Anxiety Disorder- Update

This is a post I have been meaning to put on for a few days.  But, I have been so busy with Kae-Kae, I have not had time!  Here she is singing in her Christmas concert.

After the rough week of her adjusting to the removal of the tranquilizer and the increase of her anti-anxiety med, it has been, "Look out world, here I come!" 

She is a completely different person.  This week she has done a FULL DAY OF SCHOOL EVERYDAY!  She is following a list and is able to read the list without dissociating.  She is practicing her flute in the morning, and is preparing to play this Sunday for church.  We completed third grade Math (Math-U-See) for the umpteenth time, and I know she GOT IT!  We are almost halfway through division using Mastering Mathematics.  I just went with MM since that is the curriculum I had and was already paid for and is made for children with learning challenges. 

She wanted to stop Omnibus since it is such a tough History program and I ordered her World Empires, World Missions, World Wars by Diana Waring.  We did Romans, Reformers, Revolutionaries several years ago and Kae-Kae loved all the supplementary reading.  This week her extra reading was a book about the War of 1812 and she is in her element.

I am adding extra science to our Christian Kids Explore Biology by Stephanie Redmond. This week was about cells, and she said meiosis was cool.  Here is a jello cell that we made. 

 The egg was the nucleus, the skittles, macaroni, peanut, black beans and licorice were different organells.  Apparently we have never studied cells, or it is another thing she was dissociating  about and she thoroughly enjoyed learning about all these organelles, the quote was, "Cool!"

We started Phonetic Zoo, which is about the twelfth spelling program I have gotten for her.  I bought it in March as a last resort.  Obviously, she has not been doing much spelling since then.  She has started the program this week and really likes it.  I like that I don't have to do spelling with her.  She likes that I don't do spelling with her.  She just uses her little CD player and notepaper.  It is GOOD!

Kae-Kae has not swung all week.  She has picked up her clothes without me asking her.  She is knitting a small project.  She has remembered to carry her dishes over, and she has been able to participate in Family Worship right after dinner.  She has not been able to do Family Worship since March.  She is initiating play with her siblings. 

And, most important to her, she is preparing for her Lion's Party on Saturday.  In case you have not been around my daughter lately, you might not know that The Voyage of the Dawn Treader opens on Friday.  We are having a party and trivia for her friends, and they are all encouraged to wear costumes.  After the party, they are caravaning down to the movie.  Check back Friday for Kae-Kae as Lucy (I hope).  I am the one in charge of sewing the costume. 

Today we received another piece of great news.  Kae-Kae's counseling will reduce to every other week starting in January.  Woo! Hoo!  This is because she is progressing so well.  Dan and I will continue with our Parent-Relationship-Training, we have seven more weeks.  This program is to help her with her attachment issues. 

This post has more good news than should be allowed!  My advent season is full of great joy and thankfulness. 

Heather