One of These Things is Not Like the Other....

What a long hard process its been, the past few months, first getting the IEP in place, then the Functional Behavioral Assessment completed and finally, making the hard decision that the regular school setting is NOT the best place for my son. At least not right now. Now that I think about it, its been a long hard month for lots of reasons.

First of all, my Dr. decided that I had mild bi-polar symptoms and added Abilify to my drug repitoire. Worked wonders. Love it. Highly recommend it. My moods were NUTS after the Effexor. Now they are great. I can cry, be happy, be sad, angry, etc, but all within normal limits. As a matter of fact, I have been on the verge of tears for two days now dealing wwith the ups and downs of this whole special ed. process with my baby boy.

After the IEP was in place, Day Treatment was inacted, Functional Behavioral Assessment was complete, we still were not seeing tremendous improvements in H's behavior and academic performance in school. Things were spiraling out of control. Desks and chairs were being thrown, others were being placed in harms way. He wasn't learning, grades were sinking. At the advice of H's doctor, we went to visit Rivermont School. We knew right away that was the place he would get the help he needed to be successful in school. After another IEP meeting, it was decided that he would go there immediately.

We had enrollment there this morning. He loved it. He made several friends in his class right off the bat. I got all the necessary paperwork done. I'm the one having the issue with it. I'm the one who decided he would be there. I think its more because, as a Mother, you want your child to be like all the others. You don't want them to be different in that way. You want them to fit in. To be "normal" for whatever that means. I have to accept that H is not like all the others. In some ways he is. In others, not so much. Is this a bad thing? NO, I guess its not if I stop and think about it. His "difference" could actually become one of his biggest assets one day.

I'm coming to terms with it. Its just gonna take some time. As for H? He's gonna be just fine.

Maia's Field Trip to Avoca Museum

Maia's kindergarten class took a field trip Monday to Avoca Museum in Altavista, VA. which is about 30 minutes from Lynchburg. I had the pleasure of going on the trip with her and it was a lot of fun. They went to learn about Colonial Life, in keeping with the Thanksgiving Holiday approaching. Here are some photos from the day.

Maia and Paola on the bus ride to Avoca. Too cute!

The class gets the "how to act" lesson from Mrs. Webb before the tour begins.

First, we got a tour of the log cabin, courtesy of Frank, dressed in colonial attire. Pretty cool stuff. I learned that sleep tight refers to how they had to tighten the ropes on the rope bed to keep the mattress from sagging. He also taught the kids how they bathed, chores that had to be done, how they cooked, and how many people typically lived in a house this size (8) in case you are wondering. My kitchen was bigger than this house! UGGG. Glad I am a modern day gal!

Maia taking a turn at making butter. They didn't use the churn, but rather, heavy cream in a jar. Each child got to shake it 8 times and when all 19 kids were done, we had real butter!! Good to know in a pinch!

The main house taken from the porch of the log cabin. It is HUGE and beautiful inside!

Kenny and Frank demonstrating the stocks for the class. Poor Kenny. He NEVER misbehaves and is such a sweet boy. Maia refused to get her photo made in the stocks. I have already placed my order for one to be installed at my house. KIDDING!!
Maia and her buddy Ryan acting silly. I had a time getting a serious photo of these two goofs!

On a second attempt of this photo, I managed to get Ryan and Megan to cooperate, but check out Maia! Silly girl.

Miss Elizabeth teaches the class about school and dress in colonial times. Those kids back then got some serious corporal punishment. I would have NEVER misbehaved in Colonial Days!
The class gets to try writing on slates with chalk. Reminded me of Little House on the Prairie.

Miss Elizabeth also demonstrated how to make yarn for clothing. Here she is spinning the wool into yard. The big wheel serves to make the little wheel go faster so she doesn't have to pump her foot so hard to get the little wheel to spin. I always thought the yard went around the big wheel too! Shows you what I know about Colonial Days.

Maia dressed in Colonial garb, sitting at the spinning wheel. She fits the part! Cutie!!!

LOOK!!! Mom got in a photo with Maia, thanks to Owen's mom and my friend, Tricia. After our tour was over, we sat inside the gift shop (because it was too cold to picnic outside) and had our "picnic" lunch before departing for the return trip to TC Miller. What a great day I had with my baby girl!! Thanks Grammie for watching the kids for me so I could go!

Fire Station Fun for TC Miller Kindergarten Students!

Today, I got to go on my Maia's first kindergarten field trip to the Miller Park Fire Station #6. I remember taking a field trip here myself as a kindergartner so it was pretty cool to get to go there with her.It was just a 2 minute bus ride to and from, as it is in the same neighborhood as the school. The kids got to hear all about the fire station, fire equipment, what to do in case of a fire, and even got to go inside the firetruck and rescue squad. Big stuff for a little person. Both kindergarten classes went and several parents.

Miller Park Fire Station #6 est. 1914

We learned that it is the oldest operating fire station in the city, having opened in 1914 and the only one that still uses a slide pole. Pretty cool stuff. The rookie fireman on staff today actually showed up how he slides down the pole. The kids loved this.

"Engine 6"

"Medic 6"

Of course, leave it to my camera to run out of "juice" as soon as we got there. It never fails for me. The only time I lose battery power is when it is something that I really want to get photos of. Happens on all the field trips and school events I have been too. Lucky for me, two other moms I know had their camera so I am hoping they will send me some good shots. I was able to eek out a few, so I will share those here. (I did not take the three of the station, firetruck and medic unit, I "borrowed" them. Shhhh don't tell)

Maia and her friend/classmate, and our old neighbor, Paola.

The kids watching and learning. No, Maia is NOT picking her nose, but it sure does look like it. (I really don't have a good choice of images to include since my batteries wouldn't work!)

Station 6 firemen. The rookie, Gavin, is on the far right. The Captain is the short bald guy!

Watching and listening to a talk on the Medic unit.

Getting all set to fight fires! Capt. told us the equipment weighs 50+ lbs.

Lions and Tigers and Bears...

Well, there weren't any Lions, but there were Tigers and Bears at the Zoo!! Harrison's kindergarten class at TC Miller School of Innovation recently took their last field trip of the year to Natural Bridge Zoo about an hour away and I had the pleasure of chaparoning this event. I don't get to do much because of my daycare, but I chose to take the day off to do this with my baby boy and it was a lot of fun. The kids were great and the weather wasn't bad either! I must say I haven't been on a school bus in a bazillion years and that was also an experience, especially around the winding roads of the mountain we had to cross to get to lexington where the zoo is! If you get car sick, definitly not the place you would want to be. Luckly I don't so it was fine. No one else did either, which is even better! Ever the crazy person with a camera, here are some photos from the event.

Harrison outside of his classroom at TC Miller (This school is old! Has been renovated recently. My dad who is 66 went to kindergarten here!)

Harrison asked me to take a photo of the pretty zebra. He struck a pose for me.

My friend the Giraffe. Isn't he the cutest?? It's amazing how big these animals are...

Harrison wouldn't let the goat eat out of his hand, so he gave him the whole bag of feed. Which the goat ate, bag and all. This was moments before he devoured the bag.

This little monkey guy (or gal) knew we were all taking photos and he came running, er, swinging, to have his photo snapped. He had the silliest smile on his face.

This elephant gave new meaning to the word "mud bath". This is NOT his natural color. Gotta love Virginia Clay.

Harrison and some of his classmates monkeying around after our picnic.

We happened to be at the bear cage at feeding time. Let me tell you, these bears can throw down on a watermelon. It was quite a sight to behold. Amazingly, they don't eat the rind, only the sweet red center.

This guy rocked. Don't you just love the expression??? Dude, I know how you feel...

Harrison and my charge for the day, his buddy, Jovan.