Duke Speech Therapy - Week 9

Duke is trying to say more words but isn't always accurate. Sounds heard include: /t/, /s/ interdentalized, /b/, t/ch, /g/, /d/, /k/, /t/, /n/. /p/, 0/l, /m/, /h/, /wow/

Bath = "bah", pool = "puh", pie = "Bye". Bike = "bah", March = "mah", make = "mah", book = "boh", down= :duh", shirt = ". Momma = "mama", pop = "pop", boat = "bow", mail = mah", paint = "puh", pool = "puh", moo = "moo" milk = "muh",

Long vowels - /a/, /e/, /o/, /u/, /i/

Daddy = "dada", and open = "o". He is not matching # off syllables.

Duke is attempting more and more, but isn't always able to be accurate. We talked about Childhood Apraxia of Speech and the inability to motor play accurately. Duke's receptive language skills appear intact and he appears to understand everything we are asking of him. Expressively he is still pretty trapped. We started the Easy Does it Apraxia of Speech for preschoolers and he is able to imitate most age appropriate sound in isolation and the long vowel sounds as well. He struggles with blending the long vowel with the consonant sound - Today we introduced the Kauffman cards and I left with mom the Level 1 cards kit 1 CVCV with same consonants and vowels as in the words (bye bye - or Moo moo). I also left the CVCV with different vowels and same consonants - as in the words (mommy, daddy, turtle). I also left the VC pictures as in the words (up, on in off). To get his attention when he is distracted I say, "eyes Duke", then Duke looks at me and I am able to try to give him cue to imitate the sound accurately.

This was our last therapy session before we leave for Vegas for a month. We will work on sounds, the new cards and just trying to work more words into his routine. 

E's Kitchen Construction

I have been wanting to make E a kitchen for quite sometime. In my original minds eye I had planned on making her one out of an entertainment center. I even went as far as purchasing one and hauling it up 100 stairs from some mans garage. Then it sat in my garage for 6 months and I decided it wasn't exactly what I had in mind after all. So I went exploring on Pinterest (where would I be without you?!) And I found this. It was perfect, came with instructions and was cute as cute could be!

With my new saw and my best friend we set to work. There was cutting, sanding, measuring, and more cutting and sanding. 

And sometimes your projects fight back!

This sweet girl was the best helper! She is really good at hammering!

Oven assembled.... man I can hardly stand how CUTE it is!! This bad boy was a bit of a pain. In the original plans it doesn't have you cut the board small enough to allow the oven door to be flush, so I had to change that. Then I cut a board at 4" out of my scraps to save some money instead of buying a 4" board but forgot that 4" boards aren't actually 4" they are more like 3 3/4" (+/-) so I had to sand down that top lip where it meets the oven door....

I was squatting a bit too long while I was sanding and this is what happened to my toes.... Ouch! 

Putting in a few more nails! 

And they are assembled (I still need to put in the sink and per E's request I made cupboard doors for the sink instead of a curtain.)

So we don't have a jig saw and by this time my budget for this project we pretty tapped, so I got creative and used a drill to drill as much as I could out and then I used an exacto knife to cut out the remaining wood. Let me tell you.... it was a pain in the butt... but it worked. 

I did the same process for the sink....

 And it ended up being TOO SMALL!!!! AHHH! So I grabbed Jakob's scout knife (okay it's a bit bigger than a scout knife) and I started carving away.... it was ridiculously frustrating... BUT IT WORKED! 

 

It was at this point that I decided that I really wanted an extra shelf in the "freezer" section of the fridge. But I didn't have enough wood. Some wood glue took care of that and I pieced together another shelf. 

Time to paint it Elsa blue!

So much paint!!! I painted the inside of the fridge, oven and sink white and then I painted thhe outsides blue. I really liked how it gave it a bit more dimension!

And the big reveal! Drum roll please!!!!

 Seriously though, I couldn't love it more!!!!

 I love that it is three separate pieces which makes for a lot of versatility.

 I love how tall and skinny the fridge is. I saw a few others that were wider but this really just is perfect!

 I added a galvanized piece of metal that I purchased on Amazon here. (You can find them at Home Depot too.) It was too wide and I didn't have any way to cut it so I just folded one side under which worked brilliantly. I then screwed it to the side. Looking back, I'm not sure if I would have done the magnet board as E really doesn't do much with it. She does on occasion hang up some of her pictures but not sure if it was worth the extra $6 for the metal. I had considered doing a chalk board along this side, but then I didn't want them coloring all over the set, which I knew would be inevitable.

 This little magnet was a must! I got in the clearance section at Michaels.

 The oven is my favorite piece. I got the knobs on Amazon here. The pull is from IKEA. Which is the same pull we used on the fridge. I love the plexiglass oven door (which has been jumped on and replaced 3 times now ;).)

 But my favorite feature is the little light inside the oven. I used one of the sticky back lights that you can push on from the dollar store and I stuck it behind where the knobs are so the kiddos could reach it. It just adds that extra little something something!

 As mentioned before the E requested that we putt cupboard doors on instead of a curtian which I love! They magnet shut, and the curtian while adding color just added a bit of chaos in my OCD mind.

 The faucet I purchased on Amazon here. And it was my most expensive accessory. I also ordered a bowl on Amazon that was 9" in diameter and it was TOO BIG! There wasn't enough room for the lip and it just didn't fix. I was soooo disappointed. Thankfully I have a collection of bowls in my kitchen and so I just used one of those. It's approx 6" in diameter which seemed super tiny, but once it was installed it worked like magic!

 All of her pots, pans, tea set and cashier. 

 Oven with the Pizza!

And all of the food fits in the fridge. Most of her pretend food is from IKEA. I love their felt food and their pots and pans. The felt pizza I made last year.

This was SUCH a fun project to make! I seriously was in heaven the whole time!!! Now I want to build sooo many things. Next up, a step stool, and a kitchen table with benches!!!

Yard Sale Virgins

After attending yard sales for so many years it was about time to finally have one of my own. I collaborated with a few friends which made all the difference. Our weekends were filling up quick with everyone's plans for traveling so we picked a weekend that Jakob had to take a practice exam on... whoops. 

It was a chilly morning so we put six kids inside the house to play with toys and watch shows. My house looked like a bomb went off but the kids were happy. I tried to sell a few of E's treasures which she wasn't very happy about. She was allowed to rescue two things. She chose a pink and blue bear. 

Justin (Hattie's Hubby) brought us some muffins. Mmmmm... SO Good!

In the end I made $97. Which was pretty good considering I would have just donated everything. It was a lot of work but I'd do it again if we could get  a group of friends together to make it pretty big!

I have bee soooo blessed with our friends. We are a family and I am SOO grateful to be surrounded by such amazing friends! This was our first yard sale for Barb, Hattie and I. (Becca is a seasoned vet!) Thanks for making it a fun morning girls!

Haulin' Grass

This is what happens when you don't mow your lawn for a few weeks in KC. The grass goes to seed. Jakob could only do two passes before he had to empty his bag. It took him forever! Looking good hunny!

Duke Speech Therapy - Week 8

Duke will attempt to imitate the CV of the last word heard within her request. I will ask do you want shoes? He will say, "shoo". He is attempting to imitate the first part of most words I ask him to say. He is not yet saying them spontaneously. Goal is met - he will ask for mama versus screaming for me form another room. WOOOHOOO!

I went through Duke's sounds and words and he is attempting everything. His ability to recast is also improving. Sounds he said today include: /h/, /m/, /b/, /p/, /t/, /d/, /n/, /g/, /k/,/s/. He tries /l/ but has some tongue tip elevation, but struggles with manner. /ch/ is more like a /d/ /f/ sound is more like a aspirated / p/ sound. He is struggling with his accuracy. 

Since we are going out of town we are piling on the work. We have several new cards to work on such as outside, cracker, cheese, juice, pear, apple ect. Our goal this week is for him to say DADDY!! And really work on "open."

Zoo Date

The sun was shining and we were getting tired of our same old routine so we headed off to the zoo!!

When we go in groups we tend not to see much. Lots of walking from the penguins to the train and once that is done, it's time to go home again. 

But not before we ride the carousel. Estill just sits on the peacock bench that doesn't go up and down and Manny will ride an animal but you have to hold onto him.

Our Crew. Love these ladies!

We had a great day with our besties!

Picaso

One afternoon, Duke came in the house looking like this. I was a bit curious as to what exactly had happened.

Apparently E and Emery had decided to "paint his face" with chalk. We didn't hear any screaming so he must have sat pretty still. 

Poor little guy, E was very proud of her creation!

Mother's Day Weekend

Kicking off mother's day weekend I got the sweetest letter in the mail from my nieces. I will be having to have a chat with them about my age however! Janet is so sweet and thinks of the cutest things. I am a lame Aunt but thank you Houston Toblers for making me feel special!

At long last we made it to the temple. The last time we went was my birthday....  almost two years ago! Yikes! It was so nice to go and the first time I have been since my Daddy passed. Things were very emotional but I managed not to bawl my eyes out like a crazy person in front of everyone. 

The KC temple is BEAUTIFUL!!! I just love it!

Sunday was low key and I really enjoyed that. We took the kids to the park and played. 

(Picture will be inserted once I return home)

For my present I bought myself a miter saw!!!!!! OHMYGOSH! I am so in love with it!! Lazer, angle cuts, the blade rotates!!! I couldn't be happier! Plus is it just perfect for my next project! (post coming soon!)

It was a wonderful mothers day and I am so thankful for the women, mothers, grandmothers, aunts, family and friends who have influnced my life. I have been surrounded by strong, brave, gentle, sweet and loving women my entire life and each and every woman in my life has left a footprint in my heart. I am the woman and mother I am because of you! I am so thankful for my two sweet and precious babies who have made me a mother. Being a mom has been my life's greatest joy, trial, sacrifice and accomplishment. My children stretch me every day and through them I become and little bit stronger and taller. I love rediscovering the world with them and they bring so much love and laughter into our home. I have been so blessed! Happy Mother's Day!