More pictures from the walkathon ... James practically hopped and skipped his way up that first big hill. Then he got exhausted, caught his second wind, and began leaping and running some more ...

More of the pony girls and their pony. So sweet! And I could practically hear the cooing from 200 yards away (their admiring crowd):

We had our own cheering squad, about every tenth of a mile along. They were well-needed and threw their hearts into it!

James got a lot of support and motivation from his big sister, as always. She can always get him to learn and try new things, as well as become motivated to play and talk. She also keeps an eye on him and helps him stay a little more in control.

SOOC Saturday: Pushing Buttons

"What? You don't want me to push any buttons?"


James has been loving his new school-day routine of going to a mainstream daycare at a preschool 2 afternoons a week and their preschool session Friday mornings. He is talking more and having short, two-sentence discussions with us! He likes to play pretend games, and offers up spontaneous statements such as "I like red!"

The bad news for me is that he has given up his afternoon naps (except the day he has the mainstream preschool session with his SHAPE assistant) and he has put on the Sassy Pants Attitude. I am glad to see James progressing, even as I mourn the loss of a 3-hour break from the whirlwind that is James in the afternoons.

The attitude is really on the sweet side, as evidenced by the two-sentence conversations. Exhibit A, conversation regarding a game on his computer yesterday.

Me: "Hey, James -- you're four years old. Why don't you press button number four?"

James: "No! I want to press the one!"
(and he does, with a roguish grin, looking right at me)

"Well, what about this button?"



The Slurping Life is getting into Fall! Visit Melody and check out SOOC Saturday/Sunday entries past & present!



  

Push It Real Good

We just got back from a fantastic trip to the speech & language therapist. First -- we got there ON TIME!!!! We met James' first case worker on the stairs. This is a wonderful woman who walked my husband and I through all our assessments and evaluations and signed us up, fast and furious, for all kinds of services to help our little guy. With a minimal of prompting, he said "Hi, Mary." She was so delighted! Last time she'd visited, he was just starting to say sounds and words. "Call me!" she said, as she dashed out the door to her next appt. and we marched upstairs to ours. The great thing is, she really means this.


I brought my daughter in to the therapist's office because we had to come up with a new appt. date & time. Summertime does that, I've noticed. James was talking so much more while he played, and handled the toys with confidence. After we'd hammered out a new interim schedule, the therapist helped me figure out how to get him to practice saying three- and four-word phrases. Talk about your heady mommy excitement! I remember crying this time last year, because at times I thought he would *never* talk!

It comes down to this: James needs to be pushed. Oh yeah, big guy! We will push it, real good! Meanwhile, I will treasure today -- the day you said "blue fish clock," "I want sucker, please," and "wha' is 'it?" Yay, James!