Megan has mastered the "fill in the blank" game. I can sing something to her and then the next time leave off the last word and she will fill in the blank. She doesn't always do the correct sound but she tries. I will sing "baa, baa, baa, b" and then the next time leave off the b and she will do it for me. Or sometimes she throws in a different sound, but the good news is that she has the concept down. This is a good step in the direction of mimicking new sounds.
On Tuesday when I picked Megan up from school she was a walking, walking, walking girl. She walked out the door of her classroom a few steps, turned around and went back in 3 times. When I finally got her going the right direction she walked all the way to the front door of the building which is at least 250 feet of walking. I am sure she walked closer to 300 feet because she kept turning around and going back the other direction. She would go up to doors and knock, she pushed the button on the water fountain, she played ring around the pole. It was crazy and fun to watch.
She has gotten very good at holding onto something, squatting down, picking up something and standing back up. Yesterday she held onto her therapist hand and walked around the arena picking up Easter eggs with Sam after her horse riding session was over. She did great, even on the uneven dirt.
Thursday, March 28, 2013
Thursday, March 21, 2013
Stay at home vacation happenings
Super long two-week update.
Hippotherapy - Last week during Megan's session I got to be her side walker because there was a volunteer who didn't show up. Normally this would have been a disaster but since Will was there too and could hang with Sam I was free to do it. I had so much fun, it really still makes me smile when I think about it. Megan is doing great on the pony. Yesterday she had so much fun that when it was time to leave she was trying to put her helmet back on so she could ride some more. She is now standing up in the stirrups by herself, throwing balls overhead into the basketball goal, getting items out of the mailbox, etc...all by herself.
Speech - Megan has started "filling in the blanks" for me. I sang part of the alphabet phonics song and she did the "m" part for me. She also said moo last week for her speech therapist during the old macdonald song. Her therapist said she can hear all of the vowel sounds now when Megan is babbling. During yesterday's session she did incredibly well with imitating gross motor movements, even mimicking double-taps with double-taps instead of just single ones. She is blowing kisses like crazy, waving good-bye and raising her arms during diaper changes. Yesterday she was getting frustrated with having to perform to get to play with a toy so at one point she crawled to the door, said "mama" and hit it to indicate that she was done and she wanted me. Her therapist was very impressed by this but told her she had 15 more minutes of work to do. Megan's response was to get back to work and make the sound she was being asked to make - I was impressed by that. Megan is now doing the sign for book on a regular basis and it is so cute with her little hands
Walking - Megan has continued to walk when asked, though the past week has been less because I hurt my back so I can't help/facilitate it for her. Her PT at school was thrilled with her work today - they worked on her standing up from a low bench by herself. She said that they would sing a song and when Megan sat down she would stop singing and tell her she had to stand up to hear more and she would do it. She was also standing for 15-20 seconds before sitting back down. Megan has been standing at home a lot at her kitchen and Sam's tool bench. She will stand and play and when she drops something she is holding on with on hand, squatting down to pick up the toy and then standing back up. I thought this was great since she was instigating on her own and her PT was thrilled to hear about it saying it was a good sign too. Three times in the past 2 weeks Megan has walked to complete strangers. The first time she climbed out of my lap onto her feet and walked across the room to get to someone. The second and third times she let go of Will's hands to walk to someone.
Mall Fun - twice during our vacation we took the kids to a mall. The first time we took them to the ride on toys that move back and forth a little bit. We were able to put them side by side in a race car and they had a blast. Every time it would run out Megan would say more in sign language and then clap. The second mall has a toddler climbing area. Megan wasn't into climbing - there were way too many kids there, but she loves to watch other kids. She moved around a little bit until she found her spot. She sat beside a tunnel so she could see through it and watch kids running by the other end. At one point I sent Sam through the tunnel to her and she screamed and squealed with delight. She would also do a little dance and clap when she saw him run by the end of the tunnel. There was a little boy who she gave kisses to and he returned the favor. At one point she was walking holding onto Will's hand and the boy started pushing on her tummy. She kept walking, though sideways to get away from him but she was smiling and laughing the whole time.
Miscellaneous - two of our male neighbors have come by when we were playing outside and Megan wanted both of them to hold her and didn't want either of them to put her down. A couple of days ago she learned how to tease someone. Will had been getting her ready for bed and she grabbed her finger brace and moved away from him. He told her to give it back and she held it up to him and right before he grabbed it she pulled it away and laughed. She did it several times. Then yesterday she teases Sam with one of the screws from his tool bench. This morning when Will pulled into the school parking lot Megan clapped. They were in the truck so she was high enough to see where she was and she was happy to be at school.
Hippotherapy - Last week during Megan's session I got to be her side walker because there was a volunteer who didn't show up. Normally this would have been a disaster but since Will was there too and could hang with Sam I was free to do it. I had so much fun, it really still makes me smile when I think about it. Megan is doing great on the pony. Yesterday she had so much fun that when it was time to leave she was trying to put her helmet back on so she could ride some more. She is now standing up in the stirrups by herself, throwing balls overhead into the basketball goal, getting items out of the mailbox, etc...all by herself.
Speech - Megan has started "filling in the blanks" for me. I sang part of the alphabet phonics song and she did the "m" part for me. She also said moo last week for her speech therapist during the old macdonald song. Her therapist said she can hear all of the vowel sounds now when Megan is babbling. During yesterday's session she did incredibly well with imitating gross motor movements, even mimicking double-taps with double-taps instead of just single ones. She is blowing kisses like crazy, waving good-bye and raising her arms during diaper changes. Yesterday she was getting frustrated with having to perform to get to play with a toy so at one point she crawled to the door, said "mama" and hit it to indicate that she was done and she wanted me. Her therapist was very impressed by this but told her she had 15 more minutes of work to do. Megan's response was to get back to work and make the sound she was being asked to make - I was impressed by that. Megan is now doing the sign for book on a regular basis and it is so cute with her little hands
Walking - Megan has continued to walk when asked, though the past week has been less because I hurt my back so I can't help/facilitate it for her. Her PT at school was thrilled with her work today - they worked on her standing up from a low bench by herself. She said that they would sing a song and when Megan sat down she would stop singing and tell her she had to stand up to hear more and she would do it. She was also standing for 15-20 seconds before sitting back down. Megan has been standing at home a lot at her kitchen and Sam's tool bench. She will stand and play and when she drops something she is holding on with on hand, squatting down to pick up the toy and then standing back up. I thought this was great since she was instigating on her own and her PT was thrilled to hear about it saying it was a good sign too. Three times in the past 2 weeks Megan has walked to complete strangers. The first time she climbed out of my lap onto her feet and walked across the room to get to someone. The second and third times she let go of Will's hands to walk to someone.
Mall Fun - twice during our vacation we took the kids to a mall. The first time we took them to the ride on toys that move back and forth a little bit. We were able to put them side by side in a race car and they had a blast. Every time it would run out Megan would say more in sign language and then clap. The second mall has a toddler climbing area. Megan wasn't into climbing - there were way too many kids there, but she loves to watch other kids. She moved around a little bit until she found her spot. She sat beside a tunnel so she could see through it and watch kids running by the other end. At one point I sent Sam through the tunnel to her and she screamed and squealed with delight. She would also do a little dance and clap when she saw him run by the end of the tunnel. There was a little boy who she gave kisses to and he returned the favor. At one point she was walking holding onto Will's hand and the boy started pushing on her tummy. She kept walking, though sideways to get away from him but she was smiling and laughing the whole time.
Miscellaneous - two of our male neighbors have come by when we were playing outside and Megan wanted both of them to hold her and didn't want either of them to put her down. A couple of days ago she learned how to tease someone. Will had been getting her ready for bed and she grabbed her finger brace and moved away from him. He told her to give it back and she held it up to him and right before he grabbed it she pulled it away and laughed. She did it several times. Then yesterday she teases Sam with one of the screws from his tool bench. This morning when Will pulled into the school parking lot Megan clapped. They were in the truck so she was high enough to see where she was and she was happy to be at school.
Thursday, March 7, 2013
Walking update brought to you by the letter G
Megan has been doing really well with her walking, especially in the evenings with daddy. She loves to push him around the house by putting her hands on his thighs and he walks backwards - though most of the time she is barely touching him.
She has been working hard on learning to stand up without pulling up. Yesterday she did it 4 times on her own, meaning I didn't help her. Tonight for the first time she initiated it and got more than 75% of the way on her own and I helped her balance to finish standing up. The first time I had positioned her to stand up and she did it and then halfway to Will she fell down. She then got back in position and started to stand up. This was the first time she didn't just do her crawl/hop thing the rest of the way; but instead tried to stand up to walk again. She repeated that a few minutes later as well.
Last night Will was holding both of her hands and they were walking extremely fast around the house - as fast as Megan could go without actually running. She was squealing and having a blast. At one point she was facing him and they walked to the laundry room. Instead of turning around to walk back out of the hallway she started walking backwards. She did it several more times - walked backwards while holding onto our hands.
Tonight while she was going back and forth between us I sent her to Will. She walked all the way across the room, stopped about 2 steps from Will, turned around and walked back to me.
As promised this update has been brought to you by the letter G. Megan is now making the G sound.
She has been working hard on learning to stand up without pulling up. Yesterday she did it 4 times on her own, meaning I didn't help her. Tonight for the first time she initiated it and got more than 75% of the way on her own and I helped her balance to finish standing up. The first time I had positioned her to stand up and she did it and then halfway to Will she fell down. She then got back in position and started to stand up. This was the first time she didn't just do her crawl/hop thing the rest of the way; but instead tried to stand up to walk again. She repeated that a few minutes later as well.
Last night Will was holding both of her hands and they were walking extremely fast around the house - as fast as Megan could go without actually running. She was squealing and having a blast. At one point she was facing him and they walked to the laundry room. Instead of turning around to walk back out of the hallway she started walking backwards. She did it several more times - walked backwards while holding onto our hands.
Tonight while she was going back and forth between us I sent her to Will. She walked all the way across the room, stopped about 2 steps from Will, turned around and walked back to me.
As promised this update has been brought to you by the letter G. Megan is now making the G sound.
Friday, March 1, 2013
Walking, catching and feeding herself
Megan has continued to walk and walk and walk. She will walk to anything she finds enticing. She hasn't figured out how to stand up in the middle of the room yet, though she does try. She will walk between the furniture in the house if there is something that she sees that interests her. This morning after school she walked from our front door to the coffee table, which included having to turn a corner. She put her hands down twice on the way but she did so amazing. That trip is about 40'.
Last week she started catching her house shoe. She was standing in her bed and I was throwing it at/to her and she would let it hit her in the face and then she would laugh. At one point she just started catching it - sometimes with both hands and sometimes with just one.
She has been doing great with feeding herself and not throwing food. She is pretty much to the point where she only throws food when she is done with it, meaning she is full or she is ready for fruit. We are working with her to tell us she is done instead of throwing it but this is far, far better than when she would just throw everything that wasn't in her mouth. She is also doing great with not throwing her cup and letting it sit on her tray.
Last week she started catching her house shoe. She was standing in her bed and I was throwing it at/to her and she would let it hit her in the face and then she would laugh. At one point she just started catching it - sometimes with both hands and sometimes with just one.
She has been doing great with feeding herself and not throwing food. She is pretty much to the point where she only throws food when she is done with it, meaning she is full or she is ready for fruit. We are working with her to tell us she is done instead of throwing it but this is far, far better than when she would just throw everything that wasn't in her mouth. She is also doing great with not throwing her cup and letting it sit on her tray.
Monday, February 25, 2013
Amazing 3.5 days and now back to school
Megan is doing amazing with her walking. It started on Thursday when we got home from school and it hasn't stopped. I was/am very nervous that she is back at school today. Obviously they want her to walk too, but it is different. There are others in the classroom and though I am sure they will work with her to get her to walk when they are ready to transition to a different area, it will be very different from me having her walking constantly.
This weekend she walked all over the park and playgrounds that we went to - she held our hand to walk on the mulch but she didn't really use it - just wanted the security.
This weekend she walked all over the park and playgrounds that we went to - she held our hand to walk on the mulch but she didn't really use it - just wanted the security.
Friday, February 22, 2013
Independence = JOY
Megan has always been a happy and joyful little girl. Watching her this morning when she chooses to walk somewhere other than where I tried to get her to go - she is so very joyful. She is still walking everywhere - I am still enticing her for the most part; but every once in a while she decides she wants to go somewhere other than where I am directing her and her face just beams when she does it.
I have been giving her breaks, 5-10 minutes to just do what she wants and though there is very little walking during this time, there is a lot of standing and playing with Sam.
I have been giving her breaks, 5-10 minutes to just do what she wants and though there is very little walking during this time, there is a lot of standing and playing with Sam.
It is possible that it will stick
Yesterday Megan was in the mood to walk. She tried to dive out of my arms on the way into the school so she could use her walker. If it is cold I wait until we get inside for her to walk and she didn't want to wait. She walked all the way to her room, which took forever because she is like the school ambassador. She stops and chats with everyone, she tries to follow the older kids when they say hi to her, she claps for the police officer.
Anyway, when she got into her room her teacher picked her up and Megan wanted back down immediately so she could walk around the room with her walker. They said she was that way all day. She even walked to the office and back just holding one hand at one point.
I let her use the walker to get all the way to the car when I picked her up and then I parked in the driveway instead of the garage so she could hold my hand and walk to the front door and into the house.
Once inside I put some enticing toys on various surfaces throughout the living room and she walked from surface to surface, even turning around and letting go by herself. She was ready to go. She walked across the house and to all kinds of places with just me following behind her. Yesterday before lunch was like the Thursday 3 weeks ago. I was concerned that she would wake up from nap and be done with it like she was last time, but unfortunately she wouldn't go to sleep at nap time. She was so amped up, she was squealing and laughing for her entire nap.
When she got up, though she was tired, she walked around for 2 hours until dinner time. She was so happy to be walking where she wanted to go and she did great. So, this morning after she slept it was time to test her again.
She is still walking everywhere. Sometimes she acts like she needs me there and will lean back but if I tell her that she has got this and she doesn't need my help she leans forward and takes off. It is 9:15 and she has walked since she finished breakfast 1.5 hours ago.
Anyway, when she got into her room her teacher picked her up and Megan wanted back down immediately so she could walk around the room with her walker. They said she was that way all day. She even walked to the office and back just holding one hand at one point.
I let her use the walker to get all the way to the car when I picked her up and then I parked in the driveway instead of the garage so she could hold my hand and walk to the front door and into the house.
Once inside I put some enticing toys on various surfaces throughout the living room and she walked from surface to surface, even turning around and letting go by herself. She was ready to go. She walked across the house and to all kinds of places with just me following behind her. Yesterday before lunch was like the Thursday 3 weeks ago. I was concerned that she would wake up from nap and be done with it like she was last time, but unfortunately she wouldn't go to sleep at nap time. She was so amped up, she was squealing and laughing for her entire nap.
When she got up, though she was tired, she walked around for 2 hours until dinner time. She was so happy to be walking where she wanted to go and she did great. So, this morning after she slept it was time to test her again.
She is still walking everywhere. Sometimes she acts like she needs me there and will lean back but if I tell her that she has got this and she doesn't need my help she leans forward and takes off. It is 9:15 and she has walked since she finished breakfast 1.5 hours ago.
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