Giving...

If there's one quality I want to foster in Gavin and Brian, it's generosity.  I want them to be generous with their time, their love, their spirit and their good fortune.  Growing up, my parents encouraged giving to those less fortunate than us...and my Dad and I loved to do volunteer projects together.

Since the day Gavin was born, I feel like we've been on a constant receiving end of generosity.  When he was hospitalized, people brought us meals.  When I lost babies, people brought us meals.  (People have brought us a LOT of meals to the point that I started to think of things I could make up JUST to get these amazing meals)  Neighbors and friends have sent us hand me down clothes.  Other friends and neighbors have given us toys.  Blog readers have sent care packages and toys.  One especially generous blog reader, a retired school teacher who we lovingly refer to as Grandma Barb, supplied the boys with what seems like a lifetime worth of books!!  We have been so blessed by so many people.

So, it has felt really great over this past year or so to give and give and give.  But, more importantly, it has felt great to know that two little boys are watching.  Whether it's something small - like handing a dollar to Brian to put in a serviceman's can on Veteran's Day... or handing five bucks out the window to a Penn State student collecting money for their Childhood Cancer campaign - or something big like giving baby gear and clothes and toys to Gavin and Brian's speech therapist or packing up boxes for hurricane victims - they were watching.  And Brian always has tons of questions.  My answers always include a story about Pop who was truly the most generous person I've ever known.  He taught me that it doesn't matter how little you have - you can still manage to give something big and make a difference in someone's life.

Last week, I purchased a castle climber and slide with the intention of giving it to Gavin's classroom.  I bought it from a local Mom - she practically gave it away for $20.00! - and she was so happy to know it was going to help Gavin and his friends.  I thought it would be a great indoor activity and therapy tool during the cold winter months when they can't go outside.

It was at our house all weekend and I cleaned it up well so we could deliver it today.  Brian had a LOT of fun playing on it this weekend so I was a little bit fearful that he would have a tough time letting it go.  Okay, a lot a bit fearful.

But I was wrong.  I loaded it in the back of the van and Brian and I drove to Gavin's school to pick him up.  The whole way there he talked about how happy Gavin and his friends were going to be when they saw it.  I was so proud of him.  We carried it in and he demonstrated how to climb and slide and that was that!!

While we were there, I had a chance to chat with two of Gavin's therapists.  Whitney, on the left, is Gavin's Speech Therapist - and Erika is his Occupational Therapist.  They both are so great with Gavin and you can tell that he really adores them.  

Whitney told me that they were working hard on lip closure today.  Just like Maggie did, she adds crushed crackers or rice krispies on top of his puree and uses a flat spoon to encourage him to close his lips around it.  Generally, he scrapes everything with his teeth.  Lip closure is an important step in speech and language development.  She's been using massage around his mouth and bringing bubbles to his lips as well!

Erika worked with him on feeding as well.  She's trying to encourage him to feed himself.  He was doing well with that for a while...but, in Gavin style, went on strike for a bit.  To get him back in the groove, she used a technique called "chaining" where she'd leave the spoon in his mouth so he'd be forced to pull it out himself with his hand. Tricky, eh?  As a reward after therapy, she bounced him on the big therapy ball which I am SURE my little daredevil just loved.

Tomorrow is a big day!  It's Gavin's first school picture day!  I'm sending Sara to school with props to entertain and make him smile.  Her job is depending on how good these pictures turn out so... good luck with that, Miss Sara!  (don't worry, I'm just kidding.  or am I?)

Big Man on Campus...

I am so proud to tell you that Gavin is doing so well in school.  I am also proud to tell you that I am doing MUCH better with Gavin BEING at school - but who cares about that.  Let's talk about how awesome Gavin is doing.

Miss Megan, Gavin's teacher, takes photos of him occasionally and emails them to me.  I never expected that but, as you can imagine, I feel like I win the lottery every time I get a new one.  It's like a tiny glimpse into his day.  And the images are much better than the ones I get from my perch in the tree across the street.  I really need to ask Santa for a longer zoom lens.

Anywayyyy.....I got permission from Megan to share these photos on my blog!  Woo Hoo!

The first three photos were taken during the first couple weeks.

Gavin has been participating in circle time by pushing a button to say hello when asked...and also making choices to tell everyone what song he'd like to hear!  

They do lots of craft activities which is good for Gavin in so many ways.  It forces him to sit and participate...to use his hands with or without help...and to work with different textures.  So far they've done things like cutting with scissors, working with glue, using dot markers, finger painting and shaving cream play!  Everyone is trying to encourage Gavin to use this left hand, which you can usually find in his mouth.

There's really only been a small amount of times that Sara has told me he resisted doing the craft projects.  Typically when someone has to hold his hands on the dot marker or scissors or whatever to "force" him to do it.  But most of the time she reports that he is doing a great job and letting people help him!  Hooray!!  

As you can see - he seems pretty proud.

I brought in another car load of toys, puzzles, lacing beads, stacking blocks and more today - courtesy of my uber-generous neighbor, Patti.  The teacher and therapists were so grateful - it's always nice to have new things to work with!! 

They are also working hard on self feeding.  Gavin's occupational therapist, Erika, told me they started using the "Easie Eaters Spoon" with him, so I jumped on Amazon and bought it.  It's very cool and makes it much easier for him to get the food into his mouth.  Today they also worked on a craft project- making an apple tree with paint and dot markers.  He wasn't a willing participant, so I was told.  They laid him on his belly and tried to get him to use that left hand again with the dot markers and he fought them through the whole thing.  But there's no denying that the end result is beautiful.  Maybe he'll be a famous moody artist!!

Whitney, his speech therapist, has been working hard on communication.  She's trying to incorporate his iPad into as many classroom routines as possible (ie: circle time, greetings, taking turns, etc.)...encouraging him to communicate in any way when he wants her to continue an activity (ie: bouncing on the ball, singing, etc) by touching her or gazing at an object.  She's also working on lip closure, which is important for eating AND future speech.  Just like Miss Maggie did, she works with bubbles and has Gavin pucker when a bubble comes close to his lips.  And she also puts crushed Ritz crackers on top of his pureed food to encourage him to close his lips.

Megan works with him to match colors, stack, put objects in and out of containers, and so much more. Sara tells me she is a wonderful teacher and a lot like Miss Janna - who, as you know, Gavin just adored.  He really is so happy in her class!!  Today she celebrated his birthday by having everyone sing to him, presenting him with a certificate and taking his photo next to a big light up party hat!  How cool is that!!  Sara said he was all smiles - loved the attention.

Gavin's Physical Therapist, Miss Wendy, works with him in and out of the classroom in his walker.  He uses his open walker in the classroom to transition from one activity to another...and then they cruise up and down the hallways.  He is doing so well navigating himself without help!!!  Then, when they go outside, he uses the KidWalk or Sara holds his hands and has him walk.  Today, when they went out on the playground (which is mostly un-usable for the kids in his class - but more on that in a minute), Miss Megan helped Gavin climb up the ladder so he could go down the slide.  He LOVED going down the slide!  Sara told me that when he got up on his feet again at the bottom, he guided Megan back to the ladder!!  This is so exciting to me.

But the playground.  I have issues with the playground.  It's beautiful, don't get me wrong...but there's not a single swing that Gavin can use.  And all of the equipment is big and perfect for typically developing kids.  Brian would have a ball!  This school was not designed for this "special needs classroom" - Gavin's classroom is brand new and using space in the school.  I have personally called and written to just about every swingset company in our area -  begging them to donate a swing or two.  Or really to donate anything.  But no one seems interested, which is a bummer.  There has to be a way to make this happen for these kids and I'm determined to figure it out.

In other news...this Thursday I'll be keeping Gavin out of school.  He has his very first visit with a Developmental Pediatrician at DuPont.  This appointment was set up many, many, many months ago - it's not easy to get in!  I have no idea what to expect...and, to be honest, I'm nervous for some odd reason.  If you've been to a Developmental Pediatrician, I'd love for you to comment here on the blog with your experience...advice...tips...whatever you got, I'm all ears.  Thanks in advance!

A Bit of Good Luck!...

A lot of fun things have happened over the last 24 hours!

Yesterday was the first day to shop at the Just Between Friends Consignment sale.  And, because I volunteer, I am one of the first to shop - which is so exciting!  I go in with a game plan and a prioritized list of things I saw the night before that I hope to still see there.

I got everything I wanted - and more.

One of the exciting finds was a beautiful wooden "restaurant style" highchair for Gavin.  He has been in his regular high chair forever.   It fits right up to the kitchen table and he loves it!!

The nice thing about the chair (besides the price and how cute he looks in there) is that it forces Gavin to sit up and work on his trunk strength.

This little boy who many thought would never sit up at all.

Ha.

I also got clothes for both boys, shoes, toys for their upcoming birthdays and Christmas (including a brand new set of Melissa and Doug Jumbo Cardboard Blocks for FIVE BUCKS!!).  I even got a few toys for both Brian and Gavin's classrooms.  A bucket of musical instruments was one of the things I got for Brian's classroom...and a set of these Imaginarium foam building blocks (check out the retail price!) for FOUR BUCKS!!

But the very best deal of the night has me giddy with excitement.  Someone was selling a Bugaboo Frog stroller.  This is the stroller we bought when I was pregnant with Gavin.  We had first child syndrome and had to have the best of everything.  And by we, I mean me.  It's a crazy expensive stroller...but, as it turned out, it was the ONLY stroller that worked for Gavin.  The seat tilts in space - instead of the seat back reclining alone.  Gavin had such low tone that he would have slumped right down in a regular stroller.  We love this stroller so much.  But I digress....

Someone - an angel, really - was selling the stroller - and by selling I mean giving away - for a hundred bucks.  I heard someone talking about it while standing in line to get in to the sale.  If I hadn't heard her mention it, I never would have ventured back to the stroller section.  Why would I have?  But once I heard - I went straight back and slapped a SOLD sign on that as fast as possible.

I've already washed all the fabric, cleaned up the frame and put it on Craig's List.  These strollers fetch $400-$500 on Craig's List and are highly coveted.  So I'll be flipping this stroller and adding more money to Gavin's equipment fund!  Woo Hoo!!

Hey!  Anyone in the market for a Bugaboo Frog?  *smile*

The other exciting news?  I found one of the special needs stroller that I want for Gavin on Craig's List!  A family in Queens, New York (about 2 1/2 hours away from us) is selling a BRAND NEW Special Tomato EIO Push Chair for $250!

The Bugaboo we have will hold Gavin up to 37 pounds.  He'll be there before we know it.  This stroller can grow with him until he's 90 pounds!!  And the stroller itself is only 22 pounds.  I'm so excited!!  I still want to get the Convaid Rodeo at some point - but this stroller buys us time.  And saves my aching joints.

So Granny and I will be going on a road trip!  My Mom is going to drive with me to Queens on Saturday morning.  We'll be like Thelma and Louise!

Why Granny and me?  Well... there is some bad news.  Both Gavin and Brian have colds.  I was up with Brian much of last night and I kept him home from school today.  Gavin seemed fine until dinner tonight - when he was hit as well.  I'm not going to make two sick little boys sit in the car all day.  They can have some bonding time with Daddy.

I'm glad that Gavin went to school today.  When I went to pick him and Sara up, two of his therapists came out.  Whitney, his speech and feeding therapist, and Erica, his new Occupational Therapist.  It was my first time meeting Erica so I was thrilled!  They both said they thought Gavin was doing so well.  And that it helped to have Sara there to help them get to know Gavin faster.  I am getting over my heartbreak from the first week - it was really very hard for me to let go.  Of Gavin...and control.  But in a way, having Gavin get all of his therapy at school takes quite a burden off of me.  I can just enjoy being his Mommy.  Something that comes very easy to me.

The Just Between Friend's Sale runs through Saturday and I hope to keep adding to my Gavin fund all weekend.  Last night's sales alone - from just the pre-sale shopping for volunteers - totalled $265.50!!

Things are looking up around the Leong house.  Whoever wished a bit of good luck on our family - thanks so much!!