I wanted to share some amazing strides that we've made in the last few months/weeks/ days. After the Chicago Public School system decided that it was best for my son to travel 2+ hours/day in order to receive special ed services at a school slated for closing next year  -- I added  the title teacher to my list of credentials/goals. In other words, I spend more time than ever reading, writing, cooking cleaning, exploring, sculpting etc WITH DOUGIE. He does art therapy which is amazing and free (at whole foods) takes speech and OT at CPS (only 3 hours/month) does gymnastics with a physical therapist (lots of rebounding) and we go to every story hour/free neighborhood gathering of children. It's paying off big time.  He is soooo open to learning. Planning to start Cranio Sacral as soon as mommy gets paid!

He continues to be more receptive as I add more blue green algae (spirulina) to his diet. And other greens as well. (Dear God, thank you for Cilantro) I notice that he doesn't handle quinoa as well as I thought he did so I limit it.  I am thinking of re-trying millet. I hardly give him any cooked carbs (like potatoes) and I give him egg yolks (I was often cheating and doing the whites too, but notice so much of a diff in his attention span/alertness when I am strict. his diet is at least 50% green juice, lots of soups, crackers with guacamole, puddings, I replaced acorn squash with spaghetti squash or butternut. And I am paying MUCH closer attention to the combining.

Some highlights:

• He is calling relatives by their names and playing chase with them
• Beginning to really notice children of his age.
• Gets dressed by himself
• Cleans up his messes (OH MY GOD! THANK YOU SHANNON!)
• Recognizes pet stores, restaurants, trees, the sky.. whatever we see when we are out and labels them correctly)
• Not afraid of park swing or slide anymore
• Not afraid to feed geese at park
• No more fear of dogs
• No more fear of sand or squishy things
• No more toe walking
• No more stroller.. he walks everywhere holding my hand in the big city
• No more putting everything in mouth (just about half of the time)
• Helps me cook and can name all of the things we use (knife, bowl etc)
• Can speak in multiple word sentences sometimes like "wanna watch Thomas DVD please". Or my favorite... "I sit on my chair and say please can I have peas" that's a big one for him and he repeats it over and over until he gets peas.
• Fine-motor grasp is greatly improving
• Eye contact is right on
• He can count to 20, sing alphabet, recognize all letters, colors, will copy shapes if I draw them
• Can play simple age-appropriate board game
• Is trying to play basketball
• Is trying to hit ball with bat
• Learning to ride big wheel