Double Digits

I realized recently that the number of words that Rex can say now is in the double digits.  These are not words that he can verbally imitate only, but words that he uses purposefully, spontaneously and in correct context.  The biggest feats so far in my opinion are hi and bye as well as approximations for yes and no.

I understand that this may not mean anything to parents whose children's language development occurred naturally and effortlessly, but when, like us, you have been told that your child would never speak, every single word uttered is a miracle.

We also found out rather by accident that Rex knows quite a few shapes.  When his teachers started to test him in this area after our unexpected discovery, he could identify either receptively or by tacting a star ("gar"), heart ("har"), circle, diamond and oval ("ovah").  They then decided to probe if he knows any colors and Rex showed that he recognizes at least four different colors (but he may be red green blind based on some observations during sorting).  In March of this year during Rex's IEP meetings I suggested that we should write shape and color identification into his academic goals and was practically sneered at for thinking that Rex would be capable of acquiring such knowledge.  In your face, people, my kid may rock to the beat of his own drummer, but he still rocks!

September Randomness

Here are some random snippets from life at our house.

Chicken salad: there are very few things that I make that all three of my kids like to eat or are able to eat.  I recently resurrected the chicken salad and it's currently a rare favorite with all the small Martinis.  The recipe is simple: white chicken, fresh basil leaves, garlic, a pinch of salt, and mayo mixed together in a food processor.  Ella likes it in a wrap for her school lunch, Rex enjoys it on a chip and Emilia eats it straight up from a spoon.  Win-win-win.

Allowance: Ella has started to receive a weekly allowance of $1.00.  In addition to her regular unpaid chores, she can earn an extra 50 cents for folding a basket of laundry without being asked at any time and another dollar for cleaning her room (put everything into its place and sweep) once a week.  She's already done both chores multiple times.  She has three little jars for keeping her money: Save, Spend, and Give.  Ella's saving for either a new bike helmet or a pair of rain boots, so I was especially touched when she put 50 cents into the Give jar with the words, "Everyone needs a little help."  She made her first purchase of a mood necklace and four pieces of candy as well, two pieces for herself and two for Emilia as she informed me while choosing.  Rex doesn't like any candy, otherwise I am sure she would have thought of him, too.

Birthday greetings:

Therapies: We're going through a lot of changes in the kids' therapies.  We're staying with the same practice, but the therapists are now new hires under the experienced lead therapist/owner.  Even at Rex's school, Rex is working with a new OT and new ABA person and a new Kindergarten teacher.  Fortunately, he's not picky in this regard and completes his tasks for just about anyone.

Acquired torticollis: That was Emilia's official diagnosis after a play-related injury.  She's fine now, but she was in quite a bit of pain for about 48 hours, "Head hurts.  I sad."

Hearts: Ella worked very hard on a secret craft project one afternoon.  Before bed, she had all of us sit on the couch, so she could share the surprise with us.  She had cut out hearts for each of us and written our names on them.  Granted, the hearts look more like Rorschach inkblots, but you gotta love what she was conveying to us.

Weather: We had the best weather this month.  I guess I can now let go of our botched June.

Sprained ankle: It happened to Craig.  He's wearing a boot.

IAC Results 328 & 329

The following referrals were issued in IAC session 328 which was held on August 20, 2015:

1) Italian dossier from July 2010 referred a female child aged 3 years and 1 month

2) Italian dossier from March 2011 referred a female child aged 6 years and 1 month

3) German dossier from March 2011 referred a male child aged 1 year and 5 months with features in health status

4) French dossier from May 2015 referred a female child aged 12 years and 7 months

5) Canadian dossier from June 2015 referred a male child aged 8 years and 10 months with features in health status

6) US dossier from August 2015 referred a waiting child (#2945) with a profile on the MOJ site

7) US dossier from August 2015 referred three waiting children (#2818 & #2819 & #2820) with profiles on the MOJ site

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The following referrals were issued in IAC session 329 which was held on August 27, 2015:

1) Spanish dossier from November 2010 referred a male child aged 2 years and 2 months

2) US dossier from November 2012 referred a male child aged 1 year and 4 months with features in health status and a family history

3) Italian dossier from July 2014 referred a male child aged 9 years and 7 months

4) US dossier from October 2014 referred a male child aged 7 years and 6 months with features in health status

5) US dossier from August 2015 referred a waiting child (#2824) with a profile on the MOJ site

Picture Of The Day

Crazy Hat Day in first grade

Nuggets for Neal & Escrow for Eden

If you look over to the right hand side of your screen, you will see my Nuggets for Neal fundraising thermometer. We never came close to $10,000, but we did raise over $1200.  I am happy to say that this money will soon go to the family who has committed to adopting Neal and is working hard to bring him home.  Neal will have one last Christmas and birthday at his orphanage and come home sometime in 2016.  I am thrilled that Neal's new family lives in an easy driving distance to us and that we will have a chance to see him grow up.  Great things are in store for this little boy who has waited too long.

Soon, a new fundraising thermometer is going to appear on my blog.  Our family is now working on establishing an agency grant fund for a lovely girl very close to our hearts.  One of us considers her a sister and best friend.  To learn about "Eden", please go here.  Stay tuned for more on our fundraising efforts.

Five - Six - Seven

For just a few weeks a year, my kids are each of a different age.  I tried to commemorate this brief period in pictures, but it was a total fail... possibly because they are five, six and seven.

Hello There, Fall

As part of her homework, Ella has to memorize one poem per month from a pre-selected list.  This is her choice for September which we decided could be performed with motions and sign language.