Protesting

Sweet Pea amazes me more and more every day and yesterday was no exception.  She was doing PT with her new PT and Daddy.  I was in the back still working, but I could hear them.  Sweet Pea did something that I have never heard her do...she would let out exclamations of protest instead of just crying.  I can't describe it in any manner that would do it justice, but suffice it to say that she was very clear in her signal that she wasn't happy and didn't want to be doing the work that she was doing.  It was exciting and yet heart breaking at the same time.  The excitement was because it was clear that she was learning how to communicate more effectively and heart breaking because she needs to work but REALLY hates to work.

The therapy sessions are so hard because she really hates to work.  Our new PT is MUCH better and we are very happy that we made the switch.  I still wish that I had done it earlier, but I'm trying not to kick myself too much over it.  Our old PT was not very personable and didn't know how to make any of the session fun.  Our new gal still pushes Sweet Pea hard, but also understands how to get the most out of her without her realizing that she is working.  It's all about trickery with Sweet Pea.  We can slowly get her into positions if we do it slowly step by step and slowly increase the difficulty.  Putting her directly into a tough position is fruitless.  I don't know if her stubbornness is a good trait or not, but she sure has it!  It must come from her Daddy's side of the family...(tee hee hee)

Perfect end to the day: Sweet Pea gave her daddy an unprompted kiss last night after her bath.  Daddy had given her a kiss while they were playing in front of the mirror when she then turned to him and gave him a big wet one on the cheek.  She sure knows how to melt his heart and wrap him around her finger.  It will serve her well for years to come!

Finally, thank you Meridith for reminding me about this..."Video footage from NDSC's "We're More Alike Than Different" campaign will be included in tonight's edition of ABC's "20/20: What Would You Do?" at 10 PM ET/9 PM CT. The segment will use an actor with Down syndrome to portray a grocery store bagger who is berated by a customer (another actor). The question posed by the television show is, what will other shoppers do? Hidden cameras reveal the answer and speak to the need for us all to advocate for workers with disabilities. In a clip from the NDSC video, self advocates Christi Hockel and Mark Hublar are shown at their respective real-life jobs at Safeway and Wal Mart, demonstrating that employees with Down syndrome are more like their colleagues than they are different. Ask your friends and neighbors to watch tonight's show and then ask them, "what would you do?" You might discover that you have a wonderful opportunity to educate and advocate! "   I don't normally watch this show, but I have already set my DVR for this one episode.  I sure hope they do it well!