Notes from my last consultation with Megan on Feb 3rd

I talked to Megan last week. I told her that Liam was really focused on people drawing to him. Here is what Megan said:

1) If Liam wakes up at 5:30am and the first thing he asks for is a marker for me to draw, that really means that he needs the drawing for whatever reason it is. It may feel safe for him. It is predictable. He is in control. It feels good. He is taking care of himself. He likes the visual stimulation. For whatever reason it is, he wants us to share the drawing with him, so Megan said to do whatever he wants us to do. She reminded me that he will be flexible again and then we can try variations and new games, but she said that when he looks inflexible, we should not fight it, but embrace it. If he needs it, we give it to him because we love his drawing interests. So, ladies, let's continue embracing this drawing phase that Liam is in. The more he gets teh drawing the way HE wants it, the more he will be ready to let go and change the game the way WE want it. But first, he needs to feel in control and be sure that we like what he likes.

2) About the throwing things from the balcony, Megan said, we should not react in an alarming way, but just tell him: "hey, remember, we don't throw things over the balcony". We can also explain to him that it is not safe and that there is a difference between a hard toy and a soft toy. She said we should throw lots of soft toys in teh playroom with him.

3) Megan thinks that right now Liam is interested in "visual stimulation" and that may be why he likes the drawing and the throwing. Some ideas he gave us are:
- hang party streamers from teh cealing
- play with pompoms and batons
- maybe a remote control helicopter
- water guns
- spray bottles
- balloons flying like rockets or like balls
- bubbles

I did get balloons and a helium tank and Liam had a lot of fun with Ashley blowing balloons and letting them go. Also, when we ran out of helium, we just blew the balloons ourselves and he loves when teh balloons fly away. We also put stickers on balloons. I want to hang balloons upside down from the cealing, so I am hoping some of you can help me with that project this week.  I also have party streamers to hang from his cealing. And, I have bottles of bubbles, too. Keep thinking of visual things that Liam could like. I know he loved to play with teh colored scarves with Kenia, too.

Here are some pictures of Liam throwing leaves in the backyard!