Declaration

It's August and that means that school starts soon. We have never really stopped learning, but we are about to jump back in a little bit. I have posted our goals to the right. They are reasonable and necessary goals. The biggest push for us is the goal of learning more sight words. I'm not sure we have the ability to grasp phonics (thought that doesn't mean we don't work on it often), so we are going to focus on sight words. Both girls can identify their own names and a few other words (Poppy, Nonnie, Mommy, Daddy, Harris). They seem to identify words by the first letter. Alex and Emma both know their letters quite well. The last few days they have rediscovered their Fun2Learn laptops. Instead of just pushing letters and saying them, Drew taught them to play a game on it. It shows a letter on the screen and they have to find it and push it on the keyboard. Alex got to level 5 the other day! Emma's biggest deal seems to be disinterest. She will ask me "What's this?" when she obviously knows the answer. I think she just craves the interaction with me, and there is the fact that her attention span is very short. That just means that while I encourage her to do it on her own, I also make time to participate with her.

They are still getting physical and speech therapy twice a week (for one hour each session) and Friendship has now hired an occupational therapy assistant that will be seeing the girls. I'm glad to have them back in OT and working on fine motor skills and planning. Also, having a new therapist provides the opportunity for fresh activities and exercises. In speech, Alex is working with a therapist that is trying out augmentative devices. This will definitely be needed and beneficial in the near and long term future. Whatever device we decide on should help her (and eventually Emma also) to communicate when her words are no longer understandable.

I will continue to make a point of involving the girls in household responsibilities (picking up toys, putting away clothes, etc.) While getting out and about is more difficult than it was a year ago, we will not stay cooped up in the house all the time. Shopping, visiting and caring for friends & family, and letting others help us is/will be priority. We will get back into the routine (after a crazy summer) of at least a weekly play date and attending Sunday school. I also make a point (and will continue) to involve the girls in their own personal care. Sometimes it is easier to just do things for them (and I am guilty of that), but I want to encourage their sense of self by allowing (and encouraging) them to do/assist with their feedings, clothing & pull up changes, bathing, etc. Also, things as simple as choosing their own clothing, activities, etc. seems to give them more feeling of control and stability. Striking the balance is sometimes difficult. Too much freedom or responsibility makes them feel overwhelmed and frustrated (to the point of melting down or getting weepy), while no choices or control can produce the same things. Balance. Oh, and I can't forget play. I believe that play is very important and Drew & I will continue to encourage it. Playing outside, playing inside, playing with others, playing alone, playing with mom & dad, playing with the dogs, playing games, etc. Alex & Emma LOVE playing games and I often use games to teach. They think we are playing, I know we are also learning.

So, there it is. Our approach to teaching and helping the girls develop to their fullest.

Pictures of recent art work.

Alex spent hours drawing in her new journal (one of Daddy's presents from California) the other day. Her focus... pictures of family. She works so hard and is always so happy to share her work, sometimes asking me to label things (or people) for her.

Emma's drawing/writing is still pretty scratchy. She can draw circles and scribble, but nothing very legible. Her tremors are much worse than Alex's, so that is a big factor.