Renaissance Art for Ryan....with a Beautiful Hint of Red!

My dear friend's husband is a graphic artist. He loves history and art. One day my friend was looking at Ryans school courses and she noticed Ryan was behind in Art. She shared that her husband loves art history and would glady teach Ryan. Her son, who also has Autism is Ryan's good friend ..so we decided to have a class for the boys together!

I can't tell you what an impact this had on Ryan ! Both Families together learning!!! He kept saying," SO INTERESTING LEARNING ... PLEASE CAN WE HAVE ART CLASS AGAIN. SO XTREMELY INTERESTING. RYAN LIKES ART. He made observation about the beautiful pictures Mr. X brought to share with us.. Ryan commented and his friend too on apects of the art they enjoyed. Ryan liked the use of warm colors... noticed the use of the multiple colors of yarn in the tapestry. ... But what was so interesting was as my friend's husband shared his passion for Art.. it created a energy where we all were becoming so interested in what we were learning... Together we learned, talked and discussed our thoughts on Renaissance Art!

I helped by RPMing it per say, for the boys, and bringing it to both boys based on their RPM experience level. It was thrilling. Paul my husband shared some interesting historical facts about the time period and then I asked Ryan.. so do you have any thoughts you want to share with Mr. X and he said.. I GUESS YOU ARE VERY CARING DAD. Well the room fell silent and at that moment I looked up at Mr. X and he was so taken back by Ryan's words..... his face turned red and he became speechless.. It was a great moment .. This was the best ..it was teaching from a person who had a passion about what he was sharing.. . and it so beautifully and simply done.

Thank you my friends for sharing your passion and all your effort you brought to our classroom .... Ryan ended by asking, CLASS VERY PLEASING CAN WE HAVE PLEASE MORE ART CLASSES. .. Ryan learned about, Royal Renaissance portraits, Tapestry, Brugels use of color and much more.. Wow.. what a interesting lesson!

Best Brother EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!

So we are in the car waiting for Ashley to get out of cheer..and her cheer coach was telling me she needs to work on her smile... it was fake looking etc...told her practice in the mirror...practice practice practice....Well.. Ryan was in the car hearing this all.. So Ashley gets in and off we go.. heading home .. Ryan seemed like he wanted to say something so I said Ash.. is there a letterboard in the back she proceeds to letterboard and Ryan said......

ASHLEY I LIKE YOUR SMILE. .......................... This was followed by OH.....Ryan.... and big hugs in the back seat from Ashley and my Brother is the best Brother EVER!!!...........comment.. .


Great night.. how sweet is he..............

Darn Smart Fella!!

Grampy and Grammy were skyping us a while back and Grampy was talking .. and for those of you who do not know my Dad.. he is the kind of man who is strong in spirit a no nonsense type of guy ... you know.... He is a tough guy but people just love him... the type of person who always has a funny joke to tell and has great way with people. He is always fun and freely shares his praise toward his grandchildren and secretly tries to hide it but down deep he is the most sweet and kind and loving Grampy!!

Well, this day I was sharing how smart Ryan was and how well he did at his school work that day and Grampy said.. " Well of course he takes after his Grampy.. he is a darn smart fella!!!!!! The word is fellow but his says fella in his Grampy way of saying it.... And I said to Ryan, " That's right you are so smart Ryan and he took the pencil from me and pointed so clear DARN RIGHT!

So now he is using Darn all the time.now... it is so DARN CUTE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I love them both!

Ryan Decided ..........

Today Amy his OT was telling Ryan that her sister has a job doing research about issues that Ryan is working on overcoming . As they sat there face to face talking on their blue mat in the OT room, I could tell he really wanted to say something to Amy... so I came over and he said. RYANS CALLING IS TO HELP DISABLED CHILDREN.RYAN DECIDED!

Wow.... we both sat there and Amy proceeds to list all the kids Ryan has helped and how each therapist he shares his voice with and RPM.. helps hundreds of children many he never even met..

So, awesome my son.....to want to help others..he will never know how proud I am of him today..

A Request from a Parent.. our life before RPM

A Mother who has children with Autism asked if I could post a blog of our life before RPM...so she could try to understand what our life was like. Will try my best. To be honest I really don't like to think about what our life was like then. Because for those years Ryan was trapped inside. As he told me when I asked him... "MOM I ALWAYS TRIED TO REACH OUT.

So, Ryan was never interested in toys, or books our being with other kids. We worked on PECS which was extremely difficult for him. Now I know why..he back then had an open learning channel ... Auditory ..so vision was difficult. But all along he was hearing what was being said. Focus was such a huge issue.. he would connect with me if I was tickling him or trying to hug him or swing him.. but then he was in his own world again.. I thought.. He for years did intensive ABA and hit more and more road blocks as he aged. The presentation again was visual and not based on how the brain works and sensory integration...Frustration was so high the older he got because he was cognitively understanding more and more and he was once again. Trapped.

Please learn this method. Go to Halo. buy the books.. do whatever it takes...find other parents.. who are Halo parents and start on this journey.........Ryan has his voice in a few short years He can now share all his thoughts feelings and emotions..I have Ryan and every word he letterboards is a joy.... remember you must move beyond what you already know of Autism and prove to yourself what works for your son or daughter.. It is educational NOT intrusive ( medical route) It is safe... The Autism world we live in is holding to practices many times and become positional. This is to the detriment of our children.. so you must do this on your own for your children.. you will come back to me and say....... LIFE CHANGING I HAVE MY CHILD NOW.. THEY HAVE A VOICE....PLEASE TRY... You can do this and you have a friend in me.......I hope this helps you to understand..

No! Not Vitamins!!!!!!

So driving down the road I was talking to the kids who were in the back seat.. We had not been doing well at remembering to take our vitamins .. so I said....How about once we get home everyone take their vitamins.. and Ashley chimed in with a big NO... no one wants to take their vitamins... in a sweetly sarcastic manner. Then.. here chimes in Ryan............. all these sound come rattling out of his mouth...da hah dee dee da.... and I said.. what did you just say........... and Ashley letterboarded with him


TERESA PLEASE RYAN TOO NOT WANT TO TAKE VITAMINS...

oh... yes.......he had a definite opinion as well...............

Then I asked him. why .. why don't you like your vitamins Ashley spoke and said......they are awful tasting and her comes Ryan

MOM VITAMINS TOO TASTE BAD

Well.. They made it all clear on how they feel about vitamins.!!!!!!!!!! Crack me up!!! .........yep.. Gotta throw the Mom card.... though they are protesting...... they are still taking them because vitamins are good for them..!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So great moment... together talking...
What was cool about this moment was ........ Ryan just was pointing so fast and the conversation was flowing.. Our kids have so much to say.....thank God for the letterboard!!!

SNOWFLAKES POEM FOR SCHOOL

SNOW FLAKES AS COLD AS ICE
MANY SNOWFLAKES ARE DELICATE GODDESSES
CALLING OUT
TEARS TO THE LIVING
GATHERING IN TIME TO SEE THE LIGHT EVERLASTING
GODS FACE SHINES
TEARS HAVE EVERY FACE
GODS LOVE RAINS


many times we cry tears of joy.. together...and he understands joyful tears..he told me the other day tears mom are on face are happy tears.........he was right!

At our friends house .. he is so happy!

My dear friend has four children and there home is so lively.. Ryan said .. the minute he got there tonight. RYAN LIKES SO MUCH FRIENDS.. SO NICE ..

Then Mrs.X says ...So impressed you are letterboarding with all this loud music playing and he turned around before leaving .. and said.

RYAN SO TOTALLY COMFORTABLE DAD PLAYS LOUD MUSIC!

the kids give him knuckles and bys and hugs and he says

RYAN LOVES BEING AT x HOUSE............... I am so grateful to God for our friends........

BA BA.......................

So Ryan is being so sweet patient as he waits for his fries... and I said.. Ryan your fries are coming.. and he makes this big sound BA BA.. and I repeat BA BA as I grabbed the letterboard and walk to his green chair in the living room where he is sitting. and he I said..that was so loud what does that mean and he spells

MEANS............PLEASE.........................


you just had to be there.. so sweet ............my son........


I share this so other Moms with Children who can not speak..may believe the best about their kids....I would not have thought the loud BA BA meant Please.......

Battle of the French Fries!

" The French Fries!"

So the ongoing battle.. Ryan just LOVES french fries! I do baked fries on the stone in the oven for him. Well........many times Ryan will sit down right in front of the oven and look into the window and attempts to wait patiently for them to cook!!! More times then not, he will keep opening up the oven door and then I tell him..OUT of the oven... close the door.. you have to wait you have so many minutes until the timer goes off.....blah blah blah..

Well yesterday, Ryan just could not wait.......he opens the oven door snagged all the fries while I wasn't looking... I open the oven door and ALL the fries.. had vanished!! Well, I proceed to give him the lecture.. blah blah and always include the line about.. Mom does not want you to burn your hands and it is very dangerous... and get this.. Ryan says............................

RYAN IS VERY CAREFUL NOT TO BURN HANDS WHEN STEALING FRIES!

Yes.. a well phrased statement from my son the " theif"....OK.. that just cracked me up!!!! I love my son!

" Ryan can talk in Heaven"

Today is March 6th, it is 4:30 am in the morning. I am writing this so I will always remember this morning.... Ryan woke up ..so we started our day early. We have not been watching Ryan's favorite pastor Creflo Dollar lately, so I pulled up his sermon this morning. Creflo was talking about heaven and how the physical body will change to an awesome spiritual whole body.. pleasures in heaven we will have.. our bodies will be " decked out" as he put it... the perfect body..... on he went.sharing how exactly the rapture will take place... the changing of the physical body...the good news.. Well... Ryan is laying on the couch in his favorite blanket....next to me and he lifts up his arms and starts his happy happy sounds... and screeching.. I grabbed the board because I knew something was up... he pointed so clearly and exact..... here it comes... RYAN CAN TALK IN HEAVEN... I said Yes!!!!! Ryan in heaven YOU WILL TALK.. forever and ever.. and you know we are working on it on earth... I told him see God has good plans for us.. this life is only temporary... Then he spells to me after he jumped up and did his happy run back and forth through the living room... he says... RYAN SO HAPPY RYAN TEARS HAPPY.... PEACE GOD.... then ran off again.. I wonder what he was going to say about God.. I will let you know............ our children need the hope of Jesus ...Ryan and I learn Gods word.. every day.. and it has given Ryan hope and joy and peace..it is a good morning......

Ryan's Warning!

Yesterday I was at our RPM parent support group meeting which Ryan was there by the way.. said a few things about how smart Soma was and then split with Dad:) Well..hearing what took place when I was gone from Ashley and Paul and Ryan.... was the highlight of my evening ! I guess Ryan was upstairs by himself and decided to take a bath ( loves the water)... Paul and Ashley I guess tuned into this fact.. a little late.. and all of a sudden...they hear this loud screeching sound from Ryan. Ashley said.. Dad.. I have never heard this sound before...so yes!!!!!.....they ran up the stairs and there is Ryan standing up in the bathtub.... water just inches from flowing over the tub....Well.. Paul turned off the water ...opened the drain and took care of Ryan. He asked Ryan .. Were trying to tell us.. the water was about to flow over? This sound he made was so very odd..... He did not have a letter board in the bathroom..so.. they got dressed and in I come in from my meeting. I asked Ryan and this is what he said... RYAN TENSE RYAN LEAVE..( think is was going to say leave water on ..something like that) but continued on with this new thought) I will repeat entire sentence: RYAN TENSE...( RYAN LEAVE)........... SEE WATER RUN OVER. I asked him.. so you were trying to tell Dad and Ashley the water was running over.... he spells YES. He was running around our bedroom as I stopped him to get him to answer what took place..so his wording a little different .. but we got it!!! I am so excited...over the top!!!...........do you know why????.........again......this shows me how he is cognitively developing.... how his motor planning is coming together... sounds that never he did before........( PROMPT and all the sensory integration methods we use and of course key... how beautiful RPM is ) I jumped around like a crazy woman.. thanking Ryan for warning Daddy and Ashley... ..here it is ......he was so so PROUD of himself... he can speak out... he did want to do the right thing and NOW NOW.. WITH RPM... EVERYONE IS TOTALLY CLEAR ABOUT THAT POINT.. Before....... without a way to communicate with Ryan ....it could have been looked at like MAN!!!!!!.....another PROBLEM RYAN .. YOU ALMOST FLOODED THE BATHROOM!!! GET OUT OF THE TUB!!!! When all along he was warning us!! Our children without RPM are so misunderstood.. it makes me so sad.......... WE CAN NOT IMAGINE SPENDING OUR entire life trying to be heard.. and trying to get people to understand that your intentions are good. and that your trying... ..to only be left to suffer in silence......WE MUST STOP THIS...PLEASE SHARE THIS IDEA WITH OTHERS.. THERE IS A BETTER WAY TO GIVE OUR CHILDREN THEIR VOICE!! I am so grateful for RPM.... I will spend my life trying to convince people to try this method.. .... So.. on a happy end to my writing.. Ryan must of been having so much fun in the bathtub.. he likes his alone time ..he has told us... and for the water, he forgot the water level was rising... I've done that too!! I love my son...thank you God for Ryan.

Winter Jewels and IsoscelesTriangles and More!

Had a great lesson today... Ryan is so easily reading off the computer monitors theses days. had 9 different triangles and hand to determine if they were right triangles isosceles or equilateral triangles.. got them all correct!!!! Then they gave him word problems to figure out length of sides of triangles. Again..so easy for him .

This was a poem Ryan had to read in literature today. I asked him to interpret the poem in his own words...


Winter Jewels
A million little diamonds
Twinkled on the trees,
and all the little maidens said,
"A jewel if you please!"
But while they held their hands outstretched,
To catch the diamonds gay,
A million little sunbeams came
And stole them all away.
- Mary F. Butts

Ryan's interpretation of this poem:

YOUTHFUL MAIDEN TO TELL HOW SNOW MELTED. HOW UPSETTING

So, I asked him what is the metaphor in this poem. He spells:

TALKS KIND OF ABOUT SNOW...ON LIKE TREES AS JEWELS.

A very enjoyable school day!

OH!

So we just finished with our online class.. There is one other boy who does rpm and Ryan and the teacher in the virtual classroom. She teaches for one hour on a virtual classroom site.. with a white board. Ryan and the other boy are in different grades so she divides the screen so each boy can show their work... and many times gives different levels of work for each boy.

Well the teacher did only one math word problem for both boys to solve today. Ryan got one answer the other boy got another answer. So the teacher, trying to make the one boy feel better about making a mistake... talked about how she makes mistakes and how mistakes are fine... and kept trying to reassure the boys that the mistakes are just part of life...



Remember Ryan is more auditory than visual.. so she didn't actually say aloud and emphasize who made the mistake (again, as to not upset the other boy).. Well, she fixed the mistake on the boys side of the white board.(visual) The session ends and Ryan immediately is upset.. He starts crying and I said what is wrong? RYAN IS UPSET MADE MISTAKE? Let me tell you ...that was the furthest thing from my mind.. I of course was thinking he was sick of learning.. NOPE... He was upset he made a mistake in Math. So get this... I looked right at him and said NO ....... it wasn't you Ryan....xxx made the mistake and your answer was correct. ... He stopped crying.. I mean immediately.... instantly smiled.. yes .. a smile!...and spelled ...get this ... OH.. hands me back the pencil. It was so appropriate and his smile so appropriate.... yes.. it was so typical.... in expression and comment and remember ..he is auditory... so she really never said clearly who had made the mistake.

What is most important is this has NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE I have never seen him act in a way that he was able to shut off his emotions so quickly and to combine a smile and a comment that was so direct and percise as it relates to the situation. I believe the pathways and the connections in his brain are becoming more integrated, do to the choice of sensory integration techniques we have been focused on.(Speech,PT,OT,RPM)
Yes, one incident .. however in the last 4 months family and outsiders have noticed an increase in the pace of cognitive processing he exhibits.

His senses are being integrated .............. I am no doctor but to see this happen is a milestone for Ryan in my opinion.

Weaping and the Crabs!

Ryan had is friends over Kate and Andrew..we were all watching a movie and everyone was talking and having fun.. Ryan left............ and I followed him and I said . your friends are here why are you running away.. and he said RYAN NOT WANT KATE TO SEE RYAN WEAPING RYAN WANTS TO TALK. ..so.. we both hugged and as I was trying not to fall to pieces we prayed and asked God again together to help us.. and then I said ..I will talk for you you just tell me what you want to say and I will talk for you .. so he said... RYAN SO HAPPY YOU BOTH ARE RYANS FRIEND Then I said..hey.. you can ask about Andrews crabs he keeps .. and RYAN SAID CRABS DIE Well... Ryan seems happier after talking he told me he was a while later. but we go upstairs and I told Andrew hey I told ryan to ask you about your crabs and ryan said they died...... Andrews face lite up. yah..but they lived longer then any on my friends crabs!!!!...on went the conversation and they all thought it was funny cause Ryan corrected his MOM!!

I am tentative!

So, Watching a Soma dvd Ryan and I asked him how can I be a better teacher for you......
and he said

RYAN HONESTLY REALLY VERY BORD WITH YOUR TEACHING....

Well, yep.. that made my day! So I said ok.. what is your favorite subject if I could just teach you one thing.. listed off. science history etc. and he said

RYAN LIKES READING STORY

Well... I said ok Literature... then I said.. why is it that you don't like to listen to the stories Mrs. Weber tell on line anymore and get this............... Ryan says..

RYAN IS TENTATIVE SHE TOLD STORY THAT WAS SO SAD!!

oh.. he is so right on with that comment!!.. Yes she did! I said.. I know.. I totally agree ...she told this story about a boys dog( Stone Fox) whose dog falls over dead minutes before he wins a dog sled race just shy of the finish line.. they end up carrying the dog over the finish line.!!

so I agree and now I know why yesterday when she did another book he was running away!!!

Now what to do..I told him I would talk to her and make sure the next story is happy or we are not listening ..so there! LOL!!

I am sorry I picked on you Dad!

So, Last night Ryan and I had school work to finish up, so Ryan saw Dad maybe 10 minutes ..then he and I went to the basement to work. Well...Paul was asleep by the time we got upstairs. I told Ryan he could not go into Dads room because he is tired and needs rest. That did not make Ryan very happy at all......he is sitting in his bed and he is trying so hard to talk. the word DA DA is coming out several times... ( by the way he is really talking more ..thanks to prompt speech therapy method!)

Here we go.. Ryan says

DECIDE DAD NOT FRIENDLY" RYAN NOT LOVE DAD.

Well, I told him..... that is not God that is causing you to think that way.. you know your Dad loves you and you love him...... then went on to explain again... you just have not seen him and miss him.. and are sad..so you are allowing your mind to go to wrong thinking. Well I gave him a hug... hung with him awhile and then went to bed.

Now it is morning and a few minutes ago.. ( told Paul most of what I shared on blog left out the I don't love Dad could not tell that to him) so he Comes down stairs and sits down on the couch next to Ryan and tells him," I missed you last night Ryan..You and I are going to spend lots of time together this weekend. We are going out tonight to Willies and then to Whole Foods Saturday...just me and you buddy.. See I missed you so much that I am going to be late to work.. just so I can sit here on the couch and talk to you.. ( yep..he is so sweet to Ryan) Then Ryan letterboards this..

DAD MAKES RYAN SO HAPPY

Then of course hugs and Paul tells ..him.. You make me so happy Ryan too!

Paul heads to the kitchen and is getting ready and I said anything else you want to say.. we love when you talk on the board ... and I said I LOVE this BOARD.. ( I started being funny and kissing the board ) I love it because you can use it to tell us everything. you think and feel..
Well Ryan says...... this ....DAD HAVE A GREAT DAY.... I AM SORRY I PICKED ON YOU( cracks me up and at the same time is so sweet and so real)
Well. Paul is ..well..... you can imagine how he feels.. and then Ryan adds



ONE MORE THING I LOVE YOU.....

( I am holding backt he tears trying to letterboard the final Letters..he is pointing to.......Huhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

My son..my sweet kind loving son........man he just brings me to tears.. I only pray to be as loving and kind as him.. so .. It is a good day ....

TP-ing ............the neighbors house!

Dad went in the bathroom and the toilet paper was gone.. once again..and he said to Ryan .. what did you do... TP somebodies house??? How come the toilet paper is gone?? All in a joking manner... I chimed in and said, " He doesn't know what you are talking about.." and Paul said... ,"Yes he does!". And he grabbed Ryan's letter board and asked him,"Do you remember anyones house getting toilet papered in our neighborhood? Well he spells...........DAVE'S.............. Yep.......... the only house ever in our neighborhood to get toliet papered............. Dave's!!!! He got the name.. and he got his last name and his daughther's name too! Well... he is so smart and such a good memory...that happened 5 years ago...................WOW!!!

the poem

There was this thing where it would have you pick a color a noun an a adjective and then click a button and it would insert your words into a poem.......Well Ryan did this .. and we read the poem It said the girl named laura with PURPLE HAIR and well it was .. wait .. will let ryan tell you..................What do you think............Ryan.. he said


DUMB........... I asked him how did you know how to spell dumb.. he said Ashley told me...she did I asked her

LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WE MUST HAVE CHILDREN WITH NO VOICE LEARN RPM

A incident happened that to honor Ryan I will not mention.. however............. after seeing the beautiful outcome because of the open ended communication with rpm had on this situattion.. I had to blog this..............

PLEASE share the blogs I have written with folks..... so they might understand the life changing effect rpm has on families and children with Autism. It makes me so sad to know how many children are trapped for NO REASON................THERE IS NO REASON .. THEY HAVE TO BE TRAPPED WITH NO VOICE.. IF RYAN LEARNED RPM AND I LEARNED RPM AND MY 13 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER LEARNED RPM AND MY HUSBAND AND MY THERPIST LEARNED RPM ...................EVERY FAMILY IN THE WORLD CAN LEARN RPM.........EVERY CHILD CAN HAVE A VOICE...............PLEASE BELIEVE ME...............WE JUST ARE NOT TEACHING THEM BASED ON THEIR SENSORY CHANNELS.............. It is simply heartbreaking so I have said enough.. but wanted to call out to whoever may read this blog......... THANK YOU FOR LISTENING... GOD BLESS THE CHILDREN............

AN INVITATION

Ryan was doing language arts with Ashley and he was learning how to write and invitation. He letterboarded a letter based on the model in his english book.

He choose the person the place the date the time and what the invitation was for... how awesome!



it said.....

DEAR KATE, I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE YOU OUT TO LUNCH. IT IS JANUARY 9TH AT 12

AT,SAY,CICI'S.

PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU CAN COME


YOUR BEST FRIEND

RYAN



Oh.. I just loved the use of the word,"say" and by the way..you will find us tomorrow after church at cici's pizza with kate!

FORGIVE RYAN.. LOST PRIVLEDGE!

Ryan and I fell asleep before dinner...not good.. Well went to our favorite restaurant.. Willies.. and home and soon it was bedtime... well.. the night was a complete disaster.. not to wake Ashley we brought Ryan in our room and told him to lay down and be quiet and to watch his Babe the Pig movie which always puts him to sleep. Well 5 hours later .. he is jumping on the bed and laughing.. yep.. so his Dad told him I am not taking you to the store tomorrow if you don't lay down and go to bed.. well....................... he lost his privilege. So I said to Ryan.. Mommy is very disappointed in your behavior.. not listening to us when we told you to watch your movie and lay down and be quiet... he spells....... FORGIVE .. I said forgive what? FORGIVE RYAN he said. I of course had to give him a Mom speech about repenting when you do something wrong and to be honest ..I was still upset and exhausted and really was not ready to forgive him........great huh.......so then he says... this to me GOD NOT HOLD UNFORGIVENESS.

Well...........there it is....... I repented for my not unforgiveness toward Ryan................Dad of course was in on all of this and we all hugged each other and said to Ryan we forgive you for not listening forgive Mommy for not forgiving you sooner Ryan........ We said what happened why could you sleep.. and he said NAP.. yeah....I know......

Then hours later when dad had finally woke from his nap.. Ryan the first thing he said to Dad was... RYAN LOST PRIVILEGE TO GO TO STORE... Sadly Paul said.. yes Ryan but we will go tomorrow..... Would I have forgiven him.. or just held all that frustration inside with the letterboard.......