Ava's first word

Ava said her first word! She reached her arms up as far as she could (another skill she just picked up this last two weeks) and said up! We had been practicing that word for about two months now. I picked her up and again she said up. I tried again and put her on the floor and told Craig to listen. I said do you want up Ava? She said up, again! Only when I tried to get it on film did she stop saying it. Typical! Right before she said up we were playing with a block and hammer set where she has to bang in the blocks but I couldn't find the hammer. I kept saying Craig where is the hammer, I finally just found the hammer and do you think the hammer is under the table? I found it and gave Ava the hammer and she said clear as a bell hammer. I looked at Craig and laughed and said there you go her first word...hammer. I was joking though because I think it was just a coincidence. Funny she said up right after. Proud of my girl.
This week she also began truly reaching for things with her hands and for the first time really trying to use her hands. She easily reached into a soft container and plucked out a toy today, a skill we have been trying to get her to do for a long time now. These are all very good steps forward. I hope to see this flurry continue.
She also has reached a new emotional milestone of separation anxiety. We are having a difficult time leaving the room even for a bathroom break. She wails her 'you killed my pony cry' with slumped shoulders and all. The other day she cried when I walked out of the room to get something so I came back and sat down. That cheered her up until the dog came in the room. Ava reached out to pet him and the dog walked out. Same huge bawling episode until I called the dog back and instant cheer.
She also has somehow without crawling been moving across the room. She falls down onto her belly and then sits up and lays down and sits up until she gets to where she wants. She did this three times this past weekend. One time it was to touch the giant teddy bear that was sitting in the rocking chair. I know because she was looking at it from across the room and I asked her if she wanted to see the bear. Before I got a chance to bring her over I was distracted by Meg screaming bloody murder over her computer game. By the time I got back to Ava five minutes later she was clear across the room and hugging the bear's leg.
I think the best thing is the fact that she is wanting to interact with us now. Not all the time but definately more often than usual. Her cute bum wiggle that she likes to give while laying on her tummy is getting more pronounced (so cute) I think it is her desire to crawl. Today with EI when we were distracted from Ava and talking she would lay down and practice the crawling (bum wiggle) on her own. Like hey we're working here!
I changed most of her fat in her diet to coconut oil, coconut butter and even coconut milk in some of her bottles. Not sure if it will help but her seizures began when she stopped breastfeeding and coconuts are the only source of lauric acid found in breast milk. Connection. Who knows, but for now we are coco for coconuts!
I found out by requesting her blood work and going through it myself that Ava's carnitine was 14.4, according to the lab that processed it, deficient levels (children's hospital in Toronto) when I requested further to Halifax they said that her previous levels were normal. I said well what were they and they said 14.6. I said that is what they were now and then got pretty confused. Apparently Halifax says 14 to 60 is normal and Toronto says 25 to 60 is normal. What is normal? In the meantime she is getting on Carnitor, just to be safe.

We went to see a phychiatrist today to see if Ava has autism on top of everything else. I must be the only parent trying to convince the docs she does have autism. It would mean four days a week of intervention for Ava and physio, speech and all coming to the house for sessions that would be about four hours a day for a year. Very intense and all based on a specific learning approach. The only problem is that they have only two spots for the entire tri-county region. That is a problem. They actually pick a name out of a hat for the kids who need the services. A bit insane. Supposedly in other provinces they have to pay a not so small fortune a year for these services, and here is offered for free. If you don't get the spot then you do still have an autistic team but less intense and probably similar to Ava's schedual now but everything at her home. One day every two weeks intervention, physio and occupational and speech. (We go private for any additional physio we get for Ava which works for us fine) They are sending everything to Yarmouth and she will be assessed then. Supposedly we are moving fast through the system right now which is a relief. I can't handle waiting very well. Too much is at stake.

A very good week all in all!