Returned

We've been back for two days. But as the two days have been wacky there's been no posting.

Lovely surprises upon getting home: I, As$hole has been resurrected! We were all so worried. Waiting on the doorstep: a big thick new Harry P0tter book. Wish I had time to read it.

Yesterday, our first day home, was loverly. Until Leelo barfed all over the restaurant during dinner, anyhow. Note to self: NO MORE LASSIS FOR LEELO NO MATTER HOW MUCH HE BEGS.

Before then we lounged at our friends' pool party. Badger and Jo and kids came, hurrah! Leelo showed off his newly acquired pool skills, Iz swam to the bottom of the deep end with Seymour, Mali made many friends and everyone wanted to grab her great big squishy thighs for good luck.

Anya and Carys, the hosts, let Iz indulge in the "watermelon madness" she'd been desperate to try for weeks: cutting a hole in the top of the watermelon and grabbing out the fruit with hands and fingers. A lot of the kids were skeptical but I am a dork so I joined in--loved the sensation and slobbery good fun.

Afterwards at home Iz requested a cakewalk for her half birthday which we semi-celebrate every year by eating some sort of ice creamy-cake concoction and having a few friends over. This year's ice cream roll arrived courtesy of ever-helpful Badger. Iz made many prizes and a certificate for the winners and their parents (I forget what the certificate said but it was quite lengthy and used lots of big words and in my opinion was quite impressive for a child who hasn't had English language instruction for well over a year).

Then restaurant with Jo and family. We partied, culminating in the aforementioned vomit-fest, until 9:30. Then I remembered that Leelo had to be at OT in RW Shores at 8:00 A.M. the next morning, and that Iz had camp at 9:00. Whoops.

Also forgot that I had to work at Iron Gate this morning. In the nursery with all the screaming infants. Mali was such a dear mellow noodle in comparison. I don't understand why all the other kids can't shit as sweetly as she does--then I wouldn't mind having to change their diapers.

Then pickup from Secret Agent Camp. The kids seemed hot so I picked them up some smoothies. Iz promptly dropped hers all over the back-back seat floor of the van.
So, instead of getting to hang out at Jo's house with returned-from-the-NoCal-bush Ep, I got to spent 90 minutes at the car wash with Leelo and Mali and--whoops, no stroller (still in garage due to clearing out back of car for trip luggage). Blessings on Ep and Jo and Manny for letting Iz remain with the other kids while the car scrubbing was done. I was beyond irritation and exhaustion by the time I came back round to haul Iz home.

Spent the remaining free time of the evening reviewing family videos of Leelo, as they will be needed for his first of three weekly MYND institute appointments for their imitation and regression study. Tomorrow. In Sacramento! Yeah!

Got to write that, after reviewing those tapes, I think he's pretty much the boy he's always been. Some slight regression (he used to say "no" and "yeah" spontaneously, used to slightly wave), but he's always been verbal in short descriptive phrases. I suspect that being a toddler might have masked some of his symptoms, and that now that he's getting older the realities of his condition are becoming apparent. He's becoming odder and odder with the vocalizations, fidgety atypical toys, and constant elbow grabbing. But he's always had good self-initiated eye contact, always been a love.

Reassuringly, Mali is not Leelo. She mouths everything, explores everything. Leelo was not oral at 7.5 months (he saved that for age four, go figure), was not a dedicated object manipulator and examiner like the wee girl. Leelo also never really responded to his name until ABA-taught to do so. Mali already interrupts what she's doing and looks around if you call her. Also she is intensely social, geeking at and engaging strangers constantly. Leelo would smile back at anyone, but he did not seek attention the way his sister already does.

And I know I've written about it before but--damn if 28-month-old Iz wasn't hell on wheels. Recognizing every state of the union by shape (multiple contexts, not merely a single memorized puzzle). Facts about them all, too. Plus insane drawing skills. All this before even stepping foot in a preschool. Now I am wondering if her rather dry M0ntessori sucked the intellectual and artistic striving right out of her. More likely it was her distracted mom no longer paying much attention to her. Whatever. Here is my favorite drawing of hers at that age, the Dancing Yam. Good night.