God doesn't give children with special needs to strong people; He gives children with special needs to ordinary, weak people and then gives them strength. Raising a child with special needs doesn't take a special family, it makes a special family.

Saturday, February 19, 2011

Looking back on the past few weeks I realize that both kids have learned so many new things! Lately it seems that Brenden is doing something new every day and his little copycat makes sure she learns it, too!

Brenden has finally learned to pull up at his walker AND get turned around all by himself. He still asks for help sometimes but I think that's just a cop-out....if I pretend I don't see him trying to do it and just watch out of the corner of my eye, he does it just fine. But if he sees that I'm watching him he says, "Mommy I need you. Help me." He has also learned how to turn his walker....since we don't have swivel wheels on it yet, this consists of picking the front up and turning it in the direction he wants to go. It takes a lot of balance and coordination on his part, so this is quite a big accomplishment.

He has learned to climb up into his recliner all by himself AND get turned around to actually sit. Before, he would climb up and then kinda be stuck backwards, but I helped him figure out how to turn around. So now that he can do it, Miss Madelynn taught herself to climb into her chair as well as Brenden's recliner. She strongly prefers Brenden's chair, even though she has an adorable pink chair to call her own. She tries to climb up on the couch but her little legs aren't quite long enough to get up there yet.

A few weeks ago, Brenden started standing on his bed and then climbing onto his nightstand. This week, Madelynn and Oliviah (my cousins's little girl that I watch) were in Brenden's room playing while he was at the pool. I heard them both laughing hysterically so had to see what it was all about....I walk in to Madelynn laying across the nightstand, arms and legs in the air like she was flying. She learned from the best, I suppose!
Brenden is also getting VERY good using his walker by himself. This means that we don't have to push it anymore as he can do it. He still gets a little crazy sometimes so we have to leave the push bar on for now, but I really think that within the next few months we can say goodbye to it! He's asking to use his walker more and more which is music to our ears. Hopefully being in school around other kids will be even more motivation.
This coming week is going to be a bit emotional for me. We will see our Birth to Three therapists (and friends) for the last time. (Well not the last time forever, but the last time for therapy in our house!) I have said before that I LOVE our team. Each one has been such a huge part of our lives over the past three years and had it not been for each of them, Brenden wouldn't have come SO far. Nicole, our physical therapist, came for the first time when Brenden was 6 weeks old, so she has watched him grow up. While closing this chapter brings about lots of change and new beginnings, I am honestly going to miss all the appointments. With Brenden in school half of the day and no therapy appointments, I'm going to be lost!

1 comment:

Colleen said...

Yes, it's so sad to leave therapists! But preschool brings so many exciting new things. It WILL be weird not having all those appointments!