Wednesday, March 23, 2011

How Time Flies!

So I just organized the paperwork to sign Big Girl up for K tomorrow. The school only has one day to sign up and you have to make an appointment. Totally sucks, but you got to do, what you got to do. We've been gathering all the things we need b/c the list to PROVE that we live in the house that we live in is INSANE.

We had to have the following:
a copy of the deed to our house
a copy of our latest mortgage bill
a copy of 2 of our utilities bills
and a copy of both of our licenses

Then I had to fill out a 7 page packet on Big Girl, attach her medical records form, real birth certificate (which happens to have our home address on it since we've lived here since her birth), and her progress report from her school/daycare.

We shouldn't complain b/c the school is decent and it's free - they have full day K at no cost, so tons of people use other people's address to get into our school system because of that - so this year, they changed all the policies and you have to prove that you live at the address you live in.

Big Girl was so nervous tonight that she didn't fall asleep until 10. I promised her that she could wear her new Twirlygirl dress, but she had to leave Ava (her bitty baby) in the car. Totally broke her heart, but she just can't bring in a lovie to K - I don't want to set her up for heartbreak and I need her to know that she just can't bring it to Kindergarten, even for tomorrow b/c then it will be a battle next year when we drop her off. Both Hubby and I are going tomorrow, so I'm confident that she will be ok. I'm not even sure what we actually have to do - I know we're meeting with the school nurse, the K teachers and the principal (who thankfully is retiring b/c I didn't like him when I met him). They take the small group of 6 or so kids and they read a story together and I think they do some screening with them while we meet with various people. I know she's going to be just fine - we've given her a great foundation and she's a great kid.

I just can't believe the time has passed that she can now be registering for Kindergarten!

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Catching Up

It's amazing how things go. A few years ago, I started this blog to share my adventures of my 2 year old and the amazing things she had to say. The last post I wrote before my absence to blogging was announcing our pregnancy to Little Man. He is the happiest, cutest, sweetest, determined little boy I have ever met. He LOVES trucks of any kind - he longs to see trucks, buses, firetrucks, pick up truck, tractors...you name it, he will point to it. Our little boy doesn't have the same voracious vocabulary his big sister had at this age.

When Little Man was 6 months old, we noticed that his head size was very large. The doctor noted it and asked us to come back at 7 months for another head measurement. I commented that I noticed that he would slouch to the side in his carseat and couldn't sit up unless he was supported by his bumbo chair. Being the over worrier I am, I asked her about calling EI, the dr told me to wait, but I couldn't. I called and set up an appointment for the day after his 7 month head check.

At the appointment, LM's head went up to the 115% - the doctor then asked me if I had contacted EI and I told her I had an appointment the next day. That afternoon, LM and I went off to the hospital for an ultrasound of his head. I carried him in the Ergo carrier and he slept on my chest as they gooped up his head and told me that there was no water on the brain and his large head was just a large head. Phew!

He was picked up for EI for his gross motor and we enjoyed having his therapist come to the house every week. He had multiple ear infections after that and his hearing was compromised - thankfully after tubes, his hearing is back to normal. He was a late walker and last summer, we noticed that he wasn't babbling again or making any speech sounds, and now he had a head size of 130%. Off to an appointment with a neurologist, who determined that his head was b/c of hubby's and my head size and looking at our daugther, it was "normal" for our family. The doctor felt that Little Man was language delayed and to watch him for possible spectrum. Then as the school year came - he still wasn't picking up any words - not even Mama or Dada. He signed about 10 words, so he could communicate his basic needs and wants. If he didn't get his way, he would just walk away - no tantrums, no tears - he would just give up.

Back in January, his EI specialist mentioned that LM could have Verbal Apraxia or Childhood Apraxia of Speech - mostly b/c LM shows no signs of a spectrum disorder. When I looked at the signs of Childhood Apraxia, it was like seeing a picture of LM. Since then we've been pursuing outside testing to make sure that this is the correct diagnosis for him and make sure that he is getting the best therapy he can, so we can help him. The process is crazy and honestly, I'm so glad that I'm knowledgeable of all of the things a parent has to do to be an advocate for their child. So far it's been a process - but seeing this face:

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makes everything worthwhile. :)

(Little Man back in September '10 inside a wheel of a truck)

Sunday, March 6, 2011

Wow, it's really been a while!

I'm trying to get back into the swing of blogging again. It's been a VERY long time since I blogged...in fact, the last time I blogged was shortly after we found out we were pregnant with Little Man (LM), so now Little One is now Big Girl (BG). We are very happy to be blessed with two wonderful children and they make our lives exciting and crazy. I'm hoping to have lots to share and write about.