Therapy at Play

There they go to a slide Griff discovered that he climbed up and down all by himself.  Now I'm on the quest to find one for either home or school.

AWESOME!!!  He loved it. And, he was 100% independent on this slide and cube.

So, daddy did enjoy throwing him into the pit.  But, it was work getting out.

And, not to leave the sisters out.  They had fun too.

Happy birthday Gwenelise!  Thanks for including us on your special day.

Anything is therapy

One thing I have learned after our therapy and Vanderbilt, the kid's early therapies, and our 3 week intensive in Birmingham is that just about anything is therapy.  Every visit to Monkey's Treehouse is an adventure up the stairs and down the slide, playing in the mulch, standing up tall at the train table...  All 3 love the indoor playgrounds at Chick-Fil-A.  He has to climb up the stairs and use his legs, alternate them, and push and pull.  He prefers to go down slides feet first on his tummy and laughs all the way down.  This is big because he hated slides early on and if he went, Tim or I went as well.  Mom and dad just built a playset at their house and Griff has to climb the ladder to go down the slide.  While exhausting for us, playgrounds are great for Griff.  I'm looking forward to when he can navigate them independently, until then I get to be the biggest kid out there.  So, tomorrow, a huge adventure at a friend's birthday...Westside Gymnastics.  Ugh, what have I gotten myself into.  While Griff was not a daredevil early on, he now is!  He goes so fast in his walker and then lifts up his legs to do tricks or glide down the ramp.  (Which, is actually one of the reasons the walker is bad b/c he doesn't have to use his legs as much).  Anyway, a rope swing into a foam pit, an extra bouncy floor mat, trampolines...  Griff will love it all tomorrow.  Mommy will need a nap tomorrow.

The pictures are from Pump it Up last year.  While I don't get to sit back and visit with the other moms, I know Griff is having fun and getting stronger at the same time.  And, along that note, I am debating a hip hop class for Griff and the girls this summer.  Which means, I'll be in hip hop as well.  I'm going to an open house next weekend to get more information.  If they let him take a trial class and see if he'll actually participate, then we might be in!  Hopefully the kids can get their dancing skills from someone else in the family.  Just ask Aunt Leah to see her dance to "Be Our Guest."

I'll try to post some more pictures tomorrow.
~Martha

SWIMMING!
That's my boy with his face under water swimming to the wall!  Way to go Dude!  Each Friday we get to take part in a wonderful class offered by Vanderbilt University.  All education students must take a special education class.  Part of the class is 15 hours of community service with special needs kids.  A wonderful lady named Beth Scruggs is teaching Vandy students to work with kids of various special needs in a pool setting.  They offer 4 30 minute sessions on Friday afternoons to probably 8-10 kids each half hour.  I was on her waiting list for almost 2 years at the JCC and we are so fortunate to be a part of this.  Beth also coaches the Nashville Dolphins, see their facebook page, a Special Olympics team/group.

One thing I have found is that therapy is so much more than the typical clinical setting.  Though this is not actually water therapy, Griff is getting a workout and, most importantly, gaining confidence.  He LOVES swimming.  He has goggles too, but prefers to wear them on top of his head.

More later, off to an egg hunt.
~Martha