So busy....

So things with the holidays have been so hectic!! We had a wonderful thanksgiving and are anxious for Christmas to arrive. Andrew is excited for christmas and keeps asking when Santa will be here. It is going to be a great christmas this year since he is so involved with the coming of it. He's been helping to wrap presents and sharpen his fine motor skills using scissors and tape and using his new folding skills to wrap. He's also been doing a GREAT job with his writing skills lately. We owe his teachers and therapists a huge amount of praise for the work they have done with Andrew this year. We were a little reluctant at accepting a new OT and SEIT teacher this year and him starting in a new preschool class this year, but it has proved to be a good change for all of us. His teacher, Pam & Stacy are diligent at following through with his therapy and are encouraging him more and more to do a good job at his work. Andrew is really enjoying his writing exercises now that he knows he can do it. He's able to write his whole name with minimal assistance. Even though we are concerned about his writing habits, we are told that he should outgrow his patterns. He tends to write his letters from bottom to top and right to left rather than top to bottom and left to right. It kinda makes me wonder if he will decide to be left handed. Most of the time he uses his right hand mostly to write, but sometimes tends to eat with his left and the way he starts of his walking makes me think he is left handed, but we wonder if it is because of his weakness in certain muscles.
We are also so grateful for Michelle, his new OT, for the new perspective she has on Andrew's treatment therapy sessions. Although we dearly miss Marybeth and so does Andrew (Talks about her all the time), we are happy to see that Andrew has accepted Michelle and listens to her well. She has some new exercise that she uses on Andrew and it is a fresh start this year. I think he was due for a change as he was getting too lax with Marybeth and had some meltdowns with her... knowing her too well I think and trying to manipulate her too much. Andrew tends to want to call the shots. We miss Marybeth and enjoy hearing from her now and then. She is genuinely interested in the progress of her previous cases.
We are also very happy with Andrew's new SEIT who is a Special Education Itinerant Teacher who comes to Andrew's class a few times a week to help increase his congnitive skills and learning skills. Andrew has made major improvements this year and being able to curb his frustrations and try a little harder to succeed. He's now able to complete more tasks in one sitting without having to be prompted constantly.
He is also still working with an aide that has been a tremendous help with keeping him on track with dressing and encouraging him to be more independent. We've noticed a huge improvement in his listening skills and his ability to be more independent with helping himself rather than relying on an adult to do things for him. Now that he is able to put his shoes on & off by himself, put on his own coat and other clothes, zip them himself etc, it makes things easier than you will ever know. He now enjoys choosing his own clothes to wear in the morning AND likes to choose ours too! lol.

So, time is running out and I've got to run, but I'll try to update again before christmas. Christmas cards will be out as soon as our photos come back. Be on the lookout... Also, be sure to check out Matthew's website too! http://roarslikealion.blogspot.com