Hannah Update

Since it has been so long since I have regularly posted, I thought I would do a catch up on each of the treasures.

Starting with the youngest---just because she is so cute :)

Hannah was 9 in February.  This is her sporting our first dive into yarn braids!  She loves them.  The first day she came down with 7, yes that is right, 7 different hair styles!  She is loving playing with her new long "hair".

She technically should be finishing the 3rd grade, but due to her learning challenges she is anywhere from 1st to 2nd depending on the subject.

Some of our challenges of late have been for all of us to learn what living with 'invisible special needs' looks like.

Hannah has various challenges including, but not limited to; Auditory Processing Disorder (APD), Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD), Motor Planning Disorder (MPD) and various learning disabilities, including lower IQ.  Add to these that she is 9 years old, but as tall as most 12 year olds, has Precocious Puberty, and the maturity of a 7 year old.  We can find ourselves in situations that are unsafe or that cause her issues to flare due to lack of supports for her emotional needs.

Example:  trying to explain to a teacher or a coach that she has special needs and needs extra support, they politely nod and mostly seem to ignore you because she looks "typical".  Then she becomes scared (PTSD) and shuts down when they are moving too fast for her (MPD) and she can not understand directions (APD).  Then we end up trying for a few days or weeks to encourage her to process with her limited language skills and bring her back to a point of felt safety.

We have chosen to keep her home a lot and sheltered, but we are going to need to expand to allow her to grow and be challenged.  It is just a learning curve for all of us.  So this summer she wants to try swim lessons and maybe some dance.  We will see how one goes first.  And VBS is always a plus.

Hannah loves to play with stuffed animals and dolls, for hours by herself.

She has really expanded her ability to play with others in the last year and this mamma's heart is thrilled to hear her playing and speaking in a "normal" manner with other kids!!  Yahoo!!!

Hannah has become my number one coupon shopping helper.  She helps sort coupons and find items on the shelf.  She thinks it is fun, unless Caleb is along, then she slips into his mood of 'bored out of your mind' and it is no fun for any of us :/

I thought I would end with a story she told me this morning.

Hannah's life as a grown up. She is going to marry a handsome man that she can kiss.  The will have one 'dotted' (Dalmatian) dog, because all married people get dogs!!   He will work at Walma*t and drive a motorcycle, because all newly married guys drive them.  She will be a stay at home mom and drive a van.  She is going to have 3 kids, 2 'borned' of her tummy and one 'dopted' from China!

Guess she has it all planned out:)

Gotta love the minds of kids.