Wednesday, February 11, 2015

Zander is 13!


Once upon a time we had four teens young adults in our family at the same time. As of today we have three in our family at the same time....Zander turned 13!

We actually went out to lunch yesterday to celebrate as we KNOW Wednesdays are impossible for celebrations. ::snort::

 
Today we left home at 0730 to get ready for a rousing PWOC day. Stacia had been bugging him to wear the "flying pig" on his birthday - and he did. Evidently the preschool kids really wore him out.

Just a minute to brag on this young man.  He is doing so WELL with these kids and is faithfully helping Angela (and Arielle) week in and week out. He's learned how to decipher some of the more intricate cues of the kids.  He's thriving.  THIS is the one we were told wouldn't be able to function without lots of meds - if at all - and he functions well. This is the one who I was told would never be able to read phonetically - and yes - we are "delayed" - but we took our time, and he reads - well. We're working on the mechanics of writing now.  I fully expect him to be "caught up" by the end of this year or middle of next year. He has worked hard and is doing so well....Yes, we ARE believers in trying diet changes before drugs after seeing the difference it made in Zander. He INTERACTS WITH ALL OF US now; Stacia most of all.  Nine years ago he was really in his own world or interacted with us on HIS TERMS.  He has worked hard as we have worked to teach him social cues others seem to grasp naturally. He works hard to control the level of stimuli which used to cause "meltdowns," rocking or hurting himself. We lovingly called him our "alphabet kid," all those years ago -  due to all the alphabetic labels he was given.  My heart is full when I see the young man he is becoming - uniquely created to serve his Master.

After PWOC and PWOC board meeting we came home and opened gifts.....he also has one paper rain check but most of his gifts arrived in time.
 
We dug into the SECOND ice cream cake of the week.

 
Zander in a smoky haze!