Feeling the love

Hey, guys, thanks for the comments and personal e-mails y'all sent from the last post. We so love hearing from you, any way you feel like responding.

A few people have asked what they can do to help. I'm not really sure. We're still learning what works and what doesn't, too. This whole process, though, has made me much more patient, both with V and with other people's children. I used to be one of those annoying judge-y people when I saw a kid having a fit and the parents were reacting in a way I thought was wrong. I know now that "wrong" is so relative. When she has a meltdown, sometimes it helps V the most to be spoken to in whispers, so she can focus on what we're saying. Othertimes it's just a matter of getting out the door as fast as we can. And still other times, a stern "Stop" seems to provie the jolt she needs to come out of her rut. So what you can do most, I guess, is be patient with her and us, and know that she is not necessarily being naughty, but is overwhelmed. As are we...

Oh, and understand if we turn down invitations to plays or large-venue events, at least for a little while. The more notice we get for any kind of socializing, the better (though please don't stop inviting us).

In person, V's just like any other 3 year old. She obsesses over some things, loves to eat, dance, and tell made up jokes. When you see her, you won't notice she's got any kind of issue, in all likelihood. Unless the sun's out, or she's tired, or a motorcycle drives by.

In other news, today, we're thinking of making some homemade playdough. Anyone have a favorite recipe to recommend? I did a preliminary online search and found about 200 different ones: sheesh!