Brian's Progress and Running in Circles

Before Christmas we met with Brian's teachers to discuss his IEP.  We knew it was going to be a good meeting because his teacher kept saying how well he was doing.  We could tell too.  He was coming home each week telling us all about what they were doing in school.  He has learned most of the alphabet since school began this past fall-how to recognize the letters, phonetic sounds and how to write them. 

We found out at the meeting that he had surpassed all of his IEP goals. These goals were supposed to last him until May of this school year.  We wrote new goals at the meeting and found out that he has been released from occupational therapy at school.  The therapist at the meeting said (and I am paraphrasing obviously to some extent), he was supposed to be working on pre writing shapes according to his goals.  Obviously, he has those mastered.  I came into today to check and make sure he could still do those and he did.  Then he drew a Christmas tree for me.  Hahahaha!  You go, Brian Thomas!!

We discussed the FM system that was introduced about halfway though the semester.  Based on the data collected by the teacher, he was just as likely to stay on task without the system as he was with the system.  The best news, though?  He does stay on task.  Just like he's supposed to!

Then we talked about next year.  Before Brian was born, we talked about how we would likely hold him back due his birthday and gender.  When he was born with hearing loss, we said we definitely would.  So we have been tossing around how to make this happen, when to do it, etc.  Since he's in state preschool, he can't be held back this year and stay in the public system.  But, as it turns out his teacher said it would be a disservice to Brian to hold him back at this point.  She said he is more than ready for Kindergarten.  She said he is at or above where the other kids in the class are.  Ahhhh!  Great news right?  Well I thought so when I heard it.  But then I realized.  My baby has to go to kindergarten next year!  AHHHHH!!


More on that later, I'm sure.  For now, I will just be happy that he's doing so well.  Progress is a wonderful thing.  A few days after the meeting, I was chatting with one of the classroom aides.  She said that Brian is a leader in the classroom.  That he has about 8 little friends that follow his lead.  Wow!  I'm not sure I thought I would ever hear that.  He has just come leaps and bounds in such a short amount of time.  I couldn't be more proud of him!

Changing gears... for those of you who think a post is not a post without pictures, there are some below.  Brian and Lilah think it is hilarious to run in circles around the kitchen table.  I captured some shots of them doing just that the other night.  I think they are pretty great if I do say so myself!