What's Been Happening

Another busy day where I got nothing really accomplished at all! Nothing unusual about that for me though as it does seem that is how my life runs these days.

This morning, Maya's behavior therapist was here. She did very well with her this morning too. Identified all but maybe two or three cards on sight - animals, other objects, etc. One side of the card has the picture, the flip side shows it as the word and as she looked at each picture, identified it, she flipped them over herself and just seemed to be studying on the letters in each word then. After that, she did some coloring, tracing over letters with a crayon, like her name, etc. and she tries very hard to be as neat as is possible for her to manage too at her age. The therapist has remarked several times at how neatly she does try to color - to stay within the lines, etc. Mandy had to leave mid-way through that session and she was so content and occupied with the therapist that she willingly said good bye to her mother, even gave her a hug and a kiss without going into meltdown that Mandy was leaving.

During the afternoon, she was fairly well behaved for me too. Only a few things she was intent on getting into - like the ice cube tray someone had removed from the freezer and then left it sit on the counter by the sink so that the little bits of ice still in there melted - of course (go figure, huh) and she was having a field day wanting to go dip her fingers into that little bit of water, dripping it on the floor and patting it onto her hair and her bangs. Just enough to make a tiny mess - nothing outrageous or anything though.

This afternoon then, her speech therapist came. The neat thing with her two therapists is this - the one who is her behavior therapist is named Carrie and the speech therapist is named Mandy and my daughters names are Carrie and Mandy! It can get a bit confusing to those who don't know that as to who I am talking about if I only use the therapists names there - as you can see!

But shortly before the speech therapist came, Maya's half-brother, Shane, was here for the afternoon and he had his cd player with the headset with him. Just fooling around, he got Maya to sit beside him on the loveseat and put the headset on her. WOW! Wish you could have seen the look on her face - sheer astonishment and awe! She would leave the headset on a couple seconds, pull it off and look it over, put it back on and the smile on her face - soooo neat, sooo special to see! Pure enjoyment. She does love music and one of her favorite things is to watch the Country Music Video Network on our cable. And that is something that totally cracks Mandy (her mother) and me up because her Dad hates Country Music - he's into the loud, banging, clanging type of rock music but not Miss Maya. Nope, she's a Johnny Cash fan for openers!

On Sunday afternoon, when she was really wired for sound and being very rambunctious - a good sign usually that she is tired and in need of a little rest and with luck, a nap - her Dad was trying to get her to lay down a bit. She would but only for about a minute or two. So he finally told her he was going to lay down with her on the love seat. Of course, before they could "settle in" she had to have her binky, then her blanky (her special blanket) and finally, when she seemed to be willing to lay still and quiet down, she insisted she had to "Watch music" meaning flip the channel Dad to the Country Music videos. Which he did. And he then had to lay there with her as she fingered her blanket and watched the music videos till she conked out. Poor Bill was probably in agony at the idea he HAD to watch country videos!

And, back to this afternoon, after Mandy the speech therapist left, I finished getting supper ready which put me in the sleep mode about 15 minutes after we finished eating!

See what I mean about how I get nothing accomplished in a day.

Tomorrow, I will get out of the house for a short trip to Clearfield to pick up my new glasses. I'm trying to convince Mandy that she and the two little ones should go with me so we can take the kids and go visit my aunt and cousin at the nursing home there. It's not that often we both get out of the house together and with the kids at a time that would work to stop and see our aunt and she hasn't seen the two little ones now since December. If I go over there, I can't manage to take the two kids by myself so that's out as an option too for getting a way that she can see how much they've both grown, how much Maya has learned and how well she is talking and behaving now too! Plus, Maya has a new song now too - she can do "You are my sunshine!" and I know Aunt Mike would very much enjoy hearing her rendition of that as well!

And, as usual - before I close tonight, here it is for today - the Bushism.
"If you're a younger person, y ou ought to be asking members of Congress and the United States Senate and the president what you intend to do about it. If you see a train wreck coming, you ought to be saying, 'What are you going to do about it, Mr. Congressman, or Madam Congressman'" - Detroit, Michigan; February 8, 2005