GB's Gymnastics

 GB's end of the year gymnastics show was last night. Hope raged before and after the show, but was quiet while it was happening. GB was nervous, excited, and tipped into overwhelmed a couple of times. Her bio-grandparents came and made her night. They cheered, they clapped, and they took pictures. When the show was over, we all went to the chinese buffet for dinner. GB talked as much as she ate. Hope spent  more time looking for trouble than she did eating. When the Dad announced GB was riding with him, Hope went into a rage. I am getting awfully tired of dealing with rages. Hope has very little cause and effect reasoning

and is always shocked when she doesn't get what she wants. The Dad has difficulty dealing with her for more than an hour at a time.

GB will be moving to the highest class her gym has. She was apprehensive, but after the show today, she decided she could keep up with them. Only one of  her NT friends made that class, so next year will be different.

The only thing that remains constant is change. My grandbaby is growing up.

So Much for a Quiet Sunday...

The Dad took GB with him when he took his mom out to IHOP for breakfast this morning. That left Hope (Day 13) with me. Our morning was the same old same old. I lost my therapeutic parenting for a minute, just before lunch. She was screeching (again) about how everybody hates her. I got down to her level and promised/threatened her that if she woke up the baby, she would be sitting in a chair until bedtime. Not quite up to the empty threats I heard as a child, but a shocked look passed over Hope's face and she stopped.

This afternoon, the four of us went to look at a special needs sleep away camp for GB. The first thing that caught GB's eye were the brightly painted rocks scattered throughout the camp. They each had a camper's hometown, how far away it was, and an arrow indicating direction on them. Among GB's favorites were Tel Aviv, Israel (yellow), Austin, Texas (bright blue), and Chicago, Illinois (orange). The cabin we saw had a bright purple bookshelf that GB immediately claimed as her own. The camp had a miniature golf course, a stand on see saw, a very large pool, a stage she danced on with Hope, swings, slides, 3 climbing structures, a large creek, a separate arts and craft building, and a patio for barbecuing. GB loved it. I saw no red flags and the Dad seemed to like it. If we can stabilize GB, the camp looks like a real possibility. The director interacted well with GB and seemed to think it would be a good experience for her. There was no sales pitch and we spent most of the time talking about GB's likes, dislikes and needs.

If we had gone home after touring the camp, I think we would have been OK. We didn't. We stopped to buy Easter dresses, then went for ice cream. I will leave the rest to your imagination.

GB's Small World Grows a Little Bigger (For the Moment)

I complained to the shrink that Geodon was holding GB in during the day, but by 5 o'clock she was really struggling. He added another 20 mg of Geodon at four o'clock. Things are better. I still can't wait for the new shrink in March so we can try the next generation of Risperdal.

A boy from GB's class called yesterday and invited her over for a play date today. He lives one block from the school and his mother will meet them at school and walk them to his house. It has been months since I let her go on a play date and she is equally excited about having a friend and spending an hour and a half after school without Hope. Our world is pretty small at this point.

I am pleased she is so excited and proud of myself for agreeing to it. I tend to err to the side of keeping the world small for them, so they can manage, but sometimes you have to let them enlarge their world a little bit to see if they are ready for it. It is such a balancing act.