Kindergarten Here We Come

Brian's final preschool promotion ceremony was last Monday night.  He was soooooo excited!  What a difference a year makes.  He proudly marched out with his classmates and sang and danced to every single song.  When it started, it was obvious that he was nervously trying to figure out where we were in the crowd.  When he finally figured out where we all were, he really turned on the charm!  He was somewhat frustrated that the little guy next to him wasn't getting into the songs at all.  It was really cute.

The best song was "Tooty Ta" which is a song we have done with the preschoolers at St. Pats before.  Basically it's a following directions song that gets the kids to hold funny body positions and dance around.  Brian was a pro and worked really hard to get the directions exactly right, which was hysterical!

At the end, he excitedly accepted gifts and posed for pictures.  It was so awesome to celebrate all that he has accomplished the past two years with so many of our loved ones.  Thanks to all who attended!  And thanks to JACK for sending a sweet card.  That may have been Brian's favorite gift of all!

The Chicken Dance

Thumbs up.  Knees together.  Arms in.  A Tooty ta, a tooty, a tooty ta, ta ta!

"Mom, I swear if you don't stop taking pictures and let me eat this dang cookie..."

Preschool Pet Show: Introducing Kevin

We were excited when the invitation for the preschool pet show came home this year because last year it was such a success for Brian.  He decided to leave Baby Kangaroo behind and take his new friend, Kevin the Lion this go around.  Kevin was a Valentine's Day gift from Jon and Teri, which is why he is the best-according to Brian!

Brian had several fans attend the show-Nana, Pappy, Teri, Jon, Lilah, Daddy, Mommy and even Kristal!  Lilah got to bring a friend along too...and walk in the pet parade!  She chose Minnie Mouse. At first she was not having the parade...er Brian dragging her around the cafeteria, but luckily Brian's fabulous teacher Ms. Anita stepped in and guided her the rest of the way which made her much happier.

Brian and Kevin

Hard to catch a picture of this little diva!

Kevin won the award for loudest ROAR!

So exciting to see all the other friends on stage!

Completing the activities with Aunt Teri!

Posing with Pappy!

Preschool Happenings

Brian has been learning so much at school this year.  His "report card" came home last week and it's so impressive! I pulled out the one from last year to compare.  The improvement is just amazing! 

His speech is improving rapidly as well.  His private speech teacher is working on helping him to unjumble his sentences.  He has some trouble with subject verb agreement and this gives him troubles when he's trying to tell us what he has done all day!  I can pretty much understand everything, but others might not be able to.  However, the idea that they are working on subject verb agreement, when last year at this time we were just trying to get him to put sentences together, is exciting! 

He's also working on specific sounds with the school therapist.  The "f" sound has always been a struggle for him.  He's finally getting it!  The other day, Lilah was saying "pish, pish," when pointing at a fish.  Brian said, "Lilah, put your teeth over your lip and say Fish."  It was awesome!  She did say it correctly by the way.

Brian comes home everyday excited to tell us what he has done in school. Usually it centers around the letter they are learning.  Although, that will end soon as they will complete the alphabet next week.  He has really taken to learning to write all of the letters and say their phonetic sounds.  It's neat to see him on the verge of learning to read! 

A few weeks ago, Brian's class was learning about the Chinese New Year.  He was really excited about the dragon!  When I taught at Villa we wrote a unit about the Chinese New Year and the art teacher even created a dragon with my students.  They have a parade each year and they still use the dragon that was created while I was there.  I emailed the art teacher to see if we could stop by and see the dragon and she said yes!

This week Brian's school is doing a little reading program where the kids have to read for 15 minutes a day and if they do, they will receive a prize next week.  On Monday, I was busy so I asked Brian to head downstairs to read for a few minutes on his own.  I had to stop what I was doing when I heard this happening...

 Love my kids!

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!

Back in the Swing

We are slowly getting back in the swing of things.  I am a person who really loves routine, so this should be easy for me.  But this year?  I really wasn't ready for summer to end.  We have had so much fun just being with each other and I will really miss it.

Brian is riding the school bus to school this year.  He is SO excited!  I wasn't sure if they were going to work it out, but they did.  Then I found out that he would be on the bus for AN HOUR on some pretty windy, country roads and I wasn't quite sure my mommy heart could take it.  BUT I was a big girl and let him get on the bus yesterday.  And he loved it, as I expected.

Here are some first day shots on the porch before we left the house.  Brian of course had to have his camera too...

I got two of the first bus ride.  He looks mad in the second.  I think he was completely annoyed with my picture taking by this point.  Get used to it bud!

And I can't forget to thank Shari and Robin for being there with me while he boarded the bus the first day!  You rock!!

This is the totally awesome supply cake Aunt Teri made for Brian to take to his teacher...

Thank you Aunt Teri!!!

Overall he had a good first day.  He did have a potty accident, but I pretty much expected that as he does that when he gets nervous.  He told me all about The Kissing Hand and proudly presented me with his first day hand print and picture.  He also ate his turkey "all gone" at lunch.  We had discussed this before he left for school.  I am worried he'll blow off lunch and be starving by 3:30, so I guess I was pretty clear! 

Today was Day 2.  No potty accidents.  He dug around in his back pack to show me what he made today...a "red" picture.  It has red helicopter stamps on it and some red coloring.  I asked him what he did today and he said, "we learned."  I'll take that for sure!  Putting him on the bus was a bit easier today.  It will only get easier I suppose.

Another added benefit to afternoon preschool is that Lilah gets to sleep in.  A happy baby can make a world of difference!

And we had time for another baby dinosaur to be discovered before we left this morning.  Oh the joy of imagination!!

A Little Bit of Random

Long time, no blog.  Sorry! 

Miss Lilah is walking!!  Not all the time, but she's pretty darn stable.  Brian definitely walked like a drunken monkey for awhile.  But not his baby sister.  She waited until she was good and ready and she's very well balanced. 

School starts soon.  Brian will be in PM preschool, which is causing a huge schedule adjustment for the kids and I, but I am hopeful that it will work out.  Brian's teacher was very clear that he would do better in the afternoon class, so I am trusting her.  It's going to mean we can still sleep in (yay!), I will work different hours, I will (hopefully) get in a couple of walks a day, and Lilah and I will have some quality mommy and baby time at the park and/or zoo.  I am sure there will be other positives as we figure it all out and most importantly, Brian will get what he needs in the classroom while Lilah spends time with me. 

We have been trying to soak up what's left of summer.  Which basically means we have been doing the same things we've done all summer.  Pool.  Zoo.  Park.  Ah, I love it!

Here are some random pictures from the past couple of months.

Fourth of July...
And yes, he chose the hat.  On his own.

Stuffing spaghetti in her mouth on her actual birthday.

Diving board day at swim lessons.  Brian was not a fan.

We are actually riding in Annie behind Thomas...just in case you couldn't tell!