Dana has learned two BIG new things this past week.
First of all, she has learned to communicate a totally abstract idea---being scared. And because she has learned to communicate feeling scared, she has learned to control the meltdowns that were previously associated with that feeling.
Thank you, fireworks, for helping my daughter learn how to communicate her feelings and how to keep those feelings in check.
This week, our neighbors hung up their guns that they have been shooting and started shooting fireworks instead. Dana crawled into my lap and said "Dana scared." I asked her what she was scared of. She said, "Dana scared of fireworks." BINGO. That's all she needed. She told me what she was feeling, I told her that I could hold her and that she didn't have to worry, and that's all she needed to hear. She sat outside with us with a fire going on the porch and listening to fireworks going on around us. She cuddled and held tight, but she didn't whine or fuss, I knew that she was scared of the fireworks, but she knew that she was safe.
Two days later, she and I were out and she told me as I was helping her into the car, "Dana is scared of cars, lights, ta-guns, fireworks, and ------ the dishwasher."
First of all, Dana isn't really scared of cars. Dana IS scared of guns. We went to watch Cars 2 at the Drive-In recently, and some of the cars had guns. So Dana is really scared of cars--with guns. Lights, hmmm, probably when they are related to fireworks. Ta-guns--Yes, very. And I don't know where the 'Ta' came into being. Fireworks, yes. Dishwasher? Oh yes, one night this week, Tommy was loading the dishwasher, and it just so happened that the moment he pushed the button to start it, a firework went off nearby. Dana asked "what was that?" and Tommy replied, "the dishwasher." So she's not really scared of the dishwasher, just by coincidence.
The second big breakthrough we have had in the feeling/abstract area is the "I want." Dana has been very vocal lately about "I want," but has learned how to use it more correctly just in the last few days. Just tonight, I told her that it was bathtime. She said, "I don't want to take a bath. In a few minutes." I said, "okay, five minutes." Wait, was that a conversation I just had with my daughter that didn't have anything to do with a movie script? Amazing.
In the last few weeks, Dana has also made great leaps and bounds into self-help. Making her own breakfast, dressing herself, helping around the house, and other normal pre-school age appropriate activities sparking a sense of individuality and self-awareness. She has also learned to ask for help before getting worked into a meltdown. I hear "Mommy, help!" and I know that that means that she has come to her limitations in the task at hand. She won't ask for help unless she really needs it.
Wait, is that me that is coming out in her? Amazing.
