More Sensory Fun

I read a blog posting about sensory activities that talked about little balls that absorb water and are used in floral displays.  I had never heard of or seen these before and just dismissed the idea.  Yesterday I went into the Dollar Tree store to look for a different, specific item to use in the sensory bin and saw this on the shelf...

I knew that this had to be what was descibed in the blog.  Since they were only $1, I bought 5 containers. 

They are small balls of water absorbent polymer and are packed in water.  Wet, slimy balls of fun!!  Bobby doesn't like wet, slimy foods so he didn't try to put them in him mouth.  The balls do not burst.  It's hard to explain, it's something you have to feel for yourself.

I think that it would be fun to fill up a baby pool with these outside and sit down and play.  That's been a common problem with these sensory activities.  Bobby could play so much better with them outside where he can be as messy as he would like.  But we need them for indoor play during the long winter months. 

Can you tell where Bobby was drying off his hands?

He liked this activity, didn't love it like the moon sand (or the rice and beans).  Defintely an activity to keep in the sensory activity rotation. 

Big Red Safety Box

A couple of weeks ago, I saw a posting on facebook for the Big Red Safety Box.  It was posted by a few different groups that I follow, so after the 3rd time I saw it, I decided to check it out.  All that you had to do was fill out a small form and submit it and they (Autism Speaks and the National Autism Association) would send you a free box of safety items geared specifically for those with autism who wander.  Wandering is such a problem in the autism community that it is now a medical diagnosis.  The reason that we need it to be a medical diagnosis is for school IEP's and to try to get insurance companies to help pay for the costly items that are available to help track these individuals.

I was excited about the kit that I immediately sent the information to a couple more of my friends that also deal with wandering.  By the time that they filled the form out, the kits were gone.  In 5 hours the 1000 free kits were gone.  Wandering is such an unfortunate problem in the autism community.  In fact it is our biggest issue with Bobby.

One of the questions on the form was, "why do you need this kit."  Bobby has wandered from our house 3 times so far.  Once he went to our neighbors house (luckily we live in a community with 7 houses and they know Bobby).  I was in a training recently where a father told about his child leaving their house without them knowing.  He was found (yes they were all out looking for him by then) when someone a few streets away called 911 because someone had entered their house, sat down and started using their computer.  Sounds funny, I know, but thank God that the boy entered this house and was not shot for intruding, didn't go into the house of a pediaphile, or enter some other horrible situation.  These are the things that keep autism parents up at night.  Bobby was also missing in the woods surrounding our house for around 45 minutes.  I called 911 and Bob went out on his 4 wheeler to look for him.  Bob finally found him and I called 911 and told them that Bobby was found and they immediately got off of the phone so that they could call off the search party.

When I called 911 all that I had to do was give them Bobby's name, his Project Lifesaver transmitter number and what Bobby was wearing.  911 immediately knew what I was talking about and have access to all of his information.  Bobby has been a Project Lifesaver client for almost 4 years.  He wears a LoJack tracking device all of the time.  He swims and bathes with his bracelet.  A volunteer from the Mon. Co. sheriffs office comes out monthly, in full uniform, to remove the bracelet, change the battery and put on a new band.  This is also so that the clients are used to the staff wearing police uniforms.  Bobby's physical description, photos and all other information is already accessible so that we don't have to stop and try to find a picture (which obviously in our case, would not be a hard thing, but some families aren't picture obsessed like me) and calm down and give this information.

Yesterday, our Big Red Safety Box arrived...

The kit contains 2 door alarms and 2 shoe tags (which open up and contain all of the childs information.  The directions also direct you to keep a hair clipping or a nail clipping of the child in a dry, secure place).

The kit also contains some great information for family plans, IEPs, safety checks...

If any of my autism friends want copies of these documents, let me know.  I will be more than happy to send them to you.  Again, this is information that you hate to think about, but it is a necessary evil if your child wanders. 

Baby oil and Bulldogs

I came across a recipe for a sensory activity on Pinterest (which, by the way, is a great place to search for sensory activities) for "Moon Sand" which was just odd enough that I had to try it out.  You take 8 cups of flour and add a cup of baby oil.  As I was mixing it, I thought, wow I could actually play in this stuff.  It feels like silk, reminding me off a silky baby blanket.  I don't understand rice and bean play, but I totally get this!!  Bobby could NOT wait for me to finish preparing.  He wanted to get his hands in NOW.

We got right in and started molding.  It molds well like wet sand and breaks apart very well, without the grittiness of sand.

Zoi came close and laid down.  "Can't believe he gets to make more messes in here.  Woof."

At this point, Bobby is still relatively clean.  Wonder how long it will last?

He's playing so nicely that I decide to get my mom's new Kindle Fire out and set it up for her.  Funny how you really get into what you are doing and stop paying attention to what else is going on.

Apparently Bobby's hair needed washed with some flour!!  Really he just likes to watch it fall in front of his eyes.

 I stopped and cleaned up a little.  Not too bad.  Time to get back to downloading facebook and Words with Friends for my mom!

By this time he was such a mess that I just had to snap a few pictures.

The mess was finally big enough that the fun had to stop.  Daddy even came in to help clean up.  When it was all over and the mess cleaned, Bobby tried to get some of the moon sand out of the garbage can so that he could play some more.  We will defintely do this activity again, but it will be moved outside next time.  He absolutely loved it!!

Later in the day, Bobby was playing outside in his dirt bin when Rosie the bulldog came up for a visit.  Bobby was less than excited.

Not Much Going On

It's been a slow week in Bobby's World.  Bob is over his cold; however, he loves to share everything with me, so now I am the proud owner of my own cold.  Yippee!!  Bobby has been loving the new sensory activities.  He even preferred to play in the container of potting soil outside than in the hard dirt on the ground.

It was such a beautiful day.  He took his coat off and continued to play.

So much easier to "clean up" when the dirt is outside.

Bobby got to play with a "new" toy from Christmas.  There is only one unopened toy left in his closet.  For the first couple of days that his "CitiBlocks" were out he didn't pay much attention to them, but he finally figured out a way to play with them Bobby Style...

CitiBlocks are a box of small rectangular planks of wood.  A bunch of the same thing, perfect for Bobby.

Bobby prefers that all of his creations be strung along the kitchen countertops.  We can't get to the sink or even walk through the kitchen without knocking multiple towers over.

Sonny and Joey came over this week.  Look how nicely they sat together and watched a show on the iPad...

As with many siblings, the sharing didn't last long!!

Bobby had to get a hair cut this week.  He was being even less cooperative than usual, so he had to get a buzz cut all over.  No scissors for the top this time, he wasn't having it.  Oh the joys of hair cuts!!

Oh the joys of playing in rice!!??!!  Wish I could figure out what exactly the joy is.  Oh well he loves it, that is all I need to know.

Time to get up off of the couch and away from the computer and begin the weekend!!!  Hope that you have a great one.

Zoi Has A Boyfriend

Zoi has been driving us crazy over the past week to go outside.  I looked out the window to check on her and saw this...

Who is this dog with Zoi?  I've never seen him/her before.  Bob took some food out for him (yes, he's a him), but he wasn't interested...

He's friendly, groomed, looks like he is definitely a pet, but has no tags.  Never took food, but did take a treat.

He has been coming to visit on a daily basis.  He even came to the back door to see if Zoi could come out and play...

No, don't even think it.  We are not taking him in.  We are not getting another dog.  Zoi will have to play with her new friend when he comes to visit.

 

Fun Filled Sunday

"Outside,"  "Outside,"  "Outside!"  This was the word of the day from Mr. Bobby.  We had plans to go to a birthday party in the late afternoon, but had to find ways to entertain him before party time.  He played in Easter basket grass as a new sensory activity...

He gathered up the grass and took it to a secure place to play...his trampoline!!

We all got ready early to head out and have some family fun.  I am so, so bummed that I didn't stop getting ready to sneak downstairs to take pictures of Bob and Bobby working together to wrap Brenalin's birthday present.  However, I continued drying my hair since Bobby was ready to GO.  They did a much better job than I expected.  The present was entirely covered, what more can you ask for!!

First on our agenda, stop at McDonalds for lunch.  No, I didn't take my camera in and take pictures.  But we did sit in Bobby's favorite table for his favorite meal. 

Next stop, the old Mountaineer Mall.  Time to practice letting Bobby learn how to walk beside us instead of us chasing him...

There is no one in this mall on Sunday afternoon, except in the Goodwill store.  Bobby did a great job walking so he gets to run up and down the ramp as a reward...

He wasn't ready to leave, until we said, "Do you want to go to tumbling?"  Bobby repeated, "tumbling" then turned around and walked to the door.   So we were off to our next stop, the WV Gymnastics Training Center for Brenalin's 3rd birthday party. 

Bobby got right out of the car and ran to the door (after all he knows this place very well.  He has been coming here for Tiny Tykes tumbling for 3 years).  He had difficulty waiting for the "rules" to be read, after all, he was standing there with his shoes already off.   LET ME IN!!  He was very excited, this thing isn't here during Tiny Tykes tumbling...

A big ol' bouncy house!!   Bobby went right on in (who is this kid??) and stayed for longer than the total time he has been in all other bouncy houses combined (he is usually not a big fan).

I just hope that he is not too bummed on Friday when he has tumbling that the bouncy house is not there!!

Bobby then went to his favorite trampoline and said "you jump" to whoever would listen.  Thankfully for him, he had a willing audience.  Daddy's turn...

Ellie's turn...

Uncle Chris's turn...

Mommy's turn...

Daddy's turn again...

Here's Bobby's cousin Brenalin, the birthday girl...

His cousin Kinlei (what a smile!!)...

We all had a great time in the gymnastics center.  When the gym time was over, Bobby went right out and sat down and put his shoes and coat on.  We didn't stay for the food, cake and presents part of the party, since we live according to Bobby's agenda!!

Little mermaid Brenalin with her mermaid birthday cake.

Bob and I were exhausted on the ride home.  Even talked about having Bobby's birthday party at the center.  As soon as we got home Bobby once again said, "outside."  Really Bobby?  Haven't we had enough family fun??  So we went in, called Sonny and Joey to see if they wanted to go play at Mylan Park with us.  Sonny said no, Joey said yes.  Back in the car for Bobby and me.

Slide racing!!

Joey wins!!  But in all fairness, his slide is like a death drop.  Not a chance that either other slide would win.  Bobby finally got the courage to go DOWN this ladder.  He has wanted, wanted, wanted to do this for the past few times that we have been to this playground.

You can tell from Joey's winter weather gear just how COLD it was at the park...

When we finally got home, Bobby went in and didn't ask to go back "outside."  Finally, we managed to wear him out.