Joy has a few sensory issues, which we are working on. Here she is finger painting for the first time. Fascinated and not interested in getting dirty.
Swinging – Joy adores swinging
Joy loves to swing in a blanket. Whenever she sees one on the ground, she lays on it till we swing her. :)
We love you Joy!
Friday Joy had her Swallow Study. It was so cool! It is a mobile unit. It looks like a really nice RV, but inside it’s all set up with computers and x-ray machines. Wonderful for an almost home bound Mama and her 2 year old!
Results: She has some really weak muscles and her tongue is weak. She is not all that coordinated. With thin liquids they start to go down her airway, but with thicker liquids they don’t. That explains why since thickening her water she has stopped coughing and tearing up. Joy’s OT feels these are all simple things to fix with therapy – yeah!
Sammi got to watch the swallow study since she was home – another benefit of home schooling. Very cool! We have a CD of the whole thing. It is fascinating to watch her move during an x-ray – to see all of her bones and the liquid and food moving around in her body. :)
Joy is a very loved and very loving little girl!
We had chocolate ice cream for dessert one night this week and evidently weren’t feeding Joy fast enough! Two spoons are better than one any day!
Joy was picked up by Bella’s OT – the specialist in oral motor. Joy has so many strengths, so we are doing what she calls “fine tuning.”
She watched her drink and says she has every sign of aspirating. What? That’s Bella’s deal. Oh well. A swallow study has been ordered and we’ll see. In the meantime, we are thickening her liquids and she is doing so much better!
She is working through the straw hierarchy and we are working on jumping. Who knew, but those gross motor skills help open up something that helps with speech.
Joy is finally cutting another tooth! Number 9 here we come!
Joy has graduated from OT from ECI, but they suggested we bring in some private therapies. So we did – and now Joy is one very busy little girl!
Speech Therapy – three times weekly.
OT – twice weekly.
Developmental services – once weekly.
PT – in process of evaluation.
Joy is developing so much right now. It is so amazing to watch! We are really working on her signs and her vocalizations.
Joy adores her little sister!
Joy wants to hug Bella, hold Bella, tickle Bella, and kiss Bella all the time!
I’m not sure who taught her, but she has learned to walk backwards! And she makes this sound like a truck when she does it – beep, beep, beep. Too precious!
Today was momentous in OT. Today we revised Joy’s IFSP (individual family service plan). No longer will Miss Carolyn be coming to visit Joy. She has accomplished her ECI goals for OT. Wow! Miss Carolyn has been working with Joy for 2 years. I remember when we started. Joy was so tiny and couldn’t do a thing. I was so nervous and uncertain. Thank you Miss Carolyn. It’s hard to say good-bye or to believe that it’s been 2 years!
Today Joy got her Sure Steps. They keep her ankles and ligaments all aligned. First socks, then the Sure Steps, then tennis shoes. They brought her a new pair of shoes – thank goodness. She wears a size 3, but now she has to have a 4 to go over the brace. I never would have thought to get those beforehand.
Here she is, so cool. She wasn’t sure what to think at first, but she found her balance and is all over now. We still have to work on that wide base she’s got goin’ on. This is an improvement, but this is why she has a gait. Hopefully with time we’ll improve there as well.
Jessi and Lizzy played with Joy and bubbles.
I wanted to show you some of her signs – so fun! Her ability to communicate is growing so much! She is learning new signs all the time. I love baby and hat. Here are some that she uses all the time.
The Itsy-Bitsy Spider
All the Little Fishes
And the sign I am most proud of – this is Joy’s version of “Amen.” She folds her arms so reverently and then signs Amen at the end of prayers – yeah!
Helping Daddy vacuum
Physical Therapy – working on walking up the stairs
And finally her frustration for the week – hip huggers. They are basically spandex shorts that have been sewn together down the middle. It is supposed to help her walk more normally. It is definitely more difficult to walk this way, and her therapist admitted it might be too late, but we’ll see. We are also looking into horse back riding to help with her gait. We’ll see. The problem I foresee with the horse back riding is that my other girls might suddenly develop gaits so that they “HAVE” to have horse back riding too. :)
Joy is working on WALKING up the stairs – good for those thighs! She is learning to crawl down the stairs. She’s really nervous about coming down – which is fine with me right now.
She is going to be getting some hip huggers and some sure steps to help with her ankles and hips.
Silly Joy! What a funny pose!
I wish that this had been a video and not a picture! Joy is saying, “tickle, tickle".” She was tickling her sister’s toes. What a crazy, sweet girl you are Joy!
