Getting bigger...new discoveries

Upcoming news!!!

Did you know that Pablo can stack a building without any help! I didn’t either and I got to find out all this information when I decided to witness Pablo’s therapy session. It started one summer afternoon where you know you have nothing to do, but this morning I wanted to do watch Pablo’s whole session and to find out what Pablo is really capable of.  This really helped me understand what Mamá and his therapist Lyndsey do to help him; normally I am just the girl who changes his movies and takes him to the bathroom.  After watching his therapy lesson I’ve really been wanting to do all of these exercises with Pablo…

Meanwhile…

A lot of very exciting stuff has happened this summer.  For example, he caught a ball and threw it directly at me on purpose (which he never does).  We made a tower together taking turns  J .  The most exciting thing for me was when we were at the beach and he was in the arms of Mamá and, as much as he loves Mamá, he leaped into my arms and held really tight (I almost couldn’t breathe).  For Mamá, Papá and grandma (Coco), the most exciting thing was when he finally said COCO!!!!!  It started the day that grandma visited and one of the first things she said was “Pablo, can you say CO- CO?“ and she basically said it until he finally got the point and at dinnertime when they asked the question many times and well, you know what happened…

With all of this amazing stuff happening in his life I really think that Pablo will be a bigger part of my life now.

The Cyber Birthday

Hey guys! Sorry I haven’t posted in a while but now I can tell you all about Pablo’s modern day birthday bash!

It started out when my mom got the idea for a tiny little birthday party in Pablo’s classroom. It was going to be simple. We prepared gift bags and bought tiny cupcakes; and we were planning for singing Happy Birthday. Mom had the intention of excusing me from the classroom and singing HB with mom and Pablo’s teacher…but it went horribly wrong!  The office wouldn’t excuse me from class, she was not allowed to light a candle, the teacher preferred to put the gift bags in the kids backpacks at the end of the day, half of the kids didn’t pay attention (including Pablo), and they almost didn’t sing HB. I also had prepared a packet with little notes and portraits from my friends and I to Pablo (even if they didn’t know him) so I was pretty disappointed.

Since the birthday party was a disaster we decided to have a little birthday moment right before dinner. When we called our family members to have a piece of the moment, we were getting calls to put on speaker so they can at least hear what was happening  on our phones, Skype on our computers and “facetime” on my IPAD. Since we wanted all of the family members to have that experience we had to do it twice!! JJ But it was an amazing CYBER BIRTHDAY! Since only some of his classmates ate cupcakes, obviously I had to take a little nibble. Grandma got all emotional and when we finished the HB mom and dad both gave Pablo a high five and Pablo put both of his hands up to high five mama and papa… honestly a pretty cute moment! After we sang HB we just ate our dinner and laughed at that very emotional moment.

Pablo was smiling, relatives were singing, basically just an awesome time…

Freaky Friday: Fabiola & Pablo Edition

While my dad and I were driving to Publix, I stumbled upon a thought about what would happen if Pablo and I switched brains for three days. I thought this would be really cool for Pablo (ME) because what if I forget that I am Pablo and ask my mom for some fruit snacks? MY MOM WOULD FREAK OUT and would cancel all the therapies that he has now and by the end of the three days they would have to schedule them back in. (And think of how to explain this =0)...

But what about me (Pablo)?  I would be in big trouble!  Pablo would have no idea what I had to do in school and would get me really bad grades; imagine my teacher writing a note to my mom about how weirdly I have acted in school… I can’t even imagine what would happen at night time.  How could I climb onto my bed? And mom normally expects me to take a shower by myself... UH OH !!!!

What would happen after those 3 days? My dad had a theory… he thinks that when our brains get switched back that a little piece of us would stay.  For example, me, I might have a clue to finding out how to help Pablo better and Pablo could know how awesome his sister is... just kidding!  He might have found out a way of talking (lets keep our fingers crossed)... but scientists haven’t found a way of doing that yet, so don’t expect Pablo climbing onto my loft any time soon.  =)   

Walking and Playing

Hello friends! You won't believe what happened a few weeks ago... Pablo was watching TV, my dad was in the kitchen, and my mom was gonna go talk to me when I was in my room... While my mom and I were talking Pablo came into the room. He took both of our hands and joined them together and walked us over to the living room. Pablo had his rug set down on the living room from previous therapies and he set both of us to lay down on the rug and went to go get dad. He arrived at the kitchen and dragged him to the living room as well.  After he did that, then he went into the middle and just played with us. Now doesn't that sound so cute?!

One morning I was full of excitement when I got to walk Pablo to his classroom and all of my life I have dreamt to take a little sibling to a classroom  and I couldn't believe that I finally got to walk my little brother to his teacher and not to mention that the teacher is very nice. 

When we go to the playground it's fun to interact with Pablo and do all the activities with him.  For example, going through the playground area, going down slides, and playing with sand.  I try to guide him going up to stairs and down the slides or scooping up the sand and putting it in the bowl (check out the video that my dad took).

I hope that Pablo will do better in the future and that I will always love him!

Going to the top...improving, improving, improving!!!

Hello!!! I know I haven’t uploaded a blog post in a while, but since it’s summer and with all the family and friends in the house it’s been hard to find free time; which is a very nice problem.  What I wanted to tell you was about Pablo’s improvement.  First of all, Pablo is letting me give him more hugs and kisses, which is a pretty big deal because previously he had been like: “do NOT touch me”…if you know what I mean. 

Another thing that Pablo has really improved on is his ability to interact with his family members.  For example, one day my dad came home with a few balls that a colleague gave him and they’re all different sizes which Pablo throws them around; sometimes even back at me.  The balls are so fun that I even play with them by myself sometimes.

I feel that Pablo is doing the best that he can and he can do better in the future playing games like “red light, green light” and “role playing” (for example: doctor, restaurant, etc.). 

Anyway, Pablo loves the pool like bees loves honey, but like unsweetened honey, something’s not quite right.  Unfortunately, Pablo tries to fold over his life saver and drinks the pool water (yuck!!!!).  It is not healthy for Pablo and it is not even healthy for anyone.  Pablo kicks Mom or Dad away to be on his own in the water and drink it…and that is not good at all. 

Before I go, I would like to say that I am very happy that Pablo will be going to the same school that I go to and hope that he improves as he grows.

Adventures of Car Rides and Restaurant Dinners

OH MY! I couldn’t find the time to do the blog last week because I was celebrating  ”MOTHER’S DAY”. Focusing on the blog, I wanted this edition to be about how Pablo reacts in the car and public places ETC…The car is what really worries me because mostly, OOPS! made a mistake, I mean, EVERY time that Pablo finally notices that we are going to the car he spirals out of control.

The most challenging time is when he wakes from a nap while in the car. He always starts crying and pulling my lovely hair and kicking me and only me because I am the only other person who sits with him in the back seat… I never get used to sitting at the window seat where he won’t be able to hit me. As any other normal person, I suddenly feel pain and get angry for it, but I honestly think that he cries, kicks, and pulls my beautiful hair because he doesn’t know how to express what he wants to say in any other way.  The solution will come when he learns to communicate better with his PECS (Picture Exchange Communication System).  I feel like he doesn’t do it on purpose, but because he must be miserable with not having the ability to say what he feels. I am mom’s little assistant in the car because I have to pass her his juices, toys, shoes, socks, and snacks…basically everything.  I don’t mind helping because I know it’s good for my little brother.

Now, I know we have been talking a lot about how Pablo reacts in the car but I want to share about him reacting in public places so get ready to read a long story…  It all starts at when we go to a restaurant and Pablo begs for the phone. In my early childhood we would go to a bunch of restaurants and saw little girls watching Dora on a DVD player and asked my mom if I could watch Dora on my mom’s phone but she said that I have to share with family and not just ignore them when they’re talking to me. Now it turns out that since Pablo can’t communicate, Pablo asks for the phone every time we go out to dinner and I get utterly mad when she gives it to him… I asked her once: “Hey, didn’t you say you didn’t want to give the phone to your children in restaurants, HUH!!!!!!!!!?”J and she told me that it’s a different subject. I totally understood what she was saying … and I will never forget the time when she told me that they were having Pablo and I still can’t believe that I am a big sister : ) : ) : )  

Catching up!

Hello There! I know that all of the people who read this have been asking day after day when I was going to write a new post. Moving on, just to make sure I don’t forget I am very proud of all the people who wore blue on light it up blue day! I also saw the commercial video for it and am still amazed of the states that cared about Autism. Light it up blue day is my new Christmas…

Anyway, April 10^th was the most important day of Pablo’s young life… The School Board was going to tell my mother and father what school he was going to.  That day I had to go to school and just hours later I found out that I was at Pablo’s school all along.  Yes, Pablo is scheduled to attend Park Springs Elementary in the fall.  Yei!!!!!!!!!

Just so you know the other day I was dropping my dad off at the train station and everyday right before he leaves he puts his hand on the window by Pablo’s side and he says “Bye Bye Pablo” and after dad said that I held Pablo’s hand up as he was going to say bye too but before I could say it for him he said in a slightly soft baby voice “by by”.  A therapist at one of the places he goes to had already told my mom that he said bye but my mom wanted to wait and hear it with her own ears and luckily she heard it too. The whole  car ride to school I had asked my mom if I could be excited for Pablo saying it and to this day I am still excited that Pablo could even try to say it… I hope that all of the people who read this go on our Facebook page called The PS Project.  GO AUTISM !!!!