Meimei is having an amazing summer. She stopped stomping her feet, unfolded her arms and went somewhat willingly to gymnastics class today (Daddy and I told the kids they each would have to take a summer physical activity class in addition to swimming this summer). All three ended up in gymnastics. That trend began with TJ. His occupational therapist recommended gymnastics as a way to work on several of his muscular and motor planning issues. We took the easy way out when he protested and told him the teacher required it. Special Counsel TJ went straight to the teacher and challenged her, Her came home to report he did not have to take gymnastics because the teacher had “sugGESTed it, Mama! She only sugGESTed it!”
TJ’s class starts Thursday.
Jiejie’s will be on Mondays.
And today, Memei absolutely loved hers.
She was in a wonderful mood when I came home. We agreed to make cupcakes as her special treat for being brave enough to go to class. She has said no vociferously to any classes for a long time since her traumatic experience in Bubble Babies class before she was talking. She has repeated the story several times now about how scary it was to go under water when they sang “Ring Around the Rosy.”
“I couldn’t say that I was scared, Mama,” she would say, melting my heart to the point that she would get her way once again and escape whatever activity was at hand.
After we made cupcakes, Meimei wanted to wash the dishes, and so she did, the step stool barely making her tall enough to see over the edge of the sink. She had her own method, cold water only, but what she lacked in bacteria-killing she made up for with elbow grease. The spatula has never been so clean.
Tagged: bubble babies, China, Gymnastics, IPad, Jiejie, Mama, Meimei, T. J.'s, traumatic experience, YouTube
