Nature

Lauren had some very simple homework. She had to divide some objects into two categories. They objects included the sun, a flash light, a candle, a firefly, and a street light. She had to decide which source of light was Found In Nature and which was Made by People.

I pointed to the sun and she said it belonged in the Made by People category. I asked her why and she said "Well, God made the sun and Jesus is God and Jesus became people so it is made by People".

Good thought Lauren! She gets it!

Nothing nice

I'm sure we've all heard it before. "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all." I've heard it since I was little and now have said it more times than I can count.

Lauren got her one of her numerous report cards (it's special education, we don't do anything halfway). The report card from her regular 1st grade teacher really, really bothered me.

I can't remember exactly what was said on it but I know that it said that Lauren was "peforming well below grade level" and is "extremely unfocused". The narrative also wished her well this summer and told her to have fun in second grade.

There was not one postivite thing said about her. Her teacher could not come up with anything posistive just some generic remarks. And that bothered me a lot. So much that I'm writing about it over three months later.

I get that Lauren is delayed. I know that she is behind. I know that she can't focused. I go home with her everyday and live with her well beyond the 9-4 school day. I see her 365 days a year. I'm not stupid nor naive. I'm not turning a blind eye to the issues that she has. But when they write about what she is not doing, it doesn't surprise me.

But, there is something great about Lauren. There's a lot of great things about Lauren. I fail to see how after having her in a class for 9 months that you couldn't come up with something. I'm not really picky. "Lauren has a great smile." "Lauren has a great memory." Anything would do! This is especially important because at age 7, it is more about me than her.

I did speak to her principal about it. I know that her teacher didn't mean to hurt me. She didn't set out to make me sad about it but she didn't think. The principal did thank me and said he wants his staff to be aware of issues like this.

My friend, Leslie at www.mymommysplace.com, summed it up the best in her back to school haiku. "she may be the dark spot in your day, but she is the bright spot in mine". And that is my Lauren.

1st day of Kindergarten

It's official. Ellie is a kindergartner. She was so excited all morning to get on that big yellow bus. She's watched Lauren ride the bus since Lauren turned 3. It's finally her turn.

1st day of 2nd grade

Art shows at schools

Student of the Month

Guess who was student of the month in March?



Lauren was!

Farley comes to visit

Farley is Lauren's 1st grade teacher's watch dog. He watches all the students and then confers with her and goes home with someone with very good behavior that day.

Well, he got to come home with Lauren today. She walked around the house and introduced Farley to all of her friends and gave him the grand tour.

We took Farley to the mall and ate in the food court. He then went with us to play in the playland.

Sick Kid

Lauren is sick. We sent her to school and she was fine. However, they called and 10:00 and she had thrown up.

That brings me to my biggest fear in school: throwing up at school. I spent most of my elementary school years terrified that I would one day throw up there. There could have been nothing worse then throwing up to me. I remember thinking that if I threw up at school one day I would simply never come back.

I know exactly where that phobia came from. It was a Ramona Quimby book where she throws up in 3rd grade.

I never did throw up at school and I think I've gotten over my phobia as of now. It's a good thing that we haven't read any Ramona books to Lauren. We might be looking for new schools now.

Never going again

Ellie has decided she is never going to preschool again. From what I understand of the story, her arms hurt from then monkey bars. She doesn't want her arms to hurt anymore so she's never going again.

I tried to resolve the situation by telling her she didn't have to go on the monkey bars. She sighed and said "oh, mom" and gave me that look. You know the look girls have been giving their moms for centuries. The one that said "you just don't understand nor will you ever".

It only came 10 years ahead of schedule.

1st day of preschool

1st day of 1st grade

The Big Yellow Bus Comes Tomorrow

Since the girls are going into 1st grade and a 2nd year of preschool, the end of summer vacation is a highly anticipated event. They love school and they love their teachers and they love having a life apart from our families.

This year I found something else they love. They love shopping for school supplies. They love looking at nice shiny notebooks and folders. They love picking out crayons and markers. They love packing their backpacks.

They are now already to go. Lauren starts tomorrow and Ellie a week from tomorrow. I wonder if this will last their entire school career.

Last Day of School for Lauren

Lauren's last day of school was today. I stand in amazement at what she has acomplished this year.

She is so much more social. I know that joining Girl Scouts was a wonderful idea for her. She actually initiates conversations with kids instead of simply repeating phrases. The other kids undestand her and respond to her with friendship (for the most part).

She met or made progress in most of her IEP goals except for writing. She is reading below grade level but she has come far. She was able to identify 0 letters on her 1st day of kindergarten. Today, she came name all upper and lower case letters. She can identify 43 sight words. Her goal was 27.

She is making slow, very slow progress with writing and fine motor skills.

Bob and I agonized over this descision on when to send her to kindergarten. Should we send her with her age group? Or should we do another year of preshcool? You would have thought we were sending the kid to college. When I went to her first IEP meeting, in 2/09, what we needed to do was so clear. I needed to unenroll her from her preschool and put her in a 50/50 class at the public preschool. Anything else would have been wrong. This descision was not clear; it was very, very grey. But it was the right descision. I can't imagine her still being in preschool now.


All ready for the last day of kindergarten!

Last day of school for Ellie

I think that I must have just posted on how it was Ellie's first day of school. However, school has come to an end. It will be quite an adjustment for Ellie. She's waited her entire life to go to school and now it is over.

We did go to her preschool picnic today. Ellie introduced me (again) to her beloved Miss Holly and Miss Carrie. We met some friends as well.

Finland

Lauren has to do a 5 minute presentation on Finland today. Note to other parents: if your child's teacher sends out letters aksing you to volunteer for a country or a country will be assign to you, please volunteer. Otherwise, you get stuck with Finland.

We've looked at were Finland is on the globe. We know people from Finland are called Finns. We know they use Euros (Lauren keeps saying zeros) for money. We know they play ice hockey and like ice fishing. We've also learned that Santa is from Finland. We make a cool poster. Mommy prints out things at work because the printer has been girlified.

And at the end of the day, they cancel school because of snow. I guess we'll have to do it tomorrow.

Letters Progress

I got this awesome email from Lauren's teacher today. Keep in mind that in Septmeber she could identify zero letters.

Subject: Wow!!!!



Lauren got 23 of 26 lower case letters!

She was on fire!

Her confusions were p/q, b/d and didn't know 't'

I'm thrilled!

I think reading is in our future.

Ellie's first day of preschool

Here is our big preschooler. She was so excited to go to school

Lauren's first day of school

Lauren is finally a kindergartner. It was a very eagerly anticipated day for both Lauren and me. It seems just yesterday that we brought her home from the hospital. Unlike a lot of kids, it has taken a lot of work to get to this point.

We lived at the developmental clinic this past year hoping for some answers and solutions.

We have done countless hours of therapy. Her therapists have worked hard to get her to this point. Lauren has worked hard. Nothing comes easy for her. I often think that she sits and wonders what would be the easy way to do something and then does the exact opposite.




Here she is heading off on the big yellow bus




Coming home from a hard first day of school