It seems my current challenge is with Vera.  When it comes to clothing and food she changes with the wind and is never happy. None of her clothes fit right, something about each of them bothers her.  A pair of shoes she wore yesterday have a problem that makes them un-wearable today.  The same applies to food.  She used to love fruit and now she doesn’t like any of it.  The bread sticks from Papa Johns which was the only thing she would eat a week ago, she doesn’t like today.  She wants a bologna sandwich for dinner but once it is prepared and ready for her, she doesn’t “like” it.  

She has pretty much stopped wearing pajama shirts and will only wear t shirts with her pajama bottoms.  But they have to be the right color.  Last night it was blue.  I am having a similar challenge with swim suits.  She doesn’t want a one piece and according to her none of the bikini tops fit right (they are really fine).  So when she is playing in the water in the back yard I have let her wear a t shirt instead.  I have just realized that this is going to back-fire on me since she has a water day at school and they want to go to the beach.  So now, I get to face the impending melt down over the fact that she needs to wear a full swim suit for those events.  Hmmm.  Do you have those days when you feel like you can’t win?

I have to say, I am about ready to let her wear shorts, t-shirt and flip-flops everywhere she goes, with yogurt for every meal.  I guess the good news is that the summer break is two weeks away, so the clothing may be appropriate (though I am sure once she is allowed to wear them the will start bothering her).  I guess I have to keep working on the food.  Not sure what a diet of just yogurt would do to her.  But I probably wouldn’t be happy with the results.

It is with mixed emotions that I have accepted the “graduation” of the girls from behavioral therapy.  I am very proud of the work all three of us have done.  We have all come a long way in the last few years and I can say with confidence that we have moved from a family struggling to manage to being in a pretty comfortable place.  While the girls still do have their challenges and they are still kids (with everything that comes with that), we have a lot more tools for dealing with the things that come up.  I still get stressed out (guess I wouldn’t be human if I didn’t) and they can drive me crazy with the best of them.  But on a day to day basis we all get along pretty well.  So wish us luck as we take on our adventures kid therapy free.

None of this would have been possible without the most amazing therapist in the world!  Thank you RH!  We love you!!  Best of luck in your future endeavors!