Dmitry is Swimming!

Not even four years old yet and we took the life vest off him last week. He can tread water and doggie paddle a little, but he’s really starting to become an excellent swimmer!

I’ve read multiple times that I need to find his interests and really play to them, cater to them, and use them to make him want to come “into our world”. We’ve already got visions dancing in our heads of the next Michael Phelps, but for now we can get him into a few classes. Cos this kid LOVES to swim, and loves to stick his head underwater in a way I’ve never seen anyone else love so much.

Best of all, he looks PROUD of himself when he swims! He looks at us and smiles and… almost puts himself up for “exhibition”. This can only be considered progress.  I’ve talked about it before, that Dmitry has very good coordination and muscle tone for an autistic child, and I’m very eager and relieved to see it paying dividends.

I’ll try to get some pictures or video up soon, because it’s really quite amazing. We’re planning on starting “water therapy” soon, since he loves it so thoroughly.

In spite of the excitement, we’re still going to keep him in a life vest most of the time around the pool. He’s utterly fearless and will gladly plunge into the deep end by himself. But developing this swimming skill will help give us peace of mind. Accidental drowning accounts for 91% of all elopement deaths.

More Weird Stuff Dmitry Likes: Plungers, Beer, Imitation Screaming, MORE!

Anyone who’s spent any time around autism children and adults knows that they develop fascinations with strange or mundane objects, concepts or activities. Dmitry is no exception. Here are more of Dmitry’s bizarre fixations that I have observed over the last few months.

First installment:

Stuff Dmitry Likes

Dmitry loves his older brother.

It’s stomach sickness time in Dmitry’s household again. But as my regular readers know, Dmitry has a stomach carved of granite and usually makes it through just fine.

Not so, his big brother.

After a day of feeling awful, throwing up, stuck on the toilet and draining fluids from both ends, Nikolai had just about had enough. He could keep down some ice chips, nothing else. 

Dmitry’s heart went out to him though. He came and rubbed his back. Gently. 

He may not talk to us and he may do everything a little weird, but he has compassion. I’ve seen it before.

Autism Daddy

The wife has been hard at work.

We didn’t have to ditch Dmitry this time! Family fair fun had by all. (pics!)

I fight sometimes with the guilt of not including Dmitry in “family time”, because there are just some things he can’t do. Movies. Long periods of sitting or standing still. Very long car rides.

But not the fair! He was a very happy boy, rode on many rides, stayed seated and buckled, and basically went through the entire day in a haze of happiness… except when we had to sit still for a bird show. Then he and Mom went for some food, to keep him moving and therefore happy.

I am really starting to notice that his listening and obedience, though previously nonexistent, have begun to materialize. No he will not follow directions, or sit still and wait for you, but he occasionally can perceive what it is he’s “supposed to do” like get buckled/strapped in, or wait patiently for the ride to stop so he can get on, or not stray too far. He used to be a runner, but now he’s more of a roamer: if you don’t watch him he can get away from you, but he doesn’t just bolt, and seems to want to hang out nearby. This sounds like something small, but it’s crucial when bringing him to public places like fairs.

Okay, better sit down buddy…

BUT THE MIDDLE THING, IT SPINS!

Big smiles for this one!

Even let big brother hold him on the rides. He was in flappiness heaven, eyes full of wonder on every ride.

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All in all it was a GREAT trip! Not only was Dmitry wide-eyed in wonder and fun, but we were very happy we brought him to experience his delight. At no time did we regret having him with us or lament the difficulty he was giving us. It was just great family fun time.

Dmitry Finds a Toy (click for larger image)

This is a little cooler that is absolutely fascinating because it rolls

I know just where to take it.

Lonely Fathers of Great Kids

…and the silver spoon…

Here follows a disjointed stream-of-consciousness observation of my fatherhood.

There exists no father who doesn’t feel guilty about the time he fails to spend with his children and where he falls short. I am no exception.

The bees that chased Dmitry into my arms.

Dmitry’s better behaved when he’s sick. Granted, it stems the flow of derpiness that I’ve come to love with such passion, but… He is much easier to take care of when he wants to lay on his tummy and have you softly rub his back or massage his hair.

He’s so tired and pathetic when he’s sick, it breaks my heart. But by golly, when I’m not sweeping up cereal, or pulling him out of the oven, or trying to find the last fork that hasn’t been hucked over the fence, days seem to pass much more easily.

So it was yesterday, as my poor little trooper got attacked by a swarm of bees. He was playing at the park and must have found some drainage where bees had set up a new hive as they do this time of year. After likely whapping it and stomping on it, the bees seemed… upset.

They stung him about 20 times :(

Delicious Sauteed Onions For Dessert

Okay I think I can post this from my phone. Here goes.

My wife turned a pretty little 30 years old on Wednesday. To celebrate this momentous occasion like the classless, tasteless rednecks we are, we went to one of our favorite restaurants: Chili’s.  I love a good fajita! (Since I am a comedic genius, I pronounce them “fuh-jye-tahs” to the loving and appreciative eyerolling of my wife, because the joke never gets old, you see.)

Dmitry is usually good at restaurants. He’s impatient as any 3 yo but sits still pretty well owing to his strange tolerance and comfort in being strapped in.

This time was different, however. Since the start of the meal he was pretty upset and loud. He even made the nice family next to us quietly move a few tables away. His frustrated howls were inconsolable! He only took a few bites of the starchy food he normally enjoys like pizza crust and fries. Finally dessert arrived, a delicious ice cream cookie skillet thing. He would have none of it (though the boys saved room!)

Only as I was boxing up my fajita leftovers did we divine the source of his despair. He leaned as far as he could, stretched his little pincers out and snatched up a grilled onion. He gobbled it down and flapped patiently, waiting for more. Poor kid had been smelling the ultimate in deliciousness (to him) for the entire meal and was understandably frustrated not to be able to ask for them… but he immediately signed “please” over and over once he had that first taste!

Mommy fed him grilled onions all the way home until he fell sleep.

Guess what he had the next day for lunch? I’ll give you a hint: it wasn’t chocolate chip cookies, which he apparently hates. Only buttery carmelized onions will do.