CHAMP Camp Parent Guide

That bio.

http://maggieandluke.blogspot.com/2014/04/writer-block.html?m=1

Well it's in the new George Washington University CHAMP Camp Parent Guide. 

Can't wait to share what we have learned on our apraxia journey with others!

See :) 

Grateful to play a little part in giving back to a camp that has been our home for 2 summers.

Gearing up for Apraxia Awareness Day

May 14th is officially Apraxia Awareness Day nationally and in our state of Georgia.

Huge SHOUTOUT to Rep. Amy Alexander Carter for making this resolution happen again this year!

JOIN our family....

in celebrating Luke 

and all of the other precious children finding their voices. 

We are encouraging YOU to wear blue and white on May 14th.

That's Wednesday.

I already have my shirt ;)

The donations raised by it will help to fund our SLPs journey to CASANA's apraxia boot camp.

I vowed to be Luke's voice until he found his; and thankfully with God's grace, direction, provision and healing touch...we are there. 

Luke can speak. He is understood by others. And I must tell you....it is completely a dream come true. 

Little tokens of appreciation to our awesome SLPs

A pic from last year's 1st Apraxia Awareness Day

What are YOU planning to do to show your support? 

We made some ribbons, fliers, brochures and are working on a tri-board.

You've come a long way baby and while we support you all year long; we will especially be celebrating your hard work and success on May 14th.

All. 

Day. 

Long.

Mama...

Take my picture.

Of course I will. The don't call me the papparazzi for nothing, kid. 

Writer's Block

The thing about this blog is. 

I write what I want and when I want to. 

I don't have deadlines. 

There is no set schedule. 

Pretty much, I just get the urge to write and I do.

It's just me and I make my own rules. 

So when I had to write a bio for myself this week and I had to finish it in a week...

The pressure was on. 

I avoided it. Like the plague.

I whined about it on Facebook.

I even tried to get out of it. 

But, I can't avoid something just because it's hard. 

I mean...I bust out bios for Maggie and Luke all the time. 

But for me. 

Crickets. 

Focus, Mary. Focus.

We can do hard things.

I needed a bio if I was going to present at George Washington University's CHAMP camp this summer.

We spent 2 great summers in their intensive Childhood Apraxia and Motor Planning Camp; but this summer will be different. 

We will no longer be "campers" and I won't be a "parent facilitator" during parent education this year. 

I am going to be a presenter. 

Sharing with other parents about grant and funding opportunities.

And that bio. 

I knocked it out quickly when I kept my eye on the prize. 

Said bio below.

Can't wait to talk about what we have learned along this journey. 

It Happened. Be Careful What You Wish For.

Guess who went to "time out" for talking too much today? 

You guessed it. 

That cutie patootie up there. 

The one and only.

I shouldn't have giggled.

I shouldn't have smirked. 

But by golly, I wished for this day. 

Even had it written about in our local paper. (VDT Feb. 2011)

And the moral of this story is....dreams do come true. 

Dream big friends.

Dream. 

B....I....G......

BIG!!!!

Intensive Therapy at the KCC

I joked that we came to "show off" this week at Kaufman Children's Center, but in all seriousness we were anxious to see what they thought about his progress. Everyone can't get over how tall Luke has gotten and how talkative he has been in the gym ;)

It's not the same little boy. We came to Michigan when he was 2 and had a handful of words. We left with more words than we had ever imagined; as well as hope and a plan.

Nancy Kaufman has assembled a "dream team" of therapists under one roof. While she sees 2 "out of states" per week for 4 day intensive speech and language therapy utilizing her own KSLP methods; her staff treats and assesses many children from the surrounding areas. Their knowledge and expertise cannot be matched. Trust me on this.

http://kidspeech.com/our-staff/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=98&Itemid=470

I have referred to our last two trips as "tune ups"....and that is exactly what they are. We no longer see Nancy for intensives. She unlocked Luke's voice from the tight grasp of Childhood Apraxia of Speech and passed the baton (so to speak) to her colleague, Diane Nancarrow, once Luke's apraxia was considered residual.

http://kidspeech.com/our-staff/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=511&Itemid=552

We come back to the KCC to make sure we are doing everything we can to habilitate Luke's speech and motor movement. With the KCC's help, we are able to evaluate what is working, seek advice and gain ideas as to what our next steps should be. 

I would title this....Ain't No Mountain High Enough! And truly, there is no mountain that this precious boy hasn't faced.  

From severe apraxia to residual. I couldn't be prouder of his tenacity, determination and work ethic.

Greeting Mrs. Diane with the biggest hug!

Mrs. Lisa Barnett provided music therapy this week.  http://kidspeech.com/our-staff/lisa-barnett-mt-bc.html  (We totally lucked up because she was on spring break and could squeeze us into her schedule.) The last time Luke worked with Mrs. Lisa was during SPEAK 2011. We knew then that music was a powerful tool to enhance his speech development and he loved it.

Mrs. Lisa made this special book with all of the songs they would be working on during the week for him and even personalized it. Luke was so excited when he saw his picture on the cover and throughout the book. 

Retelling and sequencing a story 

http://instagram.com/p/mnQpSHsoLP/

Making pizzas with Mrs. Diane in speech and language therapy

Utilizing the ipad with an app that required him to follow explicit directions and then repeat and record him saying those directions 

http://instagram.com/p/miN1O9MoPx/

Toasting at one of our favorite places to eat in West Bloomfield, Stage Deli.

It's not a celebration until we take selfies and use the fierce sign, right?!? 

Someone asked what our schedule looked like when we are doing intensive therapy; so I decided to share our schedule this week.

Keep in mind that this schedule doesn't include music therapy. We added a 30 minute session on Monday and 45 minute sessions on Wednesday and Friday. 

http://instagram.com/p/mlMz9EsoG8/

http://instagram.com/p/mlMcX0MoGR/

http://instagram.com/p/mlIZBGMoA7/

Mrs. Lisa allowed Maggie to participate in music therapy, too. They especially liked playing the lollipop drums and rhythm sticks.

http://instagram.com/p/mlL8B6MoFf/

Intensives with Nancy are all videotaped so that when you leave; you have a DVD to share with your SLPs back home. All the therapy rooms at the KCC have a behind the glass where parents can observe. For me, the videotaping and behind the glass observations have been powerful. It's one thing to tell someone what you experienced; but to be able to show them....unparalleled.

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzz. Two very sleepy kiddos.

One very blessed and thankful family.