What I Did This Week, by Ellie

1. "gross motor planned" how to work the scooter at Granny's

2. took 3 hour naps everyday to rest her brain--napping is extremely important for cognitive development and memory skills

3. asked Emma to "please share" a toy, instead of grabbing, or getting upset

4. reminded herself to "smile!" when I took the picture of her at the table

5. attended the annual Parma Heights Memorial Day parade and didn't blink an eye when either the band or the firetrucks went by (high-frequency sensory input)

6. Kissed Lisa, Debbie, Granny and Sally Hicks "bye bye"--spontaneously

Then. Now.

Happy birthday, my first one, my most perfect moment.

That big smile comes easier now.

Ellie is more free in expressing her emotions. She always expressed enjoyment, laughter, even giddiness, but now it comes like water--she doesn't have to think about it, it just flows out of her. Here she's watching her sisters climb the steps at the twisty slide at Noble School. It's as much fun to watch the twins slide as it is for Ellie to do it herself.

And look at that direct, unfaltering gaze. We didn't see that even three months ago. THERAPY WORKS.

Let's go swimming with Dad.

We hear this every Saturday morning. Ellie apparently understands that on a day when she wakes up and Daddy doesn't go to work "to make our money," we go swimming. She loves it and is totally comfortable in the water. I could overanalyze it and say, oh, it's a sensory thing, it fulfills some tactile need, but let's face it. Water is fun. You don't need 10 hours a week of therapy to figure that one out.

I'm not surprised.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24465288/

Twist Tie

Ellie's only "bad" habit (other than bursting into our room at 6 am lately to "snuggle"...I appreciate the sentiment but not the hour) is twisting her hair. She does it when she's nervous, or a little overstimulated. Admittedly, she gave herself a bald spot, which Sally Zarlinga and I nipped in the bud by giving her a pixie. Less to grab, less to twist. She still tries, tho, as is evidenced by this snapshot from dinner. She was happy, eating chicken, "broccoli...no!", brown bread and mashed taters. Some kids bite their nails, or suck their thumbs. This, too, shall pass. PS. The chocolate smear on her sleeve is from Asher Baskind's birthday cupcake. The red spot on her other arm is her world-famous boo boo. Emma tries to hug Ellie's arm every day and whispers, "Boo boo. Boo boo arm Ellie." As bad as it looks, this girl took it in stride. Who's to say kids like her can't roll with it?