Moving Up the Hill

Ok, where do I start. Ummmmmmmm. Life like usual in the Stafford house is busy. Not out of control busy, just busy. The kids have finally finished their sports, Jessica softball and Jack flag football. School is almost out for all three kids. They are all doing great in school. We all can't wait for summer. We have a lot going on over summertime and we are very excited about it.

Joey is doing awesome. I have heard from a few of Joeys therapist, teachers and relatives that they noticed Joey on the up. Over the last couple months, Joey has really made great improvements. Yesterday at PT, Joey was really putting weight through his arms when side sitting. We would say to Joey when his arm started to collapse "push up with your arm Joe, push up" and holy cow, he did. He did this for about 10 mins. it was awesome. He then did this when he was in crawling position. He is finally starting to feel his arms. The connection in his brain is firing again. YEAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH! 

Joey also began Behavioral Therapy. Not that Joey has behavioral issues. It's more like OT & ST when working with Joey. They take him on the swing and for walks and play with his toys and read books and they also feed him his lunch. They are working on getting him to talk more. To ask for things and to anticipate things. He is doing great with this. When his therapist walks in the door and after they greet each other, Joey starts saying  "I go, I go, I go", he wants to go outside and play on the swing. He will also vocalize when he wants more food during lunch time. The other amazing thing that has been happening is the use of his arms. When he plays with his piano, the therapist will ask Joey to touch a perticular part of the piano or just have him reach for the piano and he is doing it. He does it all the time ,everytime he is asked.

Joey has increased his vocabulary greatly. He says:

I love you

I'm Joey

I'm Joe

I go

I don't know

Hello 

Hi

Yeah

These are the words he says all the time. They are not always very clear, actually only us and others that see him all the time could probably understand him.

Oh Yeah, I almost forgot. His eyesight is getting better he is starting to see the expressions on our faces. You have to get close and it can take up to 5 minutes for him to focus on you, but he does.

Ok, I think thats about it. Joey is very busy healing and we are very busy helping him heal. 

For those of you that live in Simi, the HUGS Foundation for near drowning kids is having their annual fundraiser on Wednesday May 20th. It is at Pauls Italian Villa. If you are interested please let me know.

Blessing to all.

Sorry Girls, I Only Date Models

Just wanted to share a cute shirt I got for Joey.  Also today he had his Behavioral therapy session. The therapist had him sitting and playing with his toys. One of the toys was a pad that you could hit different buttons to have a pig, chick or cow sing a song. We ask Joey to hit the cow and he did and every time we ask him to do it, he did. He would lift his arm and hand from his side and hit the button, he would then put  his arm back down to his side. I have never seen Joey do this before. It was so awesome.

You go Joey!

Spring Break

Wow, spring break has already come and gone. During spring break, the family split and went different directions. My mom took me and my older two kids to Maui for a week. It was great fun. My older kids Jessica 11 and Jack 9 got along great. I didn't want to leave just for that  reason. It was a very nice relaxing vacation. Thank you so much mom.

As for Joey, he stayed home with a few different people. Daddy had to work, so he only had him on the weekend. My babysitter and her mom watched him a couple days, my stepmom also had him a couple days and my mother-in-law took him a couple days. Thank you to everyone that took care of Joey. He couldn't have been in better hands.

Even though Joey was very well taken care of, he was not a happy camper when I got home. He wouldn't let me leave the room for a second without him screaming. His body was very stiff and he didn't have a bowel movement for a few days. He is beginning to get back on track now. He went to school yesterday and had a great time. Boy was he tired. Then he had therapy for two hours after and knocked out for an hour nap when it was all over.

A couple weeks ago Joey got approved for behavioral therapy. The therapist come to the house Mon., Wed., and Fri. for two hours to play with him. He is really talking a lot more due to this therapy. He is continuing to go to the NAPA Center for traditional and neuro suit therapy twice a week also.

We are now getting ready for our next therapy endeavor. We leave for China on August 6th. Can't wait.

God Bless all

Joey's on a roll................literately!

WOW! Joey is really adding more words to his vocabulary now. He now says Thank You! 

He is also starting to roll more. For a long time he has been able to roll from his tummy to his back. Although he only really does this when he is frustrated. He has now finally started to roll from his back to his tummy. He is doing this a couple times a day now. 

Joey continues to amaze us. GO JOEY! GO.

Whatever it takes, no matter what!

Just a Cute Picture.

Joey walking in a new walker at Neuro Suit Therapy.

Hello, I Love You!

This is what Joey said to his Daddy yesterday. He said it all in one sentence. 

Boy is his talking improving so much. YEAH JOEY!

Boy are We Keeping Busy.

Yep, we are always busy.  Between work and taking the older kids to Softball and Flag Football, it is never ending. Starting on March 23rd Joey will begin a 2 week intensive suit therapy session. For those of you who don't know what that is, Joey will be doing 4 hours of therapy a day. The center is 1 hour away. It is a very tiring session for him and I. You can read more about it under his therapy section. 

As for Joey, he has been talking a lot and moving a lot. He is eating and drinking great. He has also been walking in his gait trainer at school a lot and has been doing great. He is also growing like a weed. he never stops amazing us.

Update on our China SCT trip, we are confirmed on our trip to China. The deposit has been sent and the airline tickets have been purchased. I have been taking notes on info about the China trip from other parents that have gone. So if anyone has any tips or info to offer up, I would love to hear it.

Last but not least, I would like to thank some people that have donated to Joey for our China trip and his other therapies. Thank you to our temple CBE, our friends and all those friends that we have never meet, thank you to Chatsworth Karate for including Joey in their fundraiser and most important, thank you to my Family. Without my wonderful family many of his therapies would not have been possible. I love you all.