We have been really delinquent about writing since Ella began kindergarten. Here it is past mid-year and now everyone is thinking about next year (especially Netta, who will enter kindergarten). Ella’s progress has been immense. As usual, it has been in small increments and she is still very dependent on us so we tend not to appreciate it all the time, but she really has made so much progress. She is talking much more. She babbles a lot which is incomprehensible but has all the right intonation. She uses language much more to make her needs known. She says: ‘I want…potty/cat/auto/all done/music/Netta/Aba/Ema/hug…’ and much more.
Most of her sentences start with ‘I want’. She says, ‘I want EAT’ a lot lately at the most unexpected times. We are trying to figure that out b/c sometimes she couldn’t possibly be hungry. It is almost as if she wants to say something and that is what she can think of. She almost always goes into a chorus of ‘I want eat’ just as she we are putting her coat on to get her ready to leave for school. Go figure…We don’t know what that is about.
Ella and Netta both have stopped napping during the day (from months ago) and around October/November we stopped using diapers during the night. Ella has had very few accidents which is amazing since she can’t get up by herself during the night if she needs to go. At school, we hear mostly the reports of her teachers, therapists (at team meetings once every 6 weeks or so) and from Amy her aid, who writes just about every day. Amy writes about Ella’s amazing accomplishments. For example, her singing solos in music class, doing pushups and writing and reading some. We get the impression that Ella does a lot more at school than at home. Well, she is probably very motivated by the other kids. Ella continues with horseback, swimming therapy and movement&music on a regular basis during the week.
She also goes to Etgar l’Noar which is a special needs Sunday school. They also report Ella taking part in many aspects of the class, especially singing where I think she really gets excited and shows off. She loves singing the songs she learns with us at home (provided we know what they are…) and gets the melody and some of the words out very clearly.
Ella also goes with me to a special needs music class on Saturdays (sometimes we take Netta along too). She gets so excited when the teacher starts that she shakes uncontrollably and screams a happy scream. This usually gets everyone into a good mood. Ella’s motor skills have improved quite a bit too. She walks very well now holding onto one hand. She can walk for a long time and stand as well. The other day I took her to the mall and she walked around almost the whole time with me without complaining. When she gets tired she’ll say: ‘I want auto’ or ‘I want all done’. We took her for a stroll in the Arboretum the other day and she lasted for about a half hour. This is pretty good considering that a year ago she would have complained after about 5 minutes.
She still is very reluctant to walk completely by herself but she can do it. She is more willing to walk alone when in places she knows well like the JCC or at school. Two weeks ago we were in Jamaica. Ella went to the kids camp with a babysitter. She liked it and had a great time swimming. Still she was happy to get back to Aba & Ema at the end of the day…