Where do I start… I guess from the beginning.

Back when Owen was 18 months old, his behavior was just awful and very uncharacteristic for a child his age. We took him to the doctor and were told he was hitting his terrible twos early. OK – we can deal with that.

As the months and years went on we saw more evidence that there might be something wrong with Owen, but again, we just chalked it up to a phase he was going through.

Once he entered preschool when Mike went back to work, he had a hard time in the classroom. At first we thought it might be a transition from home to school issue, but we gave him enough time to become assimilated and the problems got worse, not better.

Back in the summer of 2010, we had a conference with Owen’s teacher and told her our thoughts/observations and she had the same concerns. In fact, she was going to talk to us about it during that meeting, we just beat her to the punch. She put us in touch with the local IU and we started the evaluation process on Owen (well, we wanted to start then, but do to their back log he wasn’t seen until Feb 2011).

Right away the professionals at the IU saw what we were seeing. It was reassuring to know that we weren’t imagining this and that indeed our son needed help. They identified the areas he needed support in, mostly with social integration, sensory issues and pragmatic language. The IU wasn’t authorized to make an official diagnosis, but they developed an IEP and started their services with Owen over the summer.

Then, Kindergarten started. Owen was so excited to be going to real school. We got him re-evaluated through the district, updated his IEP and he stared to receive services through the school – OT, Sensory Room breaks, and speech therapy for help with his pragmatic language. His IEP is good through December of 2012, but to make sure he gets the more focused attention he needed, Mike and I would have to get him an official diagnosis to put him in the “priority” case load.

The first half of the school year went fairly well. A few bumps in the road, but overall, better than I anticipated. After Christmas break though, his world at school took a 180. In his class they have a color coded behavior system: Green, Yellow and Red. He started coming home with more yellows than greens and he even had his first red day. I don’t know what triggered it, but his behavior and his inability to follow directions were huge distractions and problems for him, his teacher, and his classmates. We were getting weekly emails from his teacher, frequent behavioral incident reports from the principal, etc. School was getting to be very hard for Owen emotionally. He lost his love and gusto for reading, he lost his excitement about going to school, and he was overall just really down on himself.

As soon as we saw the drastic changes happening at home too, we knew we had to get a therapist involved sooner rather than later. We scheduled an appointment with a very highly recommended psychologist and got the ball rolling. Miss Melinda has been a god send and after spending a good deal of time with Owen over multiple visits, we were FINALLY able to get the official diagnosis we had been waiting years for. Owen is a classic case of Asperger’s – an Autism Spectrum Disorder. To some parents, this would be devastating, but to us, it was like a weight had been lifted off our shoulders. We now had a starting point. We finally knew what we were dealing with.

With all disorders like this, there is no quick fix. It will take time, a lot of time, but we are seeing baby step improvements. He is back to having more green days than yellow and the support his is getting from his teacher and support specialist in the sensory room is helping. It really is.

Proof of that was last Thursday night when his school had their Open House. All the kids in the school put on a performance, “Seussical the Musical”. To see him up on the risers signing the songs he was taught in music class and doing the little hand motions that went along with it was awesome. He was also very eager to take us to his classroom to show us all the projects he has worked on all year long. He was enjoying himself. He was proud of himself. And most importantly, he looked HAPPY to be at school for once. My eyes welled up with tears. It was such a proud Mommy moment and it gave me hope that we can help Owen overcome and manage the effects of Asperger’s.

Now, he still has his bad days, but that is expected. There are some days when I feel like Asperger’s is going to get the best of me too because it can be a lot to deal with from the perspective of a parent. But, on those bad days, I now have this happy moment to look back on and to know that there is light at the end of the tunnel – that we are doing the right thing. We just gotta keep doing what we’re doing, take it one day at a time, and continue to love and support our Owen with all we have.

Jillian, oh Jillian, 2/3’s of your first year is over already. I’m very much missing your infant stage, it just went so fast. But I must admit, it’s been a hoot to see you change day after day into more of your own person who is making her own decisions. It’s amazing how interactive you have become and watching the wheels turn in your head.

This month Jillian:
* Tried more foods … apples, peas, green beans, sweet potatoes and bananas to name a few. She does not like green veggies and Jilly and bananas do not agree. She also explored several mixed fruits and veggies and she likes those.
* Blew raspberries for the first time.
* Had her first taste of a milk shake.
* Started to prop herself fully and support her weight on her arms.
* Had her first school pictures taken (they were horrible – thank goodness Mommy is a hobbyist photog)
* Celebrated her first Easter, including an egg hunt at school.
* Moved up to her big girl car seat.
* Started to hold her bottle by herself and try to feed herself.
* Had dinner dates at Panera with Mommy & Ben and had her first deck dining experience at one of our favorite restaurants, The Caddy Shack.
* Cheered her brother on at his first t-ball game of the season.
* Ate some cupcake for the first time.
* Gave kisses to her friend at school… and she’s even given us a few too!
* Started to wear more 9 to 12 month clothes… gotta cover those chunky thighs!

We had a very nice Easter in New Jersey. We visited with family, ate too much good food, planted jelly beans for the Easter Bunny to sprinkle magic water on [to grow lolly pops=)], dyed eggs, went to church, had an egg hunt, and dug into goodies in Easter Baskets. We all love nice relaxing weekend like that with family.

I took so many photos of this girl that I love from last month. These aren’t even all of them. I was able to capture so many of her expressions from this age that I love. I don’t want to forget them, so I’m happy I will have them recorded forever.

I saw this quote online the other day and it so wraps up life with Jillian right now… “Ready or not here I GROW!” And here she is, our 7 month old pudgy, happy baby doll who is getting SO BIG!

Time is really starting to pick up. Each month just seems to go faster than the next. I have a love hate relationship with the first year of my children’s life. I love every stage, their itty bitty toes, how they fit perfectly on your lap, cuddling them, changing diapers, giving baths, folding tiny clothes, relishing that baby smell, having a warm heart from baby coos and smiles…. AHHHH…I just love it all. I hate that it goes so fast. Luckily, all the happiness this little girl brings us daily makes up for the sadness of her growing and growing.

This past month, Jillian:

* Explored the tastes of food other than cereal – apples, prunes, squash and carrots.
* Had her first overnight visit at Mimi’s.
* Finally rolled over from back to belly and started rolling from her side to her belly as she sleeps.
* Really started to play with toys and pick them up. She likes to shake things that make noise.
* Started to grow hair! She’s not as much of a baldy. She has light strands of get this, BLONDE hair. It’s strange to see knowing she was born with a head of dark brown hair.
* Was able to start going outside on the playground at school due to the nice weather.
* Did more painting arts and crafts at school. She made a cute shamrock for St. Patrick’s Day.
* Enjoyed eating on the deck in the high chair with the family.
* Stated to babble “ba ba ba ba ba ba ba” in addition to just the gibberish.
* Had her first bad diaper rash from a reaction to a probiotic.
* Wore shorts for the first time.
* Started to put the binkie in her mouth herself.

The Green Monsters are back. It’s T-ball time. Owen really wanted to play t-ball again, so we said sure thing. Mike is also back as coach, so it’s nice that the two of them get to spend quality time together.

Just like last year I took pictures of him before he left for his first practice. I loved so many I couldn’t narrow it down. That smile never gets old. I just can’t believe he is so big already.

I almost forgot to report on Jillian’s 6 month check up. Well, it was really 6 1/2 months…were off by a few weeks from her getting sick at her 4 month check up and shots have to be given exactly a certain time period apart.

Anyway… here are Little Bit’s stats… or should I say Big Bit:

Weight: 18 lbs 3oz (80th percentile)
Height: 27 inches (80th percentile)
Head: 16.9 inches (56th percentile)

Once again, she is almost the same weight as Owen was at this age. He was 18 lbs 1oz. I’m sure if we weighed Jillian at exactly 6 months, she would have been the same as O. Now, for me she seems small. And you’re probably wondering how I can think she is small when she is in the 80th percentile. Well, Benny was actually BIGGER than that at 4 MONTHS! Yes, that is not a typo. Benny was that big at 4 months. He was 18 pounds and 27.5 inches. He was also crawling and pulling himself up in his crib at 6 months old. I’m very happy Jillian is taking things at a slower pace.

Last weekend I got all my photo stuff set up and started to take Jillian’s 6 month pictures. She did so well. I was going to take a second round with some different outfits and a different background, but when I just sat down this morning to edit the ones I took, there are so many I love, it’s not worth it. I’ll just wait and do another photo shoot in a few weeks.

I love taking this little girls picture. She makes it so easy. I just hope she continues her love for my camera because she’s an amazing subject to photograph. Here are my favorites so far. I know I will probably have more to post when I get through the rest.

My friend Andee and I were both pregnant at the same time back in 2007/2008 with our little boys who were born 6 weeks apart. Ian and Ben have pretty much grown up together. They even go to school together.

Here are they back in July 2009 having dinner together on the deck.

Here are they last night having dinner on the deck. Look how they have grown into such handsome boys.

I hope they stay buddies forever!