Tatum is saying HUG and reaches
up with her arms to be picked up and held. What an amazing gift.
About 12 months ago I started longing for Tatum hug me and hoping that one day
she would. Today she is able to hug so tight it excites her! The
crazy thing is, now I want more. I want more from her, more for her.
Don't get me wrong, I love the hugs. I never want the hugs to
stop. Today I long for Tatum to crawl with strength and
endurance everyday until she gets up and walks. Not too much to
ask for?
Tatum started crawling (military
style) on February 22nd - that was our 9m day. Since then she has
crawled every day... sometimes 1m, sometimes 5m and sometimes even 10m.
Her crawling has changed over the past month and a half - she is getting her
bum in the air on occasion, she is even sometimes pushing up on straight arms,
she is beginning to push with both legs and pull with open arms from time to
time. Crawling for Tatum is so difficult but she is doing it and every
day is better than the last... even when she refuses to crawl more than a
meter.
Wanting Tatum to crawl with strength
and endurance every day IS asking for SO much from her. This week she has been
teething and is working through some growing pains in her hips so this week,
all she wanted to do this week was stand up tall and roll over any time she was on the floor. Again - totally crazy but rolling over and standing
are two things that I used to long for her to do but the fact that she wouldn't
crawl this week really got me down. I am searching for contentedness! Can anyone point me in the right direction??? This week has left me feeling like I
need a break, she needs a break and wondering how long the two of us can manage
our crazy schedule. Sigh. Next week, when she starts crawling
again I'll stop feeling defeated and start celebrating again. I am truly losing my mind in case anyone was wondering.
We are doing some things
differently these days... I think it is Springtime that has brought many of
these changes about. We need a change, we need to lighten things up! We
are spending lots of time outside and it feels so good... even though it means
cutting into therapy time! Today, we took all three girls and three
friends to the corner store to get popsicles (Tatum had her almond milk, no
popsicles for her yet). Tatum sat up tall in her stroller and grabbed
her bare toes as we rolled along. She was so happy. She makes this
crazy voice that sounds like an Australian Didgeridoo. Google it and
you'll wonder how she makes the sound! Anyway, she had full
conversations all the way to the corner store in her 'crazy voice'!
We've started doing swimming
lessons with Tatum. She kicks her feet and pulls her arms through the
water - she loves swimming! It comes very naturally to her. It's
amazing how well she floats and trusts that she is ok in the water. The
joy I have felt swimming with Tatum over the past two weeks is so pure and so
wonderful, I know she is feeling this same joy. Riley and Peyton love
watching Tatum learn to swim and I love watching them get so excited with every
new experience she has.
We've also started a new Mom
and Tot class every Friday morning run by the March of Dimes. This class
is therapy, but it is different. It's called 'Conductive Education' and
the therapy is focused on helping the children they work with gain independence
in all aspects of life through song and play. I've only attended
two classes with Tates so far but I have cried tears of joy at each session -
the first time I cried simply because we were playing. Tatum is almost 3
and I realized that day that we have been too busy with therapy to actually
play. The second time I cried watching Tatum finger paint. I
thought she didn't like wet stuff on her hands, but she loved finger painting.
The CE conductors are working with me to help her learn how to drink from a
sippy cup, use a a potty, crawl, walk, climb and play. It really feels
like a great place to be right now. The March of Dimes is currently
working on turning the facility where we attend these classes into a private
school for kids like Tatum who learn differently. It would follow the
Ministry of Education's curriculum but it would be taught to the kids in a way
they could truly learn. Daily Conductive Education therapy would be part of
the curriculum as well. We are hopeful that they are successful in
establishing this school which is proposed to be a JK to Grade 6 school
It would be a great option for Tatum and it is only 4km from our house!
Interestingly, as we've started
doing all of these new things, Tatum has started acting her age in many ways!
Ohhh, the tantrums she has thrown! She is laughing more, smiling more,
playing with us so much more. She is stronger in mind, body and spirit.
The question Chris and I have now
is, "How do we do the Institutes' program, the Medek therapy that we have
been doing, this new Conductive Education Therapy AND have a life?". Something
truly has to give or we will all crack.
We head back to Philly for our
5th visit and we are hopeful that we will be inspired enough to keep holding on
and working hard. Tatum is doing so well and has come so far. We
know this is largely due to all of the work we have done through the
Institutes' program. We are afraid to quit, but we are afraid to keep
going at this rate.
So many questions.
Thanks for reading and listening to me vent... apparently I had a few things to get off my chest!
Below are a bunch of photos from our winter, which was pretty awesome! Also attached is a great video of our amazing girl in action.
