Something new

Actually, two new things. Yesterday Dom blew bubbles for the first time. He was really excited and would just laugh and laugh every time he made some bubbles. It's still not easy for him, so he didn't get bubbles each time he tried, but he is getting better.

Also, when we're reading to him and pause for a moment, he'll fill in the next word. Obviously, it has to be a book he knows really well. He had done this first early last week with "Five Silly Monkeys," and I meant to tell Monica on Wednesday but forgot. Several weeks earlier, she was reading the book with him and paused before saying "bed" each time to encourage Dominick to jump in. Of course, he didn't do it at the time. I was really thrilled when last week he did. Now he does the same thing with several books and even says words that he hasn't used previously.

On the downside, Dominick has become upset around other people, the way he was last fall. He'll cling and climb all over me trying to protect himself, so to speak, and he's really too heavy for that right now! My clothes usually end up covered with tears and mucous. It's bad enough just being around other people (in close proximity only--he's fine in stores), but if anyone dares to laugh, he freaks out. This happened when we met friends at the airport last Tuesday, with family in Joplin over the weekend and at playgroup today. I had thought we were over this, so to see it happening again is very distressing. When the new occupational therapist comes tomorrow, I'll have to ask her what she thinks.