Just another accomplishment.

Last year in grade two, Kerri started Occupational Therapy for the following:

1. to develop gross motor coordination skills including body awareness and balance skills: complete 10 jumping jacks in a row, and able to catch a tennis ball with both hands 3/5 trials.
2. develop fine motor, in-hand manipulation and pencil grasp skills: be able to translate 4 pennies from her palm to fingertips, rotate a pencil over in her hand, tripod pencil grasp with movement of the pencil coming from the bending and straightening of her fingers.
3. develop visual motor skills: print from left to the right direction, print all letters legibly, from memory, with correct formation; cut accurately on a line while holding the scissors and paper in thumb up position and moving the paper with her right hand and point scissors away from her.
4. increase ease and volume of written output.
5. develop self care skills: manage zippers, buttons and tie shoe laces.

I am so very proud to announce that today, Kerri was discharged from therapy.  She has met all the above goals!  It took a year and a half of therapy for her to learn to do what most kids learn to do naturally.  And thanks to her wonderful therapist Joan, Kerri is now in gymnastics.  She can tie her own shoe laces and zipper her own jacket.  She can write correctly, and hold a pencil correctly.  She still has balance and coordination issues, but she now falls less frequently and is able to play ball and stand without falling over.  And I have not had to fix her glasses in months (no more walking into things!).

I feel the same way I felt when I watched her take her very first steps.  She took a bit longer, but she did it.  She overcame, she persevered, she worked hard, and she CAN do ANYTHING she sets her mind to do.

Life with Kerri is going to celebrate today.  And maybe the rest of this week.  Best Christmas present ever!