Day Two

It's the second day of resperidone, and again we have a dramatic decrease in behaviors. The only aggression I saw today was when Nick was looking over his brother's shoulder, excitedly watching him play a video game, and something set him off. Maybe Noah had shoved him away or something, which annoyed Nick--you know how brothers can be. Whatever caused, it, Nick tried to pinch his brother, but he did calm quickly after I intervened.

Waking up from his long summer's nap. 

What we did see today was a side-effect: drowsiness. Nick had his morning dose and about two hours later he climbed into bed.

He slept for almost five hours.

And this is a kid who never, ever naps.

I had to cancel two therapy session because I couldn't get him to wake up. I laid down with him on and off during the five hours, in part because I was keeping an eye on how he was doing and in part because, as Joe said when he came into the room to check on us, "You never get to do this." Nick loves to be on my lap, but   he's so squirmy that I never get to gently snuggle him like most moms get to snuggle their babies.

We'll see if he sleeps tonight--my guess is no!

A big brother's love

Nick got home from OT and was miserable. He'd cry and scream off and on. He was miserable for some reason he couldn't communicate (it was so reminiscent of some of our earlier days with autism). Noah, however, didn't have much compassion and would yell "Don't scream!!!" every time Nick screamed. And so I yelled at Noah not to scream at his brother. A lovely cycle of yelling ;)

Nick laid down on his back on the living room floor and his face was red with misery. "Let's go night night sleeps" I told him, thinking that some rest would make him feel better. He gave me a look that said, "Heck no! The sun hasn't even set yet!"

"You can choose anywhere you want to lay down," I told him. And he went right over to the couch and laid down. (I love that my child can now actually understand and respond to things I say!)

I got his blanket for him and after a few minutes I looked over to find him fast asleep. "Look," I whispered to Noah, " Nick's asleep."

Noah turned to look at Nick, then got up from his chair to gently pet his brother's hair.

Noah has been watching Cartoon Network for the past hour, and even though he's very engaged in his shows, he keeps stopping every now and then to check on his brother and pet his hair.

Brothers may make each other yell, but there sure is a beautiful love there.

Yay for tattling!!

Tattling is typically one of the most annoying of children's behaviors. Ugh. Who wants to hear, "Mommy, so-and-so did such-and-such!!!" over and over again?

Me, apparently.

Today Nick and Noah were in my room. Nick loves my room--he's always jumping on my bed, snuggling in my blankets, or harassing the cat who co-inhabits the room with me. Noah finds the room less thrilling . . . except for when his little brother is in there, for all big brothers like to taunt their little brothers every now and then.

I heard crying and did the mommy-sprint to the room. Noah was on the floor; Nick was on the bed, holding his hand and crying. Usually I'd ask Noah what happened, since Nick is pretty much non-verbal. But Nick came over to me, crying still. He lifted his hand up to me and said, "Noah B."

Nick's first time narcing on his brother. I love it :)