Thankful thursday- Bubble Mountain

Nanners has gotten more dependent with her oral fixations. Everything goes in the mouth. Stuffed animals, toys, shirts, dress straps, you name it it has been in her mouth. This of course drives me nuts. However I stop and think its just her SPD and her calming herself. Id rather have a calm child chewing than a crazy child. One way to curb it is to have them using straws consistently. She loves them so that was an easy one. However I wanted to see if she could handle blowing vs sucking. Its different muscles that need to be focused.

We had to clarify that we blow and not suck and she only messed up once. After drinking soap she decided that she was going to do it right.Presenting Bubble Mountain! She played in it and touched it which made me so happy as some days its a challenge. I am so thankful that we are finally having answers and able to help get her where she needs to be.

A heavy elephant

With our final diagnosis I of course have been the dutiful mommy researching EVERYTHING to help Nanners/me/daddy to cope with this SPD. We just dealt with the punches before but obviously that didn't work.

In her IEP it was suggested that we get her a weighted blanket/ backpack. Well she doesn't care for backpacks too much so I wanted to try it on a much smaller scale. I have seen that many people use stuffed animals instead and weighing them to use as cuddle objects. Nanners is a sensory seeker it seems and needs rubbing/ bear hugs / pressure so something heavy would make sense. I considered using one of her Elmo toys (she has almost 20 I swear) but figured she would get very angry that one of her Elmo's just wasnt right.

I remembered that I had taken a bag of stuffed animals out of her room and put them in a closet. I grabbed one of the bigger ones and it turned out to be a Heffalump. Nanners knows what elephants are so I figured it could be something to relate to.

 I took it and opened up the underside of its belly and "fixed " it. Aka 3 double bagged sandwich bags filled with rice. Sewed the bugger right up and its barely noticeable.

All I needed to "fix" Mr. Elephant

 

He's a bit chubbier than before but about 2 lbs heavier. Nanners was hesitant at first picking him up and yelling "He's too heavy!" We went on our walk in the stroller and I told her that the elephant wanted a ride too. (Long stroller rides are horrid especially when Nanners hides her shoes on Mommy) She sat with him and I convinced her he wanted to sit on her lap for the ride. She cuddled right up to him and actually laid down for the first time in the stroller in MONTHS. I couldn't believe my eyes. It was so nice that for the first time I didnt have a screaming/figity child in the stroller.

and the best part is from what I understand she hasn't let him leave the room since. 

It may be a beautiful friendship between her and Mr. Elephant. 

well we have our diagnosis

Nanners finally has her diagnosis. They agree that she has some behavioral issues and most of it is sensory based. She was perfect and even advanced on everything developmental especially her speech. We have a few goals and want to get the most out of therapy as we can in the next few months. We have already been told that we most likely will not qualify as you can not get Occupational therapy on its own which is the main component for what she needs.

I have a book I am required to read and we are going to try to get her set up quick.