So it has been quite a full month,
I can’t believe it has actually been a month already. And let’s just state the obvious it is now officially the holiday season.
How?!
How did this happen so quickly?
In any event, our month was a busy one.
Elizabeth had her schedule! For those who know our story, know that all summer into September, poor Elizabeth had a schedule that was so hit and skip that she was constantly trying to get herself organized as to what was happening when.
And this gave her some anxiety and consequently gave me anxiety. But good news is that these past 2 months all was happening in a nice pattern. I know she has been taught that life changes and we need to be flexible but I have to say the schedule has been nice.
She is doing a new fitness program from Let’s Go Fitness. It is an online fitness program for individuals with special needs. It is co-taught by a trainer who has special needs and a neurotypical trainer. She goes to the app, picks her class, then she attends it on ZOOM. They are usually 30 minutes long.
She loves the interaction she has with those in the classes and she loves it so much. So, she has added that this month.
We also talked about her getting her CPR and First aid certificates so that she can be employable as an aide in a preschool or nursing home. Now will she be the first responder to a crisis? Absolutely Not. But she will be prepared and can get the right person to help.
We are in the beginning steps to this process and I update you as this progresses.
Elizabeth has had such great success with a new reading tutor. Elizabeth told us how much she wants to read better and we were able to find a friend to work with her. And work with her she did and does!
There is such a nice, wonderful cadence to her reading now. She is actually SOUNDING OUT words, which for those with Dyspraxia is a huge thing as they typically memorize the English language.
I think that all the work we are doing with her vision therapy has allowed reading to be enjoyable to her as her eyes are working better. Ask me if I am happy? WOO HOO! I really am for her!
We are going to our vision therapy appointment next week, we had to cancel the last one so we are still doing the exercise given prior. Elizabeth loves going to this appointment and I am always amazed at how effortless it is to do things that she loves as opposed to when her anxiety is present.
We are now looking at the holidays and they did take a bit of a different shape this year as her sister, Emily, was not home for Thanksgiving. This was something we had to feel and deal with and by we, I include my emotions on her absence as well. We had to work through these feelings which wasn’t fun but necessary.
The happy here is that Emily will be home for Christmas and she sent Elizabeth a countdown calendar on her phone that shows the number of days until she is home. I think it is as much for Emily as it is for Elizabeth. Which makes it endearing even more.
Elizabeth has a better schedule in her week than I do (insert smile face here) and the important this is that she is enjoying all the things she does as they are her choices that she has voiced when we talk.
We will continue to talk and check in with her to see what goals and choices she wants to make or adjust, but for now, she is content and doing well.
After so much upheaval all summer, we’ll take it and enjoy it.
I wish everyone a peaceful month and a happy holiday season!
Michele Gianetti