I hear thunder but still no rain!
Today was one of those days where we just kept going and going. Maizie did well at tutoring and Jeannie and I were discussing how far she has come since we began tutoring in kindergarten. Jeannie was saying she was proud of the work she has done with Maizie. Jeannie and Maizie are an awesome team. I wish we would have taped the first sessions they had together.
When we began Maizie would have to sit on my lap and we would have to redirect her almost constantly. Everything was hand over hand. I applied almost constant deep pressure to Maizie's legs and arms to help her focus. Maizie struggled so much to even recognize letters that she would cry out of nervousness and frustration.
Soon she trusted Jeannie and began to learn how to sound out the letters by looking at drawn pictures of mouths sounding out each letter. This was the Lindamood Bell method. In time she sat on Jeannie's lap and I was able to stand outside of the room. Eventually I sat in my car or went home for the session and enjoyed a few minutes alone. From session to session Maizie would progress and then we would have periods of regression that worried and frustrated all of us. Especially when her seizures reached their peak of about five per day. I thank God and science for the medications that have stopped her seizures, help her focus and reduce her anxiety. Where would we be without them?
Eventually, I will cover these times in the Me and Lil' Maizie blog. Now Maizie goes into tutoring with confidence. Maizie has her days where focusing is nearly impossible. She will resist new and challenging material but Jeannie's patience and creativity help her along. There is no greater joy to me than listening to Maizie read me book after book. Even more amazing is how much her comprehension has improved in the last year. Amazing.
Marie took Maizie to the Splash Park while I went to the doctor for nasty throat pain. I was around some cigarette smoke a few weeks ago and...as always I went away with a throat infection. I just can't handle being around cigarette smoke. I am one of the few who is really happy for the no smoking laws because I had to avoid bars like the plague. Now, I might actually be able to go and enjoy a band playing or go dancing without getting this nasty sore throat the next day.
Before lunch Mindy and I managed to meet up at the last moment for a quick lunch. We had a blast laughing about my blog...she thought the Swedish Fish look a little weird. I agree...but hey, its a work in progress. Geesh! I am learning bit by bit. Oh, and you will be as happy as I was to learn that Mindy found a pair of Born wedges at Good Will. She was looking at the shoes when the lady working there set them right in front of her! They were a gift from God. Then we were cracking up about my health issues...I gotta have a sense of humor about it all. Mindy diagnosed this rash I had on my foot as eczema...she was right! I will just call her Dr. Mindy from now on! The doctor gave me a nice cream to take care of that. Good. I like my feet to look pretty...not rashy! I had been thinking I had athletes foot for weeks and was applying that over the counter athletes foot cream stuff and it was doing nothing but make my skin peel off. Well, no wonder! It was not athletes foot. Gadz. I sound like an old woman with all my doctors appointments and stuff. Oh, well. Get used to it for a while. At least until after I have recovered from my upcoming surgery.
If this antibiotic makes my birth control pill not work and blesses me with my monthly you will really hear me screaming! If you can even call it a monthly. At this point it happens for no apparent reason and brings pain that I just refuse to put up with anymore. Birth control is not baby control for me but pain management. I gotta be healthy for this surgery and I had put off the appointment until Joe was really getting upset with me. At least I think he was a bit frustrated with hearing me hacking all the time and complaining.
Tonight Maizie and I went to the library to get her prize. I was worried she would be upset it was a coupon but she was quite proud of it.
We checked out the movie Cat Woman with Halle Berry. She is watching it now and talking to me about every bit of it. I think this will be one of her favorites. Maizie is really getting into the super hero thing now. When she saw Cat Woman's outfit she said, "Ohhhh! Yeah! I like that outfit! I wish I could be her for Halloween. Maybe when I grow up? I need to get the right items...like the mask and the shoes. Wow! She's pretty. She has good tricks."
Oh, my. I could write Maizie's dialogue to this movie all night. It is just cracking me up. She just said, "You know what's my favorite part of her? Her eyesight! It looks like there is rips on her pants. I guess that is just part of her design." Too cute.
