Look at this face?this lovely, happy and content face! Charlie has had a lovely summer half term break from school! We have heard his chuckles again. We love that he belly laughs like he did when he was a baby and toddler. It is the most wonderful sound that I wish I could listen to forever. The whole family, as well as our friends this week have all noted that ‘our Charlie is back.’ I almost feel like I shouldn’t even write this as I don’t want to jinx this calmness….He is also very happy in this picture above, as he is in the Ikea cafe. He’s not a fan of Swedish flat pack furniture but he is a fan of food! No matter where that is! It’s always his motivation!
He did also love to sit on the arrows on the floor of the store this week as he was amazed by the projection they make and how he could stop it with his hand. Some other customers did give looks at this point, most walked on with no judgement at all.. one group began nudging each other and a young lady (i use this term loosely) tutted at him and huffed and puffed as she moved her trolley around him. She soon looked away when she saw I was staring back with a less than friendly gaze, mammy bear took over…What can I say… sometimes I am not in the mood for staring…sometimes I think whatever… sometimes I comment… this time a look did the trick. but when Jack was hyper looking at EVERYTHING in the children’s section and I am trying to strategically move a 7 stone 10 year old off the floor and you tut at him/me then you are lucky you didn’t get a mouthful rather than a look of ‘tut again love and you will know about it eyes’ (yes my eyes can say that it’s a Gift I now have after years of practise) This didn’t ruin the trip at all though and we moved on to our next stop along with Jacks new items for his bedroom make over. So two happy boys ✅
We then went to the Alan Shearer Centre(not an ad or review we just LOVE This place!) I can’t rate enough. It is a free Charity run service for children with special needs and their families. We had booked time in the hydrotherapy pool as Charlie loves water so much. We also visited the music room that the boys loved. The Hydro pool was like a spa pool. It was amazing and Charlie and Jack had so much fun playing with all of the pools features, including a waterfall! Yes I am one impressed mammy! We will be going back again ASAP! Charlie enjoyed flapping in the water!! I spent a lot of the time blinded by choline ?but still amazing non the less!
Charlie also has his new trampoline in place in the garden now which he loves! He is so happy on a trampoline! He is still in his nipping phase and wants gloves on all the time as well as wearing a blanket in the house which he wraps around his hands in almost an effort to stop his nips… he wears this blanket in ALL weathers! And doesn’t seem to regulate how hot he feels. But we keep a close eye on him and it keeps him happy at the minute so we are going with it.
Another amazing moment this week was today. I am still BEAMING as I write this! Charlie gave me a high five! This may not seem a big deal. Believe me it is! He followed an instruction, not on his own agenda and understood ‘high five’. When he was a toddler he did this and then he lost the skill. He is now 10 and has found it again. I am not sad about this I am delighted. He is joining in a custom to reward himself and he enjoyed it (see video- obviously he has his gloves on too, standard) we really really value the small steps as they are not small at all they are HUGE!! MASSIVE! And AMAZING! They are what we look for daily and we see them and celebrate them. Yes it’s a high five, yes I am excited about it, why? Because it’s communication, it’s interaction and it’s progress! https://tuningintocharlie.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/img_5926.mov
I feel like we are in a half term bubble this week and hope he stays settled at school next week. But something wasn’t pleasing him there the last half term and we all couldn’t work out what it Was. He has 7 weeks left before the summer holidays. Here’s hoping they stay as positive as this week. Our happy chap is back and it is wonderful to see!
Much love, thanks for reading ??
Kate xxxx