Brooke, Gluten Free is Helping

It was a good week for Brooke. Grandma and I saw her on Monday, and again tonight. Her vocabulary is getting much better on the gluten free diet. Cora texted Linda earlier in the week and told her when Brooke heard a train, she said Choo Choo. Brooke came over to our house Monday night. We were wrestling and when I laid flat on the floor, Brooke would try to drag me and said " hey wake up". The hardest part to deal with Monday night happened in our kitchen. Ever since Brooke was old enough to eat solid food, her and I had a great time eating Oreo cookies. But now Oreos contain Gluten, so Brooke cannot have them. Brooke knows where the cookies are kept. She pulled me over to the cupboard and pushed my hand towards the cupboard handle. Thankfully, there were no cookies in there. Brooke doesn't give up easily though. She wanted me to pick her up so she could look inside. I kept telling her there were no cookies. She was getting quite upset. Finally, when she couldn't take it anymore, she sat on the kitchen floor and in a very pleading voice of despair, she said"WHY ???". I took off my hat and put it on her head. Just that quickly, she was over it and ready to play. After some playing, Brooke wanted to watch Blues Clues. Brooke tried to sing along with one song, and came over to make sure I was also singing.
After awhile, Mommy Cora told Brooke it was time to go home. She turned off the video player. Brookes response, "Oh Man". She was sad to leave, but no major fit.

Tonight Linda and I took Brookes new shipment of supplements over to Cora. When we went in the house, Brooke was in the living room doing head stands in the rocker-recliner. After a serious big hugger for Grandpa, it was play time. Brooke and I sat on the floor. She likes me to squeeze her while we sit on the floor. We also counted to ten twice, and clapped after we finished. Brooke was going into a long conversation, but I couldn't make out the words. I got up to walk into the kitchen, and Brooke said" Hey, where you going". She pulled me back and we sat down again. Grandma came in and joined us. Brooke kept making Grandma and I hold hands, like she wanted to play some kind of nursery rhyme game, but we couldn't figure it out. After climbing on my back for a piggy back ride, Brooke pulled me into her room so I could turn on her TV. She was content for a short while, then she tried to climb into my t-shirt, with me wearing it. There is something about Autistic people liking tightness. I need to do more research on that. After leaving my t-shirt, she climbed on my back for another ride. She than ran out into the living room. I was standing in the opening to her bedroom. Grandma was sitting on Brookes bed. Here comes Brooke, her arms spread wide, running full bore to go right between Grandma and I. It happened so fast, I never had a chance. I am so tall, and Brooke is the right height, well to make a long story short, I took a direct shot right in the family jewells. Grandpa was bent over like an old rag doll, gasping for air and hoping the severe pain would quickly end. Brooke doesn't quite understand what she had done, but Aunt Monica thought it was extremely humorous.
After I could walk again, I told Brooke I had to go bye-bye. She stretched up as far as she could to give me a hug. She then sat down and started watching TV as Grandma and I left.

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.