While Elisey will wear pretty much most of his clothes, except for one shirt which really is too big, Dimcho has two favorite shirts and melts down if both of them are in the laundry. Dimcho also insists on having his shirt tucked in, and nothing can get accomplished until he is properly attired. Elisey doesn't mind his shirt hanging out, although he is also fine with his shirt tucked in.
New clothes--in fact anything new--get their attention. The boys even notice if I wear a "new" shirt, that is, one they haven't seen me wear before, and they comment on it.
We continually to have relative calm. It's still a bit tense. Dimcho has fits of wildness, even trying to scratch and bite me, all while laughing. I don't think he understands that it could hurt. Elisey recovers from his meltdowns faster, but they are still atypical for most children. If I say "no" to something, he immediately goes and does something else forbidden, usually more forbidden, as if to try to blackmail me into his demand. He is also remarkably specific. For example, the other day he wanted to play with a spatula. I gave him the choice between two other spatulas, but he demanded the one he pointed out, and when I refused, he again went and did something forbidden, I forgot what, something like grab a book of Donna's. We are trying to understand what is behind this behavior.
The fact that he recovers from a meltdown more quickly, and sometimes even on his own without assistance from us, is progress, we try to remember.
