Sunday

Julia is sitting beside me playing with her Leapster -- all on her own. She chose to do it after we ate supper. This was what I had in mind when I bought it. Yahoo! Of course, I might regret this happy announcement when I have to pry her fingers off some Internet game when she is 14 but for now she is out of her make believe world of dinosaurs and doing something that is on the road to age appropriate behavior.

The kid has been pretty good this weekend. I attribute some of her behavior to her fish oil which is back in her system. This week we are increasing her dosage from 600 mg to 1g and next week to 2g. I am hoping that the fish oil will be so effective with her mood that we will not need another med like the guanfacine to keep her mellow. Actually, even if the increased dose doesn't make a difference, I think she will need less guanfacine than she was taking when she was on that med.

Julia had 6 hours of therapy today with 2 therapists and did a great time being cooperative and generous. She is beginning to follow directions more reliably and she did a craft that was a birthday present from one of her friends. Julia played a game with each therapist and I heard her say that she loved the caterpillar game that was really hard for her last week.

Last night, we went to a new Italian restaurant and had some lovely food -- intense cheese and mini ravioli with a walnut sauce. Julia ate her pizza with real delight. It was very good made with tomatoes and fresh mozzarella and cooked in a very hot oven. She stuffed her purple backpack with stuff to do at the restaurant and was extremely well behaved. I do love taking her with us when we go out and not leaving her with a sitter. We did that with Cheshire. I saw some people that I know at the restaurant who stopped to give me birthday wishes. It felt like home; it felt like we belong here now.

And after months of asking Julia to look at us when we talk to each other, she is making much more eye contact, especially when she has something to say to us.