The Falling Down Show
Zoë has a show she finds hilarious (the adults don't like the show, but if it comes on and nobody changes the channel, we sometimes let Zoë watch it). She calls it "The Falling Down Show". It's actually Australia's Funniest Home Videos, but you have to admit, "The Falling Down Show" is a pretty good name for it (and yes, it's exactly like America's Funniest Home Videos and probably every other "funniest home videos" show in the world).
Smart little cookie
Zoë is developing in leaps and bounds, as I've said. Her communication is just completely blossoming, it's wonderful to behold.
She's really gotten into doing the word find puzzles we make for her. It's about time to start putting the words in vertically (we've only done horizontal until now). I'm sure she'll work it out, she's a smart little kid.
Tonight she looked at the wall calender and announed, "May is all finished." She wanted us to turn the calender!
She also announced that on Friday we're going to McDonald's. As it happens, Friday is a day off for her (staff development or some such), and I just told her that it's a holiday because she understands that term. Apparently, on holidays we go to McDonald's, as she was very insistent about it. In fact, she was drinking from a T.G.I.Friday's cup and she picked it up and pointed to the word and said, "On FRIDAY. Friday we go to McDonald's. Friday." I may just take them to McDonald's after a brilliant display such as that.
Another amusing story is that tonight Zoë's dad was playing the silly old "coin in your ear" game with Miranda. Miranda, being clever but four years old, seemed a bit mystified by it, but enjoyed the game. Zoë observed it a couple of times and then said, "Give me coin," and held out her hand. Dad gave her the coin. Zoë looked at his ear and tugged on it and said, "Oh, what's that? It's a coin!" and held up the coin. She worked it out that quickly and that easily as to what the trick was, and promplty played along.
Her whole demeanor is so much improved now that she can communicate more effectively. She still has her bad days when she's just cranky and difficult, but for the most part, she's a happy, bright, cheerful little kid these days.
When I think back on the terror that she was at the age of three or so... the transformation is nearly miraculous. I used to worry a lot about her. I used see setbacks and I'd get very upset and fearful. These days, I'm infinitely less worried about her. She'll certainly continue to need special education and therapy (speech, occupational, etc.; we do not go for any sort of invasive "treatment" whatsoever, unless you consider iron and vitamin supplements to be invasive), but I have every confidence that she'll certainly be able to live independently, she may settle down with a longterm partner, she mgiht go to university, she might take up an apprenticeship or a trade, but no matter what she does, I'm no longer worried that she won't be able to care for herself or manage her life. She'll almost certainly always be eccentric and almost certainly a geek girl, but hey, welcome to the family...
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