James wouldn't let me get a good shot of the "hole" but here he is pointing to the missing tooth. Poor kid gets his picture taken all the time. Well, I guess he is a celebrity around here (sometimes a rather infamous one). While school has been going smoothly - James is eating and behaving beautifully - he has been fairly non-verbal and a little clingy, even in outside therapies. Although we are a bit worried, we are trying to keep in mind the distraction of tooth loss. There is definitely another one going too.
While we think he's a bit quiet, James has been using his communication board successfully. Although a positive thing, it is frustrating too as that "communication" only goes so far. We need a whole slew of boards. One for Brooklyn. One for Toms River. I have to get my act together and just make them, right or wrong, using the "correct" symbols or not, who cares! The therapists never have to see it or use it. I have to get through to this kid and why not use his strengths which include visual identification and and generalization! Sometimes I need a little extra help. For instance, on Wednesday, James did not want to get out of the car. Something about Daddy. I couldn't get through to him so I distracted him with a lollipop, a walk to the park, AND a trip to the pizza parlor. Hours later, as soon as we got to the house, and even though it was at his initiative, James got upset again.
I don't think I can stop his episodes, I want to ease his frustration. He can be upset because I said "No." I just don't want him to be inconsolable because he doesn't understand, or worse, because he thinks I don't understand. I'm Mom! James seems to think that I will always understand. I promise to try my best James! I know he appreciates my efforts too. He may not be able to say "Happy Mother's Day" to me, but I know he loves me. I am his. Why else would he pat his chest and say "Muh" when he refers to me? Funny, but I don't have any pictures of James and I on any Mother's Day, so here's just a happy portrait of the two of us at one of Daddy's exhibition opening parties!
