Walker's 1st Field Trip!

Pumpkins, pumpkins and more pumpkins!  It's my favorite time of the year!  All the beautiful colors, the crisp air and the last chances to get outside before the dark cold winter!

It's a right of passage in our area to visit Maples farm, go for a hay ride, feed the furry cows and then pick out the perfect pumpkin.  I was happy to accompany Walker and his class on their very 1st field trip yesterday!
The children rode the bus and I followed in my van in order to take Walker's chair with us.  I knew that I would have to carry him on the wagon ride, but wanted to be able to wheel him around the rest of the time.  He is getting pretty heavy and big to carry these days!

First we visited a small animal area but Walker's chair wouldn't fit through the walkway with all the other kids, so we chilled out outside by the pony.It was probably for the better since the smells and sounds might have been too much for Walker.  Next the class went through the corn maze but Walker was ready for a snack. We visited with the OT and PT therapists that were there and it gave me some time to catch up with them.  After, we headed over to the bounce house and slide.  I wanted him to participate so I took off my shoes and climbed in with him.  His classmates were happily bouncing as I held him tight in my lap.  He really seemed to enjoy it!

Finally it was time for us to go on the hay ride!!  I was more excited than he was, because by this time he was spent!

His teacher and aid, picked out the best pumpkin while Walker and I cuddled on the wagon.  It was really nice to just hang out with him, since we often don't get uninterrupted time at home! He slept the remainder of the trip so we had to wait until he got home from school to take his picture with his pumpkin!

But as you can see, it was well worth the wait!!

A soft landing

Recently, I posted a blog about my concerns for Walker's schooling.  I was worried that he wasn't really being involved as much as possible because he can be upset very easily and I was only witnessing him in one location in the classroom.  That blog is here. So today I got to experience what a morning is like for him in his classroom.

I am very pleased to report that he is being fully engaged in all classroom activities.  Actually, I really didn't think he wasn't but I wanted to witness first hand how they were handling certain aspects of his IEP goals. It was awesome to watch him interact with his aides and get involved in matching, sorting and coloring.  His aid is AMAZING!  If I could clone her for every special needs child I would!  I know that she is not just assigned to Mr. Mr. because they like to switch around within the classroom, but as I mentioned I would request her for him everyday if I could! She worked him hard and knew when to relax.  He was able to place two plastic bears in a bowl out of five tries!  It was so great to see him excited to be part of the classroom.  Circle time, they put him in his stander and he was really liking all the singing.  I had only a few suggestions for the aid, and she was very receptive.  I know that not everyday will be peaches and cream for him there, because truth is its a struggle here with him to. But I am so happy for the decisions I made to put him in preschool and I am confident that I made the right match.  Even though he isn't completely at the level that the rest of his peers are, its so good for him to be exposed and gives him something to reach for! 

First week of school

I know you all have been anxiously waiting to hear how Mr. Mr's first week of school went.  I thought about blogging several times during the week but it just didn't happen.  I thought that with him being in school I would have so much time on my hands, but guess what? three other children just came in and swooped it away!

His first day was a little rough for dad and I.  Daddy stayed home to make sure he got on the bus okay and we headed up the hill to the road for pick up.

I wasn't sure how he would handle the bus, since loud noises and quick movement sometimes startle him. But the lift wasn't loud and the bus vibrates with the engine so I think he liked it!

Daddy and I followed him to school to make sure that the ride went smooth.  The plan was that if he wasn't upset I would just leave and he wouldn't even know I was there. (One advantage to having a child with limited sight).  And he was fine.  Daddy, on the other hand had a hard time.

The day went well and his notebook said he did great.  

Tuesday I went and peaked in the window around 11:30.  I had already warned his teacher that I may be a stalker for a little while but to not be alarmed.  Of course when I looked in the window they had him underneath it so I couldn't see him.  At that point I was already at the school so I had to lay eyes on him. I signed in and went to the classroom door.  He was sitting in a feeding chair and they were getting ready to feed him lunch.  He was crying, but he usually is very impatient when it comes time to eat,  so I chatted with his Vision Therapist and Old Speach therapist then looked in on him again.  by this time he was chowing so he was fine.  

Every day we wait for him to get off the bus around 3 o'clock.  This is a long day for him!  He is exhausted and then sleeps for a few hours.  We are trying to get him into a routine to only sleep for an hour or so, otherwise he keeps us up until midnight!

Friday I checked on  him again around the same time and he was upset again.  I think he is just hungry, so I will send in a note suggesting to feed him more at snack which will allow him to go a little longer for lunch time. All in all, its good.  Friday morning Ramiah reported that when they were waiting for the bus to pick him up, Walker suddenly picked his head up and started smiling.  Within  two minutes Ramiah was able to hear the bus coming so he felt that Walker had heard it moments before and was excited to hear it coming!

Its hard letting go and allowing someone else to care for him.  I was never this nervous with Mason or Dylan, but then again I worked full time and didn't really have a choice. I know that they can give him more than i can and that it is the best thing for him.  I am just happy that he seems to like it!  It makes it a lot easier on all of us!

Walker's eval

Today was Walker's evaluation for preschool.  I was a little nervous about it because whenever the evaluations come its a hard pill to swallow.  Mostly the evaluations are about what Walker "cannot" do, this is just because its how the State and education system look at it to determine what services he is eligible for.  Its not a fun time for me, because it often just reiterates all of my fears about him.  Ramiah chose to stay home with Sawyer and my guess is its because he feels the same way, but one of us had to bring him so it was me!

I must say that the people at the center were really great!  The evaluation was done all together, and although it was a little overwhelming answering different questions simultaneously it was easier to get it over and done with!

The last part of the evaluation was what I was most interested in seeing, it was his evaluation in the classroom.  Since Walker has many sensory issues I wasn't sure how he would react to an environment with lots of action. He was also getting tired since it was cat nap time plus he did a lot of work during the evaluation that would normally tire him out!

I am happy to say that he loved it! At first he just sat pretty quiet, listening, but as the aides and teachers fawned over him he opened right up!  he was blowing raspberries and making his excited noises. 

I also have to say that one particular evaluator was sensitive to how the numbers will come out for his scores, since they will come out low, but wanted to prepare me for it.  It was refreshing!  Often times parents come out of doctors appointments, evaluations and other social situations feeling defeated once again that their child just doesn't measure up.  It just reinforced that this center is the right one for us!!