More Potty Talk

What a busy couple of weeks it has been! Aside from all of the usual appointments, classes, work and play schedule I've had to make room for an old friend who came back to visit: insomnia. I have been having trouble staying asleep lately, but I'm not alone. Either Avi or Itai are often up to help avoid any loneliness I might feel in the middle of the night.

Oh melatonin, why have you lost your power?

Aside from their new night shift the boys have been working on some pretty exciting things.

Avi was given a "social story" book from school. Social stories are very simple stories that are frequently used with children on the autism spectrum to help them know what to anticipate in new situations, overcome anxieties about difficult situations they are familiar with or to help them connect a story to something they enjoy. Avi's story was designed to help him overcome his toilet anxieties. We are meant to add pictures of "novel" toilets (toilets he doesn't use every day) to help him understand he can use the restroom in a variety of places and he can even use it to "do number 2." (You never know when a squeamish reader will stumble upon this.)

Little did the teachers know that Avi had already had success in pooping on the potty at home. Debbie put him down and told him to do it not knowing what to expect and suddenly he had done it. After that he's had more and more success. It makes him so happy and proud every time. He jumps up and down, claps for himself and draws our attention to it. He's still had a few accidents along the way but this is such a HUGE step for him...and us. I'm not kidding even a little when I say my quality of life improved a great deal with even his first success.
Other than that he continues to progress in his school program. He's working really hard and we couldn't be more pleased with his efforts. He's still happy and wiggly, but he's learning to set the energy aside until a more appropriate time.

Itai, not to be outdone is having his own potty success. Last week as we left church I carried him past the restroom. He insisted that I take him to the potty. As soon as he got to the potty he was peeing. He's doing great at it. His biggest obstacle is his stubbornness. He loves using the potty as long as it's his idea. If we suggest it he can get quite irritable about it.

He's also quite the little talker. This week he's learned some new works and phrases. His newest one is, "I don't know." He also introduced, "Give pencil back!" "Avi did it!" and "Not ____" He fills the blank in with whatever he wants to argue about. Right now he's arguing that one of his race cars is not a race car, just a car. Ok. It's just a car with a cockpit for one, aerodynamic design, racing stripes and a huge spoiler.
Itai has also decided that following Avi's every footstep is the greatest pastime ever. Avi really hates it, but he's found a new activity. Toys! He is finally looking with and playing (kind of appropriately) with age appropriate toys.

What cool kids!