Ok, I'm not keeping up with blogging.... But good news! Those little penguins at the top of my blog are wrong. ETA is March 8!!! Two weeks!
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So, I've been busy de-cluttering. Basement is done. Boys room is done.
Main floor? Master bedroom? Maybe I won't be blogging much over the next two weeks....
Homeschooling is just really taking more time this year than it ever has before.
The Panda is doing amazing new things. He is biting crunchy foods. Not biting through them, or chewing and consuming, but it is still progress. He just started really licking a spoon (or spoon like feeding tool) consistently two weeks ago. Right at the end of a therapy session, where we had not convinced him to lick anything at all (and were feeling discouraged), he said "bath!". I told him he could have a bath if he licked, and the little tongue came right out and he licked the baby food. Wow! He got that bath right away!
The next week, our wonderful feeding therapist came, armed and ready, with a new little chart. It had 5 velcro pandas and a velcro bathtub. We told him to lick 5 times and he'd get a bath. We bribed him in between bites with "ooop" (his name for my phone). He got to pop a few bubbles on this silly little app he loves. We also bribed him with sips of my tea. He was resistant at first, but when he realized that licking got a panda, and pandas meant bath, he hurried up and licked the food. It seems so strange to reward him with tea from a spoon for taking food from a spoon... the reward is so similar to the thing he fears....
*I guess I didn't blog about our big achievements with drinking clear liquids from a spoon. He likes to sip water and tea from a spoon. Sometimes chicken broth. Never something opaque like coffee with cream, or creamy soup. Still, considering how terrified he used to be of a spoon approaching his mouth, this is huge.*
Today, we told him he'd have to get 10 pandas. He got them so fast, that we told him that for the last 2, he'd have to let the feeding tool into his mouth, not just lick. It didn't take much convincing... just a little... and he let me put it all the way in his mouth and he closed his lips!
In the last month, the Panda has had another language explosion. He's talking much more, using more 2 syllable words, and stringing 2-3 words together. Some words are still hard to understand, and I think this is due to his cleft. He's learning so much, so fast! He's also learned to 2 footed jump. This might be the first physical milestone to which he's beaten one of his siblings.... :)
I'll see what silly pictures I can find... I know there aren't any from Chinese New Year. All 4 kids got their silks on. The Puppy squeezed into the largest boy silk and it was highwater. The Bunny also wore the largest size girl outfit I bought. We had to do some damage control- very unexpectedly high slits in the legs.... Hooray for spandex leggings.... I can't believe how much they've grown! But anyway, as soon as the huge, stuffed dragon puppet thing came out for the dragon dance, the Panda (with his big fear of stuffed animals) peed his pants. And mine.... So, no pictures. The Chinese classes from our local high school did an amazing job hosting and performing.
Bedtime... very calm play...
The Panda tries out some mascara....
2
So, I've been busy de-cluttering. Basement is done. Boys room is done.
Main floor? Master bedroom? Maybe I won't be blogging much over the next two weeks....
Homeschooling is just really taking more time this year than it ever has before.
The Panda is doing amazing new things. He is biting crunchy foods. Not biting through them, or chewing and consuming, but it is still progress. He just started really licking a spoon (or spoon like feeding tool) consistently two weeks ago. Right at the end of a therapy session, where we had not convinced him to lick anything at all (and were feeling discouraged), he said "bath!". I told him he could have a bath if he licked, and the little tongue came right out and he licked the baby food. Wow! He got that bath right away!
The next week, our wonderful feeding therapist came, armed and ready, with a new little chart. It had 5 velcro pandas and a velcro bathtub. We told him to lick 5 times and he'd get a bath. We bribed him in between bites with "ooop" (his name for my phone). He got to pop a few bubbles on this silly little app he loves. We also bribed him with sips of my tea. He was resistant at first, but when he realized that licking got a panda, and pandas meant bath, he hurried up and licked the food. It seems so strange to reward him with tea from a spoon for taking food from a spoon... the reward is so similar to the thing he fears....
*I guess I didn't blog about our big achievements with drinking clear liquids from a spoon. He likes to sip water and tea from a spoon. Sometimes chicken broth. Never something opaque like coffee with cream, or creamy soup. Still, considering how terrified he used to be of a spoon approaching his mouth, this is huge.*
Today, we told him he'd have to get 10 pandas. He got them so fast, that we told him that for the last 2, he'd have to let the feeding tool into his mouth, not just lick. It didn't take much convincing... just a little... and he let me put it all the way in his mouth and he closed his lips!
In the last month, the Panda has had another language explosion. He's talking much more, using more 2 syllable words, and stringing 2-3 words together. Some words are still hard to understand, and I think this is due to his cleft. He's learning so much, so fast! He's also learned to 2 footed jump. This might be the first physical milestone to which he's beaten one of his siblings.... :)
I'll see what silly pictures I can find... I know there aren't any from Chinese New Year. All 4 kids got their silks on. The Puppy squeezed into the largest boy silk and it was highwater. The Bunny also wore the largest size girl outfit I bought. We had to do some damage control- very unexpectedly high slits in the legs.... Hooray for spandex leggings.... I can't believe how much they've grown! But anyway, as soon as the huge, stuffed dragon puppet thing came out for the dragon dance, the Panda (with his big fear of stuffed animals) peed his pants. And mine.... So, no pictures. The Chinese classes from our local high school did an amazing job hosting and performing.
Wow. I didn't realized the extent of your son's aversion to things oral! Do you know why? In my years in the adoption community, I've never heard of one so severe. I hope there is so much more progress on the horizon! And I'm so glad to hear your family will all be back together soon!
ReplyDeleteYeah 2 more weeks before Matt comes home. Panda is progressing so well!!! I just can't believe fast and how much he has grown. Thanks for keeping us posted.
ReplyDeleteI'm so excited for you that Matt will be home in 2 weeks! I loved reading about Panda's progress! Who knew a bath would be a reward! So cool. Keep up the good work!
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