A is for Autistic: I is for Icicles, iPads, and Inferior Planets.

Aside from the never-ending winter winds we've been experiencing, things have been moving pretty quickly over here. We're preparing to make (another!) move to a new home, the typical school year is halfway over, and Bally's acquiring new words and skills faster than we can identify where they're coming from. I still don't have much to update on as far as his medical evaluations and treatments go; I've still been treated like a ping-pong ball as everyone I contact tells me that I need to talk to someone else first. But I did think that I'm long overdue in updating on what Bally's up to these days!

A fair amount of his progress may be because of his new iPad, or so I like to think, as you all know what kind of price tag those things carry. He's become a master of side scrolling games, Fruit Ninja, and taking pictures of himself to create digital flip books. On the more educational side, he's doing a lot of simple addition and subtraction and has learned to spell more words than I would have wished for.. or I at least wish that the department store in the mall would stop hanging STOP! signs above their sale tables. "NOO! MOOMM!!! WAIT! STOOOOPPPP!!!"

His vocabulary and social skills have come a long way, too. He knows to yell for me when shows come on TV that he doesn't like. He tells me when he's thirsty, and tells me he has a tummy ache if he's hungry. He'll come smash the side of his head into my face if I ask for a kiss. He plays madly disorganized versions of tag and hide-and-go-seek with his sister. And if I let him walk alone in a store, 2 times out of 100, he might answer to my screams to get back over here right now. I usually only try this one when the store is completely empty, otherwise he'd probably end up running off and bringing me back some lady's purse.

For the moment, dancing and ABCs are a thing of the past. He spent about a week on the order of the colors of the rainbow, and taught me all about that, but it didn't stay in style for long. The new hip thing is the solar system. I could go on for hours about this one, specifically about how we're not entirely sure how he even learned the order of the planets from the sun, but instead I'll just share his drawings that he forced me to photograph, and I will mention that *I* taught him Pluto, 'cause where I come from, we believe in loving us some Pluto. Enjoy!

ps. His spelling may need some work.

pps. HAPPY WORLD AUTISM AWARENESS DAY! Be aware! Or beware! Either way is fine!