Wordless Wednesday

Daycare friends...

Just Stumbled Upon This

You have to be kidding me. The end result is good but it sucks that someone's massive stupidity was what encouraged the reaction. Really, it's just so hard to believe. There wouldn't of been an A-Hole left at British Airways if I was placed in this situation... No Way In Hell...

http://overheadbin.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/06/16/6874533-british-airways-apologizes-for-turning-away-girl-with-down-syndrome

Alumni Day Parade

On Saturday we went to my High School's Alumni Day Parade. They have one every year where Reunion Classes build floats and the whole town comes out. It makes you feel good that the community is still so closely knit. I saw friends I hadn't in awhile and half my family was in the parade...

Color Guard

This year multiple towns in the "Valley" are co-celebrating their 250th Anniversary during 4th of July.

 Miss Ashleigh walking with her Girl Scout troop.

The Grand Marshall was my Field Hockey Coach. She's been at it for 20 years - crazy!

Everyone I was sitting with was one of her players, different years but she remembers us all... This was her reaction when she saw us.

 Shriners

 Elk's Club - LOL

Grammie! It was her 45th Reunion - Class of 1966. My Dad is the Class of 1965, Sister Class of 1990 and I'm the Class of 1994 - yikes! I could go through the list of Aunts, Uncles and Cousins but I'd be here awhile...

 Lastly, my Dad and nephew Derrick walked with the Snowmobile Club. As you can see Derrick was in heaven.

Asa made the Yearbook

Here is Asa in his Elementary School Yearbook with the Therapy Dog "Nikko". Nothing like being in the yearbook at 4 years old.

And so it begins...

During Asa's IEP a couple weeks ago we discussed him attending a preschool program a couple mornings a week starting in the fall. We all agreed this would be great to help prepare him for Kindergarten. The school recommended our local Community Center because their program was strictly Preschool and not a Daycare Center. They called and the only openings they had were in Toddler Times, well, we all know that Asa is not a Toddler he is 4 years old. With lots of question marks Asa's SLP and I decided we'd go and take a look, looking didn't mean we had to commit.

On Tuesday we went with Asa and visited with the director of the program, though we agreed Toddler Times was not the correct fit for Asa they did have a opening in one of their 3 year programs. This we agreed would work and they wanted Asa and I to come back Wednesday to meet the teacher. I was lucky to have both these days off, but working for 2 weeks straight I was hoping that 2 whole days wouldn't be consumed by a preschool placement.

Long story short, the teacher of the 3 year program wanted to make sure Asa was a good fit (ah, hello, he's 4 going into a 3 year room), my eyebrow raised I humored this woman and let Asa work his magic. As we sat on the floor and Asa played cars with 2 other boys, the teacher says, "Oh, I think he'll be just fine" no shit Dick Tracy do you live on an alien planet? There was lots going on so we were kind of in the middle of things and all the other kids were getting ready to go to the pool. I asked about paperwork I needed to fill out and the teacher went to get it, she then asked if we'd come in the bathroom. I thought this odd that we were going to fill out paperwork in the bathroom, but there was a lot going on and I thought maybe this was a quiet spot :-) We sat on a bench and the teacher sat beside us, she point blank said she was concerned with Asa's potty training. She didn't want Asa's pottying needs to take away from the class if we couldn't get him semi potty trained by the fall. Totally understand but for Asa it's not about not going on the potty, he just doesn't understand the sensations vs. the functions and the results of both. There were a couple kids going potty at the time and Ace was completely entranced. They asked if he wanted to try to go potty and he immediately said NO. Don't blame the kid, it was quite the room full of pottying and washing and watching! As we discussed Asa's potty practice, the teacher and director mentioned that if we couldn't get Asa's potty training down in the first couple months of preschool that they would have to bump him to Toddler Times. Ah, Um, NO! He is not a toddler he needs to be with kids his age and his social and academic level, not kids half his age! How is he suppose to learn and be challenged if he's not given the opportunity?!!

I immediately emailed the director at Asa's school district when we left and told her what was said. She was just as pissed as I was and said as the providers the school district will do all that they can to help in this situation. For me, it was a label being placed on Asa's forehead even before the teacher met him and that hurt. It hurt my soul, my heart, my being, and so the fight begins. I have my battle gear ready and the Momma Bear claws out. Ignorance is so annoying, I'm ready to break down that wall and it's going to start with this woman who just doesn't quite understand, she's nice enough and a perfectly fine teacher, but there's something lacking in the human understanding. The box is closed on all four sides and we need to make a window for the light to shine in for her. We have all summer to work on the potty, and I know Mr. Sunshine can do it. It just sucks that the battle is there and not everyone realizes there are differences and you have to accept them and be passionate and respectful.

Photo Session

These moments of standing still and actually letting Mommy take your picture is so rare isn't it? Oh yes, we finally had a haircut! Thanks for starting the job Grammy.

 How Old Are You?

 Show Me Your Muscles?

 Give Frankie a Kiss?

Can't get rid of these eyes, Frankie's eyes glow just looking at them...

Thought for Thursday - Summer!

Last day of school for most in our neck of the woods. Here is Ace enjoying daycare today - the water was freezing, check out the belly suck in and the nerps- HA! His ribs have never stuck out, that's the water taking his breath away - LOL

Crazy Busy

It's been crazy busy around here. I won't have a chance to breath until next Wednesday when I turn 35 - yikes! 35, really? I'm going to be 35? That might be a harder pill to swallow then 30...

Here's what I've been up to - rubbing elbows. Kind of... The times he came in the store I just gave him space. Everyone would follow him around and want pictures, I let him be :-) His speech at Commencement was great, wise words from a funny guy. You can catch it on You Tube.

Birthday Weekend

4 Years ago our lives changed forever. We were blessed by a child who placed a magic spell on us. From the day he was born he has put a smile on every one's face and let me tell ya' my cheeks hurt....

Saturday was the "Official" Day. It should of been the 3rd, but 24 hours of labor made his birthday the 4th.

I wanted him to know how special his day is. So, after the angel fell asleep I blew up a bunch of balloons and put them in his room. I also got a BIG Buzz Lightyear balloon. At 6:20 am I here a "Mom?", "huh", Buzz?", "BUZZ?", "YEAH, YEAH, YEAH, YEAH!" Both Brian and myself started cracking up. I had the camera and I opened the door. The fuzziness was how my eyes were, the camera must of felt the same way.

No, he didn't sleep with the balloons, I threw them at him in his bed after he woke up.

Sunday was his party - Luau Style

I as usual did not get many pics. I lost my camera at one point, but his gift from Grammy and Grampie was his very own real camera. I need to down load those pics cause I took some on it and some of the ones he took are hilarious. Lots of his dog Frankie's butt - LOL

HAPPY 4TH BIRTHDAY POOKA POO! I hope you had as much fun as the rest of us did!