Trainboy is evaluated

We met with a neurologist and someone who works in speech who administered an ADOS evaluation for C5.  They determined that yes, C5 meets the criteria for being on the spectrum.  He is overly formal in his communications at times, blurts out random phrases like, "Thank you for shopping at Wal-mart" and had a hard time participating in the imaginary play they tried to engage him in.  The official diagnosis is PDD-NOS (Pervasive Developmental Disorder-Not Otherwise Specified).  He would probably qualify as Aspergers, except that he had language development issues (would say a word and then lose it), and now he speaks well.  
 

It is my same sweet little boy, but I still cried when I got the diagnosis.   

Our little babies are such miracles.  The first thing you do is count those little toes and fingers and you know that your baby is perfect.  

As Trainboy has grown I've been paying more and more attention to things he has had a hard time with. When he was almost two I got him on the waiting list for a speech evaluation because he wouldn't talk.  Our friend and her daughter (who was his favorite babysitter ever) came to visit us in our new home almost two years ago and through their help, coaching and encouragement, Trainboy finally started talking.  At that point we really worked on colors, alphabet and more.  Every day we practiced what animals said, labeling trees, cars and any object we could see.  By the time we had C5's evaluation, he was no longer considered speech delayed enough to warrant any services.  He knew his colors and alphabet too well.  

Talk about a Catch-22.  I worked with my child because he needed help, and because I worked with him, he didn't qualify for help.  What am I supposed to do, let him fail just so I can get him the additional resources we need?

This time, in 2011 I took his diagnosis to the school district--I was hoping we could establish an IEP going into school and get him into a preschool setting so he could start having more than Sunday interactions with kids his own age.  I was hoping we could work on some of his issues, and I also was looking for something more structured than just a playgroup.

The school shut me down.  They basically wrote off the ADOS evaluation scores because of who administered it.  

They did offer some speech help based upon the other speech evaluation.  It's a small step, and not nearly as much as I wanted, but hopefully this will be the first step in getting him more services.  We'll see how the speech help goes.

More Goals

I confess, I'm putting off more housework while I write this blog. I at least have the dishwasher running while I write, but I have laundry to do and the piles of papers on my dining table and the stuff to clear away from the basement wall, and a to-do list that has completely filled up the space on my Franklin-Covey compact planner.

I'm taking this time though because one of my goals this year: aside from losing the inches around my waist, arms and legs I mentioned is to write on a more regular basis and improve my writing skills.

I love to write. I really do, and I have an inkling of an idea for a story I'd like to develop, but I know that like muscles, that you need to regularly flex and work, you need to regularly stretch your writing skills as well. So I'm stretching just a bit as I wait for my dishwasher's cycle to be complete.

My goals:
1) Record what I eat on a daily basis (posted yesterday).
2) Exercise at least 4x /week with strength training at least 2-3x. (Didn't clarify that one did I?)
3) Write a couple of paragraphs every day on this blog (at the minimum).
4) Spend 3 hours a week writing on various stories. That works out to be about 1/2 hour per day. (With Sunday off). Try to finish of one of my stories by July 31.

Will post more later. Train boy (C5) is done with his game and needs mommy time.

Wake time:
Breakfast time:
snack
Lunch time:
snack
Dinner:

Exercise: