Rollin' on the River

For Mom's birthday we took a Duck Boat ride.  Brian had seen one driving around downtown and he decided we should "surprise" Nana with a ride.  She wasn't all that surprised I'm pretty sure, but it was a SUCH a fun time.

The weather was great and the tour guide was a laugh a minute.  They played appropriate songs (like Rollin' on the River) and asked that we all quack along on our duck calls we were given for riding.  We even learned a thing or too about the area that we didn't know before.  This is definitely a tour I'd recommend to others! 

Yes, I am playing catch up.  I know Mom's birthday is in September :)

A Little Fall Fun

Picking apples! 

Our pumpkin patch!

We have been really lucky and caught some great fall days on the weekends!  We have never gotten to carve pumpkins outside...awesome! Hardly any mess.  I keep telling myself all of this makes up for the predicted 45 degree, rainy weather predicted for Halloween night...

Moments to Remember

Just a few moments I want to remember before I head off to bed...

Last Friday we hit the road and headed to Louisville to see Jennie and Jack.  Lilah insisted Patrick would also be there.  Amelia insisted that Shawn would be coming.  Neither were correct.  Love those girls.  I always enjoy our adventures on the way to and from Louisville.  It's a bit nerve wrecking traveling with several young children in the car...too many possibilities...emergency potty breaks, crazy truckers....but we made it in one piece.  The kids were really great.  Brian is finally at the age where he asks every 5 minutes "are we there yet?" or "how much longer?"  It's exhausting, but worth the trip for sure!  We always have such a nice time with our amazing hosts!  And these four actually cooperated for a picture!  That never happens!

Monday while Lilah had dance I took Brian to a nearby park with his helmet and scooter and we did some laps.  There were little workout stations all around the track which he thoroughly enjoyed.  He was doing sit ups and stretches like it was his job!  The whole mile and a half we talked and laughed together.  After he said, "Mommy, that was SO MUCH FUN!"  I can't get enough of his sweet little heart. 

During bath each time Lilah gets her hair washed lately, Brian comments on how long her hair has gotten.  He says, "Lilah your hair is SO long.  It's like princess hair."  I know we are nearing the day that bathing together become inappropriate.  I'm going to miss listening to them at bathtime. 

Lilah's "First" Field Trip

Even though Lilah has been to the Pumpkin Patch with the preschool every year since she was 4 months old, she was SO excited to go this year.  She woke up at 7:20a.m. (wayyy early for her) and exclaimed, "it's time for my FIRST field trip!"  Unfortunately Lilah is in the afternoon class, so she could have slept for another, oh four hours, but oh well!

Since her class is so small we invited her BFF Amelia to join us and cousin Gavin who will be in the class once he gets the potty training mastered also got to come.  She really did have a great time and it's fun to see her building bonds with her sweet classmates.

Tough Month

I have been debating whether or not to write this post because, frankly, I don't want to bring anyone down by complaining.  BUT I just noticed that I have not written a post in OVER a month and I feel like I have a block and I can't get past it without complaining, at least a little. 

This past month has been tough.  Nothing catastrophic happened so I feel bad for letting it brign me down, but it has. 

I HATE all day school.  There I said it.  I knew I would hate it, I just didn't know how much.  I miss my son.  Lilah misses her Brian-boy.  It just doesn't seem right to only get to see him from 4-8 each day.  Throw in homework (oh, the homework!) and dinner and that boils down to about two quality hours on a good day. 

Maybe it would be easier if school had gone easier this past month, but it really hasn't.  First there was the switching of the teachers.  Then there was the switching of the special education teacher (without my prior knowledge I might add).  We had a honeymoon period which ended approximately three weeks ago.  Then the behavior issues popped up.  Or sensory issues, depending on how you look at it.  After two very exhausting weeks of poor communication between school and home I was in tears and ready to throw in the towel. 

Things have improved since then.  We had several good days before fall break began.  We had a productive IEP meeting.  I am trying to breathe over fall break, enjoy my sweet boy and pray with every fiber of my being that when school resumes on Tuesday, the good days will continue.  I really am not sure I can take it if they don't.  And I am pretty sure Brian can't. 

So pray with me, please.  Pray that the rest of this year goes smoothly for Mr. Brian.  Pray that his level of comfort increases and that his teacher's awareness that she has to be the boss with him continues.  Pray that he has a good year. 

Tomorrow will be spent enjoying my kiddos and hoping that (and a good upcoming month of school) will sustain me until Thanksgiving break. 

Firsts

We've had a lot of firsts lately and in effort to catch up, I'm going to place them all right here in this post!

The first first is that Brian is now riding a two wheeler without training wheels!  We had been bugging him to try for a few weeks because he was so ready, but he wanted nothing to do with it.  Then out of no where, he came downstairs one morning and told me he wanted to take off his training wheels.  He said if he was going to learn to ride a motorcycle, he thought he'd better start riding his bike on just two wheels.  Um, wait a minute, a motorcycle?  No sir, buddy.  But, yeah, we'll try the bike!  He had it down in about 20 minutes.  He really had it down within a few days.  He's had some wipe outs of course...largely because he goes as fast as he possibly can and then slams on the brakes so he can make cool skid marks.  But overall he's done great.  Please recall that to teach Brian to pedal his bike we had to take the bike (with training wheels) to the OT.  So this is HUGE!

This was the first ride.  He's wayyy better now!  It's so fun to see the progress!

Then of course we have had our first day(s) of FIRST grade.  Brian started first grade with Mrs. Holtzapple and then a week and a half later we did it all over again with Mrs. Elkus.

The original first day of school.  Lilah had to be in a picture!

2nd First Day!  Still excited, albeit much more nervous.

With first grade has come the implementation of an FM System for Brian.  So that's a big first!  We've named the system Roger (part of it's brand name) and it's SO COOL!  Brian loves it!  We played with it like crazy the first night (since we probably won't have it home ever again.)  He was able to ride
his bike down the street and hear me with no trouble.  Awesome!  Many of the teachers at school have already commented on how awesome it is and how beneficial it seems to be for him.

Roger

Lilah also had her first day of three year old preschool!  I can't tell you had badly I feel that I am not at all upset about this, but really?  She's right down the hall from me two days a week in a classroom full of teachers that I hired.  It's a little hard to get upset about that.  Wait until Kindergarten.  Then I will be a hot mess!  Lilah LOVES preschool and is so thrilled to finally actually be a part of the program for REAL.  (She spent quite a bit of time in both the 3 and 4/5 year old classes last year, so this really nothing new to her, just official.)   I do have to say that I LOVE when she comes in at the end of her day all excited to show me her work and tell me about her day.  She's just so much more verbal than Brian was at this age and I love hearing her go on and on!  It's the best part of my work day for sure! 

I have seen parents take this shot of their little ones for years.  So happy to get to take it of my girl!

Not sure why there is a glare on Mary's face.  This is Lilah with Ms. Mary and Ms. Stephanie. 

A Letter to Brian's NEW Teacher

A little history first...

Friday afternoon I was called to the principal's office and told that due to the population of Brian's class being louder than a typical first grade classroom, it had been decided that he had not been placed in the best education environment for him.  I was angry, hurt, shocked...but my emotions don't really matter here.  What matters is what's best for Brian.  And through the tears and boiling blood, Shawn and I made the decision to allow him to be transferred to another first grade homeroom.  In our experience, it's best to just rip off the band-aid, so this change will occur tomorrow morning. 

Brian was very sad when we told him.  He cried and fought it, just like we did.  But today has been better.  He seems okay with the decision.  I am hoping by tomorrow afternoon, or maybe midweek, he will even be a little excited.

This is not making this huge change to all day school any easier on this mama.  And so....

Dear Mrs. Elkus,

This is a very different letter than the one I wrote to Mrs. Holtzapple a little over a week ago.  We had a history with her and with you, we don't.  You don't know that my Brian has been through SO MUCH in his life and how very much he has overcome.  You don't know that my Brian barely spoke when he was small.  You don't know my mama heart and that I left my job that I LOVED to be the mama I need to be for my Brian.  Or that my mama heart broke in two when he was diagnosed with hearing loss and has healed little by little by watching him become the amazing young man who will enter your classroom.  You also don't know that my Brian is extremely artistic and has a little engineer/builder mind.  Or that he is extremely sensitive and compassionate.  You don't know that he can be a little shy, but has a TON to say and a MILLION questions to ask.  You don't know that his best friend in the world is an impish red head and that he's the best big brother on the planet.  You also don't know that I was told at his preschool interview that there was little hope he would ever "catch up."  And that he has.  Actually, he's exceeded all expectations from that, our first introduction to public school. 

But you will.  I know you will because your reputation precedes you.  I chose YOU to be the teacher to help him make this transition because I know you are the same kind of teacher I am.  You are loving, but firm.  You expect excellence.  Your students excel.  And you understand that your job is to be a guiding hand.  I have every faith that you too will exceed my expectations.  I am counting on it. 

Please help my Brian to adjust to this huge change.  Please know that while he is different, he doesn't see himself that way.  He has been taught to march to the beat of his own drum and to own it.  He was been taught not to be embarrassed by his disability, but to embrace it.  We want him to continue to be proud of who he is.  We want him continue to excel in his studies.  We want him to make new friends and not be afraid to jump in.  We are counting on you to help him along the way.  We are entrusting our baby boy into your care. 

Sincerely,
Maria