Thursday Therapy!

This week's therapy is brought to you by one 3 year old with a very short attention span and two very patient therapists!  Natalee's poor OT and PT had to switch activities several times tonight.  We've had a similar week at school...just a scattery, jumpy, hard to reign in attention span.  

Natalee did have a fun time at therapy until the very very end when she told the PT, Meagan, that her legs were too tired to do any more!  Walking backwards on the treadmill is a chore. :)  We're proud of Natalee's progress and her Miss Meagan even commented tonight that her balance is getting better.  She is falling less and is able to recover herself when she trips instead of going down like a lead balloon.  She is also taking some steps in the one foot/one step, next foot/next step fashion that most of us walk them instead of having to put both feet on a step before going to the next one.  She's getting stronger!!  Tonight's activities included trike and soccer outside (yay for beautiful weather!), trampoline, walking with the theraband, balancing while writing, rolling the ball (focusing on tracking), and walking forwards and backwards on the treadmill.  We're waiting for Miss Meagan to have her baby and when she does we'll have a substitute therapist for a couple of months.  This will be an adjustment for Natalee but as a mama there is no better place for Miss Meagan to be than at home with her new baby!!

In OT the focus tonight was proper grasp and hand strengthening.  She worked with scissors and made an adorable stained glass cross, she used tong tweezers to clean the bed bugs out of the bed (cute game!), and wrote on the easel, working on her tripod left-handed grasp.  I appreciate that Jennifer worked our faith gently into her lesson tonight by making a cross template for Natalee to do her stained glass on.  She could have done a hundred other shapes but she chose a cross and that means a lot to Mike & I. 

Physical Therapy with Miss Meagan:

 

Occupational Therapy with Miss Jennifer:

 

We are also SO grateful that the therapists allow Xavier to use some of their equipment on nights that he comes along.  It's hard to be a little boy and sit for an hour while your sister gets lots of attention and for the most part Xabe does excellently...but tonight, when one of the therapists offered him the trike, he didn't think twice and it entertained him for the better part of 30 minutes!  Thanks, girls, for treating our family like your family and welcoming us into your work space!  You make us feel so relaxed and give us such support...we always leave feeling positive and upbeat! (and it's not just because you exhaust our kids and we know they'll be calm the rest of the night!!!)

And Mr. Xavier...we're blessed that you are such a gentle little boy that is easily entertained!  Thanks for being so sweet and usually patient!