it's called a pool

When testing a patient's ability to create sentences given a vocabulary word, I gave him the word "car" and a picture to look at. He looked at the picture and then said, "When you have many kids in the car it's called a pool."

It'll be easier on me

As I was preparing my patients for my leave I told one 5 year old, "I won't be here for many months." He looks down and rests his chin in his hand, ponders silently for a minute and then looked up at me and said, "Well it'll be easier for me."

Isn't that right Rachael?

As we were ending our therapy session the sister of another patient came walking into our therapy session and promptly asked me, "What do you do in here?" I answered we work and learn. She then looks at my patient and asks, "Well you play games too?" He answered, "Yes. We want our education to be fun. Isn't that right Rachael?"

a feet checker

I was testing a 7 year olds expressive vocabulary... I showed him a picture of a scale and asked, 'What's this?" His response, "A feet checker, it tells how strong your feet are."

I showed him a picture of a totem pole and asked, "What is this?" His response, "A facer."

I gave him a picture of a woman jumping hurdles and asked, "What's this?" His reply, "a jump racer."

it got too foggy

While babysitting my 4 year old niece Hallie, I gave her mint chocolate chip ice cream with two Oreo cookies. As she was finishing her snack she said, "Auntie Rachael, I don't want this cookie it got too foggy."

it's not rollish

While working on negation in sentences I gave an 8 year old patient an open ended sentence to complete. A box cannot roll because... her response, "it's not rollish."

I gave a second sentence to this patient... A chair is not transportation because... her response, "It's not flexible."

...and it has no hair on it.

While working on language processing with an 8 year old I asked him, "What does a minister do?" He looked at me and said he didn't know what a minister was. So I explained that this is the guy who either stands or sits at the front of the church and preaches. He looked at me and said, "Oh yeah. I have one at my church and it has no hair on it."

waves like this?

While working with an 8 year old patient on identification of an objects action I asked, "What does a scale do?" He gave no response. So I stated, "A scale weighs." He raised his arm moving it back and forth and asked, "It waves like this?"

gorgeous and rye

Hallie my 4 year old niece is learning Christmas songs. Here's her opening rendition of We Three Kings... "We three Kings of Gorgeous and rye..."

million pounds away

My 4 year old niece Hallie was asked by her other aunt, "Where do your Nana and Papa live?" She answered, "They live a million pounds away."

People Watching

While sitting and waiting for a client at a local public library... I witnessed a man walk straight into a beam because he was too preoccupied with watching a woman walk down the stairs.

I could hardly contain my laughter! :D

it was a compliment

Working with a 5 year old in therapy on articulation skills, he continued to whine and whine. After a while I stated, "I'm getting really sick of this whining." He responded, "It was a compliment."

a mom

While working with a 5 year old patient on answering what questions I asked him, "What does a baby drink from?" His response, "A mom!"

I don't need this!

I had a 10 year old with Down Syndrome working on an art project. She was very attentive and focused on her coloring when out of the blue she said, "I don't need this! SHHH!"

in an apartment

I gave a 2 year old patient an open ended sentence to fill in... "Worms live in the _____." His reply, "apartment."

extinguished

A 9 year old patient was explaining to me that people on TV are creating stories about dinosaurs. He continued to explain that, "They don't know that dinosaurs are extinguished."

can't grow daughters

While working on semantic relaionships of son/daughter with an 8 year old patient I asked him, "Does your dad have a daughter?" His reply, "No. Mans can't grow daughters."

Ok, goodbye.

While playing a game of Candyland with a client, she decided to skip my turn to take two. I interjected by saying, "Hey I've got to go!" (Meaning I've got to take my turn). She looked at me confused and said, "Ok, goodbye."

I have blue eyes.

While working with a 7 year old patient I noticed her eyes looked a little pink. So I asked, "Do you have pink eye?" She replied, "No! I have blue eyes."

Know why I'm so smart?

A student asked me today, "Do you know why I'm so smart?" I ask, "Why?" He said, "Can you keep a secret?" I respond, "Yes." He leans over and cups his hands to his mouth and whispers in my ear, "I'm not from this planet!"

"Ma'am"

A door to door sales boy asked me, "Are your parents home ma'am?" I wondered to myself, If I am old enough to qualify as a "ma'am" why is he asking for my parents?

he's growing

While testing a 6 year old patient on immediate memory recall I asked him to repeat this sentence, "The big brown dog ate all of the cat's food." His response, "That must mean he's growing."

Rememberize

"I have to rememberize the words." As said to me by a student while working on articulation.

Mr. Literal

Working with a patient in therapy we make a rocket from construction paper. And the end of the therapy session he was talking about his "wocket" (mispronounced /r/) So I asked him, "Do you have a wocket in your pocket?" He paniced and said, "Honestly, I am only pretending to have the 'wocket' fly, it really isn't in my pocket."

Miss Sassy Pants

Little Miss Sassy Pants tells me today in therapy, "You don't want to make me speak English!" I told her, "Actually I do want to hear you speak English." So she replied back, "La la la la la!" English is her native language.

A retired man

I asked a patient, "What is formal attire for a man?" Her reply, "I dunno, a retired man?"

a deathescope

When asked, "What does a doctor have?" My patient replied, "A deathescope."

a poema

What do high school students get handed to them when they graduate?
- "A poema" Replied an 11 year old in therapy.

I'm not your brother!

Working with a 7 year old child in therapy I started to chuckle and said, "Oh brother." My patient got upset and said, "I'm not your brother!"

Me two

While working with a 2 year old on the correct pronunciation of the vowel sound /i/ as in the 'he'. The word of practice was 'baby'. I asked him, "Are you a baby?" "No" he replies. I ask, "Are you a big kid?" He again replies, "No". I question him, "Are you a little guy?" He looks up at me in confusion and said, "me TWO!"

getting off task here

I gave a 7 year old scissors to cut out pictures. I reminded her, "please cut on the line." As she begins to cut she cut away from the line and stated, "Oh it looks like I'm getting off task here."

"...they got busy."

"They went round and round and round the ferris wheel until they got busy." -As said by a 5 year old reading Carl's Afternoon in the Park

Wisdom of a 5 year old...

While writing a note in the chart of a 5 year old patient, my pen quits working. I rhetorically ask, "Why won't this pen work?" The 5 year old responded, "You have to sharpen it!"

Which is bigger?

Working in therapy with an 8 year old on auditory processing. I inquire "Which is bigger, an elephant or a penny?" He responds, "Who's Penny?"

Whining

Working with a 5 year old patient in therapy he started to whine, "I don't wanna work! I don't wanna do this." I calmly state, "I hope that isn't a 5 year old whining." He quickly replied back, "No, it's the baby across the street."

Pop

I was working with a 7 year old patient in our therapy gym: I ask, "What's your favorite music? Head banging rock?"
She replies "NO"
I ask, "Country?"
She states, "NO!"
I question, "R&B?"
She says, "NO!"
I ask, "Hip Hop?"
She said, "NO!"
I ask, "Pop?"
A second patient yells, "I love to drink pop!"

We all start laughing.

Thankful for prayers being answered.

In April of 2009 I was rear-ended. As a result I needed to drive around a rental car for a week. I returned the car and was pretty positive I had taken everything out. Much to my dismay a few days later I realized I had no idea where my tax documents were. Racking my brain and scouring the house, bedroom, and files looking for these documents ended with my thought that the only logical place it could be was in the back of the rental car. Calling the rental company ended in disbelief, evidently they had checked the car over and indicated that there were NO tax documents left in the car. All I could think was that whom ever had cleaned the car had taken my tax documents and now I was vulnerable to ID theft. For nights I had prayed that these tax documents would show up somewhere, anywhere, or be returned to me. Thinking about my information floating in public often left me with a sick anxious feeling. While cleaning today, sorting through a pile of documents that I had sorted through a million times before... there I found my tax documents! THANK YOU!

Arm vs. Baby

While working with a 7 year old in therapy on functional daily living skills, (particularily calling 911) I intentionally fell to the ground and started to complain about hurting my arm. My patient yells out, "I'll call 911. Come with me." She promptly leads me to the therapy room and asks me to lay on the floor. I continue to complain that I'm in so much pain my arm hurts and so forth. She reassures me the ambulance is on the way. As I continue complaining, she suddenly jumps up and runs to my toy cabinet, grabs a baby doll and yells, "Push! The baby's coming!"

"blew a gasket"

A 7 year old in therapy passed gas. Upon smelling its stench he exclaimed, "I think I blew a gasket."

Wind

While working with a patient in therapy on question answering I intended to ask him 'What does the wind do?"... but being distracted what I asked instead was "What makes wind?" his reply, "God".

...just a little boy...

"I'm just a little boy who misses my dog." As said to me by a 4 year old patient attempting to avoid therapy tasks.

Wildflowers

Wildflowers found in the city on a walking path.

"scawie" (Scary)

While riding with my sister and my 2 year old nephew Tristan I hear him proclaim, "Scawie" (Scary). I ask him, "What's scary Tristan?" He replies, "Mommy dwiving (driving)".

"he'll be real 'durable'"

A 7 year old patient came to therapy looking distraught. I asked her if she was ok. Her mom said, "Well, she had a real upsetting thing happen this morning. Our cat died." My patient shakes her head yes looking real sad. She starting therapy by jumping on the trampoline and said, "Well. We'll get a new cat, and he'll be real durable." After explaining to her what durable meant, I realized she was trying to say adorable.

Look Miss Rachael!

Arriving to therapy one morning, my funniest patient (who is African American) walks in the door with T-Rex like steps. With each dramatic step he takes, there is a white cloud billowing out of his shoes up to his knees. He T-Rex stomps up to me, stops within a few feet and with one hand on his hip, and one leg stretch out in front of him, he points to his powder covered legs and exclaims, "Look Miss Rachael! I'm turning into a white boy!" His mom later explained, he had filled his shoes up with baby powder that morning.

Alligator or Chicken?

While working on categorization with a patient who has autism and very little verbal skills... We were putting manipulative objects into piles of animals, food, and transportation. I gave my patient a small alligator. He picked it up to examine it at eye level, twirled it a bit, and promptly placed it into his mouth and exclaimed (much to our amazement), "Mmmm, chicken!"

"Bai-bee" (Barbie)

While visiting my sister's family in Washington, my three year old niece looks at me and says, "You is a bai-bee." I clarified by asking, "I am a baby?". She said, "No, you is a bai-bee." I look at her confused and said, "A barbie?" She said, "Yeah, you is a bai-bee". Her five year old sister quickly jumps in and said, "No, she not, she not made of plastic!"

You have one of those too?

The same 7 year old, hears my cell phone ringing during the therapy session. As I go to shut it off she asks, "Who's that?" I replied, "Oh, my mom." She looked at me suprised and asked, "You have one of those too?"

How'd you know?

A 7 year old patient came in for her therapy session chewing a large piece of blue gum. She looks at me and asks, "Guess what I'm chewing?" I respond, "Ah... gum!" She looks at me bewildered and says, "Yea, How'd you know that?"

Slide show

Working in therapy an 11 year old patient- She looks at me while blinking real quickly and states, 'When I do this you're like a slide show!"

Fate

As fate would have it- I'm still here and moving no-where! You can plan, make decisions, and keep a positive attitude however your plans may not work out. Disappointment sure is a difficult thing to swallow. There will be no 13 week hiatus to a warmer climate. I am however fortunate to still have my job. And I also have to remind myself that I am surrounded by a few of my siblings and their children (who are all my 'little loves' and rays of sunshine), and my friends; without them I'd be lost and without much of a social life. With that, I am trying to stay positive... And think of something else to change up the routines of my life.

First Pothole

I debated titling this blog pothole or bump... Anyhow, I've hit the first pothole in my adventure. For the past few weeks in my daydreams about taking a LOA, I was going to AZ. Well now I've been told that my best bet is TX or CO. So the question is do I pursue one of these states, insist on something in AZ, or decide not to go at all. Not sure what decision to make... hmmm.

Adventures

I honestly have no clue what I was thinking.... but I'm sure it is going to be fun, exciting, terrifying, and educational. In our current economic state some may consider me to be a big risk taker, overly confident, or just plain dumb for making this move. I've requested a Leave of Absence from my job which always holds the risk of losing a job. I've thought it to be bordering on the line of irresponsible, but I've also considered it to be 'about time' that I did something to change up the mundaneness of my work/life. Well my life actually is quite fine but it could use a shaking up- as to not get stuck in a rut... and furthermore I'm just looking for a temporary change. I am doing this by moving to Arizona for 13 weeks- and yes, I will be working during this time. Throughout this time I plan on posting thoughts/ideas/adventures/activities/life experience for those who have a desire to see what I'm up to. I wish myself luck and good fortune. "Luck-- is being prepared when opportunity knocks."

Church

This morning.... Sitting in the front bench during church services, with my niece sitting on my lap, she proclaims half way through the services, "Man, we're never gonna' get outta here"!

Hallie

My mother came to Minneapolis over her birthday weekend to visit. As my sisters' children were playing at the kitchen table, my niece Hallie started her rendition of Old McDonald. "Old McDonald had a farm, E I E I O. On that that farm he had a... whisker.." We all start laughing to which she replied, "Hey don't laugh, I didn't learn that part yet!"

/th/ work

As a speech language pathologist, I was working with a 5 year old child on the correct pronunciation of /th/ in the middle position of words. The word of choice was 'grandmother'. During our practice, I stopped and asked my client, "Do you have a grandmother?" To which he replied, "NO! I only have a grandma!"

Aaliyah

Over Thanksgiving break (2008) I was setting up a game to play, when my curious 3 year old niece climbed up onto the table. I calmly looked at her and said, "Aaliyah, tables are for plates, chairs are for sitting: your bottom belongs in the chair." A few minutes pass and she quickly climbs back up onto the table, I look at her and ask, "Aaliyah, where does your bottom belong?" She turns to look at me and states, "On my wegs (legs)."

The Button Collection

This blog is in memory of my grandmother 'Anna'. The Button Collection is a starting place for me to continue her tradition of short writings. Writing things such as the funny things children have said to thoughtful quotes about life and religion. I remember the many visits to my grandmother's house. One distinct image I have is of the mason jar full of buttons sitting on the living room windowsill with the sun shining through the jar casting a unique shadow on the wall. Since her death I have started a button collection of my own and have throughout my years found that each incidence in life is like it's own button within the jar of life. Therefore I found it appropriate to title the blog, "The Button Collection".