These past few weeks we've finally felt like we were back in our normal routine after the holidays. It's been nice! Very "ordinary".
One of the things that makes us feel like we're ourselves here is lots and lots of backyard play. The kids will go out in the afternoon after all the school work is done for the day and they will stay out there - sometimes until dark! They get a hearty snack, as seen below, to hold them over until dinnertime.
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| A typical afternoon snack. Ellie gets the bowl. The others share and like counting things and dividing them by 3 😊. |
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| Here is a popcorn and smoothie day (a constant request). I didn't mean to capture this private moment of Jacob praying before his snack but it was so sweet I wanted to remember it. |
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| Xavier and Julia have their "table for two" they like to eat at together. |
Another part of our routine is quiet times indoors doing puzzles! We went through a stage where Ellie could not be left alone with a puzzle on the floor but that has passed and she now shows great self-control with the puzzles!
In the background above you can see the quilt I have been working on for a while now for Jacob. It is finally finished! Ellie likes to climb in the other children's beds at night before she goes to her room so here she is with Jacob on his first night with his new blanket!
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| I was given the instructions to make the quilt "Georgia, golf, football and Green Bay Packers". |
In other news - Ellie got an exciting new piece of therapy equipment! About 6 months ago I tried to get this approved and it took that long to get the funding for it and get it ordered. It's what most therapy centers have at their facility and now we have one at home for her to use!
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| It's a swing she can go back and forth on as well as spin in circles! |
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| She's so happy!!! |
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| It was so precious - when she first saw it and used it, she kept doing the sign for "thank you" to me! She was saying thank you over and over to show her gratitude! What a sweetheart! |
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| She is on and off it all day long and always makes lots of fun sounds and noises when she is swinging! |
This swing has several other attachments we plan on getting for her in the future. Next we're working on another exciting item to help her live the best life possible. Stay tuned!
