JJ, You are Wanted

A healthy child is a happy child and a happy child feels well and a child who feels well will always learn well.

I am so blessed that my son is happy and healthy. He has a lot of energy and is very creative. He loves to learn. He loves to write and read and definitely loves to try new things. I am very proud of him. He amazes me all the time.

He is cherished. He is wanted.

He motivates me to do more and to be more. He is our rock. He teaches us so much. This boy really has a wonderful soul and a heart of gold. I look forward to spending time with him. I often think of activities that we can do together and places that we can explore together. There is no other way I would rather spend my weekends and everyday than with my family. My rock, my inspiration and everything!!!

I want him to have the best childhood he can ever experience. I wish for him to have the fondest memories and to feel the love that both my husband and i have for him. That is so very important. I want him to know and understand that he is our gift. He is wanted. He means so much to us.

He is wanted.

It is awesome now how he is into Loorducation. He knows when I am taking a picture of him and asks questions about what I ma going to say  about the picture and where am I going to put it up. He gives feedback and shares his ideas. that is important. It is vital that his voice is heard and I am so thrilled that he enjoys sharing and expressing himself. We are forever grateful. FOREVER.

He is wanted.

He asks thousands of questions. Repeats hundreds of things. Obsesses over "little" things.

He is wanted.

Blasts from the Past

Awesome!! Learning happens everywhere. Education is in everything. Always capturing the moment. Visit loorducation on www.facebook.com/loorducation and all over social media @loorducation See what we are up to!!!

You Want to do What?

He wants to use his Angry Bird sling shot to do something that I would have NEVER thought a 6 year old would say...

As we walked past Petco, he told me that he wanted to take all of the toys and things in there, put them all on his sling shot and send them all the way up to Heaven - for his 2 guinea pigs that passed away during the summer. Zebra Isabella and Fatty George. Those two animals were his best friends and he loved them so...

Yes, one by one, he told me he would take the pet supplies and blast them off into Heaven so Zebra and George could be happy and have things to play with.

Yes, my indigo. So proud of him.

I am glad he is not "typical". A six year old would usually want to take the sling shot and throw stuff to knock things down.

 



Autism is his blessing. He is empathetic. He has raw emotion. He is truly unique and innocent. He is on the spectrum and not only will he be somebody one day, he IS somebody today!!!

And that is it..short and sweet <3, Dany

 

Why are Oranges Orange?

I only have one son but I know children pretty well considering my Bachelor of Science degree in Child Studies.So I know that children ask tons of questions each and every day. I also found that out when I was a lead pre kindergarten teacher at a private early childhood learning center. Anyhow, JJ asks questions from the moment he wakes up until he is in bed for the night. He wants to know everything. Many times I can not even answer his questions. His questions have depth and are very detail oriented and elaborate. A child may ask," what shape is that?" and JJ will keep going from there. Not only does he want to know the shape of the object but the reasoning behind it. He needs to know it all. He likes to know the steps of the things we are doing and he always seems to be thinking ahead because he will ask how many more steps and what the next step will be. JJ will ask about words in Spanish but also have the need to know why they sound the way they do and things of that nature. Where are we going? Why are we going? Are we there yet? What are we getting there? Why are we getting it? Where are we going next? What are we going to do later? Yes, that is all typical of him and he does question in that order and manner all of the time. He is wise beyond his years and oh so curious that he really does teach me a lot about life and more. I learn patience as well. I never thought he would talk this much and I thank God because he never talked until he was after 3 years of  age and beyond. Sometimes it can be overwhelming and I have to let it soak in. But how can I answer , why are are oranges orange? Hmm..many times I can be stumped. He is very intelligent and must know details to many things. When he asks me something!, whatever it may be, he will ask my husband the same question just to get some kind of reassurance. Today was , how long is an hour mommy? It is a long time JJ just  go upstairs and grab your book or toy. I can easily say 60 minutes and that can turn into what is sixty minutes? And so on and so forth. It can get challenging but I learn everyday and I try my best to apply new knowledge in every situation. My indigo child of the new world..... We need to give children more credit. They are important and they matter. Not only is JJ the future, he is the present and making his footprints as all children have the right to do. I still do not know how to answer why oranges are orange..do you?



 

My Boy: Part 82

Field Day happened on Sunday. He really enjoyed it. JJ got to be with all of his karate friends. It was a blast despite a few mini meltdowns of wanting to go in a bouncy house and play games as well as waiting in line for registration. It was sunny and hot so the behavior was more understandable today. That day JJ ate a hamburger and a hotdog. I was so surprised because he has never eaten a hamburger from a cook out before. Ya know, it is the little things. Yeah and it was with organic ketchup. : )

We are working on going all organic for JJ. We have been seeing a difference especially when he takes his omega 3 supplements, multi - vitamins and his fish oil liquid. Going organic costs a lot more than traditional foods but it is so worth it especially when consuming organics helps calm and soothe the symptoms of ASD such as hand flapping and verbal stimming.

JJ participated in a few games and had fun throughout the time we were there playing with other children. It was great because he needed the social interactions with others as he has not been in school, Yes, he misses it. He has been telling me that lately. That is a great sign. I am proud of him. As a desire of mine is to have my son to love learning and embrace it.

My Boy: Part 81

ESY ended more than a week ago but JJ still has been busy reading, writing, and of course, playing and experimenting. He did develop the humming sound again. It started about four days ago. It sounds like a long hmmmm, hmmmmmmmm, several times repeated over again. He used to do this type of stimming before he was able to speak. When he was non verbal, JJ would stim by running back and forth from the living room to the front door, humming really loudly and flapping his hands. Once he began to speak, at the age of almost 4, the verbal stim drifted away. So my husband and I were surprised to hear it again after all of this time, basically out of the blue. Instead of telling him to stop doing it, we asked him why he does it. Now, years ago before we knew he has autism and before we knew what was going on and how to make sense of it all, I would have told him to stop that. I have learned to have patience. As we all know sometimes it may run out but I thank God for learning every day and becoming stronger. It can be nerve wrecking but I try..I try to understand why so I ask him and he tells me it makes him happy. Now how are we supposed to tell a child to stop doing something that makes him happy (of course not self harming or harming others)?


So we took him to the neurologist and the doctor told us to ignore the behavior. Ignore it because it will go away. he might be doing this due to not being in school and having that routine. SO for now, I have not heard it many times today. We will see. JJ told me that he does miss school and that he loves it. He misses his friends and being able to ride the bus each morning and afternoon. It is the little things that mean so much and that are very important.

I Read Ya!!!

 

So blessed and happy that JJ is reading at a second grade level. We were informed of this at his PPT meeting yesterday. I knew he was beyond the Kindergarten level since he has been reading before he could even speak,, but to hear this news was wonderful because it shows how much JJ has advanced and made as well as continues to make improvements in all areas. Books are his "thing", well one of them at least. He loves to read. It has been a natural thing for him. We kept going with it, never pushing. It was right for him. All children are different. All children have their "thing". There are areas in which he is superior to "typical" children his age and other areas, such as social, where he is not. It is OK. Autism is a super ability. it is a "label". He is part of the spectrum. I would not change him for the world. But ya know as his mommy, I do want to change the world for him.

My Boy: Part 68

Long weekend for Jorge Juan, I repeat, long weekend for Jorge Juan. In all ways, it sure was a long weekend for my boy from having Friday and Monday off from school for a total of a four day weekend...he was a little off of schedule. Today he woke up for school just a little crabby but yesterday he had a huge meltdown. He could not wait at all for anything and did not have any patience. He was overly sensitized. He was grumpy. When I looked at him, he was not "here" with me but in his own world. It was super hard but I tried to comprehend. I had to ignore him yelling and screaming. I told him to wait while I finish eating to take him outside. He was in pure meltdown mode. I eventually took him in the bathroom and wet his face with cold water and told him to take deep breaths. It was way much. He was red from sweating and screaming. He calmed down just a bit but I was not caving in. I saw in his eyes he was hurting but I did not know how or what would really help him. I finished eating then took him outside. I really wanted to send him to his room but it was so hot and by that time I wanted fresh air myself. Once he got outside he was running and feeling better but I told him that I would not be playing with him at that point. Later on he gotten better. He was feeling okay. The running in the fresh air soothed him a bit. We had watermelon and his smile was back. At dinner time earlier, he was being Mr. Crabs also. After playing in the sun, I gave him a nice bath. He fell asleep shortly after only to come running to our room about 2 am because he said he did not want to be alone. At that time I caved in because he hugged us very tight and said he loves us. Earlier Saturday, at Grandma's house, he had a meltdown over a ball of yarn. He wanted it as if it was the best toy ever. He became attached. For some odd reason that I am unsure of. Anyhow when we got home, i threw the yarn away. He cried for a bit because he wanted it so much. It was in the trash and that is the premise of how he got to go outside. Actually , he there it in the trash, unwillingly but his desire to go outside was greater. Sunday, we stayed home all day. He was OK. a little crabby here and there. On Saturday, we had a community day at karate school. He was a little off at first. Getting impatient waiting in line to get his face painted. He started licking, spitting etc. I kept my cool. After a while he was OK and was able to enjoy the rest of the carnival day which was good. At first a lot of playing with saliva, it was annoying. This behavior is gross and i am not sure where it came from or how it developed but I did not want to leave and take him home. He needed to be around other kids and enjoy himself despite being grumpy. Going back to Friday, a day off from school, from what I can remember, Jorge Juan had a swell day. Nothing major to report. Nothing unusual of the day from the perspective of a child on the spectrum. Wooo. I am glad that he is back in school. I need the breather but as well he needs to be in his school environment where he must adhere to rules and be on his schedule.

 

Oh yeah, there was flapping too. As he told my husband and me, the other night, that he can not stop his flapping and he really does not know when he is doing it. He just does it because he is excited. I did get teary eyed when he told us. It was so sincere. At that time I just wanted to put him in a bubble to protect him from the world.

My Boy: Part 61

He stayed home from school again. Still a little congested but thank God a while lot better. We went to Costco then he asked to go to Barnes and Noble . He loves it there. So we went. We had fun and read and played. It was enjoyable. He needed the fresh air and now he's back to being himself.  No medication. I just used honey and lime to clean his throat. That's all. He has been playing and using his activity books. He also checks on the seeds he planted and enjoys being a kid. Autism who? But he did tell me he loves to flap his hands because it makes him very happy.






He borrowed my phone today and took many pics. This was one of them.

My Boy: Part 60

I picked Jorge Juan up early from school yesterday because he was not feeling well. He ended up having a fever, therefore staying home from school today. Despite being sick, Jorge Juan was very pleasant and in a great mood, as usual or even more so. I was very impressed with that behavior.

It was report card conference yesterday so my husband went to the school while I stayed home. He has improved in school and is doing very well.. He is reaching goals and achieving many great things. His report card was very good and his effort marks have improved as well. The one thing that the teacher told my husband was that Jorge Juan throws himself on the floor almost every morning when the principal goes into the classroom to say hello and greet the kids. Yes, he throws himself on the floor and spreads out his arms and legs. Well, we asked Jorge about this yesterday and he told us he used to do that only because he was little but he will not do that anymore because he is a big boy now. OK, we will take that. At home he really doe snot throw himself on the floor but once in a while at karate he will throw himself on the floor after he kicks really hard: he thinks it is funny I guess. But we all tell him not to do that. Also he has been sucking his thumb and putting his fingers in his mouth lately. A lot. In karate an d at home and yes, they told my husband that it happens in school too. We gotta figure out some kind of way to get him to stop. I am thinking it is  a learned behavior from a peer but Jorge Jorge said no one in his class does that, but you never know.

So, he is feeling better today. Still warm but way better than last night. He kept asking if his friends would miss him and he kept saying that he was sick. When he was praying before sleep he just asked God to make him feel better..(insert AWWW, right? I know : )

So today, he has been chilling, reading his books, playing a bit but mostly taking it slow and staying clear of the TV.

This is a picture of Jorge Juan when he was about 2.5 years old. Look at all that hair, right? So cute!! Yup, he wants a pony tail again. Hmm, now his hair is in wolf mode stage...

My Boy: Part 59

He is so sweet. Jorge Juan did not want to leave me alone in the house this morning because Daddy was not home from work yet. We went outside to wait for the school bus. He was happy. He got on the bus anyway. I told him I was going to be fine. He quickly shoved a small Buzz Lightyear into his jacket pocket and was ready to go. He has a friend on the bus that always waves to me. Today, I thought this little boy was waving but when I got a closer look, I realized that he was stimming and I looked and a tear began to fall. I understand it. I have seen it in my home. I see it in my home and wherever my son feels excited. I understand what this boy was doing but I still teared up. It is because I understand him and others who see him may not. they may make fun of him and judge him. My heart ached and when I told my husband, I was crying. I thought that it is not fair, people and children may not understand and they ay pick on him or whatever. It hit close to home because Jorge Juan is on the spectrum. He is my heart and if someone saw him stimming, what would they say/ What would they think? I just pray that when my husband and I are not around him that there are people around him who love and care for him. People that understand and respect him and will make him feel comfortable.

All children deserve to be comfortable and valued. My son does not have a disability, he has a super ability. I would not want to change his journey. I would rather change the world for him than change him for this world. I am his advocate, always. It is more than autism awareness, it is autism acceptance. I thank God for where my son is today because it has not always been that way. I have never prayed for a cure because he is an intelligent, loving, caring, sweet boy- there is nothing "wrong".  I have faith that things will get better because they have not just because of therapies, etc. No, it is faith and love , first and always. There are breakthroughs, yes I believe. But if autism has made my son the boy he is today, then we are here to stay.

This is his journey. Thank you for being a part of it.

The Case of the Missing Tooth...

Jorge Juan lost his first tooth!!! Exciting time, yes it has been. The tooth was MIA for a day but we got it back in a ziploc bag! Awesome, we were waiting for it. For several weeks, Jorge's front bottom tooth has been wiggly. Every single day I would have to check his wiggly tooth (only after measuring his muscles and height, and yes this was an everyday thing). So, the tooth was super wiggly but I thought it would be at least another week or so before it popped out. So, the tooth came out two days ago at school. He came speeding off the bus exclaiming that his tooth came out. Wow, it was awesome to see him excited. He said the tooth was in his folder, but we could not find it anywhere. My husband even called his teacher. Mr. G said he would look for it on the playground but he told me Ms. P had the tooth. Anyway, Jorge told us he lost the tooth because he bit into his apple then he pulled it out and the other version was that he was on the playground and bumped something and his tooth fell out. Jorge gave the tooth to the aide...OK, so he came home that day with no tooth, kind of upset because he thought it was in his folder and he wanted to put it under the pillow so the tooth fairy could come and give hi some money. At first, he only wanted coins but that quickly changed. Anyway, Jorge came home with his missing tooth inside of a ziploc bag yesterday, it was in his folder. His teacher wrote a note saying that somehow it made its way out but anyhow yay!!! the tooth is here.

So we talk about the tooth fairy. He was excited and we even made up a song to sing so the tooth fairy would arrive while he was sleeping. We put the tooth under the pillow. We left it in the bag and taped the bag to his mattress so there would be no chance of him losing it another time, lol. So he said he wanted paper money. He quickly and eagerly went to bed and slept on his pillow. The Tooth Fairy snuck in his room, grabbed his tooth and put a 20 dollar bill in the bag. The Tooth Fairy  was going  to give him 10 but I guess there was no time to go to the bank. Phew, we made it. I believe we were just as excited as him about this. So..Jorge Juan wakes up at 6;30 n the morning calling me. So my husband and I jump out of bed, we knew what it was. He was so happy telling us that the tooth fairy had left him a dollar. Yes, he still thinks it is a dollar only because it is a single bill. It is too cute. So, while waiting for the bus, Jorge Juan told me that the Tooth Fairy looked like Cinderella with wings. Ahh..just as I imagined. And she even talked to him as he noted she told him he was being good and listening so he gets one cent. Too funny. So, the case of the missing tooth has been solved. And now it is n safe keeping.

Now, if I did not tell you, would you know my son has autism?

Children are innocent. Their innocence is priceless, magical. It needs no other labels. A "typical" experience for a "non typical" child. I love my indigo!! To be a child..To find happiness in every little thing. It is pure magic. They have so much to teach us. My best professor yet and I always get an "A" .

 

 

My Boy: Part 58

I always say my son or when it is "needed" I say my son has autism or is autistic. Many times I do not have to or need to and just at sometimes I feel the need to specify that my son is indeed on the spectrum. I am very thankful that he is high functioning but when I use the term autism I do not have the need or desire to specify that he is high functioning. I just thank God everyday that Jorge Juan has made so many advances as well he continues to strive and shows progress in many areas. Other than being on the spectrum, he is a "typical" five year old. He loves to play in the dirt, ride his bike, watch cartoons, go to the park and do many things as any child would do. Sometimes, he just does it in a special way, in his own way. That is OK by me. I believe in him. I believe in his abilities in which no label will ever stop him from achieving his dreams and goals. I am proud that he is on the spectrum and proud that he advanced along the spectrum considering when he was initially diagnosed - he did not speak, and was "somewhere towards the middle or beyond" on the scale. He surprised the exact neurologist that defined him at three years old. Last year, he stated Jorge Juan was not showing many symptoms at all of autism and if he did not know any better he would say no to autism. Where did it go? Where did the autism go? Does not matter because my son is happy and healthy and I thank God all the time that we never subjected to medicating him by any means (as once suggested by the neuro due to a melt down in his office). So here I am with a  5 year old Kindergarten boy who loves taking the bus to school and making new friends, a boy who loves to eat snacks and do projects, a boy who shows an appreciation and love for learning and oh yeah, he happens to have autism. No need to specify that he is HF, none at all. Parents of typical children do not state that their children are typical or low functioning typical or whatever- too many labels.

Au-some Things...

One day there are going to be some people saying they are autistic or that their child is or may be on the spectrum because it is "cool". No one knows where autism comes from yet the rates of autism are increasing drastically over time. As of today, the numbers seem to be 1 in 68 children. Autism is not a disability. To me, it is a different ability. An ability so intense that it has yet to be understood. An ability so complex, the origin has yet to be found. My son has autism. Yes, he is autistic. I would not trade it for the world. I would much have my son be a kind hearted gentle soul than a rude and selfish neuro typical child. My son is an indigo child as many children on the spectrum. Autism is not a bad word. It is something we live with everyday. I am an advocate for my son and other children on the spectrum. I am my son's voice although he is now able to speak. I will push for what is right and just for him. I will make sure he is respected and cared for.I will educate people on his world and likenesses.

 

I will always stand up for his rights. I will always speak up for him and be his voice. He is meant to shine and I will never hide him from the world.
Yes, he is more than autism, so much more.

My Boy: Part 57

Jorge Juan usually takes the bus to school. It never showed up today. His regular driver had the day off so I am guessing the sub got lost because at 8:10, the bus still was MIA. So, I called the bus company and they asked for my son's name, I told them and their response was Special Ed? I was taken back a little but I replied with a yes. I was calling them to cancel because I did not want my son to be picked up by a stranger. Anyways, getting back to the special ed part..I do not like the way that sounds at all. I never really have. It just does not fit well with me but I guess they still use that term. As for me, I prefer specialized instruction. That is what it is. He is receiving an education with specialized instruction. Yes, indeed my child is special in every positive way but that term special ed irks me and I realized how much it does today when the guy said "special ed" after I told him my son's name. He has an IEP. He is an intelligent 5 year old who is eager to learn with the rest of his peers. I felt as though he was just labeled as that. He is not "that". He is a boy who loves to read. He loves to dance, sing and play. He is a boy who has autism. Autism does not have my boy. He is a child first, being on the spectrum is last. He is a boy with autism and I want all to know that it is not the other way around. There is no autism with the boy because autism cannot survive without him.

I want people to see past the autism because that is when you truly will see an amazing child with so much to offer this world. It is more than awareness, it is acceptance. After all, my son does not like labels of any kind. I rip them off of his clothes and toys and I will continue to rip them off of him when people try to put one on him.

My Boy: Part 56

Jorge Juan was very busy today...So here it goes; he just said he wanted to help me with the keys,. So, the following is straight from him.

ghhghhgmtoycar - Here he was figuring out where the letters are and looking to spell words. So, here we have toy and car. He is so excited about this.

jorge loor juan - Here he typed his name all by himself. Cute, first, last, middle but he is quickly learning to locate the keys, which is awesome.

fast cat loor dadgog hog  gungum -He was excited about typing some words here. He already memorized the space bar and backspace keys. He finds this enjoyable and he is learning. It is really awesome to watch him do so. The lap top is very different from his tablet. He likes the feels of the keys. It is a really neat experience that should happen more often especially since we are in a technology mode everywhere we go.

As he was looking and searching the keyboard, he was sounding out the letters. I bet he is going to ask again tomorrow to type some more. That is great thought. He is understanding more now that I am sharing his story and telling you all about him. well in his mind, he is on the internet and I put him on a website : ) Too cute!!!

Yesterday, Jorge Juan went to karate. He did fairly well despite the fact that he did not receive the reward lollipop. I understand that but he did do better than the last several times. We went shopping at a few stores and he only had a mild tantrum because he wanted to go in the dollar store. He lived. He got over that after the fact that my mom took him while I was grocery shopping. All was well in his world because he met up with me with his plastic bag filled with a book, a box of fruit snacks and a fishing game. Well, 5 out of 6 packs of Angry Birds fruit snacks were eaten before we got home and the fishing game is missing in action, unopened. The book, he put the stickers in last night and that was that.

He watched some cartoons today and paled a lot. he also did his own little project with sand and water, he loves sensory and hands on play. He also practiced writing and read 2 short stories. He was active all day but went to bet a few minutes earlier than usual after a nice bath. Sometimes this little dud gives me a run for my money but I would never change him for the world. He is unique. He does not like tags on clothes or on any stuffed animal or toy at all. He stims from excitement and runs back and forth. He is repetitive with his questions. Lately, he has been keeping us on our toes. He has been over stimulated but all in all, he is an empathic, loving child with a heart of gold.He is on the autism spectrum and he is mine. Thank You God.

My Boy: Part 53

Forget what you hear about Autism Every child on the spectrum is different. Forget the autism myths. Ask questions. Open doors. It is not a disability but a super ability. It does not have a certain "look". If you saw my son, would you know?



JJ has been super excited and very happy because his little cousin from Ecuador has been here to visit. They have been playing and having fun. They have been learning so much from one another. It is so sweet. They love each other and are more like brother and sister. JJteaches her English and she talks to Jorge Juan in Spanish. He is developing and socializing, which is awesome. He has company. I feel awesome because he always asks me and my husband for a brother and sister. Always. And..by always I mean every day.



He is very affectionate and loving. We have him out of school for this week and he has still been learning and exploring so much. He has his school work packet from his teachers. Can't wait to share with you all what we have been up to this past week. Lots of great things. We are blessed. Autism will never stop JJ..never.



I want to take this time to thank all of you who read and follow my blog. It really means a lot. Not only do I want to share Jorge Juan's autism journey but I want to spread awareness and give hope to everyone out there who has a child or children who are on the autism spectrum. As always, faith and patience. Love and hope. It gets better. It is about the journey not just the destination. Those days days make us stronger and appreciate the good days more. Never give up. Ever.
Any questions or comments? Please feel free to contact me.
Take care,
Dany Loor B.S. Child Studies , M.Ed.

founder Loorducation

It is OK...Jorge Juan

It is OK with me if Jorge Juan wants to wear the same T-shirt for a couple days in a row and also if he wants to wear miss-matched socks. It is a part of having an opinion and say in things. It is OK with me if Jorge Juan wants to jump on his bed and put stickers all over his wall, it is a part of self expression. It is OK if Jorge Juan does not eat all of his dinner because he loves to drink water and he lets us know when he is hungry. No one wants to be forced to eat, so it is OK. It is OK for Jorge Juan to want long hair, therefore we will not force hi to cut it. This is also a part of his identity and self expression which is very important to children. It is OK if Jorge Juan wants to wear clothes that do not match because he is getting the opportunity to make a choice based on his likenesses. It is OK for Jorge Juan to have fun, play and make a big mess. It is important not to stop the learning and playing process. That is a child's work. It is OK for him to also help clean and have responsibilities. It is OK if he wants to write his name like this, JoRge because he is writing well and has advanced well in his fine motor skills. It is OK for Jorge Juan to get dirty, after all that is what soap is for. He can dig for worms, play outside, run, make a mess of his clothes because he is healthy enough to do so and that is also what being a child is about. It is OK if he does not want to complete his homework all at one sitting. Children need breaks, mentally, physically and emotionally just as we do. It is OK if Jorge Juan watches TV because he can learn a lot from quality programming and also because he loves to read, a lot. It is OK for Jorge Juan to not take a bath every single night, he is a kid but he does know the importance of brushing his teeth and going to the dentist. It is OK for Jorge Juan to play game son his tablet and also to play in a kitchen area holding a doll baby if he so chooses to. It is all about imagination and the learning of life skills. It is OK for him to voice his opinion and feelings as they need to be validated as any other person's. It is OK for him to eat candy and pop corn because he loves to eat fish (I do not, my husband does) and eats lots of raw fruits and vegetables. It is OK for Jorge Juan to color minions red and the Hulk black if he chooses to. It is creativity and thinking outside the box. It is OK for him to pretend play using figures, blocks, spoons, sticks, cups or anything else that is not a traditional "toy". This is where great learning happens. It is OK for him to slide down the stairs, after all it is beneficial for children to engage in risky play. It is OK for Jorge Juan to be friends with all types of children despite gender, race or religion. It is OK for him to say that he does not want to go to school. We all have our days where we are just tired and want to stay in bed. It is OK for him to watch the same movie time after time because he made the choice to do so. It is OK if he stims in public, burps or farts, as long a she holds his manners and says excuse me, for the latter 2 of course. He shall never have to be made ashamed for stimming and people see him as I will never try and stop him.

And it is OK that he is on the autism spectrum because look at all he can do. It is a blessing. He just does not have special needs, he has all the needs and desires of typical children everywhere.

My Boy: Part 51

Jorge Juan is very excited that our family is here from Ecuador. He is super happy that he has his cousin, who is 7, to play with. They get along very well. Both of them have been taking good care of Jorge's guinea pigs. Jorge Juan is an only child so to have another kid in the house makes him excited. he has been flapping here and there and continuously jumping out of happiness. he almost had a sensory overload. He is becoming sensitive to sounds again. Loud yells and screams at karate class, he covers his ears. When flusing the toilet, he covers his ears. Now he has not been doing that for a very long time and it started up once again. When I use the Vitamix in the morning to make juice, he has to covers his ears and runs to the living room. Thank God he has not had any ear infections or any problems with his ears ever since he had the tubes put in his ears. Since then, they have fallen out. So far so good.

He had a trip to the dentist the other day. Words cannot describe how proud my husband and I are. There are really no words to describe it. Jorge did an amazing job. Smiling and laughing the whole way through. He even wanted to get x rays of his teeth. he did not need them so the hygienist took an x ray of his finger. he loved it so much. At the end, he got not one, but three toys for doing an amazing job. It was his first real dental cleaning and it was a true success. We are really blessed. He cannot wait to go back again. That day, he had a great day the whole way through and it started from him picking out his clothes for school since he did not have to wear his uniform. He was happy about that and even stated that he was different.

Days like that I forget that he has autism. Usually I do not even think of it any more. To me he is just a kid. He is my child and he is the best he can be in my eyes and i would never want to change hi for the world. Autism is a blessing in disguise. It was not always so but I thank God for Jorge Juan every day. He can see, hear, walk, play and is healthy. What more can I ask for?

My Boy: Part 50

Wow!! 50, I can not believe it. I never would have thought to be sharing Jorge Juan's journey in so many parts. I never thought I would have a blog in the first place either. It is amazing for all of the support. Thank you for reading. It really means a lot.

Jorge Juan was so tired this morning and he did not want to go to school. We woke up 20 minutes late but got ready in time for the school bus to pick hi up. All the while he was saying he wanted to sleep and rest. Usually he is sleeping by 8:30 but he stayed up later than that last night. there was supposed to be a huge snow storm, so I thought no school and he could stay up later to pig out on some frozen pops we made at home (shared on www.facebook.com/loorducation) as well as popcorn all while watching The Lion King. Although he fell asleep halfway into the movie, he was sleepy and needed more rest in the morning. He had a long day yesterday playing, moving and shaking the whole day through while having fun. He did not want to go to school but I can say that I am blessed because he is a morning person after all and did not give too much trouble at all getting ready. He cheerfully greeted his bus driver and was excited that the bis monitor was finally back from maternity leave.He got to wear red and white today to honor Dr. Seuss and is excited for tomorrow which is crazy hat day.

He did his homework very well today. I can see that his fine motor skills have developed a lot. His coloring is getting so much better along with his writing. He is doing it with ease now as before it would be frustrating for him. He is showing great interest in homework. He loves to read his take home book and impressed me today after he completed a book. He was able to retell the whole story to me, in his own words using great details. He is enjoying making up his own sentences as he practices his letter board words. This makes me very happy and proud. I love that he is developing such a great love for learning. His vocabulary is expanding and when he speaks, he uses such descriptive language that leaves me in awe. He is a great kid. He loves life so much. We can learn a lot from him. He gives some lessons that are harder than any EDU class. Every step is worth it. With love, hope, dedication and faith, my child is progressing and so can yours. Never, ever give up. Give anything, but up!! You can do it, look at Jorge Juan, he is doing it. Greater days are coming. Thank God for today.

Autism is a journey and not a life sentence. Many, many days I "forget" that Jorge Juan has autism. I see him stim, I smile. the day goes on.