Blowing Tissues

Zoé is learning to blow tissues in order to strengthen her mouth, jaw and face muscles.

Multi tasking

Zoé recites her ABCs while on the horse...already multi tasking!!

Zoé in her theratogs

Yipeeeee, I managed to upload a video! More will follow...
So exciting. Hope you'll enjoy Zoé playing Cinderella in her Super Suit (theratogs).

From the able2able blog

There's an urban legend floating around that, scientifically speaking, when compared to birds the Bumble Bee shouldn't be able to fly. Their bodies are big and round and their wings are short, rough, and stubby. Birds, on the other hand, have beautiful, aerodynamic bodies with graceful, sweeping wings. Supposedly, scientists can't fully explain why the Bumble Bee can fly, but it probably has something to do with the fact that Bumble Bees don't care about science. They just like to fly.

This is what able2able.com is about. Special Needs children are more than a diagnosis, behaviors, or labels. Our children can do and be so much more than their appearance suggests. We just need to stop telling ourselves and to stop telling them that they shouldn't be able to so they can't. And we, as parents, caregivers, teachers, and therapists need to adapt. Throw away the cookie cutter and ignore the rules. Change the way we communicate with and teach our children. Change the way we expect our children to communicate and interact with us. Stop expecting a bee to be a bird. And celebrate every precious flutter of your little Bee's wings!

Inspired by the movie"The Animal School," to view the movie please visit Raising Small Souls

Wanted to share what I read on the able2able blog.

Big Girl Bed!!!!

Big, huge breaking news at 910 Rose Avenue:
We switched Zoé from her crib (I wanted her to stay in there till she was at least 12...she couldn't get out hahaha) to a toddler bed and also took away her music and light box, everything cold turkey. So funny how nervous we were. We thought she'd panic at night.
We set the rules though: "You can call us, but you CANNOT COME to our room."
For the entire week, Zoé kept saying ;"I want a big girl bed", out of the blue. Guess she knew she was more than ready.
One more step away from babyhood. Funny how you just don't want to see your kids grow and get "Older".
So anyway, she did it. She is napping right now, in her big girl bed.
She thinks we sent her mobile and light box to Baby Samsam her cousin, in France.
Well, yes, we did ;-)
She so wanted him to have her baby things, for she is now a big girl.
She is so proud to be independent, to get in and out of bed, "all by myself" she cheers!
Voila, so had to share this big event.

Theratogs AKA the Super Suit

Zoé's physical therapist tried the Theratogs on Zoé yesterday.
We had already used them way back when, but only on her legs.
Yesterday, it was renamed the "Super Suit", or "Super Princess". It is amazing how it changed Zoé physically. She already has great posture, but by adding an abdominal belt and a lower back strap, she managed to "run" faster" and to stay upright as opposed to going into lordosis (Pushing her tummy upfront), using her arched back as opposed to her abdominals. (We tend to lack these with MMD), so we use our back to support us. Really, abdominals are what we need to use!
We will be trying it on every opportunity we have and will decide whether she really needs it.
It is a new skill I will need to learn, strapping it on.
The cost is, once again, incredibly pricey, but I guess our children are priceless.
Her PT (Physical therapist) uses loads of fun games to keep Zoé engaged. It is amazing how they come up with fun-loving activities and how Zoé has to bend those knees, learn to squat, bend that tushy, push on the right leg, push off the left leg,
grab the blue boat, count the fish, let's go on an adventure up the stairs, down the stairs, let's strap you in, strap you out. Zoé NEVER complains.
She is the ultimate trooper.
But she does have a strong personality and doesn't really take "no" for an answer.
But hey, as long as PT goes on rather smoothly, we have to "cut her some slack", and let her experiment with pushing the limits.
Yesterday was Easter Sunday and we spent a super fun day at our cousins' house, egg hunting and horseback-riding.
Zoé is definitely a future jockey. She loves the horses and loved the barn full of hay where she pretended to be the pig in the Three Little Pigs, the lazy one who builds his house out of hay and sticks...cute!
Today is dad's 68th birthday. I am feeling bitter sweet. I went to church yesterday, reminiscing the good times. I miss him dearly.
I hope this blog finds you well.
Until the next post.

Happy Passover

Lots to write about

Long time no write, I know, and as everyday goes by I feel the need to do my "homework". I consider the blog as my weekly assignment. I like to know I have frequent readers and I like to update Zoé's current life events, write about comments I have, questions I leave unanswered.
First of all, I should thank all of my dear readers who often leave comments. They make my day! So keep writing ;-)
Where should I start off? We've had a couple busy weeks with a lot of visitors from NYC: Odile, Irina, Arthur (All 3 old colleagues of mine and dear friends) Grammy Gina and Aunty Wendy.
Zoé had lots of fun with her NY relatives and it was really nice to have them with us.

We also have had busy weeks with Zoé's therapies always in session and managing the various schools. Some were off (French one) and our Easter break at the co-op starts next week on the 22nd.
I will be working at Zoé's school again on the 19th. That is what the deal is with a co-op. I tend to like it. I get to keep an eye on what goes on at school, and I get back into a little "teaching mode". I was actually asked if I would like to start a little French class at the co-op next year. I would be delighted to do so. I am also thinking about going back to work. I know I still need to tend to Zoé's needs and it might be another two or three years before I can fully dedicate myself to a full-time job, but we'll see what the future holds as far as work goes.
I think about going back to school to study Child Development and getting teaching credentials in Early Childhood Education. I don't know whether I could go back to teaching high school English Lit with term papers and essays to grade till the wee hours...
I was also told I could work as an aid for a child with special needs. I think that could be interesting. I feel that I now have an expert eye when it comes to children with special needs. I think I might give it a try.

Zoé has been having fun working on Easter bunnies and reading tons of new books. She is also fully involved in the world of fairies and princesses. She has incredible imaginative skills and makes up these amazing stories. She also relishes being the doctor and me being the patient. She takes my temperature, gives me shots and cough medicine...

SNAP is ongoing fun in the pool and Zoé enjoys going underwater. I was told I need to buy her goggles as she is eager to play Jacques Cousteau and dive underwater to go fetch seahorses the aid throws in!

We celebrated our first Passover seder last night and will do again tonight. Zoé got to find the hidden piece of Matzo, the Afikomen, and enjoyed the festive candle lights and songs.

We will probably go egg hunting this weekend as we also celebrate Easter.

Dad's birthday is around the corner (on the 25th) and I anticipate a bittersweet week ahead tinged with sadness of past memories.

I leave you with fun-filled pictures of Zoé's week: balance beaming, hairdressing and fun school projects.
Ps: sorry for the quality of some pictures but they were taken with my phone...