Yeah Josephine!

At times Josephine's progress at camp seemed so slow. She started with very little awareness of and ability to move her right hand. But tonight, in the car, she surprised us by pushing a small ball into her right hand and picking up another in her left hand. It's amazing to think her little mind understood what her goals were at camp, and she is now at home working on them independently. I'm so proud of her!
   

 She did this just as we had just stopped by my mom's house. We were sitting in the car, and my mom was saying hi to the girls through the windows.  Instead of interacting, we noticed Josephine was intently looking at her hands.    Next we saw her use her left hand to pry open her right fingers, push a ball into the palm of right hand, then pick up a second ball with her left her hand.  And there she was....holding objects in both hands!  We cheered for her.
 

 Madalyn helps a lot by demonstrating motor skills for Josephine.  I don't know if she learned it from her own therapists, but I think it  just comes natural to her.  Madalyn will use her left hand (affected hand), and make a task look harder than it is for her (i.e. make it look like it did before she mastered the skill).  It's a novel idea and helps Josephine understand how to work her right (affected side). 

Here are more pictures the camp recently posted to Facebook for us:

I love that smile!!

Ball work:  strengthens core muscles and helps with balance.  She has improved tremendously in this area since coming home!

Bilateral work.  She's definitely trying to use both hands!!

I had to do a double check...that is right hand holding the cash register scanner!

What a great toy to strengthen the wrist!