September 2

This week we got 27 hours and 15 minutes. This was in large part due to wonderful help from A., who came every day to work with Sarah and to watch Amy while I worked with Sarah. Today we bid him a fond farewell as he heads off to NYC. He will be missed.

September looks like it will be a lean month Sarah-Rise-wise because 4 volunteers will be away for part or all of September.

Sarah's eating this week has been a marvel. On three separate occasions she has consumed 2 hot dogs in one sitting! If only someone could have told me this would happen back in the early days when I would be a sobbing mess, cursing and screaming to God in the kitchen because Sarah wouldn't eat even a small jar of baby food. Thank goodness things have gotten better. We certainly still follow a high-calorie regimen but it is with more ease and so much less desperation. I also got her to eat some diced prunes this week by calling them fruit snacks (a term she associates with a packaged treat, even though the fruit snacks I get her are also simply dried squished fruit).

We had a miracle of listening and self-restraint the last time we went to the co-op. Normally I have Sarah in the cart and she clamors to be done and wants to play with the door; or I have her loose but then she often runs to play with the door so I have to keep a firm hold on her hand. This week I let her stay loose on the standing board of the stroller and we did a very fast shopping trip. The miracle was that as we were checking out I told her to stay with me and the stroller until I was done and then I would let her play with the door. She did it! She was mere feet away from said door and was chomping at the bit but she restrained herself and waiting until I said she could play. All went beautifully until I told her it was time to actually leave and then she tried to get away from me so fast that she nearly collided with the counter, to which there is a downhill slope. Still, I count this as an achievement for both of us. I think it was important that I was willing to let her play; if I had just been saying no then I think she wouldn't have waited because she would have been so desperate to get in any door play.

This morning we had a beautiful social moment. The girls and I were returning from a stroller walk and we passed a house where some parents were helping their young children get ready for a bike ride. Sarah (on the standing board) turned her head to look at them and waved and said "ha" (hi) repeatedly until they looked up and said hi. This is not a usual occurrence for us and it is so exciting when Sarah takes these social steps without any prompting.

I hope you are all having a good holiday weekend. As always, thank you all for your love and encouragement. And, as ever, thanks to all of my volunteers (and paid professionals) who give their time and love to make our program the success that it is. Thanks for being our village.