Ambitious Summer: Here we go

Our "Ambitious Summer" plan involves a lot of things--therapy, more independence, activity, social interaction, and one huge one--FREE WEEKENDS, to do family time, or travel, or NOTHING. This is a big deal, b/c up until now, Elena's only free day was Sunday, and that was mainly spent getting ready for the school week.

E still has therapy 4x/week (2x Feldenkrais, 1x PT, 1x Hippotherapy). We try to make it to the neighborhood pool 1x week (typically with friends), and E has library time and community time (local happenings, like the Whole Foods Kids Club or library concerts/shows) and park playtime. We have our Fantastic Nanny Annette, as well as our facilitator S, and another helping hand or two (more on that later) to get the kids out and about and crazy fun.

Last weekend was Father's Day: Elena's present was to make dinner. I was going to do a separate post about it, but I forgot, so I'm just going to post a few pics here.

Taking the Order at "Elena's Cafe" (menu was included)


Chef at Work (she did the most of the cutting, spreading, and all the assembly)





We tried to let her carry the tray, but E's not quite up to that task yet, so she got some delivery help from Viv and I.

Dinner Smooches for the Best Dad!


Thursday we went to the pool (Dinner at the Pool night). Both girls were so excited about the pool! I tried to see if Elena could get in the pool by herself. I strategically placed two deck chairs as hand holds, and with me close by, she walked from our table to the rail, and holding on with both hands, she went down the steps into the pool BY HERSELF! She swam a ton (she looked tired!) in her swim vest. When it was time to get out, she was unsuccessful getting out by herself. She needed assistance due to fatigue, weight of the water, shivering from being cold, or any combination of those and she exited holding my hand to a chair (and warm towel) right by the pool. A+!

This weekend we had friends over for dinner and movie (Finding Nemo), and Saturday we went to the Splayground with another friend--and saw TONS of other people there! The Splayground had lots of kids--but with the Beach Walker, E had a great time. The other kids were curious, the other parents loved it and asked questions, and everyone had a great time.

(I will have to raise (raze?) the Beach Walker, as it needs to be a little taller. I'm working a new version in my head--one that comes apart in two pieces, to both better fit in the car and to be easier to "size up". Hopefully that will be done by the end of the summer.)

Sunday we went for a bike ride in our neighborhood (HILLS EVERYWHERE) in E's Pink Cruiser trike. I don't have any pictures, b/c downhill it was me running after her (and slowing her down the hills by holding the seat back), and pushing her uphill (ONLY if she was also pedaling--no free rides here!). We went to feed the geese--both kids loved it, and it was a nice short ride before it got too hot. My major observations are that Elena can really engage that trike--even on the hills, although she's not strong enough to do them herself right now. I also taught her how to operate the hand brake. The tension on it is very high, and her little hand can just barely span the handlebar and the brake, nevermind having the strength to actually squeeze it. She did do it once, but at the expense of losing control of the bike (Mom at the ready, so no worries). (I do have to work out a different pedal arrangement (same shown in the link)--this one is cumbersome and she needs more support on the right side.) E was VERY proud of herself--and, more importantly for me, this trip didn't involve packing bikes in a car. We'll be doing this a lot this summer, I think. I'm also contemplating this kind of a arrangement...