I've been pretty bad at this. I must admit an addiction to facebook has not helped. It's much easier to post a quick status update...in under 420 characters. And get immediate feedback.
But I would like to keep everyone up to date. I won't slam you with too much...I know your eyes must roll back in your head when you get these updates...reminder: they are much easier to read as a blog as opposed to an email update. :)
Chris is doing well living in the city and working on Long Island. He enjoys his job and his life. Nick is gearing up with finals.
Alex is in a love/hate relationship with school. Every day (EVERY!) she tells me how she doesn't want to go back...can't she stay home, be homeschooled and so on. After extended breaks and vacations it's worse. But once in school she has a good time. She loves her teacher and she loves learning. I think she might get anxious because she sees many kids making poor decisions and that makes her nervous. But she is great. She's made great progress this year, is learning to read and loves it. She just turned 6. She has her second dance recital coming up in June. She's teaching Kath her dances. She also rides a horse every Monday. She finished her religion classes last week. She is a Daisy. Spring soccer has started and she is on my team. She's a very busy girl.
Kath also continues to be busy. We just had her year evaluation. She has done so well in the past year. When we look back at her paperwork from her tests a year ago...to now...it is amazing. Kath scores 'below average' but she's finally in the average range. Many skills seem to be pulling together for her. She is of course still way behind where we want her to be and she still has daily struggles but she is amazing.
It has been said to me that when I first suggested the plan of continuing Kath to remain at home for her therapies, and attend a regular education nursery school, that they didn't see how this would work but that after the year, they see it did work for Kath. We were given kudos for making Kath such a priority. Felt good to be acknowledged but also made us think and realize just how intense a year it was. Kath had 13 therapies a week, with another one thrown in once a month as the Teacher For the Visually Impaired consults with us monthly. 12 of those therapies are here at home. One at the stables...an hour ride from here. She goes to school 2 days a week for 2 and 1/2 hours. And she has dance class once a week.
It would have been easier to put Kath in a school and have all therapies there, but I didn't feel she was ready for that. She wasn't. Her stamina was such that she was exhausted after 2 hours of school. She makes it much longer in the day now...sometimes her therapies start at 8:30AM, other days they end at 6:30PM. But I can reset her when need be, hold her and have her reapproach things, whereas in a school setting they have many other students to also consider.
She scored around a three year old range for many of her cognitive scores...that is only about 5-6 months behind. Her physical scores are a bit further back...and that will impact gripping writing utensils, cutting with scissors and so on. For them she is more at the 2 1/2 year old range-she's 3 1/2.
Her vision issues may slog her reading abilities, but Kath has been pretty amazing.
Speech wise she has become quite the yacker and after you've been around her for a bit, understand the context, she is easier to understand.
Kath has her first dance recital coming up on May 14th. She is a mouse in "A Cinderella Story." She is thrilled and she has an adorable costume. I'll try to post a picture.
We've made a decision about next year. We've decided that Kath will be going to a program school. She will be going to Village Preschool from 9-1. Since Robin won't be able to take care of the girls next year we are struggling to find good child care that will allow Kath the least amount of transitions and distractions as possible. On that same turn I'm returning to teaching full time next Fall. My fellow teachers are very very excited...that feels very nice. Trying to figure out how I will fit 'it all in' is an anxiety filled concept, but I'm sure it will work out.
Hope this gives you a heads up--hoping to get back on soon and tell you some funny stories about the girls too.
Enjoy and thanks for reading!
