What a great day we had today.
First Cuyler did great at his CIP program - after the trauma of arrival.
They didn't open the classroom door until precisely 1pm. We got there early, of course. About 12:50...Keep in mind that Cuyler has never met any of these women running it, nor has he been to this envoirnment before. So - they open the door, very quickly tell Cuyler to get the picture of himself from his cubby and bring it into the room and put it with his schedule. What the fuck?!? I didn't understand what they were talking about, much less Cuyler being able to...but they "guide" him in and tell me to leave the area...buh bye!...hurry!...off you go!...no kiss, no cuddle...
One girl needs to talk to me about some admin stuff and we go around the corner. I hear Cuy screaming. I think maybe he'll vomit, then maybe I can go back and see him if he does. But he doesn't. They just give him his soother and he has a great afternoon.
THAT, people, is why we are NOT weaning him of his soother. For him, it can be a necessity for him to function. Now I will never judge the parents of any child who looks older than kidnergarten age who walks around with a soother.

And swimming lessons tonight were awesome! Cam is now a "swimmer" With the lifejacket - he actually swims - kicking legs, using his arms. He spends most of the lesson bobbing his head under and above the water. He thinks he's so cool cuz he can hold his breath under water now. And - he doesn't need catching at the bottom of the slide anymore. There's something devastating about your child saying "Mommy, I don't need you anymore"

Sean and I are thrilled with the progress Cuyler is making in the pool. Last year he wouldn't let us take him into the changeroom, much less the pool area - the echo was way too much for his senses. Now we can't keep him out of the water.
Tonight Cuyler put a lifejacket on and wore it for a good portion of his lesson. If you know him, you know what a feat this is for him. And he jumped off the side of the pool into my arms. And he went down the slide. He see's every other child go down the slide and squeals "YAY!" When it was his turn...he said "yay" with a sheer look of terror. It was priceless.
I must admit - I quite enjoy when other people's kids are afraid of the water and make a scene by kicking and screaming "NO MOMMY NO!" during lessons. That means that people aren't looking at me thinking "Why the hell is she torturing him like that?"
Okay...I shouldn't say I enjoy it, that sounds really mean (but I do). But I do feel good that we are blending in. Funny how we are working SOOOOO hard and it's taking so much effort - to appear normal.
People always say "I hate to use the word "normal" " or when they say it, they make the quote sign with their fingers. But why is it so politically incorrect to use the term? On my ASD message board, they refer to normal people as NT - as in "neuro typical". Just a fancy way of saying NORMAL. Whatever...normal...Its' like retarded. My sisters and I used to call each other retarded or retards when we were little. My mother would get livid and tell us if we didn't stop - "God will get you!" When I was really messed up about Cuyler - I wondered if she was right. I wondered if I got an autistic kid because I called people retarded when I was little. And I still say it sometimes. "Omigod, that's so retarded!" Didn't Lindsay Lohan get in trouble for saying that too much?? i better stop.
Sorry Mum, and anyone else that I offended.

DAMN that cbs!! I can't believe I fell for it again. Big Brother 6. It's on now.

Christine