As this week has progressed, we have been reassured that Job's clingy, fussiness is at least mostly due to his developmental frustrations. He seems to be experiencing a great deal of separation anxiety and bit earlier and more intensely than our other kids. Job is also extremely irritated with his lack of mobility. We've been working especially hard this week on our various exercises and he seems to be even more motivated than usual.
I often say how grateful I am for the many people on Job's team, but this week in particular I am so thankful for his therapist through the birth to three program (essentially special education, through the school district). Janet comes to us twice a month and works with Job, particularly focusing on helping me help Job with his social/emotional/cognitive developmental needs. She's also a pediatric nurse at Mary Bridge and her dual qualifications have been a special blessing to us (like this week, when I begged her to assure me Job wasn't in fact sick!
😜)So much of what babies do and communicate to show where they are at mentally and emotionally is expressed through their gross motor skills. So, especially at first, it was hard for me to differentiate between what we did with Janet and what we would do in PT - but the older Job gets, the more stark the difference is! Certainly there is overlap, but I am so glad we are receiving both services.
It was just so good to sit with someone and show her what Job was doing and how he was responding to what I was doing and to talk through strategies to help him cope with his frustrations. It's not even that what Janet suggested was new information, but I struggle to know when Job needs what, and her suggestions were so helpful.
He has been a much happier guy the rest of this week, but I'm getting a bit impatient for him to increase his mobility as I know that will make him even happier!
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