Got Milk?...

Today was a little rough. I woke up feeling like I had the flu - but I don't. I had such severe arthritis pain I actually felt sick. Ed helped me get the kids ready for breakfast before leaving for work, which was a big help, and then I was very grateful to Miss Katja for stopping by for a few hours this morning to help, too. From 9-11 I escaped to my room, something I so rarely do, so I could sit down and try to shake it off.

I came down just in time for Brian's teaching session with Miss Christi. Gavin and Brian woke up in crabby moods, so I was a little nervous about how it would go. The first half didn't go so well - Brian cried and wasn't cooperating. But then he came around and they ended up having a nice time together. He was quiet, but she remarked that he is doing a better job labeling objects that he sees and hears.

I definitely notice a new and exciting independent streak in both Brian and Gavin. All of a sudden, both of them are wanting to do more "big boy" things. Today, Brian flat our demanded to start drinking out of an open cup. At first, it went a little like this...

But it wasn't long before he got the hang of it!

Every time he took a drink, he'd have a look of such pride on his face.

Not to be outdone, Gavin tried drinking out of a different cup today, too. In therapy, Miss Maggie is working with Gavin on lip closure. An important skill for feeding and speech. One idea was to use a hard straw - we chose the 'Take and Toss' cups. Gavin tends to use his teeth to bite and suck the milk up the soft straw in his cup. The hard straw would force him to close his lips around it and suck. We tried it with him today and, like most new things, he was not too happy with the change.

He calmed down and let Maggie try...and try...but he never really did get anything up the straw.

She also used bubbles with him. She'd catch one on the wand and while I stood behind him and pushed his cheeks so his mouth would pucker, she would break the bubble on his lips. The idea was to get him aware of his lips and hope that he'd pucker in anticipation of the bubble coming towards him.

Gavin's birthday week continues...and today, I am remembering his journey to two! This was probably Gavin's biggest year yet. He met his brother...we experienced a miracle with him (no really, we did! You'll have to watch to find out...)...he had some MAJOR physical accomplishments...and he blew his therapists away. This was the year that confirmed to me that there was really no stopping this child. And I also realized that no matter what we did - or how many times we tried something with him - Gavin was a child that would do everything in his own time. And that was - and will always be - okay with us.

So grab your tissues - and prepare to laugh and cheer - as you watch "A Meeting, A Miracle and Milestones".