summer stuff

After VBS ended we continued with a flurry of summer activities.

Father's Day. It was quite a feat getting Luke to pose for a photo with "just boys." That boy has always loved the ladies. Finally got him to display his Father's Day painting we did.

For the past two weeks Luke has been in Buddy Club at the clinic where he does OT. I'd really hoped to work on some his most problematic social issues, especially latching on to one friend and copying her every move. Buddy Club was not cheap, but worth every penny if it could help.

Well things didn't go according to plan. Luke did not like Buddy Club at all. He did not bond with any children in the class, and he cried most days when he had to go. Lamar or I ended up sitting at the door of Buddy Club just to keep him from leaving the room. He had a tummy ache and tears most days.

I was glad to hear last Wednesday's topic--being a good sport. Luke definitely needs to work on this. After Wednesday's session the therapist said, "I think Luke could teach that class. He knows all the answers about what to do and say when you don't win or can't go first." Sigh.

Buddy Club was very well done. The environment just didn't provide a chance to work on what I deemed our priorities. It did give many opportunities to work through anxiety with a team of professionals there to assist him. And perhaps anxiety is still a much bigger issue than I realized. I wonder if anxiety is driving force behind some of his other social behaviors. Perhaps copying a friend is a coping strategy.



Here's a kind of cute, kind of creepy craft from Buddy Club.

Luke is having 2 private OT sessions each week this summer. He's working a lot on handwriting. I thought the tape on the glass door with the dry erase markers was pretty brilliant. This was a part of a obstacle course. Luke LOVES an obstacle course.

Last week Luke started swimming lessons. I didn't mean to schedule swimming lessons the same week as Buddy Club, but it was kind of unavoidable due to VBS, travel, and some schedule changes.

The Vanderbilt Swim School had been recommended by several friends. I called and explained our situation and they were very supportive and understanding. So I signed him up and hoped for the best.

He was a little nervous the first day, but lined up with his class and marched to the pool.

Blurry, but I can see the enthusiasm.

His first time out with the instructor. He's made a lot of progress since this photo and is now floating on his back.

After completing his first class. Big success!


After a few lessons here his is "swimming" with his face in the water.

It's a little hike from the parking lot to the pool. (Parking at Vandy is so fun.) But Luke marches with enthusiasm to the indoor pool. He's so glad the pool is inside so that no birds can fly into the pool. The bird phobia is a new one. Luke quickly closes any door to the outside (cars, home, garage) for fear a bird might fly inside. Good thing he doesn't know about the time we had birds in the dryer vent.

Luke has also kind of fallen in love with Vanderbilt this week. He's begging us to join the rec center so he can go play table tennis, racquetball, basketball, and any other activity we pass on the way to the pool. And we pass the football practice field on our walk to the pool. One day Lamar returned a couple of footballs that had come over the fence and some players yelled "thank you." Luke was thrilled. I'm not sure how well Luke will do as a Vandy fan. He really likes for his team to win. And one day we saw the team doing some sort of running in the sand volleyball court, without shirts on. Luke was fascinated by the activity and the clothing.





All smiles after another fun swimming day of swimming. Check out the hip pose there.

We're enjoying the summer, even if it doesn't always go like quite like I planned. I'm enjoying lots of time with my boy. Many, many hours with him right by my side. Sigh. But I know I'll miss him when school starts in August.