Cutting with scissors

I knew it will take time for my son to snip with scissors and cut straight lines because he has hypotonia; even although, Tommy have always been fine motor driven. Howsoever, my little one keeps exceeding all our expectations because he began to snip on December 9th. But this wasn't just enough for him because he cut his first straight line on December 12th. It seems my boy is accomplishing this milestones in an age appropriate range.

Tommy needs to learn how to hold the paper and cut at the same time. So this will be our next step, but I am so TRILLED he can snip and cut a straight line while I hold the paper. I think it has been different elements or factors may have helped Tommy uses the scissors:

• He has been surround by an environment with activities and toys to strength fine motor skills, even in FREE PLAY.
• He has the appropriate scissors. There are many scissors out there to help toddlers to use them, but there is just a few which may work best with your child.
• He is a great imitator and very observant, which are important skills to learn. He spends time with typical peers during the week and maybe watching them cutting with the scissors has helped him learning how to do it.

Squeeze sicssors by Alex toys

These have been one of the most exciting moments during my roll as a mommy-teacher. I was so ready to work hard with Tommy and he just did it before he turns 3. Tears of joy and thankfulness came to my eyes on December 9th. My son keeps telling with his actions: 'Believe in my potential.'

Enjoy the video of Tommy cutting

with his squeeze scissors this evening

Pre-scissors skills —Stringing and Lacing

My son walked independently

at his 28-month. During the period he struggled to reach one of the most important gross motor milestones, I knew I couldn't take him to see the world on his own feet. But I knew I could bring the world to his hands. Here it is when I understood how important fine motor skills are for a child's development because fine motor skills support cognition, gross motors, communication and self-care skills. Tommy has always been fine motor driven, so I followed his lead. I helped him to strength his fine muscles, which has allowed him to reach fine motor milestones according to his age.

Tommy and I began to work

occasionally

on stringing large beads by the end of June. Since the beginning, Tommy just needed little help to hold the bead while he was stringing the wooden pole through the bead with the other hand. On August 1st, Tommy stringed three beads by himself for the first time. Tommy accomplished the fine motor milestone of stringing three large beads at his 28 months (age-appropriate).

Currently, we are doing this activity in short period of time during the week or when Tommy feels like to because it is not one of his favorite activities. To make this activity more interesting and fun for him, I make the car sounds when we play with the Alex toy stringing large bead set. I created a home-made stringing set that I named 'caterpillar stringing bead set,' so I tell Tommy the caterpillar is going to get him and he likes to imitate with the beads how the caterpillar moves. Tommy is currently able to string large beads, small beads with big and small holes, as well as, strings with different thickness.

Home-made stringing bead set

I also created home made lacing cards to strength Tommy's fine muscles and eye-hand coordination. I searched on-line for printable lacing cards and I found Activity Village. This website has print ready PDF files with cute animal lacing cards and instructions how to make them. He enjoys this activity, which I also use for language development. He has says "Pull" several times when he is pulling the thread through the hole. Because this in activity for older kids, Tommy put the thread through the holes he prefers.

Lacing cards from ActivityVillage.com

Our OT is very happy that Tommy is fine motor driven. She is very pleased with the progress Tommy has made; therefore, she decreased services for Tommy.

Video of Tommy stringing large beads

Video of Tommy saying 'PULL'

Video of Tommy

stringing small beads

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I have a secret to share

I noticed something was going on! My mommy suddenly wasn't doing my therapies as she used to, she seems tired all the time. This is not the way my mommy is. Then, my mommy and my daddy came to my room the other day and they asked me: Are you ready for your little brother or sister? I told them: "No, no, noooo!" they were laughing at me, but my asnwer was honest. After all those years being getting all kind of toys and treats, they are going to tell me I have to share. Of course, it is not that easy!

My mommy and my daddy think I will get jealous (I think so, too). Because I got jealous the other day when my mommy was holding my Godfather's baby girl. My mommy talked to me and she told me something that has made me think.

"Tommy, you will always be loved, even although we will have other baby in the family. This means a lot to mommy, daddy and you. The three of us we will have to help the baby until she or he is able to do all the independent stuffs you do. As a big brother, you will be a role model and everything you do your little sibling will imitate because you will become his or her closest friend."

Being a big bother is not an easy task, but I will do my best. I am planning to teach him or her good stuffs:

• Brake things like my mommy glasses
• Take things out the trash to pretend play
• Smatch the DVD player against the floor
• Open the oven door to climb on the stove
• Get on the dinner table to reach the ceiling lamp
• Roll the toilet paper on me when I am with daddy (It is harder when mammy is in charge).
• Organizing the room in my way and so on.

All these are good stuffs I am good at.

It seems being a big brother will be fun.

This is just going to get better!