Tricks and Treats

Last week was full of tricks.  Regression does that- makes you think you are making so much progress, and then boom! Fooled you!  I had described Wednesday drop off in my last entry, but didn't mention what transpired after that.  I had been texting back and forth with our therapist, and she indicated it was a rough morning, but not quite what the director relayed to me in our phone conversation.  She said that Hunter became so aggressive that the maintenance man stepped in and reprimanded him.  The director said that our therapist was in tears, but after speaking to her supervisor, it wasn't that he physically harmed her to make her cry (although I am so upset with his aggression- no excuse); she was upset because OF his regression.  She had taken this little boy from anxiety to complete passiveness in a classroom, in a new school, in less than two months.  And out of nowhere, his arms were flailing at her.  She couldn't figure out what happened.  The director, being as understanding as she has been, had called me to come and pick him up, but by the time I got the message an hour later, he was participating in all activities.  She told me that several of the children at the school were off last week, and she thought it could have had something to do with the weather and the upcoming Halloween holiday. 

Thursday and Friday were somewhat better, but our therapist who has been with Hunter for the past year attended and gave him a coping strategy to replace the elopement.  If he felt like he was getting angry or about to run away, he was to squeeze her hand.  He did this Thursday and Friday morning and ended up making it in the classroom in a reasonable amount of time.  Friday we sent him with my latest creation, Sammy the Sensory Snake.  His OT had given me the idea, so I took Hunter on Thursday after school to pick out the socks.  We filled him with beans, sewed him up, added eyes, a tongue, and a spikey middle and he walked into class Friday with it around his neck.  I also had him chew a piece of gum to give him that sensory input as he walked in.  He had relatively few issues throughout the day. 

This weekend he was definitely better than last...so I am going to assume this regression was related to Peyton and his cough.  If it was mycoplasma, which is one of Hunter's triggers (when he is exposed to it, his body starts that over-reactive immune response...so he was probably making a ton of antibodies to fight it, which caused the behavioral change).  I could be completely wrong, but it seems the most logical.  Peyton's cough was gone this weekend, and his behavior is back to where we were before- he must have told me he loved me 30 times today.  Can't complain about that one.

Halloween night went fabulous- took pictures willingly, said "trick or treat" accordingly, and as predicted, pulled off his costume by about house number five.  He received so many treats that didn't follow his GFCF diet, and we allowed a couple to sneak into his hands, but he did so well with the replacements we had stashed in the stroller.   He somehow found a Krackle bar and I saw him opening another one and I stopped him.  He looked at me and said, "But these are my favorite!!"  It broke.my.heart.  He started to cry at that point and we knew it was time to head home with him.  Our neighbors hung out for awhile post trick or treating, but Hunter chose to stay indoors reading books.  All in all, successful night...proud of this boy.  Here are some pictures from the week.

Peyton's class pumpkin

trying to get creative with lunch...apple "sandwiches", veggies, yogurt stick, gouda cheese and pretzels.  No one ever said lunch had to be a sandwich!  Paige was excited- now if I only could get Hunter to eat this...

 More fun with food!  Banana and chocolate chip ghosts.  Snack for Paige's dance class on Wed.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 





The GFCF stash to swap treats with Hunter.





Tried to pack the kids with veggies before the night of sugar attack so we did hidden zucchini and sweet potatoes in homemade waffles with breakfast sausages...love breakfast for dinner!


 And the costume picture taking began!  Our witch...

 Lightning McQueen, the car...

And Lightning McQueen, the Driver

 First house of the night...

 We love our silly neighbor Ann!  She has the spirit- love her hat and singing treat bowl.

 Neighbors and friends- such a fun night!

 Paige decided we had to dress up, too, so I was a last minute cowgirl and Peter was a... well, not really sure.  Fro with a tux t-shirt=??  We laughed so hard talking about that wig b/c he said it is his seventh year in a row to wear it- different costume, but same hair.

 Neighbor buddies...

 One neighbor around the block went all out and created a haunted house in his garage.  Our kids loved it!  They went through a dozen times.

 Hanging out with friends while the kids played in the yards.

 Catching glow sticks, throwing candy, hide and seek...these kids were worn out and had to be woken the next morning for school.

 

Super fun night!  Can't believe November is here already.  This school year is flying by!