IEP and trip to St Augustine

Tuesday

Another dazzling Fall day
DH off to play golf and he has switched off the computers and TV before I come home!
So we run out into the back yard and play for an hour -

Its really not smooth sailing at all. R looks tired and is hard to engage but I plod on. There is no denying it - he is definitely  in a phase of low with-itness

he kicks the sand desultrily - an indignant looking earthwork rises up like a snake and this provides us with some amusement

Screen weaning is hard

Paradoxically - he is doing very well in therapy and in school

He has gone on a pumkin trip today and his teacher emailed me this picture and has promised to send me the pumkin tomorrow ( I am not at all sure I want it - still its so sweet of her )

Even the pretend play is coming along - he takes the doll R on a car ride and adds two explorers to it - but refuses to add the baby dinosaur - when I say in the voice of the baby dino and beg for a ride .

He sensibly tries to put the baby dinosaur on the back of the mommy dino ( I spend a lot of time with him in a carrier on my back  and I guess he thinks that is what all babies do LOL )

I guiltily remember I have missed his night prayers for a while -

its a simple prayer - "Thank you god" and then I add "for my wonderful life "

But when I tell him to say "thank you god " he says instead "welcome "

So funny  - it sounds so cute !

Wednesday

IEP in the morning- I really love his teacher. we really are not the "ask for more services" parents  any more. 

I pestered for and got some useless services last time. I have learned my lesson on this

His OT is unable to attend whom I really need to talk to

It more about his day and the attitude that we tend to focus on now. His new school speechie is smart and good and eagerly takes all our suggestions

Most of al they seem to know  R's personality well ! We have to pester a lot for a little word processor augmentative device - Many of R's words are unintelligible and this will really help

IEP goes well -When we go to his classroom - his assistants seem to be talking to the kids rather too firmly which I do NOT like ( not angry or harsh - just firm ) . The kids in his class are all just ADORABLE little small fries - they all have either Autism and I see one little darling who has Down's -I LOVE That girl - as she is socially so advanced and makes many overtures to R

What a relief it is to see her in his class!

The evening is madly packing for our trip to Florida tomorrow - as I need to takemost of R's food with me its a load of work

Thursday

The flights are all delayed but luckily we find out at home and so we have an extra hour in the morning

R has been so disengaged lately - its quite marvelous to see him so in tune so with it

For a small child - he behaves marvelously - very interested in everything - looking out of the window and pointing out trees houses and planes ( at my request )

Though we have brought along our laptops as a plan B - I  have also brought along a bunch of number songs in print outs - from here

R loves to follow along by pointing at the words while I sing the songs like "five little pumpkins""ten green bottles"" the ants go marching".

If you notice the songs are coincidentally all about numbers - its no coincidence!

I use numbers a lot for engagemnet - ironically the songs have been created for typical kids who are using engagement in music and social activity like singing to learn about numbers

We have a BLAST in the Atlanta airport - riding the train from the concourses... DH finds a way to get the the first carriage and its ecstasy - we point out all the NASA pictures and the many logical things there are in the airport.

Even lunch is great as we eat in the food court and are all able to eat our faves - Qudoba and McDonalds and Panda Express

On the flight from  Atlanta to JAX we are delayed and have the worst seats - right next to the toilet ! However even this turns out awesoome as its the seat with two windows and as we are late - the view outside is a special treat - 7 planes are queued up before us to take flight and many behind us .

R watches with joy and anticipation

How often I fly without grasping the sheer miracle of flying

This flight has been flown all day though as i can feel the lack of oxygen inside and we are exhausted

We reach JAX and are immediately revived by the warm and sunny air

We are staying here. An adorable condo and the lady is a warm hostess - She has left wine and chocolate for us - how can you argue with that !!!

We have a really nice evening

Follwed by a VERY bad night as R will not sleep. Which means that neither can we

Our sleep troubles are back and its horrible as we are all terribly tired the next day. The day is the only day we have really in St augustine and we are planning to pack in the beach and downtown in this one day which on little sleep does not bode well !

Still its easy to be happy as I am typing this sipping  Tim Horton's coffee on the patio and listening to the ocean make its racket - that may easily be my favorite sound in the world