4BTs

I, and about 30,000 others, emailed Clare this story. Being an organizational psychologist, all matters of the human psyche are interesting. Of course this story made me think of the movement Clare has started and all that positive thinking. Focusing on the good and the beauty instead of all the great, great many things that are really f$%&#$ up. I am sure that all of this is counteracting the entire murderous goings on across the globe.

For myself, I decided to practice it for three reasons: 1. While I don’t think of myself as a major whiner and I do try to always look for the good in my life, I have not done it in such a disciplined way. And right now, things are a bit on the overwhelming side so it’s a good time to start. 2. It’s a great way to be Master of the Short Post as Ara has been kind to notice. 3. It can’t hurt. ;-)

Today’s 4BT:

1. Ellie really can read. I'm always trying to make sure she knows what I think she knows and since she can’t speak this is difficult. I have been telling people she can read about 30-50 words. And I think this is true. But being 4 or 3.9 months if you do corrected…she is not always consistent. As a reality check to make sure every now and then that I am not just some deluded windbag I test her. Today she let me test her 5 times. I used her magnadoodle and wrote the letters of a word all mixed up at the bottom of it. For BATH I put down A B H T. Then I said to her, “Ellie, how do you spell BATH? Which letter comes first?” Sure enough, she put her thumb, which is her way of pointing, on the B. Then I wrote B at the top of the board. Then I said, “What comes second?” But she was way, WAY ahead of me. She quickly put her thumb on the A then the T then the H, which I had to quickly, write at the top. Of course there was lots of fan fare at this event. I rearranged the letters and she picked them out four more times with the words Cat, Dog, Mama, and Dada. She was lightening fast with all of them. So it’s a splinter skill according to school officials. But, damn if she can’t read!

2. Dave, a.k.a. really great hubby guy, taking over with Ellie when he got home and making me go to bed because I was feeling really sick.

3. Our Christmas tree, which makes me smile every time I see it and makes the house smell of pine. (pics to follow)

4. Linda Scotson and her tireless, 27-year quest to find healing solutions for brain damaged children. I spoke with her today and discussed Ellie’s diet and she has had yet another breakthrough on the nutrition front. I will go into this more when I write my post on nutrition and diet for kids with CP.