Imagination

I mentioned that Olivia's therapy schedule this week was changed a bit. I got confused today and put Peter down for his nap too early so he woke up about 15 minutes after the physical therapist arrived. Of all Olivia's therapies physical therapy is by far the hardest for her. It's physically demanding on her little body. I'm accustomed to making her use her words to express herself. I know she can do it so that has become a part of our routine. After everything that has happened to her little body over the last 8 months I have no idea what she can and cannot do physically. I know she's getting stronger but I don't know what she really cannot do and what she just doesn't want to do. The physical therapist is great and she and I have had a lot of conversations about this but it's still tough. We want Olivia to be challenged but we don't want it to be too hard for her. Olivia tends to do much better when I'm an active participant in her physical therapy sessions and in order for that to happen Peter has to nap. As soon as Peter woke up things started to go downhill. The physical therapist had one of those "old school" puppy dogs on wheels attached to a little string. Peter loved it!

He happily ran around the house for the rest of the session dragging his little dog happily saying "woof woof" as he went along on his way. The dog would occasionally fall over and he'd very carefully stop to put him back on his wheels. As soon as the therapist left I went to get lunch started. Peter went straight to the cabinet, pulled out my little handheld mixer and proceeded to drag it around the house, continuing to "woof woof".



Olivia wasn't having any of it. After screaming the entire 45 minutes that the physical therapist was here she just wanted to eat her lunch in peace.


Later in the afternoon Peter went to the kitchen cabinets again and pulled out a selection of plastic bowls. He brought them into the living room and then set them up on the couch. He started grabbing imaginary handfuls of food and helping himself to imaginary snacks. It took me a while to realize what he was doing. He kept walking over to the bowls then he'd walk over to Olivia and try to put pretend food in her mouth. Somehow Olivia seemed to catch on before I did because I heard her saying "thank you". It was so sweet. Sweet to see Olivia pretending because she hasn't really been into that lately. Sweet that they seemed to be communicating so well together without really saying much. Peter of course shared with me as well without even being asked. He's such a sweet boy.