So much has been happening these last few weeks with Alec. We still do speech every week and 2 weeks ago we had an assessment done by an occupational therapist. That turned up weakness we knew about and gave him a rating of 'at risk' being that these things are going to be an impediment to his development. Also we now start at the early Intervention centre (we are calling it "the centre") of the Autism association on May 1st.

We had our assessment on Thursday and Friday I went to a parent information seminar, and even though I loathe those things I am so glad I went, I actually just loathe going anywhere alone. I took away tons of information and picked up some visual aides called PECS (Picture Exchange Communication Symbols) which means you use picture representation to replace a step in a task like washing your hands and for more general use you can use it like a timetable so kids know what is going to happen. They have found it works really well with verbal kids and in the 2 days we have been using them Alec refers to his boards all the time and is even starting to understand the turn taking one.

Once we start it wont be easy, we have to drive 45km to get to the centre twice a week and we will really feel that in out petrol consumption and our time management abilities. My only concern is Mondays when we are at the PCYC doing OT because it is during Riley's nap time, thankfully Tuesday is covered with him being at mums.

This week is a busy one, I am working two days in the shop and one at the craft fair at the show grounds I'm hoping to put half of what I earn away for my Sydney trip in August.

So life is going to change again, I'm a little happier now we have him in an EI program and Riley seems to have settled into the two days he spends with mum and dad, that helps so much, I just wish I had a laptop so I could do some work while Alec does his centre sessions, I have a web design job to do and I can see myself up until midnight on a regular basis just to keep up with it, but that's life for you..

Here is my beautiful boy playing at Kings Park on Good Friday