School Update!

Well, it looks like Lauderdale Co Schools will accept Jack BUT he must be released from Clarke Co Schools first. We have applied for a transfer and wrote in detail of how important a transfer would be for Jack. We go before the school board on Oct 11th...pray, pray, pray!

One of his favorite things...book!

Moving along....

My sweet boy turns 3 Oct 10th and he is IN LOVE with trains, so a train party it is!!!! We have rented a small train for all of the kids to ride. I hope the day is a blast!! Lori from Little Bean Boutique did the invites...found her on Etsy. She did a phenomenal job, cute envelopes, address labels and favor stickers too!!! I had to give her a shout out!

Time for school, already?!?!?

Yep, Jacky is almost three and that means...SCHOOL! Well, maybe! He went for his eval with the Lauderdale Co School system two weeks ago and he performed like a ROCK STAR! He was tested in 5 areas, he passed Cognitive (woo hoo!) and Social and he was right on the line to refer for Adaptive/self help skills, motor, and communication. Self help and communication was not a surprise. We knew not being potty trained and his obvious speech delays would get us. BUT the whole not passing motor makes me FURIOUS, since our PT and OT has been cut back dramatically due to "very minimal delays". So of course, we had to address that at therapy last week hoping if we add this to his chart, HSM and Medicaid will reconsider cutting him back.

So, since he referred on 3 of 5 he qualifies for services within the school system BUT since we are not actually living in our house yet, he can't go when he turns 3...we have to wait until we are in the house...which should be January. I completely disagree with this and I have made numerous phone calls. I honestly don't see the harm in letting him go ahead and start now so he can start building relationships and get familiar with the new setting. It just makes sense! And the program that he is allowed to go to now in Clarke Co does not even compare to the Lauderdale Co program.

If they absolutely will not make an exception...Do I leave him in his day care? Do I put him in one of the bigger private daycare/preschools? Ideally I want him with typical kids in a school setting, but he's still to young for that. So I thought going with the school system would give him structure, smaller class room setting and certified teachers. I honestly do not know what in the heck to to do!!! So if anyone has any advice about the whole school issue, please give!!!!!

CMDSS GALA

The whole family getting ready to support Jack!

The hotel was right beside the train depot...Jack loved it! Wonderful Grammie stayed with him while we went to the Gala : )

The 2011 calendar turned out great!

The Gala was a success and we had a huge turnout! It just gets better and better every year. I am just so thankful to be part of such a great organization!

SO...it's been awhile since I've posted : ( We have been living life and staying super busy! Jack is doing great...growing, saying new words daily now (big smile), learning his numbers and colors, staying healthy...just to name a few! We start him on daily fish oil in March after some research, so not sure of his progress is due to that or just coincidence?? He is absolutely loving playing outdoors and getting in the pool...the beach was a blast for him. He loves the water! We have also started building our house in a great school district, so we went to visit his possible school and teacher. We are still praying about this one! We just want to make the best decision for Jack. We still have time before he turns 3.

Spring

Easter

Destin Beach Trip

Happy Father's Day!

Riding on Pop's boat

Our land...future house!

Gala Time!!!

It is time for the Central MS Down Syndrome Society Gala again!!! This year it is going to be at the newly remodeled King Edward Hotel in Jackson on Saturday, August 28th. It will be the usual...food, live band, drinks, dancing, visiting, the oh-so-fun silent auction, and the 2011 calendar reveal. Like I say every year, it is a blast and it makes me so proud to see so many come out and support our cause and our loved ones. The tickets are now for sale at the CMDSS website: http://www.cmdss.org/index.php

You've got to be kidding me...

You know some people really amaze me...they shock, disappoint and break hearts. That is how I feel about the recent idiots that stole images from the NDSC's More Alike campaign. NDSC is doing a great job promoting DS awareness by letting parents make and post their own poster for the We're More Alike Than Different Awareness Campaign. The public will vote and the top 3 posters will be produced and used for awareness in the community. Well, some jack a%# stole the images, changed the wording of the posters and posted them on a web forum. You can pretty much guess how ignorant and tasteless the posters were and not to mention the disgusting comments and conversations that took place on the forum. NDSC has closed the campaign for now and are currently discussing legal action. Thankfully, the offensive forum has been taken down.

It is situations like this that make you realize how lost and cold the world can be. How ignorant and heartless people can be...for what...a good laugh?? And yes, Jack did have a poster in the campaign. Was his image one of the ones stolen? Honestly, I don't really know. I went to the site on my phone, glanced through a few and was so heart broken I closed the page. I did not need to see anymore. I am not sure what this all means for the More Alike campaign, but I know I will not remove Jack's poster. I would love to see my baby's face all over the community!!! Maybe his sweet face could change one jerk at at time!

Now on to JACK! He got to play in the snow for the first time. He was not to impressed, it was cold and wet, so it was a short play! We did occupy him long enough for pics and building of the snowman.

It has finally been warm enough to go to the park a few times...great photo op! Jack is still in weekly OT and ST, and PT twice a month. He continues to do well, saying a few new words and getting a lot more independent. We just continue to expect Jack to do things and he does. I really, really think that is what it is all about. Jack is just Jack...to my friends, family, co-workers, everyone around him. He is a typical child and we know he will do great things. He might go about it a different way but he gets there!!! Life seems so much easier now than in the beginning of the diagnosis...whew, don't miss that feeling!