Suddenly Christmas isn’t that far away! We started our Christmas activities last week when it was beginning to look like Christmas. For Ethan this week the excitement is really starting to build. He is mentally crossing things off his list, the things that he thinks should happen at Christmas. By doing this he is also reminding me of things that I still need to do.
Christmas for Ethan means a change in his routine. His autism means he finds change hard even if it is something he enjoys. This December he has been controlling what he eats. We think this makes him feel safe. He can’t control the changes that Chrimstas brings so he is managing his food intake. This isn’t a good thing as he has reduced his food intake. He has only been having a few mouthfuls of his breakfast and dinner as well as forgetting to drink. He has needed us to stand near him while he eats to count his spoonfuls. Last week he would only eat five spoonfuls. Thankfully over the past week, I have moved that up to fifteen. Under protest, but he is eating more which is good.
Ethan’s excitement must be building more this year than previously as he is remembering to open his advent calendar every day. Normally I would have to prompt him but not this year. Every day he tells me which door needs to be opened. He hasn’t forgotten any doors. He has even reminded Little E she needs to open hers.
There was also Christmas excitement at school for Ethan this week as it was the week of his Christmas show. He had been mentioning the song his class was doing but he wouldn’t sing it for me. I got to see him perform with his class on Friday. This was the first time that I can remember Ethan singing and dancing all the way through his song. I also think it was the first time I didn’t end up crying while watching the children in his school perform.
There was also excitement this weekend as we went to Legoland Windsor to visit Santa. This was our last visit to Legoland on our silver Merlin passes. It was nice and quiet and lovely to see the park dressed for Christmas. Little E changed her Christmas list when we visited Chessington last week. She has started to declare a love of space. I wish she made her requests a little bit earlier. Today Santa gave her a gift of a LEGO spaceship to build. She was very excited about it and Little E doesn’t get that excited about LEGO!
How lovely to be getting excited for Christmas. Glad that you are managing to persuade Ethan to eat a little more – I can imagine that all the changes that come with Christmas must be hard for him even if he is excited about them. Well done to him on performing with his class. Lovely that Little E got a LEGO spaceship from Santa. Sophie changed what she wanted when we visited Santa recently as well! #WotW