Sarah saw a substitute OT this week who hadn’t seen her in several months. The OT was very impressed with Sarah’s work. Sarah made a snail by cutting, coloring, and glueing, and she did some writing.
Amy had a playdate and she and her friend left a big pile of dress ups on the floor of the girls’ bedroom. When I came up later it was all put back in the basket. Sarah had cleaned up a mess that she didn’t make without my even asking!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I celebrated her hugely with kisses and cuddles and snuzzles, much to her delight.
Sarah has another ear infection. The onset seemed sudden. I don’t know if it is just bad luck or if it is possible for a sudden infection to start if there is an allergy to something in a new supplement I gave her just a couple hours before she said her ear hurt? I’m guessing it had been brewing with her very occasional cough. I am thinking I may need to take gluten out of her diet again. (Argh! I feel like Donald Duck when he walks bent over with his arms dragging on the ground). A friend suggested having her use a wedge pillow to help with drainage. I’m not sure if she will accept a new pillow but it is worth trying. I also don’t know if I should try both the pillow and eliminating gluten or just do one and then later try the other if the first wasn’t the solution.
Sarah’s ear infection was enough to have her feel crappy and miss school on Thursday. Amy made her a get well card and Sarah really seemed to notice and like it more than she sometimes takes note of Amy’s cards for her. She showed it to me multiple times and showed it to Carl and then wanted to add to it by drawing a heart. Then Amy came over and was drawing more hearts and outlining the letters. Sarah started filling them in. It was awesome to see them collaborating so beautifully.
One day I dropped Amy off for a play date and she didn’t want my hug and kiss goodbye because she was so eager to see her friend. That is the first time that has happened so definitively and I did get a bit sad about it.
There have been a couple times when I was sad around Sarah and she looked at me so intently, even more so than usual, and really seemed to be trying to read my face and eyes to see if I was feeling better.
Friday morning I asked Sarah several times if she would help pack up the toy locks and keys she had been playing with so we could take them on our upcoming trip. The last time I asked I almost felt silly for asking because I assumed the answer would be no, but the answer was yes! It felt like a good reminder of SR persistence, and that just because the answer is no the first 5 times, that doesn’t mean anything about the 6th time I ask.
For the long weekend we went on vacation with Carl’s cousin and her family. We rented a house near a lake. Unfortunately the weather was on the chilly side, but that didn’t stop the kids from donning swim suits and getting partially in the water. Amy especially loves playing with her older cousins and Sarah is most interested in the 1 year old.
There was lots of screaming by Sarah but also sweet cuddly moments. It is good that the sweet times are so wonderful to balance out the rough times. The rough times are a bit rougher when she can’t hear, which is where we are again because of the ear infection.
Saturday night when I tucked Amy into bed she said her leg hurt. I had her straighten it and I massaged it a bit and then it felt better. She said, “mom, I like your job.” Then Sarah presented her leg for some attention. I like my job too. The massage job and the mom job.
Today we went to a water park. At one point Sarah said she wanted to leave and we said ok. The next moment she said she wanted to go back in the water. In a normal voice I said, “Sarah, what am I going to do with you?” She, who has seemed hard of hearing this weekend, turned to me with a perfectly mischievous and innocent grin. As she walked off she said, “I am a goof and a half,” which is what I often tell her. Later Amy told Sarah that she was a goof and a whole.
Love, snuggles, and persistence to you all.
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