A day with Asher

There are some really good things Asher has going for himself, like the fact he is very well bonded to one caregiver in particular, and he does show reservation with strangers, especially strangers who don't know how to talk! LOL

That same attachment is what makes our visits difficult. He can see his caregivers through the glass walls and he wants to be with them. Today I had a 3 hour visit with him and it's just too long. All he really wants to do is dangle stuff. This afternoon I'm only going for an hour and a half.

So what do we do with our visits? For the most part he cuddles and I sing. While this is great and a good bonding thing, it is also indiscriminate. He does it with everyone and it his way to escape having to do anything. Because he's very cuddly and sweet, he gets away with a lot and there are no demands put upon him. He does like music, and if I give him my phone with music on he will hold it up to his ear to rock.

He is a dangler (of objects) but very quickly becomes absorbed in that activity so now before we enter the play room I do a quick scan of objects he likes to dangle and put them out of reach. I do have a dangly thing that he LOVES but I'm saving that for many hours in an airplane. LOL

He LOVES LOVES LOVES the spinning toothbrush I brought for him!!! Just like Axel, Asher loves the vibration. We played with it in his mouth this morning, with no pressure at all against his teeth, and his mouth bled like crazy! I was able to use the toothbrush to move his cheeks so I could get a look in his mouth. Oh man...poor baby! His gums are badly receded around most of his teeth, exposing the roots. Like Axel, I can't believe Asher let me put the toothbrush in his mouth! At tonight's visit I was rubbing the backside of it all over  his cheeks and lips. Then I stopped and he wanted more, so I first tapped his tongue and said, "Ne ne ne" (Serbian for no) until he put is tongue back in his mouth. As soon as he did I put the toothbrush back where he liked it on his lips. I repeated this several times, and by the time we were done playing with it he was putting his tongue back in his mouth for my cue to start the toothbrush again. Smart little guy! When we were done with that it was time to bring him back to his group. As we were walking I looked down and saw his tongue out. I said "ne ne ne" and went to tap it, but he pulled it in on his own quick while laughing and slapping his hand over his mouth. (like HE was pushing it back in.) It was very cute, and gives me hope we can work with the tongue issue when we get home!

This is one of the first walks I took with Asher. Watch what happens when I try prompting him about his tongue for the 3,000th time. OH how he can SQUACK! Guess I would too if some lady kept sticking her finger at my tongue.