So, it has been a good week! We did a ton of stuff, and Arley was in a good mood, and Carmie was sweet as pie. Carms had one evening when she was very weepy. I have realised that when she gets hungry and tired, she gets very emotional, as opposed to Arley who just gets pissed off. But of course I never think to offer her food and a blanket, not until after the fact. I will next time though! Arley had one bad meltdown when we were doing an art project, and he just kind of froze and got performance anxiety, which turned into a huge yelling session. When he wants to draw something but doesn't know how, sometimes he freaks out, gets too scared to try, and then gets really upset with himself. But other than that, he had a great week. So great, in fact, that he pretty much graduated from OT today (at least for now). We have one more session next week, and then a break for the summer. His therapist said that all of his issues that were really significant six months ago are hardly problems at all, and I agree with her. He has come so far. It has been such hard work, really emotional, but it has paid off, and I'm really proud of him.
One thing happened this week that broke my heart and then made me so hopeful in humanity. Last month Arley befriended this seven year old girl who is at Scouts with Carmie, and he has been wanting to see her ever since. We went to the Scouts family picnic on Wednesday, and he was just so excited to see Scarlett again. He was too nervous to approach her, and I had to take him up and have her greet him. She said he could play with her, but then she wasn't really talking to him, she was just swinging on the jungle gym. Arley kept hiding behind me, scared to make eye contact, and kept asking me why she wasn't playing with him or talking to him. He didn't understand that she was, just in her own way. Then she had to go do the Scouts activity, which was a walk around the park to the water. He came to me so distraught that she wasn't playing with him, and couldn't understand why she had to go for the walk, and he started to yell, and he started to cry, and he did a really good job holding it in, but the tears just overflowed and he was so sad. It broke my heart for him, and made me scared for the future, because clearly his autism was at play, and I didn't know what to do. We were sitting on a park bench having a cuddle, when way off in the distance I saw Scarlett appearing from behind the trees, running towards us. She ran up and asked Arley if he'd like to walk with her. I said he would love that, and that he had just been crying. She asked if he would like to be her buddy, and she took him by the hand and took him for a walk. I found out later that she got in trouble with the Scout leaders for separating from the group, and told them, "Having a friend is more important than sticking with the group.' She literally made me cry, right there in the park. Arley's tears immediately dried up, and he was all smiles for the rest of the evening. I just hope he is able to surround himself with people like Scarlett.
The kids have been into making planes all week. It is such a great pastime, because they make them, decorate them and fly them, and it can take up half a morning. And Carmie is using all of the fine motor skills that she hates, and they play together. We are still walking the beach when we can, although this morning they insisted it would only be a short walk, so I'm hoping they're not getting resistant. We went to the water slides this week, with the kids' friend Dusty who has been travelling Australia for six months. The kids had a blast, played together really well, and are fairly desperate to go back. And this time I didn't have to go on the slides too, so I could actually relax and have a chat to my friend. We also looked after our friends' dog Casper again, and took the dogs to Collers Beach a couple of times. We also took the kids to Christmas Carols on the green, which was kind of a flop (small town, bad sound, very hokey). Luckily Lolo and Dida met us there and we all decided pretty quickly to go back to their place instead.
Carmie has been such a cutie this week. She wants to start a band (like a real band), with the members of our family. Forget about the fact that I am not musical at all, and she doesn't play an instrument, and having her dad in the band (the only member of the family who does play an instrument) was an afterthought. We have to practise and everything. She has even written contracts for us to sign. When she was writing them, she called out, "How do you spell sign, like to sign something?" and quick as a whip, Arley called out S I G N. He is a crazy good speller!
It is so nice to report on having a good week. I still can't get Carmie to make her bed, brush her hair, or pick up after herself, and Arley still has been sent outside, but at least now he just takes a book with him and goes out quietly, and Carmie will get there one day - either that or she will be the world's messiest, stinkiest and most disorganised teenager :)
Mollymook Beach morning
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