I had a meeting this morning at Levi's school that I want to share about, but first let's take a look at yesterday morning. Mike left for work pretty early and I frantically prepare to leave the house at 7:40 for an 8am "IEP" meeting at Levi's school. Everyone is dressed, groomed and fed, baby is changed and nursed, stroller and walker are in the car, and lunches are packed b/c we aren't circling back around this way (wait, forgot a lunch, and the dramatic crying fit ensues)(not from the mom). So we rush out and get to my meeting EARLY. This is not a joke but I actually snapped a picture of the time on my phone and sent it to Mike bragging that I made it there at 7:57. Well my bragging rights were quickly reneged when I was told that my meeting was Thursday not Wednesday. Wait... what day is it?? I've got the months down by now, but keeping track of days is a tricky task! So all 4 of us with grumpy attitudes hoof it back to the car (picture a sit & stand stroller plus Levi in his walker a half mile from the school entrance). Fail, fail, fail.
So today I had a nice leisurely cup of coffee (or 2) and rounded up the gang for another round... on this alleged "Thursday". We got there at 8:12 (no photographed time-stamp this time). The toddlers had bed-head, they ate bread for breakfast (not even toast) and Kai was in his overnight diaper and had yet to be nursed. We were a tardy yet very happy bunch of ragamuffins. Kai got his milk and fresh shorts I promise. Next time I'll proceed like round 2 the first time!
Onto the meeting! What WONDERFUL progress Levi has made since October. In the IEP meeting each therapist goes around the table and talks about the goals that were previously set, how Levi is doing attaining them, and then they set new goals or revise current ones. Well.... in just 5 months Levi has reached all of the goals that were set in the fall!! These include:
Occupational Therapy (OT) - using scissors to cut along straight lines and 50% of the time cut out simple shapes, lace small buttons with thread, write his name, can almost open his own juice box or milk carton during snacks, and lots of other things!
Speech Therapy (SP) - pronouncing syllables in multi-syllabic words, reduced clustering in his speech, talks in 5-10 word sentences 75% of the time.
Physical Therapy (PT) - sitting criss-crossed on the floor unassisted for short periods of time, maneuver his walker from cement to grass and re-direct it when he's stuck, transition from his walker to the snack table chairs without falling 75% of the time, sit on the toilet (after being assisted on), etc...
When he began going to the special needs program he wasn't talking
intelligibly and had very few OT skills. It has only been 18 months and his progress is such an encouragement to his therapists and teachers. So much in fact that they are recommending that he be placed in a pre-K class of 100% typical kiddos in the fall! This is a BIG deal friends!!
I sat across from 6 people at 8:50 this morning and heard a resounding "he's ready for more" from them. Person by person nodded yes with a warm smile as they told me that he did it. He's making it. He's triumphing. He is thriving and blowing them away. And he needs more of a challenge. So we say bring it on!
One of the things that makes this journey with Levi so difficult is that we have to operate with many unanswered questions. We don't know what parts of his brain are hindering what parts of his body, so when we get victories like this it's a sweet, sweet day. It's as if an answer was whispered to us in response to some questions that our weary hearts have stopped asking. It's a day of rejoicing over a lot of hard work and dedication from the strongest little person I know.
It's a day of happy tears.
