You Spin Me Right Round...

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Seriously? I posted on Wednesday? It seems like I've been neglecting this blog for weeks. During the day, KayTar is needier than she once was. She needs me almost constantly, and when I do sneak onto the computer, she is right behind me, demanding "Foo Foo!!" (which is what you saw on the video) or "Wheeee!" (which is when she stands behind me in my big computer chair and I lean back against her and the chair, rocking it back and forth, if that makes sense) or "Geeeeeen!" (which means do it again, in reference to any number of things including Foo Foo! Wheeee! or looking at a photo or video of herself on the computer or visiting a particular page over and over). Not much time for writing between all of those demands. At night, once she is sleeping I hop on to catch up on my reading and think "As soon as I finish my reading, I'll post." but it takes days to get through all my reading and I haven't gotten around to posting.

Monday really exhausted the both of us. Tuesday she didn't want to participate in therapy. She played for about half of the time and then climbed on to the couch to rest. When the therapist would talk to her, she would sign/say "I cry. Sleepy. I cry." and she ran down the clock that way. I love that she signs/says "I cry." it is almost like a threat, "If you push me any further, I will cry. This is my breaking point." it strikes me that she is very in tune with herself. She always knows what she wants and need and makes it very clear, in spite of her obvious limits. Being told "I cry." is preferable to a full blown meltdown which children her age are prone to. She generally only gets to that point when she is pushed beyond where her personal limits lie, like when she is forced into going to the doctor. Wednesday we had feeding and occupational therapies, and she wasn't in the mood for those either although she was a bit more particpatory. Thursday was physical therapy and it was spotty, too. She just didn't have it in her to give 100%, and that is okay. This week alone she had 3 doctor appointments and 4 therapy sessions and there are only 5 week days. A schedule like that could wear anyone down, and she is but a wee two year old.

Josh was out of town for a couple days, which added to her disquietude. She sobbed in the car once we dropped him off. BubTar said, "Mommy, I think if we do things with KayTar like Daddy does, maybe she won't miss him so much." so we spent the day pretending to be Daddy for her. Later that morning, I caught BubTar giving her a big hug and whispering "I know you are so sad Daddy isn't here, I'm sorry you miss him so much." to her. I melted. I don't know how I got so lucky with that boy, he is amazing. KayTar would suddenly recall Josh wasn't here and start wailing "My daaaaaaaaeeeeeee!". Once we drove by his office and she broke down, thinking he must be there. I wish I had had my camera when we picked him up. It was like she was having spasms from the excitement. The entire way home she tapped her little thumb on her forehead to sign daddy, and exclaiming every 30 seconds "My daaaeee!" before breaking into full body wiggles and copious clapping. And then her little thumb went right back to her forehead. It was adorable.

She has learned how to request specific songs in the car, in spite of her verbal limitations. We listen to Laurie Berkner's Under a Shady Tree CD religiously, and KayTar exclaims "Pie!!" when she'd like to hear Rhubarb Pie. Or "Geee." when she wants to hear Pig on Her Head (which isn't on the album, but we have as a single) or "Meeee!" when she wants to listen to Who's That. And there is the all purpose "Geeeeen?" when she wants me to play something over and over again. Some times I put on the Grey's Anatomy soundtrack when I need a little adult music and KayTar approves of that as well. She loves Tegan and Sara's Where Does the Good Go, she says/signs "Good. Go?". She sings along in her own way to songs she is familiar with, repeating the end of a line if it is a word she has mastered or is working on. It is amazing watching her learn these simple things, and stretch herself a little more in order to enjoy the music.

I have a larger post ruminating in my mind, I just don't have the time to write it out today. Hopefully I'll have a chance to post it in the next day or two. Tonight, I'm taking a wee break from the house and going to a movie with friends. It will be refreshing not to be in toddler education mode for a few hours. Josh teased me today because I told him "No, no." in both speech and sign in a tone that I use for talking to KayTar. I spend so much time with her and she demands a constant monologue of speech from me describing what we are doing, what she is playing with, what we're looking at, repeating what she is saying or signing to her, ect. As in, "Oooh, I like these blocks, KayTar. Are we BUILDING? Ooooh, I like how you used the RED block. 1, 2, 3...Oh no! They fell down." I'm just way too used to talking in that manner to turn it off suddenly. And so I tell my husband "No, no." and sign "Wait." to him when I'm in the middle of doing something and tries to get my attention. So tonight I'll probably say something like "Yummy drink, R! Ooooh, I like my soda! My soda is BROWN! Is your soda brown?" before I realize I'm talking to an adult and KayTar isn't around to absorb the nuances of language. Such is my lot in life. :)