January diary
29/1/20
Ashton doing a matching game. He did very well with matching g and identifying animals and I am extending it to letters as well and see how we go building his knowledge of letters and phonics.
We also did some directional extensions from the activity, following directions by putting what I requested in the basket. Well done Ashton. (Ashton get the bird and put it in the basket )
28/1/20
Ashton doing a formal same but different activity. I believe Ashton will not understand the concept but will give it a go .
Ashton was not interested. I know he knows the colours but I do not believe the concept is understood. I break the question down to what shape is it?- what colour is it?- and he still does not understand.
Will try again after doing other formal activities.
Ashton doing a fetch and return with the girls . He is getting better at this as last year he would nit have followed through with getting the ball and taking it to a desired spot.
23/1/20
Ashton is articulating very well when you ask him something he says no I don’t want that page or no I don’t want cereal I want toast .
First time yesterday he asked to go for another walk after he came back . Normally Ashton would just make a whinging sound and you couldn’t work out what he wanted.
We ask him if he how he feels each morning, is happy or sad and he replies that he is happy
. Yesterday he was crying as he was getting dressed and Sami said what’s wrong ? He said “I don’t like these undies .” So we showed him some others and he chose them.
20/1/20
What a full couple of weeks it’s been.
Endurance.. coping mechanisms.. sensory overload.. self regulation exercises.... exposure to the world.. fine motor skills.. gross motor skills.. cognitive skills.. language and communication skills.. persistence and perseverance... sensory experiences..
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All of these were what Ashton has experienced over the last two weeks.
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A five hour plane trip - a two and a half hour bus drive and we arrived in this thing called snow!!!! This is supposed to be a holiday. Well wait it gets better ....
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Really I have to put on, long underwear- Waterproof overalls - ski jacket 🧥- gloves - hat- boots and all this just to go outside!! Fun!! We will see!!
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It did get better and Ashton loves being outside in the snow. He giggled as he was pulled on a toboggan- squealed with joy as he went on a tube ride down the slopes.
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Even asked on the last day to go to the snow and after a week of dressing issues and resistance, happily put on his snowsuit and marched out into the snow.
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Ashton loves his vantage point from our wi Dow looking out to the elements - he would say “there is a tornado coming” as the wind whipped the snow off the branches.
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Great lessons learned from life..
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chapter two of our journey coming up!!
2/1/20
formal colour matching activity.
First colours then LEGO
Ashton wanted to do LEGO but we said first colours then LEGO and he was receptive to the activity.
6/1/20
Trip to whistler. Ashton did not want to hop on the plane. He complained all the way in the car “I can’t go on the plane!” “Not the plane!” When we got there he hopped on and put my jacket over his head and went to sleep for two hours. Then we had a 2 hour bus ride up the mountain. He was restless but very good considering. Just moving around a lot and wanting me to put pressure on his jaw by putting my hand on it and squeezing. Not too much singing out.
Great trip ..then to Disney world
Week beginning 13/1/20.
Had a huge meltdown in the aquarium as we had to go and he wanted to stay . Cried for 30 minutes. Kept asking to go to aquarium. Asked when he got up in the morning. Had a strategy not to rush him and said before we left we would go to aquarium then home fir a rest then animals lion etc (animal kingdom) would you like that Ashton as I talked with his dad about Edgar we would do. He actually looked at us and as eddy said do you understand Ashton, Ashton said yes and gave his dad a spontaneous kiss.. he was so happy. We spent two hours in the aquarium and I kept saying towards the end “ are you finished?” Ashton would say “no” then I said we can have one last look at the hermit crabs then one last look at sea horses and then I said do you want a cracker , Ashton said yes and I said we will have to go outside to have it and he took my hand and we walked out and got a cracker and went back to hotel fir a rest and then once he had his rest I said where are we going now and he said animal park.. very good understanding.
13/1/20
This week beginning 13/1/20
Ashton has been very clear when answering questions re what he wants. We were looking at a sea creature sticker book and I said do you want this page and Ashton said “no, I don’t want that page!” Or do you want some more “yes, I want some more chips!” Very clear with his answers and looking at us in the eye..