Expectations

Is it okay to have high expectations for my special needs daughter?  You bet!  I'm a firm believer in setting the "bar" high.  It may be the teacher in me or the crazy planner, but it's part of who I am.  I feel like aiming high helps Libby so much.  

She exceeds my expectations at times! The amount of new words and phrases Libby is using amaze us!  Libby told me earlier today, "Mama, I want Daddy come home."  I asked her "WHAT?!" twice just to see if she would repeat it, and she did!  By the third time, she was pretty much screaming!  HA!  She's also exceeded my expectations by following commands from understanding what I'm saying.  She'll go get her shoes when asked or hand you the toy car when asked.  This amazes me because she's been exposed to the English language for ONLY 15 months.  It proves to me that she's a little sponge and is soaking up everything!  I'm constantly talking to her even while driving down the road to expose her to new words, sights, sounds.  "Libby look at the little blue car.  It says zoom zoom!" "Oh Libby look a car who turned without using a blinker... shame shame."

There are also times when expectations aren't met like I thought they would be.  I don't count these as failures.  We had hoped Libby would be walking on her own by the end of the summer.  She's not quite there, but man oh man has she progressed with walking!  10 or so steps at a time (when she focuses) and we're working on using the cane.  I know she'll walk independently someday.  That may mean using a cane or maybe on her own.  Either way is awesome!  We're working even harder on strengthening her trunk muscles, stretching her tight muscles, using essential oils to help her relax the muscles, and trying to make walking fun!  She throws fits at times when she'd rather be carried, and I rarely give in.  I know it looks HORRIBLE when I'm making her walk in Wal*Mart and she's throwing a hissy fit.  On a good day, I'll smile at the people who stare at us, and on a bad day I get out of the store as fast as possible!  She's learning that practicing walking holding my hand helps her get stronger and stronger.  She'll get there; I know she will!

I'll end with a picture of the girl who I expect to continue trying her best each day!!!