The occupational therapist came by today and played with Harvey. He said that Harvey has awesome motor skills, and bonding and attatchment, and doesn't warrant regular occupational therpy, but he might come by every few months and monitor Harveys sensory progress. Other than that he probably won't need to be a part of Harveys education plan.

He said that Harvey might be slightly high-sensory needs. Nothing major enough to warrant therapy, or a diagnosis, but he gave me some good ideas.

He suggested we start each morning off with an hour or two of high-sensory activity, such as playing in a sandbox or walking to a playground. He suggested that Harvey take his bath in the middle of the afternoon, and that we go for a walk or push Harvey in a swing in the evening. He said at bedtime we might want to try some touch and feel, scratch and sniff, or cloth activity books. Basically, just keep him occupied with sensory activities throughout the day and get some extra good ones in the morning. He left Harvey with some play dough, a little scratch and sniff book, and a tupperware full of uncooked rice, with little marbles and stickers and army men treasures buried in it. Harvey is having a blast right now, digging around for the treasures. He suggested high sensory food like Jello or tapioca pudding, and foods that he can pick up with his pincher fingers like cheerios or rasins at most meals. I also bought him some sandals so he can feel the grass, and puddles on his feet. :P

He said if we do these things, it will make a big difference in other sensory seeking behaviors throughout the day, like trying to play in the toilet, digging in potted plants, sticking his hand in his yogurt instead of eating it, climbing, or hitting people as a means of saying hello.

Sounds easy enough to me. I'm going to go to a teacher store and buy some lacing cards and more touch and feel books, and any other toys that look good. Today I will make an edible play-dough recipe and bury some skittles in there. I think I'll attempt to make a cloth activity book with some different textured or crinkly sounding fabrics, zippers, and snap buttoms, but my sewing skills are pretty much nill, so I dunno how that will work out.

In other news, I took the boys in to a good portrait studio yesterday. (I didn't get any good pictures of the kids at the park.) I am SOOOOO excited about these pictures. We got some adoreable smiles out of Harvey and a picture of my hands holding Grey to hang next to the one of my hands holding Harvey.

I was really proud of the boys yesterday. We ran errands literally all afternoon, for 5 hours, and didn't have one single tear. First we went to the temple distribution center, then to the store to buy some cousin birthday presents, then to IKEA to get a new rocking chair, then to the portrait studio. I think the van is helping a lot, but also they are just such darn good little boys.