Long Robbie Post

WoW!  We went to therapy today thinking it was a normal visit and were thrown for a loop.  First off the person who oversees his therapy funding was there to reevaluate, secondly he ended up having physical therapy as well and last of all we left and will not be back for an undetermined amount of time. 

            The PT reevaluated him and then discharged him! No more PT!!!  This does not mean he is caught up to his peers. It does mean he can safely navigate his environment and he is now initiating improvement on his own time table.  We are beyond grateful for all his PT has done and how she has often gone out of her way to find ways to help him improve.  We will see her occasionally when there for FT but will definitely miss “play” time with Ms Kris.

            Feeding/Speech Therapy also went quite unexpectedly today. Over the last several weeks Robbie has become increasingly defensive when it comes to eating. His therapist voiced concern that if we continue pushing him he will begin to go backwards instead of progressing. She has seen this happen in other patients. So the plan is that he will continue eating what he currently does but we will put on hold trying to get him to chew for a few months. We will offer him chewable foods at his meals but if he rejects then that is fine and we don’t push it at all.  Hopefully within a few months he will be more receptive to trying again and then we will resume feeding therapy.

            This leaves Speech Therapy. Everyone agreed he needs to continue with speech since he is growing increasingly frustrated with his inability to communicate. Since it takes and hour to get to therapy and an hour back and ST is only ½ an hour we decided it would be prudent to change therapists until we start back with FT (there are no feeding specialists closer). So for the time being Robbie will receive in-home speech therapy. This will be so much easier!

            So to sum up….YAY for Robbie!  Pray for continued improvement.

Redneck Waterbed

I’ve had a lot of people asking “What is a redneck waterbed?!”.  I found the idea on another blog http://playathomemom3.blogspot.com/    Here is how we did it and what I’d do differently.

You need:

• Plastic sheeting (clear tarp) a minimum of 4 mil.
• Duct tape
• Water hose
• Dish soap

1. Fold the tarp in half and duct tape all but about one foot of the edges.
2. Turn it inside out and duct tape again. Make sure it is well sealed.

       3.  Fill with water then duct tape the opening shut really well.

        4.  Pour water and dish soap on top and have fun!

        5.  After awhile we sliced it open and made it into a slip n slide. It was a huge success!

What I would do differently:

• I recommend 7 mil since ours broke after about 10 minutes of use. It held up for another 15 minutes or so even with the hole, until we cut it open.
• Add lots of food coloring. The blog where I found this did this and it looked really neat. We did add some blue to ours and it was cool to about 1/3 of the way full then it seemed to just disappear. Next time I will add a lot more. Just be sure you are wearing clothes that can get stained.
• I would buy a bigger piece of plastic. We bought 12 x 9 and bigger would’ve been more fun.
• No slip n sliding on the waterbed!  That is what broke ours and it doesn’t work to well anyways.  When you try to slide hard on it the water gets pushed in front of you and so ends up becoming a wall that stops you.

Have fun and be safe!

Summer Fun List

        Thought I would share with you our Summer Fun List.  A few things we have already done. One I added because we have done it and I like to put things on lists I can check off - it makes me feel accomplished :)  Several of the things we hope to do repeatedly and a few of them at least once. Maybe it will give you a handful of ideas for your summer and if you have any I could add to it I'm open to suggestions!

Summertime Fun!

The temperatures are climbing and so is potential for fun  :)   This year we have created a Summertime Fun list of all the things we want to do before Fall arrives.  While the boys and I were in Texas Chet checked one thing off the list, he made a sprinkler.  This evening we checked off another as washing the cars turned into trying out the sprinker.  It's a success!  Can't wait for the nieces and nephews to come and try it out  :)   

Yay for Robbie!

Two weeks ago I stumbled upon a new Robbie improvement.  We were playing in his play area and I was drinking a bottle of water.  Robbie likes bottles of water...to chew on.  He kept trying to take it and chew on it, so thinking I would deter him (he dislikes anything cold and thin liquid) I opened it and gave him a sip. To my shock and delight he smiled, said "yum" and wanted more! He hadn't asperated so I gave him a few more sips.  Next I went and got his new sippy straw cup and put in cold water.  He drank it!  He has been having cold liquids with no thickener ever since.  This is a great break through for him and one that I hope will lead to more. Thanks so much for all the prayers and please keep them coming  :)