Therapy...Gains and Support

Anyone who doesn't know Hailey would think she is a ten or eleven month old child, not almost 19 months.  Gross motor-wise, that is where she is.  Maybe a little closer to twelve months.  She is the size the boys were at a year.  She isn't walking.  She is on the verge, but I'll leave it at that because I have become superstitious since having Hailey.  I don't like to make any announcements on any milestone until she has mastered it because she has been known to stop making progress the second I say she has accomplished something!  What a stinker!  Hailey had an early intervention evaluation this week and we had to update her IFSP.  She had mastered everything on her last IFSP, but some we kept on there for the next 6 months because they are evolving and on-going.  Other than gross motor, she is on target and not delayed in the eyes of the state.  No, a stranger may not recognize some of her words when she speaks them, but they are there.  She can also sign them and more.  She's learning them faster than I am. 

One of the boys forgot to shut the door...she emptied the entire roll later in the day.

What?  I didn't do it.

Ready to empty the cabinet

If I smile big enough, maybe I won't get into trouble!

Looking sweet and innocent.

Apparently she didn't want Cheerios this morning.

As I watch Hailey play with her toys or empty my cabinets or climb on the couch (yes, we have figured that one out this week!), she's a toddler...just as mischievous and frustrating as the boys were.  Guess what....I love it!!!!  I love watching her figure out toys, stealing her brothers stuff (especially their snacks), or sneaking into the cabinets looking for anything and everything she isn't supposed to have.  She is a handful and a charmer.  The handful part I'm good with.  The charmer, I'm going to have to address as she gets older.  When being told no or when she is begging for something, she will tilt her head and grin.  This tactic works for everyone but mom.  I don't want people to give into her or expect less because she is the baby, because she is a girl or because she has Down syndrome.

Head tilt...generally it is paired with a pouty look or a giant smile.

The only thing that she does sit still for...Signing Times.

Hailey's speech therapist definitely did not read my blog post where I declared I am giving up on straw drinking...they worked on it at therapy this week.  Guess who actually attempted it.  She didn't scream and refuse to even try...she saves that for her mom :-)  She actually even succeeded in taking a few sips...on her own.  So, this mother is now eating her words.  I dug the honey bear cup back out and attempted to use it today at lunch.  I've decided that the easiest bottle to remove from her daily routine will be her lunch bottle.  It took us a little while, but sip by sip her and I worked on the entire bottle amount out of a straw.  Hopefully, she will eventually get the hang of this straw and we can remove her bottles one by one.  If she ever gets the hang of it (she won't go to kindergarten with a bottle!), her bedtime bottle will be the last one to remove. 

I am going to have to share a little brag.  Hailey's speech therapist made an ABC book.  While Hailey's PT had her balancing on a ball, the speech therapist and Hailey looked through the ABC's.  One by one, she said the word and made the sound...one by one Hailey repeated the sounds.  Hailey made every sound but one (q or x...I can't remember).  I was amazed because Hailey will not do that for me at home.  Her PT looked at me and said, "We have never had a child go through the entire book on the first try.  That is amazing."  I was speechless (which doesn't happen often!).  Who was that child in therapy?  I was very proud of her.

In therapy this week, Hailey was also measured for her Sure Steps.  I was upset at first because I really wanted Hailey to learn to walk without the assistance of them, but it hasn't worked that way and she needs them to succeed so that is what we are going to do.  She will get them in two weeks.  I'm actually excited about them now.  She has made such strides in the last two weeks (right when her momma needed the encouragement) that there will be no stopping her once she has the right support.  Boys beware...there will be nothing safe in our house anymore!