Preschool Graduation

This video is from Lucy's preschool graduation today. She actually has at least one more year of preschool left, but it was fun to celebrate the year she has had anyway. She has grown in so many ways this past year. At the begining of the year we weren't sure if she would ever run or jump due to her arthritis, but after watching this video you'll know we don't have that concern anymore!

This next video is of her getting her diploma and then coming to say "hi" to everybody.

IEP

Lucy's IEP meeting is tomorrow. I'm excited and neverous. It will be great to have all the people that meet with her all in one room. I wish Joanne could be there too. I didn't think about having her come until today. Oh well, there's always next year.
We noticed that her current IEP her goals weren't very specific and I don't think they were very helpful to the teachers. This time I gave the teacher some of our ideas for what her goals could be. After hearing about Jennifer's trip to Cinci. I wrote some behavior goals. I wrote a couple of learning goals and then I went to the ODE web site and looked up the preschool standards that gave me some good ideas about what other things I would like to see her accomplish this next year. They sure do expect a lot out of preschoolers. We'll see which ones end up on her IEP. I hope it goes well!

Field Trip

On Tuesday the whole family got to go with Lucy and her preschool class to Rolling Ridge Ranch in Holmes County. It was amazing. The kids were able to get up close and personal with the animals. There is a petting zoo and then you get to take a horse drawn wagon ride through their property. The ride is about an hour and they give you buckets of feed. Once they open the gate animals come rushing to the wagon. Deer like animals, moose, cows with huge horns, ostrich, donkeys, and many others. Lucy wasn't a fan. She sat on our lap and enjoyed the ride. Simon found the courage to feed the animals. It was pretty wild!

Brent and Michaele

On Monday we said good-bye to our friends, partners, and babysitters. Brent and Michaele left West Side to go and spend a year in Swaziland. We already miss them. Simon has already been asking where they are.
Simon- "Where's Kale?"
Me-"Kale is in Africa."
Simom- "Kale in Africa?"
They have a blog but I'm not sure what the address is. I'll put it in my blog list once I find it.

Cereal and Update

Ian turned 6 months on May 7. So he got his first taste of solids. I was shocked at how well he took to it and by how much he loved it. He has was born at a great time. We will be able to make a lot of his baby food fresh and local. I'm looking forward to hitting the farmer's market! I'm sure the pictures will get messier as we move towards more colorful foods.

Updates- We are all doing well. Ian is starting to sit up and creep across the floor. He loves to smile and just loves Simon and Lucy. Simon is a great big brother. He kisses him, hugs him, he lays on him, puts laundry baskets over him and has given him his first bruise. Lucy is much gentler. She loves babies and gets right down on their level and talks with them in a sweet high tone. Babies tend to love her too. This morning she climbed in bed while I was nursing Ian and Ian just stopped and stared at her with the biggest smile.
I'm amazed at how fast Simon's vocabulary has grown. Every week he has more and more words and is forming more and more sentences. He loves to run and jump and play. He could spend all day outside.
Lucy is doing great too! Preschool is winding down and her IEP meeting is coming up soon. We are going to take a much more active role in helping to develope her goals. I'm acutally looking forward to getting a good plan together for her and her teachers.

Last night Simon and Lucy were chasing each other in the yard. First Lucy was chasing Simon but Simon kept passing her and they were going back and forth on who was chasing who. He is so much faster. Sometimes I feel bad for her that Simon keeps passing her. He's faster, he talks more- the only thing she has is that she's a neater eater and potty trained. I'm just thakful that right now neither one of them seems to mind. They love each other.

The effects of spring

We were just about ready to go and get his hair cut again, but I just can't do it. His curls are so cute! This is probably as curly as it gets. If he were a teenager I think the girls would love his hair. I hope curly wild hair is still in style when he gets older. If so, he's got it made.

Miss May

A special feeling of pride swells up in my heart today. This morning as many people across Ohio turned the page of their DSACO calendar to the month of May they experienced the same joy that I get every morning. Looking at beautiful Lucy! I've been waiting for May 1st since Janurary 1st.

I'm just so proud of her!