This little one has kept me on my toes the past month! She's on a cognitive burst ride presently and we are having so much fun. I'm also exhausted, as there is no room in her world to get off of her schedule.
I am so proud of her. As life happens, and we are all forced to stray away from our normal, she is starting to readjust her body herself. It's so very difficult for her. I wanted to give her a standing ovation the other day when her day was upset by a dentist appointment. I told her we were leaving in 10 minutes, and I could see the wheels turning in her brain. She was deep in play and not really willing to walk away from her known play time. I helped her pick up against her will. As I waited for the tantrum, I watched her throw up her arm, gently stomp her foot, and then she grasped her hands together tightly for a squeeze. After a few moments, she accepted a squeeze from me as well. I kept moving. As proud as I was, there are moments when it's better to just keep moving on - praying for the peace to continue. A true gift from God she is! I love watching her grow. Perhaps we are entering a new place...(I hesitate to complete this thought completely...but maybe...).
I'm so encouraged at the positive responses we've had lately from her therapists. We are taking a break from P.T. for a while. She has met all her goals and is progressing nicely. Her favorite outside activity right now is kicking a ball. She couldn't kick a ball over and over again 6 months ago. She is also jumping (yeah!) in the middle of the trampoline. Her focus has increased greatly for her O.T. sessions. She loves to draw in her journal and is writing somewhat legible letters sometimes. What is truly amazing is her ability to retell the story of her journal entries day after day. She is comprehending that she is communicating through her writing and drawings. Maybe she'll turn out to be a girl after her Momma's heart! Her speech patterns are becoming more clear, and her signing is amazing. She is starting to make up signs for words we don't know yet-a prompting that I need to get back on track again, increasing my own signing vocabulary. Her speech sessions are inspiring. She is sequencing, putting sentences together, even reading! Tears are forming in my eyes right now - I'm just so happy to see her in this place I've always known she was capable of reaching. Her speech therapist told me she thought Joy was much further along than she imagined she would be at this time a year ago. My heart swells with pride and hope with this encouragement. She is amazing, and as Beth would say, fantastic!
