Easter dress progress

Each of the girls has most-of-an-Easter-dress so far.  They still need buttons, hems, and bows, plus Addy's needs a hook & eye.  But it's progress!

Reading every last word on the page

Addy was "reading" a note she found on the table today.  She traced her finger along the page horizontally and said, "'Addy has Spina ... (tracing along about 3 more lines, not saying anything) ... Bifida.'  And that's all this says."

Shhhh, I'm hunting cwaft pwojects

Because I can't just have 1 (or 2 or 3) craft projects going at once, I'm pondering/planning out a "quiet book" for the girls (a fabric activity book, often having the hidden bonus of fine motor practice, intended to keep children very quiet).  I'm thinking something along a super hero princess theme, but it's still very early in the process.  Besides having the fine motor stuff (lacing, zippers, buttons, etc), this has the potential for me to finally try out my embroidery machine.  (Amazon had a ridiculously good sale on sewing machines.  I gave myself an over-due birthday present.)

Besides the 2 Easter dresses (with matching purses), and quiet book, I also need to make ... I'm sure there's an official name for it, but a pouch/bag/quiver for Addy's forearm crutches to hang on the back of her wheelchair.

More PT progress

The teacher who brought Addy out to the car after school today said that she had walked about 40-50 feet today using her forearm crutches, and she was pretty fast with it, too!  That's follow-up to Monday's report that Addy got to practice climbing on the rock wall on the playground (funny kid!). She's had the walker for just under a year, the canes for about 6 months, and the crutches for a little over 2 months.  So excited to see what she'll be doing this summer!

Vocabulary

We have so far identified the following words in Nora's vocabulary:

Awowa (another/more, usually specifically a Ritz cracker)

Mama, Dada, A-Deee (Addy), May-ee (Merry/cat)

Show (TV show/movie)

Eye, ear, nose, mouth, foot, toes, head/bonk, hair, cheek, chin (all of which she will also try to forcibly remove)

Go, play, away

Up, Down

Door

Shoe, hat, coat, pants

Cat, meow, Dog, woof, Duck, qack (no "u")

Pretty

Hug, kiss

Cup

Joo (juice)

Appa (apple)

Book

Baby

Potty

Easter dresses (2014)

Addy declared that "we" (a.k.a., I) would be making her and Nora Easter dresses this year.  They are to be purple with matching purses, and Addy's needs a bow.  And I should make sure to buy enough fabric so that Daddy and I could have a matching dress and purse.  (Where does she come up with this stuff??). 

Progress so far is that fabric is purchased.  I found a cute springy print in white/purple for Addy and green/white for Nora.  And I found a blog with a bunch of dress tutorials and let Addy pick her favorite.  So far, Addy has the front half of a dress, but no bow yet, and Nora has 2 yards of green/white fabric.

A quick study

Addy has made a TON of progress with using her "go sticks" lately.  We've had them at home since about New Year's, and she's been taking them to school for her PT to work with her on them for the past week and a half or so.  Over the weekend she walked independently with them--woot!  She needs a spotter behind her (just in case), but she walked about 6-8 feet all by herself with her crutches several times.  Way to go, Addy!  (Yes, I have video.  No, I can't get it to upload right now.)

Patch not available

I'm having a love/hate relationship with the tall braces right now.  Overall, I love them.  They help Addy walk, stand, play, keep up with her peers, etc.  But the hip hinge has eaten not 1 but 2 pairs of her pants!  Hopefully a quick visit to the orthotist's office will take care of things.