Thursday, February 17, 2011

Next thing you know, I'll be telling him to shut his face*


I realize I haven't talked about Harri's evaluation yet. It's not really a story, but if I don't address it, I won't remember that you guys will have no idea what's going on when I talk about other semi-related stuff.

I got a call yesterday from the preschool evaluation coordinator, and she told me we needed to have one more meeting, and that, even though she's not supposed to say so, Harrison definitely qualifies for more therapy, and for preschool services. We talked a little about what that meant (three days a week, for a few hours, in which, once a week, he'd get an hour with a speech pathologist). It's a relief knowing that he'll be given another year, but it's sort of sad hearing that he has the communication skills of an eighteen month old.

The psychologist said that she thinks his speech issues have to do with his shyness, and not much more. So he understand everything we say, and just refuses to let on that he knows that we know that he probably knows more than he's letting on. And with a mom who explains things like I do, it's a pretty big deal that he understands anything at all.

He's really getting a lot out of the therapy though, and nowadays he's saying so much more every day. Today he called my sister on the phone and had a full-on conversation with her about who was home and who was just wrapped up in being funny on Twitter and not aware that he had my phone...

He's also getting so much better about his shyness. He talked to his early intervention therapist about food on her last day with him. And he let my sister-in-law get him on camera (which is huge, considering there was once a running joke about how he didn't want cameras to steal his soul). AND he let us give him a haircut. HUGE.

He is a bright little boy, and I'm proud of the steps he's been taking as he grows.

And now I have to buy him a backpack and school clothes, and cry into my pillow, because MY BABY!!!!!!! My baby is leeeeeaving meeeeeee..... *sniff*





*I would NEVER tell him to shut his face. I swear. There are nicer ways to tell a kid to stop talking, already.

6 comments:

Becca said...

What a handsome little boy!

Becky Andrews said...

Oh he's adorable. And yes, when you come to Utah we are so getting together!

The Wizzle said...

Oh, that picture is insanely beautiful. He will LOVE the preschool. Eve didn't get to go very long, because they kicked her out (I mean, she didn't need therapy anymore) but it was fantastic.

Anonymous said...

He's super cute/handsome, Renee! I can't tell if he's 15 or 4 in that picture though...

monika said...

that was the best phone call I ever received. He was so cute.

Melissa K. said...

Renee, if preschool services in AZ are anywhere near as wonderful as they are here in WA, Harrison should absolutely love it! Nothing like a little pre-school to take the "shy" out of a bunch of preschoolers.

(I've Lurked you for almost a year now - LOVE your blog. My son just turned 4 - he is in Early Intervention preschool with a hardcore speech concern and it has been wonderful for him - for his speech, his general communication, and especially his Social nature! Plus, a couple hours a day a few days a week to myself...? Absence makes the heart grow fonder, indeed!)

Beautiful picture, too. You can soak it with your mother's tears as he is somewhere in a school not missing you at all. (SOB)