So proud

Krassi wowed me tonight with this:

I realize it's a little hard to see in the photo, but that's HIS OWN hand holding the bear cup for drinking!!! We'd been playing/working for a few minutes with a trial augmented speech device for him that is either touch activated OR eye-gaze activated, and are beginning with a field of two choices, both intended to be rewarding to build the cause and effect in his mind. Tonight's options were drink and jello. I was anticipating jello every time, but after the first bite, he told me drink (with his hand). So I gave him the drink, not sure if that's what he really wanted, and not only did he drink it, but he took it from me and tried to put it back in by himself when I was done!

He needed a bit of guidance from me, but he DID IT!!!

Doesn't he look like such a big boy taking care of feeding himself!

It's a major deal for a boy who came home four years ago channeling all of his angst and anxiety and anger into his mealtimes. Just getting him to accept being fed without a major breakdown was a big deal at the beginning. The last months have moved to a much wider variety of textures, including larger soft chunks of things in his food that he's able to chew and manage safely with his tongue. Seeing him giving himself a drink tonight was pretty delightful. Even his older sister was excited and proud of him!

[As a side note there, one thing I've admired about Bogomila is that from the start, she has an intense loyalty to her family. Yes, there are some who annoy her more than others, but she has a definite sense of solidarity with her brothers and sisters, and seems to have a unique connection and almost sense of camaraderie with Krassimir and Mira because of the shared elements of their history, and her sensitivity toward them, and her ability to see them as precious persons with feelings and rights and value is really beautiful.]