FS are back

We played outside a bit before going to the in-laws for dinner. My neighbor gave us a "rocking" horse suspended by springs onto a frame, similar to a trampoline. I accepted it because I want to see if Nikko will ride it and alleviate any stims. We tried to put him on the horse but he wasn't willing. Instead he opted to stand inside the frame next to the horse. I figured that perhaps Nikko doesn't know what to do on it, never seeing a cowboy on a horse, so how would he know how to rock on it? There were a few little delays in getting out of the house on time, one being Nikko is turning his attention back to fruit snacks. Good thing I didn't throw them all away, but yesterday at Costco he started clamoring for them and I sincerely didn't have a single bag on me. I rooted in the food bag and found two stray FS, but it didn't satisfy Nikko. He also didn't eat his mac cheese tonight at the in-laws, and I wondered if it's because Denis put some chicken nuggets in the middle of it. He said he probably spoiled his appetite by snacking late. Lose-lose situation there. I brought the instruction manual for the swingset over so that my FIL can read it. He looked at it and seemed challenged, but he didn't say it wasn't possible. I really hope he can make some time in the next week to come over, possibly with someone to help, and put it all together. I am dying for the boys to play on something in the backyard that will keep them entertained!!

Tomorrow is the 4th of July and we don't have any definitive plans set. We'll try to see fireworks near the gas station, instead of going to Melas Park, but I wonder if Denis will want to go to the park to experience stuff inside. Doubtful, with the three kids, but who knows? It's supposed to rain at some point so a rainy day plan is probably the route. This means being in the basement. Friday is Rex's 2nd birthday party so there's another opportunity to socialize. Nikko was running around tonight and allowed some interaction with Ronin. In fact, earlier today I watched them chase each other back and forth from the kitchen to the living room sofa. They were both giggling and looking at each other to see who would go chase the other. I liked that interaction.

As I mentioned the other night, Cyndi lent me another Behavioral Therapy book titled A Treasure Chest of Behavioral Strategies for Individuals with Autism (Fouse, Wheeler). It looks like an easier read than the first book I trolled through, but what bothers me about both books is the basis of ABA therapy or "reinforcers". I understand that if Nikko does a desired action, he gets rewarded a reinforcer. This happens many times until the reinforcer is diminished. But when I put the reinforcer in the picture of Fruit Snacks, I worry because I don't personally want to reinforce his actions all the time with FS. I know it could be praise, but I am also wondering if this kind of behavioral therapy is the right direction for Nikko. It might very well be. I know that I'm supposed to move forward after he starts preschool, but it's nagging me inside that I'll have to sit for two months until we start preschool. I'm not ignoring him in the interim, mind you, but I'm also not Jen the DT who seemed to make big gains with Nikko in only two months. I'll have to mull this over, over time.