{{{Cindy and DH and family}}}

Calli, that is wonderful news about your mom!

juliana, good luck tonight. My DH and I had a habit of fighting right after our sessions -- someone always felt a little raw when we got in the car and we didn't know how to STOP talking after we walked out of the office. It's just something to keep in mind -- you or Z might need to call a time out and process.

juliana, good luck tonight. My DH and I had a habit of fighting right after our sessions -- someone always felt a little raw when we got in the car and we didn't know how to STOP talking after we walked out of the office. It's just something to keep in mind -- you or Z might need to call a time out and process.

Scott and I took a marriage course at our church. It's produced by the Anglican church, but isn't actually Christian (or religious) although the values are. It was a series of video based talks, and then dinner, and time to work through the questions (privately, not with a group).

Anyhow, the couple who did the talks said they established a "10 o'clock rule". If they're having a difficult conversation and it is too late at night, and one of the partners does not feel objective enought to continue, one of them will say, "Ten o'clock rule," to the other, and the conversation is postponed until a better time.

We'll both declare the ten o'clock rule at any given time of the day, if the time isn't right. It's saved lives in this house, let me tell you.

My DH and I had a habit of fighting right after our sessions -- someone always felt a little raw when we got in the car and we didn't know how to STOP talking after we walked out of the office.

Ah. Good to know, and that's definitely a trait of mine. Thank you. There will be time-outs if needed.

{{{Cindy and Mr. Cindy}}}

{{{juliana and Z}}}

We're about to head out to some function or other, but I will attempt to distract you folks with photos:

Baby and Cat

Starting to get hair

Ever wonder what a baby's Armor Class was? (gamer humor)

Mom's doctor declared her officially in remission yesterday!

YAY! That's great news, Calli.

Oh, Cindy, I'm so sorry for your M-i-L, for Scott, for the whole family. How tragic.

We used to be taught in church the old, "Never let the sun go down on your wrath." It may work for some people, but it doesn't for us. I need timeouts; Greg needs timeouts. We shelve it and deal when we can, as often as either of us needs to, until it's done.

----

Half an hour ago I got a call from the school nurse. Aidan's temperature is at least 100. That's as far as the thermometer got before she lost control of his flailing limbs. She wants me to come get him, but I have no way to get to the school. I called the transit office to figure out how best to get there, was put on hold for that half hour, and the next bus won't get here until he's loading up on his bus for home. Argh!

eta: A friend of Nick's is coming to get me. Whew.

((((Cindy, Scott, and family))))

That's frustrating, Deena. Can your husband pick Aidan up on his lunch break and drop him off? (I forget what the transport situations are among Buffistae.)

Unfortunately not, Calli. He's on the other side of town and doesn't have enough time to get here before his lunch would be over, and Aidan's program is over in an hour anyway. Oh well.

{{{{Cindy and family}}}}

Health~ma to Aidan.

Susan, how is her eye contact? I get the impression that it is pretty good...she looks into the camera for pictures; she seems to smile at you, etc. I really think your worst case scenario is pretty unlikely. And, if she's on the other end of the spectrum (Asperger's), she's gonna lead a fine and wonderful life.

It's probably about as the same as mine. Unless you're right up in her face or are standing between her and some object of interest (like, say, Sesame Street), she's very good at making eye contact and as often as not smiles when she does it.

Honestly, I'd be more concerned if Annabel *had* been talking and started to lose words.

Well, there are words she used months ago that she hasn't revisited--bayba for baby seems to have disappeared, for example--but she's got this tiny little 3-5 word core vocabulary that she's kept. And she still babbles on about the same level she always has.

I would also though, recommend you discuss whether or not to enroll her in the study with your doctor. Sometimes, medical providers who specialize in one area can find things that aren't really there. It's what they're looking for.

It sounds like the wisest course might be to do the general language evaluation first, and mention everything from the tongue tie to my family's tendency to bad hearing to autism to the possibility that this oldish house of ours may have too much lead in its paint and/or pipes.

Given that loud noises don't freak Annabel, and that I've never read you mention that she doesn't like you to touch her, or gets over-stimulated too easily (to an amount that is abnormal for a baby--not an adult), and because she is doing some talking, my guess is that your worst-case scenario has already ruled itself out.

I sure hope so. I've never seen a child less perturbed by loud noises. The vacuum cleaner fascinates her. With new noises, she'll look to us, and if we're not upset, she goes about her business. And while she's not cuddly, she doesn't seem touch-averse, either, at least as long as you're not taking her from something she enjoys or to someplace she doesn't want to be. In general, she'll come up for a brief cuddle and then go about her business. And if anything, she's harder to overstimulate than most kids--she gets wired around bedtime, but other than that, the kid's unflappable.

If you google autism, you'll get admonishments to take your child off of wheat, some good stories, some reassurance, and some scary stuff. Don't bother. Pretend I did it for you.

Thanks, Deena!

{{Cindy and family}}

{{juliana and Z}}

Yay, Calli!

Lunch.