MMmm!! Chocolate!!!

Rowan has been having great success in the speech/swallow therapy department! Just goes to show that a little patience and a lot of love go a looong way with any child!!!

Row learns to color!!!

Another use for VELCRO! We've been trying to get Rowan to hold the little fat bodied crayons...and she will...but just for a few seconds and she lacks the strength to put enough pressure on the crayon to make much of a mark. So we slapped some velcro on the bottom of the crayon casing and stuck it to her benik glove. Now she's learning to push the crayon around, allowing its own weight to make the marks!!! Still loving that velcro! :)

GO ROW GO!!!

Rowan surprised mommy at Milestones last week when she managed 3 steps all on her own in the KID WALK Gait Trainer. Ofcourse she was no where near as thrilled with this particular piece of equipment as mommy was...it was a lot of work for Row...but an endless supply of hope for mom!!!

Orthotics

We've recently made a trip to Shriners Hospital in Lexington Kentucky to pick up Rowans custom orthotics. These include her AFO's for her heel cords and a TLSO vest for scoliosis! Now we just need to convince lil' Row that she must wear them!

Industrial Velcro!!!

I cannot count the times I've walked through a toy department looking at all the cool little wagons and cars that are out now thinking they were totally out of the question! I mean they have no latterals, no 5 point harnesses...but then Rows physical therapist introduced us to INDUSTRIAL VELCRO!!! Which sounds terrible but works great! Especially with a Benik vest. And has brought to light a whole new world of adaptable possibilities! :)

Soft Sensory Play

September has been a whirlwind of activity for Lil' Row. She's had several appointments and evaluations, made lots of new friends through Milestones Therapy Clinic, and successfully transitioned into the Cabell County Homebound Preschool Program. YAY!! Earlier in the month we attended a birthday party for one of Rows little friends at an alternative therapy clinic called Tangible Alternatives. One of the favorite activities there was a big pool filled with a wide variety of softly textured stuffed toys. A lot of the children seemed to enjoy the pool...almost as much as the Snoezelen Room! So we thought we'd try something like it at home! Although it is visually busy it's also very soft and quiet. We're hoping it will provide Rowan with a bit of calm after the September storm!

August Field Trips

This month we took Rowan on two field trips where she met up with her favorite little friends! First we took her to The Pottery Place in Pullman Square where she, her sisters, and her friends from our support group "Moms In Common" painted plates, tiles, ornaments, etc. Our next outting was to the Clay Center in Charleston where we visited the Avampato Discovery Museums Gizmo Factory, Science Gallery, Kidspace, and Earth City! Rowan and I both had a great time...next time we hope to catch the Planetarium exhibit!