It is hard to believe that a year has already passed! Looking back from last year around the holiday season time it is amazing to see how far we have come. Dylon was just diagnosed with autism last December. At that point he was not pointing, talking, making eye contact, and he had some inappropriate behaviors (spinning and hand flapping). It is with great pleasure that we can say he is starting to point, using 2-3 word phrases to request things, making eye contact, greeting people when they come in somewhere, learning names, and starting to play appropriately. He still has some hand flapping and he still spins but all of this will hopefully fade out. It is interesting to see how far Michael and I have come in our knowledge of autism. I have joked with people and told them that I am now brain washed in trying to figure out ways to help and think like Dylon. We have also had to teach him things that would normally come natural (e.g. how to play with peers, how to point, etc.). Dylon is doing great and continuing to make progress.

He was placed in class the week after his birthday. At first he didn't cry when we left him but after a couple weeks he started to cry. There are 5 children, including Dylon, with a teacher and 3 aids who are all wonderful. It is a very structured setting. First thing in the morning we walk him in and he hangs his bag and coat. Then they have table time where an activity of interest is picked out for each child and they have to work on that until they finish. They go to the gym and play working on gross motor skills. A big part of the morning is spent working on each child's goals on the IEP. So from my understanding because I have never witnessed this part, three of the teachers will sit at separate tables and pull a child over with them to work on their goals. The other two children will be in another part of the room having structured free time with the 4th adult (watching a video, singing, jumping). The kids take an hour nap, eat a snack and lunch, and go outside and play throughout the day also. Before you know it six hours is gone and it is time to pick him up. I can tell he really likes school, even though he cries, because he has come home singing a couple of the songs they sing in class. His teachers are amazing women and we have been very blessed with the people placed in Dylon's life to help him. He also received speech (two 30 minute sessions) and OT (one 30 minute session) during the week at school on top of the hour of each therapy we get at Vanderbilt each week.

Well, here is the latest update on our little man. We are all doing well and Santa was very good to us. We hope the rest of the holiday season finds you all in good spirits.
Happy New Year!!!