What a difference a year can make

Not only is it the end of the year, it's also the twins' 4th birthday, Christmas and the beginning of a new life for us.

We're currently looking for a new home, and will be moving (by March at the latest). I'm hoping that a fresh start and a better set-up for the twins will help their progress.

But even without that, my boys have been steadily learning over the last four months. We have a handicap parking placard, because they couldn't be trusted before to stay by the car and not run into traffic, especially if I was by myself with them. Now, Gamble puts his hand on the door for the gas when I get Gage out of the car, and I'm a little more comfortable taking my hand off of him to get Gage out of the car.

They're also both starting to follow simple commands, and they're getting better at comprehending what we're saying to them (Go sit in your seat, don't touch the TV, etc)

[Edit: I started this post around the beginning of the month and got sidetracked, so here it is, after Christmas, and I'm coming back to finish it. Happy holidays!]

Gage is starting to follow where I'm pointing, even if I'm not standing directly over it pointing - I've gotten him to follow my finger across the room, with the word for the item (typically his cup, he's very motivated when there's a drink involved) and if there aren't too many distractions, I can get him to go get it and bring it back. Sometimes he gets distracted on the bringing it back part, because he's sucking ferociously trying to drain those last few sips...but if there's no tv, he'll go get it, and then he'll bring it back. That's huge!

The boys did regress a bit at the beginning of the month, it was a stressful time for everyone. It doesn't help that they're out of school for 3 weeks. I need to remember to arrange speech therapy, at least, for those weeks, and the summer. OT if I can get it. I have a huge list of  all the things that I need to schedule and my head is kind of swimming most of the time. Add in the stress of the holidays, and it's been an explosive end to an otherwise decent year.

Another difference going into 2015 is that I finally found the right medications for my particular situations. I don't think medication is a cure for everything that ails you, but for me, it's what works, it's the only thing I've found that works. 

I think I can say with 90% certainty that 2015 has just got to be a better year for us all. I know we'll be starting fresh, looking for a new place to live, a new job for me. I'm definitely looking forward to the start of school, because the boys need those few hours of structured social time, they get antsy at home with just each other for company. Just like all siblings, not because they're autistic. 

I often wonder how much of their behavior is autism and how much is typical 4-year-old little boy. Yes, there's the spinning and incessant jumping, there's high-pitched vocal stims, the aversion to dry, crunchy foods, the lack of interest in most of their peers, but a slight curiosity for adults and older kids (much like me when I was younger - I always wanted to know what the grownups were doing and didn't much care for people my own age, now that I'm a little older that has changed).

But they're also fascinated by musical instruments, electronic devices and the science-fiction filled Johnny Test is their latest favorite show to watch. They're thinkers, dreamers, introverts like their parents. A year ago, I probably wouldn't have been in a place to recognize that for what it was. A year ago, I wasn't doing much beyond surviving, because my brain was on overdrive, with constant streams of chatter running through it. I was exhausted just carrying my head around, let alone chasing after, cleaning up after, teaching, playing with, cuddling, tucking in, bathing two 3 year old boys with an abundance of energy. Not to mention a full-time job that falls into the 8th most stressful job for 2014 - newspaper reporter (with a skeleton crew and a plethora of responsibilities that just kept getting bigger).

Quitting my job took a huge amount of stress and made into a smaller amount of stress. It made a world of difference, noticeably in the twins' behavior. Quitting my job coincided with the start of school for them, as well, so it could be that...but I'd like to believe it's mostly me ;)

At any rate, they're making progress, and however slow and small it may seem, it's all huge for them, and most of it has come since August, so it's amazing what a difference 4 months can make, really.