Friday, June 19, 2009

Ready for the Hokey Pokey

Kelsey did something amazing yesterday. She once again showed us how smart she is.

She was at school doing OT with Kristin with Rachel (OT student) and me (Mommy). She was sitting in a corner chair and had two shakers (like maracas), one in each hand.

Kristen told Kelsey "up left" and she raised her left hand up. We all looked at each other. She told her "up right" and she raised her right shaker up.

I believe this is where an "oh something-or-other" came out of my mouth.

We proceeded to test her by mixing up the order, asking her to go "up" and "down," and doing it over and over. Each time she got it correct.

The only time she didn't was when she did a slight "up" with her right hand followed by a large purposeful "up" with her left. (She is more functional with her right hand so I think this was her way of getting her body to work.)

She hasn't really shown very much ability to raise her left arm/hand up like she was yesterday. Thinking through this this morning, I have a feeling her little ears were listening to Mommy talking to Debbie and Kristin about her using her right more and if I needed to push use of the left since right was more functional for her. She has a habit of listening like that.

I think she wanted to show Mommy that "left" worked just fine. She continued using her left arm throughout yesterday including showing off to Daddy when he got home from work.

It doesn't really surprise me that she knows "left" and "right" because with all the therapy she gets we are constantly saying "left leg this" or "right arm that."

But to be able to know and make her body show us she knows...

That little girl is something.

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Ride 'Em Cowgirl



On Sunday, Mommy volunteered at "Country in the Woods" to help raise money for the Lee Ann Britain center, our favorite place.

This place has been amazing for Kelsey. She works so hard for her teachers there. She loves loves loves everyone there. (and I do too.) We have also made many good friends there including Alayna and LC and their mommies. (The rest of you need blogs!)

If you are looking for a charity to support, this is a great one. As is CCVI (children's center for the visually impaired) where her beloved Miss Kim, her vision teacher, and Miss Nancy, her home OT, come from. (and Miss Taunya, her fill-in home OT too) and of course there is Infant Toddler of Johnson County who coordinates the home services.

Anyway, as part of my volunteering, I got my very own brown cowboy hat which Kelsey was so kind to model in a way that I never could.


Monday, June 8, 2009

T-A-N-T-R-U-M

This is somewhat old news now. Mommy is just now finding the time to write about it. (It happened a week ago last Sunday.)

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I think it is official.

It has been coming for weeks, maybe months.

Kelsey is officially a toddler.

It started with a fun game of standing with her AFOs on. We were playing the new storage chest as a drum.

She didn't seem to mind them and was standing so nice, taking turns going *boom* with Mama with Grandma Karen watching.

She also did some nice holding on to the chest and standing by herself for a few seconds at a time.

Then she was *all done*!

I was very happy that she had *stood* in her AFOs for that long. She really doesn't like weight bearing in them very much.

I wanted to leave them on while I fed her supper. She was "complaining" about them, throwing her arms up and down and half crying/half whining.

I told her that I knew that she wanted to take them off, but that we were going to eat supper and then we would take them off.

I put Kelsey in her highchair and Grandma tried to calm her down while I worked on getting her food ready.

Grandma tapped this little fireman figure on her tray and said "Look, Kelsey, at the fireman."

Grandma set the fireman on the tray and Kelsey with her right hand reached and grabbed the fireman off the tray, lifted him up over her head and dropped/slammed him back down on the tray.

I made her calm down and we took one AFO off. Then she got upset again and I made her calm down a little bit before taking the other one off!

Quite the display of fine motor skills so I can't say I was sad about the tantrum!

Big Thursday

Thursday was a fun day last week.

Grammy and Grandpa were in town visiting and they got to see her work really hard at school. There wasn’t even any C-R-Y-ing

First Debbie had Kelsey practice some crawling. Then she practiced sit to stand. Then she stood up for awhile.

Finally she did some more standing in another walker. (this time without those AFOs :) )

She took several steps again! And this time without C-R-Y-ing

When Kristen and Rachel got there, we went over to the incline mat and did some hands and knees weight bearing.

Boy did she like all the attention a room full of grown ups can give her. We all clapped for her and you should have see her smile.

Debbie helped her get her legs under her and then Kelsey was able to push herself up on her arms all by herself. Such a big girl!

After Debbie left, Kelsey played in the corner chair. She showed Grammy and Grandpa how she can lift a toy up in the air and back down.

Finally we showed Ms. Kristen how Kelsey can take the coin from Mama and we put it in the piggy bank!

We were tired!!!!

After a nap, Tonya came to see us at home. We did some stretches and reaching and some other fun things that Mommy can’t remember right now!

Grammy and Grandpa bought Kelsey an Elmo balloon for all of her hard work! Bet Kelsey thinks they should come to therapy everyday. Mommy doesn’t buy her balloons for being such a good girl!

After we were done at home, we showed Grammy and Grandpa the Deanna Rose farmstead. We all agreed that the cousins should come see it sometime too.

That night Mommy wanted to show Grammy and Grandpa how well Kelsey is coming on crawling forward on her tummy.

Kelsey wanted to show them her rolling.

Over and over again Kelsey would roll when I placed her back on her tummy. She knew she was teasing Mommy.

FINALLY she decided she would do some crawling after Grandpa got down on the floor.

She crawled all the way to Grandpa. It was very cute.

Just when you think she would be done for the day (because Mommy sure was), she was climbing and rolling all over Daddy on the bed while Mommy was dozing in and out. She also crawled across the bed to me after Bryan asked her to. (If you want more details on this, you will have to ask her Daddy because I was toooo sleepy.)

Finally it was time for bed.

The McDonald’s Milestone

It was bound to happen sometime especially with two parents who don’t cook all that much.

Kelsey had her first taste of healthy McDonald’s french fries and a good portion of Mommy’s lower bun from her hamburger.

You should have seen her legs kick.

She was very excited!

Now if I can just keep her from discovering Happy Meals for several more years!