Progress Report 20th session

So, I think I forgot to blog about the 10 session progress report.  Oh well.  I had the 20th session meeting last Monday and Brianna and I figured out that Kate has been in a regression period for the past 3 weeks.  It didn't help that she was sick for 4 days as well.  She made a little progress with VOR and balance beam and gait and aerobics but that was about it.  Basically, her brain is trying to catch up with all of the changes that we have been throwing at her these last few weeks.  Its all good stuff, but she needs a little time to process and then we should start seeing more progress and happier moods.  Well, when she got out of her session, right after my meeting, she was in a great mood.  It was such a relief.  I wish there was a way for all of these changes to happen easily and smoothly.  What would it take for us to know how to do that??

Anyway, the truth is, as I see it, Kate is amazing.  She may not always be happy with all of these changes I am making or asking her to do, but she is doing them.  I was just thinking about that today.  Some of these things she has been doing (or thinking that she needs) for several years.  How hard is it to break habits that I have been doing for several years?  How hard is it for people to stop smoking or maintain a healthy weight?  It is just as hard for her to go places without salamander or her fur or tail.  But she is doing it!!  It was such a process to get her to this place.  Before Brain Balance she would have had meltdowns just talking about leaving salamander at home.  But, she is becoming more flexible.  And she really likes cookies! LOL.  That is really a motivator for her.  So I use it in exchange for these things that we are trying to help her let go of and move on to new ways of doing things.  Chocolate cookies.  I think I love them.  Me and chocolate cookies, working together to move Kate to new levels.  Oh ya, and throw in a little Brain Balance too.  I am so glad that Kate has brought me here to learn all of these things!!  She is so powerful!    

Swimming

Today, Kate was swimming in the deep end for about 7 seconds by herself before she had to hold onto the wall.  She was so excited about it, grinning from ear to ear.  She even said I could sign her up for swimming lessons, YAY!  She was almost brave enough to put her head under the water, but not quite.  She wants a face mask and a snorkel so she can see under the water.  She saw that her friends Alec and Collin had one and she's been wanting one ever since.  Hey MOM!! That would be a great thing to get her :)

It is so amazing how going swimming totally changes her mood.  She doesn't like being in the house for very long and is kinda grouchy, but as soon as we got in the pool she was so happy!  I need to remember that!

My Birthday!

Thanks everyone for the birthday wishes!!  I chose to celebrate my birthday by taking a day long class.  Kate and I woke up early, had birthday blueberry muffins, and drove 2 hours to go to this class.  I was so excited for it and Kate was interested too (and it was free for her to attend) and it was awesome!!  I learned so much and it adds to everything I have been doing.  It is called Access Bars and it is basically releasing stuck energy from 32 points on the head.  This helps us be able to make the changes in our life that we want to make.  Kate got her bars run once and I got mine run twice.  I practiced on two people also.  So, now I am an Access Bars Practicioner.  Yippee! 

So we spent the day at the class and then came home around 10 and went to bed!  We both woke up about 8:30, which is late for Kate :)  And this morning she woke up around 8:15.  I like that.

One thing that I have already noticed is that I usually hate talking on the phone to people I don't know very well, but today I felt comfortable during a phone conversation.  It doesn't seem like much, but to me it is!  And, today we were late to Kate's craft class and I didn't feel stressed about it.  Usually I don't like being late, but today I felt relaxed about it.

I really recommend getting your bars run.  I have had mine run 3 times now and things shift each time.  I love it.  I feel more peaceful and more confident too.  How can it get any better??

Treats!

We have been wanting to get some popsicle molds for a while and I finally got them.  The popsicles are a little small but so easy for Kate to fill.  She did all of them on her own and put the lids on by herself too!  She is so excited to go into the freezer and eat popsicles whenever she wants :)  For these we used Vitamin Water Zero.

I like these because they are like the ring pop candy I used to get.

One of the things I miss about Vermont is getting creemees!  I was at the thrift store yesterday and I saw this soft serve ice cream maker.  It was the best $4 I have spent in a long time!  I was super excited and so was Kate.  We made chocolate ice cream this morning and it turned out really well!  Kate thought it was a little too coconutty, but I loved it.  And the consistency was great, nice and smooth.

Kate's first serving :)

A pretty good swirl!

This was my recipe:

1 can organic coconut milk (full fat)
2 Tablespoons organic cacao powder
3 Tablespoons agave
2 of the tiny scoops of powdered stevia
YUM. 

YES!

Man, these little nuggets, are just perfect for me!!  I love this one! And it is so easy to feel when we are doing one or the other.  What would it take to always look for the solution?

If you intend to be of assistance, your eye is not upon the trouble but upon the assistance, and that is quite different. When you are looking for a solution, you are feeling positive emotion— but when you are looking at a problem, you are feeling negative emotion.

--- Abraham

A Kate Quote

"I guess I could have waffles for dinner.  At least it's better than starvation."

Craft Class

Today was Kate's first craft class.  She was quiet going in but nodded, yes, when I asked if she was fine and I could go.  I peeked in toward the end and she was painting the puzzle pieces on her frame.  She came out and was upset because the teacher was strict and also threw some things away.  Two of her pet peeves, pet peeves is probably a mild word for it :)  We talked about it and hopefully the fun parts of the class will outweigh the parts she doesn't like.  We'll see.  At least she was open about talking and hearing some ways to deal with the uncomfortable parts.  The other great thing is that she said she likes me more than her teacher.  Which is saying a lot since these days I am not her favorite person.  I keep pushing her out of her comfort zone and asking her to be responsible for certain things, which is not making me popular, hehe.  I am so glad that she can be with others so she has someone to compare me to.  Anyway, these are the projects that she painted:



plaster mushrooms



Trampolines!!

We get such a workout when we go here to play!  We chase each other, play ring around the rosies, and even do jumping jacks.  Lots of ways to move!  I didn't take a picture of the dodgeball place, but we actually played in there this time.  Kate was actually throwing balls at me and trying to hit me.  Luckily, there were no other kids in there so we could practice.  When we were done, she said that she LOVES dodgeball.  Now THAT is a first!!

right side

left side

me!

Who Says

This is for Kate and all of us who have been told we are not enough.  We love dancing to this song!!

So sick

Ok, here is some good news!  Kate is SOOO sick of me!!  She wants to play with kids and be with other people!  So now I get to arrange play dates.  And I signed her up for a craft class that starts on Tuesday.  It is for an hour, twice a week, and it is a good one to start with.  I checked the library today and found out when the story times are.  They have some programs for kids 12 and under so we can do that (I'll sit in the back :) or go read by myself in a corner (won't that be nice???)

If the craft class goes well, there are some other day camps that I will look into.  There are so many options here for fun stuff for kids to do.  I asked her if she wanted to take swim lessons but she said no.  I'll ask again in a couple of weeks.  I think she would pick it up really quickly now.

OH!! and today at the library I was trying to find a good movie for me.  I heard some footsteps running away and Kate was nowhere to be seen.  I looked around and couldn't see her anywhere.  So I walked into the next room where the kids section was and she was laying on the floor reading a book!  She actually ran away from me.  And she did it two other times!!  When I was busy, she would pitter patter away and I found her in the same place picking out some books.  It was so great!  She said she kept forgetting to tell me where she was going :)

Kate in a Bubble

4th

This has been the best day in a long time.  We saw and did so many new things and had fun doing it.  That is the best part.  We went to the parade which started at 8am!  Then there were some fun activities at the park after.  We threw wet sponges at people, watched the slip and slide (she didn't want to go on it because it had dish soap on it), watched people being dunked, listened to Karaoke (she thought she might sing a Selena Gomez song), and so much more!  I just had to take pictures of her, which she wasn't happy about, but oh well.  This was too good not to get a picture of!!  And notice the shorts!!  I have been asking her for several weeks to wear shorts and today she finally did.  Perfect day.

Friends from Brain Balance walked in the parade.

Kate kept this candy.  She won't eat it but she thought it was cute.  Imagine candy flying past you everywhere and not eating it.  She got a Frisbee and a free smoothie coupon.

Bubble fun at the park

Kate deflated

Kate, after they inflated the bubble

Kate moving around the pool in the bubble!!

Shaved ice! Luckily I had some blueberries in the cooler that we could flavor it with.  She was happy to have it, but still wanted some of the bright red flavor that the other kids were getting.

Huge slide!

Chatting with the attendant while getting ready to slide :)