End of Summer....

Well, this was not Lil' Row's best summer...it began with a 16 day stay in the hospital (9 of those in the PICU), followed by an additional 6 day stay, then an overnight visit, a homebound nurse coming in 2 times a week, and Rowan living in nearly total isolation!!!! She picked up Mycoplasma pneumonia in May which caught us totally by surprise and lead to respiratory failure, a ventilator, pseudomonas pneumonia, sepsis, and enemia! Her recovery has been slow due to the scoliosis which is now measured at 80 degrees! It's been a very difficult few months for Lil' Row and her family...and looks to get worse befor getting better! She is scheduled to undergo a VEPTR implant in early October which ofcourse is major surgery but also neccisary...without it her lungs will grow more and more compressed making this summers bout with pneumonias only the beginning!!! So please cross your fingers for Lil' Row and maybe whisper a prayer or two on her behalf and we'll update her blog as soon and as often as we can! Thanks

Fun In the Sun!!!!!!!!!

Lil' Row's very first beach trip was a total success! She was on her best behavior the entire time...including the car rides down and back! She slept great every night... for a week (which had been one of our primary concerns). She seemed to enjoy everything from swimming and playing in the sand to shopping and bowling...even tasting new foods IN RESTRAUNTS without so much as a whimper! And not once did she throw a fit or shut down! We have concluded it has to have been the "stress free" environment! She could sence that mom and dad were relaxed and so she was relaxed! So glad we decided to take the chance!!!

Lowtech Play...

Even though Row is an iPad baby now we still make time for some old school play!!!! This is a clip of her trying to grab toys in a bucket of popcorn at Milestones Therapy Clinic ( which we have nicknamed "INCHSTONES") Rowan did so well at this activity that we've made her one for home...two actually...one with popcorn and one with rice! Totally differant textures but both equally as interesting....these make great, inexpensive tactile/sensory tools!

iPad iNchstones...

"Inchstones"...I just adore this term! I've stolen it from a friend who borrowed it from another...I think the reson I like it so well is that for families of special needs children the term "Milestones"
often leads to discouragement and heartache! I believe inchstones best describes how our family...and I'm sure most families with children like Rowan cherish each and every accomplishment...no matter how big or small! This is a clip of one of Rowan's inchstones with the ipad. It shows deliberate and consistant interaction with one of her favorite applications "Look Baby"! Rowan works very hard in this clip and if you will watch closely, with your heart, you will see past her difficulties to the "inchstone" she has accomplished here!!!

iPad Play

Here's a clip of Row playing one of her favorite iPad apps...I Hear Ewe!!!

Row's an iPad baby now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We could'nt be more pleased with our decision to get Row an iPad for Christmas!!!! There are countless applications for speech and language, cause and effect, audio and visual, music, communication, education etc... Row uses her iPad several times a day EVERY DAY...and she loves it! Some of her favorite apps areRattle, Hatch, Peek a Boo Barn, Peek A Boo Wild, I Hear Ewe, Baby Finger, Chimes, Fish School HD, I love Fireworks, Atomic Top, Nursery Jam, Drums, Baby Piano Lite, Instuments Free,Art of Glow, Glow Draw, DoodleBuddy, Story Kit, Cat in the Hat....the list goes on! Almost all of these are interactive and most were either free or under 2 bucks! And this is one tool that will grow with her and help to educate her into adaulthood!!!! I think every special needs child should have one!!!

Gearing up for the holidays...

Between snow days and Row catching a cold our schedule has been crazier than ever! We did manage to squeeze in time to get Row something to ride around in. We've searched forever for what we felt we could adapt for Row that would give her the extra vestibular we think she's been needing in the safest manner possible...and we came up with the Pathfinder Radio Flyer Wagon! It can be used as a flatbed wagon for lying or as a one or two seater by way of fold up seats with lap belts! We did add the industrial velcro up the back , and along the sides to hold some make-shift laterals ( borrowed from the Squiggles Activity System by Leckey ) and to hold Row more solidly in place. All in all I think we made a great decision for the price...100 bucks! Beat that in a catalog!