A little history.
Back in January Rhiannon was 1 year & 3 months. I suspected that something was not quiet right in the speech area. I felt lead to call Holly Ridge Center....even though doctors & friends said, "Ohh her speech is fine! She will catch up!"
I may be a young mom but I am not "young" in taking care of children! I have been surrounded by children my entire life & have taken care of children from a very young age, watching out for my little brother when it was just the two of us at home, volunteering my recess hours in elementary school to work with the other special needs children, baby sitting other's children at a very young age, working in the church nursery in CT & then here in WA, teaching in the 2's & 3's at our church, for my elective college classes I took Child Education classes, the list truly goes on......I would like to say I am VERY Experienced with working with children.
My first initial thought was...what am I doing as a mother? Am I failing? Bud LOVES to read! He always has. We started him young and he still LOVES to read. Rhiannon likes books. We read to her. What is going on? Granted being the first child I probably did not read to her as much as I did with bud BUT bud & daddy took up that slack so she is surrounded by books & is hearing them! Something just was not right.
Rhiannon's evaluation showed that she WAS behind in several areas. Some more then others. In the speech area she was close to 8 months behind! She was 15 months old but in the speech area was at a 7 month old level. Pretty much still at the babbling age! I KNEW something was not right! She was hardly saying mom & dad...she has never said yes or no or up or cup.....nothing. We signed to her...but her signs were just not too clear & exact you had to really pay close attention because a lot of her signs all appeared to look the same!
At about that same time I signed up to be an Independent Consultant with Usborne books & more! Why? I love these books! I always have. Sure...you can find some here & there in some book stores but the ONLY way to get your hands on the over 1500 different products is through a consultant---
ME. I have always bought friends & family educational items as gifts...so why not make a little money off the type of gifts I already buy? Plus...NO minimums to maintain! I'll take that. I had no idea what all this business had in store! The endless opportunities awaited me and I had NO idea! There is so much to say about this...but I will save that for another post ;)
ANYWAYS....because I joined Usborne Books I had More Usborne books here in our home. THIS was honestly the blessing....because these books are EXACTLY what Rhiannon NEEDED! Keep in mind we LOVE BOOKS we have always have books here in our house...but not very many Usborne Books. What makes these books fantastic? These books are fun & engaging they are created to capture a child's attention & encourage them to love reading so that way they will love to read for years to come & that way it will stick with them for the rest of their lives & so that they will become more successful in life so that they can reach their fullest potential! Everything begins with books! Any books! They are the ticket to the world.
I noticed a change in Rhiannon. She began to pick up books more. Her favorites are the texture books. She IS a tactile learner. She NEEDS these types of books! Usborne has A LOT of these books! At first it was just touching the books & me repeating the word. But, now, 6 months later she will pick up several of the books & her brain makes a connection to what that word is! She is also repeating more & recognizing what objects are what. Bright....engaging...fun.
It was one month between her evaluation & her first in-home speech therapy session. Her speech therapist was absolutely AMAZED at home much she has come along. She continues to be amazed each & every time she sees her!
I am amazed! Rhiannon LOVES books...she LOVES to sit on your lap & "read". I have noticed a difference in books. It is interesting that she knows the difference between books. Some non-usborne books she will pick up, you begin to read & she is gone. She will grab several & do the same. But, then one book that she finally finds she will sit the entire way through the book & want you to read it to you again...as you can guess....those are the Usborne Books! I honestly think she knows the difference! These books fully engage her & have sparked her interest. I am so thankful that God has given me this opportunity of being a book consultant & spreading literacy around the word, especially in my own children's lives! I am amazed!
Yesterday chris said rhiannon wanted to read a lot a couple days ago. I said well we are always reading here at home (I was gone the last week in TULSA, OK) so I am not sure how much reading she got the last week with me being gone. Chris said we read a book here & there...but a couple nights ago she was just bringing more books so I grabbed the big
world war book (if you have not seen this book you MUST see it) and she sat on my lap for more then 20 minutes while I read it to her! What 1 1/2 year old will sit on your nap for that long reading a tet like book? Umm...I do not know any other ones besides Rhiannon!
Rhiannon's speech has just took off! She is talking so much, making connections learning! Ohh it is so exciting!!! It has been a long process. Sure...she might have caught up...but, something was not sitting right with me...and if I have opportunities to help my child I am going to do it! I am so glad I did!
Rhiannon has been doing awesome! Just being gone a week....I have noticed how much she has changed in just the last week. My baby girl is growing & learning.
We are still trying to work out her food issues. Right now NO gluten, dairy (ALL FORMS-butter, milk, whey, sour cream, yogurt...the list goes on), tomatoes, apples, ALL juices, corn syrup & frustose syrup.
After a long month & a half wait....we are seeing a GI specialist TODAY to see if there is anything else we can find out about our little missy. Please pray we figure somethings out because there is still something not right with her...all work in progress.
cute thing rhiannon said...
Rhiannon can you say "I love you?"
Can you say "I"?EYE (points to her eye)Can you say love?LOVECan you say you?ME!EYE..... LOVE....ME!
