Look Mom! No hands!

Olivia is getting a bit full of herself!  She thinks she is the world's best self feeder.   NOT!!!  I would call this stage of self feeding the supported spoon stage.  Because if we are not keeping our fingers on the end of the spoon, she is redecorating the walls with her dinner.  Some meals she is really interested in self feeding. And then other meals she is very lethargic and apathetic about the whole endeavor.  I would have to say that is par for the course for Olivia in learning something new.  So as the doctor says, as long as Olivia keeps progressing in typical Olivia fashion, then there is nothing to worry about.  In some number of months we will be amazed at her ability to sit and feed herself without us supporting the spoon or fork. She is very good at feeding herself with her fingers no matter how mushy the food.

I am working on Dexterity with Olivia.  We are trying to isolate the index finger.  Kids with Ds tend to point with their thumbs. So we are trying to get her index finger activated to point instead.  I have pulled as many toys out as I could find that she can poke her index finger into.  The best thing is a wood bead block. She loves to put her index finger in both ends of the bead block and move it around.  She also will hold one bead in each hand, with her index finger in the hole and bang them together! Banging is good fine motor work at this point!

Again, thank you to everyone who supports us in raising Olivia!  Olivia has been a great people filter! The great amazing wonderful people shine like stars, and then (sadly) we also see the less than fabulous people disappear into the wood work.   It takes special people to appreciate someone else's special needs child!  Thanks for being a special wonderful sign of God's gracious goodness in our life!