The great IEP paper trail

At least once every year, Bryan and I have an IEP (Individualized Education Program) meeting, or an ARD (Admission, Review and Dismissal process) meeting, with Brendan's teachers, therapists and school administrators to discuss Brendan's goals and plan of attack for the school year.  I remember the very first meeting and how I thought I was going to be sick to my stomach.  Brendan wasn't even three yet and we were taking the first steps in transitioning him from Early Intervention to a school based program.  Was he ready, was I ready?  It was the first step in a very long road, and let me tell you, it never gets any easier.

Our first meeting at his school in Texas had me in tears in the first 5 minutes and I thought that Bryan was going to put his fist through the table.  The way that the state of Texas handles an IEP meeting is maddening.  We had sit through and listen as they had numbers assigned to Brendan's abilities.  Hearing your 3 year old son described by numbers alone just about made me pick him up and leave that place and never look back.  A few tissues later, we had made it through the meeting and Bryan and I felt that we were on the right path, Brendan had a wonderful teacher who was going to be with him day in and day out and we were ready to get it going!

This year was no different, although we waived the right to have to hear all of the "numbers" so I didn't have to bust out the tissues quite so soon!

At the end of the meeting we had our ARD plan for the year, new goals and a teacher who is no nonsense!  Trust me, this woman is AMAZING and she expects a lot out of Brendan, and so do we.  It's time to step it up!

Here is his plan...

It is 44 pages long...WOW!  Time to add it the binder of all his other IEP paperwork..

While these IEP, or ARD, meetings are long, complicated and difficult to prepare for as a parent, we are the best advocate that Brendan has.  These meetings are great time to get Brendan's team all on the same page because we all want the same thing.  We want Brendan to succeed, we want him to have the best tools to become the best person he can be.

Fall fun...kind of a big deal

Today we took a trip to the pumpkin patch to officially welcome in Fall!  A few momentous things happened....

1.  Brendan busted out a loud and clear " NO WAY!" when we asked him if he wanted to go for a ride on the tractor train.  It wasn't such a big deal that he declined the ride, but that he did it using a word that he had never said before ...WAY.  It took us by surprise...a huge and wonderful surprise!

2.  Brendan found the hay stack and wouldn't get out of it!  This is the same kid that 2 years ago wouldn't get into a wading pool and hated the touch of grass anywhere on his body!  Today, it was a different story.  He ran into the hay pile...he threw the hay...he laughed, and he smiled.

Down Syndrome ribbon project

This past World Down Syndrome Day, I undertook the project of making Down Syndrome Awareness pins and asking friends and family to wear them on that day, March 21, 2012, and send me a picture of them wearing it.

The amount of pictures that I received was overwhelming and delightful!  After a very long time, I finally was able to get them into the scrapbook layout that I was envisioning...

One proud mama..

Today at school Rory was able to bring something in for show and tell.  You know what she picked??  her medal from our very first Buddy Walk!

She practiced what she was going to tell her classmates, "A Buddy Walk is a fun time for people who have Down Syndrome, like my brother, and their families and anyone who loves them.  People with Down Syndrome are just like you and me, they like to have fun!"  I love that she gets excited to tell her friends about Down syndrome and of course her very special brother!

At the end of the end Brendan got off the bus sporting this:

Well, looky there Mr. Student of the Day!

Such a proud Mama today.....and everyday!

Be sure to check out some other cool blogs through the 31 for 21 button!  Happy Weekend!

A Halloween Lighting

While October is Down Syndrome Awareness month, it is also the long awaited time of the year where we finally get to decorate the house for a holiday!

I give you, our Halloween lighting...

A "Moving" Moment

This past weekend we took a family trip to Austin to see the Imagination Movers in concert!  Just in case you don't have kids under the age of 5, let me explain who the Movers are.  We found the Movers through their show on Disney about 3 years ago.  They are a group of 4 friends who solve Imagination emergencies through humor and really catchy songs.

Our kids LOVE their music, they LOVE their TV show, and they seriously LOVE seeing them in concert!  Bryan and I love them for all of the reason too, and also because the Movers are a national partner of the Buddy Walk!  Buddy Walks are fundraising walks held all over the country to raise money and awareness for people with Down Syndrome.

This was our second trip to  Movers concert, the first one was about a year and a half ago in Kansas City, but this time was Bryan's first time!  It was a little hard to tell who was more excited to be there, the kids or Bryan.

Before the concert began a local Down Syndrome Group and 3 of its members came up on the stage to promote their upcoming Buddy Walk.  Rory noticed and said "Hey, they have Down Syndrome just like Bubba!" and then she was one of the loudest cheerers in the theater!  With that, the lights came up and the Movers took the stage!

During the concert all of the Movers are out and interacting with the crowd, singing and dancing, they are so great!  At one point, one of the Movers "Smitty" made it down the aisle to the end of the row and all 3 kids were there to great him and high 5 him!

Rory got her high 5, and then Jack, and then Brendan..

It was truly a special moment, and Brendan was so thrilled!

After an hour and 15 minutes of non stop singing and dancing it was time to say goodbye to the Movers and head on home.

During the car ride Bryan and I relived the concert, how great it was that Smitty took that extra second to make sure that each child got their moment.  I know how it made me feel to see it, and by looking at the kids expressions I knew how it made them feel.  What I didn't know is how truly special it was for Bryan to see it.

The following day this is what he posted on the Movers Facebook page..

"Great show by the Movers in Austin yesterday…. a lot of memories created. A special thanks to “Smitty” for one high-five he gave to an awestruck four old boy. “Smitty’s” high-five included a moment where he made it clear to our son and his parents that he saw this little boy like every other kid there and not just a boy with Down syndrome. How you really see people takes a moment and “Smitty” and the Movers are the real deal. Thank you."

I asked him about it that night and he said "In a half a second you can tell if someone is looking at Brendan with pity or looking at him as just another 4 year child.  Smitty looked at him as a 4 year old, not just a kid with Down Syndrome."

How very very very true.

Down Syndrome Awareness Month

Here it is again!  It's time for Down Syndrome Awareness month, and this year I have decided to do something new!  I have joined up with other blog writers for "31 for 21"...get it?  There should be a button on the top right side of this page, but I can't seem to make it appear...hmmmm.  If you are interested to read blogs of other people who are committing to this challenge as well just click where it says "Grab this button" and it will take you to another blog with a list of participants.  We'll see if I can actually get to post something everyday...I think I can!

To kick it off, here is a little video of Brendan and a few things he has been up to since we did our Down Syndrome Awareness video last year!