Noah update

I really can't even begin to tell you guys how amazing Noah has been doing lately. And this has a little to do with my blog quietness. He's just so BUSY. He wants attention 95% of the day, and honestly, after trying so long to get him interested in being social? I don't mind one bit. He doesn't just want me around. He wants to play games with me, jump on the trampoline, give me kisses, have me tickle him, sing songs... it's just so amazing.

 

(he thinks it's hilarious when we take turns spitting water out at each other)

His vocabulary is taking off like crazy. He can now tell me what he wants regularly. Earlier tonight, he looked at me and asked for, "Cheese"... enunciated perfectly. He's making correct associations. Pictures aren't always necessary. I can say, "Okay, we have to go bye-bye", and he will respond with, "Shoes on!" While shopping at Target, he will clearly ask for "cookies", "cwackers", "apple", "Na-na", or my personal favorite "gweeps" (grapes).
He's now pretending to go potty. He'll sit on the potty, with his clothes on, and say "Potty". Needless to say, I think it's time. We're heading to Lowes soon to get one of those fancy dual toilet topper things, because he's too big for both of the potties we've bought already.

If he wants me to jump with him, he signs jump. He can say slide, swing, and outside. He can tell me if he wants to watch "George", "Tos" (Thomas), or "Tiguh" (Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood).
He does a TON of scripting, which is where he recites favorite clips from shows he watches. Sometimes it takes me a little while to figure out what he's reciting, which is kind of fun. :)

One of his favorite phrases is "Oh no, makin' a mess!" Wonder where he got that from?? (<-- sarcasm font).

Seriously, I'm not even sure I can remember everything he says. Words are just flying out of his mouth now. And so much credit goes to his speech therapist we've had since June. She's tough on him, but so awesome. I tell her all of the time that I know she doesn't always get to hear how much he says when we're with her (because she's making him talk vs him offering it up on his own), but that all of her hard work is showing up at home.

Speaking of his therapists....

He made them cry Tuesday.
Like tears streaming down their faces crying. I had told them a few times how he could sing and sign "Jesus Loves Me", and they finally got to see it. His OT felt it the most I think though, because she's been with him for over a year now.
She saw him when he barely acknowledged our existence. She was with him when he didn't even respond to his name. She knew him when his vocabulary was less than 10 words. So as he sat in front of me, concentrating very hard on following the signs and attempting to enunciate every word, she just couldn't hold it back.

He's come so very far in such a short amount of time.

And then she proclaimed for the second time in two weeks that she's convinced I will be a speech therapist or OT one day. haha. I just told her that the only reason anything I try ends up working is because he's mine. I know how he thinks, what makes him laugh, how to motivate him, when to push him, when to hold back. And really, he's such an amazing kid. I always worry people think I want a ton of praise when I brag on Noah. Because really, it's all him. His personality is just so sweet and silly and bubbly. I would love to live in his world for a day. It seems like a very happy place. :)

In the pictures above, you can see his OT on the horse swing with him. That woman, you guys. She has been a Godsend. She has worked for the past year on building his muscle tone, increasing awareness of his own body, and other sensory issues he's had. And because of her?

This is happening...

I know it probably doesn't look like a big deal, but I've been waiting for the big kid swing transition for a long time. He just didn't have enough core strength to hold himself steady. Now I can walk away, and he stays put, totally happy to hang on.

He had his (very late) well check on Monday. He's 48.8 lbs and 3'7" tall. So 97th percentile in weight, and 94th in height. Told y'all he's a big kid.

We saw a new pediatrician, and he is absolutely amazing. Amazing doesn't begin to describe it honestly. He was able to get a "high five" from Noah when he walked in. He's patient and calm, and I know Noah senses that. I don't feel rushed when I ask him questions. When I explained how the last ped labeled Noah as obese, his eyes got wide and he responded calmly, "That seems a bit presumptuous to label him at age 3". He went on and on about how, yes, Noah is a bigger kid. But that he's clearly healthy. We'll obviously need to watch what his weight does as time goes on, but as of right now, he's fine. He explained how kids on the spectrum are almost never in the middle... they're usually on the skinny side or heavy side. That for reasons doctors aren't fully aware of yet, their metabolisms are different and could be because of any number of things (including being low tone). When talking nutrition, he recommended going to Earth fare. Earth fare!! And to see if I can get him to eat tofu since he doesn't like meat.

And then as we were talking, he said words that were music to my ears. He said the words, "He seems pretty high functioning to me."
Noah's diagnosis says he's severe. I'm pretty sure it was so he could qualify for more services through the state, however hearing a medical professional confirm what you already hope in your heart is true? Cue happy dance.

Socially, he's doing so so well. He loves attention. We've gone to a couple of bigger parties lately, where other kids were there, and he was right in the middle of the action the whole time. At one point, his friend Jackson was wanting to ride in this little push car thing. Noah wanted to ride it too, but I told him he had to wait, that it was Jackson's turn. So he proceeded to push Jackson all around the yard instead. I couldn't believe it. No tantrum. Nothing. Just "okay, then I'll just push him"...

I'll stop here, because I know I'm just gushing at this point.
I guess we're just in a really good place right now, and it has me all kinds of excited at the moment. Had you asked me last year if this is where I thought we'd be? I would've been doubtful. I honestly had no idea what to expect. So yeah, I can barely contain myself when I get going on everything Noah has been doing lately.

I just love this kid so much I could squish him.