Little Smarty Pants

The reason for this blog is so family can check in and see what we (mostly the boys!!) are up to (and for "trips down memory lane in the future, after the blog book is published).   I realized that in the last few months, I haven't updated (er "bragged in a biased motherly fashion" - lol) about Ramsey's accomplishments and milestones.

Ramsey has been involved in speech therapy with Amy (his awesome speech therapist) for about a year.  It's been a slower road, but every new accomplishment, from his first bit of sign language ("more"), his first "real word", to his two-word requests, is celebrated!   Amy is a super fun gal and Ramsey has always responded well to her.   Our new goals and primary focus is to get Ramsey to use three word requests and phrases.

The newer model of speech therapy (implemented in the last few weeks) now has the parent or caregiver act as the primary therapist and Amy will ask questions, serve as guidance, and give helpful tips for teaching the child.  It's been an easy transition since I've watched Amy's form of teaching and been directly involved in weekly play/therapy.

Ramsey is really talking up a storm (and parroting everything we say) and is starting to like to chat on the phone.   His favorite things to say/do:  Read Star Wars books and say all of the characters' names, tell MaMa and DaDa what to do (example: while jumping on the couch cushions on the floor, he points to the cushions and says MaMa and DaDa, telling us "hey guys, get down here and jump with me!"), and count.

He can count to 15 (maybe more, I haven't pushed it), but his "F" and "TH" sounds are still a work-in-progress (normal, by Amy's standpoint, and sounds we shouldn't "expect" until he's four).   He walks around counting EVERYTHING (pictures of animals/characters in his books, the spindles in the banister, his blocks, pieces of food, pillows... you name it).

Earlier this month, he started occupational therapy as well.  Karen is the wonderful occupational therapist who comes to our home once a week for an hour.
Karen works with Ramsey by utilizing sensory toys and activities, plus other fun things that further develop his fine motor skills.

Below, we're playing with shaving foam at the kitchen table.   He wasn't sure what to think of it and showed great disdain for it at first, but we slowly eased him to where he would place his Star Wars toys and cars in it, bang and roll them around it in, allowing for the foam to be on his hands and arms, and let loose and have fun.   We still have yet to get him to go wild and completely smash his hands directly into the shaving foam.  (This sensitivity to this smooth tangible textured goo is apparently why he never went bananas to make a huge mess out of his cake on his first birthday!)

The other day during OT, I was a bit blown away (and so were Karen and my Mom).  We were on the floor playing with a Magna-Doodle, drawing pictures of shapes and different sizes of the shapes.  He's known his shapes and colors for well over a year, but it was more of an instructional learning play to reinforce his direction-taking ("put your toy in the 'little' circle", etc).  I decided to write numbers into the shapes to test him.  He named every number I asked him, which I didn't name in numerical order; just randomly.   A+, kiddo!  Then, I decided to start writing letters (again, randomly).  I thought it'd be tricky for him, with the "J's", "Z's", "H's", "Q"etc.  But, he nailed every single one and was saying their names (as well as he can).   This may be braggy, but I was so proud of him!   Toddlers' brains are little sponges indeed.  Wowser!

Since then, we've been "testing him" further with his letters and numbers.  I have a sneaking suspicion that he may be an early reader!