Scattered Update ...

We are in the middle of a very busy two weeks!  My Goldilocks (6) has started an intensive therapy called Tomatis for auditory processing, sensory integration and occupational and physical therapy.  She has to go every day for 15 days in a row except Sundays.  Then she will be going every other month for 8 days for a few months.  The boys started this process a few months ago, so now we practically live at this office.  I told the office staff the other day that I really need my own room and parking space.  LOL!  Anyway, the improvements in the boys are really dramatic, so I hope we will see the same in Goldilocks.  Unfortunately, her brain is damaged in a different way than my boys' brains, so it is hard to know how much improvement we will see.  Unfortunately, her behavior is nosediving because of all of the one on one attention from the therapists.  They are giving her too many choices, too much praise, and letting her get away with too much.  The therapists really want to do their best by her and have done an awesome job with my boys, but it is totally different dealing with a RAD child.  It's a learning curve, of course, for everyone.  Hopefully, they will tighten up so she will not be spinning out so much. 


Tom Sawyer (5) is really enjoying the piano more, since I started putting a spoon handle under his palm to provide support.  The spoon helps his hand curve more naturally and allows his fingers to play separately.  The hardest thing for him is remembering to lift one finger before pressing the next one down. 





Tom Sawyer is also doing awesome in reading.  I am so pleased with his progress in 100 Easy Lessons.  He is zipping through it and has started using phonics to sound out words he wants to spell.


Little Red Ridinghood (4) is really loving her ballet, and I can't believe her first recital is just a few weeks away!  She has so many little dance moves.  Also, Goldilocks is doing well in Homeschool Choir and holding her own.  I wasn't sure she would be able to deal with the memorization of songs (since she can't read) but is starting to learn them.  Her first concert is right around the corner, too.


The boys ended up doing the same art lesson on Toulouse-Lautrec the other day.  I am amazed at how well Tom Sawyer stuck with it. This is what they were copying.





Here are their renderings:


The big teen's





Tom Sawyer's





Lastly, the big teen starts rehearsals for our church Christmas play on top of his Internship at the Nature Center, so we are about to become even busier.  In fact, I have to leave the house for 59 appointments/co-op/classes this month!  YIKES!  Talk about crazy busy.


Blessings,
Dawn