A New Year for All the Platos

Max starts Early Childhood at a new (closer) school in August. Ignatius starts junior high as a sixth grader in August. JoLynn starts at a new school as a Reading Specialist for K-2 in August. What a whirlwind of newness our house will be.

Max ended his summer school career for 2008 today. Many of the stakeholders involved say they have seen a lot of progress in him over the summer. I am thrilled, but not naive enough to think we are finished. We have only just begun. He is speaking, which is something I feared would not come or would come and then go. Next step: conversation. The give and take of dialogue is something that I have to say I took for granted. Ignatius has his struggles, mainly with the flow; his dad still struggles with pregnant pauses as he formulates thoughts. Me? I usually don't let people stop speaking before I begin. I will have great celebration when I can converse with Max. I am, however, thrilled at what he can do. We are blessed.

As unbelievable as it is, Ignatius begins sixth grade in August. Well, it's unbelievable as far as how fast the years have flown. He definitely puts us through the perils of parenting an adolescent. He is testing his boundaries as far as what he can and cannot say and can and cannot do are concerned. My goodness... that sounds eerily NORMAL?! If there's one thing I can say with confidence, it's that JoLynn knows sixth graders. He is, officially, acting like a sixth grader. Segue to my news...

I accepted a position today as a K-2 Reading Specialist at Irving Elementary. This is a very good thing for the family... it means a later start time in the day, it means I won't be teaching sixth graders and then coming home to one with no patience left, it means I can get reacquainted with the age level that started my interest in education. Seeing as Max will need assistance with some of the very same things, I am anxious to learn everything I can to help struggling beginning readers. My friends and I often talk about the miracle of reading. As a parent, you are innocently doing your day-to-day when suddenly, almost magically, your four or five year old starts reading... really reading... decoding... comprehending... and you scratch your head and say, "How'd that happen?" So many things make that happen, and once that switch is flipped, it's like an Electric Light Parade.

For some children, though, the switch is more of a dimmer switch. They will get there, but in a slower fashion. There are many reasons for this, and many tactics that are used to intervene. So, I will be able to help move the dimmer switch, while at the same time learning how I will get Max to that miracle moment.

The staff at Irving has a wonderful reputation. I am really excited to be a part of that. However, I cannot cover up the feelings of sadness I have due to leaving BJHS. The teachers there are outstanding. Some of them are very close friends of mine. I will be in the same district, but in a different building. We will not participate in the day-to-day events... the laughter, the tears, the aggravation, the joys, the UNBELIEVABLE support of colleagues. But I know how to get in touch with them all. :) I also look forward to a new group of colleagues to help me learn and grow. So here's to "moving my cheese," again! Heck, I think someone ate my cheese about 15 years ago and just didn't tell me. :)

Cancer's Unexpected Blessings

Those avid readers of mine know that my friend, Marilyn, was recently diagnosed with cancer in her brain. The other day, she encouraged me to read Tony Snow's commentary on his cancer. I thought it was insightful, and that others might want to read it as well.

It can be found at the Christianity Today website following this link: http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2007/july/25.30.html.

One more reason for me to dislike Chuck E. Cheese

A news story and my poetic response.

http://www.hoinews.com/news/news_story.aspx?id=161878

AS IF... by JoLynn

AS IF a child with autism needs another reason to feel different
AS IF parents of children on restrictive diets enjoy having to pack up food when they go to restaurants
AS IF Chuck E. Cheese does not service thousands of children a day
AS IF Chuck E. Cheese needed to call the police on a mom wanting to feed her child
AS IF Chuck E. Cheese couldn't come up with menu items for children with this need (1 in 150, right?)
AS IF Chuck E. Cheese pizza actually tastes good
AS IF there needs to be one more hurdle
AS IF.

My Little Fish

I just can't believe how uninhibited Max is in the pool. He's one crazy dude.

Here are some photos of him from Saturday.

You will notice that he is pretty much swimming/floating to me from the side of the pool. He loves having his head underwater and kicking.

I have also included a photo that cracks me up. We were in Bed, Bath, and Beyond, and he was walking along, one hand on his hip, the other on his chin. I love my iphone for these moments.

Garage Sale Blues

We are having a garage sale tomorrow and Saturday. I think this will be our third in sixteen years. Every time I have one, I remind myself of why I don't want to have one. All depends on what you make. Last time, we made $25. That was after all the hooplah you make to get people there. I suppose it was $25 I didn't have before.

This one is particularly difficult, as I am selling a lot of baby stuff. The strollers, the infant carseat, the playpen, the crib... all up for grabs. With all of our renovating in the basement, our storage space is at a premium there. Plus, surely someone else can use what we are storing in the basement.

However, the finality of that is... it's really the end of the baby road (unless God has a strange sense of humor). I "got" that intellectually, but moving the "stuff" of infancy hammered it home.

Don't get me wrong. The thought of being preggers again sends chills up my spine. I was not a happy pregnant woman. I have never been good with nausea, and having a period of my life when a doctor says, "You need to sit and prop your feet at work," was laughable. But I think there's some trigger in a lot of moms I know that makes the realization that you are done with that part of your life a little bittersweet.

So, here marks the day that JoLynn said, "It is finished." Hmmm.

Run, Forest, Run!

Our local Autism organization, McLean County Autism Society, is hosting the 2008 Autism Walk/Run. Proceeds benefit the society, which does a lot of great things for the families in this area. For example, it was through its e-mail communication that I heard about a series of "new diagnosis" meetings through the Autism Program at ISU. I have been attending for the past two Thursdays for free, and it has been a very helpful set of meetings. They also establish things like movie mornings at local theaters and play dates and local gymnastics clubs.

The run is September 21, and Ignatius, some friends, and I are forming a team. You will hear more from me about it, I am sure.

Here is an update on "the boys."

Max continues to thrive at summer school and day care. When Ignatius and I were stretching after our walk/run tonight, he counted with us. He even stretched, too. Show-off can touch his toes. His speech continues to be delayed and give-and-take of conversation is not really there. However, he does listen to commands given to him, which is excellent. He also has become a water lover. Now he holds on to the side by himself!

Ignatius is enjoying summer doing his favorites: PC, Wii, PS2, and pool. We are reading the novel, The Giver, together, since neither of us had read it. It's fantastic so far. He sees a counselor weekly for his anxiety issues, and is still on the waiting list for further evaluation for Asperger's. The developmental pediatrician also wanted us to consider OCD once the anxiety was a bit more under control. It waxes and wanes. Lucky for him, he has two parents who are very familiar with it.

So that's their scoop. Over and out. May I be able to drag my out of shape body out of bed tomorrow. :)

Weekend Events

This weekend was a fast and fun one. Lots of goings on.

Max took his first two trips to Anderson Aquatic Center with me (on Saturday) and with me and Ignatius (on Sunday). He absolutely loved the slides in the toddler pool. He wanted to go on the bigger slides today, but I had to convince him that those were for "big, BIG boys." He has no fear... he probably would have gone down the slides. We went in the larger pool, and he was like a fish. At 3, Ignatius clung to me for dear life in a pool. Max would almost rather have me let go. He likes to kick and float. Gotta get this kid some lessons.

Ignatius had Tae Kwon Do testing on Saturday. It lasted quite a long time because they had several black belts testing. How fantastic for him to see, as he has a goal of ninth degree blackbelt. One of his instructors had to try to break 5 cinder blocks. She broke 3 the first try and 2 the second. Perhaps she wanted to NOT break her hand! The slide show shows photos of Ignatius breaking a board with a kick. He makes it look so effortless now. His first tries way "back in the day" were quite unsuccessful.

I love the shot that Scott got of Ignatius "high-fiving" through the line of instructors after he received his purple belt. Thank God for my new Nikon D60. :)