RECENTLY, I HAD A TALKING DAY: FIA WHINED ABOUT A COLD WAFFLE, & I SAID THE OBVIOUS —“WAARM IIT UP!” JUST POPPED OUT, SO VERY CLEAR (BECAUSE IT WAS A FLEETING THOUGHT, BUT IF I’D TRIED, I COULDN’T SAY IT WELL OR AT ALL). I WISH I COULD HARNESS WHATEVER HAPPENS! (WOULD U BELIEVE THAT THE VERY NEXT DAY, ANY SOUND WAS TOUGH 2 GET OUT?!?)

I WAS ESP. SURPRISED BECUZ IT WAS SO CLEAR SO EARLY IN THE DAY, & I TEND 2 NEED 2 “WARM-UP” VOCALLY & PHYSICALLY (I OFTEN NEED 2 SAY SEVERAL WORDS 2 GET MY VOICE GOING … OR TYPE, B4 PLAYING PIANO, 2 “LOOSEN” FINGERS & STOP “CLENCHING” MY FIST.)

THAT NIGHT, I EVEN FINISHED THE LYRICS 2 A CHURCH SONG—BUT WAS TRYING SO HARD NOT 2, BECUZ MK WAS WAITING 4 THE KIDS 2 SAY IT…BUT BY THE 3RD TRY, I GAVE IN FIGURING THEY DIDN’T KNOW, & COULD TRY 2 FIGURE ME OUT, INSTEAD…IT WASN’T AS CLEAR, SINCE I’D SURPRESSED IT, BUT WAS DECENT!

IN OTHER NEWS, I’VE BEEN PRACTICING SUCKING A STRAW, BUT I DO IT IN A WAY THAT GRAVITY IS NOT A FACTOR. NORMALLY, I HAVE A SPORTS WATER BOTTLE THAT SOME1 ELSE SQUEEZES DRINK OUT OF A STRAW 4 ME. THURS. NIGHT , IT WAS 1/2 FULL, & I WAS WAITING 4 THE REST SO I DEBATED ASKING 4 IT, BUT IT WAS W/IN MY REACH IF I COULD LEAN FWD (I NEVER KNOW IF I CAN–SOMETIMES IT’S EASY, & SOMETIMES NOT…I SEEM 2 NEED 2 BE SITTING RT…)

ANYWAY, I LEANED FWD, GOT IT, & SUCKED & LIGHTLY SQUEEZED, & FED MYSELF 1/2 A BOTTLE OF WATER–LIKE 12 OUNCES! SO EXCITED! I’M GETTING STRONG ENOUGH 2 FEED MYSLF W/O SUPPORT, & NOW I CAN DRINK 2! ANOTHER CHEER 4 MMORE INDEPENDENCE! GLAD I DIDN’T ASK 4 HELP, OR I’D NEVER KNOW I COULD DO IT! (I THINK IT’S MY MOTTO 2 TRY, PROVIDED THEREE’S TIME—BECUZ I’M SLOW, & IF I FAIL, I TRY HARDER…BUT THE TRICK IS KNOWING WHEN 2 STOP TRYING, & GET HELP!)

I WAS ALSO EXCITED SINCE I WAS REALLY DOUBTING MY SWALLOWING ABILITY—WATER IS THE THINNEST LIQUID, & I’VE MANAGED 2 SUCCK UP & SWALLOW THICKER LIQUIDS, BUT WORRIED I’D JUST SUCK THIS UP, & GAG OR DROOL (GRAVITY IS NOT ALWAYS MY FRIEND, & MY HEAD WAS DOWN…). BUT I SUCKED UNTIL MY MOUTH WAS FULL, KEPT MY MOUTH SHUT, & LOOKED UP 2 SWALLOW. IT DID PRETTY WELL—I STILL SOMETIMES DROOLED, BUT MY BIB HAS BEEN WETTER BY OTHERS, SO I CONSIDER IT A SUCCESS!

IF I CAN DO WATER, THEN I’D HOPE I CAN DRINK THROUGH ANY STRAW AT A RESTURANT OR DRIVE THROUGH, PROVIDED I HAVE A BIB & I’M NOT AWARE OF AN AUDIENCE (JUST LIKE BLOWING OUT CANDLES, I SMILE, & CAN’T PUCKER IF I EVEN FEEL I’M BEING WATCHED!)