Friday

Oy! I am so tired but it is going to be good sleeping weather tonight and the sheets are clean and the bed is comfortable. Hopefully, Julia is really tired as well and she will sleep for a long time in her own bed. She was so hyper yesterday and today --

Day 2 of intensive therapy and I am settling down. Oh, I can laugh at myself. These lovely people come in and play with my daughter, and I am upset. Transitions can be so hard on us NTs. I finally cleared my desk and filed every piece of paper, made some estate calls, worked out Julia's July schedule, and wrote. Monday, when we start up with therapy again, I intend to get back to my bathroom, and when the poison ivy clears (yes, my bought for this year), I'll be out gardening.

We had a lunch break today, an hour between therapists. I made Julia rice with tofu and pickles on the side. And some watermellon and a cookie. We ate together and then I wanted to cuddle with her. She has been so resistant to cuddling and it has been hard to more through it. I didn't want her to be resistant and so, I offered her a bottle (as Marilyn suggested). Julia happily agreed and cuddled into my arms like a baby. She needs; she needs so much. For a little while, I satisfied her. Part of attachment is getting atuned to eachother. Sometimes, we are close to it and sometimes, i have no idea. She needs me to figure this out.

Julia wants to read for our home work, and so, I sigh, pretend a bit of resistance, and let her bring down Green Eggs and Ham from her bedroom. She sits beside me on the couch and I have her read pointing to each word. Initially, I did the pointing but page by page she is taking over. She has read up to page 37 -- the first 27 without any help at all. When she doesn't know a word, I ask her to pronounce the first letter. Sometimes she would rather guess the word over and over before she is willing to pronounce the first letter. When she pronounces the first letter, I give her the word. When she gets used to this, I will get her to pronounce more of the word. She is learning these words whole -- all memorizing. We are still working word families, but she is learning the words whole.

When I started Julia on Green Eggs and Ham (at Marianne's suggestion), I thought it would be the only book we would work on this summer but I bet it doesn't last to the end of July. I have to figure out her next book. What Joy!