Recognizing which picture matches the other

I randomly decided to work on matching pictures with her, (Aliyah's teacher- Ms.Donna Russo made this activity) last time we did this together -I am going to guess- was around September 2013… Back then she was not ready to do this type of activity but to my surprise she did the following! watchhhhh below! ( btw she is whining a bit because I asked her to do the same activity 7 times in a row, and be warned I shout a loud "YEYYYYY!!!" ) Have to praise her!!! They have this folder in her classroom so maybe she has been practicing all this time and I am just learning about her new acquired skill!! 

Inside the vanilla folder, with velcro matching pictures

I wanted to work more on picture matching skills… so I took "see and learn-language and reading" material from down syndrome education usa. My friend Maria gave it to me to use with Aliyah in early 2013. I was sad my daughter could not understand the matching picture concept back then, but understood it was just not time for this type of activity. I will have to wait until Aliyah is ready! and behold… now she is!!! :)

I started to laminate the "already" cut-out matching pictures. On the back of each picture was the word spelled out of the picture displayed. 

I inserted the "matching worksheet" into a shop Ticket holder that can also be known as a Reusable Dry Erase Pocket. After I velcro each individual picture, I only had to velcro ONE "dry erase pocket" to use for the worksheets. When I want to use another worksheet with different set of pictures I simply remove and slip in to replace, not needing to velcro each worksheet. 

Now Aliyah has a good chunk of matching sets to work on!!!!! Will post a video on her update. They are new real life pictures, she is accustom to seeing computer generated pictures, they may be some struggle but she will get the hang of tho. Eventually I will increase it from a field of four to six and so on…. 

Recently came back from Basic Military Training (BMT)!

My absence in blogging was due to joining the U.S. Air Force…. the whole BMT experience is another story which I won't get into. But what I do want to share is how difficult it was for me to be away from my children, especially Aliyah. My mother took care of them during my training. Therapies were still running, well sort of…. Yes, when I found out my insurance wasn't paying for services, which caused most of Aliyah's services to be postponed I panicked, to say the very least. I was ready to call it quits! "F* that, can't take this, my child needs me, I want out" ----- luckily my MTI (Military Training Instructor) allowed me to make phone calls to the insurance company and anyone else I needed to call in order to get Aliyah's services promptly resumed…. :)

Aliyah with her biggest FAN!!! Me! 

Overall BMT did do a lot of good for me, it made me believe I am strong… gave me that reassurance I can fight against anything… and made me feel closer to God. I was alone.. and he was the one I confided in… In the past I believed in him, but never developed a "relationship". It may sound weird to some or many, but the reason I am stronger is because I share all of my "grief", anger, sadness, feeling of isolation, anything negative with him, and truly believe under his path that he has designed for me everything will be just fine… allowing me to breathe without any heartaches, without any tears, and without any fears. It is a wonderful feeling….. a sense of security. My previous blog entry I was experiencing a meltdown. Yes, financial reasons can get anyone there, but add "special needs child" to the melt down… one word….defeated……. I am still facing those financial hardships but am getting 80% of it reimbursed, and should be getting 100% of it reimbursed after I meet my yearly catastrophic cap! I recently (mid January 2014) submitted the same paperwork (that I submitted in Sept2013) and got a difference response this time around, an APPROVAL FOR REIMBURSEMENT! I was NOT expecting that… I didn't even want to ask the insurance company why they changed their minds!!!

I know I can get very emotional, but with faith of a better tomorrow, everything will be "steady"… not hectic as many of us tend to imagine. I want to be a better me, a calmer, relaxed me so that I can make the right choices. Sometimes letting the "mama bear" version of me tends to burn bridges… bridges that I may need one day.

Aliyah is a happy child…My job is to maintain that happiness…. that smile... Aliyah does not know hate, she does not know deceit… heartache..sorrow… Aliyah will have an AMAZING LIFE! :)

Aliyah with her father, getting ready to have a feast!

Aliyah dancing with her Grandpa.

ALiyah adores her little brother, and Bruce protects his little sister, they have a beautiful bond. 

Enjoying the Beach ride.