Its a Tuesday

Cora will start speech therapy soon.  The Early On physical and occupational therapists feel she is ready for this part of her Early On program.  She is very verbal, often mimicing sounds and facial expressions that you make while talking with her.

It is sometimes funny to watch Cora try and make the same mouth shape that you are making.  She will go through a whole process of different shapes and finally get the right one.  Cora will clap with joy at finally getting the right sound or shape and then go right back to doing it and clapping for herself each time she feels she gets it right.

I'd like to think that I taught her that strong will to keep at it until the goal is achieved.  I'd like to think that I taught her to be her own champion, her own cheerleader.  I'd really like to believe that.  But somehow, I feel that this is a blessing she was given by Creator and I can only enhance that hidden knowledge. 

We are all born with this knowledge, some of us just lose it along the road we travel in life.  We become less our own cheerleaders and even less a cheerleader for those around us.  We start to become judgemental and tainted in our thoughts and actions.  We forget to laugh and clap with joy at our accomplishments.

Cora is able to laugh at herself and clap with such an open and heartfelt joy.  She sees nothing wrong in congratulating herself for a job well done.  She will smile and encourage those of us that live with her when we are struggling with fixing something, or cleaning the house.  She watches our faces all the time and our body for cues to our emotions.  When we get done with our task and smile or relax it is not unusual to hear a scream of delight and clapping hands from the silent observer who is only 29  inches tall.  If our head is bent down and we seem sad she will lean forward, put her hands on my chest and tilt her head until look she can look up at me.  She will say a few babbles and then give me the biggest smile.  She is her own cheerleader as well as for those she loves.

Today, when I get done vacuuming and doing dishes I am going to clap for myself.  I will clap with gratitude that those household chores are done.  I have learned that even the slightest try, the smallest accomplishments deserve to be rewarded.  Especially if they get the Cora approved clap!!