Conferences

Last year I was able to go to Jake's kindergarten conference because I was on a different schedule and timing was perfect. This year, I have the exact same schedule as Jake's teacher has for conferences and so it was a little more of a challenge to find a time to meet. I had 1/2 day Thursday off and all day last Friday so I ran over to his school after my conference ended on Thursday afternoon. I met with his teacher, his SSN teacher, and his amazing OT. At the beginning of the year he had a sheet about his day based on a scale 1-4 (1 meaning on task independently and 4 meaning off task) and Jake came home with 2 everyday (meaning on task with prompts) but I HATED how negative the number system was and how he was scaled based on things that he can't do independently. I struggled if I should say something-and consulted Brooklynn's SLP (who I am in LOOOOOVE with and trust more than anything) and I decided to let it go for now and talk about it at conferences. Sure enough, I didn't even have to talk about it because they came up with a new sheet and it's amazing! It gives Jake such ownership. He still has his days tracked subject by subject but it is about what he did and not his behavior. Talking to him about his day is more meaningful now. "Oh! You played with Randy (as usual) and you made a haunted house." The best part is that they include boardmaker pictures on everything so he knows what they mean (it corresponds to his communication device he uses at school-and soon to be at home again too). He loves to read his pictures every night.

They all shared a little about Jake and I couldn't have been happier. Here are some highlights:

-Jake is SOOO happy at school

-Jake's friends in his class are so excited to help that they help too much

-His friends celebrate when he does anything-big and small (one little kid clapped when she told Jake to line up and he listened!) 

-Every special (P.E., music, art, and tech) has modifications for Jake and his other friend who is nonverbal and also has special needs
-His friends save him a spot to sit and fight over it at lunch when Jake orders lunch
-They know it takes him a little longer to eat lunch so they go outside and build towers in the sand so he can knock them down
-His friends also form a circle around him so he can throw a ball to them
-He knows all of his colors, shapes, can identify his name out of a group of names, he knows how to use is device like nobody's business, and he is learning his letters

I totally cried. I didn't mean to but I did. This little guy is our world but to know that kids are so kind to him and SO inclusive will always get me. You know the videos that around where kids with special needs are escorted into homecoming on classmate's shoulders-and crowned Homecoming King, where that one kid gets to run the ball into the end zone to score points for the high school team then hoisted onto everyone's shoulders? I want that. Everyone wants that for their kid-but when your kid is different, special, the chances of even having your kid accepted-much less like these amazing examples, is much smaller. I want to know that these kids that love Jake-and I know there are tons of kids at Runyon that love him-will stick around even when it isn't cool to be around a kid like Jake. I don't get that guarantee, ever. Everyone wants their child to be accepted and to be happy-but I need that one who will always be there for Jake. I know that I wasn't that person in school. I am sick about it. I was scared, I was worried they wouldn't understand me-could I understand them? It was always easier and less scary to avoid any interaction. I have learned so much. What I would give to go back with what I know now. I don't want Jake to know Libby in school. I want Jake to know the Randy, Chloe, Brea, etc. who look after this kid and want to help and support him as he is. These kids just have amazing hearts. No two ways about it.

Friday I took the kids to the zoo by myself. I was super worried about how I would corral them all if shit got real-which it did. Like I told my mom, "If I text you that we have left the zoo, it means I have all of the kids and I haven't lost anyone." Good news-I didn't lose anyone. Bad news-I had to carry Avery out by her overalls. As usual, I was that parent. Hey, I'm okay with that as long as all of my kids are in the car when we leave. 2 minutes after we left Brooklynn was asleep and Avery was close behind. They both woke up to eat lunch when we got home and then NO NAP for the rest of the day. Yayyyyyyyy! As usual, Jake was amazing. He pulled the wagon for a little bit but was much happier in the wagon with lots of snacks. :)

This one is a hoot. Avery was all about wearing her sunglasses. Eeek! Waiting for the eleffffffnt!

Only way I know how to attempt to get them to smile is to ask them to show me their teeth-well, they use their finger to show me...so it doesn't work so well afterall. 

I took tons of pictures for Jake to use for his daily writing. He was all obsessed with this peacock. 

Someone (who was wearing sunglasses) wouldn't get back in the wagon and literally could care less when I said to come when she was ready as I walked away. We already spent 30 min watching the hippo swim.

We rode the train all together. Getting on and off was a bit tricky but I was so happy they got to go after watching the train over and over. 

Hey big girls. 

My buddy. He cried at first-then I gave him my keys to hold and he was all set. He said "Hi!!!" to everyone we passed (so did the minis too).

I got a MUUUUUCH needed wild night out with my friends from work on Friday night/ Saturday morning. We were all crazy and loved every second of it. Saturday morning we got up early (YAY!) and headed up to see Gammy and Grampa (who are now called Mimi and Papa from the girls. Mimi will become Gammy, but I think Papa is here to stay.) We went to the pumpkin patch at Bartel's Farm. We hit horrible traffic on the way home and it reminded us all of the drive from Ruston to Denver. Barf. Good times in a tiny car. We spent a few hours playing at their house before heading home. They have been so bust traveling because my dad is District Governor for their region for Rotary so it was incredibly wonderful to see them. Plus Avery cries for "Mimi" and "Nana" on a weekly basis so it was wonderful to see Mimi.

Love this picture. 

Our three musketeers in a container. As you can guess, this didn't last long. Avery was the first to hop out and walk pretty much the whole way. She tripped and tripped and tripped until she gave up and decided that for the rest of the day the outdoors weren't for her (until we got back to Gammy and  Papa's house and she wanted the hose. Toddler fit no. 87 of the day).

Avery picked a pumpkin and the other two cared less. We went home with some good looking pumpkins ready to be carved this weekend. I am DYING for trick or treating to see what these cuties will do. For the first time, Jake will WALK!