Feb 21, 23
Stephen suck his pillow a lot, when I take away he will cry. Most of the time we were at “war”. I try to put him to “horse sit” on my shoulders and do the usually songs and he enjoyed it very much with laughter. I stood in front the full length mirror and that helps to obtain eye contact most of the time. If you ladies like to try, pls take care of your back. Stephen is quite heavy. Taking away things from him may not be the best solution over long term, any suggestion?

One of the days he also engaged in soccer with us in the kitchen which went on for a while. His kicking skill look great and as the Occupation Therapy told us, he is quite on par in term of gross motor skill. Fine motor skills looks quite ok too as he is able to nimbler small thing. But must work on writing skill (holding pen).

Invited Stephen to stack blocks with me and he responded. Was able to take turns too. Of course will also destroy after building.

One of the day when he was watching TV, I told him to wear shoe (as we were going out) he responded immediately. Then he run out of the house, I said “come here” and he responded. When I said “go out” he also responded. In all these speech, I deliberately did no gestures to see if he understood what I was saying and I think he did. When we were in the car, I told him to “sit straight” and he responded too.

Let’s look forward to more of these.

Feb 24, Friday
Today I brought Stephen to the play ground at Tai Kang garden after sending Deborah to school (his second time there but this time the intention is to see if that place can be used as a outdoor intervention ground as it is quite in the morning). I got some very good observation of Stephen’s improvement (pray that it will be more consistences along the way).

He enjoyed swinging with me on the swing. I just kept saying “swing” but he has yet to request by words. When I stop, I will say “stop” so that he will know that the word “stop” has an action respond. He did however use gesture to indication his interest. He pulls my both feet up.
We also tried the see-saw. After a few up and down’s, he was actually requesting by saying “up”. He should have already known the meaning of this word as we very often use it in physically plays. I am waiting for the time that he will say "down”.

There is also a spinner that go round and round. This time he actually enjoyed it without fear. The last time he was much afraid. He walked, lie, and kneel on it while I push it round. He also tried to push it round and round.

At a number of occasions when I took picture with the mobile camera, he actually heard the “clicking” sound and responded by coming to see the pictures. (He is hearing and knows if he wants to respond).

At one instance when he was jumping from the wooden plank to the ground, I sang the “if you are happy and you know song just to see if he will notice and he did at the “hooray”. He jumped and “hooray” at the same time.

One other imp achievement is he is now very much able to drink from a water bottle. ie without putting the whole opening into his mouth. You guys know what I mean? I wanted to verify and let him try a few times and he managed well.

We also went to the gym area. He was able to walk on and thru the low beam without demonstration what to do. Later I initiated by walking on it and he actually imitated me. I think this is part of imitation described in the “hannan program”.

I also ask Stephen to do catching with me and he gladly responded for all the request made. Interesting part was I only started running away when he responded to the request to catch me and he gladly give chase.

At times when he wanted to drink and eat, he sat down on the bench and he also imitated by sitting down. He often will just stand there to wait.
There was once when we were far from the “spinner” I told him to go to the spinner and he went very close to it and looked back as if to get an acknowledgement that that’s the right one. When I nodded my head, he went up immediately.

At the see-saw, he was also pushing the lower side up than climbed up at half point (lowest part of see-saw at any one time) to walk to make the same side to come down. He did it quite a few times before I realised what he is trying to do.

It was a good day. Of course along side was the eye contacts and “words” said when songs are sang. I think songs are really doing a lot in helping him learn words. So much so that the last one week, he has been requesting us to play song one after another. Soon we will have to keep the CDs too. I will be trying more at this play ground (think the fitness equipment and new and the kink that will help in sensory integration and the next time bring along some equipments like ball and physically games stuff to see if I could get more responses. I don’t know if these responses imply any imp in professional sense but to me, some good steps in social play, imagination and understanding.