Last year, at a neighbors home, I met this sweet and beautiful little girl named Briley. She was laying on the couch on her back, kicking her legs forward as hard as she could, trying to sit up. Out of pure instinct (& because, honestly, I have boundary issues when it comes to babies), I sat down beside her and placed my hands on top of her feet so she could pull herself up. The look on her face when her sit-up was complete and our eyes met was ineffable!!
We locked eyes & I could see her appreciation. I asked my neighbor (her babysitter at the time) if I could pick her up. As soon as she was close enough, she leaned in close for a hug and didn't move. She melted my heart when she tilted her head up to make eye contact with me whilst cuddling. She was so cute & seemed so grateful and happy to meet me.
We locked eyes & I could see her appreciation. I asked my neighbor (her babysitter at the time) if I could pick her up. As soon as she was close enough, she leaned in close for a hug and didn't move. She melted my heart when she tilted her head up to make eye contact with me whilst cuddling. She was so cute & seemed so grateful and happy to meet me.
Luckily, my neighbor asked me to watch her a few times & after some quality alone time with her, I became so intrigued with her uniqueness and her potential for growth and development. When I realized that she was able to stand up with assistance, I didn't doubt that with some practice, she would learn to walk. She was so strong & more importantly, ecstatic to be standing up. It was, as if, standing and stomping her feet was the most fun she'd ever had! She lit up with pride showing off for me, her new friend.
I tried to share some suggestions for exercises that could be done daily to strengthen her legs muscles. I was beginning to share in her excitement. However, as quickly as my heart filled with joy when Briley befriended me, it broke when her babysitter laughed & responded, "She will never walk, they think she will, but I don't think so, do you?? Really?" Keep in mind, poor Bri Bri was still standing there while her babysitter shot down the idea. Briley lowered her head in defeat.
I tried to share some suggestions for exercises that could be done daily to strengthen her legs muscles. I was beginning to share in her excitement. However, as quickly as my heart filled with joy when Briley befriended me, it broke when her babysitter laughed & responded, "She will never walk, they think she will, but I don't think so, do you?? Really?" Keep in mind, poor Bri Bri was still standing there while her babysitter shot down the idea. Briley lowered her head in defeat.
Mercifully, fate placed me in her life at the perfect moment. What began as weekly physical therapy sessions, soon proved to be so much more. I attended Briley's 3rd birthday party a few days before our first session. Within a month, she was my full-time sidekick & bff. Together, we tried out the local public preschool program. However, it was obvious that she had some negative experiences with kids her own age because at that point, she was still very scared of kids her own age or younger.
So, in lieu of formal school, Briley's parents decided to hire me as her physical therapist & one-on-one teacher. So, a year later, on her 4th birthday seems a great time to recap and brag about how far she has come.
In the past year, physically she has learned to.....
1) sit up from laying on her back & recently lay back from the sitting position
2) roll over onto her belly
3) get up on her knees from belly
4) sit up straight on her knees
5) scoot on her butt (first in circles to follow me.. now, all over the place to chase everyone)
6) stand up, with assistance for long periods of time (30-60 minutes)
7) stand up, on her own (till she figures out you've let go)
8) stand up, leaning her back to wall
9) walk in walker
10) walk holding 2 hands & now even 1 hand!
11) walk holding onto tables/couch
12) walk up stairs
13) RUN around in walker (independently & on treadmill)
And, those are just her physical developments!!
Last year, if a child under 5 years old, so much as looked at her, she would break down into tears or purposefully make her eyes go crossed (a gesture, I came to learn, she uses as a defense mechanism to attempt to get people to leave her alone =) She was also incredibly shy!! When anyone would speak to her, she would quickly look down. To get an accurate baseline, I asked her previous babysitter in what ways Briley communicated with adults or kids at her house. She said, she was mostly quiet, looking down, eyes crossed, shaking her head in circles (which I learned later meant she was tired), or crying/yelling for 'no reason'.
Well, if that is her baseline, socially, this has been a major year!! She has learned so much I know I am going to forget things, but I will try my best to list the many ways she now communicates.
Now, to communicate she...
1) answers yes & no questions with appropriate head nods
2) lifts her arms to gesture picked up
3) babbles "briley" language while reading along with books & singing songs
4) says daddy, mommy, baba (bb), HI, Yeah, Oh yeah, kk, and so many more words correctly
5) waves her hand in front of her nose to gesture 'stinky'
6) taps on her lips to gesture hunger/thirst
7) blinks her eyes quickly, repeatedly to gesture sleepy/tired
8) can point to eyes, ears, nose, lips, hair
9) can point to appropriate body part when asked "where do you hear? see? etc..)
10) watches flashcards and attempts to sound out 70 percent of vocab
11) sits in chair during school lessons, engaged & listening (20+mins)
12) says hi & bye (even initiating conversations w/ strangers)
13) dislikes major transitions (saying goodbye to mommy, daddy or bb)
14) knows how to be funny & make people laugh
15) laughs at jokes, teasing, funny stories
16) expresses herself freely/loudly whether she's happy, sad or mad But...
17) Never, Ever cries for 'no reason' !! ;)
Aside from her birthday, what really prompted me to write this update was the talent show last week. While Madi was singing at the talent show, I put Briley on the floor by my feet because she was already saying hi to the kids sitting down there. I expected her, at most, to stay safely aside my leg and wave to the kids from a distance.
So, you can imagine my shock when I look down and see her sitting beside a little girl shaking her head "yes" & "no" completely engaged listening to the girl. I leaned in a bit to eavesdrop and almost teared up when I realized the two were actually carrying on a real conversation!!! (See adorable picture below!)
The girl was asking her questions like,
"is that your mom?"
"was that your sister singing?"
"do you know Madi?"
Briley was all serious, answering correctly & when they all began leaning in saying how cute she was, she laughed & smacked herself in the forehead, playfully & hid behind her hands in silly/fake embarrassment, really enjoying all the attention. I've seen her carrying on conversations with Caitlin and Madi many times and obviously we talk to each other every day. It was just so unbelievably amazing to witness her making a new friend, close to her own age, showing her true intelligence and even being silly.
I knew when I met her, I could help her walk. After her first 2 weeks here, I also learned just how smart she was as well. I told her mom it was my new personal goal to help Briley express herself better & with confidence so that everyone she meets can see the smart, sassy, silly & sweet girl that we lucky few knew so well. Seeing my dream for Briley come true... spectacular!!
I'm so proud of our BIG GIRL!!! Happy 4th Bday Briley.
So, in lieu of formal school, Briley's parents decided to hire me as her physical therapist & one-on-one teacher. So, a year later, on her 4th birthday seems a great time to recap and brag about how far she has come.
In the past year, physically she has learned to.....
1) sit up from laying on her back & recently lay back from the sitting position
2) roll over onto her belly
3) get up on her knees from belly
4) sit up straight on her knees
5) scoot on her butt (first in circles to follow me.. now, all over the place to chase everyone)
6) stand up, with assistance for long periods of time (30-60 minutes)
7) stand up, on her own (till she figures out you've let go)
8) stand up, leaning her back to wall
9) walk in walker
10) walk holding 2 hands & now even 1 hand!
11) walk holding onto tables/couch
12) walk up stairs
13) RUN around in walker (independently & on treadmill)
And, those are just her physical developments!!
Last year, if a child under 5 years old, so much as looked at her, she would break down into tears or purposefully make her eyes go crossed (a gesture, I came to learn, she uses as a defense mechanism to attempt to get people to leave her alone =) She was also incredibly shy!! When anyone would speak to her, she would quickly look down. To get an accurate baseline, I asked her previous babysitter in what ways Briley communicated with adults or kids at her house. She said, she was mostly quiet, looking down, eyes crossed, shaking her head in circles (which I learned later meant she was tired), or crying/yelling for 'no reason'.
Well, if that is her baseline, socially, this has been a major year!! She has learned so much I know I am going to forget things, but I will try my best to list the many ways she now communicates.
Now, to communicate she...
1) answers yes & no questions with appropriate head nods
2) lifts her arms to gesture picked up
3) babbles "briley" language while reading along with books & singing songs
4) says daddy, mommy, baba (bb), HI, Yeah, Oh yeah, kk, and so many more words correctly
5) waves her hand in front of her nose to gesture 'stinky'
6) taps on her lips to gesture hunger/thirst
7) blinks her eyes quickly, repeatedly to gesture sleepy/tired
8) can point to eyes, ears, nose, lips, hair
9) can point to appropriate body part when asked "where do you hear? see? etc..)
10) watches flashcards and attempts to sound out 70 percent of vocab
11) sits in chair during school lessons, engaged & listening (20+mins)
12) says hi & bye (even initiating conversations w/ strangers)
13) dislikes major transitions (saying goodbye to mommy, daddy or bb)
14) knows how to be funny & make people laugh
15) laughs at jokes, teasing, funny stories
16) expresses herself freely/loudly whether she's happy, sad or mad But...
17) Never, Ever cries for 'no reason' !! ;)
Aside from her birthday, what really prompted me to write this update was the talent show last week. While Madi was singing at the talent show, I put Briley on the floor by my feet because she was already saying hi to the kids sitting down there. I expected her, at most, to stay safely aside my leg and wave to the kids from a distance.
So, you can imagine my shock when I look down and see her sitting beside a little girl shaking her head "yes" & "no" completely engaged listening to the girl. I leaned in a bit to eavesdrop and almost teared up when I realized the two were actually carrying on a real conversation!!! (See adorable picture below!)
The girl was asking her questions like,
"is that your mom?"
"was that your sister singing?"
"do you know Madi?"
Briley was all serious, answering correctly & when they all began leaning in saying how cute she was, she laughed & smacked herself in the forehead, playfully & hid behind her hands in silly/fake embarrassment, really enjoying all the attention. I've seen her carrying on conversations with Caitlin and Madi many times and obviously we talk to each other every day. It was just so unbelievably amazing to witness her making a new friend, close to her own age, showing her true intelligence and even being silly.
I knew when I met her, I could help her walk. After her first 2 weeks here, I also learned just how smart she was as well. I told her mom it was my new personal goal to help Briley express herself better & with confidence so that everyone she meets can see the smart, sassy, silly & sweet girl that we lucky few knew so well. Seeing my dream for Briley come true... spectacular!!
I'm so proud of our BIG GIRL!!! Happy 4th Bday Briley.
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