We took Little Bug for his annual review with the Wizard and as per usual, it wasn’t what we expected. The last time we went to see the wizard, all we got was a lecture about our sleeping arrangements (co-sleeping) and not to even consider potty training him until he was 4 or 5.
This time, the wizard told us that we were doing the right thing with the co-sleeping. He also felt that we were right to allow Little Bug to potty train in his own way, however was concerned about Little Bug’s bowel movements.
The wizard seemed less positive on things. Last time, the wizard gave us hope that things were going well and we were doing right. This time, the wizard gave us concerns, worries, and fear.
Going to see the wizard isn’t ever what you expect it to be or what others tell you it will be. Seeing our wizard is usually a mix between frustration and humor. The wizard wanted to evaluate Little Bug’s cognitive skills as we had told him that Little Bug could count beyond 20, count a group of objects without counting aloud, knew his colors, alphabet, and could spell his name.
Of course, none of these things happened with the wizard. When asked to name colors, he named shapes. When asked to count, he refused. When asked how to spell his name, he said, “I no know- too hard!”
Nick and I could only laugh. Once again, we look like pathological liars. We joke that Little Bug is hell bent on having therapy until he is 30. The SLP at his school and everyone who knows Little Bug has seen his language grow to a consistent 5 words (at least) per sentence and now includes self correcting. When he goes to speech, he will only give one word answers- even about his beloved sharks.
Showing posts with label developmental milestones. Show all posts
Showing posts with label developmental milestones. Show all posts
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
A Dream is Born
Sometimes, dreams are wonderfully born from a pivotal occurrence in someone’s life. Other times, they grow from steady determination and immersion-with a sprinkle of kismet. For Little Bug, I believe it is that later.
We all know that he has been obsessed with sharks; however he has now added whales, dolphins, turtles, and fishes to his repertoire of marine life. He has basically given up regular kid shows, favoring Discovery and National Geographic specials.
Yesterday, we took him to the aquarium again. It was an amazing trip and the realization of a dream. He watched the sharks and fishes in the tank and began to explain why some were fish and some were sharks. He pointed at a big Sturgeon and explained that it couldn’t be a shark because it only had one dorsal fin.
His light bulb moment came from the Seattle waterfronts new problem- tons and tons of jellyfish that shouldn’t be here and they can’t figure out how to get rid of. Little Bug and I were waiting for Nick on a pier and looking at the water. Suddenly, a bit of pink could be spotted. He yelled, “Jellyfish!” and began to jump up and down.
I watched and waited to see what it was. I was a little nervous that it was trash and he would be disappointed. More and more pink began to become visible along with some white and orange. Finally, a huge jellyfish appeared. Right behind it came a flock of tiny opaque jellies. This was Little Bug’s first experience with sea life outside of an aquarium.
He looked at me and said, “I’ma learn bout sharks.”
“Do you mean watching your movies and reading your books?”
“No! Ima swim with sharks- tiger sharks….whale sharks… bull sharks… jelly fishes…. Squid”
“Do you mean a biologist?”
“Yep. I’ma beelologist!”
Dreams are fragile, fragile things. This is something we weren’t sure we would ever get to experience with Little Bug. Nick and I will move mountains and go to hell and back to make sure he has every opportunity to become a beelologist.
We all know that he has been obsessed with sharks; however he has now added whales, dolphins, turtles, and fishes to his repertoire of marine life. He has basically given up regular kid shows, favoring Discovery and National Geographic specials.
Yesterday, we took him to the aquarium again. It was an amazing trip and the realization of a dream. He watched the sharks and fishes in the tank and began to explain why some were fish and some were sharks. He pointed at a big Sturgeon and explained that it couldn’t be a shark because it only had one dorsal fin.
His light bulb moment came from the Seattle waterfronts new problem- tons and tons of jellyfish that shouldn’t be here and they can’t figure out how to get rid of. Little Bug and I were waiting for Nick on a pier and looking at the water. Suddenly, a bit of pink could be spotted. He yelled, “Jellyfish!” and began to jump up and down.
I watched and waited to see what it was. I was a little nervous that it was trash and he would be disappointed. More and more pink began to become visible along with some white and orange. Finally, a huge jellyfish appeared. Right behind it came a flock of tiny opaque jellies. This was Little Bug’s first experience with sea life outside of an aquarium.
He looked at me and said, “I’ma learn bout sharks.”
“Do you mean watching your movies and reading your books?”
“No! Ima swim with sharks- tiger sharks….whale sharks… bull sharks… jelly fishes…. Squid”
“Do you mean a biologist?”
“Yep. I’ma beelologist!”
Dreams are fragile, fragile things. This is something we weren’t sure we would ever get to experience with Little Bug. Nick and I will move mountains and go to hell and back to make sure he has every opportunity to become a beelologist.
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Growing Pains
Little Bug keeps advancing in sudden and surprising ways. Some are mundane and others are extraordinary. I wanted to share with you all the exciting things that have happened on our vacation. (By the way, sorry for the delay in posts- Christmas time is crazy personally and professionally.)
• A big boy car seat- yep you read that right. The booster seat kind that he only buckles into. In general, this is the more worrisome to Nick and I as he can get out of it and likes to talk about the “red button” (the seat belt release) every time we’re in the car. We are looking for a cover for it so that he doesn’t escape.
• Pretend play- as in self directed lengthy pretend play. He will set up his trains and have them pretend to go places- the garden, school, and Target. They talk to each other, fight, and play. He describes their emotions- cross, happy, excited, and sad. He will play independently for upwards of half an hour in his imaginary world.
• Big boy bed. He has chosen to sleep in it by himself. While he still makes trips back to our bed, he is pretty good about going to sleep in it and staying there. I am sure the reward goal of a Thomas Blanket has helped him stay motivated.
• A normal childhood fear. Rather than a sensory based fear that is mind boggling, he has become afraid of the dark. While this may seem strange to rejoice in, it is nice to have a straight forward problem that tons of kids (and some adults too) deal with.
• Choosing the play place over his parents. At a local grocery store, they have a play place where the children can be watched while the parents grocery shop. The one caveat is that parents aren’t welcome. He has always wanted to go, but never without us. Finally, one day, he decided that he could do it. He stayed in there for 45 minutes and Nick and I waited for the page of doom. They take your information and page you should your child become out of hand or stink. We didn’t receive a page.
• Last but not least, peeing standing up. He has decided that this is the way to do it. He will not sit on the potty ring anymore- for babies is what he says. Granted, he hasn’t successfully peed this way in the bathroom. He has however peed this way in the bedroom and the kitchen. He also has provided us with a ton of laughter. When he first tried to do it, he stood in front of the toilet and frowned. He looked at me and said, “It’s not working!” Trying to keep a straight face, I explained that he didn’t have to pee. He felt that I was incorrect and took to tapping it- like you would to see if a microphone works- and yelled at it, “WORK! WORK!” I haven’t laughed so hard in my whole life.
This vacation was amazing because it was the first time that he was able to understand the holiday. To me, Christmas is about kids. I know that a lot of people celebrate it for religious reasons, but I personally celebrate it for family and most especially the kids.
Little Bug had a blast. He would open each present and say something nice about it and then say thank you to whomever gave it to him. He wasn’t the greedy hoarding present type, the truly excited and wanting to unwrap everyone’s for them type. Our family had a great time.
The hardest thing about the growing process is the growing pains for the parents. Nick and I found ourselves in tears of happiness and sadness. When things are changing, you notice the impact that the little person has had on your life. We are overjoyed to see this development and truly grateful. We are also a little sad…
• A big boy car seat- yep you read that right. The booster seat kind that he only buckles into. In general, this is the more worrisome to Nick and I as he can get out of it and likes to talk about the “red button” (the seat belt release) every time we’re in the car. We are looking for a cover for it so that he doesn’t escape.
• Pretend play- as in self directed lengthy pretend play. He will set up his trains and have them pretend to go places- the garden, school, and Target. They talk to each other, fight, and play. He describes their emotions- cross, happy, excited, and sad. He will play independently for upwards of half an hour in his imaginary world.
• Big boy bed. He has chosen to sleep in it by himself. While he still makes trips back to our bed, he is pretty good about going to sleep in it and staying there. I am sure the reward goal of a Thomas Blanket has helped him stay motivated.
• A normal childhood fear. Rather than a sensory based fear that is mind boggling, he has become afraid of the dark. While this may seem strange to rejoice in, it is nice to have a straight forward problem that tons of kids (and some adults too) deal with.
• Choosing the play place over his parents. At a local grocery store, they have a play place where the children can be watched while the parents grocery shop. The one caveat is that parents aren’t welcome. He has always wanted to go, but never without us. Finally, one day, he decided that he could do it. He stayed in there for 45 minutes and Nick and I waited for the page of doom. They take your information and page you should your child become out of hand or stink. We didn’t receive a page.
• Last but not least, peeing standing up. He has decided that this is the way to do it. He will not sit on the potty ring anymore- for babies is what he says. Granted, he hasn’t successfully peed this way in the bathroom. He has however peed this way in the bedroom and the kitchen. He also has provided us with a ton of laughter. When he first tried to do it, he stood in front of the toilet and frowned. He looked at me and said, “It’s not working!” Trying to keep a straight face, I explained that he didn’t have to pee. He felt that I was incorrect and took to tapping it- like you would to see if a microphone works- and yelled at it, “WORK! WORK!” I haven’t laughed so hard in my whole life.
This vacation was amazing because it was the first time that he was able to understand the holiday. To me, Christmas is about kids. I know that a lot of people celebrate it for religious reasons, but I personally celebrate it for family and most especially the kids.
Little Bug had a blast. He would open each present and say something nice about it and then say thank you to whomever gave it to him. He wasn’t the greedy hoarding present type, the truly excited and wanting to unwrap everyone’s for them type. Our family had a great time.
The hardest thing about the growing process is the growing pains for the parents. Nick and I found ourselves in tears of happiness and sadness. When things are changing, you notice the impact that the little person has had on your life. We are overjoyed to see this development and truly grateful. We are also a little sad…
Friday, February 20, 2009
Developmental Milestones
At our house, we believe that milestones and developmental charts are better left unread. They are great measuring tapes, but not something to dwell on or constantly consult. For one reason, Little Bug has too many discrepancies- his vocabulary is probably at close to 100 word and word approximations and yet he can do 48 piece jigsaw puzzles. Secondly, for us, it is painful at times to be confronted with the delays.
We do believe in checking in and we wanted to share that with you.
Motor Skills
feed himself (with some spilling)- does this with his hands mostly
open doors- are you kidding? We have an alarm system and a suspension rod on the window to keep him in. ‘Nough said.
hold a glass in one hand- not really. He is clumsy at this
hold a crayon well- he has mastered the “appropriate” technique
wash and dry hands by himself- not so much. If allowed, the whole bathroom would be wet, soap would be on the floor, the ceiling, and the dog, and somehow his hands would still be dirty.
fold paper, if shown how- never tried
build a tower of 54 blocks- the frustration level is strong in this one
throw a ball overhead- and over handed, behind his back, etc.
try to catch a large ball- can catch a ball
put on shoes (but not tie laces)
dress herself with help- nope, but he can take off his pants and diaper
use the toilet with some help- not even a blip on the radar
walk up steps, alternating feet
walk on tiptoes if shown how- he is a toe walker at times
walk in a straight line
kick a ball forward- he can dribble a soccer ball
jump with both feet
pedal a tricycle- doesn’t really understand the concept.
Sensory and Thinking Skills
recognize sounds in the environment
pay attention for about 3 minutes- if it is in an interesting topic
remember what happened yesterday- he can seem to remember what happened months ago at times and at other times seems to have no short term memory
know what is food and what is not food- he knows. Whether he chooses to limit himself to food only options is a different story
know some numbers (but not always in the right order)- We’re just starting this
know where things usually belong
understand what "1" is
understand "now," "soon," and "later"- no concept of time
substitute one object for another in pretend play (as in pretending a block is a "car")- has done this once a year ago, but never since
laugh at silly ideas (like "milking" a dog)- too literal for this
look through a book alone- if you want said book to have pages, then this isn’t an option
match circles and squares- He is a rock star at matching
match an object to a picture of that object
match objects that have same function (as in putting a cup and plate together)- We’re working on it
count 2 to 3 objects- Just started
avoid some dangers, like a hot stove or a moving car- Absolutely no fear or concept of danger.
follow simple one-step commands- selectively, but yes he can.
Language and Social Skills
use 3-5 word sentences- not yet
ask short questions- every once in a while uses the question intonation at the end of a sentence, but no 5 W, H, or E questions.
use plurals ("dogs," "cars," "hats")- not really as they are interchangeable to him- one cat can be a ditty, ditties, cats, cat.
name at least 10 familiar objects
repeat simple rhymes- Uh, no, but does scripting from movies count?
name at least one color correctly- he understands his colors
imitate housework or help with simple tasks- he loves to mop and vacuum.
ask to use the toilet almost every time- not even a blip on the radar
enjoy being read to
talk about feelings and mental states (e.g., remembering)- Nope
demonstrate some shame when caught in a wrongdoing- definitely Not!
try to make others laugh- He is a clown
play spontaneously with two or three children in a group- Nope
assign roles in pretend social play ("You be mommy;" "I be daddy")- Uh, no.
know her first and last name- Not really. He will repeat it and every once in a while refer to himself in third person as Yenna, but for the most part, he is baby.
understand "I," "you," "he," and "she"- nope
believe everything centers around him ("if I hide my eyes, no one will see me")
answer whether she is a boy or girl- Nope, but we are an extremely a typical family- in case you are just joining the program, I am a female to male transsexual and Nick does drag. In general, we don’t limit Little Bug’s interests to what is appropriate according to gender binary and also don’t tell him he’s a good boy, etc. Just not part of how we think.
Do you ever realize that something amazing has happened, but happened so slowly that you couldn’t perceive the change? One day, you wake up and are confronted with a miracle of some sort. Sometimes, every day mundane things that to most people aren’t miracles- like a flower blooming on a winter day, a phone call from a person you thought was lost. Other times, they are really big miracles. Yesterday was one of those days. We looked at Little Bug and realized the growth that had happened so slowly was tremendous. He is now using two word sentences without prompting most of the time. He was describing items and demonstrating that he understood the difference between things and what they are used for. Again, to many people this may be a mundane thing. To us, it was amazing. Suddenly, we feel capable and confident. We feel like being hopeful in certain areas and in small doses is warranted. Some of the fear is gone.
People often say that having a child with special needs is like a marathon- pace yourself. What they neglect to say is that while marathons can be grueling, frustrating, daunting, and ugly at certain points, you often get a second, third or fourth wind. Something happens where your legs just keep going even when your brain says they shouldn’t. That is what this is for us. A second wind. A welcome reminder of what we are working for and what we are investing ourselves into.
We do believe in checking in and we wanted to share that with you.
Motor Skills
feed himself (with some spilling)- does this with his hands mostly
open doors- are you kidding? We have an alarm system and a suspension rod on the window to keep him in. ‘Nough said.
hold a glass in one hand- not really. He is clumsy at this
hold a crayon well- he has mastered the “appropriate” technique
wash and dry hands by himself- not so much. If allowed, the whole bathroom would be wet, soap would be on the floor, the ceiling, and the dog, and somehow his hands would still be dirty.
fold paper, if shown how- never tried
build a tower of 54 blocks- the frustration level is strong in this one
throw a ball overhead- and over handed, behind his back, etc.
try to catch a large ball- can catch a ball
put on shoes (but not tie laces)
dress herself with help- nope, but he can take off his pants and diaper
use the toilet with some help- not even a blip on the radar
walk up steps, alternating feet
walk on tiptoes if shown how- he is a toe walker at times
walk in a straight line
kick a ball forward- he can dribble a soccer ball
jump with both feet
pedal a tricycle- doesn’t really understand the concept.
Sensory and Thinking Skills
recognize sounds in the environment
pay attention for about 3 minutes- if it is in an interesting topic
remember what happened yesterday- he can seem to remember what happened months ago at times and at other times seems to have no short term memory
know what is food and what is not food- he knows. Whether he chooses to limit himself to food only options is a different story
know some numbers (but not always in the right order)- We’re just starting this
know where things usually belong
understand what "1" is
understand "now," "soon," and "later"- no concept of time
substitute one object for another in pretend play (as in pretending a block is a "car")- has done this once a year ago, but never since
laugh at silly ideas (like "milking" a dog)- too literal for this
look through a book alone- if you want said book to have pages, then this isn’t an option
match circles and squares- He is a rock star at matching
match an object to a picture of that object
match objects that have same function (as in putting a cup and plate together)- We’re working on it
count 2 to 3 objects- Just started
avoid some dangers, like a hot stove or a moving car- Absolutely no fear or concept of danger.
follow simple one-step commands- selectively, but yes he can.
Language and Social Skills
use 3-5 word sentences- not yet
ask short questions- every once in a while uses the question intonation at the end of a sentence, but no 5 W, H, or E questions.
use plurals ("dogs," "cars," "hats")- not really as they are interchangeable to him- one cat can be a ditty, ditties, cats, cat.
name at least 10 familiar objects
repeat simple rhymes- Uh, no, but does scripting from movies count?
name at least one color correctly- he understands his colors
imitate housework or help with simple tasks- he loves to mop and vacuum.
ask to use the toilet almost every time- not even a blip on the radar
enjoy being read to
talk about feelings and mental states (e.g., remembering)- Nope
demonstrate some shame when caught in a wrongdoing- definitely Not!
try to make others laugh- He is a clown
play spontaneously with two or three children in a group- Nope
assign roles in pretend social play ("You be mommy;" "I be daddy")- Uh, no.
know her first and last name- Not really. He will repeat it and every once in a while refer to himself in third person as Yenna, but for the most part, he is baby.
understand "I," "you," "he," and "she"- nope
believe everything centers around him ("if I hide my eyes, no one will see me")
answer whether she is a boy or girl- Nope, but we are an extremely a typical family- in case you are just joining the program, I am a female to male transsexual and Nick does drag. In general, we don’t limit Little Bug’s interests to what is appropriate according to gender binary and also don’t tell him he’s a good boy, etc. Just not part of how we think.
Do you ever realize that something amazing has happened, but happened so slowly that you couldn’t perceive the change? One day, you wake up and are confronted with a miracle of some sort. Sometimes, every day mundane things that to most people aren’t miracles- like a flower blooming on a winter day, a phone call from a person you thought was lost. Other times, they are really big miracles. Yesterday was one of those days. We looked at Little Bug and realized the growth that had happened so slowly was tremendous. He is now using two word sentences without prompting most of the time. He was describing items and demonstrating that he understood the difference between things and what they are used for. Again, to many people this may be a mundane thing. To us, it was amazing. Suddenly, we feel capable and confident. We feel like being hopeful in certain areas and in small doses is warranted. Some of the fear is gone.
People often say that having a child with special needs is like a marathon- pace yourself. What they neglect to say is that while marathons can be grueling, frustrating, daunting, and ugly at certain points, you often get a second, third or fourth wind. Something happens where your legs just keep going even when your brain says they shouldn’t. That is what this is for us. A second wind. A welcome reminder of what we are working for and what we are investing ourselves into.
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