I met with the diagnostician, the Occupational Therapist and Speech Therapist of Prosper ISD last week.  They requested that I not bring Little A to this meeting, so I did not.  They asked me questions about Little A, about her strengths and weaknesses, and if I was aware of any requirements she would have for school.  I could think of none on the spot, and was told that it was okay if I couldn’t, they would address that during the evaluation process.  Our meeting lasted 45 minutes, and they advised that it would be late March or early April before they could schedule the evaluation. I left with more questions than I arrived with, and jotted a few down in my notebook so that I will remember to ask at the evaluation.

Little A had her eye exam at the Retina Research Clinic in Dallas last week, and after five minutes of holding up squares of paper with different shapes in different locations told us that Little A’s eyesight is on the lower end of normal for her age and diagnosis.  What they could not tell us, because A refused to cooperate, is whether she has astigmatism.  For now, no glasses.  She sees her eye doctor again in August, and we’re hoping she’ll be more willing to cooperate at that appointment.

While I am nervous for A to start school, I am proud of her for moving up to Beasts at The Little Gym:-)  She has been having so much fun there, and is participating more and more each time we go.  The tough part now is getting her to the gym earlier; Little A sleeps late, usually between 9am and 10am…and all of the time slots for the Beasts classes are between 9:30am and 10:15am.  She was awake early enough on Tuesday to go to Little Gym, but this morning when I tried to wake her she would. Not. Wake. Up.  I rubbed her back, I smoothed her hair back (she hates both of these and will usually sit up when I start doing either), and all she did was roll over.  I attempted to pick her up and she cried, so I let her be.  It is now 11:30am and my little beast is still asleep.  What are some ways you wake up your little ones? Leave your ideas in the comments below~ this mama needs all the help she can get!

Chris and his sister have decided to renovate this house before putting it on the market.  Chris works for a mortgage company and is looking into applying for a renovation loan through his company; the interior designer that Angela (his sister) found recommended $35,000 worth of renovations before selling. Ugh.  I have only lived through one renovation, and it was awful.  We have a lot to pack up and move out of here before any work starts, and that’s only if Chris can secure a loan. Those of you with small children, did you stay in your house during renovation or did you stay somewhere else? A becomes agitated at loud noises, and I’m thinking it might be better to stay somewhere else during the reno.

Little A is becoming more independent, and more resistant to help from mom and dad.  She wants to do things herself, which I love, but still will not use words to communicate.  She points to things she wants, or will lay down (after making sure we are watching) and look to where the item that she wants is hiding…she will NOT, however, speak.  Or even try to speak.  Everything that I’ve read says that this is normal and not to worry, but how can I not? I want her to talk to me! I want her to be able to tell me when she’s tired or hungry.  I want her to repeat words after me.  My stubborn little miss, though, simply refuses to do so.  Maybe school will help with this? I don’t know, but I am hopeful.

I have doubled my efforts to obtain employment, and I am still hopeful that I will find work that allows me to mostly be home with A. I want to take her to and from school, and I am leery of leaving her with a stranger.  I know lots of people do so out of necessity, I just don’t want to be one of them.  I want to be the mom that attends school parties and field trips, and watches sport practices and has lunch with A at school.  She deserves that, and so do I.  Now to find a way to make it happen…stay tuned~~~~