Fiddle Faddle

Do you know what this stuff is? I can't tell you what's in it, except that it is based in popcorn with stuff on top of it . . I think caramel. Anyway, we like to watch the Food Network. So there sits Andrew, staring intently at the TV and Food Network (which he never does). At first we were just in awe that he was watching it so closely, and I honestly barely noticed that Food Network was going through how Fiddle Faddle is made and packaged.

It wasn't until a few minutes later when he and I were in the kitchen that Andrew asked for "pop quarter". As I mentioned before, I ended up making him some microwave real fast, because I didn't have any to give him. It was just after turning on the microwave that it occurred to me what he'd been staring at so hard.

Andrew had seen the Fiddle Faddle on TV, and decided he was in the mood for popcorn!! I was so happy and proud of him I just could hardly stand it. It made the popcorn treat all the more special. :)

Pop quarter

Yup, you read that right. Pop quarter. But imagine it in one word, and better yet, picture the puffy white stuff you eat that is often covered with butter. :)

We got a bag of pop corn from Wal-Mart, and Andrew was thrilled. He loves the stuff. But it was most amusing when he came in and told us that "I want pop quarter". I've got lots of theories as to why he says it that way, but regardless he's insistant on it.

He will say "pop" and "corn" but when you say "popcorn" to him, what he says back is a very clear "pop quarter" and he smiles. And, of course, for the good attempt, he gets popcorn, even if I have to pop a fresh bag for him in the microwave (as I did tonight). :)

The towel issue

Well this morning I had a very amusing and interesting experience with Andrew. Kasey and Andrew were in his room, Andrew was on Kasey's lap, along with his blanket, his bear, and his juice. They were doing just fine, and I stepped in to say hi. I sat down a few feet in front of Andrew, and said morning. He said morning, then looked away. It took him a moment or two, and then he looked back. He had noticed the towel wrapped around my hair on the top of my head.

Now I should say here that I've been wrapping my wet hair up in a towel since I was probably 17, so this is not a new experience. :) But today, he was fascinated. He stared at my head, and once I figured out what he was looking at, I touched it, and told him it was a "towel". He repeated towel (quite well actually) and then got up off Kasey's lap, came over to me and started to push at the towel on my head. He didn't appear upset or anything, he just wanted to move it.

I have fairly long hair, so I had to assist in the towel removal. I untwisted it as it fell, and pulled it off my head, leaving my wet hair hanging down my back. Once the towel was gone, Andrew reached back up and touched my hair (why, I'm not sure, he doesn't regularly touch my hair, but he did this morning).

Well my hair was wet, and Andrew doesn't like wet unless he's expecting it (a bath, washing his hands, brushing his teeth). He drew his hand back quickly, looked more than a little annoyed, and backed himself back up to Kasey really quickly. It was all we could both do (Kasey and I) not to laugh too loudly. (we did laugh, but we were at least a bit contained) I had to leave the room, and then Andrew was just fine. :)

Car Open

Well I mentioned that Andrew has started to use full sentances, right? Well he's now using them to our disadvantage. But it's so darn cute that you just can't help but smile. :)

Andrew, for instance, has learned that if he comes up and says, with entire clarity "I want car open please" (ok, so more like pweeze, but close) that I will walk out to the car (only 15 or so feet from the front door) and open the passenger door (the closest one) and he can climb up and set in the car, and climb from front seat to back seat, play with the overhead light, that sort of thing. He then closes the door, and I tell him he's done. But there he is, with that clarity and a sweet smile saying "I want car open please" and I cave, and he plays in it again. :) What can I say, I'm a sucker for a sweet little boy using sentances on me. He's got me! hehe

Itsy bitsy spider

The Itsy bitsy spider is Andrew's new song around home. I don't know if they are doing it also at school, I assume so since Andrew has the actions down remarkably well. He can't make the spider climb up the water spout yet, but heck I didn't master that for years myself. :)

So we sing this at home, and I sometimes have to remind Andrew that he needs to help me, but overall he's very good about it. He has those cute, exaggerated motions that just make you want to laugh. :)

The interesting thing about doing something with an Autistic child, you realize things that you wouldn't have otherwise. For instance, did you realize the Itsy bitsy spider song ends with the word "again"? Now you may know that and you may say . . . well duh, but this fact was never significant to me until I started singing the song with Andrew. He will sing that one word with me, and then look at me and say "again?", meaning he wants to sing again. Now when he says that, I usually say "ok" and then we start all over.

What's totally amusing about that is that now, when we finish the song, it's not uncommon to hear Andrew walk away saying (quite to himself) "Again?" "OK." without any interaction from me, and without having to sing it again. I think Andrew honestly believes that you end the Itsy Bitsy Spider song with those two words once you're done singing. :)