How time flies!

It's hard to believe that another two months has gone by! Summer, along with all its "busyness", has been replaced by a different kind of busyness- school! CIP school ended up being a wonderful experience for Ziva and we are so glad that we had the opportunity to have in "summer school". Ziva is now going to nursery school 5 days a week (from 8 to 4). Although she is old enough for JK, developmentally, she is not ready for that yet. So another year of nursery school it is. Her teachers have been telling us that she is doing great! Because it's her second year, she is familar and confident with the routines and procedures; she is also sitting for circle time and doesn't run around anymore. Yeah! The teachers (with guidance from the many professionals we have working with Ziva) have embraced the use of visuals for Ziva which help her to communicate and focus on tasks.

There hasn't been much improvment with Ziva's speech lately and we actually feel her progress is at a bit of a standstill. Although she can say many words, she still is unable to use them spontaneously. It is also taking her a long time to learn those last 8 consonant sounds. So we just keep repeating and repeating and repeating...

Recently, she learned how to say "excuse me" (not perfectly, of course, but we know what she is saying) and she likes using it whenever she can. She always has this look of pride on her face when she burps or toots because it gives her the opportunity to say "excuse me!" It's too cute.

She continues to be a very thoughtful and generous child. Her latest thing is when you sneeze- she'll run from where ever she is in the house to the bathroom, get you a Kleenex, bring it to you, and say. "Big sneeze!".

In early September, we had an appointment at the FASD (Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder)Clinic on Toronto. Although we don't have our next appointment until March, we are glad that they decided Ziva was a candidate for the assessment. We are not sure what we will find out, if anything, but we figure it won't hurt. If we could get some answers as to her language delay, it would give us some peace.

Ziva just couldn't get enough of the pool this summer. And as you can see in the photo, she will stick her whole face in the water! She is our brave girl! This Saturday she starts swimming lessons which we know she will absolutely love.
We dug the trike out in the spring and were happy to see that she could reach the pedals this year! For the next few months, we tried and tried to teach her how to trike without any success. We thought she'd never learn...and then at the beginning of August, she finally got the hang of it! Now she's a triking fool!

We took a day trip to Wasaga Beach in August...Ziva was in her glory in the "big water", as she called it.

Hanging out on the back deck.

Ziva really enjoys table toys...pegs, puzzles, lacing, beads...but she loves her baby too!

First day of school.

Ziva's first visit to a fall fair. She went on the ferris wheel with Daddy...

and the merry-go-round with Mommy. She doesn't look very happy on either ride...I think she was too stunned to have any other expression!

All wrapped up after a bath. Perhaps a visit to a spa is in her future?