Missing Daddy

Paul was gone on what he calls a "business" trip - you know, the mandatory four day golfing kind.  The second night he was gone I put Katie to bed and she was just screaming and screaming, so I got her up. We were sitting on the couch and she was really upset. She looked at me and through her tears she said, "dada" about three times.  This was the very first time she has shown me that she realized Paul had been gone, and was missing him.  And he does go on a lot of trips - business, and not-so-much business.  Definitely one more new thing for Katie!

Easter Bunny vs. rocks

In all of her four years Katie has loved going to visit the Easter Bunny at the mall for a picture.  It was usually a challenge getting her to look at the camera because she'd be gazing up at him in awe, and touching his chin.  However, yesterday she wanted nothing to do with the bunny.  She clung to me and just refused to get near him.  I look at this as progress, getting a sense of fear - definitely a step forward in my book!  So, our Easter picture this year is of Katie playing in the rocks.  I guess Mall Santa won't have much of a chance this year either.

Where did the blabbing go?

I read our story on the ViaCord website again and I look through what I've written and I wonder if I have portrayed Katie as too much of an angel?!  She definitely is 95% of the time, but that other 5%, oh, it can be stressful!  To me the hardest part of all of her delays is the lack of communication. I have to guess at what she wants and what hurts, etc... we have had many trips to the pediatrician after Katie's scream-a-thons, with me in hopes of hearing she has an ear infection - because at least it's something we can make better!  And if there is anyway to make her stop her flinging her head all around because she's mad or hurting, I'm all about it.  Thank God it's not an everyday occurence.  If I had to choose between her walking and talking, it would be talking, no question. 

I have a good feeling that eventually Katie will do both. It may be a few years but I really believe she has the potential to be a pretty typical child.  All of the therapists say that naturally, a child will accomplish the gross motor skills (walking) before the fine motor skills (talking).  So the talking has taken a backseat, actually it's in the car behind us!  And we are working furiously on walking, we walk her all over the house, and she has physical therapies that focus on that too.  Just this morning she had therapy and took two more steps, all on her own. Yaaaaaay Katie!

So, her speech has slowed a lot, she basically doesn't say anything except "dada" to us -er, to Paul lately, where months ago she was babbling up a storm and saying a few words occasionally.  My goal  - to get her walking so that when she has that down,  maybe she will say "milk" or "Barney" or "American Idol" (she loves that one too!).  All you parents who have little ones talking your ear off all day - you gotta love it!  All the funny things they say - like my nephew, who was about 4 when asked what his favorite color was replied, "blonde".  And my niece, who is 4 now and was recently at the neighbors and offered a pb&j sandwich and didn't want it, said she usually eats sushi for lunch (so not true!)

I would give up a whole lot for an ounce of blabbing.  Here's to hoping funny stories are in my future!

Our story!

Our story is on the ViaCord website! Click on the link  below: 

Our Story

Katie's feet

This weekend at Katie's birthday party, my Aunt who has a background in both speech and vision therapy, was holding a balloon shaped like a bunny's head over Katie as she was laying on the floor on her back (Katie).  My aunt said that Katie had her legs up in the air, so she told her to kick the bunny's ear, and Katie moved her foot to the bunny's ear and kicked it.  She told her to do it again to another spot on the balloon, and again she moved her foot to the spot and kicked it.  I think my girl is a lot smarter than she is letting on... she does seem to be working mostly on her feet and leg muscles lately, wanting to walk and pointing (with her feet!) 

Last week, the speech therapist at school, Susie, sent me an email that said  "Katie took 2 steps on her own to greet me this morning. She also used two hands together simultaneously to play in the sand and also played in the messy shaving cream".  For Katie to take a few steps on her own is a big deal, I've seen it before but only with coaxing - and I think this was Katie's own initiative (correct me if I'm wrong, Susie!).  She also took a step on her own towards my mom the day before, and that was her own action.  For Katie to not be afraid to try to walk is huge!  I think it can only get better from here.  The sand and shaving cream are good for her sensory issues (she has a few, mainly hair combing, and she doesn't like it when I put lotion on her).  The teacher at school said that Katie threw a big fit recently, throwing her head backwards etc.. when they tried to put her foot in paint to get a footprint for a card for me...  guess we will be spending some time with fingerpaints (or maybe I should say foot paints!) and shaving cream.    

Katie's 4! (video)

It has been a busy few weeks!  My mom and step-dad left yesterday, I took my sister to the airport this morning - between all the company we have had, my end of February birthday, and Katie's early March birthday, I can't remember if Paul and I even said "Happy Anniversary," on Feb 29th?  But there wasn't a leap day this year, so...  well, no it's not ok - I think I'll tell him when he comes home today, better late than never.  Anyway, it feels like I've been living in a whirlwind and I have a lot of catching up to do on my blog.   Below is a video of Katie on her birthday, ever the chocoholic!  She just turned 4 - hard to believe.  She finally enjoyed being a part of opening her presents which hasn't happened up until now, it was great to see her interested and picking and choosing the toys she liked best, and tossing the others aside!  I will post more tomorrow about Katie when I have a bit more time, if I don't get some things done today (laundry, etc...)  I might lose my mind. 

http://www.youtube.com/my_videos_edit?ns=1&video_id=82X-EyUsOiE

Horse Therapy

Katie started with horse therapy a year ago - in Oct 2008.  Horse therapy helps to strengthen her core muscles, basically her abdominals and probably her back too. We go to Boulder Mountain Therapy in Mesa, and they do a lot of things with her on the horse.  They have her reach for toys that are hanging in the trees or they throw a ball to her and she throws it back, etc...  They work on all kinds of muscle groups with her on the horse. It has been really exciting to actually see the improvement with her . When she started this a year ago, she had to hang on to a handle, she tired out easily, and she had a hard time keeping her head from wobbling.  Now, she can hold onto a doll rather than the handle, and they have her sit sideways on the horse for a while, which is supposed to be a lot a harder to do. Below are two videos, one from a year ago and one from about a month ago.  You can see the difference in her balance and her head control.  In the second video she is sitting sideways and holding a doll.  Katie does horse therapy once a week from Oct to May. 

2009
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HIFDmadD06s

2010
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QU6lHsWQp0g