Kindergarten screening and IEP meeting

On Wednesday morning Brandon went to Dow Avenue for his kindergarten screening. He was really excited to go to it. When we got there we signed in and he was given a number. An evaluator (I think it was a basic skills teacher) came to get him a little while later and checked to see what he knows (personal information, fine motor, alphabet, shapes, colors). He was gone for about 5 minutes. When he was done she gave him the book Mrs. Bindergarten Gets Ready for Kindergarten which he was so excited to read later that night.

When he was done with his screening I brought him to Ivy Hedge. A few hours later Stu and I had his IEP meeting. He has had an IEP (individualized education plan) for the past two years since he qualified for preschool through the public school due to speech when he turned 3. Since he is exiting preschool the child study team needed to assess him in education, speech, occupational therapy (he has been receiving ot services in preschool too), and psychological. We had received the reports a little over a week before his IEP meeting so I had a pretty good idea of what he would and wouldn't need. He has improved tremendously in language. When he started preschool I think he had only 5 words. Now he talks in sentences and has an extensive vocabulary. In fact, he was evaluated at 4 years, 10 months and his language scored at 5 years, 8 months which is almost a year ahead of his age. He does still need articulation which we knew he would. He has improved with that too but he does have some sounds that he needs to work on still. He also qualified for occupational therapy again next year. His scores had a huge range. Some were under his age, some were ahead of his age. He has come a long way in ot too from where he started. So next year he will have an IEP for speech but a 504 plan for occupational therapy since he doesn't need an IEP for education. That is because he scored average, above average, superior, and above superior for education. He is reading at an age equivalent of 7 years, 3 months (which is 2 1/2 years above his age) and doing math at an age equivalent of 6 years, 10 months (which is 2 years above his age). It is all self taught. The child study team started off by suggesting he stay in preschool for another year due to his size and some attention issues but I said I thought he would be bored in another year of preschool when he is so high academically and there was agreement. I think he will be okay. He is small for his age due to his prematurity but when we were at screening there were definitely other kids the same size as him. I really feel he will be okay or I wouldn't have registered him in kindergarten for next year.

Wesley College

There is a college called Wesley College. My dad ordered Wesley a shirt from there which he wore for the first time a few days ago. Ignore the drool all over his shirt. I think his two year molars are trying to cut through. We have been going through several shirts a day.

Leapfrog Toys

Brandon and Wesley both love their leapfrog toys. They both really like the leappad a lot and it was causing a lot of fights so I bought a leapster (smaller and can use the same games that the leappad can). A few days ago I went upstairs for a few minutes when the boys were playing and came back down to the two of them sitting on the couch together playing the leappad and leapster.

5 Years

5 years ago on May 26th Brandon's twin sister was born. I don't know how 5 years have gone by since that horrible day 5 years ago. I had so much hope that even though my sac had ruptured 8 days prior I would somehow hold onto her until viability so that she would be born and live. Every day I was in the hospital on bedrest after my sac ruptured and I was still pregnant with the twins I heard her heartbeat several times a day. It sounded so strong. 5 years later I still don't think it is fair that she was taken from me so early. I know Brandon and Wesley have an angel looking down on them. She helped get Brandon through his 12 weeks in the NICU and has helped to make him the strong boy that he is today. I really believe she is looking down on him. I would have loved to see Brandon and her together. I see the bond that Brandon has with Wesley and wonder if Brandon what kind of bond Brandon would have had with her. On May 18th, the day my sac ruptured 5 years prior, I posted on facebook. I meant to write on here on May 26th and somehow that day got away from me. I felt terrible when I all of a sudden remembered tonight. Baby girl, you are not forgotten, nor will you ever be. You will always hold a special place in my heart.

Mia's Rock n Roll Party

A few weekends ago we went to a birthday party for one of our friend's granddaughter's. Mia is Wesley's age. She had a rock n roll theme birthday party. There was a woman from who played music on her guitar and did music activities with the kids. Brandon loved it. Wesley only wanted to sit on my lap.

Soccer, Arcade, and Rides

On Saturday Brandon had anothe soccer game. He played the entire game since there were only 5 kids there from his team. He was very into it the whole time and was right where the ball was. He kicked it a lot, did a throw in, and even almost scored a goal. It really is unbelievable to see the difference in him from the fall.

After the game my parents, the boys, and I went to Point Pleasant and played in the arcade and went on the rides. Brandon LOVES rides and even went on the roller coaster with me. Wesley doesn't love rides. He was terrified the entire time that he was on the merry go round and they had to stop the firetruck ride to let him get off because he started crying. He did like the truck ride that he went on with me and Brandon.

Pajama Day

Brandon and Wesley had pajama day at Ivy Hedge today. They were both SO excited to wear their pajamas to school. It was almost 80 degrees today so I had to get out some summer pajamas for them to wear. They looked so cute!

Grandma's 98th Birthday

Last night we went to dinner in White Plains, New York for Stu's grandmother's 98th birthday. Stu's aunts and uncles were there, his parents, a few of his cousins, and one of his cousins children. Brandon had fun hanging out with Haley and Jake. Jake is only 5 months younger than Brandon.

Dinosaur Field Trip

On Thursday Brandon's pre-k class at Ivy Hedge went to the Museum of Natural History on a field trip. Stu and I both went on the trip with him. Each kid needed to bring a parent with them in order to go and there were a few extra seats which is why both of us were able to go. The kids had been learning about dinosaurs so the first stop they had us make was to the dinosaurs. After that we could do whatever we wanted to do. We just had to be back at the bus by 2:15. We went to the planetarium and we also went to the butterfly exhibit. Brandon had a good time but kept complaining that he was tired since it was a lot of walking.