Jeremy's 1st day of school!

Today was Jeremy's first day of school. We dropped Ian off at school earlier than we usually do so that we could get Jeremy to school in Manteca by 8am. I was ever so happy to have Hal with me to do this because he hasn't had the opportunity to get that involved with all that has been happening with Jeremy.

When we walked in to the classroom his teacher took him directly to his strip of cards and picked up the first blue card and walked him over to the play area where he was helped to place the card with velcro on the back to another blue strip. This will be the routine every day. Whenever there is something new to do they will direct him back to his own strip where they will take a card and bring it to where he goes next. He barely noticed us leaving and did not cry at all. Although I almost cried, and probably will, eventually. While I'm excited about the extra time I have to myself 3 mornings a week, I am going to miss my Jer Bear when Hal isn't here. My babies are not really babies anymore. Ian is going to start Kindergarten this year and will turn 5 in July!!

Because of this easy transition, we decided that tomorrow he would ride the bus to school and back home. The bus will come through the gate out on the street and greet us at our door, put the car seat on the bus then strap him in and leave and do the same when he comes home. We have to be ready at 6:45am for pick-up. After he's picked up on MWFs I will then drop Ian off at school. For the first time since before Jeremy was born, Ian and I will have time together in the morning to do the things we don't often have an opportunity to do with Jeremy (Zoo, McDonald's play place, bike rides, going to lunch). Jer and I will still have our own time as well which is awesome. All of these new beginnings and changes are good and long over-due. Especially the time I will get with just Hal on the one day a week he will have off where both boys are at school (until summer time for Jeremy)

Jeremy is still improving every day, and still amazes us with his smiles and laughter.

Jan 23-Update

Yesterday we received a call from the school Jeremy will start attending next week, McFall. He is all set to start school next Monday. I will drive him to school and pick him up for the first day to see how he does. On Tuesday he will be picked up by a bus that will transport him to school and back home. He will sit in his car seat on the bus. He tends to go with the flow, which is a great quality for a child with autism, so we aren't too worried about how he will do with it. He has been on a bus with us before and enjoyed it. He tends to enjoy his car rides anyway. It will just be a matter of adjustment to not having us around, which, at some point is something that he has to be okay with. I think he is ready!

Today we have an appointment with the Autism Department of Kaiser in Rancho Cordova. Just Jeremy and I. Not sure what will come of the appointment. If it begins additional services then I'm ready for it. I have all the paperwork I was sent filled out and all the assessments and evaluations that have been conducted over the last few months all ready to go.

Over the last few weeks since Therapy ended, Jeremy's vocabulary has grown so much! There has been so many more words, much more eye contact, less tantrums, more cooperation and lots more playing and laughs!

Now off to get ready for the appointment!

Jeremy is emerging!

Jeremy is almost a different kid. It's amazing. Words are just flying out of his mouth all day, he makes more and more eye contact and he's engaged more. It's amazing! I knew my little blue-eyed boy was in there somewhere!

The school he will start attending in about a week or so is a special education school, mostly for children with Autism. He will start out in a 1:1 setting with an instructional aide in a classroom. The school is located in Manteca, where Hal and I lived 6 or so years ago. It's about 20-30 minutes south of us. He will eventually be transported there by bus, in his car seat. He will attend everyday of the week between the hours of 8am and 12 pm. In 2 months they will review his goals and see if he is capable of 2 additional hours a day, totalling 30 hrs a week! It will be totally new for him but I know he'll love it and do great!!
This is the outcome of the IEP meeting last Thursday. Because Linden's school district is so small, they have to send the special needs students to a school that is ran by the County. He will stay here until he is ready to be mainstreamed or sent to a special day class.
We are nervous and excited for him but we know this is the best right now. We may also receive further services through the regional center as well as through Kaiser since medical insurance can now start covering these types of services. We have an appointment with Kaiser on Jan 22 in Rancho Cordova with their Autism Spectrum Department.
Great things are happening and we are all excited and proud of our little guy. And Ian too! He'll start Kindergarten in August!! My babies are growing up.

IEP preparation

With 2013 beginning and 2012 behind us, I find myself finally satisfied with the way things are going for Jeremy.

Therapy is working. Jeremy picks up new skills everyday. Just two days ago he drew an A on his magnadoodle. It was amazing!!

Our first IEP meeting (individualized education program) is taking place on January 10 @ 2:30pm. I am kinda prepared. Have a few more things to read/research. I have a week! Wish me luck!

Some amazing happenings!!!

Just real quick because I'm entranced by the 121212 concert-benefit for Hurricane Sandy, but Jeremy made a few VERY big steps today.

He requested a show on DVD, VERBALLY. This is very big. And quite amazing.

He had a poopy diaper that he DIDN'T play with. I'm not sure if he came into the living room to tell me or to bring me somewhere but there was no poop on his hands! These "poopy" incidents are occurring less and less and that makes me ECSTATIC!

The most recent step, just about 30 min ago, our Jer Bear had his teeth brushed without any fussing, crying, kicking or screaming. It was amazing. I couldn't stop praising him.

These little steps every day make all of the work the therapists and us do every day so worth it. I was starting to think that he would never develop these skills. So so so so awesome!!! Yay Jeremy!

A new blog for a special person

Since Jeremy's "journey" in my blog  has taken on a life of it's own, I thought I would start a blog totally dedicated to his progress.
Last week I had a meeting with the service coordinator and the lead therapist. We discussed his review and his recent autism diagnosis. The regional center has approved the increase of hours for therapy. This makes me ecstatic, especially because we have seen so many super cool improvements already. The increase in hours (up to 15 a week including an hour or more of parent training) will mean their ability to work on self-help skills...including learning to use the potty!!
He is imitating all the time. He is more verbal than ever. His tantrums are still the same as well as the biting but we know how to deal with them better and we know where they are coming from so we know how to avoid them, for the most part. We make as many opportunities for him to request what he wants and he is very open to this. There are so many good things that I can only be positive about his future instead of scared straight!
The next step is preparing for his first IEP with the school district. I'm hoping to find lots of information about how to prepare for this. We need to ensure that he gets what he REALLY needs and not what the school THINKS he may need.

So for now we just continue therapy for the next month, enjoy Christmas in California and try to stay positive!