Spring Things

Almost a year since my last post! We've been busy living. Liam will turn SIX in a few weeks and little brother celebrated his first birthday a little over a month ago.

Here are some highlights:

Liam walked his farthest distance last fall. From our house to the neighbors. His reward was ringing the doorbell. And, walked home!

Leading the Parade! 

Walking all the way home. 

Sitting up almost completely by himself. This is a big, difficult task. But, the possibilities are endless: getting out of bed; playing by himself; sledding just to name a few.

Couch Sitting 

Piano Sitting

Sled Sitting.

Accident free week at school. Both schools, to be specific. Conclusion: the skills learned at CLC are transferring to other areas of life. His new strengths are becoming normal to him and he can repeat them!

Walking to Santa

Policeman Liam on patrol.

You are under arrest! 

Learning to read. Crawling is an early motor skill leading to later reading skills. I don't understand it either. I do know Liam can get onto all fours by himself. And, he is learning to read.

That's been our exciting year! Next up is our last yard sale on Diamond Street! Posts of items coming tomorrow!!!

Let's Do Lunch

It's been about 5 months since my last lunch with girlfriends. It feels equally long since I've been present on this blog. Phew, where to begin. Time to update the family info because we are a family of FOUR! Welcome baby David!

At Home Together!

Two in diapers (but one only at night now!), two non ambulatory (not walking), two crying (but only when tired or hungry), two boys=brothers.  It's been two months of this chaos. PHEW! The grands have literally saved my life on several occasions, especially the night we ALL had the flu and a very selfless grandma stayed on our couch all night so I could sleep.

That couch was my comfortable prison the last 11 weeks of my pregnancy. Yes, that is almost 3 months. And, the last two I was in somewhat active labor, on medication to stop contractions. It was quite something. I watched to many shows to remember and thanked God for our public library where I could download books without leaving my couch!



Painting at School

The Walking Wonder

 

 

 

While I was confined, contemplating what Liam feels like most days, he started to push obstacles out of his way. The distance he is able to walk has probably quadrupled. And, the amazing potty trained boy is decreasing his accidents weekly. He started playing with blocks without a therapist (blocks are a big assessment tool in OT/PT and education)! And, he likes it. He's figuring out the purpose of toys is to play not "work." What a gift to give him a little more normal childhood.

Normal until Dad taught him the word FIDUCIARY. Yup. And, they're working on money matters with the birthday money. But that's a story for another post.

Growing Pains

We are six months into our year at CLC. Here's a look back on some of the highlights and hopes for the remainder of the school year.

We knew from the two month trial before the official school year started our goals of potty training and independent walker were attainable. It took about a week for Liam to "Dry All Day" at school . He was SO proud to walk out carrying the big green "Dry All Day" star. At home we have on average one accident a weekend. And, usually that's because we forgot to ask or are out in a new setting. And, those are becoming more rare because he started telling us when he needs to go. After, several months of being dry at school and over the weekend his teachers increased their expectations. He giggled so hard he could barely walk the day he received the "Pushed Pants Down" star.

Let me take a step back and explain why potty training, of all things, is so important and such an accomplishment. Liam, like a person who has had a stroke or has paralysis, has difficulty feeling his and controlling his lower body. While he's 3, 4, or 5 it's not really difficult to find diapers that fit or change him. But, what about when he starts school, his friends are no longer having accidents. Incontinence is a large barrier to social function. Imagine sitting in the board room and having a diaper leakage issue. It was one of the most difficult areas for my grandmother to overcome. She didn't want to go out and have an accident. My adult friends with Spina Bifida told me not to push this issue to hard because it really isn't a moral failing it's a physical deficiency. Matt and I have worked hard on our attitude not to push or scold just to give the opportunity (and make sure he takes it) and encourage. This area will open so many social doors for him. We are grateful for CLC's approach which has mirrored and helped form ours at home.

And, once the doors are open we want him to run through them! Liam takes his power chair to school everyday. It sits patiently in the hall way waiting for him to finish class. He uses it mainly to independently move in and out of the van, school and home. And, when he gets home depending on his level of fatigue he may drive around the house in it or use it to play outside. Imagine my shock when he came home three weeks ago asking to walk instead. I unbuckled him and he slid out of his chair into the waiting walker and tried to run away!  That was a welcomed first. Where did he want to go, the bathroom.

Movement creates movement or so I have heard. For Liam his independence has created and attitude of discovery. He wants to know beyond what he has been able to reach. He wants to read and create stories of his own using imaginative play. He wants to act out what he discovers at school or church or in community. His increased overall strength is enabling big things and small wonders like writing letters. And, his favorite, playing video games, a once frustrating therapy tool. He wants to stand and play and walk with his dad. He tells us when his brother is born he will be responsible to take care of him. That means he will carry the baby. I have to admit I can't quite imagine that yet. But, he has come so far in six months why not hope for the next to be just as exciting.

Swinging Through Life

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Progress in Practice

CLC called last week to ask about a new piece of equipment for Liam. A much smaller, lighter, way more independent walker. We've noticed how much stronger his upper body is and apparently his walking just taking off. Without the walker we haven't been able to practice much at home, he's not really motivated in the big bulky Pacer (that we were so thankful for a year ago, just to get him standing and trying). He's really making progress!

And, surprisingly it's not just the gross motor function (that's the big movements like sitting and walking). His school skills are coming along nicely too. He's been working on tracing his name since he was about 3. Not independently and frankly not very well. But, in the passed two months he's been independently tracing or writing his name. He know 95% of the alphabet, upper and lower, along with their sounds. And, as he learns the letters he either colors, traces or uses and IPad app to trace them with his finger.

Chopsticks are Tricky

Here's a little sample of his fine motor skills. We're so happy he's trying. He probably won't be the fastest writer but at least he can learn how.

Getting so Good

Scrictly Speaking Celebration

An Evening of Celebration!

 

At the end of October, we were invited to CLC's annual fundraising event held at Thousand Oaks Country Club. And, I was asked to be the parent speaker for the evening.

 

When I was initially asked, I mistakenly thought a group of parents would be speaking. And, I thought the 5 minute speech required would fit with that assumption. It wasn't until a few days before the event we received the program. I opened it to realize I was the ONLY parent speaker. No pressure.

 

Here is the jist of what I said.

 

Conductive Learning Center is more than just a place or a school it is a community.

 

This is a Community of Reality

Amazing Moms!

We as parents recognize the disabilities of our children but we refuse to accept the limitations which traditional therapy's and education impose on them. Our son, Liam, was born prematurely and diagnosed at 12 months with CP, Cerebral Palsy. We spent three years in tradtional therapies and education. Our son improved but his motivation deteriorated after several years. His frustartion with his inability led to behavior issues and further lack of interest in therapies. CLC creates the oppurtunity for our children to acheive their highest potential. It's a place where hard work is expected and our children are seen as capable. Their struggle is acknowledged. It's a safe place for them to express the frustration they feel.

 

This is a Community of Acheivement

Older Students chatting it up!

Frustration is not allowed to fester, it blossoms into acheivement. For Liam the first several weeks were overwhelming as he was expected to participate and perform. But, the other kids and the comfort the conductors gave him enabled him to adjust and thrive. Within the first session, which was generously gifted by a scholarship, he was potty trained! Beyond this huge accomplishment he took his first independent steps in a walker. Over the next few weeks, we noticed his strength increasing. He was able to sit independently in a bath tub and feed himself with utensils. Perhaps the biggest change is in his attitude. We hear "I can do it myself." The wonderful thing is he can.

 

This is a Community of Hope

Wonderful admistrators and conductors.

Not only do the children recieve this gift, we all recieve this gift. From those who donate to make this oppurtunity possible, to the administration who keeps the paper trail, to the conductors who everyday encourage, to the families who see the results, all of us create this community. The future employers and neighbors of our children will be gifted with this reality of hopefullness.

 

Thank-you for being a part of this community and welcoming us to it!

 

It was a wonderful evening, the most successful in the school's history. We are so honored to be a part of it.

 

Here are a few pictures borrowed from the school website. If you'd like to see more follow the link to the  CLC FACEBOOK page.

 

The Super Duper Donors!

 

Where's Matt? And, where's one of Matt's first karate students?
She's the gal with the brown hair just in front of Matt. Her older brother is the sudent in the picture above.
It's a small world!

 

 

 



 

Christmas in July!

Our Little Gift

 

 

Just after the last yard sale we dicovered our family of three was growing into a family of four!

 

We are so thrilled by this little gift who is due to arrive March 21.

 

It has meant a whole new learning experience for Liam. First he learned the baby had a tail. He decided he was going to have a baby in his tummy too. And, his baby was a dinosaur with a long tail.

 

Next he learned the baby "swims" in there. So now he likes to tell everyone his brother is a swimmer.

He's just starting to understand the flips and kicks he feels. And, already asking the baby to "Wake up and play with me."

 

Now, we're learning the hard lesson of patience. Bed rest is required for the last trimester. Liam is starting to realize what it means to be a big brother. Mommy and Daddy are getting things ready and he is responsible for his own body and self. This means picking up after himself, cleaning himself up after meals, more independent eating and self entertainment. He's doing wonderfully, we see how much working on his goals at home and at CLC are helping him to mature.

 

Baby brother's presence in our lives is a gift already. We are learning to enjoy this time of we three and preparing ourselves for next adventure of the feirce foursome.

 



Catch-Up!!

The BIG News

Well it's been a few months, the fundraisers are over, school has started 2012 is alomst at an end. Since it is almost Christmas, I'll tell you about how we recieved our presents early this year.

First, the CARNIVAL!
Huge THANK-YOU to Lacey, Rachel and all the other people who made this possible. It was truly a magical night and we were able to raise the rest of the 2012-2013 tuition.

How can we say thank-you enough to everyone who planned, volunteered, donated, and enjoyed.

Our Amazing Carnival Coordinator!

The Clean Up Crew

Bible study group presting Liam with a donation.




Cousin Love!

 

 



So many memories!

Spoils!