Thursday, April 24, 2008

Every Thursday Playdate

Not a One Trick Pony (Jaden Blog Entry) There are just some things in life that we all naturally gravitate toward - mommy pursues much-needed sleep, Gavin moves toward my in-motion fists, and, I like to be surrounded by the ladies. In fact, those of you who are long-time readers of my blog are aware that I'm a player, with a couple of my past moves already well-documented:

Flashback to 2005: When I was 6 months old, I played 'The Protector' by using the "stop short" Frank Costanza move on the playground slide when a 1 year old girl slid behind me. For a refresher on the story, please see my archived blog entry named 'Girlfriend at the Park' found at the bottom of http://jadencrib.blogspot.com/2005_03_01_archive.html

Recent Moves in 2008
: Last month, I played 'The Smooth Operator', as I tried to undress my friend Katelyn - please see my recent post labeled 'Big Date' for a quick review.

But as a 'player' in the moment, I need to keep the ladies guessing what I might do next, and as my friend Catie found out, I can also be the 'Playful Close Friend' - we fell down together to have a moment during our innocent tag game.




Serious Side Note
By the way - for those who don't know, I have autism, and to help me in my recovery, I undergo intense Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) Therapy every weekday plus additional speech therapy on the weekend. The therapy focuses on learning through repetition and reward, and introduces new information, language, life skills, and social skills. Thursday is specifically dedicated to learning social skills, which means that I get to spend 1:1 time with my great friend Catie!

Catie participates by just being a super friend while playing different games with me (as the therapist facilitates the play and guides me toward increased play interest, improved social interactions, and appropriate response to the various situations).

Monday, April 21, 2008

Our Fun at Parker and Brady's House (04/20/08)

Reunited, at last (Jaden blog entry)
Well - it had been a long time since we had seen Parker, Brady, Aunt Kim, and Uncle Dave. It seemed like everyone was going through a vicious cycle of getting sick with no recovery in sight that lasted over a couple of months. Even the viruses were getting sick.

But, everyone finally got better, and so, we finally had a chance to visit them in Los Gatos. Wow - I had so much fun! For starters, I played tag, went down the slide, and shared snack time with Parker (who enjoyed my gfcf rice crackers). I even sneaked a gluten and dairy filled cheesy-poof when mommy & daddy weren't looking - my favorite!

The following video summarizes my visit, but also check out the x-wheeling segment below for the most fun of the day.




Taking it to the Big Kids (Gavin blog entry)
I also have a lot to say, but don't need to be as verbose as my big brother. I also had a fun time with Parker, Brady, Aunt Kim, and Uncle Dave, but the difference here is that Brady & I stepped it up a notch! If you want to watch the pathetic video above, go ahead - but, I guarantee you a much more action-packed ride in my following video:




X-Wheeling For All! (Jaden and Gavin blog entry)
This was easily our favorite event of the day - as you can see in the video below, we played extreme big wheeling (a.k.a 'x-wheeling') down a mini dirt hill.



Of course, daddy's video camera battery died before we began going down the outdoor steps, which represented a longer ramp filled with fun crash obstacles like wooden fences,and stacks of bricks. Too bad, since that was funny - especially as Uncle Dave and daddy rode the big wheel, and Daddy crashed a few times!


Not 'Circle Time' (Jaden blog entry)
There are times when everyone needs a little privacy - mommy prefers to sleep when I'm not jumping on her head, daddy prefers 5 minutes to inhale a few ice cream sandwiches, and, I even need to have some 'alone time' when I'm leaving a deposit in my diaper. Usually, I'll just tell everyone where to go until I'm done.

Speaking of leaving a deposit, Parker prefers to find privacy at a distant tree. Usually, Parker loves the camera, but during these moments, I think he's worried that the camera may add 10 pounds. To honor his request for privacy, I'm premiering the release of this never-before-seen footage to help the world understand when Parker wants privacy. I'm also releasing it to do my part in recognizing Earth Day.


Friday, April 18, 2008

Happy Passover!

Simon Boy Band Rumors Untrue (Jaden blog entry)
Yes, Gavin may have some rhythm - I've seen him clank a pot pan on the floor, and even scream bloody murder about going to sleep with extreme precision to the beat. But there is no way I can tour with him until he improves his balance - he may be starting to walk, but, he needs work on his directional spins for both body movements and drool. In fact, he reminds me a lot of daddy after he gets off a business conference call.

So, it's up to me to continue to educate this kid. I'm trying to choreograph some easy moves that hopefully he can copy. Maybe in a year, he'll improve enough to become one of my backup dancers. It's going to be a tough competition between him and K-Fed.

Meanwhile, I continue to practice for a near-term solo career. I'm releasing this early footage to provide visibility to my practice efforts, while wishing everyone a very Happy Passover!

- Jaden