Hollylooyah: A Homeschooling Adventure

Here are the records for unprompted speech… we’re trying to meet our goal!

4/6 6

4/7 6

4/8 6

4/9 6

4/10 4

4/10/07– This has been our first day back at school after the baby.  I think Noah is happy to be doing school again.  Noah had a low blood sugar and he was able to drink juice to bring it up again.  Noah’s blood sugars have been even worse than Lucy’s.  It has been stressful for that reason.  Dr. Seuss ABC.  Sound blocks.  He did a really good job talking and tracing.  Still interested in drawing.  Today he picked up a pile of papers he had knocked off accidentally.  59 verbalizations.

4/11/07–64 unprompted verbalizations!!!!!!!! Amazing!!!  Noah found the bubbles!  He also liked Froggy’s Baby Sister.  We worked on lots of tracing today lines, E,F, circles, and horseshoes.

4/17/07–6 unprompted

Weekend– Noah was interested in some Indian food and even brought his mouth to it.  He also sat through church and fellowship time. 

4/23/07 OT in morning.  Worked with Travis in the afternoon.

4/24/07 Beth Wiskirchen came over today.  We are trying to get a new IEP written.  I think  we have a great plan.  Noah met his goals from last year.

4/25/07 Noah’s AMAZING DAY!!!!!

167 verbalizations.

68 licks/tastes of lime yogurt on a spoon.

28 sips of water.

Licked a cracker 20 times.

19 sips of Pediasure.

We used bubble for a reinforcer, then "switched" to lotion, then to watch and then got to the bathroom.  So far minimal fussing from the bubbles being taken away which is a rarity these days.  Tracing lines and wrote name.  Andy is into doing all kinds of preschool activities grouping, circling, and letters.  WE read many books today  and listened to the Dr. Seuss CD.  Noah had OT today where he worked on the computer.  Noah colored a picture with a marker.

4/26/07 23 verbalizations.  Lots and lots of work on goals, planning, etc.  Kim came today for ST in the morning.  Homestead meeting.  We are back in the swing of things and Noah and Andy will go really far in school this next year.  It’s exciting.

3/1/07–55 verbalizations– including unprompted speech.  Today is a BAD weather day!  Kim came to have ST with Noah in the morning.  We met our 32 verbalization goals.  Noah and Andy watched Leap Frog Letter Factory together-very cute.  Noah has not wanted to talk much today, at least at first.  He has wanted use his jiggle pen and toothbrush quite a bit though.  Used lotion and toothbrush to get lots of requests.  He wanted to paint and then made a big mess.  Tracing lines.  Moved on to next speech goal.  pegboard/golf tees activity.  tracing f.  he got really happy in the late afternoon.  Did not want to stop doing school.  Sound blocks and Over in the Meadow.

I found a journal entry from 2/27/07.  Andy has been wanting to "read" his Bob books.  He actually did a great job on books 1,2, and 3!  He seems to be catching on quickly.  he also has been enjoying horse race a dice game.  Lots of addition can be done with dice.  He has been enjoying chess, checkers, chinese checkers, mancala and jenga.

3/4/07 Unprompted sang Over in the meadow and brought me the book.

3/5/07– 45 verbalizations.  Noah is reall fussy.  We  made a dr.s appt for him.  They ruled out sinus and ear infections.  Noah refused to get an abdominal x-ray.  They think it’s the constipation.  Really into This old man and sound blocks.  We did tracing.  Watched Dora with Andy for a little bit.  Grandma and Grandpa babysat the boys at our house tonight.

3/6/07– 90 verbalizations.  including 28 unprompted words.  Color treasures.  Chicka chicka boom boom.  Using bubbles as a reinforcer (made him mad when we had to stop).  A-F activities.  Worked on tracing F.  Andy worked on tracing F and O.  Noah is still really crabby.  But we’re getting all kinds of speech in even with his screaming!  We played Balloon Lagoon with both the boys.  Noah liked it and became angry when we were done playing it.  He can say "Balloon Lagoon."  We modify each station so that he can play it.  Very angry because he wants to do bubbles.  I am having trouble getting him to transition from activities he likes. 

3/7/07– 71 verbalizations.  Noah had a happy meal at lunch time.  He was interested in the hamburger and apple pie.  He licked the pie.  He drank a couple of ounces of water which made him very happy.  We’re using pullups this month.  Currently listening to Disney music.  He is really into coloring.  He will just grab your pen and try to use it.

3/8/07–39 verbalizations.  Kim came to work with Noah today.  He did a nice job and then became fussy.  Unprompted speech (2).  We tried working with the car track to get interaction in, but he just stimmed on the car.  Noah has been in a better mood today.  He has not been going potty too much though.  He did some drawing with crayons.

3/13/07– The baby was born and we have been trying to overcome the chaos!  We were in the hospital for almost a month and then the baby came home on an insulin pump.  It was a really difficult experience. 

Here is a list of things I would like the Homestead to work on with Noah:

1.  Play with toys appropriately.

2.  Do chores.

3.  Basketball.

4.  T-ball.

5.  Soccer.

6.  Feed himself with a spoon.

7.  Play with neighborhood kids.

8.  Use the computer to play a game.

9.  Kid concoctions/recipes/cooking.

10.  Games

This month was mostly about survival!!!!!

2/1/07–Today Noah was alternately crabby and helplessly giggly.  Kim ST in the morning.  Dr. Seuss books.  Valentines– this project is so big and so encompassing, it’s great.  We get to work on so many of our goal areas with this one project.  We worked on writing his name and trying to cut down on stimming.

2/5/07–Today I cut both boys hair.  We went to Walgreen’s and did our tracing exercises.  We did artic exercises too.  Noah went potty 6 times!  He took a nice long bath after his haircut.  32 verbalizations.  Great Day for Up.  I Love Animals.

2/6/07–67 verbalizations.  Happy and you Know it.  I love animals.  A-E exercises.  We are now working on our 32 verbalizations speech goal!

2/7/07–70 verbalizations.  He is going consistently on the potty including BMs.  Unprompted "I want bubbles" 3 times.  Also "Up, up,up" in asking for A Great Day for Up.  Also "Bye" appropriately.  We spent some time in the early morning going to Target and the coffee shop and then came home for school.  We read many books, did a lot of oral motor stuff with the toothbrush.  We did our tracing and practiced circling things.  He keeps pulling the garbage can out of the bathroom cupboard, getting in and when I try to get him out says, "Bye Bye" or "Bye."

2/8/07–116 verbalizations.  Unprompted "I want bubbles" 6 times.  AGDFU and TFOO.  Tracing mildly squiggly lines now as well as vert. lines.  Worked on speech artic.  Went to Dahl’s to return bottles.  We went to Fredrich’s with Noah and Andy.  We sat at a high table with our snacks and read a little book together.  Really cool activity.  Today was the day of the Bubbles.  Noah played Marbleworks with me for 9 minutes.  This week Noah went 47 times on the potty including 5 BMS.  THIS IS AN ALL TIME RECORD.

2/12/07– Needs less help on tracing now added horseshoes to our tracing regimin.  Worked on holding pencil correctly.  Worked on singing ABCs.  Noah asked for a drink.  A-E activities.  Artic exercises with B (beginning, midpoint, and ending).  Made rice krispie treats.  He was interested in what I was doing and stood by me for quite a bit of time.  He put his sweater on almost completely by himself.  69 verbalizations.  Listening to They Might Be Giants "Here come the ABCs."  Noah loves it!  Making Valentines:  hole punching, lacing, cutting, gluing, putting stickers on and writing his name.  I love animals:  got a lot of animal sounds right in the book.

2/13/07– Scott was here today.  We did our tracing.  Andy did a color hunt around the house.  Then the boys made more valentines.  We did our speech words.  Noah worked with Kim for ST.  We sang our ABCs and did some bubbles.  Noah got addicted to bubbles and then got fussy.  65 verbalizations.

2/14/07  Valentine’s Day!!!  Noah had OT lots of therapy today.  We watched Nemo and practiced requesting for it.  Noah really enjoyed this and it was a successful trial.  32 verbalizations.

2/15/07 9+ verbalizations.  Speech words.  Tracing horseshoes.  Goodnight moon.

Weekend:  grocery shopping with Dad, coffee shop with mommy and daddy, went to church, we all ate out at Applebee’s.  It is so cute how much the boys love to eat out.   

2/19/07– 51 verbalizations.  speech words.  practiced making lines.  "Hi" unprompted.  Went to target with Mommy.  Fussy because addicted to bubbles again.

2/20/07–41 verbalizations.  Speech therapy with Kim today.  A few speech words.  Andy and Grandma Sandy worked with us.  He was very fussy and crabby at first.  I had trouble getting him to work.  He didn’t really want to.  Old MacDonald.  Very Hungry Caterpillar. We danced around to music to get motivated.  Played with puppets.  Refused to do tracing.  Unprompted "I want bubbles." 4xs.  Nana made a comment about how much better Noah is doing and how he is talking more.

2/21/07–33 verbalizations.  ABCs. Little Pig Biddle Pig.  Owen.  A-E activities.  Tracing lines, singing Jingle Bells because he was enjoying jingling his bell.  Andy did invisible ink with me.  He was really enjoying that a lot.  unprompted said "I want this old man," and handed me the book.  Enjoyed it.  Sally goes to the beach.  Worked on opening Cariboo with the key.  Noah sat with Andy and we read The Steadfast Tin Soldier.  Saying "Sharkbait Hoo Ha ha!" from Finding Nemo.

I have been coming up with my summer plan.  I have been investigating Camp Sunnyside for Noah as well as some day camps for Andy.  It should be fun… just have to get it all organized now!

2/22/07–36 verbalizations.  Unprompted in answer to a question:  " I want read."  "I want bubbles"  2 xs  "This old man" and grabbed my hand to clap. "Blow it up." "Turn it on."  Noah woke up at 2:30 this morning and basically didn’t sleep much after that.  Andy and I go off to a rough start.  Scott has been gone all week in Raleigh and while it has been fun, it has been pretty tough.  We went to Grandma’s to play.  Noah has been loving to draw lately.

2/23/07– Unprompted:  put it on. 4 xs.  Noah said almost the complete alphabet with us filling in about 5-6 letters.  "I love the ducks waddling to the water."  "Hi Noah" on the phone to Grandma Sandy.  "Time for you to go to bed"  2 xs.  We wnet on a little walk at Gray’s lake to look at the ice.  We went to the Art Center.  We went shopping at Walmart.  Andy spent a lot of time playing out side "making ice" which is melting ice in a bucket into slush and stirring it a lot.  Andy played a new computer maze game.  Noah wanted to play with his moon shoes today.  We played checkers and chinese checkers with Andy.  Andy worked on adding numbers 1-10.

 2/26/07 36 verbalizations.  Watched entire Letter Factory cartoon.  Noah and Andy are really picking up on their letters.  Stuck on bubbles today.  "I want bubbles." "I’m sleeping in today."  both unprompted.  Did lots with Dr. Seuss ABC to get lots of speech words in.  Andy and I played games and worked on our addition with dice.  We also made banana nut muffins together. 

2/27/07–42 verbalizations.  We worked on sound blocks.  Noah did really nice talking today.  Some unprompted speech.  We sang lots of songs.  Noah was really happy and then became upset when we wouldn’t let him have the bubbles.  ABC Song, Pop goes the weasel, London Bridges, I’ve been working on the railroad.  We met with Beth Wiskirchen today.  She’s going to look for some loaner materials we may be able to use.  I have come up with a ton of materials (written in my notebook) that I may try to find somewhere or to purchase for next year.

2/28/07– 32 verbalizations.  Unprompted "I want bubbles 10 times.  We had a busy day.  Noah did a little work with me.  We did some tracing and read Dr. Seuss ABC.  The boys both watched the Leap Frog Letter Factory.  Then Noah had OT with Angela.  Then the boys went with me to my dr.’s appt tp see the ultrasound.  After that we were in a tizzy because the baby is going to need to come 10 days earlier.  Anyway that made today very interesting.  Noah has been enjoying the Lion King CD.

1/3/07–30 verbalizations

1/7/07–It has been a long and trying time to homeschool since I had the membrane rupture scare.  But Noah is doing great in spite of it all.  He sat great during church on Sunday and even met one of his yearly goals which was to sit in class and work on a project for 10 minutes.  He worked for 20 minutes on a coloring, cutting, pasting activity.  I was so proud of him.

1/8/07–38 verbalizations.  Noah colored.  We took a car trip.  We read Did I Ever Tell You How Lucky You Are?  in our Dr. Seuss unit. We worked on AaBbCcDd with sounds, songs, rhymes, and tracing.  We worked with Andy as well.  We did Old MacDonald, Color Treasures, Hap Palmers Colors and Following Directions songs.

1/9/07– Andy and I had a date at Palmer’s Deli.  Andy asked what I might want to talk about.  He said we could talk about how good the food is.  He also told me not to walk through some smoke because it wasn’t good for me.  Jennifer worked with Noah in the morning, and then we had OT.  It was good to have help because I was exhausted. 

1/10/07– Noah sat on potty and had a BM!  We read Night Rabbits and had lots of speech.  ABC Songs.  AaBbCcDd.  Noah said "I’m all done" prompted for a break.  This whole week was a mess because of the new formula and trying not to use a laxative for Noah.  We felt literally consumed by constipation.  So much for trying to do it naturally.  28 verbalizations.

1/11/07–Speech Therapy.  Jennifer here in morning.

1/13/07– We had fondue together as a family.  We all went shopping.

1/14/07– We spent the day at Grandma’s house.

1/15/07– Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.  We spent the day playing in the snow.  We had a fun day with Daddy home.

1/16/07–Noah had a Dr’s appointment.  We had lots of play time.  Noah went potty several times.  Noah drank 4 oz. of water.  Lots of playing, roughhousing, listening to music, me and Andy spent time together, we had floortime.  Noah played the piano and loves I Love Animals right now.  102 verbalizations.  We did the ABC song.  He threw up a little.  He has been doing that a lot lately.  When we were doing ABC song Noah crawled under the table to get I Love Animals.  Used Are You My Mother? for a reinforcer for tracing today.

1/18/07–Are You My Mother? is working great as a reinforcer.  AaBbCcDd sounds, ABC song, Dr. Seuss rhyme, tracing lines hor. and vert.  and tracing Dd.  We worked on drawing lines and circles, we made a picture with stamping, coloring, stickers and glue.  His tracing si really showing nice improvement.  38 verbalizations.

1/20/07–33 verbalizations

1/21/07–37 verbalizations

Over the weekend he responded to "Good night" and "I love you."  He is getting consistent with "I love you."

1/22/07–Noah is tired today because he didn’t get enough sleep.  ABC song.  Loved tracing today.  Vertical, horizontal, as well as zigzag.  We finished the letter D.  62 verbalizations.  AaBbCcDd songs, sounds, letters, rhymes.  Great Job telling me the next letters in his name.  Noah did a fantastic job of talking today.  I can’t wait to set our brand new goals, but I need to order the clickers!  He pointed to ear, nose, and hair today!  He seems to be more in tune with what is going on around him today.

1/23/07–ABC song.  Kim ST with Noah.  Andy and I read Salt in Your Shoes and Bootsie Barker Bites.  AaBbCcDdand Ee.  NEW LETTER!  rhymes, sounds and songs.  Noah traced hor. and vert. lines as well as Ee.  Andy worked on writing Dd.  56 verbalizations.  We worked on making Valentines.  The boys were cutting, gluing, punching, putting stickers on, and signing their names.  It was a lot of work for them, but the results were cute.  Started reading The Lorax.  Sat at lunch a short while, but didn’t want to stay.  Andy and I read books in the afternoon.  Andy went out to eat with Scott and I and he had a shake poured on his head.  Christen came to play with Noah, but we didn’t have a babysitter for Andy.

1/24/07–Worked on Valentines.  Became very upset because he wanted to paint and I didn’t want to.  Unprompted said:  "I Love Animals."  Still fussing a lot so he just listened to Hap Palmer- Learning Basic Skills Through Music for awhile.  I would like to get him back to the table.

I did!  AaBbCcDdEe-rhymes, sounds and songs.  Hop on Pop-reading log and reinforcer.  87 verbalizations.  We had a busy day with OT and then another Dr.’s appt.  We have got to figure out Noah’s insulin!  Noah took 20 sips of water @ OT.  He licked and kissed some french fries and lollipops.  Read Hop on Pop in afternoon whild Andy did a "D" coloring puzzle.

Weekend:  We ate out at Fuddrucker’s and Applebee’s.  We went to church and went shopping, to the zoo, to the coffee shop, the bank and lots of misc. outings.  Noah drank lots of water.

1/29/07–Went for a drive, ABC songs.  A-E alphabet activities, including "Give mes".  Tracing.  I am having to guide him so much less than before.

1/30/07–30 verbalizations.  ABC Song.  Baby Beluga.  Gerald McBoing Boing.  A-E activities.  Tracing lines and Ees.  Color treasures– now up to red, blue, yellow.  Working on red with color and identifying.  Lots of speech.  Circles, lines, dots with drawing.  He asked to paint again.  Beth Wiskirchen came to day and brought some catalogs to help me find some new things to work on.

1/31/07– 42 verbalizations.  2 unprompted.  First of Octember.  Are You My Mother?  ABC Song.  Put me in the Alphabet workbook.  Worked on tracing letters.  Animal sounds– cow.  We worked on stencils.  For more than 20 minutes Noah licked and gnawed a rice krispie treat!  Speech exercises– articulation.  Our verbalization goal was met!!!!!

12/5/06-1/2/07

12/5

Review AaBb.  Alphabet song.  Sound song.  Andy worked with us.  Noah only took 1 sip.  15 verbalizations.  Read The Mitten.  Didn’t want to color.  Old MacDonald.  Mother Goose book.  Tracing Lines.  Asked for glue and did some gluing.  Andy finished up his B pages. 

12/6

About 3-4 oz of Pediasure.  Alphabet and sound songs.  AaBb songs.  Tracing.  New letter Cc.  Writing c.  64 verbalizations.  Almost finished speech sound assessment.  Puppet play for a short time.  Very cheerful today.  Colored a picture.  Seasonal rhymes, Christmas songs.

Afternoon:  Feeding with lotion as an incentive.  Old Mac Donald.  Sing a Song of People.  We worked on cleaning Noah’s teeth.  They look much better!

12/7

AaBbCc- sound songs, tactile letters and writing.  Drank 2 oz w/ Gerald McBoingBoing.  Went potty.  30 verbalizations.  ABC song and Christmas play song.  Tracing.  Colored a Christmas picture.  Red, Blue, and NEW COLOR yellow treasures!  Cleaned his teeth again and gave him a hand massage.  He loved it.  Andy worked with us and did a maze and a classification worksheet.

Over the weekend Noah went to Jolly Holiday lights, shopping, out for breakfast and to church.  Then we got sick and now we’re tired!

12/11

A little less than 2 ounces.  Lots of talking today.  AaBbCc–tracing songs.  51 verbalizations.  Curvy lines.  Wanted to make a gluing picture and put some puff balls on it.  Started a circling animals picture.  Became upset and started wadding up the paper.  Requested Sing a Song of People and Old MacDonald.  Drank over 3 ounces… TOTAL TODAY 5 ounces!!!!!  We did the shape pegboard and Red, Yellow, and Blue treasures. 

12/12 We were all sick with a stomach virus.

12/13 Craft day with homeschoolers and out for lunch at On the Border.  Not feeling well later.

12/14 Read lots of books.  Fish out of Water, First of Octember, Cat in the Hat.  Made two paper chains.  42 verbalizations.  AaBbCc– sound song and tactile letters.

12/17 The Christmas Play at Church.  Very interesting.  The boys were cute and a little naughty.  Andy was a sheep and Noah was a shepherd.  I am so happy that they were in it this year.  It really meant a lot to me.

12/18

Pegboard.  Alphabet song.  Give me ABC.  AaBbCc sound songs.  69 verbalizations.  Tracing Cs and lines.  Old MacDonald.  Sing a Song of Popcorn.  Christmas Carols— speaking them and filling in the blanks.  Very interactive today!  Practiced saying, "Noah."  and What’s Your Name?  ______ Noah.  probably 30-40 trials.  Animals sounds and I love _____ YOU.  Very nice talking.

12/19

Today Andy wanted to dance around a lot and do imaginative play with dinosaurs.  It was really fun!  Noah did not want to eat.  32 verbalizations.  Lots of singing in unison today!  Several times with Jingle Bells and ABC.  Made a terra cotta bell and played it for awhile while singing.  Red, Blue, Yellow treasures.  ABC sounds and Give me.  Really into it.

Went potty!  Andy worked with us on the alphabet.  Lots of fun today so far.  Asked for lotion a lot today.

12/20

3 sips.  31 verbalizations.  Alphabet.  Speech assessment.  ABC sounds song.  Give me (ABC).  Cutting snowflakes– very nice cutting and following directions.

New Diet:  We have taken away Noah’s laxative and have chosen to try to use some whole foods to help him have Bowel movements.  We have been experimenting with several different things.  He doesn’t seem to be able to tolerate peanut butter and throws it up.  But we have a workable beginning.   

Here’s what we’ve been doing:

1/2 c. chicken broth

1/4 c. tofu or whey protein powder

2 tsp. flax seed oil

1/2 c. plain yogurt

1/2 c. spinach

1 t. primadophilus

1/2 c. rolled oats made into oatmeal

1 t. cod liver oil

1/3 c. frozen vegetables (usually a berry of some kind)

1 c. water

We blend it all up in the blender.  It makes about 2.5 cups but we only give him 2 cups slowly through his g-tube.

12/21

No eating by mouth today.  48 verbalizations.  Alphabet song.  AaBbCc sound song and Dr. Seuss rhyme.  The Mitten.  Read book and did the mitten project.  Both of the boys did a nice job of coloring, cutting, and gluing.  Tracing diagonal lines and the letter C.  Very nice job today (both boys).  Fun morning.

12/23

Christmas at Grandma and Grandpa Peterson.  Very fun.  The boys were so laid back and had a great time.

12/24

Christmas at the Young’s. Very fun and busy.  The boys had a wonderful time playing with everyone.

12/25

Christmas at home.  What a lovely morning.  So peaceful, happy and cozy.  The boys were so precious. 

12/26

Christmas at Grandma Sandy’s and Grandpa Richard’s.  After we went shopping and out for lunch in Williamsburg.  What a fun day.  We can take the boys almost anywhere these days.

12/29

Shopping at the mall where my water broke!  Somehow after 3 days in the hospital, it sealed back over and I have come home.  But it has been scary.

1/2/07

Noah’s blood sugars are really high.  We may have to put him on insulin.  He did 30 verbalizations today even in the middle of all the turmoil.  What a trooper.  Both of the boys are.