The House That Love Built

“The House that Love Built”

The Ronald McDonald House of Western Michigan
Their mission is to provide a “home away from home” for families of children and youth
seeking medical treatment.

As I write this post I am sitting on the front porch of The Ronald McDonald House. It’s a beautiful warm summer night in Michigan, I am feeling extremely relaxed and blessed that I am able to spend the last week of Hailey’s Conductive Education session with her. Thank you to everyone who helped to make this trip a reality. We are very proud of Hailey for all of the hard work that she is doing, and the progress she is making.

This is the house where families meet
to continue their lives, to eat and sleep.
to find their strengths and dry their tears,
to look forward with hope to better years.

Bricks and mortar seldom reflect the true nature of a house. For that transforms a house and makes it a true home, it is not the structure itself, but the love and resilience of the family who finds comfort within. The staff and volunteers here are some of the kindest people I have ever met. Their compassion is genuine and they are happy to help in any way they can. Donated goods, services and volunteer assistance help keep expenses down. The house is extremely organized. It sits on 5 beautiful acres with a walking path, picnic tables, children’s playhouses. It has 17 bedrooms, a kitchen that has four kitchenettes, it has a recreation room, laundry room, dining room indoor play room and great room. I’m sure I have missed a few things. While we were there the house had many different donations of food. The Olive Garden brought food in one night, Starbucks contributes regularly as well as random outside contributions. They offer a shuttle service that can take you to Drs. appointments, to the Conductive Learning Center etc. One of my favorite things is when they bring in therapy dogs!
Occasionally we have thought about a therapy dog for Hailey, but only time will tell if she will benefit from one. In the mean time we can still appreciate and enjoy them. When you stay at the RMDH you get free passes to some of the local Museums, fitness centers and even a zoo.
The suggested contribution is $25 dollars a night , but no one in need is ever turned away because of an inability to pay. If you are considering sending your child to the Conductive Learning Center or if you have to travel a long distance to take care of your child’s illness, I would highly recommend staying at a Ronald McDonald House, currently there are 297 houses in 30 Countries and Regions.

Hailey at Conductive Education

I just can't wait to join Hailey, Natalie and Tommy tomorrow at the Conductive Learning Center in Grand Rapids Michigan. They have been there for the last 3 weeks and Hailey has just one more week left of her session. We are extremely pleased with the progress that Hailey has made in the short time she has been there. So pleased that they are actually considering moving to Michigan so that Hailey can continue to benefit from this program. Of course the one big obstacle is the expense of the school. It is rather expensive so I will continue my fundraising efforts as well as help them in any way I can. Boston is ranked one of the best if not THE best in the country for its hospitals and schools, it's a real shame we don't have a Conductive Education Center here. It would benefit so many people in the special needs community.

Hailey Practicing how to side step

Another thing that Hailey has been working on at Conductive Education is how to side step. Notice her getting off of the bed all by herself, that is a fairly new accomplishment for her. I am so looking forward to joining them in Michigan this weekend to attend her last week! :)

Baby sign language

I found this resource through Kidz, a great blog written by many talented woman (including myself) I am honored to be part of the kidz krew. Thank you Tara for sharing.
babysignlanguage Now, don't let the title fool you. Though this is helpful for many babies even babies who do not have special needs, it is a place for any person who would like to learn some basic sign language. So many people can benefit from learning sign language, just to list a few, sign language not only benefits individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing, but also those who are non verbal. This could mean people with Autism, people with Cerebral Palsy, sometimes after having a stroke, people find themselves with speech impairments, teachers can benefit from learning sign language as well. The list is really endless. You never really know when you are going to need sign language.

The website contains these free digital resources, among others:

Free printable Flash cards
Free printable wall chart
Free Tutorials
Free video dictionary
Facebook Community
Learning just a few signs can cut down on the level of frustration you may have when communication is compromised. You don't have to be an expert in sign language to benefit from using it.
So hurry on over and start learning baby sign language today! Why not equip your child with many different ways of communicating! Leave a comment about who you think may benefit from sign language. Thank you for reading!

Ben and Daniel

You may all be familiar with these boys, I have painted them a few times before. Ben and Daniel are the cutest and most delightful boys to paint. When Cary (there mom) from about the small stuff uploaded her vacation pictures on facebook, I just new there would be more paintings of them in my future. What I didn’t know was that she would want them done before Fathers Day! Oh gosh ,could I actually get them done for her before I leave to meet Hailey and Natalie in Michigan for the last week of Conductive Education?!?! Of course I will, because I know how much Hailey is benefiting from CE, and so I begin again raising money for her next visit. Thank you Cary for contributing to this wonderful cause! And thank you for sharing my artwork with your family and friends!

Hailey turns 4

Today is Hailey's 4th Birthday, I can't believe it! Where does the time go. She is not home to celebrate her birthday she is busy working hard at Conductive Education. I just wanted to recognize her beautiful day and wish her the best. The funny thing about my blog is that I have thousands of hits over the course of a month and very few comments. I often wonder if people don't know how to leave a comment or if they just don't want to or feel it necessary to comment.I know my stats show that people read from many locations around the world, this would be a great time to show the love by wishing Hailey A happy birthday while I get a glimpse of who my readers are, let me know which state you are reading from in your message. Thanks! And my wish today for Hailey is that her birthday bring her as much happiness as she brings to everyone who she has graced with her beautiful smile. Your comments are welcome!

Dogs Lovers

Doggonit, please vote for Ty!
So...as many of you know I love to paint, I’ve recently entered a contest that Dog Art Today and Mutt Lynch Winery are hosting. It's theirAnnual Dog Art Wine Label Contest. All artists are invited to submit one dog-themed work of art. The winning entry will be made into a label for their limited edition wine (only 500 bottles) and the winner will win a case of wine with the artwork on the label. The theme is “Naughty” so I painted a picture of my brothers boxer dog Ty chewing through a door. The text I wrote to accompany the picture reads For a nice treat drink Muttitage… rich in “anti BOXER dents” The voting starts today, you can vote only once per computer I would love it if you took a minute to vote and share this on your facebook with your friends. The voting ends on Saturday May 21st so please don’t waste anytime.Thank you in advance!!!!!!!! Janet

Please click on the link below to cast your vote! I'm #26
http://dreamdogsart.typepad.com/art/

Conductive Education Day 3

If you want to see determination just watch our Baby Girl Go!
Keep The Faith Baby, Keep on Moving


So wish I knew how to add music to this I think Myley Cirus (The climb would be so powerful to this video)! "Ain't about how fast I get there ain't about what's waiting on the other side, it's the climb".

Hailey at Conductive Education!

This is only Hailey's 2nd day and she is doing soooo good at The Conductive Learning Center! Natalie gives me daily updates and pictures. Here is a video of her marching with both knees while sitting down. It definitely brought tears of joy to grammys eyes. I can't believe that she is finally there, we have wanted this for Hailey for a couple of years now and for all of you who have helped to make this possible, through donation, love and time. Thank you! xoxo

Hailey is my Hero

What would you do if you had a medical emergency and your special needs child or grandchild is in your care? I definitely hemmed and hawwed over writing this post. I tend to be a more quiet person
and like to keep things to myself when I get sick. I really didn’t want to announce it over the internet that I had, well, lets call it an episode. But the fact remains that an emergency can occur when you are alone with your child who is non verbal or unable to let someone else know that you are in distress? Hailey is my hero.

While I was looking forward to having a well needed quality Sunday spent with my beautiful granddaughter, things went terribly awry. We were shopping at our local B.J.s when all of a sudden I had an overwhelming feeling take over me. The first thing I thought of in the few seconds I had before I went down for the count was where can I go in the store that Hailey will be safe. I didn’t have time to explain what was happening to a store clerk nor did I have time to explain Hailey had a disability etc. I couldn’t even muster up the strength to get my phone out of my bag. I headed for the ladies room, I thought if I can get to a confined space and call 911 or my husband I can tell them exactly where I am and Hailey won’t be in the carriage or able to escape. (she doesn’t walk but she can scoot all around the floor) As I was pulling my phone from my pocketbook my girlfriend was calling in, I had enough breath in me to say I am at B.J.s very sick in the bathroom and Hailey is with me. Brenda was coming from across town and I thought it would be quicker to call my husband who was less than 10 minutes away. I needed him to get here so that he could take Hailey. Moments after that phone call, I could hear 8 woman coming and going in the stalls next to me (I tried to call for help, but my voice wouldn’t come). I couldn’t bang anything to get the attention of others, I was loosing consciousness rapidly. I am typically a very strong and healthy individual but something happened to my nervous and circulatory system that caused my blood pressure to drop critically low 70 over 50 and my heart rate and pulse plummeted also. Anyway to spare you all of the gory details, Hailey began to crawl away and escape underneath the door, I got down on the floor and said “you get back here and stay with grammy” she crawled over to me and stayed with me. I wanted to be able to touch Hailey and reassure her that grammy would be alright. Laying down immediately brought the blood back to my brain and I could feel myself coming back. That is what saved my life. Hailey stayed right with me. Finally a woman saw me on the floor in the handicap stall and said “are you alright” I said “no, i’m very sick, I have my granddaughter with me, she is non verbal and she has Cerebral Palsy, she cannot walk, I need her to stay with me until my husband comes but you need to call an ambulance ” Unfortunately the roads had been blocked because of a Parade and 45 minutes passed before my husband and best friend arrived to take Hailey. The ambulance got through but I couldn’t leave Hailey until I knew she was safe with a family member. Hailey was so brave and she stayed with me on the floor for at least an hour. I believed she saved life. If I had been at home when this occurred chances are I would never had gotten on the floor. Looking back I may have been able to do things a bit differently but when you have a medical emergency there is not much time to think. I wrote this because I know a lot of parents are home alone with children who have disabilities, we never expect that something will happen to us, but if an emergency occurs, what precautions do you have in place to keep your child safe?

Hippotherapy

I am just so excited I think I am going to burst. This is going to be a great year for Hailey! Lots of alternative therapy happening for her. Things that we believe she will benefit from. I’ve spoken about Conductive Education in great lengths, through conductors, other moms, and shown videos. I think you all understand it better now. In addition to attending Conductive Education in May, Hailey will also be starting hippotherapy when we get back from Michigan. The first time I read about hippotherapy was a couple of years ago while vacationing in Florida. I read about a stable in Ocala that offered hippotherapy to children with Cerebral Palsy, the article explained how being on top of a horse could help build core strength. When we got home from vacation we immediately started looking into the centers in our state, Hailey was too young then, but we believe she is ready now. We recently learned that there is a center about 45 minutes away from us!!!!! Sunday we went to visit the center to get more get more familiar with hippotherapy and also to see how Hailey would react. I think the photos say it all...Hailey loved it. We placed her on top of a pony and she wasn’t scared at all (she’s a little daredevil anyway). In fact when I put her on the ground, she tried to crawl right under the fence into the horses stable. I think she is ready for sure.
This is what we learned about hippotherapy:

Hippotherapy is a physical, occupational and speech therapy treatment strategy that utilizes equine movement. The word “hippotherapy” literally means “treatment with the help of the horse” from the Greek word “hippos” meaning horse. Specially trained physical and occupational therapists use this treatment for individuals with movement dysfunction as part of an integrated treatment program to achieve functional outcomes.
In a controlled hippotherapy environment, the horse influences the rider rather than the rider controlling the horse. The rider is positioned on the horse and actively responds to his movement. The therapist directs the movement of the horse, analyzes the rider’s responses, and adjusts the treatment and horse’s movement accordingly. Specific riding skills are not taught (as in other therapeutic horseback riding programs), but rather a foundation is established to improve neurological function and sensory processing. This foundation can be generalized to a wide range of daily activities.
The unique nature of hippotherapy allows the rider to engage in activities on the horse that are enjoyable and challenging.
Why the horse?
A horse's walk and gait provides movement (or “sensory input”) that is variable, rhythmic, and repetitive. The resulting responses from the rider are similar to human movement patterns of the pelvis while walking. The therapist can observe and grade the degree of sensory input to the rider, and then utilize this movement in combination with other treatment strategies to achieve desired results. Riders respond enthusiastically to this enjoyable experience in a natural setting.
What are the benefits of hippotherapy?
Occupational and Physical Therapists use engaging horseback activities to treat children as young as 2 years of age and throughout their teenage years. This increasingly popular method helps clients meet their individual clinical goals including: improved gait, mobility, strength, and balance; sensory processing and modulation skills; & endurance and independence. Therapists also target communication and behavioral skills through these therapies.
Functional limitations that may be improved with hippotherapy:
• Gross motor skills such as sitting, standing, walking
• Speech and language abilities
• Behavioral and cognitive abilities
Who performs hippotherapy?
Therapists who perform hippotherapy are actually physical, occupational or speech therapists. Hippotherapy is the treatment strategy used by these skilled practitioners to achieve functional outcomes.
Does the therapist work alone with the rider?
Therapists performing hippotherapy normally work with a horse handler. This individual is charge of the handling of the horse during the treatment session. The handler has received extra training in handling horses specifically for hippotherapy.

Keep them coming

Well, it has certainly been my pleasure to paint these two paintings. I just love painting precious moments of children and these two images are priceless. What a great Mother's Day and Father's Day gift these would make.

A great Conductive Education Video must see

For those who have been asking, this is a must see video...this is a great depiction of what we will be doing in Michigan with Hailey! Can't wait to give her this opportunity and thank you to all who have helped to make it happen, whether it was fundraising efforts, purchasing a painting or general support etc. This is the kind of thing your efforts have helped with.

creating art with your eyes

The Eyewriter from Evan Roth on Vimeo.

Retrieved from ams vans blog.

An international team merged together in an collaborative effort to create a new way for artists to create art using only their eyes, and they succeeded by creating a very low cost solution that you can build yourself for less than $50 with free software and detailed video instructions.

The invention has been a lifesaver for artist Tony Quan, aka Tempt One, a legendary LA graffity writer, publisher and activist. He is now creating art again, something he has not been able to do ever since ALS left him completely paralyzed except for his eye movement.


“Art is a tool of empowerment and social change, and I consider myself blessed to be able to create and use my work to promote health reform, bring awareness about ALS and help others.”

The team has taken a projection device out into downtown Los angeles to display Quan’s art live as he drew it in his hospital room. The designs were visible from the freeway as drivers watched the creations take place.


The next step for this international dream team is to connect ALS patients together online to create eye art as well as build a network of software developers, hardware hackers, and urban projection artists.

This project was made possible by Members of Free Art and Technology (FAT), OpenFrameworks, the Graffiti Research Lab, the Ebeling Group communities, the Not Impossible Foundation, with additional support from Parsons Commucations Design & Technology.
Are you interested in creating an Eyewriter for someone? Learn how to build one yourself with the detailed 10 step process here.

learn more about the Eyewriter for disabled and paralyzed artists from their official website here.

Sedona

WHAT A VIEW! I had lot's of fun painting this image from a fellow blogger and therapist, she supports my cause and has a great blog jam packed with occupational therapy tips, please visit Dr. Anne Zachry's blog and you will be glad you did!

To blog or not to blog...that is the question

Some may think this is good information while others may wonder why have I posted this video, now predators know how to locate you. Well, i'm from the school of "knowledge is power" I believe that the people who are sick enough to be able to do such a thing already have the knowledge and those of us who are not need the heads up.

I have always been leery about writing online about Hailey and posting photos etc. It initially drove me crazy when pictures of Hailey were on Facebook. Because I don't have the education about all of the technical jargon, it frightens me,I am paranoid. To justify my blogging and sharing Hailey's experience with the world I will try and put it into context. I believe in this big bad world we live in we have to be extremely careful with our children whether it be on the internet or in our schools, at the park, in the mall at the grocery store and in our own homes for that matter. I believe the "real world" is just as harmful as cyberspace. Child molesters and predators are lurking everywhere. More often than not it is someone who we trust. A creepy uncle, step dad, teacher, priest care taker, the list is endless. We worry about our children constantly, and we should. Bottom line is that I don't completely trust anyone ever. Keep your eyes open, use your head, listen to your child and if your child is non verbal be even more conscious of her surroundings and always, always listen to your gut instincts.
So that being said, I would like to share the many benefits that I have found from blogging. First of all, I always, always question my own decisions. I question writing this blog in general, I wonder if one day Hailey will be able to read this blog and think to herself "why would my Grammy put my story out there for the world to read" well, besides thinking that Hailey is just an amazing little girl or maybe it is because I can't help but see the sunshine in her beautiful smile. I truly believe that this blog and others like it benefit many people out there with disabilities, it connects parents who are being judged everyday by people who have no idea what they are going through, and it also raises awareness for people who have no idea at all about others who are living with special needs.
By blogging I have discovered resources for Hailey that we would not have discovered had it not been for the internet. Conductive Education is the perfect example, this is an alternative program that we believe will totally help Hailey on her road to independence. It is a program that we would not have heard about from her amazing doctors, therapists or teachers. Reading other blogs about other children in similar situations has educated me and inspired me. In return I am able to do the same for other families. I especially like reading about others who are older than Hailey and it helps to hear them say that despite the many challenges that you will face, despite how difficult things may become, you are not alone and things are going to be o.k.
If and when Hailey is able to read this one day, I hope she will realize that through her journey, she was able to help others along the way, both with her struggles and her triumphs, and that Grammy did this out of pure love for her.

If you are a special needs parent and care to share how blogging has helped you and your family, please share your comments, I would love to hear.

ipad headrest

Well, it’s almost here...what is almost here you ask? May is almost here, May is when Hailey will be traveling to Michigan to go to her 4 week session of Conductive Education! I’m very excited, I know this will be good for Hailey it will challenge her and it will teach us how to help her to be a bit more independent. This is great right??? Then why am I so nervous? I think part of my anxiety is the long road trip. Because of the amount of equipment Hailey will need, and the expense of renting a car for 4 weeks etc.etc. The kids decided it would be better if they drive instead of fly. My son Tom thinks I am crazy for worrying about this kind of thing, but that’s what I do. I worry about things that others don’t, it is sometimes a blessing and most times a curse. It will take a total of about 14-15 hours to get there from here. I know, I know it isn’t that bad.
The plan is to take 2 days to get there stopping in between, maybe for a little sight seeing excursion or maybe just to get a good night sleep before continuing on the road.
The pictures above show the ipad headrest that Tom and Natalie purchased for the trip. What a great idea to pass the time for Hailey! She loves to play games on the ipad and this will allow her to watch movies on Netflix and listen to her music as well. This nifty accessory is designed to instantly turn her ipad into a rear-seat in car entertainment system. I like to think of it as a portable drive-in movie for Hailey. O.k, o.k. I am already getting less anxious thinking about what fun she will have with this. I bet the time will just fly by and they will be in Michigan before I even have time to worry.
Grampy and I plan on flying down to meet them there the last week and driving back with them. It will be an educational experience for us all. I bet the education doesn’t end when CE comes to a close in Michigan but continues on that long car ride home as Hailey teaches Grammy how to use the ipad.
For my special needs families who are thinking this is a must have for their car, this headrest is put out by siig and only costs about $30.00

Blue Rose

I remember seeing this written somewhere in the past but I can't remember where I read it. If I did I would give this person proper credit. If anyone knows the author, please add the name in the comment box. Enjoy!

Blue Rose

Having four visiting family members, the wife was very busy, so I
offered to go to the store for her to get some needed items, which included
light bulbs, paper towels, trash bags, detergent, and Clorox. So off I
went.

I scurried around the store, gathered up my goodies, and headed for
the checkout counter, only to be blocked in the narrow aisle by a young man
who appeared to be about sixteen-years-old. I wasn't in a hurry, so I
patiently waited for the boy to realize that I was there. This was when he
waved his hands excitedly in the air and declared in a loud voice, "Mommy,
I'm over here."

It was obvious now, he was mentally challenged, and also startled as
he turned and saw me standing so close to him, waiting to squeeze by. His
eyes widened and surprise exploded on his face as I said, "Hey Buddy, what's
your name?"

"My name is Denny and I'm shopping with my mother," he responded
proudly. "Wow," I said, "that's a cool name; I wish my name was Denny, but
my name is Steve."

"Steve, like Stevarino?" he asked.

"Yes," I answered. "How old are you Denny?"

"How old am I now, Mommy?" he asked his mother as she slowly came over
from the next aisle.. "You're fifteen-years-old Denny; now be a good boy
and let the man pass by."

I acknowledged her and continued to talk to Denny for several more
minutes about summer, bicycles, and school. I watched his brown eyes dance
with excitement because he was the center of someone's attention. He then
abruptly turned and headed toward the toy section.

Denny's mom had a puzzled look on her face and thanked me for taking
the time to talk with her son. She told me that most people wouldn't even
look at him, much less talk to him. I told her that it was my pleasure and
then I said something I have no idea where it came from, other than by the
prompting of the Holy Spirit.

I told her that there are plenty of red, yellow, and pink roses in
God's Garden; however, "Blue Roses" are very rare and should be appreciated
for their beauty and distinctiveness. You see, Denny is a Blue Rose and if
someone doesn't stop and smell that rose with their heart and touch that
rose with their kindness, then they've missed a blessing from God.

She was silent for a second, then with a tear in her eye she asked,
"Who are you?"

Without thinking I said, "Oh, I'm probably just a dandelion but I sure
love living in God's garden."

She reached out, squeezed my hand, and said, "God bless you!" and then
I had tears in my eyes.

May I suggest that the next time you see a BLUE ROSE, don't turn your
head and walk off. Take the time to smile and say Hello. Why? Because, by
the grace of GOD, this mother or father could be you. This could be your
child, grandchild, niece, or nephew. What a difference a moment can mean to
that person or their family.

From an old dandelion!

Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly. Leave the
rest to God.

"People will forget what you said, People will forget what you did,
but people will never forget how you made them feel."

American Sign Language

Sign language...hmmm...another way of communicating for many people, not only for people who are hearing impaired but for many children/people who are non verbal, some people who have autism use American Sign Language, others who have C.P. have found it helpful and so many others.
Hailey uses her Dynavox V at school to help her communicate and they are also teaching her a bit of sign language as well. Last year my husband and I decided to have someone come to the house once a week to teach us sign language so that we would be could keep up with Hailey. This year for Christmas we got our family an IPAD so that Hailey could use the proloquo2go app. Some people in the special needs world are referring to this app as “a miracle device.” I think it is important for us to have many different ways of communicating with Hailey if not with words.
Because we did not actually use the sign language steadily and regularly, I have already forgotten some of my signs. :( A couple of months ago my local library had the Program Director of the ASL Academy come in and teach some basic signs, I thought this would be a great opportunity for me to take a refresher course. I attended this workshop and struck up a conversation with The Director about the Academy. He told me a bit about his program and also offers a course on line. For so many families out there, finding the time to commit to a class seems nearly impossible. Taking the online class may be the answer for your family. I hope you find this helpful.

The American Sign Language Academy offers classes in American Sign Language in Pawtucket, RI, with over 90 students attending regularly. In addition, to accommodate those who would like to take classes but may be too far away or have scheduling conflicts, ASLA will be offering an on-line course starting in April.

The course utilizes 21st century technology with the benefit of teacher feedback. The idea is called the Blended Classroom. The cost for level 1 on-line is $125.00.

After registering for the course, students will be sent their course materials. They will go to the website and use are a password for the first of nine weekly lessons. They will see a video with detailed instruction. At the end of the lesson, students will need to set aside time to practice. After seven weeks, students will meet with the teacher (Manuel Martin) via webcam and do their first presentation. They will receive feedback from the teacher. In the ninth week, they will do their second presentation. After the teacher indicates the two presentations are successful, students will be mailed a certificate of completion and they will be eligible to go on to level 2.

Students will be able to access each lesson for the assigned week. If they miss a week, they will be allowed to go back to that lesson as a make up. Only one lesson may be repeated in this way during the course.

More than one student may use the course. However, each additional student will be charged $25.00 if they want to do their presentations for the teacher, receive feedback and receive a certificate at the end of the course.

In a few weeks, when the program is ready to be launched, information will be posted on the website. Contact us with any questions you may have.

Manuel Martin
ASL Academy
401 722 1022
http://www.aslacademy.org
http://www.facebook.com/pages/American-Sign-Language-Academy/219507895413

Core Strength

I just love to spend Sunday afternoons with Hailey, we are not usually rushed for any particular reason. No school, no work...no worries. We can read as many books as Hailey wants to read, she loves to put about 10 books at a time on my living room chair and then come and get me to read them to her. She never tires of reading the same books over and over again. We watched movies together Dora and Tinkerbell. Hailey had to show me how to put the movies in the blue ray player, Grammie doesn’t have a clue how to work it. Thank goodness Hailey did.

Hailey has been accepted and will be attending The Conductive Learning Center In Michigan in May. We are very excited about this!
Because Conductive Education promotes development of the whole person, including physical, social, cognitively and psychological aspects, this intervention is not viewed as a traditional therapy but rather a multi disciplinary approach to improving the quality of life for children and their families. Hopefully Hailey will learn to gain control of her movements, increase her core strength and increase her level of independence. It may also help with potty training. The children and families who attend C.E. are taught problem solving skills that will allow them to develop unconventional ways of accomplishing motor tasks. Today we worked on core strength and neck and head control by sitting independently at this table that we fashioned out of a $7.99 ikea table and a towel holder that was bought at home depot. Hailey seemed to like sitting this way, but when she got excited she would let go of the bar, so of course she could not be left unattended. And of course, she still amazes me everyday!

If you have adapted any furniture in your home to help with core strength...please do share!