I Can't Believe It's Almost Been a Year!

I can't believe that it has almost been a year since I have posted to Riley's blog,  So much has happened this year that I don't know that I remember it all.

We celebrated Riley's seventh birthday in January with family and friends.  The Star Wars: The Clone Wars theme party was a hit as well as the LEGO models that I bought as party favors!  Toward the end of January we got the results from Riley's Autism Testing, and they found him to be ADHD with a reading disorder.  We pondered awhile and then decided in March to put Riley on medication because his reading level was not improving in school.  I felt that he may be paying so much attention to behaving that he was not concentrating on learning.  I am happy to say that medication has worked for him.  His reading level has gone from D/struggling E to instructional level K, which is practically on grade level.  Through the use of medication he is now able to sound out words or break them up in to hunks and chunks.  He has always enjoyed reading and listening to stories being read, but now finds new pleasure in reading by himself.

Riley participated in the first grade music program at school and although he was nervous; he stood in the front row and did what he was suppose to do, sing!  We also went to see Jack and the Beanstalk at the children's theater, and Riley went with his class to see Charlotte's Web at the high school.

Riley graduated as a Tiger Scout in the spring, but decided not to go back to scouting this school year.  He is in his second year of Parish School of Religion classes and is preparing for his First Communion in the spring.  Over the summer Riley passed level 1 swimming classes and looks forward to taking level 2 next summer.  This fall, Riley started wrestling kid's club and seems to enjoy it, but looks forward to taking tai kwon do in the future.

First grade was the first year for play dates.  He started going to other children's houses on his own and inviting children to come and play at our house also.  At the end of first grade Riley went to his friend's house for his first sleepover!  He asked me to chaperone his first grade field trip to the zoo and wanted me to bring his sister so that his classmates could meet her.  We went and really enjoyed ourselves.

We started our summer by going on vacation to Las Vegas.  We went to Hoover Dam and Red Rock Canyon as well as the pirate show at Caesars and swimming in the pool!  Although our trip was delayed by a day, we all ended up having a great time.  In July we went with the grandparents to Chicago.  It was a short trip, but we got the chance to see the Legoland Discovery Center, and it was worth it!  Riley was especially interested in the Titanic Exhibit at COSI and we went to see that together.  We finished up our summer attending library programs, going to swimming lessons and swimming afterward, completing the summer reading program at the public library, and hanging out with friends.

The start of fall brought second grade and the ability to help Mommy out more and take care of himself.  He was able to help me pass out postcards on windshields in a parking lot, build his own LEGO mini models, and learned how to tie his shoes!  Riley also started to earn an allowance of $3.00 a week to put away his laundry and toys as well as help out with other chores.  Most of the time, Riley uses his allowance every two weeks to buy a Star Wars graphic novel (comic book).  He enjoys his collection and likes to take them to school to read during self-selected reading.  A limit had to be put on how many Star Wars books he could take to school so that he can expose himself to other topics and genres of reading.  Second grade also brought some difficulty in making friends.  I think it has passed somewhat, but he has not found his niche with friends who are interested in the same things in which he is interested, namely, Star Wars.

In mid-September Riley completed his first 5K.  He walked the COMAPC 5K Race for a Pro-State of Mind with me as I pulled his sister along in the wagon.  We completed it in about an hour and were the last ones to finish.  We also celebrated his sister's 4th birthday this week, and Riley was able to help her put her new sheets on her bed.

For Halloween Riley was Jango Fett.  This is the third year that Riley has picked out a Star Wars related costume, and although this was by far the most I have spent on a costume, I bought it for him because he plays in them all year, which makes it worth my money!  This was the first year that Riley chose to go trick or treating with friends rather than with Mommy.

Riley started November with a cold or so I thought.  By the first Saturday in November, when he was breathing heavy, it was no ordinary cold.  After a trip to the doctor's office and to the emergency room Riley was admitted for two days, and we came home with an asthma action plan.  So far, since the episode in November, we have not had any other problems.



We stayed at home this Christmas, and our extended family came to us.  Santa was very good to Riley and brought him the spinning double-headed light saber that he wanted.  He also got the Bobo Fett helmet and gun.  His grandparents got him more games and accessories for the Wii.  Although Riley got mostly toys, he did get a pair of tennis shoes and a sweatshirt!

We look forward to Riley's eighth birthday in a few days to end our year.  My, oh my, where does the time go!

Clothing

Clothing has been a problem this year. Riley has decided that he does not like anything with collars. He wears long sleeve cotton shirts with ease especially those from Land's End. They are a great quality shirt that I do not mind spending the money on because he will wear the shirts in all seasons. I bought pants for Riley that he will not wear because they are not soft. I have found that he likes sweatpants and jersey knit pants that I have found at Sears. Anything else and he complains.

Riley spent all summer in tennis shoes or barefooted. He would not wear sandals. Now that the fall is here, he is wearing all of his tennis shoes even those from Stride Ride that he didn't like in the spring; they felt funny.

I think that Riley has a tendency to like clothes that are a bit small and tight fitting. He may need that extra sensory input. I was going to give away a jacket that he would originally not wear because it is now too small and suddenly Riley has decided that he likes it and has worn it everyday for the past week. I bought his winter coat a little big and I think that I might have problems this winter with either the bigness or the bulkiness. I did take the lining (fleece jacket) out of the winter coat and that has helped with the bulkiness, but he will probably complain until he grows into the coat.

Clothing is something I have chosen not to battle him about. He started to wear short sleeves this fall after wearing long sleeves most of the summer when he should have been wearing short sleeves. I let him wear the short sleeves, and most of the time he chose to wear a sweatshirt jacket over his t-shirt.

Kindergarten

Kindergarten seems to be going well. Riley is excited to go everyday when it comes time to go to school. He likes to see his friends and seems to have a way with the girls although he would prefer to play with boys his age. At night when we talk about school, he tells me he does not like school and that school is boring. In his language, school is boring means that it is hard for him. I think that sometimes when he is asked to do things that are hard for him like writing or possibly even sitting still in his seat, he tends to give up without even trying. Some of his problem is that he is very insecure, somewhat emotional, and a worrier. He worries about everything, but especially if people like him and want to be his friend. I keep trying to reassure him that if a friend does not play with him, it is not because they do not like him anymore, but they may want to play with someone else that day. I try to explain the dynamics of friendship, and that it is a give and take process where sometimes you have to play what your friends want to play. I hope that he eventually trusts the friendships that he makes and know that they will not disappear overnight.

Last Gymnastics Camp

Riley went to gymnastics camp for two weeks earlier in the summer, and one day came home and said that he was the only one who could not do a cartwheel. I was thinking that he was talking about a real cartwheel with feet in the air and all. I found out during the show on Friday that it was just the placing on his hands on the mat and swinging his legs over the mat. I was really proud of him when we went to his last gymnastics camp, and he attempted to do the cartwheel.

I believe that his favorite part of camp was the cheese pit. He liked to swing on the bar above the pit and drop into it as well as run in the cheese.

Long Sleeves & Long Pants

I am having trouble with Riley wanting to wear t-shirts and shorts this season. He likes the cold weather and somehow thinks if he continues to wear long sleeves and long pants, the weather will cooperate and get cold again.

I know that seasonal change in clothing is a sensory problem also, but I have not found the solution to addressing the problem. How do I get him to wear t-shirt and shorts when it is hot outside? I went and bought him a new pair of shorts today that were very comfortable feeling and I told him that some time soon we will have shorts day, and he will have to wear shorts. He said okay. I asked him if he would wear the shorts that I bought him today, and he said yes. I hope this works or you will see my son sweating like crazy this summer!

Occupational Therapy Evaluation

I had Riley evaluated by an OT about a month ago. Based on the preliminary evaluation, she feels that he has some oral-motor issues as well as motor planning issues. I noticed during the evaluation that he could repeat a three step clapping pattern, but when she added another step, he got all confused.

Meltdowns

Been having some meltdowns lately and not sure of the cause. Saturday's meltdown was over not being able to get out of the car to go and pay a bill with Mommy. Riley was in the car with his sister and grandma waiting because we were just going to drive around the mall to another entrance after I paid the bill at Macy's. I think he did not like being left behind even for a few minutes. He has been somewhat attached to Mommy lately, maybe due to change in routine.

On Sunday Riley had a meltdown as we were leaving to go to get ice cream. He threw a fit because I would not allow him to take his gun to the ice cream store. Maybe Riley feels he does not have control and is therefore acting out.

Yesterday, Riley had a meltdown with grandma. Grandma ordered food, and I did not send along anything for him. Grandma had to send someone back to get him what he wanted from the restaurant.

Hopefully, being with me tonight at my book club will help him to behave. Riley always want to go to book club with me, and this is the perfect way for him to see the book club, as I am hosting it.