Long overdue

Has the last update really been since June 2019? And here we are the beginning of 2020! To say the time has flown by would be an understatement. I don't even know where to start because I had no idea I let it go this long.

First things first! Nolan and I have been traveling to Jackson, MS four days a week for ABA therapy since this summer. I'm pretty sure that's where I slacked off updating this site! I drop him off at 8am and pick him up at 3pm each day. You would think with that much time on my hands I would have written a book by now! Ha! Honestly, I have had time to write . . . and I've needed to but sitting down with this computer and putting it all out there can be scary sometimes. I started this site to keep friends and family updated on Nolan's journey and progress, but it also became a sense of therapy and direction for me. I thought I'd retire as a nurse but here I am with 7 hours a day of free time and an hour and a half from my house. Oh, the times I begged for 5 minutes alone! Ha! Who's laughing now? I read a quote yesterday on social media that said, "the only thing you should leave behind in 2019 is your comfort zone." So here goes nothing! I'll try to do this thing regularly from now on!

Back to Nolan's update! ABA therapy is Applied Behavior Analysis and can be complicated to learn about. The simple explanation is that it is a form of behavior therapy that is used in all types of situations, diagnoses, and even in everyday life. With autism, it can, of course, treat problem behaviors, but also teaches skills to cope in our crazy world. The standard amount of ABA for a child with autism is somewhere between 20-30 hours a week of therapy. Because of the rural area we live in, Nolan was only able to get about 4-5 hours a week. But what we saw from just those small amount of hours was incredible results from him! It looks a lot like play but it is hard work for the kids that do it. We were fortunate enough to get into this ABA program in Jackson where Nolan could get 20-40 hours a week of ABA. It would be a HUGE change for all of us, especially with the commute, but we decided to give it a try and just see.

Let me just say - we know 100% we made the right decision. ABA therapy isn't for every child but it is so obviously right for Nolan. He THRIVES in that setting. He does great with the commute each day and has adjusted really well. We had his 6-month evaluation a few weeks ago and it has been amazing the progress he has made. His eye contact is great, he is saying words and requesting things, he follows directions, and we are seeing that he knows so much more than we ever realized. The boy is smart - and don't get me wrong, we always thought so, but to see on paper that he isn't as far behind as we originally thought is such a blessing.

More important than all of this, he is happy! He and his sister have a sweet little relationship and he's learning to play with other kids so well. One of our biggest goals for Nolan with ABA is to talk. And not just a word here and there. . . we want him to request things, tell us how his day was, etc. He blows us away at how quickly he is picking up on all of this! When we first started getting words from him I used to write them down and try to make sure he used them every day. I quit writing them down not too long ago because there are too many to keep up! He can tell us just about anything he wants . . and if he doens't know what to say he tries to repeat us when we tell him. This is from the child that didn't say his first word until one year ago!