How Time Flies!

My deepest apologies to all of my (hopefully) constant readers.  It has been a crazy few weeks and I have completely dropped the ball.   For starters, some big moves have been happening here in the Long household.   Wally is on week 3 of a brand new job that he really loves and is learning from every day.  It is a wonderful thing to see my husband get up and want to go to work in the morning.

            I have just given my notice to my current job at the bakery (remember that big announcement I was hoping to have) I have been hired as a Behavioral Technician with a new ABA focused school.   The new job starts on September 2^nd, along with the new school year and while it does mean I won’t get a chance to be home with ABA as much as I had hoped.  I will be back with a main focus in the field learning more about advocating, helping those on the spectrum and my son as well.

            My last day at the bakery will be July 19^th though, because I am taking the rest of the summer with my baby boy.   We will be spending 6 full weeks together (with some ABA company) and hopefully I can take a few days for myself here and there as well.   This is a very exciting adventure we will be going on together and hopefully I can get this house in order before the school year starts.

            Now on to Master Grayson.  About 4 weeks ago we had our OT  (occupational therapy) assessment.  The woman was wonderful, she pretty much had him pegged as a deep pressure input child from the beginning but we went through the whole process and lo and behold she was right.  She taught us some great techniques which I have found incredibly helpful to use when he seems anxious, overwhelmed or just unsure of what’s going on. 

            ABA has also started, we are currently on a schedule of 13 hours a week with a plan to increase to the full 25-30.  Thankfully the company we went with, I used to work for.  My former boss actually came to do the baseline asseessment for his goals, and she made everything very easy.  While our first week had some growing pains, including him not allowing me to leave the room.  I am very happy to report that today he spent the last hour of his morning session and all of his 2^nd session without me even being on the same floor as him. 

            I am so incredibly proud of all that he is accomplishing.  He seems to be mastering some of his goals faster then expected.   I heard the words “Fish, yes and match” today.  There are also rumors that he said mom….I refuse to say it has happened until I hear it myself, and those that know me know I will probably cry like a baby the first time I do. 

            So in honor of this Throwback Thursday thing that those crazy kids do on the internet now a days and the Fourth of July.  I will wish Happy Birthday to America with this photo of Gray on his first Fourth of July