The Amazing Maya in 2014

Here's my first post of the year 2015.  I've been wanting to write for months now, my usual excuses hang over my head, not enough time to sit down and write.  There has been so much going on in the later half of 2014 that I've been wanting to share.  Maya has been making amazing strides and accomplishments.  Most of the time I post these things on facebook but I know some of our family isn't connected to facebook. 

Number one and foremost on my list of milestones is that Maya is potty trained.  This is major!  I am so very proud of Maya and so relieved that this day is finally here. Without going into too much detail I'll say that it's been a long and winding road and that it wasn't for lack of trying that Maya didn't get potty trained sooner.  She was just not ready.  No matter what my girl teaches me patience. Even when I'm clawing and screaming I have nowhere I can go except to wait patiently.  The day is finally here and I am one proud mama!

In Maya's words, "We did it!"

It's sounds so weird but this is one of Maya's greatest accomplishments in 2014!  Everyday I thank the stars that Maya got it!

Other amazing accomplishments: 

Maya goes to bed on her own.  This means, following our usual routine of bath, pjs, reading, brushing and storytime, Maya will walk to her little bed on her own.  I tuck her in and she says "good night mom, I love you, sweet dreams."  It's a glorious thing and it came as a surprise to me.   This might not seem like a great big accomplishment but it's a wonderful thing not having to rock her to sleep and then carry her to bed.  I do miss my cuddles with her but I'm so glad my little girl is growing up.

Maya is talking more and more.   Some of Maya's favorite things to say are: "home sweet home!" "happy holidays!" "You ok?" "We did it!" "I'm Maya." "no school!".  I should disclose that unless you absolutely know what she is trying to say you might not get it.  Articulation is still an issue, but I'm glad that she is starting to express the person that she is. It's nice to see her personality developing.  Language is by far one of the best ways to know someone.  And it's been one of my main concerns and quite honestly a big struggle.  She's not able to carry on a conversation, but Maya is slowly starting to be more vocal and has an amazing memory for names.  She knows all her classmate's  and teacher's names.  She says "Thank you" and "your welcome" most of the time and her teacher reported that she also says thank you for the kids at school. 

When it came to the holidays this year, Maya was really into Christmas songs.  This was a big development over last year.  She also loved opening up all the presents this year and didn't stop at just hers.  It was fun to see her face, when she opened the gifts.  She even kissed a few gifts, which was really cute.  After opening each gift she said thank you to everyone who gave them.

She's never said this but I do think that Halloween is Maya's favorite holiday.  She really enjoys going up to everyone's door and saying trick or treat.  Maya doesn't like sweets, candy or chocolate, but she very much enjoys the spirit of Halloween by dressing up as a firefighter and getting her share of treats.  I'm very grateful for the friendship of one of Maya's past respite provider.  Every year she comes out to trick or treat with Maya.  It truly makes Halloween a special time.

Other things that deserve mention are, Maya's willingness to try and climb up the playground equipment with guidance (before she was terrified),  standing on the scale when being weighed at the doctor's office, turning book pages on her own,  drinking out of a cup, eating tortilla chips (a new food),  helps with chores.  These are the little things that might go unnoticed to some but they make a big difference to me.

That's all for now.  I know it's a long post but very much overdue.

The adventure continues...

playground work

Some of you might remember I mentioned that Maya is a bit scared when it comes to playing on the jungle gym.  These are thing that many of us take for granted.  Sometimes we might rely on one sense over another to guide us.  In this case we are speculating that Maya relies on her vision more than her other senses and so when she is looking down at the platform, the holes which allow her to see down to the ground, confuse her.  After looking down at the platform myself, I could see what she is experiencing.  It is scary.

So Maya's physical therapist and I thought we would try and go to the playground together.  It's really helped especially to get another perspective on how to help her get through this.

At first Maya was very resistant but just by using beads to play with on the platform, while sitting, has really helped.  Rolling a ball or throwing a ball is another way that keeps Maya's mind off of being on the platform.  Each time it seems better, but always at first she is afraid.  By the end of the session she is confident.  Last time she was so confident that she crossed a wobbly bridge.  Then she stood up on the platform all on her own without a hand to hold.

These are small triumphs for our daily lives.  They remind me that she is growing right in front of my eyes.  It makes me fall deeper in love with this little girl of mine.

1st time ever sitting on the platform.  She loved the beads.

After about 40 mins, she stood up on her own.

Exploring the step.

Getting adventurous on the wobbly bridge.

horseys and birthday parties

Around this time of year there seem to be many birthday parties that we attend.  Almost every weekend there is one and sometimes two. Maya has a very busy social calendar.  Sort of like her mama I guess.

Most of the time Maya does pretty well at birthday parties.  Depending on what they are doing.  It is a lot of work because sometimes she just wants to do, what she wants to do and not what everyone else is doing.  She's gotten better over the years in interacting with the other kids though. 

There is one thing that always seems to upset her, even in her own birthday party.  Ironically it's when they sing Happy Birthday and at the end everyone claps and yells hooray or something similar.  It really upsets her and sometimes I just take her away even before they sing to avoid the discomfort.  I'm thinking this is only a typical reaction for a person with sensory issues.  Slowly but surely she is getting better.  

There are a couple of birthday parties that we have gone to this last month that really stand out as successful events.   One was a party at a gymnastics center.  I've been to this gym with Maya before when she was young and she really wasn't that interested in it.  Mostly because she was just starting to walk, I think.  This time I was utterly impressed with how well Maya did.  First off I could really see how preschool has been helping her with following directions.  When the kids lined up and were waiting to take turns for each station (the trampoline, the balance beam and high bars), she actually stood or sat in line with the other kids. 

When it came to an obstacle course of tunnels and balance beams, I was so happy that Maya seemed interested in it and followed the others.  I think that her sensory OT has really been helping her with motor planning.  She loved the trampoline run also, but the cushion pit freaked her out.  It was a good party and I'm even thinking it would be good to start taking some gymnastic classes over the summer.  

This weekend we went to a birthday party at a horse stable.  I was a bit worried that Maya would not like it but I really wanted her to have the experience.  She LOVED it!  Honestly I don't know why I thought it would be any different.  She loved being on the horse.  Of course I was concerned that she would want to get down or fall off, but she didn't move at all when she was on the horse.  She had a smile on her face the whole time.  All the trainers were so sweet to Maya.  They could see the happiness she had from riding.  When it came time to get off, Maya kept signing "more".  It was so cute.

Later on after cake and snacks, we all went over to feed the horses apples and carrots.  Many of the kids were a little squeamish about it, but Maya picked up a carrot and raised her hand to feed the horse without a fear in the world.  She wanted to keep doing it over and over again.  Not until the last carrot and apple was gone did she let up. It was so amazing to see how she reacted to the horses.  She was so calm and happy.  I can see why horse therapy is so good for our special ones.

Here are some photos of the parties and all the fun we've had in the last couple of months.

content and happy.

checking out all the horses.

feeding her new friend.

A natural.

patiently waiting in line.

balance beam with Dada.

parachute play with her friends.

31 for 21, Day 20: pillow fight.

You can't see it in these photos but Maya is an extremely happy, giggly girl when we do pillow fighting.  She always asks for more, and more when I throw the pillow on her.  I throw them lightly mind you, but she often is engulfed in a sea of pillows...and she doesn't mind it at all.  In fact she loves it.

I am told that this might be a good way to help her with the sensory issues she is having.  She needs more input, she needs to swing, bounce and evidently she needs pillow fights.  Luckily these things all seem like play to her.  But when the 20 minutes of bouncing on the ball are done I also feel like it's a workout.

So often I am worried that I'm not doing enough, but I also have to remember to see it in a different light.  Perhaps it's all about play.  She is discovers things through play.  Sometimes she needs a little help learning to play but other times she shows me how to play.  It's a collaboration.  We were doing pillow fighting even before the OT told us it was good for her.  If she is laughing it's gotta be a good thing... for her and me.  It's good all the way around.

sensory issues

So today I had an interesting conversation with Maya's preschool teacher.  We started talking about the adaptive chairs that they just got for some of the students (Maya being one of them).  She said the OT ordered them.  And on that subject somehow we go onto the fact that Maya has sensory issues.  Honestly I felt so baffled that no one has addressed this issue with me before.  I mean yes, I know that Maya doesn't like loud noises like children crying or screaming, the vacuum cleaner or when you blow your nose....I chalked it up to the tubes in her ears (that's when it seemed to start).  I didn't realize this effected other parts of her life.  

This is the reason why Maya loves to spin in circles.  This is the reason why she shakes her head back and forth uncontrollably sometimes...this is the reason why she often can't sit still anymore.

One of the aides showed me how she calms Maya down when she gets into circle time.  It was amazing to see the aide sit her down and just by giving pressure to her arms and hands, Maya calmed down and quietly sat in her lap.  She didn't wiggly or shake her head...in fact she held out her arms like she wanted more.  She had a look on her face that was so peaceful.  It was amazing.  The teacher went on to say that the OT is looking into getting Maya a weighted vest so she can wear it when she gets wiggly.

I honestly know nothing about Sensory Processing Disorder (sometimes called "sensory integration" or SI).  But I sure am going to be researching more about this now.  In many ways this fills in the blanks for me and my feelings of Maya not be able to play and interact with her friends appropriately.  It gives me some peace of mind because now I know there is a name to these actions.  I am so grateful that the teacher and aides are able to work with her in the classroom.   If no one ever told me about this then I would probably still be wondering why my sweetie pie is acting this way.


Here are a few sites I found so far that seem to define SPD and it's symptoms.  If any of you out there have any experience with this I would love to hear from you. I have so many questions about this subject now.

The Sensory Processing Disorder Foundation:  http://www.spdfoundation.net/about-sensory-processing-disorder.html

Sensory Processing Disorder Checklist: http://www.sensory-processing-disorder.com/sensory-processing-disorder-checklist.html

Bright Tots http://www.brighttots.com/sensory_integration