Mental Health Day

This morning, I drove out to Minnetonka once again to visit our favorite developmental pediatrician....this time with my other daughter, Melissa. One of the perks of a husband who is a pediatrician, is the access to the best docs around. This doctor is so wonderful. She always spends plenty of time with the girls (sometimes 1-1/2 hours!), listens intently to everything we have to say, and is so smart. She makes appropriate recommendations and seems to always be right on the mark with diagnosis and therapies. She really grasps the whole picture very well. This is a very good thing, as I currently find myself quite overwhelmed with the things both girls need.

Melissa did great...she did an amazing job explaining the online Webkinz game to the doctor in great detail. This came about because Melissa had brought her entire box of 13 Webkinz along with us to the office, and proceeded to arrange them in alphabetical order on the table with seemingly effortless speed. Her strengths are so great and easy to see...if only they could help and expand over her present social weakness that brings her so much sadness. The doctor recommended finding a therapeutic friends group for the summer and restarting OT after a formal eval. She agreed that the school should really be picking up some of this slack and that it is ridiculous that Melissa is not getting real OT services in the classroom any longer. She is referring us to a special OT in Maple Grove who is a no-nonsense go-getter who will help us get the services we need.

Melissa and I spent the rest of the day together and had a great day. After a trip to Costco with lunch, we went over to the kid's salon and Melissa got her hair trimmed. It was such a slow day for the stylist, so she practically begged us to stay so that she could put french braids in Melissa's hair. That did not take much arm twisting....my daughter LOVES braids, but is not blessed with a mother who can do them very well. She gave her new look the highest of 7 year old praise, "It's awesome!" She was so smiley and happy, feeling very special indeed.

We made it home just before the other kids came back from school. After a quick snack, Laura and Thomas settled into the wagon, and we descended the steep hill next to our house, leading us to the park at the bottom. It was such a nice day, and with the impending return of winter forecasted for tomorrow, we had no excuse but to get ourselves outside TODAY. The kids had a blast. Laura can manage all the equipment this year with ease, the boys played a tag game, "Black Cherry" with the neighbors, and Melissa was busy excavating, finding numerous "dinosaur bones" and naming each one. Thomas loved the freedom to scoot around on the vast expanse of open pebble turf. He seriously did not stop moving for the entire hour we were at the park...I have never seen him work so hard...this was bliss for him! He also did a good job listening to the few "no!"'s from me when an occasional pebble would stray towards his mouth. He always stopped, dropped the tiny rock, and then clapped for himself to celebrate a listening job well done. He is so cute!

What a nice time....lots of appreciation for what we have going on today: our family, health, strengths, smiles, home, happiness, and sunshine. All things important to stock up on, and the perfect ingredients for a successful mental health day break.