Weekly Therapy Update & More

"Raymond needed some verbal prompting in order to follow directions.  Raymond needed some prompting in order to attend to and participate in teacher directed activity."

-Beth, Special Instruction Therapist

11/13/2012

"Raymond had a good session with good attention, following directions, and cooperation.  He used a spoon to scoop beans to dump/fill for pronation/supination as well as pincer grasp to pick them up.  Raymond picked out socks and used both hands to put them on.  He stacked and nested blocks several times."

-Becky, Occupational Therapist

11/14/2012

 

 

 " Raymond verbalized "open" two times today.  He was able to select named items from 2 with more consistency.  Raymond filled in some actions - sit - drive.  Words to songs verbally continued to be practiced today.  Practiced answering yes/no to questions.  "M" sound appears to be developing.  Raymond can make the sound - attempted to say moo - me - today.  Raymond had an excellent session!  We played in his bedroom.  He attended to activities for 45 minutes with intermittent prompts."

-Allison, Speech Therapist

11/15/2012

 

 

Lily's Update:

"We had a snowman themed day.  Lily started by reading Frosty.  When prompted, Lily was able to point out common objects on the pages.  Lily completed arts and crafts to target requesting and imitating.  Lily only required 1-2 models before consistently using target words."

-Tara, Speech Therapist

11/14/2012

 

 

Raymond had his appointment with the surgeon on Wednesday about having his gallbladder removed.  I had never met this surgeon before but I really liked her and she was good with Raymond.  She agreed 100% that Raymond's gallbladder coming out is the best thing for him.  So after almost a year of pushing for this, Raymond will have his gallbladder removed on December 10.  So everyone pray that he stays healthy and can have it done as scheduled.  It will be tough for him but we know he'll be brave like every other time he's had surgery.

Last night we had a parent-teacher conference with Isabella's kindergarten teacher.  Isabella really likes her and it's easy to see why.  She's a very nice woman.  Some of the things she told us about Isabella is that she is kind, well-liked, has an eye for detail and extremely bright.  Mrs. Hodik said she was reading a book to the class, that she has used for years, and Isabella pointed something out in the book that she had never noticed and that none of her other students have ever noticed.  She was very impressed.  Mrs. Hodnik also said that she is looking forward to following Isabella's academic future because she is just "so bright".  As we suspected, she's a genius! : )

Until Next Time!

Lots of Love,



Children's Grief Awareness Day

The website for Children's Grief Awareness Day has an abundance of resources for families that are going through the devastation of a death.  Today, November 15, 2012, is Children's Grief Awareness Day.  If you know a family that is experiencing a loss, please refer them to this website - you can click on the picture below to go right to there.

Taken from www.childrensgriefawarenessday.org:

 

Children and teens who have had a loved one die often feel alone in their grief, like nobody understands what they're going through. Experiencing a death can be overwhelming for anyone, but it is especially difficult for those so young.

 

Grieving children need support. And the first step in that support is for the rest of us to become more aware of what these kids are going through.

 

Children's Grief Awareness Day is designed to help us all become more aware of the needs of grieving children and of the benefits that they obtain through the support of others.

 

Observed on the third Thursday of every November (one week before the U.S. holiday of Thanksgiving), Children's Grief Awareness Day is intentionally set in the holiday season, often a particularly difficult time for those grieving the loss of a loved one.

 

In 2012, Children's Grief Awareness Day is November 15.

 

Children's Grief Awareness Day is an opportunity for all of us to raise awareness of the painful impact that the death of a loved one has in the life of a child. An opportunity for all of us to recognize and support the millions of grieving children across the nation — the thousands of grieving children right in our own communities — the grieving children we know and see in our daily lives.

Children's Grief Awareness Day is an opportunity to make sure that grieving children receive the support they need.

 

Until Next Time!

Lots of Love,

Magic Fairies in a Jar!

I came across this idea somewhere online.  Maybe Pinterest?

Since glow sticks were on clearance for next to nothing with Halloween being over, it seemed like the perfect time to try it.  Magic Fairies in a Jar!  Isabella thought it was pretty cool!

 

 

FAIRIES IN A JAR DIRECTIONS:

1. Cut a glow stick and shake the contents into a jar. Add diamond glitter.

2. Seal the top with a lid.

3. Shake Hard

 

I couldn't get a great picture of it with my camera but it was really neat!  Isabella put it in her bedroom to use as a nightlight last night.

 

Until Next Time!

Lots of Love,

A Mother's Love

 Until Next Time!

Lots of Love,

Weekly Therapy Update & More!

Geeze!  It's Friday already?!?!

 

YO GABBA GABBA!!!

is the big thing in our house right now.

 

I'm not sure who was the first one to put it on Netflix for the kids - Chris or Grammy.  In any case, both Raymond and Lily love it!  A LOT!

Here are the therapy updates from the week:

 

"Raymond did a lot of sitting Indian style and some side sitting occasionally.  He did a lot of squatting play, picking up objects.  Attempting to transfer to half-kneel from sit to stand.  Did head, shoulders, knees and toes.  Raymond did well for me on our first day today.  He was engaged in play for a bit of various activities.  No tall-kneeling or half-kneeling today but he did do a lot of movements and activities."

-Tiffany, Physical Therapist

11/07/2012

"While singing Raymond attempted to fill in "roll", "pat" (verbally) for pat-a-cake.  Nice approximation.  Sang songs - pictures - signs were introduced for each song.  Raymond looked at pictures and handed a picture to me several times to sing song again.  Played with "M" Leapfrog toy to encourage production of /M/.  /M/ was modeled several other times.  No attempts at imitating sound but was able to close lips in imitation.  Raymond's attention to task was good today."

-Allison, Speech Therapist

11/08/2012

 

"Raymond attended well for 30+ minutes sitting to start and complete FM activities.  He completed several puzzles, used 2 hands together for stringing beads and potato head, and also scribbled briefly (and interest).  Good direction following and participating today."

-Becky, Occupational Therapy

11/09/2012

 

"Raymond needed some prompting in order to follow directions.  Raymond transitioned throughout the routine today.  Raymond did a nice job taking turns today."

-Beth, Special Instruction

11/09/2012

 

 

UPDATE FOR LILY

 

"Lily is working on imitating and requesting.  When prompted, Lily will attempt to repeat.  She was successful at understanding the power of requesting and initiated on her own after examples were given.  Lily is increasing her vocabulary but requires cues to do so."

-Tara, Speech Therapist

11/07/2012

 

 

Next week is going to be a busy one - especially Wednesday.  Wednesday I take Raymond to see the surgeon to schedule his surgery to remove his gallbladder.  That will finally be done.  Thank goodness!

 

Until Next Time!

Lots of Love,



 

 

Not to Brag...

This made me think of my mother-in-law and smile!

Until next Time!

Lots of Love,

Weekly Therapy Update & More

Because of storm Sandy, I did not have internet access for a few days.  That also means I missed the last day of the 31 for 21 campaign!  So I will be using this post to conclude the campaign.  I want to thank everyone who followed along and sent me emails about the posts.  I also know that a lot of you were unable to leave comments directly on the blog.  Sometimes Blogger has trouble with comments.  I ever know why or how long it will last but I appreciate the efforts of everyone to contact me in some way. 

We didn't go out trick-or-treating on Halloween because it was damp and very cold outside.  So we had celebrated Halloween inside.  Everyone got dressed up in their costumes.

Isabella was Princess Jasmine.

Lily was a pink poodle.

Raymond was Elmo!

 

 

This is actually a picture of Sophie...we dressed her up as Sadie.  Pretty good costume isn't it?!?  ; )

 

Everyone grabbed a bucket and went trick-or-treating inside.  We set up trick-or-treat stations all around the house.  The kids would knock on the bedroom doors (etc.) and say trick-or-treat!

 

 

Lily was a VERY cute poodle.  Thanks to Grammy for making her such a perfect costume!!!

 

Lily thinks we should do that every night!  She loved eating her treats!

 

Raymond slowly decided that his Elmo costume was annoying.

 

 

The entire thing finally came off.

 

But before it did...

 

I was trying to snap a picture of Raymond in his costume and got this one.  I think this picture is hysterical.  Seriously, I laughed so hard at it after I took it I was crying.  It looks like zombie Elmo has his arms wrapped around Raymond's neck and is trying to eat his head.  Maybe I just have a sick sense of humor?  Maybe I wouldn't have even looked twice if it wasn't Halloween?  In any case, I still think it's a very funny picture!

 

After the trick-or-treating, I made chocolate skull cakes with peanut butter frosting.  I snapped a quick picture of them before I put the frosting on.

Then we watched "monster" movies.  Monsters Inc. and Scooby Doo and the Ghoul School were the kid-friendly monster movies I could find.  So despite the fact that we didn't go outside, we still had lots of fun inside!

 

***

 

Because of the storm, Raymond did not have a lot of therapy this week.  School was closed and so was the IU.  Here is an update for this week.

 

"It took Raymond a while to warm up to a new therapist.  He did not stay seated for therapists activities.  Raymond preferred to play with his blocks.  Raymond signed ball in imitation and imitated "ball" to get the ball.  Attempted identifying actions.  Raymond needed hand-over-hand guidance to "show/point/get" picture.  Worked on having Raymond imitate some CV (consonant-vowel) words.  He watched my mouth nicely but did not consistently attempt to imitate."

-Allison, Speech Therapist

11/01/2012

 

 

Lily also started speech therapy this week.  Her therapist is very nice and I think will work well with her.  I will probably start to post Lily's updates also. 

 

Until Next Time!

Lots of Love,