Kid Corner 2

From time to time I like to write about my kids new developments because as time goes on it's easy to forget the specifics about that age.  It's amazing how I live in the moment and have trouble remembering back to when Isabella was a newborn or one year old or when Isaiah was just starting to walk...maybe some people have better memories than me but I tend to forget until I see a picture and can't believe they were that little.

Isabella: 

I cannot say that there has been significant improvements in her cognition and language abilities since the last time I wrote, but there has been some new words and I think her ability to recognize objects, etc has improved even if she can't always say the name or communicate it for us to understand.  

Izzy words (that I have heard her say spontaneously without my prompting her...could be more but this is all that I wrote down so far...this is more for my record than anything):

*Banana                  *Izzy               *Monkey               *Wash

*Drink                     *Isaiah             *Bird                     *Jump

*Eat                         *Mommy         *Duck                   *Sit

*Time to eat             *Daddy           *Horse                   *Deep and wide 

*Juice                       *Nani              *Donkey                *In

*Cheese                    *Poppop         *Hands                   *Put in

*Pizza                       *Grandpa        *Toes                     *Out

*Water                      *Outside          *Nose                    *Open

*Ice cream                *Water table     *Ear                       *Up

*Pretzel                     *Puppy            *Teeth                    *Hold me

*Soda                        *Pig                 *Hair                      *Help me

*Chip                        *Cow               *Toothbrush           *Down 

*Applesauce              *Sheep            *Barrette                 *Cry

*Apple                       *Fish               *Necklace               *Wet

*All done                   *Shoe              *Sock                      *Pants

*Shirt                         *Baby              *Keys                      *IPAD

*Seatbelt                    *Book              *Boat                       *Mitten

*Paper towel              *Net                 *Marker

Her writing ability is still at the scribbling point and she has not chosen a dominant hand yet....I would say 75% of the time she uses her right hand but the other times it is her left.  I do think she has more of an interest in using markers and crayons than she used to so that is good to see. 

After her 3rd concussion with another trip to the ER I said enough is enough!  There has to be a way to strengthen her muscles and her awareness of her surroundings to keep her from falling and hitting her head (of course I know I cannot prevent this 100% of the time, but she cannot afford more trips to the ER like this).  We increased her PT to once a week instead of every other and the PT is focusing a good bit on getting Isabella to be aware of her environment since may times she doesn't pay attention to where she is going and that is why she trips.   Since that last trip to the ER, I have seen improvement....YEAH!!!!!  The parks and playgrounds have been our friend and we having been going there too many times to count over the summer.  There is one playground at a school down the street from us that is for 5-12 year olds (according to the sign) and my kids love it!  There are some tall things to climb and I can't tell you how good this is for Isabella...sometimes I have to hold my breath for fear of her falling (I am there with her) but it forces her to look down at where her next step is.  Going up the climbs is easier than coming down but I do believe that there will be a time where she will be able to climb down these things without my guidance.  Last summer she would not have be able to navigate this type of playground without falling and me being the terrified mother.  I am proud of her!
**I am finishing this post at a later time and just tonight at this playground she was able to hang for a few seconds from a bar....I never used to be able to get her to even grip the bar with me holding her!)

She still has difficulty socializing appropriately with other kids but of course that has to do with her communication and understanding abilities.   I am thankful for the children in her life at church, cousins, etc who accept her, love her and help her.  

Her meltdowns seem to have slowed down and she does listen to simple directions with repetition of the direction at times.   

Isaiah:

It is amazing how different children in the same family can be!  Isaiah is abounding in speech.  He is talking in 5-6 word sentences and I am amazed at what comes out of his mouth.  I cannot believe an almost 2 year old understands what he understands and some of the things that he remembers.  I always thought I should keep a journal of the things children say because it is so cute and innocent and you forget 10 years down the road.   Some of his sayings:

**Mom, where dad go?  Mom, where Uncle Mo go?

**Ma, Maaaa,  MAAAAAAAA!" (when he is trying to get my attention and I am not answering right away

**Frog jump in the water. (from an amusement park show we went to)

**I don't like that 

**I want to get in shower (the kid loves showers)

**I want my blue shirt on!

**I want my socks on

**I want my crocs on

**I want to play IPAD

**I want you hold you (meaning hold me, but he says "you" instead):)

This child is very particular and I am not sure if this is a phase or if this will transform into part of his personality.   He is very particular about what he wants to wear and he is very into wearing socks and what kind of shoes he wants to put on.  If you say no or get the "wrong" one this throws him into a crying fit!  He is constantly talking and always wanting something whether it be a drink or a snack or to go outside, etc.  This is the exhausting part but it is a part of his age!

One particular day, I saw him get his play net (like for catching fish) and he placed a small beach ball in it with help from me.  He then proceeds to raise the net high up in the air and slam it down on the ground to try and get the ball out.  He repeats the process until the ball comes out and then does it all over again.  You can probably imagine that this didn't last too many days because a few days ago I saw the ball all crumpled with a hole in it!

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I enjoy watching my kids interact....they don't play house together or kitchen or trucks with each other (maybe every so often) but they do like to chase each other.  Now my husband wrestles with them so I was not surprised when one day I see both of them wrestling each other.  Isabella was on top of Isaiah with his struggling to get up.  Once she let go it was a race with Izzy chasing Isaiah (he loves to be chased) and once he slowed down they are both bear hugging each other with one trying to pull the other down.  We are really not a violent family and it was humorous to watch.  I was the referee because I didn't want any injuries, but I did manage to get some of it on video.