So many new things all the time…. here we go:

Obviously I was home with the family over the 3-day weekend. The past couple of days (Monday and Tuesday), Lila has started to get really upset when she wakes up and I’m not there. Daddy has her in the morning until he takes her to daycare, and I go to work. He sent this text to me this morning after he got her up for the day:

“I can distract her then she walks around the corner and realizes you aren’t in the bedroom and starts crying and saying momma”. That breaks my heart but it’s a good thing, and it’s progress! She’s so much more aware in all aspects nowadays – which is great… but it brings with it a whole new set of challenges.

We are now working on procuring some daily pocket schedules – one for the house and one for daycare. That way everything is lined out, and she can see that she is with Daddy, then she goes to see Sage, then Mommy will pick her up. Fingers crossed that it helps alleviate some anxiety, and Janet even commented that this issue may be at least partially behind some of her night-waking (anxiety about what is going to happen in the morning).

This week she has started playing with TWO new things: D-ring keychains and small rubbery bugs/animals. As her Daddy pointed out, this is a huge deal considering what a creature of habit she is! Plus those little rubbery things are pretty intense sensory-wise. So proud of her!

Some other recent developments:

• We learned to not go in the bathroom when she’s in there playing – she’s decompressing and needs her space.
• She has been picking up a stuffed ball (stuffed! She never touches stuffed animals), and she’s been checking out her plastic Gabba figurines as well.
• She’s been crawling up into the chair at the kitchen table and sitting in it!
• …. then she swiftly moved to climbing ON the table – but I somehow managed to alleviate the situation by letting her play with the river rocks that were on the table like she wanted…. only IF she sat down in the chair. It working for the moment 😉
• This weekend I was getting her some yogurt melts because she brought me the card for them, and I accidentally dropped one on the floor. Without a second thought she picked it up and put it IN the bowl on the counter. Whaaat?? I know that’s a seemingly small thing but it stood out to me as pretty freaking awesome.

I definitely take a lot of pictures, but the BEST things always happen when I can’t take reach my camera. She has started sitting on my lap so we can play games on the iPad together. I cannot even begin to describe how much I love this new development. It’s the only time I can somewhat snuggle her!

We started doing what I’m calling “squeezes” this weekend. A little bit of deep pressure and she loves it!!! (These may also be known as “hugs” *Squee!!!… Shhhh!*).

Our last official SoonerStart meeting with Janet is this Friday. I can’t even. Lila starts school on August 20^th. It’s all coming up so fast!

Current Top Challenges:

• Transition from Weekend to Weekdays
• Minor Behavioral Issues
• Wanting Piggy-Back Rides Constantly (she REALLY craves proprioceptive and vestibular input, and apparently this provides both!)
• She Really Dislikes the Pets
• Regression in Regard to Outside Continues (she currently wants nothing to do with it)

Currently Focusing On:

• Amping Up Visual Schedules
• Continuing to Work With AAC
• Increasing Amount of Training Trips (to stores, restaurants, etc.)
• Starting to Teach Turn-Taking & Waiting