The View From Here

Bryan is in Kansas for work.  Just a one night, two day trip, but it leaves me running and my boys having to enterain themselves a bit more.  Not a big deal, I manage with the help of family and friends to come and break the day up on these frigid, no outside play days.

This morning as I scurried around the kitchen, getting breakfast dishes cleaned up and sneaking in a few sips of coffee, I glanced into the family room and had that guilty, sad feeling rush over me.
Gunnar was at play with his Duplos, Ipad, and Baby Jaguar.  Up and down. In and out of the room he moved, busy at play.
Roa, on the other hand, was lying on the floor, tugging on the strings of his helium "Get Well Soon" balloons, still alive from his hospital stay.
Poor Roa, I thought.  The poor kid is stuck doing the same things over and over when we are not there to help him play.

But then, I thought for a moment,... and slipped quietly into the room to join him on the rug. 
The balloons were floating above us, bobbing up and down with each pull on the ribbon.  The morning sun was reflecting light from the balloons onto the white, textured ceiling.  Millions of little light beams were dancing in rainbow hues across the ceiling.  Red, yellow, green, blue... I could see them all.
As I looked to my right, I could also see the reflection of the balloons in the fireplace glass, which lit up with the bouncing balloons.  This of course did not go unnoticed by my observant little boy, as Roa looked from the ceiling, to the balloons, to the fireplace.
And to further add to my amazing moment of spying on play, I noticed that Roa wasn't just moving the balloons, spastically with a body that just did it's own thing.
Roa was purposely twitching the ribbon of the balloons to make the colors move, blend or freeze.
Play with Purpose.
What parents and Early Educators take pride in.
Roa was doing just that.

So next time you glance at a "special child",  whether they are laughing to themselves, repetitively lining up or banging on toys, or simply watching a toy spin or move.  Do not be quick to pity or judge. 
They own their personal play.

From the view I took today,  Roa was blooming where he was planted.

Potty watch working!

So we purchased an Angry Birds watch for Roa to wear to tell us when it is potty time. First day, I told him all about it- if you gotta go look at your watch, bite it, whatever! He laughed, bit his watch, I put him on the potty and he WENT! This kid is so smart! Proud Mama moment!

Joystick overjoyed !

I found this toy at Lakeshore learning. What an awesome way to practice joystick skills for the powerchair we will be getting! Roa is addicted! So neat!