Wow. Could you get some words please?

We’re soundly in the phase where my girl needs more words. She has taken to screaming a lot since I got back into town. Really painful screaming. I’m using words back with her, asking her to use the few signs that she knows… But she will fall into a ball of tears and an on-the-floor tantrum if I can’t figure out what she’s asking. It’s rough. I know it’s hard when you can’t communicate. I’m thankful she isn’t hitting the floor with her head or doing any real physical damage to herself. But add in a tantrum across the dinner table from her brother at the same time… It’s mind-bending stress.

But along with the screaming communication, Jordan’s getting braver with holding my hand and walking. It really is stunning how she walks better when she’s anywhere other than our house. She walks better outside, inside a tent and at my cousin’s house.

Randy put our new tent up in the backyard — Going inside totally freaked Jordan out and then suddenly it was the coolest place around. She started walking around me and there she was: Standing. It lasted about 5 seconds. I’d have to say it was the longest standing moment I’ve seen with her. I have a meeting with our First Steps coordinator on Friday along with Jordan’s occupational and physical therapists. Hopefully we’ll be able to get our PT into Jordan’s classroom on an intense level for the next month or two. Her PT thinks focused time with Jordan away from me will be very productive and help push Jordan into walking full time. I keep thinking that she isn’t as fearful about her safety as Cam was because she’s willing to climb stairs… But I watch other kids learning to walk and I realize she really likes things the way they are. She doesn’t like pushing herself into something new physically. That’s why it took her so long to notice her little arm when she was 4 months old. That’s why it took her so long to sit or sit up by herself. Why do I have kids that are worried about their physical safety? It’s strange.

Anyway. Here comes another week… Crazy schedules and all kinds of juggling between work and kids. Standard stuff and I’m tired just thinking about it. Did I mention I had a sinus infection last week? The drugs make me tired and a little dizzy. Oh well. Just another hurdle to jump over.