Back to the Grind!

Greetings readers! School started here this past Monday and so far so good!

The biggest change this year is for Monkey Boy, he has a brand new, fresh out of college teacher. The teacher he had for 4 years transferred to another school closer to her home. He is in a class with 4 other students and the teacher assistants are the same ones from last year. Tim and I were a little concerned since the boy loves his routine and things staying the same. Plus, would his new teacher come back after the first day or would she get scared off (ha ha)! Lord knows Monkey Boy can be a handful, not to mention the other munchkins in the class.

According to the notes being sent home, he is doing great and doing really well with his iPad. We had to scale back on the iPad usage last year, it was like it would hype him up and he would get over stimulated. I'm so glad he is able to use it now. We use Proloquo2Go as his "touch to speak" app. Want more information about touch to speak apps and using the iPad for children with autism? Shoot me an e-mail mbsmith1234 at gmail dot com.

He also learned a new sign this week, the sign for rabbit. He was carrying around his Goodnight, Moon book and I made the sign for rabbit and had him to do it. He's now imitating the sign. This is great progress!

Anna started her second year at middle school. Her big change this year is trying out for the cross country team! Lawd help, somehow I got roped into being her training partner so we started walking/running on the local trail that runs through our downtown. It is 1.5 miles one way so we were logging 3 miles a night. I think I messed up my foot since my running shoes were too little now the top of my foot hurts, yeowch. I got some new running shoes and that helped, it is still sore through. ANYWAY, she likes XC and the girls on the team. I was talking with another mom whose daughter is on the team and she said it is a drama-free team, which is always a plus, and the season is short! I'm all for that!

Anna has been showing some initiative in completing her homework without me having to light a fire under her and bug her to no end to do it. She's also making her lunch on her own in the evenings. This too is progress! We were in the depths of Homework H*#& last year and it was not fun, don't ever want to go there again. Next week starts the nightly reading and completing the reading log so we'll see if this independence lasts.

School is out for Labor Day and it is a government holiday so who knows what we will strike out and do. We are looking for a bed for Anna so maybe we will end up at IKEA. I'd love that! Forget shopping for clothes, I could wander around IKEA all day, so could Anna.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend, it is supposed to be back in the 90's here. We may hit up the new splash pad that opened up.

XOXO,
Melissa