What's happening today:

- thinking about having a Gustav-inspired evacuation drill to our friends' house in Austin. It doesn't seem to be heading toward us, but we can't forget the 25-hour Rita evacuation nightmare.

- today the twins walked into and out of school under their own power (granted I did park in the handicapped spot, but it's still progress!)

-the para-professional is my new best buddy--walked us to the car, gave me details about their day, etc. Talked to the teacher briefly, but not enough. Must remedy this situation!

- J. seems to have a nice bunch of kids in his Pre-K class this year. Apparently his teacher had a very tough class last year and they are trying to give her a break. I'm glad that having J. in a class is considered a "break".

- most exciting of all: got to talk on the phone with one of my heroes, Susan Senator!

School Days

This week the twins started PPCD on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Tuesdays and Thursdays are still ABA.

The teacher hasn't responded to my email or phone call asking how it's going...I think she's a little overwhelmed. She's very competent-seeming and warm in person.
So all we have to go on are the two words B. kept saying after his first day..."Careful!!" and "Shick!" We understand "careful" (B. is quite the climber and acrobat), but we are wondering about shick. We think there might be another final consonant sound. The paraprofessional looked as if she might cry after escorting the two of them to the front of the school where I pick them up. They are very good at flopping to the floor and staying completely limp when you try to coax them.

By Wednesday the school had decided I should park in a handicapped spot and come get the boys at their classroom. I had had visions of PPCD finally teaching them to walk well from place to place, but so far they actually walk better for me than for the teacher or aide. It's just the first week, so I still have high hopes for the walking thing.

I'm glad we are still doing ABA, so I mostly think of PPCD as a chance to be in a group of other kids. The other kids are so sweet, and for the most part pretty social, which I'm thrilled about. The special ed director wanted to bus them to another school with a smaller class, but I'm hoping this one will work out. I do think they need another aide. Right now it's seven children with one teacher and one aide (possibly the source of our new word, "shick"). I'm in constant communication with the special ed. director due to my stubborn-ness about keeping them in ABA. And to think that in some states the school districts actually provides ABA! It's as if we were in another decade from the east coast. I send all my communications in bulleted-lists, trying to make the impression that I'm a parent who has a lawyer on retainer. At the same time I try to be diplomatic, because I might actually want to teach in this district again.

I'm being paged by J. to lie down and help him sleep. Tomorrow is his Pre-K meet=the-teacher day, and he's got a bit of the jitters.

Hopeing PPCD will turn out to be helpful. But why hasn't the teacher returned my email or phone call. Tomorrow I am dropping them off at the classroom door, and I'm going to ask her to call me. Now I'm off to snuggle with J.

Companies that have saved my tushy

I usually save my product testimonials for Signing Time, but today I have two other companies I need to thank:

Essential Whites (makers of size 4T onesies)

and

CARES airplane harnesses

The first company has helped my guys make it through the night in a diaper and also helps G. keeps his hands out of his pants, all day long. Sorry to be so blunt, but it was really getting to be a problem.

The second company has helped us on our flights to New York. We are officially growing out of them at this point, but they worked great while it lasted.

I may add some cute pictures at a later time!

Vacation Pics

My husband is en route to Iceland, school is about to start, and I'm thinking fondly of our vacation.

(apologies to my sister for posting a picture of her eating, but it's just so sweet)