Monday, September 21, 2009

Just a little help....

Hey all!
Some of you already know this little info but I'm ready to share it with my blog readers... Evan is now 26 months old and at his 24 month old check up, his doctor recommended that he get some extra help through Early Intevention. By standards, he should be using 50 words and making two to three words together to ask for what he wants. Evan is certainly not doing this. He sure seems like a smart, witty boy... but he could use some help with understanding commands and speaking.
He's had several evaluations now from a few therapists including cognitive, speech and physical movement. The overall concensus is that physically, he's right up to par with his peers, meaning he and run, jump, climb, etc... with the exception of his right foot turning in a bit when he walks and runs. An orthotic therapist will be examining him in the next couple of weeks to determine if a corrective insert in his shoe might help. As far as understanding what we say to him, and being able to voice his wants, he's with the 18 month olds. So that's where he's going to get some extra help to catch him up. He's had his hearing checked and has a clean bill of health there, including no fluid being in the ears.
His first therapy visit will be Thursday, October 1st and will commence each Thursday until further noted. His therapist has been doing speech and cognitive developmental therapy for 18 years and we feel, based on her credentials that she will be a good fit for him. I am super excited to see how he progresses!

So we've been trying to get a head start with everything...we've been working with him on counting to 10, which he does flawlessly, singing his ABC'S which he does fairly decent with and he's in a class called, "Wiggles and Giggles" every Friday morning (he's had 3 classes so far) and Joe and I both attend with him. He's doing fantastic imitating what the other children are doing, and it is a class with only 2 year olds so we can compare his development a little... now before you say it.. I know that all kids develop differently and I have taken this into account... he just needs a "boost". :o)

I'll keep you posted on Evan's progress!

Saturday, September 19, 2009

Rock Stars!

The kids have been playing, "Rock Band" all day. Evie is actually getting good on the drums! But there's no denying that Evan is a true drummer already.




Family Visit

We had a wonderful visit with my parents a few weeks ago! They travelled here from Mississippi and the kids miss them already!





Sunday, September 6, 2009

A Great Weekend in Chicago!

We haven't officially taken a vacation this year. Bummer.
So Joe asked the kids and I to come along on his trip to Chicago while he finished up mixing his cd. The kids and I had a blast at the hotel swimming, relaxing, going to Gurnee Mills Mall, eating at the Rainforest Cafe, and checking out this cool store/zoo called "Serpent Safari". We got a private tour of their back room zoo.. they have several of the largest boas, pythons, monitors, alligators, crocodiles.. OH MY! Here are Evie and I with an albino Burmese Python named "Banana". WHat a beautiful creature!!



Joe joined us today and took the tour and wandered around the mall with us, as well as eating at Rainforest Cafe where we got to sit facing the gorillas.. they go nuts during the thunder/lightening storm. Evan loved it! It didn't scare him at all.. and it was so loud! He clapped when it was over.

The kids and I went swimming 3 times during our visit. Evan kept dunking himself under! He LOVES to be underwater! And Evie swam the length of the pool underwater without coming up once for air! Then swam the whole way back above water! It was the perfect pool for her to practice in because it was 3 ft. going to 5 ft.

A perfect weekend!