FRIENDS Buddy Walk 2008

Happy to See Mommy!

Today, I came home from a very tiring day at school. My students had really tested my patience today. I walked in the door at Mom's and Abbi practically ran over to me and hugged me. She was so happy to see me!! This is the first time since she was born 2 1/2 years ago that I felt like she missed me. I almost cried. I guess this is what it's like to feel loved by your child. Oh, I know that Abbi loves me and knows that I'm her mom, but most of the time she honestly doesn't seem to care whether or not I'm in the room or not. That is unless it's time to eat.

Maybe one day soon she will say Mama!! Oh what a happy day that will be! It would be better than anything else that I can imagine. Better than college graduation or winning a large sum of money.

That sweet little face just melted my heart today! I am so glad that God gave her to me to love.

Abbi at Buddy Walk 2007

Music Therapy

Today, we had our first session of music therapy. I was hoping Abbi would love it b/c she responds so well to music and she absolutely love Kindermusic. Alas she was tired and not in the least bit ready to sing and make merry! She cried and wouldn't do what Miss Nancy wanted her to do. Hopefully next week will be better. I have read such great things about this type of therapy and a friend of mine recommended it to me.

Our Buddy Walk is this Sat. I look so forward to this every year. Our FRIENDS group works so hard for several months putting this together. I can't wait to see all the smiling faces and see old friends. I will post with pics this weekend.

Right now I am so exhausted with doing my 18 days of bus duty at school. Being at school by 7am every morning is wearing all of us out. By the time, I get in class with my kindergarteners it feels like it's 3pm already. But I put on a big smile and we start the day with a song b/c I know their parents would love to be spending the day with them but they have to send them to me. So for a few hours each day I stand in their place and provide as much love as I can for my 13 little chickadees. I tie shoes, teach the ABC's and the 123's, as well as help teach them how to be friends. I love my job, but all day long Abbi crosses my mind and I hope that when she starts school one day she will love being there as much as I do. I have the sweetest group of kids this year. Their little faces are always full of fun and mischief. I never get tired of hearing "Mrs. B can you help me make this letter?" or "Mrs. B. can I do this or that?".

I really miss so much with Abbi by working, but my mom does such a great job with her that it's hard to feel bad about it. Thank God for Nana & Pop Pop!

My BAD!!

Tonight after eating supper my sister and I took Abbi upstairs to play in her play area. We are sitting there playing and her husband comes in downstairs and yells for us to get downstairs b/c someone is shooting at the house!

We proceeded to quickly make our way downstairs. Once down there I let my Sis keep Abbi in a safe place and went out on the backporch to see what was going on with my brother-in-law. And YES bullets were hitting right in my backyard. Right where Abbi's swing is on the porch. Someone was on the hill next to our house shooting down. So I got in the car and drove down the road to see if I could find out who it was. There were two teenage boys up there shooting a 22 rifle.

When I spoke with them I explained that they needed to be shooting towards the mountains and not toward my house. One of the boys responded with "MY BAD"!!!! What exactly does this mean? Is it slang for "I'm sorry" or just coping an attitude with me. I proceeded to tell him that my little girl was in that house and the next time he decides to shoot, it had better be towards the mountain and not my house. He acted as though he didn't understand what I was so upset about.

What is wrong with teenagers today. Now I know they are not all that bad, but honestly!!! Can you believe he actually didn't get the importance of not shooting towards a house with people in it!! So now I am wondering should I have said anything at all b/c it seems my words had no impact. Hopefully the next time he shoots a gun he will be more careful but probably not. It is things like this that make me wonder if we shouldn't have stricter gun laws. My husband is an avid hunter, but teens today are mostly not responsible enough to have a gun in their possession!!

Colors All Around

So I was letting Abbi play in her ball pit the other night and I notice she is holding the balls and doing "signs". Mom has been working with her for several weeks to learn her colors. I was so tired from my day with my kindergarteners that it took my brain a while to realize she was picking them up and "signing" their color. How excited was I!!! Well I called everyone! Mom kept telling me that she knew her colors but you know how Grandma's like to think their little darlings are just the smartest. She was right! So now we are working on matching the color word to the colors. We'll see how this goes. It is the "whole word" approach advocated by most of the research that I have read.

Today my kindergarten class went on a field trip to local Corn Maze. We had a blast! It is so much fun to see them get excited. My favorite student from CDC who has Down syndrome got to go with us. He did such a great job. What an improvement from last year. He participated in every activity except going thru the maze. By then he was just worn out! I was so proud of him. His mom got to come too but honestly she didn't have to really do much at all for him. It warmed my heart to see some of my "mother hens" little girls help Jordan know what to do. I really hope that I can do what is best for him this year. He has come so far and I want him to have every opportunity to show how smart he is.

On another note Abbi's transition meeting is scheduled for Oct. 6th. Be much in prayer for us if you will. You would think that b/c I am a teacher that I would not be nervous, but it is like a double edge sword when you work in the school system.

So tomorrow begins the final two weeks before the Buddy Walk. Can't wait it is the highlight of my year!

Final IFSP

We had Abbi's final IFSP yesterday. In a few short months we will be on the slippery slope of IEP's. Sometimes I feel as if the transition from Early Intervention to the Public School System is a very traumatic one. Families go from such a positive environment to one of uncertainity. It feels as if the wind is being sucked out of your sails for a while. It really shouldn't feel this way. There is no reason that teachers and parents can't work together to truly do what is best for a child. How do we make it happen as educators? I have asked myself this question since Abbi turned two. I still don't have an answer, but I have to believe that one is out there. As a kindergarten teacher, I am committed to making my classroom an inviting one for all types of learners. I can only hope that when my Abbi starts school she will encounter teachers who will want to make the same accomodations for her.

So during the IFSP I realized that Abbi had made 6 months or more gains in every area except speech. I keep asking myself when will she say MAMA! She says ball, bye,hi, block, and duck nearly perfect. It seems to me that she should say MAMA easily, yet she will not say it. Or atleast not say it in reference to me. Oh the little stinker can say MAMA when we are doing her oral motor therapy but when I ask her who I am she just looks at me and signs "MAMA". Well I can wait.

Now if I can only make her smile and laugh as much as Elmo does. Seriously the kid is addicted to Elmo. You should see her little face when he comes on TV. I am honestly thinking of getting an ELMO suit!! :-)))))