Sensory Processing

In my job as an occupational therapist, I work with a lot of children with sensory processing disorder.  This diagnosis is given when children have responses to sensory input that disrupt their daily life.  They may be over-responsive to sensory input, demonstrating seemingly exaggerated responses to every day stimulation like the individual who can't handle the sound of a flushing toilet or the feel of anything messy on their hands.  They may also be under-responsive to sensory input and therefore require more intense and frequent amounts of sensory input like the individual who can't stop moving or picking or touching.  When I evaluate a child to determine if they have a sensory processing disorder, I always tell parents that we all have sensory quirks--things we like, things we don't like.  It's only when these 'quirks' interfere with daily functioning that it becomes a disorder.

I have my own sensory quirks.  I hate the sound of Styrofoam.  The feel of cotton balls makes my skin crawl.  I don't like wool or turtlenecks.  My favorite clothes are yoga pants and super-soft t-shirts and hoodies.  I love how the freezer smells.  Eating ice makes me feel happy.  Weird?  Maybe.  (Okay, probably.)  But can I function in my daily life.  Yes.

As Staley is growing up, she is starting to demonstrate her own sensory quirks.  Like her mother, Staley has a distinct preference for what she wants to wear.  And that preference is all about comfort.  Staley will not wear jeans (without some drama.)  She will not wear khakis.  The first thing she does when trying on a pair of pants is squat down to see if they are in any way restrictive or binding.  If so, she takes them off.  What does she want to wear?  Yoga pants.  Sweat pants.  Leggings.  Soft knit shorts/skirts.  Knit sundresses.  T-shirts.  If it's binding, restrictive, scratchy, or rough, it's not going to happen, no matter how cute her mother thinks it is.

Along with her clothing preferences, Staley is still funny about the feel of grass, finding ways to avoid walking barefoot in grass and even avoiding touching it too often with her hands.  And I love to watch her walk out onto the front porch barefoot because she goes to great lengths to not step on our scratchy welcome mat that is right outside the door.  Staley is also sensitive to sound.  She still often cries when I vacuum.  (Lucky for her, I don't do it nearly as often as I should.)  She loves to help cook, but generally covers her ears when I use the mixer.  She is scared of thunder.  And she has demonstrated a recent fear of slides.  She loves the idea of slides.  She likes to climb to the top of the highest slides at the playground, and always enjoys going down on our laps.  But on her own, she will stand at the top of the slide, touch the slide with her hand, and tell me it's too hot.  That's generally her reason for not wanting to slide down on her own (even if it's cloudy and she's wearing long pants.)  I don't know if she had a traumatic hot slide experience or if that's just an excuse for some other fear.  For now, it's just one of her quirks.

Sensory processing disorder can really interfere with a family's daily life.  Lucky for Staley, she doesn't have to sit in the grass while wearing her jeans as I vacuum in a thunderstorm.  Otherwise we might have some real problems.  As it is, these are just the little quirks that make Staley who she is right now.  And if I can make it through life with my weird cotton ball, Styrofoam, wool issues, I think Staley's going to be okay too.  We'll just happily spend our days together in yoga pants and t-shirts.

Now I Understand

Last night Zach and I were reminiscing about when we were dating in high school and anytime we watched a movie at my house, my dad would join us.  Laughing, I told Zach, "You'll be the same way with our girls."  He replied, "If Staley or Adelie want to watch a movie with a boy, I'll be watching it with them...while I'm cleaning my guns."  Lucky for all of us, we have quite a few years before we have to worry about that...and for Zach to get some guns.

Off the Charts

Adelie had her 2 month check-up today, and she received her first ever score of 100%.  She is in the 100th percentile for length, measuring 25.25".  I'm trying to decide if we want to focus more on basketball or volleyball skills right now.  I'm leaning towards volleyball as flailing arms and limited upper extremity control seems like a bad match for learning to dribble or shoot.  Luckily we don't have to fit in sumo wrestling activities as her 12 lbs, 3 oz put her solidly in the 55th percentile. 

Apart from her exceptional score in the length category, the remainder of Adelie's 2 month exam was unremarkable.  She charmed the nurse, the resident, and the doctor with smiles and coos.  She remained her happy, mellow self throughout getting weighed, measured, and checked over.  Her red-faced screaming during her vaccinations began after the second (of three) shots and was over before the nurse had even left the room.  What a trooper!

Well, I'm off to set up some bump, set, spike drills.  Let the training begin!!

Growing Up

Staley is growing up...and growing up fast.  When I call her 'baby', she always corrects me and tells me that she's a 'big girl.'  And she is.  She sleeps in a big girl bed.  She wears big girl underpants.  She doesn't want a lid on her cup.  She doesn't want to wear a bib.  She likes to sit in a regular chair at the table.  She likes to do things all by herself.  She's growing up and growing up fast.

Staley is getting taller.  Staley is getting heavier.  Staley's hair is growing longer and longer and longer.  (Like Rapunzel, much to Staley's delight.)  Staley is getting faster and braver and stronger.  She loves to run, and it's getting harder and harder to keep up.  Staley loves to help, and has become quite proficient at helping us cook and clean.  (Banana bread and pancakes are her specialties.) Staley is a great big sister and loves to make her baby sister smile.  She's growing up and growing up fast.

Staley knows the days of the week.  She knows the months of the year.  She knows the colors of the rainbow.  She knows her colors and shapes and most letters.  She spells her name.  She memorizes books and sings a multitude of songs.  Staley is growing up and growing up fast.

At State Farm Play Day, I wasn't sure that Staley and Liam would be able to ride the ferris wheel by themselves...but they did.  I wasn't sure Staley could safely swing on a big girl swing, but she can.  I didn't know if Staley could pedal a tricycle, but she's learning.  I didn't know that time could fly by so quickly, but it can.  Oh, it can.

Swinging with Aunt Melissa

Riding her tricycle

Little sis and big sis

My big girl...growing up so fast!

A Lesson in Opposites

Awake

 

Asleep

 

 

 

 



Great Idea

This morning Staley and I had this conversation.

Me:  "Let's take off your bedtime diaper and put on your big girl underpants.  Your bedtime diaper is sopping wet."
Staley:  "Why is it wet?"
Me:  "Because sometimes you go pee pee when you sleep.  That's why you still wear a diaper at bedtime."
Staley:  "I have a great idea.  You can put my potty chair in my bed when I sleep so that I won't have to go pee pee in my diaper."

I don't know if I'd call it a 'great' idea.  I do sense a few potential flaws in her plan.  But it is an idea.  Maybe not practical, but she definitely gets points for thinking outside the box.

Play Day

State Farm hosts an annual play day for its employees and families.  And like a good neighbor, they offered a day of amazing fun.  And not swim in the pool and play on the playground fun.  We are talking carnival rides, ponies, inflatables, petting zoo, funnel cake type fun.  We weren't sure that Adelie would truly appreciate all there was to offer so she stayed home with Grammie while Liam joined us in her place.

The day started off with a bang as both kids were THRILLED that we had to park in the corporate parking lot and ride a shuttle to the park.  And the shuttle was...

a school bus!!!!

 

We weren't sure that anything at play day would top the excitement of riding on an actual school bus.  However, the school bus ride was quickly trumped when the kids got to ride...

 

ponies!!!! 

 

And there were so many other fun activities like...

 

the petting zoo,

 

the train,

driving cars,

and riding motorcycles.

 

And although Staley and Liam enjoyed ALL the activities at play day,  Liam said his favorite activity was...

 

the big slide.

 

And Staley's favorite...

 

the ferris wheel.

 

My favorite part of the day was seeing two huge smiles with everything we did and watching these two birthday twins enjoying their day together. 

 

Hooray for play day!!