Today while watching “Han Zi Gong” on a scene where a chicken was slaughtered and its blood dripped onto a vessel, Stephen said “chicken…chicken…blood…”. He said that for quite a number of times and when I repeated after him, he gave me a sustainable eye-contact with a broad smile. It’s really very heart-warming.

Recently, Stephen has been simulating the action of falling down. He did that again this afternoon. I responded with “No, no…it’s painful. Mama is worried.” I deliberately paused after saying “no, no” to see his reaction as he tends to be angry just as what Daniel has observed. However, he looked at me and when I said “mama is worried”, he smiled and did the fall again.

I am thinking of trying to communicate “no” to him in various tones and also in using different transits as we move into doing other things. Hopefully, either he’ll quickly transit over from the very unpleasant situation to something that is more favourable or to at least connect with me on a more personal level such as knowing that “I care for you that’s why you can’t have it”.

My feel is that Stephen’s pretty sensitive to the underlying tone and the mentality that others have him (friends or foes?) when communicating with him. EQ? Perhaps… I find that his response tends to be more positive when I am more “longsuffering” than him, i.e. despite his constant whining I maintain a position of “It’s OK with me”, “I’m not bothered by your XXX behaviour” , “I’ve got patience to wait for you to be ready” ...

Whatever, the bottom-line is to stay above him . Sometimes he can be very trying… but let’s not be overcome by him. He is definitely more aware of others as well as himself. Having said that, for the past three days I was attending to both Stephen and Deborah either for the entire morning or afternoon as Daniel was busy at work. The first two days were horrid… ha ha… I really turned into a monster because here I was busy clearing up, there they were messing up… Thank God the ending isn’t as bad as the start for Stephen was cuddling with me on the sofa as he slept soundly after one whole afternoon of “bond-bond session”. Deborah has come been a great help as she has been understanding and helpful. She is indeed our little fairy angel.

Good days… bad days… they come as a package. Some of us may experience more success at one time or other, but it doesn’t minimise the efforts and love that we who care for Stephen have put in.

“And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” Galatians 6:9

Manage to take a video of Stephen doing imitation. Was doing quite a bit of imitation this week. As I run around the rebouncer, he will also follow me. I stop he stop, I lie down, he will also do that. When I purposely position myself to run off again, he will say "go".

We also play the hiding behind the wall game while he was very much into following and anticipating my re-appearance. He kind of enjoy it and a lot of substainable eye contact.

I have also observed that he has been responding to a lot of request made by us, even during time that he was engaged in TV, he responded to "come and have water, come here, change dryper, etc" He wouldn't do this previously. Sometime I will just call his name and mostly he will respond by looking up at me (where the voice come from).

we have also observe that we need to be gentle with him, if not he will get irritated fast. Interestingly he will beat me when I say "no" or "cannot" or its equalivent when he wants to do something that I disapprove.

The next stage is really working with him in starting to verbalize to communicate to us. Joanna seem to have a lot of words out of him in conversation. I only get some for nursery singing.

We also observed that he is having more imagination and pretend play. He following children to play. Like at his cousin's birthday party, the children play "London bridge" and he followed them. When was watch Barney climbing the tree in the VCD, he actually try to climb the wall column at home.

going to school last week has been easier as Stephen would walk from the home to the car, and school to car, car to home again. Now we got to work on car to school. Was wondering if it is because of the body checking that got him into the habit bec the first few time in school, he walked willingly.

we also did pillow throwing and bear throwing. The whole idea arise from the fact that he like to throw thing he don't like away. So when he throw from the bed down, I will throw it up again. We did this for a while until he throw it to another side so that I cannot throw back to him again. This is enjoyable and allow much eye contact. It also help me realize he is a "thinking boy". There was once when we throw bear and after a few round, he purposely throw it at the end of the bed and I cannot reach it. Witty fellow.

Thank God for his improvement thus far. I think it is quite observe that he is enjoying people more and more responsive. His teacher at school have also observed it.

His teacher told us that there was once in school when his teacher took him to play with other children, he saw a child taking a picture of "mamee noodle" pass it to his teacher and the teacher gave a packet of noodle to the child. So when the boy finished using the picture, he actually did the same thing to everyone's surprise and got himself a packet of noodle for tea too. This is the "picture exchange communication system.

so much for now. More happy sharing to come.

Finally I can get access to post my observation. Was not able to get for for the last 2 weeks.

continue to do toes and fingers counting with Stephen. He enjoyed the sensation, did the counting as well as say "toes" and "fingers" He also give a lot of eye contact and a lot of smiles. We are able to do this for at least 4- 5 rounds before he want to change. Try it, its low impact.

he has been doing his play doo. Once or twice he will say "open" when he needs me to open the cover of the container to get he play doo. Interestingly, these day he will go get the board before he start to play the doo and he remembers where it is placed although it is quite hidden. Guess his memory retention has improved.

a few time when he want something e.g the animal wind mail. He actually said "yes" when I ask him if it was the item he wanted.

did "do a de and female deer" song with him and he likes it a lot. He was able to say a number of the words like. Deer, sun, myself, run, tread, etc. not too clear for some but you just knows that it sounds like and he is trying his best to pronounce it. Music has definitely help him a lot in the area of words.

angel got Stephen a shape and transportation puzzle and the first time I did with him, he was able to fit it in the very first time. For most of the puzzle, he did not randomly try it. He will also flip the puzzle to the correct facing before putting into the slot. This part is very similar to the Chinese flash card he likes. He will also make sure it is facing the right side up before he put the card down.

he also gave me a kiss upon request. It is a air kiss with sound and mouth shape. I do observe that he is able to response upon request more these day and this is one important step to his "coming into our world"

this week end we went to the botanic garden and he did a lot of chasing with Deborah. ie he was running after her. He also imitated her when she stop, stood down as well as roll.

we went to the park with our extended family and he try to chase the other children who were on the bicycle. One improvement worth mentioning was he willingly went to play with the sand. He never like it, in fact hated it. I remember he would come down on his feet when we are near sand and the last time I put him down, he was crying. But this time, he did cry at all and enjoyed digging and scoping the sand into the pail and wanted me to over turn it to made sand castle. I belief this is a great improvement on his sensory skill.

I did share that recently he has been wanting us to carry him when ever we go out. At least for 2 days. He was ok to walk himself to the car, from the house without crying or wanting being carried.

btw does anyone know what is the fastest time taken by a 3 yrs old child to run 100m? Sometime his desire to be carried is so great that he run so fast after us. We think he proberly can outrun many his age. Maybe Hui Ping's talk on him being good at sport may come true.

so much for now. Thank you all who are working with him and praying with us. The road ahead is not easy but every little thing that is so easy for a usual child is liken unto a great accomplishment for us as we see Stephen do it.

the next post are pictures I took when I did observation at Stephens school.