4/26/13 & 4/30/13

Aaron didn't eat breakfast again, although he did come out and look at the dried apricots and bagels at least this morning. At lunch he ate all of his applesauce, some of his noodles and pasta and even a bite of his tilapia.

He has one outburst as mom left the house with Rae and not him and that was it! He was fine even before mom was to the gate!

Aaron was trying to use the pliers to grab everyone else's hair and other body parts this morning. They didn't think it was nearly as funny as he did (or Rae did when he was doing it to her)' so we had to redirect him.

I have been really working with Aaron on doing more things for himself, especially getting his coat on (except for zipping) and off, and his shoes on and off. He can do it with verbal instructions, but would much rather we just did it for him.

Aaron, Thomas and Kenzie were all playing together on the rowdy side of the big room for most of big room play after breakfast. They were jumping, running, hiding, dancing, spinning, and carrying stuffed animals around, loving it and laughing lots!

Aaron has done a great job of saying "No! I don't like that!" when one of the kids did something he didn't like, usually trying to stop him from spinning.

Aaron had all of the bracelets that are out on his arm today and was loving jingling them. After a while a couple of the other kiddos wanted to have one also and he did such a nice job of giving them each one!

4/25/13

Aaron didn't eat breakfast -- blueberries and cinnamon raisin English muffin. At lunch he ate all of his canned cherries, a couple bites of sweet potatoes (after Emily encouraged him to), and a couple nibbles is his saltine crackers, no canned chicken.

Aaron played with Riley a lot this morning. Part of it had to do with the fact that Kenzie wasn't here because she stayed home with grandma today. Regardless, they both enjoy laughing and being silly, so they have fun together.

Aaron really enjoyed being outside this morning. He was pulling the wagons around, teeter-tottering, playing on and under the climbers, and using the dump trucks mostly. When he was pulling one of the wagons, Mia was taking advantage of it and loving the ride.

Aaron and Emily also played together again some this morning. They were especially enjoying driving the little cars around the dip in the big room picnic table bench. It makes it kind of like a rail road rack for their cars to run in.

4/23/13

Aaron didn't want to eat breakfast (waffles and hashbrowns) at breakfast. At lunch he ate all of his orange slices, some rice and no colored peppers or shrimp.

Emily didn't eat breakfast either so they played in the big room while the other kiddos ate breakfast. We could hear them chucking and when I went out to check on them they were playing their own form of hide and seek/peek a boo in and round the igloo and under the stuffed animals.

The whole group of kiddos (except Nora and the babies) were piling all of the stuffed animals up on the black chair in the big room. It was stacked so high some kept tumbling off. That made it even more fun for them because they were falling off as fast as they stacked them up. When everyone else was done and all of the animals had been knocked on the floor, Aaron wasn't ready to quit, saying "Oh-oh guys!" wanting help on rebuilding of the tower.

Joslyn and Aaron played alongside each other with the cars, trucks and other vehicles in both back rooms. They interacted with each other some as they played but mostly did their own thing while watching what the other was doing and sometimes imitating it.

4/22/13

Aaron ate about half of his Cheerios and a bite of banana at breakfast. At lunch he ate the cheese out of his cheese sandwich, a couple bites of the bread and a couple bites of apple slices -- no tomato soup.

Aaron and Emily were having so much fun playing with one of them under the table and the other peeking into the hole

Aaron and Joslyn both had cell phones and it looked like they were talking to each other. Joslyn wanted to get one of the vests on she so asked Aaron if he would hold it for her. He did and then gave it to her when she was done.

Aaron was working on the faucet in the little kitchen set again, but this time it must have been a little more serious because he had the saw rather than just the wrench.

Aaron and Rae were cracking up playing together. Upon further observation the activity they were finding so entertaining wasn't really acceptable. What they were doing was grabbing each others hair with the pliers. I am not sure why they found it so funny, but... Then Rae put on one of the piggy masks and Aaron was grabbing or trying to grab the masks ear and lauding so hard he was bending over. What a riot!

4/19/13

Aaron didn't eat breakfast. At lunch he ate about half of her lean ground beef, applesauce and some cheese off of the peas and pasta.

I spent quite a bit of this morning focusing on watching Rae to complete as much of the checklist as I could, so wasn't quite as in tune with "my kiddos" as usual.

We did have all of the kiddos do free-draw while I watched RaeAhnna closely to see which hand she used, the hold on the marker, and the other things related to that. Aaron was very excited to draw and also did a great job of making sure the lids were back on his markers before putting them away!

In the back room, I helped the kiddos build throne chairs, first making them to small so they only fit one kiddo. I then enlarged them to fit two each, which worked much better. Before the enlargement, Kenzie asked Aaron if he wanted to sit on her lap, which he did and was very cute.

4/18/13

Aaron didn't eat breakfast. At lunch he only ate a couple bites of green beans and a bite of kiwi.

Emily also didn't eat breakfast and while everyone else was eating they were having fun playing on the rowdy side of the room, jumping on the mattress and carrying and piling the stuffed animals in various spots.

Kenzie was working on Aaron today. She had him laying down like he was her patient, but asked her assistant, Emily, "will you get me a wrench?" I'm not sure if she was pretending he was a car or a patient!

Kenzie, Aaron, Emily and Thomas were playing "big bad wolf" on the rowdy side for quite a while this morning. We have a felt wolf mask that goes with the three little pigs and little red riding hood story and masks. Kenzie started the chase game by putting it on and telling everyone to "run away from the bad wolf!" They were loving it. Aaron decided to try to being the big, bad wolf, but only left the mask on long enough for me to get a picture. He acted like it he couldn't breathe with it on! I can relate! I have some issues with claustrophobia also! : )

4/17/13

Aaron didn't eat breakfast again today. At lunch he ate almost all of his beef and bean burrito and a taste of tropical fruit -- no sweet potatoes.

Emily and Aaron were really enjoying playing at the climber/balance beam this morning. One of them would lie on top and one underneath it and then they were both peeking at each other and "getting each other". Aaron was really chuckling!

Joslyn had made a big pile with all of the stuffed steady bears at the end of the mattress for the kiddos to jump off of the mattress and into. They actually spent more time rebuilding the pile than they did jumping into it, but they all were having a great time.

Aaron was doing a lot of plier play again today. No one else even comes close to being as dextrose as he is. He can grab both big things and little things with them.

Aaron instantly connected with the semi truck again when we went to the back room. He and Riley were driving their trucks on the big interlocking blocks, with a few crashes into each other that they both thought were hilarious.

Kenzie asked if they could do "Doodle Buddy" art today. As soon as I said we could, Aaron was right beside me saying, "I, too? I, too?" It was really cute!

4/15 & 4/16/13

Aaron didn't want to eat breakfast. At lunch he ate all of his cantaloupe, a couple bites of both hashbrowns and scrambled eggs and no waffles.

Aaron thought it was hilarious when he put about three of the stuffed bears on top of the igloo and the fell off. He then kept putting this one bigger bear on the top and pushing it off then laughing. Riley and Mia were both watching him and chuckling at it too.

Aaron was very intrigued and engaged with the Duplo truck stuff in the back room. There are quite a few pieces and he did a great job of getting the semi all put together. He then drove it all over the room.

Aaron started spinning this morning after breakfast and soon all of the mobile kiddos (except cautious Nora) were spinning with him until they were so dizzy that they were falling over and bumping into each other.

Both today and yesterday his favorite toy was the toy pliers. He totally knows how to use them appropriately and was using them to hold the shaker toys, the rungs on the gate, his own hair and aching else he up ild get ahold of. He sent a lot of time yesterday working on the faucet of the sink.

4/12/13

Aaron ate about half of his raisins and a bite of rice at breakfast. At lunch he ate all of his meatloaf, some of his cooked carrots, no French bread or dried apricots. I haven't been working on the tasting bites/kisses this week with him not feeling very well.

Aaron and Riley had a small battle over a specific doctor tool this morning. Riley actually had two of them so I facilitated Riley giving one of them to Aaron, which she cooperated well with. He was so happy that I had helped him.

Aaron was really enjoying racing around the rowdy side of the big room with Thomas and Emily. They weren't really playing any specific game that I could tell (tag, hide and seek, get-cha...) -- just running all together from side to side laughing and squealing. I love seeing them all enjoy themselves like that!

Aaron really likes the new frisbee deals I found and purchased. I will throw them and they chase them across the yard, then bring them back (kind of like kiddo fetch). I bought enough so they all have one. They can also try throwing them themselves, but mostly the like to chase them!

In the back room, I helped the kiddos make a train with the big blocks. As soon as it was done, Aaron took his place on the caboose along with the Duplo train he had made!

4/11/13

Aaron ate a nibble of cinnamon toast and all of his grapes at breakfast. At lunch he ate all of his hashbrowns and about half of his cherries but no roll or chicken.

It cracks me up when Aaron always has to come over and tell me that something is wrong after someone else has gotten hurt or had something happen. He doesn't want to be left out!

Aaron was having a lot of fun doing the different things I would sing about as the moved around the igloo to the tune of the Sunday school song 'round the walls of Jericho'. I do it frequently both inside and outside. This time I was singing "marching (crawling, flying, hopping, running...) round and round the igloo, round and round the igloo, round and round the igloo, the children go". He loves is and listens intently to see what the next instruction will be.

We decided to try something we haven't done before and got out a bunch of craft sticks (full length, half-length and third-length) then I tried showing them how to make the first initial of their name. Aaron was so excited when I helped him make his! He also enjoyed just playing with them and "making a train".

In the back room Kenzie was really engaging with Aaron quite a bit. During the course of their play, Kenzie said his name, wanting his attention. Aaron just ignored her, so she said it again a couple times. Se finally went right over the him, touched him under the chin (just like I know I do with the kiddos) and said, "When I say your name, Aaron, you say 'What?'" He immediately did it and remembered to do it at least two more times later in play that I noticed without the reminder! : ) Kenzie has seen and heard us do that so many times to all of the kiddos (including her)! ; )

4/10/13

Aaron was adamant that he wanted to come out for breakfast, but didn't end of eating anything, just sitting there watching the other kiddos eat. I think the coming at breakfast in conjunction with Rae leaving immediately was confusing for him because he wasn't teary, but face looked like a combination of confused and sad.

Aaron has been doing better and better (on a daily basis, I think) about asking for what he wants or needs. That includes things like going to the other side of the big room, using a certain toy that someone else has, wanting something at a meal, wanting to help with what I am doing or wanting me to help him with something he is doing. I am very proud of his progress!

Today Aaron out one of the play carrots in the receiver of one of the toobaloo phones. He then started pressing it into the wall and making a sound like it was a drill. That is pretty creative!

When we switched to the back room, Riley was trying to hoard all of the little vehicles and Aaron also loves to play with them. I intervened and helped him get the one he wanted -- he likes this one specific truck. He had it in his hand most of the rest of the time he was in that room. He was mainly playing with it on and in the parking garage. When he would make it go backward he made beeping sounds just like the real worker trucks do when they back up. Noah army crawled over to it too and Aaron was so sweet to him and let him play on the other side without even complaining or grumbling!

4/9/13

Aaron didn't want to eat at breakfast (mom was right). At lunch he ate all of his saltine cracks and orange slices, no tuna or sweet potatoes.

Aaron looked a little better (his face and eyes always show when he isn't feeling well). He also played pretty typically this morning this so I think he is feeling a little better!

Aaron was talking and kind of singing into the toobaloo (which is a phone that magnifies the sound into the ear) for quite a while. He was really experimenting with making quiet sounds, louder ones and different kinds of singing voices.

Kenzie, Aaron, Thomas and Emily were running their fingernails down the paneling creases and it was making a very annoying scratching sound -- not quite as bad as fingernails on a chalkboard, but close! It literally gave me shivers.

Aaron came over to me grabbing at his tummy and trying to tell me something I couldn't quite understand. At first I was afraid his tummy was bugging him, until I lifted up his shirt and saw that his pants were unsnapped and unzipped. I helped him fix it and he was fine.

Aaron was very busy in the back room driving the cars and trains in the little people garage.

4/5/13

Aaron came out to eat breakfast but didn't actually eat any oatmeal or prunes at breakfast. At lunch he ate all of his mandarin oranges and all but the hashbrowns out of his hashbrown casserole, no biscuit.

Aaron chose to play with Riley most of the morning today. Emily was out of sorts today and didn't want to play with anyone most of the morning.

Riley and Aaron each had a medicine bottle and medicine spoon and were playing alongside each other for about 15 minutes. At the same time Mia came over and started to bug them. In unison, they started yelling "NO!" at her repeatedly.

Aaron and Riley were working very hard to get the smaller stuffed animals shoved into the holes in the climber, taking them out again then laughing and starting all over.

Even after we transitioned to the block room, they played alongside each other with the cars and garages and were very engaged. They didn't interact directly much at that point, just watch what the other was doing and imitated it grinning at each other frequently.

4/4/13

Aaron ate all of his cantaloupe and a taste of French toast at breakfast. At lunch he ate a bite or two of his crescent roll and fresh pineapple, most of his dried mangos, but none of his turkey slice.

Aaron spent several minutes looking at books. Part of the time he was singing as he looked, even when it wasn't a book that you sing to. I love how Intent he gets looking at books.

Aaron was leaning over the balance beam/climber and accidentally leaned over a little to far and bonked his head on the wall. He just cracked up then had to bonk it again a couple more times, much more gently and controlled!

Emily either wanted to play by herself or with Kenzie most of the morning today. Aaron went off to her serval times and got about 4-6 inches away from her face and said her name, wanting her to play with him. She did respond and play a couple of them, which was nice. When she first got her she had gotten the stuffed puppy that he had played most yesterday and held it, saying "I will save it for Aaron".

Joslyn invited him to play with her in the back room with the Duplos and they played very peacefully and focused for about 20 minutes. Part of the time they were just working alongside each other and the other part they were working together on the same creation.

4/3/13

Aaron ate a couple bites of blueberries out of his mixed berries at breakfast, no toast. At lunch he ate all of his sliced ham, one of his saltine crackers, a taste of bean soup and no kiwi.

This morning Aaron sat very interested while we went through some of our signs. We haven't got through the whole set of ones we have learned for quite a while, but he was very interested and knew several (please, thank you, move back, use your words and maybe a couple others).

I loved how animated he was when we were singing (especially twinkle and happy and you know it). He really likes music and it isn't hard to tell when you have started to sing one of his favorites!

We did some bath foam painting today and he really wasn't into that! Even when I gave him a craft stick so he could draw in it without touching it, he looked at it, the stick and me like I had totally lost my mind! -- you expect me to do WHAT?!

We had a class of five early childhood ed students from Butte and their instructor visit us during the time we went outside after art. It actually went pretty well and it didn't seem to bother Aaron at all. He played like he always does, untroubled by the visitors.

4/2/13

Aaron ate a few little pieces of his dried apricots and a nibble of whole wheat bagel at breakfast. At lunch he ate all of his applesauce, part of his pea pasta with cheese on it. He also ate a taste of the tilapia.

Riley was trying to show off for Aaron this morning. She just got brave enough actual jump off of the balance beam/climber deal and loved it. When Aaron came, she was so excited to get him over there to show him. He really didn't act interesting at all, it really didn't seem to damper Riley's enthusiasm, thought.

Aaron absolutely loves story time! He races for a spot just as soon as I announce that I am going to read, or might read in must a couple minutes. He stays for the entire thing and often tries to go get more books when I run out!

Aaron was enjoying being king of the castle today in the back room when Kenzie and Joslyn were spinning him in the chair. He was just cracking up, especially when Joslyn kept slipping and falling down when she was trying to push it really fast.

Aaron was the first one to get an echo phone and take it up onto the "stage" I helped the kiddos build in the back room with the big interlocking blocks. Kenzie and Joslyn joined him and their trip sang together for several minutes.