Doodle, I do not speak Spanish . . .

So I have been MIA for a bit for several reasons.  My almost 16 year old cousin has been staying with us so we have had fun visiting and doing things a bit out of the norm.  I will surely miss her extra help with the kids, having a nearly grown female to talk to and the way she picks on my husband.  I have been given a glimpse into the world of raising a teenager but not an accurate one as our conversations are very easy and I don't feel the pressure to make sure she does anything (her mom has covered that very well already as she is turning out to be a lovely young woman - go Katie!)

I have three daughters so I needed the tutoring!  How do you handle the constant attention from admirers of your children?  Sheesh, I will need to observe a little more because though I am sure she has a good head on her shoulders and the   neighbor boys are probably still goofy and awkward and this point, as my husband pointed out - they won't be for long and he still remembers being a teenage boy.  Somehow the thought of raising my two sons into teenagers doesn't scare me nearly as much?


We have finished 11 dives with 9 to go.  I am having to piece days together now as my childcare situation will be less easy with my cousin gone and a husband back to work so instead of every morning it will be 2 or 3 mornings a week.  I don't want to post a bunch of nothing so I won't post on days there is nothing to report.

That said, I remind you that all the things I report are strictly my observations and not scientific evidence of anything.  Who knows at this point?  Days go by and I don't notice anything and the creeping doubt of Am I Wasting Our Money? sneaks in.  Here's a funny update: 

Doodle has taught herself Spanish.

Yes, the girl who only talks when she needs something like bed, food or drink and occasionally to go jump trampoline Please!

Now I have suspected for some time that she was doing this.  It shouldn't surprise me all that much since she taught herself how to read at age three, before any of her typical siblings learned.  That is a funny story for another day.  She likes to watch Spanish sesame street, Plaza Sesamo.  And the girl Googles and You Tubes videos in Spanish and many other languages.  I have seen Calliou in French, Disney in Italian, Big Bird in multiple languages playing on my computer screen. 

She switched my blogger account to Romanian for a couple months till I could figure out how to switch it back so I learned a few new words :).

But-
She started speaking Spanish to me last night.
We were fixing dinner and she was very hungry which means she hangs around in the kitchen peaking into the oven and handing me potholders.  So she says "Los Carnitas!"  Which I think, is some kind of meat dish, I was making a sausage and vegetable pasta sauce and baking popcorn shrimp but still - she was close and pronounced it correctly!

Last night as I tucked her in I was tickling her and hugging her and she looked up and said "Amigos! Friends."  How sweet is that?  I know its just a word but we are talking about a child who said nothing but EEEEEE! her first three years.  Well technically she did have about 4 words before the autism kicked in full gear and lost them all.  I remember a time when I thought she might never speak and that is the case with many severely affected children so last night was a tiny miracle.  I really think there is some area of her brain that is savant like and I can't wait to find out what else she is capable of.

Please know that many if not most children with autism are bright kids and are NOT mentally retarded or intellectually disabled as was once thought.  Some are however, and they need double efforts on the part of their parents, teachers and communities to make there lives comfortable, happy and to reach differing stages of independence and productivity.

Have a great day Amigos!