Rhetta Poses for the Camera for the First Time and More!

I took an 8x8 print of this mosaic to our brainstorming meeting today and they loved it so much (her teachers) they are going to make a poster out of it to help teach emotions!  It turns out all the expressions are ones her speech therapist at school has been working on with her (which I knew of some) and they were floored when I told them how she was posing for the camera.  I mean, that is just not something a child like mine does.  She has literally only ever done it once - this past Halloween if you remember her half smile while carving her pumpkin?  Anyway, they were just as floored as I was but so proud.

Rhetta, it turns out, is doing wonderfully with her motor skills and I really need to let the hand grip go for awhile and wait.  Her printing is better than any of the other kids her age, her drawing is so elaborate they were a bit speechless.  She runs without tripping, she peddles bikes and trikes and shows a lot of interest in tying her shoes.  She uses scissors with either hand and the computer mouse with her right hand.  Draws with her left, leads with her left, is definately a lefty, not quite ambidextrious but almost.

She is doing the monkey bars at school with no spotter.

Her willingness to play with the other kids throughout the day now is at it's best - no more perseveration unless it's after an emotional meltdown which are few and far between.  She is doing some pretend play with the blocks, pretending they are people and making up different voices for them, acting out scenerios in mostly Rhettaspeak but pretending nonetheless.  I explained how she'd been doing that since birth - talking to herself in Rhetta speak in the middle of the night at 2 months old, and later to herself in every reflection she could find including my eyeballs!

She is checking herself when she starts to say the word "shit" and just gets the "sh.." out then stops.  LOL  Funny thing though, and I told them this today, she has learned a new one from Rob: "Oh dammit, this sucks."

We worked out a lot of what's been causing me some anxiety.  Not all but some.  I just hate not being there to see how she's really doing.  And I don't like that Michele, her aide, is so stern with her.  Tish seems to think that's what Rhetta needs but I don't much like it. I said so, too, but that won't change who Michele is.  She is just that way and I admit Rhetta responds to it.  I'm just not sure how it's forming in her mind whether that's how people learn to do things or not, does that make sense?

We talked about the one thing Rhetta still will not do.  I really want her to have to do all the things the other kids have to do to the best of her ability.  The one thing we discussed Tish broke in and said, "You'll just have to make her do it," and I flat out said No. No. No.  You will not make her do anything.   You will teach her how to do it the way she learns, through pictures.  What the fuck is wrong with them that they can't drill that into their heads? It is so weird because they are always trying to tell me these things as if I am the one who doesn't know.  I think really that Tish just slips into her role for typical kids and forgets sometimes.  I love Tish and don't like being mad at her - lol - but I stood my ground.

Rhetta is reading some cursive.  She stumbles on funky letters like f and capital G (again, cursive) and T's look like Js, but she read the little note Grandma wrote in her Easter card that came yesterday.

Devon made it to the meeting and was so so so awesome.  Had a two page report of ideas to help with a lot of what we've been working on in OT.  Had a lot to say but didn't ramble like she's prone to do.  We only had an hour, after all, so we had to cram a lot in there.

The best part was finally bringing together Devon (hospital ped. rehab OT) and Audrey (school district ST, new).  I just knew they'd hit it off, and they are equally fascinated and loving to my daugher.  I am blessed with these two, seriously.  In five minutes after everyone else had to leave they exchanged information about their training, their number, and decided a collaboration over the summer would have to happen with Rhetta and the two of them, at least, if not a whole group activity like swimming or a picnic or something, with no compensation to Audrey - she just wants to work together with Devon once with Rhetta for the fun of it - AND (this is a long sentence) ... and they talked about a part time position open at the rehab.  Not to steal her from the schools but Devon's dream (and mine too now) is to have the hospital and school work together instead of having such separate models but to mesh.  If Audrey worked for both somehow it could be a step toward that, you know?  It's all very exciting.

We're also working out how to get me into see the classroom she'll be in next year and let me sit in while class is in session.  Meet the teacher, take pictures, etc. Devon wants Rhetta to start with full days and from there we can determine what parts she benefits from the most socially and feeds her...can't think of a word here... what pleases her the most - has the most fun while not necessarily focussing on academics.  Just follow her lead.  We'll also find out if any of her classmates now will be in her class next year to help smooth the transition.  They joked about how she just might like it.  Ha ha.  We joke a lot about the half homeschooled, half public schooled aspect.  I confessed how I was secretly happy Rhetta hated the classroom last year but just as happy that she loves the one this year.

It really moved me that they were all at this meeting today.  It is so hard for everyone to schedule at the same time.  Devon, who is normally double booked and perpetually late came straight from another meeting and was right on time.  And it was not an IEP meeting like I had thought it would be.  It was a meeting of the minds.

So, Rhetta is flourishing.  She is still full of negativity when she doesn't get to direct the situation but more often verbally now instead of nonverbally (i.e. screaming, droping, banging her head, sobbing).  They'll work on leadership roles vs. running the show.

One final funny... Audrey was telling us how they're working on pretend play and emotions in ST with a baby doll.  Rhetta will put the baby to bed, tuck it in, kiss it night night, "But she will NOT feed the baby!" I asked, "You're using a bottle?" She said, "Yes! And she will not feed it." I said, "Give her a breast!" Devon reinforced that - lol - and we all had a good laugh. I said seriously, "Ask her if the baby wants nu-nu. Tell her to give the baby some nu-nu and see what she does. " I can't wait!