Today's my birthday. Wheeeeee! Max is not exactly thrilled; he doesn't like that my birthday is first (his is coming up in a couple of weeks). "Max, Mommy's birthday is tomorrow, but you are going to get so many presents!" I said last night by way of consolation, which did the trick. I actually can't wait for his birthday party to be over, because I am a little weary of discussing Cars 2 paper goods.
Here's the little gift I'd love from you: Tell me something great your kid has done lately, big or small. That's so worth celebrating, today and any day. It'll give me a bliss lift that beats any sugar high from birthday cake. Not that there's anything wrong with birthday cake. Or a nice piece of jewelry. DAVE.
I'll start:
Max is potty trained. YES!!!! (More on that another time). And Sabrina keeps acing her spelling tests, which does this editor mama's heart proud.
Thanks for sharing something happy-making about your kids.
And in case you are wondering, my age is Not Old.
Image: Flickr/CakesUniquebyAmy.com
First code switch, "agua blue".
ReplyDeleteHow do you say "awesome" in espanol?!
DeleteMy daughter, she's two, started pulling pegs from a peg board and dropping them in a bucket. We were so excited.
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday!
DeleteA true fine-motor skill feat! Yay!
DeleteHappy birthday, Ellen!
ReplyDeleteMy 22 month old with severe global delays and CP now has 3 words. "Dada," "Hi" (accompanied by a finger curl wave), and "Goo-ray!" ("hooray" accompanied by raised arms).
"Goo-ray" might be the cutest word ever! I think I'm going to start using it.
DeleteHappy Birthday! I hope it's a great one!
ReplyDeleteMy son Grant, who is 3 recently started developmental preschool & has made such progress, I am so proud of him. Also, he recently started walking with the help of a walker. It is amazing to see, makes me so happy for him!
LOVE IT! I can still recall Max cruising up and down our block in the walker. All the kids wanted to try it!
DeleteHappy bday! My son Luke was a 29 week preemie twin with significant developmental and speech delays. Now he is 5 years old - walking, talking, and doing very well at his own speed.
ReplyDeleteWe were doing a bit of holiday craft shopping this past weekend at a local fair. We were looking for teacher gifts in a beaded jewelry booth. Luke looked up at me and very clearly asked "Mommy... do you see anything here that you like? If you do, I will buy it for you."
Yay Luke!
Thanks,
Amanda
www.ncslaviks.blogspot.com
Swoon!!!
DeleteHappiest of Birthdays, Ellen, and many more!
ReplyDeleteKyle (12, autistic, creative, loving boy) got his bed made and got ready for school by himself today with very little fuss! He is also making Christmas presents. :-)
Justin (15, PTSD, defiant, athletic, cook) is working really hard to hold it together.
Hugs on your birthday!
Maybe Kyle can come on over here and show BOTH my kids how to make their beds?!
DeleteJessie (10, speech apraxia, dev.delays) went for an intake at a new school. After working with the new teachers on her own, they asked me if she knew how to type her address. I said I didn't think so. It turns out, she had typed the address of her absolute favorite person, her Papa, into the Ipad!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteWOW! Next up: Mama!
DeleteFirst, I love that as a mom, you want to celebrate the kids in celebration of your birthday. It speaks to your character more than any other words could.
ReplyDeleteSo, here is your story...My son, Max (2yr old hypotonic CP with left hemiparesis) sat down on our kitchen floor last week, stripped himself naked stood up, walked into the family room and "streaked" my parents and husband's conversation. Then he came back, threw away his diaper and signed "eat, please" for a snack.
This from a kid with such severe hypotonia that he still can't manage a pincer grasp or talk... and they said he might never walk... hah!
My other son, Eli (4, Epilepsy and future paleontologist) also wanted to go outside over the weekend with no coat and shoes. I said Eli, you have to put on proper clothes it is winter, you'll freeze and get sick. He looked at me and said rather seriously... "Don't worry momma, I'll be fine, I am a warm-blooded creature"
Love that your kids don't seem to much like clothes. Warm-blooded creatures, indeed!
DeleteMy daughter, Tess, (unknown genetic-nonverbal,non-mobile, total joy to be around), was invited at our Town's tree lighting ceremony to officially light the tree the other night. Even though she had a lot of help from me, when the community counted down and we "flipped the switch" to light the tree, Tessie just stared and stared up at the tree in such awe and delight that it was almost magical. And when the whole crowed cheered out her name...well, you can only imagine her look of pride.
ReplyDeleteSorry, not enought caffeine yet this morning. Take 3:
Delete*crowd...I hate spelling errors. ;)
PS HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
That sounds seriously magical! I am glad she was so proud of herself.
DeleteHappy, happy birthday Ellen! So grateful for you and your willingness to open up your life.
ReplyDeleteHere's our latest little victory.
Reid gave a teenager a guilt trip! His Friendship Circle friends come to play each Sunday. But the play time was over and it was almost time to go to FC bowling. The one teen said, "Reid I'll see you next week. I can't go bowling today." He said, "No no no, boh with liz". :) Pretty sure she'd have missed something really important if I would have let him keep talking.
Have a great bday!
It takes good cognition to give a guilt trip! Kind of like when Max lied to me—something to celebrate.
DeleteFirst off, Happy Birthday, Ellen! (Get her jewelry, Dave!!) You share a birthday with my 17 y/o son, Sam! Good day! Sometimes we have to rejoice in the small things. After a lengthy Epileptologist appointment, the doctor said that my son, Tim's, EEG was not "as bad" as he had seen it in the past. So we will accept this happiness as we can get. Tim recently started having a new type of seizure, so that actually was a good thing. But, addition to that--Tim just makes the world a better place simply by being in it--as I believe all of our kids do. =)
ReplyDeleteI also know from experience, "not as bad" can be all sorts of good. And couldn't agree more on our kids bettering the world.
DeleteShowed Dave your message. :0
Boo touched Periwinkle's hair. I know, not a big deal to some. BUT...I looked at it like a little OT while on vacation. This was the little girl who wouldn't touch ANY textures. She has come such a long way this year.
ReplyDeleteHappy, happy birthday!
For a kid with sensory issues, that IS a big deal. Wahoo!!!
DeleteThis is making me weepy, I love it so much. My non-verbal 3.5 YO (PDD-NOS) busted out his very first 2 word phrase recently- "mama phone". Meaning he wants mama's iPhone so he can play Angry Birds. Yes, I let him play Angry birds :).
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday!
Stephanie
He sure did deserve Angry Birds for saying that! "Mama phone" are two beautiful words.
DeleteHappy Birthday Ellen. My 14 yr. old son,born with Hydrocephalus, non-verbal & not walking YET is willingly wearing his glasses on the bus. Not sure how long he keeps them on at school but, its a start. I want to brag about BOTH my kids. My typical 12 yr. old daughter signed up to take french next year..I'm hoping I'll learn a 3RD language.. since because of my son I know a little sign language too. :) Dawn in MO.
ReplyDeleteIt is amazing how these little things really can mean so much, re, the glasses. I wish I'd taken French!
DeleteHappy Birthday!!! My hubby and I are taking sign language classes again and last night Ben used the correct sign for "meat" -- rather than an adapted one.
ReplyDeleteSo I'm guessing he's not a vegetarian, Louise? Tee hee. GREAT!
DeleteLittle girl I work with (4, ASD? motor delays)sat all the way through assembly today and sang "Old MacDonald had a giraffe, with a g, g, here and a g, g there."
ReplyDeleteSO CUTE!!!
DeleteWell, I don't have kids, but I have the next best thing: cousins!
ReplyDeleteMy little cousin who is two has taken a fascination with my wheelchair lately. So much so that in the middle of her playing she'll suddenly yell, "seatbelt!" stop what she is doing, run to my wheelchair, climb up and belt herself in, and sit happy as a clam for a few minutes and then go back to her own thing.
I recently bought a little tykes wheelchair on ebay and showed it to her and told her the name. She says "wheelchair" so crystal clear it's awesome and to see her push it around makes my heart melt.
Awareness, inclusion, and education start from day one in our family. Because of me and that's awesome!
Happy Birthday Ellen!
Hilary, I loved reading this. It is very, very awesome. Your little cousin sounds like a smart kid!
Deletehappy b day since i am not a kid i will share something that i am doing.
ReplyDelete1st got an A on two papers for American Lit
2ed going to an inclusion conference with I am norm in long beach
happy b day ellen
GOOOOO AZ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Not surprised about American Lit since you are such a good writer.
Deletethanks ellen unfortunatly i d id not attend
DeleteHappy, happy birthday, Ellen! I hope it's fantabulous! My 3-year old son (undiagnosed, severe speech and language delay, other various DDs...) just last night said "Bless you, Da" after my husband sneezed without a prompt! And his pronunciation was actually close enough that we understood him. Progress!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful! Next up: gesundheit! :)
DeleteYesterday at school my daughter spent the WHOLE day out of her wheelchair using her walker!
ReplyDeleteDID SOMEONE GET THAT ON FILM?!
DeleteDid you do cartwheels from happiness?
Pure. Amazing.
Happy Birthday Ellen! My daughter, 28 months w/ DS, said "night night" to me for the first time last night! It was so exciting.
ReplyDeleteSo great!!! I am smiling.
DeleteMy 22 month old son, who is hearing impaired and at risk for speech and language delay turned out the lights while I was in the bathroom today and said "too dark. Billy can't see you." Its so hard to reprimand him for what he does when I am so proud of him communicating how he does it.
ReplyDeleteThat just made me laugh! What a character!
DeleteHappy Birthday!!!
ReplyDeleteMy brother Simcha (6, DS) started reading!! He read me 9 words the other day, but really sounding them out, not sight words. Woohoo!!
Simcha, that is a BIG DEAL! Fabulous!
DeleteI don't have kids of my own, but I'm a TA in an inclusive, mixed-age preschool classroom, so I get the pleasure of celebrating lots of achievements!
ReplyDeleteOne little girl (apraxia of speech) told me that she needed help when she couldn't find the word "apple" when I asked her what she was eating (she kept telling me it was "sauce" and couldn't come up with "applesauce").
A mom told us that her daughter (typically developing) asked to have a play date with B, a younger girl in our classroom that has Downs Syndrome. She was completely sincere and enthusiastic about it!
M opened his sandwich baggie all by himself for the first time today!
I hope all of the good things you'll read in the comments today make your birthday a wonderful one!
Wow, triple wonderful-ness in one response. It is clear how much you care for these kids, they are lucky to have you as a TA.
DeleteHappy Birthday!
ReplyDeleteI love hearing about Max and Sabrina's accomplishments! WOW!
My Emma has been able to tell us what she wants for Christmas this year with her mouth, and we have understood.
She has been pushing herself about a foot in her new manual wheelchair too! A few inches, but we'll take it and celebrate it!
A few inches forward = one giant step for Emma-kind! Amazing, isn't how, how motivating gifts can be? And Angry Birds! (See Stephanie's response above!)
DeleteHappy Birthday! Mason just started using his pointer finger!!!! And is making progress with potty training. Carter used his left hand (he is affected by CP only on his left side) to turn off the water tap :-)
ReplyDeleteJenny, so exciting! Isolating that pointer finger is such a fine-motor skill score. The iPad really encouraged Max to do that. And wow on Carter! We're always saying "Max! Right hand! Right hand!" because it's his weaker one and he never wants to use it. So nice to hear from you.
DeleteOh potty trained, what a wonderful birthday present!
ReplyDeleteOur 2 and a half year old, Avram, figured out how to stack blocks and do nesting cups this week! (He has Dandy Walker, Hydrocephalus, & Epilepsy)
Hope you have a great birthday!
Very smart! And good fine-motor! And I had a great birthday in general, now sitting here reading through all these accomplishments and they are the icing on the cake.
DeleteMy almost 4 yr old (turns 4 12/1) who has an unknown genetic syndrome we think is non-verbal he uses signs and iPad to communicate recently started lying. Twice this weekend he had told us he was hungry right before bed. First time I gave him a snack in the living room which he loved bc he didn't want to go to bed. This last time I told him ok but you will eat your snack in your room. And guess what?!?! He didn't want it.... It's sooo hard to get made at him when it makes me so proud he is doing it. His 7 month old baby sister just stared army crawling... Woo hoo!!! Happy Birthday! I love reading your blog.
ReplyDeleteAh, those bedtime delay tactics. Shows smarts! Max likes to ask for water. Max army-crawled for months, and he got amazingly fast! Watch out, she's going to be everywhere soon!
DeleteMax is potty trained? What a wonderful birthday gift! The best!!!!! No, you are not old...I am OLD!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteMy son used the letters u and o and made some sounds with them for the first time this week!!
ReplyDeleteJulie Grace (just turned six, severe CP) has recently shown she knows her 1s, 10s, and 100s places and addition up to 20.
ReplyDeleteHappiest of birthdays Ellen x hope you had a perfect day xx
ReplyDeleteCooper is also acing his spelling tests, pep mastered skipping and woody laughs so hard we all end up giggling x
Happy Birthday!
ReplyDeleteMy 32 year old "special" daughter married last month. The day was a dream come true. And she was a beautiful bride!
Linda Atwell
Out One Ear
Outoneear.com
Ellen, this feels more like a birthday present for ME than for you! I love it that you get the SN community to share on your blog!
ReplyDeleteAlso - Max is potty-trained?!? Can't wait to hear the details!
For me - I'm shocked that Quentin (5 yrs old, PDD-NOS, dispraxic, global delays) is sight-reading! The other day he READ the words "Old Neighborhood" - which was a label to a picture. I know he knows the word 'old' (from the logo of Old Navy) - and he has a few books with the word 'neighborhood' in the title, too... but it blew me away to hear him say 'ode nay-buh-hood' and point to the words! So proud of my boy.
Quentin's twin sister, Fiona, is writing books. Kindergarten has given her a new appreciation for them, and she has declared herself to be the new Mo Willems. She staples together pages and draws and writes (mostly illegible) novels, carefully placing them on our bedside tables for our reading pleasure.
Two smart kids!
My son (turned 3 yesterday) just started saying "mama" AND figured out that "time out" was not something he liked (thank goodness for mama)
ReplyDeleteYesterday Alex - 5 yrs (completely g-tube dependent) swallowed 2.5 teaspoons of yogurt and ate 10 puffs (like Cheerios). And the other night he told me, "I have you in my heart."
ReplyDeleteJack, big brother, was excited to play a song for us on his oboe that he is learning for the upcoming concert. I love it when he is excited about something he is learning.
Happy, happy birthday Ellen.
ReplyDeleteSchool called a few days ago to let us know that Samuel (19 years old, with significant disabilities) was responding to the ipad. He was touching it in response to color, movement and sound. They think it is because they can get it so close to him. I love technology!! Our kids keep learning no matter how old they are. It doesn't matter how big the leap as long as it is something new!! PS Hope Dave got the message about the Jewerly
Happy belated birthday Ellen. I hope it was the best birthday yet!
ReplyDeleteHAPPY BIRTHDAY! MAX IS POTTY TRAINED!!!!!!!!!!!! oh my gosh, I'm so excited for you and can't wait to hear details! When it clicks it clicks. I just wish it would CLICK for my daughter already.
ReplyDeleteok--- something happy making about my kids----
my son is pretty gosh darn potty trained except for some accidents but hey--- he's in underpants and willingly puts both #1 and #2 in the potty. He does 4th and 5th grade math in kindergarten. It WAS weird to have him doing 2nd grade math while still in diapers a while back but hey, autism is autism.
my daughter says hysterically funny things every single day and is improving in school with a new plan they've customized for her. Hoping to get her back into the mainstream classroom in the coming months. She asks for cuddles multiple times a day-- love that.
Happy Birthday! Thank you so much for your blog, it has been a saving grace for me at times.
ReplyDeleteToday - after 9 years, 2 months and some days - when I was leaning close to look at his computer screen, my son (ASD, anxiety, TS) slowly leaned towards me and KISSED ME! As if that wasn't enough, he whispered "love you mom". It's been a long time coming, but oh my lord was it sweet!
I so know the feeling, our son is 9 also and those small things others take for granted are so special.
DeleteJamie
Jasper, GA
We are about to move overseas and my four year old with asd is being a pro. I am so impressed that with so many changes in the home ( boxes, strange people coming and going, etc ) he hasn't had any meltdowns and is bearing with everything incredibly well. He's my champion!
ReplyDeleteHenry saying "I Love You"...when we thought he may never be able to.
ReplyDeleteJamie
Jasper, GA
Happy birthday! What a great idea. Here's ours: About a week ago, I watched my 4.5 year old with developmental delays, expressive language disorder, and extreme anxiety engaging in cooperative play with the sister of a friend -- no prompting, no need for assistance, and not a care in the world whether I was in the room or not!
ReplyDeleteHappy Happy Birthday to you!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteNo small children BUT hubby changed the toilet paper on the roll that counts right?
Just wanted to stop by and wish you a wonderful day!
Happy Belated Birthday!
ReplyDeleteMy daughter Sophie who is 3 1/2 started to say mama! We were told she would never talk because of her syndrome and her severe bilateral hearing loss.
I love reading all of these successes! My little boy, aged 2 1/2 with spastic diplegia just started being confident enough to walk holding on to my one hand with his one hand, as opposed to the 2 handed death grip it usually requires to get him to take steps.
ReplyDelete