Saturday, November 28, 2009

SOOC Saturday: Finger Fu

James gets fine motor OT while mixing muffin batter

James is cooking, in more ways than one. Language and social skills are really coming along. We have signed him up for extra gym at his second school and it is helping him become more coordinated. His fine motor skills need some attention too -- holding a pencil or spoon can still be difficult for him.

Enter cooking! Big sister loves to do it, ergo James wants to try it too. That's how I found out that stirring batter is a good way to help him practice a better grip and test his muscle tone while having fun and feeling like he is being like Big Sister. This morning it was pumpkin muffins. He even likes eating them now.

Besides, I like to be pampered. Cook, children, cook!

James, stirring away -- notice the nice spoon grip?

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Special Exposure/Wordless Weds: Do You Know The Puppet Man?

James loves to play with these hand puppets

more hand puppet fun

Jame sand his sister were playing recently by putting a show for me.

I felt so special.

My daughter covered fashion and James decided the show needed a puppet act. So he fetched his Baby Einstein puppets and went to town with trying to talk. It's exciting now because for me there is so much more understandable language going on.

There is a third puppet, which is orange. That is my puppet. James finds it and then has me put it on. He cracks up when it kisses him and tickles the other puppets.

For more great images or to join in the fun, Visit Special Exposure Wednesday at 5 Minutes for Special Needs.
5 Minutes for Special Needs
and ... Wordless Wednesday

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

B-I-N-G-O Spells "Fun"!

Guess who has discovered games?
James is playing Dora checkers with his sister

James has been watching his big sister and Daddy play card and board games together. It looked like so much fun that he wanted to join right in. His sister loved being a teacher. I think we clocked them at 40 minutes of playing together. Happily. Taking turns. Talking.

Bingo was a great way to start. Checkers was the absorbing game. Go Fish will take more practice to get his fine motor skills up to holding the cards consistently.


James loves Bingo!
So happy!

Saturday, November 21, 2009

SOOC Saturday: Alight

close-up of James; focus impossible!

At first I was bummed this photo was not in focus. But on second thought, it's a good capture of James in the moment. Alight, laughing, playing, and moving too quickly to remain in focus.

While the Mom in me sighs and thinks that remaining in focus (for school, tasks, etc.) will be an ongoing challenge for James, the Cheerleader in me is yelling support for the boy who is opening up and engaging with his world with play and exploration.

I see this at his second school program, where he plays with others in the classroom and on the playground, and the other kids yell greetings to him with true friendship.

I see it as he and his sister turn to each other for extended sessions of playtime in our home. I love it when he is singing. He comes alive with music and singing!

SOOC salute to Melody at The Slurping Life. Best wishes for the little one who is coming your way!
  

Friday, November 20, 2009

Back on Our Feet, And How!

Well, we've had 4-6 weeks of cold and flu cycling around. Almost sinister in that at first it seems a straightforward illness. Then it comes back. And if you don't watch it, the patient worsens. Went through this first with James' sister, then with James. She had the flu bug really badly, he got the cold and sinus infection in round 2.

If that was not enough, we had to deal with James' IEP and his triannual IEP. That will be a whole post in itself. Suffice to say it was a rude wake-up call and not very fun to hear. And there was so much good stuff in there too!

Lest we dwell in the alleys of downer stuff too long, another big milestone has been achieved: just yesterday, James had a bowel movement while using the toilet -- his first!!! And it was a healthy specimen. He tried again today, but sis not have anything to show for his efforts.

I was starting to worry about James' language skills regressing while he was sick and then down with a very sore throat. Not to worry, he and his sister were talking up a storm all afternoon long as they played together.

Here they are, playing at the local McDnald's. They said they were playing snakes.
kids playing snakes at McDonald's

Hmmmm. I am wondering if this is where he picked up his bug. James has a bad habit of wiping his nose with his palm & fingers, then licking the palm & rubbing some more. Yuck! I have been trying to break this habit by applying hand cleaner to his hands. I know that stuff tastes nasty.