Sunday, May 30, 2010
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Your Baby Can Read: Month Two
So honestly this month, mama has been sick for the better part of the month. I have sat and watched the videos with the boys, talked them through it and have still been amazed at how easily they seem to pick up these words. The challenge that we are faced with is that since the boys are both non-verbal, not only do we have to teach them to recognized the written word, but we have to teach them the sign and have them understand that as well. This is a learning experience for them as well as me. Stage Two is somewhat of a repeat of Stage One with several new words added. The boys are such visual learners which is why I know this is something that is going to work for them. At this point I have calculated that they are reading and recognizing more than 25 words. I do believe that they recognize a few more but do to fine motor issues are unable to do the signs just yet. For example, the word BIB they would sign the word eat (which they can do) and then draw a bib on their chest... unable to do that. However, I do think that they know what the word is and what it means.
I finally figured out how to get some video on here and its not from my $500 video camera... its from my cell phone... go figure technology!!??
Here are the boys watching the video, I apologize for my froggy voice, I should have NEVER tried to sing on video with a sore throat.
And then here are some of the flashcards that the boys have mastered from Stage Two:
I plan on staying on Stage Two for another week or two and then moving onto Stage Three. Both boys watch the video at least once a day, followed by either the flashcards OR the book. Occasionally I will sit down with them and do the flashcards from Stage One as review and Stage Two. I am trying to show them signs daily for new words we are learning and they seem to be trying to imitate me the best they can. I have the TSS workers working on this program with them while we are at Speech Therapy and Occupational Therapy twice a week. The boys each have 1/2 hour sessions and the twin not in therapy sits in the waiting room and does cards and reads the book with their TSS worker. They get very vocal and very excited when we get the cards and books out for them. I believe that they are actually proud to show off to the other people in the waiting room and seem to flaunt their stuff extra dramatic like.
The Parents Guide suggests that children age 12 months to 3 years do Stage 2 for 2 months and children ages 3 to 5 years to stay on one Stage for one month at a time. I will modify this a bit due to the sign language that the boys are learning too. I will stay on Stage Two for 6 weeks and transition into Stage Three in week six. My boys are smart guys, they are getting it, I just want to make sure they are getting the most out of the program.
Month Two Impression: AMAZING!!!!
I finally figured out how to get some video on here and its not from my $500 video camera... its from my cell phone... go figure technology!!??
Here are the boys watching the video, I apologize for my froggy voice, I should have NEVER tried to sing on video with a sore throat.
And then here are some of the flashcards that the boys have mastered from Stage Two:
I plan on staying on Stage Two for another week or two and then moving onto Stage Three. Both boys watch the video at least once a day, followed by either the flashcards OR the book. Occasionally I will sit down with them and do the flashcards from Stage One as review and Stage Two. I am trying to show them signs daily for new words we are learning and they seem to be trying to imitate me the best they can. I have the TSS workers working on this program with them while we are at Speech Therapy and Occupational Therapy twice a week. The boys each have 1/2 hour sessions and the twin not in therapy sits in the waiting room and does cards and reads the book with their TSS worker. They get very vocal and very excited when we get the cards and books out for them. I believe that they are actually proud to show off to the other people in the waiting room and seem to flaunt their stuff extra dramatic like.
The Parents Guide suggests that children age 12 months to 3 years do Stage 2 for 2 months and children ages 3 to 5 years to stay on one Stage for one month at a time. I will modify this a bit due to the sign language that the boys are learning too. I will stay on Stage Two for 6 weeks and transition into Stage Three in week six. My boys are smart guys, they are getting it, I just want to make sure they are getting the most out of the program.
Month Two Impression: AMAZING!!!!
Sunday, May 16, 2010
2010 Garden Take One
Last year was our first gardening experience. It went rather well. I think we got alot of veggies harvested and other than the weeds completely getting away from us after our trip to Hershey for a few days I was happy with our experience. Tom and I discussed it a bit over the winter and we decided to make the garden even bigger. SO!!?? Let's see how this year goes.
All winter Tom read up on several different gardening techniques and we've decided to do raised rows. Its going to be alot of work but worth it hopefully as far as weed control. Our garden this year measures 57 feet x 59 feet. Thats over 3000 sq foot of garden space people.. WOW!!
Tonight we began by playing in the dirt. All the kids played their part very well, now let's hope that it continues :)
The twins will do a task if you make a game out of it. Their job tonight was to PICK UP.... PUT IN. We all sang Pick Up... pointed to a rock, when the boys got to the rock and picked it up, we then sang Put In and they took the rock to the 5 gallon bucket setting on the side of the garden threw it in and we all clapped. They really had fun. They did this for about 20 minutes which was amazing and fun for all of us. Between the two of them they almost filled 1/4 of that bucket!!!
Then off the the swing set for a bit:
Elijah of course had to go for the digger and rough up the land to make it easier to rake over a bit. He too did a good job but wanted to hit the swing set with the twins when they headed that way.
Camille impressed me the most. She stayed down with daddy until dark when we called it quits. She did work hard and her efforts were really a huge help.... This IS a big deal to have Camille help out like this, usually she is the last to jump into a job and actually do it, very proud of her!!
Tristin said she wanted a work-out, we gave her a work-out. Although we would have much rather she had shoes on to shovel, she wanted to be a bare foot farmer...LOL A farmer right up the road brought his commercial tiller up and tilled our garden for us this year and it did an amazing job. The dirt is nicely broke up and rather smooth so its been pretty easy to move around like we want it.
All winter Tom read up on several different gardening techniques and we've decided to do raised rows. Its going to be alot of work but worth it hopefully as far as weed control. Our garden this year measures 57 feet x 59 feet. Thats over 3000 sq foot of garden space people.. WOW!!
Tonight we began by playing in the dirt. All the kids played their part very well, now let's hope that it continues :)
The twins will do a task if you make a game out of it. Their job tonight was to PICK UP.... PUT IN. We all sang Pick Up... pointed to a rock, when the boys got to the rock and picked it up, we then sang Put In and they took the rock to the 5 gallon bucket setting on the side of the garden threw it in and we all clapped. They really had fun. They did this for about 20 minutes which was amazing and fun for all of us. Between the two of them they almost filled 1/4 of that bucket!!!
Then off the the swing set for a bit:
Elijah of course had to go for the digger and rough up the land to make it easier to rake over a bit. He too did a good job but wanted to hit the swing set with the twins when they headed that way.
Camille impressed me the most. She stayed down with daddy until dark when we called it quits. She did work hard and her efforts were really a huge help.... This IS a big deal to have Camille help out like this, usually she is the last to jump into a job and actually do it, very proud of her!!
Tristin said she wanted a work-out, we gave her a work-out. Although we would have much rather she had shoes on to shovel, she wanted to be a bare foot farmer...LOL A farmer right up the road brought his commercial tiller up and tilled our garden for us this year and it did an amazing job. The dirt is nicely broke up and rather smooth so its been pretty easy to move around like we want it.
Friday, May 14, 2010
Alpaca Mothers Day Adventure
This mothers day we did something a little different instead of the usual. My mom has a hairdresser, De, who owns an alpaca farm called Peaceful Pasture Alpacas. My mom told her that we had mentioned raising alpaca for the boys one day when they got older as a business of some sort for them to own. De told mom to come out anytime to see them up close and personal and to learn a little about them. She said they still had their winter coats on and were due to be sheared on the 13th (yesterday). If we wanted to come see them we had to see them cute and fluffy first. So we headed over that way Sunday afternoon and spent about 2 1/2 hours in freezing cold weather admiring these beautiful creatures. They were pleasantly friendly with the kids and the children all loved the hands on experience. The owners too were wonderful and filled our brains with lots of information and showed so much hospitality to our family. THANK YOU!! My mom, her hubby Jim and my family all went for the afternoon on a very last minute decision.
Ok so, photo overload time.......
It was a great day and I enjoyed spending it with my family AND my mom.
Ok so, photo overload time.......
It was a great day and I enjoyed spending it with my family AND my mom.
Stylin...
Oh Dear Lord, thank you for a such beautiful daughter who is intelligent, artistic, has an amazing personality, loves music, bright colors and to drive her mama nuts sometimes with her outfit choices. Looks great on your honey!!! Really?!?! :)
C is for Cookie
I have been under the weather with a nasty virus the past three days and my hubby has been such a trooper with taking off a few days from work to take over my duties for me. I was actually really happy that he was able to see the boys in therapy today, (speech and occupational therapies) I personally find it so encouraging to see what they do with my children and other children with disabilities to better their futures.
When Tom goes out without me to a grocery store he always seems to find the biggest doughnuts or cookies made by man. Today was no different. He brought these huge sugar cookies with M&M's in them and I laughed and asked who could eat a whole one of those??
One thing about Caleb and Isaac is that they will not eat things they do not recognize. So I proceeded to break one of these cookies into four to give to my Isaac, which was still big for him, but no longer looked like a round cookie. He wouldn't take it, he refused it and when I kept encouraging him that it was a cookie and he would like it and he just started gagging.. which is what he ends up doing if we try to force something on him he doesn't want.
So I wanted to see what happened when I handed him a full cookie out of the same box....
Uh, Huh... he's no dummy and he sure has his mama trained!!!
Thanks Honey for all your HELP :)
When Tom goes out without me to a grocery store he always seems to find the biggest doughnuts or cookies made by man. Today was no different. He brought these huge sugar cookies with M&M's in them and I laughed and asked who could eat a whole one of those??
One thing about Caleb and Isaac is that they will not eat things they do not recognize. So I proceeded to break one of these cookies into four to give to my Isaac, which was still big for him, but no longer looked like a round cookie. He wouldn't take it, he refused it and when I kept encouraging him that it was a cookie and he would like it and he just started gagging.. which is what he ends up doing if we try to force something on him he doesn't want.
So I wanted to see what happened when I handed him a full cookie out of the same box....
Uh, Huh... he's no dummy and he sure has his mama trained!!!
Thanks Honey for all your HELP :)
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