Most of you know I spend A LOT of quality time with my boys, which I do love. But, tonight will be chalked up as one of those special moments...
We were seated at the dinner table, me between the two boys. One directly next to me, the other at the end of the table.
Blake proceeded to lean to the right and produce a, um, well. Toot. He then laughed because he knew exactly what he was doing and that tooting was funny. Dane laughed, too.
Dane then proceeded to lean to the side and do the same thing! Toot. Then laughter.
This continued on several times with both boys leaning..tooting...laughing - to the point that they were trying so hard to produce the next one their face turned red.
Meanwhile, I looked like I was at a tennis match with my mouth wide open in shock thinking to myself "I really do have boys, don't I?" Then I laughed, too.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Puddin'
The joys of learning to feed yourself! Especially when you are allowed to do what you want with chocolate pudding!Friday, February 20, 2009
Change is Good!
We are gearing up for a big change...well, I guess Blake is gearing up for the change! Blake is leaving the Meyer Center, the school he has attended since we moved to Greenville, to go to public school. Many of you may know, but now that Blake is 3 years old he can be a part of the Early Childhood Special Education program in the public school system. I have been a skeptic about the South Carolina public schools since moving here (and still think they have A LOT to work on), but I was pleasantly surprised after meeting his prospective teacher, principal and touring the classroom and elementary school. The psychologist and therapists who evaluated him placed him in the highest functioning classroom - a mild language delay classroom. Hooray! I am so proud of him, but also nervous as it will be a challenge.
So, the next step is the IEP meeting which will take place Wednesday, Feb. 25th. Then, Blake will start school 5 days per week - ALL day! He will be attending Greenbrier Elementary, which seems to be very supportive of students with special needs. Blake will have a 5th grade mentor student who will walk him to class when I drop him off! Wow! Blake will get his tray in the cafeteria and eat lunch there with all of the other students. The class is centered around speech and language (yeah!) and Blake will receive all of his therapies at school, too. The teacher is WONDERFUL and she has two aides in the classroom. Even more important, the principal is approachable and very nice..and enjoys having children with special needs in her school and developing more programs for mainstreaming!
I am a nervous mommy as you can imagine. The school - and the students - are big! But, I want Blake to gain as much confidence and independence as possible, along with achieving in academic and functional skills. I am thrilled with the change and look forward to reporting all of Blake's accomplishments and growth with you!
So, the next step is the IEP meeting which will take place Wednesday, Feb. 25th. Then, Blake will start school 5 days per week - ALL day! He will be attending Greenbrier Elementary, which seems to be very supportive of students with special needs. Blake will have a 5th grade mentor student who will walk him to class when I drop him off! Wow! Blake will get his tray in the cafeteria and eat lunch there with all of the other students. The class is centered around speech and language (yeah!) and Blake will receive all of his therapies at school, too. The teacher is WONDERFUL and she has two aides in the classroom. Even more important, the principal is approachable and very nice..and enjoys having children with special needs in her school and developing more programs for mainstreaming!
I am a nervous mommy as you can imagine. The school - and the students - are big! But, I want Blake to gain as much confidence and independence as possible, along with achieving in academic and functional skills. I am thrilled with the change and look forward to reporting all of Blake's accomplishments and growth with you!
Monday, February 9, 2009
Happy Birthday, Blake!!!
*Warning* This montage is a bit long, but I had to encompass the past 3 years of Blake's life. Blake turns 3 years old on February 10th. What an amazing little boy he is! The road has been an adventure with up and downs, but we have enjoyed every moment. We are so blessed! Enjoy...
Thursday, February 5, 2009
...so, I met a monster
Well, the honeymoon is over. I had the pleasure of meeting my first public school monster yesterday...actually through a phone conversation. I am proud to say I stood up for myself and my son with grace and poise, along with a tone that said I meant business. When I got off of the phone I felt empowered! I don't think I left the conversation with the reputation of being "that" Mom. I hope I left it with the understanding that I am "that" Mom who will fight to get what her child deserves, but with kindness and understanding. At least for now.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Transition Time
Well, the moment has finally arrived. It is time for Blake to transition from the early intervention (a.k.a. birth-three) happy place to the public school system. As a therapist I always referred to the early intervention time as a bubble - a nice, cozy, loving bubble. As a parent of a child with special needs I have enjoyed the bubble and DREADED the moment that the school district monsters take over. I want Blake to be in a place where he will be challenged, yet loved, and will receive all the therapies he DESERVES - not what the budget says he can have.
So, today was the big meeting. Big enough that Matt was allowed to leave the hospital. It was scary. The school was big, the kids were big....overwhelming. Well, for me. Blake was refusing to hold our hand and was proudly walking down the enormous corridors admiring the decorated bulletin boards. Then, we walked into the meeting room where it was 5 school employees against Matt and I. I was grateful he was in scrubs and a pager - maybe he looked important? intimidating?
To my surprise, the meeting went GREAT! It is recommended that Blake should be placed in a mild language delay preschool classroom with a few typical peers along with the children with special needs. He will be able to receive Speech therapy, Occupational therapy, and - is everyone sitting down - PHYSICAL THERAPY! A lot of children lose the opportunity to get PT once the early intervention bubble is popped. I still have to take a tour and meet the teacher. Our choice will be to either transition to the public school either immediately after he turns 3 or start in August when the new school year begins *OR* stay where he is at The Meyer Center, which is a charter school and all of the children who attend the center have special needs. As long as the tour goes well my answer is easy and exciting, yet still a bit scary. It is so hard to believe we have reached this moment with Blake. I am sure he will do much better than me.
So, today was the big meeting. Big enough that Matt was allowed to leave the hospital. It was scary. The school was big, the kids were big....overwhelming. Well, for me. Blake was refusing to hold our hand and was proudly walking down the enormous corridors admiring the decorated bulletin boards. Then, we walked into the meeting room where it was 5 school employees against Matt and I. I was grateful he was in scrubs and a pager - maybe he looked important? intimidating?
To my surprise, the meeting went GREAT! It is recommended that Blake should be placed in a mild language delay preschool classroom with a few typical peers along with the children with special needs. He will be able to receive Speech therapy, Occupational therapy, and - is everyone sitting down - PHYSICAL THERAPY! A lot of children lose the opportunity to get PT once the early intervention bubble is popped. I still have to take a tour and meet the teacher. Our choice will be to either transition to the public school either immediately after he turns 3 or start in August when the new school year begins *OR* stay where he is at The Meyer Center, which is a charter school and all of the children who attend the center have special needs. As long as the tour goes well my answer is easy and exciting, yet still a bit scary. It is so hard to believe we have reached this moment with Blake. I am sure he will do much better than me.
Sunday, February 1, 2009
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