Cole is now in school. He has completed three days. I picked him and Erin up from school Friday afternoon. When I pulled up to the pickup area one of the teachers called for Erin Baker, but up popped Cole first dragging Erin up by the arm, she had a death grip on him, practically leaping over other kids. "Jim, Jim, Pappy he hollered as he climbed in the open door.
He went directly to his booster seat and Erin buckled him and off we went to visit Granny on the way home.
"Granny, Granny he called as we approach Marcia's office, it just up the road on the way home. "See Granny" Cole called. He knew Granny would have a snack. We stopped and had a short visit, heading on home.
I just knew he would want to get in the swing when we got there. We pulled in and I got him out of the seat. He started toward the swings to my dread. He turned and said "its hot Pappy". Then he went up the back steps, slung open the screen door, opened the back door and said "come on Pappy, want Coke".
Guess what? He got him some Coke and I sighed with releif that there would be no swinging session in the 102 degrees heat. No sooner than I had put ice in the cup he had taken his stool out of the cabinet. He has a little fold up stool he uses when he washes his hands in the kitchen sink. He went directly to the pantry, climbed on the stool and pulled down the Chex Mix bag. "I want chips" and so we had Chex mix.
Cole and Erin then went into our bedroom and turned the tv on to Nick. Erin sitting in the chair and Cole perch up high on the end of the bed with his cup of Coke and cup of Chex. I-Carly didn't hold his attention long before he was asking for a Thomas DVD.
I went to the DVD stack and pulled out one. He took it, looked at it and said "Thomas workshop, want Treasures". These are the things that amaze and puzzle me about Fragile X. Cole can't read a lick (I think) but he knows which DVD is which and he has several. He looks at them and calls them by title. Friends help out, Milkshake, Treasures, Workshop and others I can't remember.
He also has several Thomas books with illustrations and one or two lines of text on each page. Although he can't repeat the complete line on each page. He knows what line is on each page. And he has three or four books that can correlate the words with the illustrations. But then on the other hand he still can't or won't say his own name.
I look at these things and then remember that at age 3 he hardly said more than a dozen or so words. Now he is five and knows all the charaters of Thomas, Spongebob, Toy Story by name. He follows the stories, laughs, sings and talks to the DVD. He has come such a long way.
He still comes to my chair and says " lap, Pappy, lap". Use to be to climb up and take a nap. Now he climbs up with his book and "reads" to me and then tells me to read to him.
The bottom line. He is learning. Learning differently from "normal" kids but he is learning.
In a previous post I mentioned that Chris and his friend Charlie Cosey are organizing an golf tournament to benefit FRAXA. Things are starting to come together.
Several sponsors have been established and several teams have already signed up.
Chris and Brandi along with Charlie and Patty are hoping to make this an annual event and establish a south Georgia Chapter of FRAXA. They are working hard at it and I want to thank those who have offered and given support.
Here is a link to the Team up for a Cure sight.
http://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/chrisbaker/teamupforacurecharitygolfouting?utm_medium=share&utm_campaign=share&utm_source=at-facebook&utm_content=eua#.TigsS4JYpM1.facebook
Here is a link to FRAXA.
fraxa.org
Thanks for visiting and as we say in the south, Y'all come back, ya' hear.
