New Camera

I finally got a camera (a very nice Canon Digital Rebel). It was used, but she took excellent care of it and I LOVE it. Here are a few pics of the girls....countdown to Gracie's birthday. Can't believe we will have a 2 year old in a few weeks. Speaking of birthdays...I will be 31 in 2 weeks...can't believe that either.

Emma received her goals this week from her IEP and she is doing great. She has her goals 3/4 accomplished. At this point you would expect her to be 1/2. We are very proud of big school girl!

Great Initial IEP Meeting

WOW!! What a great job the team did on their assessment of Emma. Craig and I are so pleased by how the team delivered the information and how well written the goals were. The discussion we had at Emma's eval was put into the IEP. Her goals are SMART goals and they will challenge her and they are reasonable. I am so excited for her! You could tell that her teachers were going to LOVE her to pieces!!!

Letting Go

My last week of maternity leave has left me wondering what Emma's schooling would be like if I were home. Could I homeschool? Would that make me feel better? I just keep looking at her beautiful face and realize that I am placing her spirit and life into the hands of someone else for part of the day. This breaks my heart so much. Will they be understanding? Will they look at my daugher and realize that she is more than Down syndrome that her spirit hasn't been crushed, but nurtured. What constraints will they put on her because shes "Downs" as they call it. Her lack of speech that they see instead of the massive amount of work she has accomplished in the last four months. She can now sign or say 56 words compared to 16 in Dec. 2006. Will they see "Downs" instead of my child? I don't know the answer and I wish that all these emotions would go away. It makes me sad that as an educator when other teachers do not feel the way I do about my students. I felt like each student in my classroom was my own. So often they can't see past their job and realize that this is my child's life. Instead of being in a program designed for her and her family she is now in a program designed for many students. Regardless of the governments attempt to make education individualized we know it isn't. How often are our children really in a classroom where the teacher strives to make it individualized for all? There isn't enough time in the day to that, especially when you are trying keep all the balls bouncing with your classroom, principal expectations, and district expectations. My heart has been grieving for so many weeks at going back and I thought it was leaving the baby behind, but I think it is grieving leaving both of my children behind. Maybe after we actually see her IEP I will feel better about everything, but I just wish my heart would tell me everything will be okay.

Emma's Eval

Emma's eval went great yesterday!! I absolutely love who her OT/PT will be. They were fantastic. With all the changes in our household the last 6 weeks Emma has been acting shy around strangers, but she walked into the room signing "play" and boy did she! They didn't push her and they gave her more than one chance to do a skill. I was very impressed. 45 minutes later we went to the room that will be her classroom for the cognitive and speech eval. Emma roamed the room and the teachers/psychometrist/speech path just watched her. Then the speech path was talking with her. At one point she even stopped and asked me how we have Emma show us things. We use "Where is the ...." and she was saying "Show Me.." When she would say that Emma would sign. They felt Emma did well. She even showed her "two year old" tantrums that she has mastered soooooo well!!!

Her celiac screening came back negative. I am glad we had the test, but I am relieved that all is well considering her favorite food is triscuits and cheese.

I had to list all the words that Emma could say and sign they total 56! That has tripled since January. I am so proud of my little girl. Take a look at the list!!

I LOVE TO SIGN!!

I can sign
Eat
More
Please
Cat
Music (Looks like a conductor)
Brush teeth
Sleep
Bed
Blows kisses
Drink (Palm to mouth)
Color (hand in the air pretends to write)
Circle
Book
Draw (pretends to write in her palm
Waves hi
Waves good bye
Baby
Cookie
Straw (pointer finger to opposite palm)
Dog
Bird

Turn the page (holds palm to mouth and licks palm; like an adult would lick finger to turn a page in a book)
I can put 2-3 signs together with some words. Ex: “eat,” “more,” “please”
I will point to the items I want too!

THE WORDS I CAN SAY

Mommy
Daddy
Nana
Kitty
Hayden
Baby
Please (sounds like peas)
CD
Fish
No
Libby (dibby)
Hot
Stop
Don’t
Sesame Street (sese s)
Elmo (pelmo)
My Baby
Mine
Sweet
Pretty
Cookie (tootee)
Look (ook)
Let’s see
What’s this?
Papa
Doodle Bops (ba-ba-ba bops)
Outside
Duck
Sing
Peepee
Poopoo
Thank you (tank too)
Apple
Bubbles
Purple

Testing Tomorrow

Well, Emma has her testing for her 3 year old class tomorrow. We start with the PT/OT and then go to the classroom teacher and Speech Path. I am a little nervous, but I usually get very nervous and tense when Emma is tested. I always feel like the testing isn't fair or accurate. So say a little prayer for us....or me anyway!!

Gracie is having a rough time. I think it is colic. She cries as if she is in excruciating pain. I have switched her formula and I am hoping that will fix it, but I am going to call her nurse tomorrow. Hopefully, they will have Emma's test results too.

Ice, Ice Everywhere

Well, we have been iced in for a couple of days. A bad ice storm hit Friday and we have had several waves of ice. I am not sure how many inches. Craig's car looked like it belonged in Ice Age instead of 2007!!

We are having fun napping and playing with Emma.

Update on Transition Meeting:

The meeting with our public school went fine. We were able to express Emma's strengths and our concerns for next year. Craig was able to meet the teacher and he really liked her. We have to enroll her now. Then we will begin testing. After that we write her IEP (individualized education plan)

Once again I just want to thank God for Marcus and Christine. They have been in our lives for almost 3 years. They have helped us in more ways than they will ever know. The one thing that I will always remember is they way they have loved our child. This is something that I will never be able to forget. Thank you for all you have done for our family, especially for Emma.

30 Month IFSP Results

Emma had her IFSP testing this week in preparation for her transition meeting at her elementary school. I was quite proud of her. Of course, she knew all the adults in the room and that is very helpful. Her PT and ST administered the testing. She scored very well in fine/gross motor development. Her fine motor skills are excellent. We are still working on jumping and climbing stairs unassisted. Her social skills were excellent. We all know she isn't shy!!! In the are of personal responsibility there were a few areas that we need to work on...for example identifying herself as "emma." In other words..saying her name. She helps us while she changes clothes, but she can't do it alone and that is another area that we will be working on. Her biggest delay is speech. But, I so LOVE her speech pathologist. He encouraged us so much. We have achieved our goal. Emma is communicative through 10 words and ASL (16 signs.) She also is not afraid to "talk" to people. Her jargoning sounds as if she is talking. Marcus is the expert and if he is please so am I. I think speech will always be a concern for us, but she is gaining ground. We are so PROUD of our little girl. She works hard and doesn't complain..most of the time.

Our meeting at school is Jan. 9th. Her portfolio is complete. Now, I only need to print it for the committee. I am sure this meeting will be very emotional, but I am pleased that she will be going to a great teacher and speech path who will take excellent care of her..Oh and I did I mention that she will be in the same building as my office? That helps!!

Happy New Years!! May blessings abound you and your family in 2007.

Great Week with Speech & PT

What a great week Emma had! First, on Tuesday, Marcus came by and told us Emma is doing FANTASTIC! She is saying more consonant sounds than two weeks ago. She still isn't saying the "m" sound but he thinks he knows why. When you make the sound it is through your nose instead of with the tongue and she is just not used it and probably doesn't like making the sound yet. He says it will happen.

Then in PT on Wed. Emma is trying to take steps on her own. She will try now which is a step in the right direction, pun intended! :) She will take about two steps trying to get from one object to another. We will gradually move the two items further apart.

Thursday, was GG's funeral and while we are sad she is gone, we know she is in a better place. Thank you for all of you thoughts and prayers.