Grandparents' Love Therapy #15

This week, I have such positive feedbacks from my parents, that for now I am feeling such awe over my daughter. There is so much in her that I did not know, and everyday she is revealing a little bit more of herself. - Her true self. Her inner thoughts. Her personalities.

Now, I am not sure how other children with the same diagnosis would behave. I have never been in such close contacts with them in their home surrounding.  I did not observe them for long periods of time. All I knew are from their parents or from books. The parents may not share my choice of 'behaviour' or 'achievements' which is worth celebrating.

Every now and then, my parents would assure me that there is nothing wrong with my daughter. Her only problem is that she does not talk. Yet, they are convince that she is talking - if you listen attentively to her babbles and through the noises that she made. (to me, they are mostly incoherent babbles) They seem to understand what she is saying more than me. (perhaps it's due to the fact that they have been teaching little children for so many years.)

A few stories mom related to me;

1. Mom and Joy was out for morning walk. As usual, she was very happy and bubbly. But she suddenly stopped, and dragged grandmama home. As soon as they reached home, she rushed to the telephone and investigated it. It wasn't ringing. Mom said she almost cried as she kept close to the phone. (She thinks Joy is waiting for my phone call - I called rather late) After mom comforted her, telling her that perhaps mummy is busy, she went to her room to play. (she usually plays in the bedroom) As soon as the phone rings, she quickly ran out to see if it's my call. She listened for awhile as I talked to her, and went back to the bedroom happily.

2. Rather late at night, my brother phoned home. My parents and Joy were in the bedroom. She was sleepy. But she rushed to the phone. When mom told her that it must be her uncle, that mummy already called in the evening, she returned to bed.

3. On Friday, when she arrived at my parents', she 'asked' grandmama for biscuits that she knew is in the kitchen. (don't ask me how she 'asked' - I think mom just knew) Mom secretly told her that she could only have it after little brother goes back, because Jay is not allowed to eat the biscuits. You know what? My little daughter actually smiled and did not ask for the biscuits anymore. BUT as soon as our car is out of sight,  she went in to enjoy the biscuits. WOW! She actually knew how to keep secret????

4. Mom brought her to play at a neighbour's house. There are babies and children there. Naturally there are a lot of toys. Most of the toys are still wrapped beautifully in plastics. (The baby there insist on putting the toys in plastics and hanging it). My daughter wanted to open the wrappers, but mom kept telling her why she must not do that. Unable to open, Joy just played with the toys through the wrappers. (she love to flap the ears and tails) My neighbour, a kind lady, opened a toy for her. So my daughter played with the toy for awhile, then returned the toy to the neighbour and insist on her putting it back into the wrappers. She is done with the toy. Hmmmmm..... I am not sure what to comment on this. But mom said that shows my daughter is listening (to the adults - they did not ask her to return the toy) and knows that the toys does not belong to her and she must return it. WOW!

5. She showed her possessive streak of pulling grandpapa away from her little brother when Jay wanted to go near grandpapa. Hmmm..... Is this something to be happy about?

6. Dad said my daughter would be looking for his pajamas - goes into his bedroom and takes his pajamas and give it to grandpapa every evening, when she is feeling sleepy. If dad did not immediately go and change, she would fuss. At one time, the door to dad's bedroom was locked. Since she could not go in, she went to get the pajamas from the stack of freshly laundered clothes in the living room. The pajamas was near the bottom of the stack. She just put the others aside and picked up grandpapa's pajamas. - So, does this count as generalization in visual discrimination, and problem solving? - this convinces me that she is ready to get her own clothes whenever she needs to change.

7. I saw myself how she tried to coax grandmama to give her a chrysanthemum package drink. Jay is not feeling too well, so he is not allowed the drink. Mom told her that she already had it in the morning, and my daughter answered her loudly - 'yao a - Want'. - several times, while smiling, hugging and climbing all over grandmama. hi hi.... a determined girl. - But she still didn't get the drink.

8. When she saw me start gathering her things, she quickly went to wear her sandals and went out to the car. Dad helped her opened the door and she climbed in, waiting for us. - Sequencing skill?

.... He will turn my mourning into gladness; He will give me comfort and joy instead of sorrow.                                                                                                     (Jeremiah 31:13)