July 12, 2007

Mom: Hey there bug! Where did you go today?

JP: Well, I went to Camp M play. Hey, why don't we play questions on the computer.

(We have several therapies at this same location. We have them labeled as Camp M speech, Camp M play, Camp M writing school)

Mom: What questions did you want to play?

JP: The question about what JP says.

Mom: Okay. You start.

JP: If I say JP says...do it. If I don't say JP says...don't do it. ***

Mom: Okay.

But you gotta get back here (points to here***on the computer screen) and you gotta get back here and spell "Then you are out of the game".

(Sometimes I am convinced he is actually reading the words I type here. He has been known to correct my typos!)

Mom: Oh, Oops! So I should have typed..."If I say JP says...do it. If I don't say JP says...don't do it. And then you are out of the game." Right?

JP: Yeah! I am getting thirsty of Pepsi.

Mom: I know I promised one when we got home but let's finish our game first. Are you going to play JP says?

JP: Yes. Let's go.

Mom: I'm waiting. We can play here.

JP: Hmm. How about in the toy room?

Mom: But if we go in the toy room Mommy can't type our words out.

JP: Hee Hee. Oh (fake yawn) I guess. Let's try it in the kitchen.

Mom: Again, I can't type in the kitchen. How about if I sit right here and do what JP says?

JP: How about you do it and when I say. Come on Mom, I'll show you. "JP says roll over."

(Mom gets on the floor and tries to roll over - not an easy task in my tiny office)

JP: Tuck sit.

(Mom doesn't do anything.)

JP: JP says tuck sit.

(Mom tuck sits but apparently doesn't do it right.)

JP: That's not right. JP says tuck sit like this(and demonstrates)

(Mom does it right.)

JP: JP says touch your nose.

(Mom does it)

JP: JP says run around.

(Mom does it)

Mom: Touch your ears (says mom out of turn but trying to prod him to drop the JP says part!)

(JP touches his ears)

Mom: Oops! Your out! Mom didn't say!

JP: I'm not out! Huh uh! I didn't say JP says. And you are out Mommy!

Mom: Did you play this game at camp.

(We've tried simon says before but he never showed much interest. Where has he finally picked up the concepts?)

JP: We played Duck Duck Goose there. Not JP says.

Mom: Where have been been practicing JP says?

JP: I said JP says like Benny says.

Mom: Who is Benny?

JP: Benny is a door from in Todd World.

(Todd world? What the hell? Oh, duh! A preview on one of the movies that Grandma had at her house over the weekend!)

JP: Todd world. Todd help me. Todd used to be...I'll be todd at 7 o'clock.

Mom: Did you see Todd World at Grandma's house.

JP: Hee! I watched him on the TV. We are going to get Todd.

Mom: Was he a preview on your video?

JP: Yes!

Mom: What video was that?

JP: Yes. It was from Build It and They Will Come

Mom: Ah! Isn't that the video where T learned to stick his tongue out.

JP: Hee Hee! No, Mommy!

Mom: Isn't that where he was pretending to be a kitty?

(There was a scene where Mommy cat was licking the baby cat. T would pretend to be licking everytime we watched it. WHICH WAS A LOT BECAUSE JP KEPT REPLAYING IT!)

JP: Yes. I'll be right back.

(Runs to the refrigerator.)

JP: (Shrieks) Two Pepsi! I know. I'll just get one.

(Brings it to Mom)

JP: I found something for you. I have something for you!

Mom: What is that?

JP: It's Pepsi!

Mom: What are we supposed to do with that?

JP: We can drink it! Don't dump it. I'm going to get a sippy cup.

(He runs to the kitchen)

JP: I found a sippy cup. Can you pour it into the sippy cup, Mommy? Do you want to pour it in the kitchen.

Mom: Yeah, we should probably do that in the kitchen just in case Mommy spills.

JP: You take the sippy cup apart and the lid. I'm going to take this Pepsi. Do you think you could do that?

Mom: Okay.

(Brief break while we go to the kitchen to fill cup with Pepsi)

Mom: So JP can you tell me what you did at Camp today?

JP: Yeah. I was playing duck duck goose and fell down. But I didn't score.

Mom: Did you hurt yourself when you fell down?

JP: No. Oh and then I made a mistake.

Mom: Oh?

JP: A mistake . I'm sorry Mommy!

Mom; What was your mistake?

JP: To fall down. I did a lot of cheating.

(JP always has a meltdown when we play Duck Duck goose at his preschool. We are not really sure why. It probably has to do with the unexpected nature of not knowing if you are going to be "Goosed". Anyway he always goes limp and all the bones leave his body. The teachers at his speech preschool just drag him through the motions and make him get through it. Once it is done he is all smiles again. He just screams and sobs during the part of the game when he has to be up and involved.)

Mom: How did you cheat?

JP: Because I fell down.

(Interesting. He is actually right about his choice of the word "cheat". He knows he is not "playing fair". However, lately he is accusing anyone of cheating when they get what he wants.)

Mom: Did you throw yourself down so you did not have to play?

JP: Well. I didn't throw.

(Okay. Oops. Shouldn't have used the word "throw". I forget his about his literal brain sometimes.)

Mom: Did you lay down so that you wouldn't have to play?

JP: Well I was trying to keep my feet under there. The man and I were going to play ball.

(Mom is confused by this turn of events. Feet under where? Man who? His buddy at camp today was a girl. Playing ball? Perhaps one of the guy buddies took him off to the side to play ball instead of Duck Duck Goose? Not sure that was a great option for working him through this...)

Mom: What man?

JP: The man from camp.

Mom: Do you remember his name?

JP: Hmm. Was it Bob?

(I don't know their names. I just meet his current days buddy each morning. Haven't met a Bob yet.)

Mom: I don't know, was it?

JP: Yep.

Mom: Was it Bob the Builder or a different Bob?

JP: A different Bob.

Mom: Was Bob one of the buddies?

JP: Yes, from camp. Maybe.

Mom: So you played Duck Duck Goose. Did you get to tap on peoples heads?

JP: But. Yes. (mumbles. Not sure what he said)

Mom: What did you say?

JP: Well. I said woops!

Mom: Why woops!

JP: Because I fell down. And fell into the floor.

Mom: Did you get back up?

JP: Well, I was stuck.

Mom: Did you cry?

JP: Yep.

Mom: What did the big people do?

JP: They tried to help me up but I was falling down.

Mom; Could you have gotten up if you wanted to get up?

JP: Well, if when I'm big I might break the ceiling.

(huh?)

Mom: JP, why do you always fall down and cry during Duck Duck Goose?

JP: Because I have a bad dream.

(Apparently it is his worst nightmare to have to play Duck Duck Goose)

Mom: What dream?

JP: The dream from Duck Duck Goose at camp.

Mom: Can you tell me about that dream?

JP: Yes.

Mom: Well. What happens in the dream?

JP: I have fell down and I fell into the parachute.

Mom: Hmm. Did you play with a parachute today?

(That I know that they did. It was on his note sheet that came home with him)

JP: Yes!

Mom: Was that fun?

JP: Yes! Just like this one. (As he pulls our parachute off the shelf. Now it will get drug around our house for days...(big sigh))

Mom: Did you shake the parachute?

(We used to be terrified of the parachute. In the recent past he will help shake it but he has only gone under it a few times. He is still terrified of going under it during a group activity. However, our parachute at home is different. He will wrap himself up in it and shake it and go crazy with it. But if you add the other kid variable he shuts down!)

JP: Well. I didn't.

Mom: Did you touch the parachute?

JP: Well. I didn't. There was an ice cube on it.

Mom: An ice cube?

JP: Yeah.

Mom: Did the kids shake the ice cube around?

JP: Maybe in the next morning when the ice flies I might jump and catch it.

(Translation: It looked like fun. I wanted to do it. Maybe next time I'll do it. Tomorrow morning always translates to next time. However, we rarely do it next time without intervention!)

Mom: That would be cool. Was the ice cube hot or cold?

JP: Hot.

Mom: Really? I though ice was cold. Are you sure it was an ice cube?

JP: Yes. Ice is cold. And the rain.

Mom: Yep. Ice is from water and it is actually raining outside right now, isn't it?

JP: It's ice in my juice.

Mom: Yep. You are right about that too! So, JP, did you go to (**our hometown**) this weekend?

JP: Well yes. And yesterday I did.

Mom: What did you do there?

JP: I got my Muck and T got his Sumsey.

(Bob the Builder characters)

Mom: Yeah, Grandma P bought you some Bob the builder guys, didn't she?

JP: Well. The guys were Muck and Sumsey.

Mom: That was so nice of her!

JP: They were my favorite toys! Oh, now! I forgot my control Scrambler.

(JP say a remote control Scrambler toy at Walmart a few weeks ago. He is in love with this toy. However it talks. This feature would ruin the toy for JP. I explained that to him. He told me I would take the batteries out. I tried to explain that without the batteries Scrambler probably couldn't drive. He doesn't believe me. He keeps bringing up this toy. Literally every day! Finally I explained that we didn't have money to buy every toy he thinks looks fun. He told me it was okay...the bank has money. I explained that Daddy works to put money in the bank. And right now we don't have enough money in the bank to buy this toy. The next day when Dad came home from work, JP told me that there was now enough money for his control Scrambler since Daddy worked. After camp today he asked if he could get Scrambler. I explained that we didn't have money again. He said we could stop at work and pick up money from Daddy. Last night, Dad and I decided to try and use this Scrambler obsession to teach JP some understanding of money. So I am going to set up a system for him to work for the dollars needed. He thinks he is home free! Silly boy!)

Mom: You have a remote control scrambler?

JP: Yes!

Mom: Really? When did you get that?

JP: Hmm. I don't know. But hey! It is at Walmart.

Mom: Yes, but remember, Mommy doesn't have money.

JP: Oh, no! I forgot money.

Mom: So we can't buy a remote control Scrambler.

JP: Oh no! How are we going to get the remote control Scrambler.

Mom: I don't know.

JP: Oh I know! Money! That is what we're missing.

Mom: Well, how do we get money?

JP: Well, I know. There is some at Daddy's work.

Mom: Well, no, not really at Daddy's work. I told you Daddy works to earn the money. And maybe JP can work to earn the money to buy Scrambler himself.

JP: Ha! Okay!

Mom: Are you going to do work to earn money so you can buy Scramber yourself!

JP: Yes!!!!!

Mom: Okay. Mommy will get you a list of work that you have to do to earn your money!

JP: Okay! Maybe the control Scramber will be at Walmart 3.

Mom: Is that the Walmart we saw it at?

( I honestly have no clue which one he saw it at. He went with me to three different metro Walmarts a few weeks ago to drop of some paperwork for donations for the autism society I got suckered into. If it was one of our regular Walmarts he would call it "Walmart" or "Different Walmart". So I have to figure out which one is Walmart 3. That day we went to Different walmart and then two others. So does #3 represent the third store catalogued in his head or was it the 3rd one visited that day?)

JP: Yes.

Mom: Okay. You understand it is going to be a couple weeks.

JP: Okay. Come on lets go. I think it is movie time.

Mom: Well. You've been at camp all day and you came home and made words on the computer with Mommy. I think you can have some alone time. What movie do you want to watch?

JP: CARS!!!

(sure he picks the longest one!)

Mom: Okay. Let's go!





JP says watch a movie.