.

Her quick progression has me so much more intrigued by autism and ASD's.  How one kid with the exact same diagnosis as Katlynn can be non-vebal, non social, stems,  has gastro issues,  feeding issues, etc and then you have kids like Katlynn who are at the top of the classic autism diagnosis.

Anyhow, for Katlynn 2011 has been an amazing year and I can only hope 2012 is just as amazing and wonderful.

Katlynn with her friend Allie and twin sister Audrie at Toy Story 3 on Ice.

I always get a little teary eyed with this because it's my life

Mad PC skills....

Do all these kids on the spectrum just get it?  I mean a month ago Katlynn could barely maneuver a mouse and now she is amazing with it and can navigate a PC quite well for a 4 year old.  I had even bought her a little kiddie mouse because I just thought she wasn't grasping the concept of the bigger mouse with all it's little functions and stuff.  Anyhow, I was wrong.  As soon and the kiddie mouse came in the mail and I opened it up to put in the USB,  it's like something clicked.  She was using the regular mouse.

Anyhow,  She is doing well overall.  She is still lacking in areas socially, but she is really trying and academically she is doing so good.  This kid has a serious memory.. but again, I think it is a spectrum thing.

She and Audrie have been in the same bed sleeping together for about 3 weeks now.  It is so sweet and she really adores her sisters.  I am not sure how long this can go on though since they are sharing a toddler bed and are continuing to grow.

Her teacher told me today she is going to push for Katlynn to be mainstream in the gen ed classroom.  Great news... and as the rest of preschool goes on.. I am sure we'll make more finite decisions on her Kinder plans.

Here are some recent pictures.

Week # ?????

So, I have realized I have totally blown this whole 52 week blogging project.  It's been so crazy here, I just can't seem to find the time.  I have been focusing a little more on "ME" and the family as a whole then just Katlynn and, well you know,  the blog was put on the back burner.

We're going completely pull up free during the day now with exception to places, like under jumping, etc where a potential mess can create an issue for all kids.  She's doing really great with pee.  Poop again is still another story.  She's getting there though. I have faith she'll be trained in time for kinder.

We've been working on pedaling a trike or bike and neither of them she has any interest in really learning the concept, but we keep trying regardless.

Her speech again is blooming.  New words and sentences.  Her social skills are slowly starting to increase as well with other kids.  She is starting to play more with other kids instead of being on her own and has become increasingly social the past few weeks.

Until next time...

Skipping a couple more weeks~ Sigh

Anyhow... Dave is finally getting better.  Things were so crazy with him being in and out of the hospital so much.

Katlynn's still doing Summer school for 2 more weeks.  She's also picked up some bad habits there.  Pushing, bitting,  and pulling hair.  I am not 100% it is from school but I am sure it has added fuel to the fire since the staff teaching the preschoolers don't have any recent experience with special ed 3-5 year olds.

We're back on the potty training bandwagon.  She is doing well.  In fact, she has just gone on her own into the bathroom and went potty without having to be reminded.

Still working on getting her ABA hours back to normal.  Seems they're having a turnover at the vendor we're using.  Sucky!

She is loving the pool as always and we took her to ride ponies the other day and it was such a joy to see the smile on her face.

Until next week...

Skipping a couple weeks

So... these past few weeks have been Chaos with my husband being so sick and in and out of the hospital.  He is finally home again (for good this time I hope) and is slowly feeling better.

Anyhow,  the kids finished up the school year a couple weeks ago and we are planning a lot of Summer festivities.  Katlynn's ABA services are finally creeping back up to her required hours.  I have a ton of play-dates and social outings planned as well as Swimming,  art, and other activities.  She is in Summer school for the rest of this month 4 days a week which is good so she doesn't regress with school type settings.

She has regressed some with potty training, but it is our fault.  Due to the circumstances with Dave,  she has been with sitters a lot and our routine has been messed up.  Hoping this next week we can get back to normal.  He speech is still increasing all the time.  She has started up a couple bad habits again like mouthing her clothes,  saying "no" a lot and even pulling hair or throwing things.  Nothing too extreme, but I would like to get them under control before they get worse.

Here are some pictures from the Huntington Library yesterday.  We had fun with the kids.