Brooke - A Very Good Week

Brooke has been staying home now with the extra locks and alarms on the doors. Right after Brooke wandered off, I became aware of an organization called AWAARE (no pun intended) through Facebook. AWAARE, which stands for Autism Wandering Awareness Alerts Response Education. What I have learned through AWAARE is that wandering away from home is one of the leading causes of death with autistic children. Usually with drowning, but also with exposure to the elements. It is an excellent website to help prevent autistic children from wandering, and what to do if they do wander away.

Back to Brooke's good week. It started last Saturday with a family picnic at my and Grandma Linda's house. One highlight of a family picnic, especially for Brooke, is a swim in our backyard pool. Brooke used to basically just bob around in the pool, or cling onto me. This time she was different. Taking turns trying to swim to other adults in the pool. She also holds her breath now and sticks her head under water, just to look around in the water. The way she is trying, learning to swim is very possible by next summer. After some time in the pool, it was time to get out and get ready for the cookout. Usually getting Brooke out of the pool is a major undertaking. This time was different. Her Mom held up Brooke's towel and told her it was time to get out. Brooke climbed the ladder and wrapped up in her towel and went in the house. A very pleasant surprize for me. Usually I go back in the pool and fish Brooke out. Back in the house, Brooke was watching Tom and Jerry on TV in her swimsuit. I told her it was time to change. Usually I'm ignored. This time Brooke came over and started taking off her suit. I told Brooke that before she gets dressed, she needs to sit on the potty. Off she goes on a mad dash. I'm thinking she is going to hide and I will need to fetch her up and sit her on the potty. I go after Brooke, and to my amazement, she is heading to the potty, where she quickly goes wee wee. Maybe No big deal for a typical 3 year old, but to Brooke this is major stuff. Brooke even ate good at the cookout, consuming 2 pieces of fried chicken, one piece of corn on the cob, and 9 pieces of baked potatoe squares. This was even a little strange to me. Brooke usually just nibbles food, saving herself for the good stuff, desert.

On Thursday night I received a very excited text message from Brookes Mom. It read:" Brooke just took herself to the potty". The little girl is truly heading in the right direction. She is almost totally Gluten free, and this could possibly be the reason for the major changes. Her Mom told me she is using more 2 and 3 word phrases now, such as "Hey Wake Up", Come On", Let's Go", "U OK", and a few more.

One thing I forgot to mention about the family picnic last Saturday. Before Brooke left, she grabbed the hands of 3 adults to form a circle. When the circle was formed, Brooke started singing. The words weren't real clear, but you could tell she was singing the Barney theme song, " I Love You, You Love Me". Yes Miss Brooke.... We Truly Do Love You.