Ride Away

Nori rode a bike yesterday. After a whole summer of scooting around, she put her feet on the peddles and pumped back, than forth, then backwards a few more rotations, then pushed forward.

Don't Spare Me the Details

Last week we had another early intervention assessment with one more to go. It will be a great load off our backs, emotionally and financially, to put these appointments behind us. We are looking good. During our evals, the therapists, coordinators and doctors run through a list of age appropriate milestones and check off yes or no according to our responses. They casually observe the kids, in case our perspective is skewed I suppose, and continue to make notes during our appointment. As each fairly simple yes or no question is presented, I have to hold back the details that I feel are more important than the answer.

Do the pretend play? Yes, but what you really need to know is that Charlie makes the cutest noise when he feeds his Mack truck breakfast. That he chooses cars and talks about how they are “friends.” That Nori’s pretend play revolves around a script that is based on real events that happened the day before. That she slings her tiny purse over her tiny shoulder and says “I’ll be right back,” as she pushes her baby stroller to the door.

About how many words do they have? Both of them can repeat back any word given to them. Can they identify and name everyday objects, like cup or toothbrush? Sure, and we can add front loader, back hoe, crossing guard and all the characters from the movie Cars for Charlie. For Nori we can add stethoscope, cantaloupe, and “kelele,” which is the Swahili word for “noise.”

Do they speak in two word sentences? Let’s see..My favorite for Nori would be,” Mommy I need you right now.” So not only does she speak in full sentences but she also has a sense of time, and realizes that when I say “one minute,” I might mean “not ever.” Charlie’s would be, “Want to stay in my cribby.” He loves to lounge in there long after he wakes up. His sense of time is a lot less urgent.

Is there no milestone for musician recognition? Can’t we mark down somewhere that they can both identify a Lady Gaga song from the first few notes? I would like to add for the record that they both have penned their own songs. Charlie’s is called, “Mamma car, Daddy big Truck,” and is most often only sung with an echoing microphone. Nori’s is called,” You and me,” and she holds my face or Charlie’s hand when she sings it.

So much gets lost without the details.