First Day

Today was the first day of Riley's intense therapy. It's called ABA Applied Behavioral Analysis for those of you that don't know what that means. It is alot of "Riley do this" (clap my hands) and "Riley say this" (muh) which he is not very fond of. We want him to start imitating motions and sounds for mastery. Alot of the words he says are so inconsistent. We would really like to see an improvement so he won't be so frustrated when he is trying to tell us something.

Colleen came today and started us off, and I gotta tell ya, I was frustrated by the middle of the session. He was not very happy that we were making him stay in one room and asking him to perform for us. When he would do or say something, we would reward him with jelly beans which are his new favorite. By the end of the session, he was showing me that he MIGHT actually learn from this method. He wasn't doing it on command, but he would do one of the things we had asked earier of him just to get a jelly bean. After his nap, he said book, banana, mama, up, cookie, thank you and outside all on his own! Another huge step for him was when I was blowdrying my hair this afternoon. He came to get me and when I turned off the blowdryer, I heard the knocking on the door. He led me to the door where Nana, Poppy and Kylie were all trying to get in. (They took Kylie to see Eight Below!) Amazing for Riley to be aware of anything like that. I'm so proud of my little boy!!!

I will post often on his therapy just so I will have it documented and I won't have to remember when each person asks me how it's going!! Not that you can't ask me because I love to talk about my kids! Who doesn't?

Also, it's supposed to get better before it gets worse so please say prayers for me and Alan as well as Riley!! Also for Kylie as sometimes she feels that Riley gets ALOT of attention!