The Christmas Card

Here is the Christmas card picture. I was able to snap 2 photos one night before the teenager ran out the door to a basketball game. This is the first picture. In the second, Bill had walked in the room and said something and so both boys are looking at him instead of the camera. So this has to be the one.

Oh, yeah, you may have noticed that I finally cut Henry's hair.

We had a busy but fun holiday weekend. We went to a basketball game (Henry and Tommy marched around when the band played), Henry helped me wrap presents and bake banana bread to give to his teachers, and we also played in the snow a little. Henry requested playing outside, which he doesn't usually do. He awkwardly made a snow angel, and then mostly asked me to do things- "you want me to throw another snowball at the tree!"

This has been a pattern throughout Henry's life. Rather than actually trying an activity himself, he wants you to do it, while he watches. For example, there was a brief time when he was 3 when he liked to paint and color. Somewhere along the line, he started asking us to draw a picture or write a word. That quickly evolved into us doing all the work while he watched. I think it has something to do with his coordination, and his frustration with not being able to do something "just right." He never wants to color now. I have been able to get him to work on connect-the-dots and mazes, but only if I "help him" (we both hold the pen). When I try to let go and get him to do it himself he quickly gets frustrated. I think he just doesn't have the strength in his hands, and that is something the OT is working on.

Yesterday in the snow I tried to get him to help me make snowballs, but it seemed that he could barely manage to scoop up a handful of snow. I think his gloves made the activity more cumbersome, and I need to get him some mittens. He can't get his fingers into gloves for the life of him, so I'm sure that inhibits his coordination. Tommy wears those "baby" mittens that just cover your whole hand. I wonder if they make them in a big enough size for Henry?

It's hard to watch him struggle with something that comes so easily to other children. I hope over time he will gain both coordination and the confidence to try something without being afraid of doing it "wrong".

One thing we didn't do this weekend (although it was requested frequently) was go to the library. It just didn't fit in to the schedule. I didn't do it consciously, but I ended up shaking up his expectations a little, something I talked about in my last post.

I can tell they have been working on pronouns a lot at school. This weekend he used "I" many times correctly, without being prompted. He said a few beautiful phrases like "Mommy, it's fun wrapping presents with you" and "I like making banana bread with you mommy." They still sound a little scripted, but they are music to my ears!