What's Up with Grace?

I was trying to come up with a clever title to this post so I could post an update on Grace.  Not only do I believe I failed but I also wasted about 20 minutes of the kid's rest time pondering a clever title.  Anywhoo, I want to post an update on Grace since it has been a while and since this blog is becoming my primary scrapbook.  Also, when you have a child with special needs so much time is spent talking about what your child can not do.  That sometimes it is difficult to transition and remember ALL that they can do.  So, here in no particular order, are all the new things that Grace can do;

* She now will blow kisses 'good-bye' and make a long B sound twice, we give her credit for saying 'bye-bye' but it sounds like 'bu-bu', when you say good-bye to her.  It is really cute.  She learned to blow kisses bye-bye in June but has just recently started doing it on her own without any prompting

* She likes to climb up on the couch and walk across the cushions.  This is especially sweet to see, considering a year ago she couldn't walk without assistance!

*  Last week, she repeated 'wow' back to our pastor's daughter at church.  She then did this with me at home this weekend.  She will mimic many sounds that you make to her but still doesn't say whole words, so this was a nice improvement to see.  

* On Monday, she came home with a clip in her hair (one she did not go to school with) and her hair in a pony tail.  I took the clip out and handed it to her to play with.  Grace promptly took the clip and put it on her head and removed her hand.  It was so awesome to see this awareness.  Of course, in an effort to be transparent, I must also tell you that when handed the pony tail holder she put this in her mouth.  So she clearly has a ways to go in terms of hair accessories, but it was still progress!

* Grace will take her socks off and then try and put them back on her feet.  Might seem like a small skill for an almost 4 year old, but we think that things like this are huge.  It gives us hope that one day {soon} Grace will have the ability to learn some self care skills.

* We were finally able to brush her teeth.  Yes, you read that right.  Grace will be 4 years old in 2 1/2 months and had her teeth brushed for the first time last week.  We are trying to avoid having her completely sedated to have her teeth brushed, so we are working towards her tolerating a toothbrush.  We have been working on this for a year now.  I'm almost ready to give in and have her sedated, especially if they'll let me re-pierce her ears at the same time.  Although that seems shallow and I'm actually afraid to ask in case they think poorly of me (yes, I am still in middle school and I care what 'they' think of me).

* A few weeks ago John and Luke went to play in the basement and shut the door after them.  All of the sudden I heard Grace crying.  When I found her, she was leaning against the door crying.  At first I thought she was injured, but then I realized her feelings were hurt.  She felt left out!  It was another huge step for us because it means she is processing feelings.  For so long, Grace has not cared if she was alone or with others.  I could leave her in a room and she would be content to play for hours (I never left her that long but the point is, she just didn't care or didn't recognize that she was alone).  Now all of the sudden, she is social and wants to be around others.

* Grace will come over to you and put her hands up to be picked up.  She does this pretty clearly now although sometimes she will just lean against you.  In any event, it is a clear request for comfort.  Again, we find this to be a huge milestone in her cognitive processing.

* She has recently found things to be funny.  For example, when Mark is tickling me and I do a 'girl scream' the boys come running to 'save' me (do you know what I mean here?  I high pitched squeal).  Grace will belly laugh - every time.  It is so funny to see her find enjoyment in the same thing over and over.  Because in the past, she would just laugh and a lot of times nothing was going on.  Although, I think she gets this from me because I have been known to do that - you know, when you think of something funny that happened earlier in the day and you just crack up even though no one is talking about anything funny or worse yet, you think you are alone and you are not.

Well, that turned out to be a longer list than I intended.  But it restores my soul to see her list of accomplishments all typed out like that.  I may have to start doing this on a regular basis. 


And finally, here is where I found Grace yesterday...

Yes, that is a laundry hamper.  

 

She somehow got herself completely in the boys hamper

And just hung out in it for a while

And then she got out and walked away!