The “good game” line up!!

The kids all line up, slap hands and say “good game”.

I love to see GiGi do this!!  I don’t know why, but I think it is just another thing that I didn’t think she would do when she was born.  I had heard so many things she wouldn’t do and now she is doing them all!!   I am not saying she doesn’t work at it.  We work hard, but the normalcy of her life just blows me away.  I still hope and pray that someday people will see her as I do.

Last year, I was trying to build up her stamina by walking to the park.  (1/2 mile each way).  So a mile walk for a four year old was pretty good.  Every time she wanted a horse back ride, or wanted me to carry her I would change how we were walking.  I would turn around and shout… “backwards”!  Then “hop on one foot”!  Then “sprint”!  By the time we got to the park we had so much fun that she never realized how hard she had worked!  Is distraction a good form of motivation?  I don’t know but it works!!

I have to say our motivation has always been a bit…different!  As an infant when I wanted her to learn to pick up her food and feed herself I used a broken up pop tart!   Who doesn’t love a frosted pop tart!  Plus, it was sticky so even if she accidentally stuck her hand in it it would stick and when her hands went to her mouth she got that yummy sweet treat! 

Same with drinking out of a straw.  She was 10 months old and I was still breast feeding.  I was at a big outdoor party, wearing a halter top, when she decided she was thirsty!  Of course, I couldn’t find my husband and I was watching Bella who was 2 1/2 so I couldn’t go inside to find a spot where I wouldn’t be flashing anyone!  (The halter top was cute but not a good Idea when breast feeding!) Anyways, I tried to wait but it was like 90 degrees and she was parched!  So I just grabbed Bella’s juice box and put it to her mouth.  She was so thirsty and once she got the taste she sucked up the whole thing!   (I had heard drinking out of a straw and open cup were going to be very difficult for her… but as usual she steps up to the plate!  (With proper motivation like dying of thirst!) KIDDING!

I am sure a nutritionist would question my methods…but whatever works is what I am going to do!!  It is not like we did it all the time. (well at least not after we mastered it!) 

Wow!  Sorry, don’t know what started that rant….. 

GiGi starts the literacy program again today at the Playhouse!!!!  I am so excited!  We have been out of it for almost a year and she really misses it.  All the words and letters she knows perfectly are the ones she learned there!!  Can’t wait!!  I’ll keep you posted!