A Video of Of Our Bubba

This video was made by Cedric's father, Fred. I am so amazed and blessed continually by my husband!

Some fun Pictures

Working hard on his airplane!

Just had to add some new pics real quick, this is my Cedric letting me know he is done with dinner!

Wow life has been busy!!

Oh my it has been quite awhile since I talked about my little man. Well school is ok, we are still working out the kinks. Cedric is needing alot more sensory stuff when he comes home, I think it is because of all the fine motor and increased structure that comes with kindergarten. We got our first packet for fundraising at his school. I have been crying everytime I look at it. I think about taking him to different homes and thinking about what he would say...if he could and then I lose it. Gawd you would think I could come to grips. But any who...I am getting his Step by Step and pre-recording what he would need to say and then he and I will go and do our fundraising. Cedric has started back up with speech in Sacramento, and Dad is taking him twice a week. It looks like we got another great intern this year. The goals she has laid out make sense, I am looking forward to seeing the growth. Dad has been taking him since Cedric does much better without mom around...I think my little man is really growing up and boy I wish I put him in a shoebox! We are looking forward to our first Northern California AS Family Gathering coming in October. I can't wait to meet all the families. I made business cards with this blog address for those moments at the grocery store and such when people are interested to know more about AS. Cedric's lil sister, Alyssa is doing fine as well, she gives her brother hugs before he goes to school on what she calls the "bubba bus". Bubba is Cedric's nickname.
Well take care all, and thank you for taking the time and interest in our kiddo.

First Day of School

Cedric started kindergarten yesterday; a new school, teachers and bus drivers. Cedric did much better than his mom with this transition! He was so happy to get on the bus again. He does have a tendancy to take off his seatbelt if he knows the driver can't see him, so he sits in the front. Cedric was great for his am bus driver...but he knew his pm driver really well...lol he pushed it a little so the locking mechanism for the seatbelt goes back on! I am sure after the honeymoon period with his am driver the lock will be on then too.

We had taken Cedric to his new school a few times and talked to him about what would be happening on Monday. But being an over-anxious mommy I had visions of him not getting off the bus when it got to school. I should have remembered his charismatic personality and knew he would be fine. So about an hour after school starts I was over at the school to meet his teacher and check-in on him. His teacher told me Cedric got off the bus and was falling into the routine just fine. Yay Bubba! So we talk a little bit more and I pushed it too far. Cedric's radar kicked in and he came around the corner in the classroom to find mommy. We had major fallout. Just after I finish telling his teacher Cedric's tendancy to try and bite if transitioned from a task he likes to something else too quickly...I'm going out the door, Bubba is trying to follow me and crying with all his might, his teacher steps in to keep him from the door and Cedric goes to bite him. His teacher is a trooper, he is a great man I know from when my adopted brother had him as a teacher. So I get out the door quickly and hope to goodness cedric calms down. Well I never got a phone call to come and get him so I guess all went good.

Cedric has been going to school (preschool) for about 3 years now, I find it strange that kindergarten has me in such an anxious state. All day yesterday and even a little now as I am writing this tears are welling up...
Maybe it is the "big" school now but truly I kinda chuckle...how anxious will I be when it is high school.

My core goal for Cedric this year is his communication. He has been working great with the PECS system at the Mary Jane Rees foundation in Sacramento and I want that coordinated and followed all places; home, school, and therapy. I also want his academics done in the PECS style, I have made my own worksheets up to facilitate that. Here's hoping that I can convey this to the powers that be. I know his attention span is short but I also know that this little man gets bored easily and I really believe in his capacity to learn and more important his desire and interest to understand new things.

I enrolled Cedric in private music lessons with a fab-u-lous woman! There are studies that show even though language is learned on the left side of the brain after you hit the age of 5 years that window closes a little. But there is still a window of opportunity in looking at other means of language learning. Right side of the brain is of course our creative side, so that was my thought with the music lessons. Right now I am happy to say that at his last lesson Cedric followed his teacher in 5 consecutive movements without any prompting from mom. 5! I am thrilled! It is interesting to note that his response to the music was huge, we had been using fun children songs, eh ok...then switched to classical music mmm little better, but when native american drumming music was turned on that is when he had his moment! Native American drumming (now this is my understanding, if I am wrong my apologies) is based on the heartbeat. It makes total sense to me, Cedric is big on deep pressure and heavy working of his muscles it stands to reason that this music would (no pun intended) strike a chord in him!