Breakthroughs!

I could not be more proud of Silas these past few days.  He’s done SO MANY typical things.  I love it.

Before leaving to go to church yesterday Isaac was VERY upset.  Silas walked up to him, looked him in the eye and said “Ikey all done sad”,  to which Ikey replied “ok” and they both giggled.  WHAT!?  My child just recognized an emotion.  That’s crraaazzzzyyyy.  People with autism have a very hard time recognizing emotion and feeling empathy.  I’m stoked.

Yesterday at church he did so well engaging in play with the other kids.  My church is really relaxed and most of the little kids run amok during the worship service.  Silas was playing with the other kids SO nicely.  Crap, I’m scared I’m not going to forget something.

He came out of Sunday School with two drawings he had done and he had drawn a person!!

Don’t those look like fairly typical 3 year old type drawings?  Aside from the fact that everything but the face is a letter 🙂  He’s so cute.

For you to feel my excitement I’ll give you a bit of background on the drawing thing.  A few months ago it would stress Silas WAY out.  He couldn’t draw ANYTHING and he wasn’t really gripping a writing utensil.  I got through to him by drawing most of a letter and then having him finish it.  Now he can draw his letters really well and is expanding!

I had so much pride for him yesterday, and it feels good to beam with pride for him.  Because it’s hard to sometimes.

ANYWAY, so today Silas comes downstairs and Isaac is playing with play dough.  Play dough used to really stress Silas out.  He would touch it but he didn’t know what to do with it and would just ask me to do things.  We had a big breakthrough the other day when he told me he was making chocolate pudding and proceeded to mix the brown and orange colors together until there wasn’t any trace left of the orange….anyway…so…today he comes down and says that he’s making some pancakes.  I seize the opportunity and rush to grab our play plates and whatnot.  Oh the fun we had.  Silas did pretend play for FORTY FIVE MINUTES.  *gasp*.  He was in control of it a lot of the time.  He turned the play dough containers into everything from chocolate chips to cheese to salt and pepper to chocolate pudding!!  He decided to pretend to put the food in the microwave  and just used an invisible one he made up in his mind.  He also pretended to put it in the freezer to cool off as well which was also make-believe.

That’s a long paragraph…I’m going to start a new one.

Isaac was in on all the fun too.  He pretends like a champ.  They’re pretty much at the same level when it comes to pretend play, perhaps Isaac is a bit ahead.

Silas also responded to simple things like “can I have a bite please?” and he would feed me imaginary food.  He also would pretend to give me the food that was aparently coming out of the playdough containers.

Anyway, I’m so proud.  Moments like this make me think this is going to be a breeze.  My autistic child, without therapy, has come SO far on his own.  Once upon a time Silas wouldn’t make eye contact, he couldn’t chew food, he couldn’t laugh,  he’d lay on the floor and read books all day or watch things spin.  Now he’s pretending and drawing stick figures and speaking in complete sentences that are meaningful.  Like “I’m going to put in some crackers”.  I’m so so so so so so so lucky.

I thought I’d give potty training a try today with Silas.  After 3 accidents in an hour and after listening to him scream at me every time I suggested the potty I decided we’ll wait until he’s out of this anger phase he’s in…good idea…yahuh.