Gavin is turning 5. I can't believe it! I don't want it. This boy is growing up too fast! I'll never forget our first night with him, it seems like just a year ago, not 5! He seemed so tiny and fragile. There's me in the picture changing his first dipe. I remember doing that, thinking - "this isn't as easy as I thought it would be." With dogged training, it has become second nature. Thank God he now does 95% of his number two's on the throne. See the earlier posts on that subject.

Now he's a scrappy, resilient little guy with grass stained knees and dirt under his fingernails. Last week he added a really tough looking scar across his forehead, the result of a collision with the entertainment center and a trip to the E.R. ( He was actually very excited to visit the hospital, but was disappointed not to be going in an ambulance.) Now he reads to me at bedtime, not vice versa. I'm very proud of him, but it's just going too fast.

To celebrate his half decade mark, were throwing him an awesome birthday party. We're trying to fill all of his requests for it. When Sara asked him what kind of birthday party he wanted, he was pretty specific: A big wheel party with lots of flags, and a flag cake! He loves to ride his bigwheel, and has a fascination with the American flag. He loves to watch flags blowing in the wind, it is his escape. Lots of kids with autism have different types of passions. For some it is running water, spinning wheels, or  ceiling fans. For Gavin, it is the American Flag. You'd never realize how many flags there are in town until you take a ride with my son. He spots them everywhere, even the little sticker flags in car windows. In the public, there are people who think it's odd. I've seen quite a few perplexed faces when Gavin starts dancing and hopping around the flags at McDonalds instead of playing on the big plastic treehouse. You see, McDonalds is a huge triple whammy for him - they always have 3 flags: USA, NC, and Mc D's. Booyah! Trifecta!! Rather than trying to explain the complicated intricacies of autistic behavior, I just say he is very patriotic.

For the party we've rented a local indoor skating rink where the kids can eat hotdogs and ride their bigwheels and trikes under the flashing lights and disco ball. Awesome! We are going to coat the place with American flags, of course. Sara's been ordering the flags and ballons online, and as it arrives we've been showing it to him so he's not completely overwhelmed by the setting when we get there. We've found its best not to surprise him too much - he gets bowled over with this nervous energy that can leave him sprawled on the floor giggling like a maniac. That's fine, but it can also really throw him off track for the rest of the day. With careful planning and prep it'll be fine. We'll post some pics after the big event!

 Gavin is finally going to the bathroom on his own. I can't believe it! He just started last week, and its been over a week with only one stinky pullup. He's been using the toilet to pee pee for a few months now, that hasn't been a problem. It's the number 2 that has been the major hurdle. He's had some serious reservations about it, as if he's scared to death of sitting on the toilet. Some children with autism may never be able to use the bathroom on their own. Sara and I were seriously prepared for a lifetime of diaper changes. We had all but given up, telling each other that "Someday, he'll just start doing it on his own.... but probably not today."

We've tried everything! He never liked the little miniature potty, or at least he never would sit on it for more than a minute. We bought him a little seat that sits over the toilet bowl so he fits better on it. That was months ago. We've tried bribing him with a myriad of different candies, finally settling on these special "Spongebob Treats" (little gummy Crabby Patties). He also gets to watch his favorite 7 minute cartoon, "Mater and the Ghostlight". These rewards have been in place for him for nearly a year. I really don't know what exactly prompted him to just decide to start pooping on the toilet now. My only clue is what he said right after the first time he did it:

Almost symbolically, it was New Years day. I was in the kitchen making breakfast and the boys were both happily engaged in the office playing on Starfall.com (see previous post).
Out of the blue, I heard Gavin announce "I can have a Spongebob treat  and watch Mater and the Ghostlight now. No spongebob treats for Garrett." What a terrific sentence from this kid! (He's also starting to use great sentences and ask more questions. Awesome!) I dropped what I was doing and bolted to the bathroom. Gavin was still standing with his pajama pants around his ankles, admiring his creation with a great look of gratification on his face. I'll never forget it, two floaters and a sinker. Beautiful!

After cleaning up and washing hands, we celebrated with a Crabby Patty and his favorite show on the Cars dvd. Garrett sauntered in to see what all the hubbub was about, and Gavin reminded him that he couldn't have a Spongebob treat until he poops on the potty. Garrett seemed okay with that, he's got his own reservations about the potty. He loves to just sit on it,  not to employ it. Gavin relishes the fact that he has reached this level of accomplishment, and can enjoy the fruits of success while Garrett cannot.

I am now convinced that the greatest motivator for potty training success is the peer group. If your friends are doing it, you will be able to do it too, right? Gavin has had better success with the potty at school (with a lot of prompting) mainly due to his friends' abilities, and Gavin's desire for same-ness. Not wanting to be left out, Gavin has succumbed to his teachers' persistent efforts. They celebrate every bathroom success with a dance and a song, so every kid in the classroom knows when someone is achieving this important skill.

I am so proud of Gavin and his new ability. It has been such a long road to get to this point, for him and for us.
I hope by writing and bragging like this I'm not jinxing his progress. He has regressed in the past. We always thought that Garrett would be the first one to master the commode, and Gavin would follow in his little brother's footsteps. No sir! Our magnificent 4 year old is blazing this trail.