All About Wyatt!

 Wyatt!  Wyatt!  Wyatt!  He is such a doll I just can't even stand it! 

Okay, I will calm down just long enough to give you an update. 

Wyatt has been doing great overall since we got here, however, there are many ups and downs.  They have behavioral regressions (which is a good thing), and their brains are just changing so you really don't know what to expect.  We were really feeling good with the overnight potty training, trying new foods, etc, but then he slowed down a bit.  He has had a few accidents in his room and has not wanted to eat applesauce or try any new foods.  In fact, he would barely eat his usual foods.  It is easy to get discouraged, but we try to stay positive. 

Well.... Over the last few days things have started to turn around.  He is getting close to his 8 week mark (next week) and I hope he is going to start taking off!  Many parents say between 8 weeks and 12 weeks it is just crazy how much they change and start improving in all areas, so we will keep praying for that :)

Alright so this is what we have been seeing.  When I was gone this weekend Paige took the kids to the grocery store.  Wyatt and Hazel were buckled in the little car (see below).  The old Wyatt takes off every chance he gets and will run as fast as he can.  This time, Paige had turned away for just a second to grab some milk and when she turned back, Wyatt was out of the car and had walked a few steps away but this time he stopped.  He was looking at her like he knew he shouldn't be walking away but was making a sneaky little face.  Rather than just impulsively running away, he actually thought it through more and waited to see what Paige's reaction would be.  Sounds like a typical kid right?!

What Cute little Monsters!

Next,  Language.  He has been talking a lot more lately.  Hard to really describe how, but he just is and it is spontaneous rather than us asking him to say things.  He has been labeling things, telling us what he wants more, etc.  His sensory motor coach keeps saying how he is just talking up a storm in there! 

Also, one of my favorites is that when he wants me, he actually says "mama".  He has NEVER done that.  He could say my name and knew that I was mama, but never actually has said "mama' to ask for me or get my attention.  It is awesome!

Prayers:  We have been trying to have him say prayers more.   When we used to have him do it we would have to say "say bless"  "say food" , etc.  We had to say the word "say" before each word.  We had to do this outside of prayers too and if he didn't say what we asked we would say "no, say water", or whatever we wanted him to say.  The other day was the first time I had tried to have him say prayers in awhile.  I said "say Heavenly" and rather than just repeating what I said, he said "Father"!  It was so cute that he knew what was coming next and said it rather than just repeating what I said!  He does that every time now!  Also, when I ask him to say the rest of the prayer, I can just say a word and he will repeat rather than me saying "say" before each word.  I can also use little phrases and he will repeat them!  It is so cute and so amazing!

Labeling:  As Paige was driving around in the golf cart last weekend (I think I may have mentioned it before), Wyatt was labeling everything he saw.  I know he had learned them from a Baby Einstein movie, but it was still amazing that when he saw a mailbox he would point (which he didn't use to do, but has been doing for awhile now) and say "mailbox", etc.  So this weekend we took a drive and tried to record him doing it.  At first I made Paige run behind the golf cart, but she just couldn't hold the camera steady :)  So this video was taken as she stood on the back and held on as we drove!  Thanks Paige!

What a climber!  He has been loving the climbing wall which is so good for him.  He runs right into the Sensory Motor room and goes straight for the wall.  This is at the sensory gym and he is climbing so high there too!

Just a Random cute picture Paige had of Wy with the scooter!

And now for the last topic.  EATING!  We all know this is a big problem area.  He had been improving in this area for awhile, but then he just stopped.  He wasn't eating great, wouldn't try new things, etc.  But yesterday things started turning around.  Paige gave him some applesauce and he actually ate it again!  Then he wanted more and more!  Then later that day we tried to get him to eat steak (which I don't know if we have ever tried - at least not in a long time).  I didn't think he would even try it but he did!  He needed some reinforcement, but then he started eating it.  He ate quite a few very small pieces - maybe 15-20?  It actually didn't take too much work either! 

Then today we went to the sensory gym again.  We brought the freeze dried pear cubes like we had taken before.  However, over the last two weeks, he would not eat them at all.  Today I gave him a little bowl of them in the car and he ate them so good!  Then he became obsessed of course and asked for pears all day!  He ate so many little bowls of them but it was so cute and they are good for him.  I loved that we would be in the car and we would hear this little voice say "pears" and hand us his bowl.  :)

So then for the big one!  Wyatt eats meat and will try new meats relativity well.  In fact, I failed to mention that he has been eating shredded chicken (as opposed to grilled and cut up) -with coaxing- the last few days.  Tonight he actually ate it really well!  However, for 4 years if you try to get ANY kind of fruit or vegetable near him he freaks out, throws them or throws the plate, etc.  (This doesn't happen with the freeze dried pears I think because they are dry, not wet and they have a crunchy texture which he likes).  Anyways, so we have tried over the last few months to give him carrots, grapes, bananas, mangoes, etc and it does NOT work.  NO amount of reinforcement can even get him to touch the slimy stuff!

So, tonight he ate his chicken so well.  Then he wanted more pears (his 10th bowl!)  I told him if he wanted pears he had to try a grape or a raspberry.  When I sat them there whole it did NOT work.  He just tried to throw them and run away from the table.  He had his game so I pushed pause and showed him his pears and told him he could have them both if he tried the grape.  I broke off a tiny piece and put in on the table.  He tried to throw it but I got it back and told him to eat it.  It took just a minute or less and he ate it!  I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT! This is SO far from ANY texture that he eats or has ever tried!  We clapped and cheered and made a huge deal and gave him his pears and phone.  But then being the mean mom that I am, I wanted more :)  So I made him try two more tiny pieces of the grape which he did but not without some whining.  Then I went for the raspberry.  I broke off a tiny piece and put it on my hand.  This one is very textured and even red but he ate it!  He gagged a little, but didn't spit it out!  THIS IS A HUGE BREAKTHROUGH!  I was absolutely in shock.  This really is so far from what he has ever done it is not even funny. 

So we have a little Wyatt who is less impulsive, more talkative, saying his prayers, labeling things, eating more new foods and trying some REALLY different new foods!  Oh - and did I mention that he is cute???

So glad to see some positive changes - it keeps our spirits up and helps keep me motivated when times get hard.  As we were saying his prayers tonight I asked him to "bless brain balance" which he did quite well.  As he did, I truly felt like we were at the beginning of some amazing changes soon to come.  However, extra prayers never hurt :)

Goodnight!