Thursday, March 30, 2017

Spring - Alex 5 To 6 Years Old





Alex from five to six years old.



Alex's first day of Kindergarten.

After Kindergarten...
they had him skip 1st grade and put him into 2nd grade.

After fourth grade...
they recommended that we homeschool him...
as Alex had already taken Algebra I with the 7th and 8th graders while in 4th grade...
and he was simply too advanced for their elementary or middle school...
and he was too young to start high school.

We did so.


Part of his therapy was make believe play.

He would have to dress up as another person and try to improvise
how they would act.


After his mother dressed him up in a Firefighter's costume...
he went to his upstairs classroom.



One of Alex's first...
and one of his main therapists is having Alex play in a sandbox at home.


She also regularly took him to a neighborhood park to get him to play with other children.


Alex with his peer play cousin coloring Easter eggs.


Alex once again playing in the backyard.




This time Alex dressed up as an Indian warrior.

Alex's smile is a little awkward because they had been working 
on facial expressions, and how to recognize emotions in others through them.


Alex at Disneyland.

Alex only liked a few rides there...
actually...
only two.


Alex loved the Grizzly Rapids ride...
as it was a water log ride.

He also liked the California Park's 'Soaring California'.


We are at San Francisco's Pier 39





Alex loved Santa Cruz.

He loves the ocean.



Another water log ride that Alex loved.



Alex also loves riding trains.

We were waiting to go here.


Alex loved it when we started to move.


After a few hours...
as we were returning to the station.




As Alex loved water...
I had gotten a variety of backyard items involving water.

I would give Alex a big push on his slip and slide.



He would laugh crazily all the way to the end.



Alex also loved his little pool.















Alex went to another child's party...
but he usually just played by himself.


Alex wearing his first suit.

My younger sister had bought this for him.

















Wednesday, March 29, 2017

Spring - Alex 4 To 5 Years Old






Alex from four to five years old.


As part of his therapy...
we had to find someone his age for him to practice interacting with.

Luckily...
one of my nephews lived about half an hour away.

His wife graciously drove to our house for Alex's interactive therapy.


Alex's cousin visiting him on Christmas day
(Alex's interactive playmate).

Alex was just over four years old here.


Alex reading a book to his cousin when she visited on Christmas day.

At Preschool...
his teachers would use him to read books to the other children.

This would also be the time that Alex would amaze his teachers with his
mature speech patterns and his mathematical abilities.

He could multiply random triple digit, double tier problems in his head...
in but a few seconds.

He was also reading adult books aloud at this time.

Just after he started speaking at 3.5 years old
was the time where he amazed many high schoolers and college students whom had 
heard him reading a book aloud from the young adult book section
at a local Boarder's book store.

He was still in diapers and he still had a pacifier.

He would take out his pacifier...
read aloud...
put the pacifier back in for a few seconds...
take it back out...
and then begin reading again  :)

He could also tell how old a person was in a few seconds by them giving him 
their birth dates.

This was also the time where he could recite from memory...
a 365 page book (a Disney story a day book)...
the story's name if given the page number or day number...
or vice a versa...
and he would also tell us about the story.




This is the book in the below two photos.






At a park which had Christmas displays.

They had projected moving light displays on the ground...
and Alex was fascinated by them.


There was also a bubble machine going.


Alex trying to step on the moving light projections.


During the two or so concentrated years of Alex's ABA therapy...
we don't have near so many photos as we would have liked.

As his therapy sessions lasted all day...
we hadn't gone out much during this time.

We had to ensure Alex had plenty of sleep.

When Alex started Kindergarten...
his ABA therapy sessions had done their job...
and he had completed all of their objectives.

He would soon thereafter...
be weaned off...
with just checks on his progress at his elementary school...
and with some supplementary sessions taking him to parks
to get him to interact with others.

They had done a masterful job at giving Alex his freedom
 from his compulsions and helping him connect with others.

He was no longer plagued by overstimulation of his senses...
by his inflexibility over changes in his routines
(they purposely changed his routine a little at a time)...
and Alex had conquered his need of any ritualistic behaviors.

We had taken over where they had left off...
and had channeled his energy and inquisitiveness towards his academics.

We were always careful to constantly stimulate his very active mind...
and by giving him constant love, affection, and attention.

Alex was constantly, and consistently, given lots of hugs and kisses every day.

We always bought him all sorts of educational materials...
and guided him along the way.

Although we had given Alex his alone time to read or play in his playroom...
his mother was always there...
or nearby...
to interact with him.

She also home schooled him after school to ensure he stayed beyond the curve
in his academics.

When he turned five...
we had a lot more freedom to take Alex places.