Speech Therapy Session

Anne is one of my Speech Therapists. She helps me learn to use my Dynavox. This video is part of one of our session together. Anne usually doesn't use food in our sessions but I happened to have some raisins with me because I was coming from kindergarten. Sometimes I can be a bit stubborn as you will see in the video...especially after I just finished three hours of kindergarten. It can be a bit hard to concentrate for such a long time. One thing that Anne does really well is she encourages me to learn and pushes me but at the same time she does an awesome job at following my lead. She is alot of fun!

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I Gotta Go POTTY!

Big steps forward in becoming an independent young girl! More and more I've been telling people when I have to go potty. Already today I've told Mom FOUR times! I use my sign language to tell people. Mom was video taping me today when I was waiting and waiting and waiting for my friend Shantell to come play. I waited so long I had to use the potty!

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Roller Skating

So just under a couple of years ago, I tried out roller skating while at a friend's birthday party and I refused to even stand up on those silly shoes...walking is challenge enough without adding wheels into the mix! Well, today another friend had her birthday party there...and this time I DID IT! I started off a little slow...just walking around the rink with my walker...no roller skates. Even did a little limbo competition! Since Mom couldn't come out to the rink with me, (she won't wear those shoes with wheels on them either)I had to figure out the limbo all by myself and I did it! Mom said I had to go get in line...I did it! I had to wait my turn in line...I did it! I had to go underneath the limbo stick...I did it! I knew exactly what to do just by watching the other kids! And not only did I do it once...since I made it under the limbo stick, I went back to the end of the line and did it again..ALL BY MYSELF!

After pondering the roller skates...I gave them a try! It was a challenge but I worked on it for over 30 minutes! Not quite ready for the Olympic team yet, but with this amount of skill increase in only two tries...I would say the Olympics may not be just a pipe dream!

Using My Trackball Mouse

Recently I had an assistive technology evaluation at school. It was partly to see what would work best so I can access the computer to learn and to show everyone all of the things I know. Because of my motor planning issues (at least that's what the grown-ups say) it is important that I can use the easiest way possible to access the computer. The way I see it, is that I know what I want to do but alot of times to get my entire body to cooperate at the same time is hard. That means, it takes ALOT of effort to do something simple that other kids can do in just a few seconds. I really shouldn't have to work that hard to learn and to give an answer. During the evaluation I was very intrigued by the keyboard because I'm used to the kind of keyboard on my Dynavox. So I took the opportunity to see what it felt like to run my hands all over the keyboard. I guess that wasn't the time to explore because the evaluation team decided that I didn't know that I could make the computer work all by myself. But...the truth is....I already do! And so...here's proof! This is me using my trackball mouse. I can move the mouse to where it needs to go and push the button to run the program. Mom keeps close tabs on the right mouse button...she says that one is just for grown-ups! It still takes alot of work to do something very simple like choosing a spot on the screen. I'm still hoping to get a touchscreen because then I could concentrate more on my brain skills rather than having to think so hard about what my whole body is doing.

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My Six Year Old Portraits

Finally got Mom to take me in for my six year old portraits. I really prefer to not have my picture taken so I made the photographer work for his money! Mom let me pick out one of my outfits...the pink one with my pink shiny shoes was my choice!