2010: The Year of Progress!

So I went for a visit to Jordan's classroom a few weeks ago, and I was absolutely floored by how well she is doing. At this time last year, she spent most of her time communicating with us through jargon and minimal sign language. Frustration ran abundant in our house, and most nights John and I would be pulling our hair out just trying to get her to stop screaming and start listening. What a difference a year makes.

Jordan was the most bubbly, talkative child in class. She participated in all the songs, including the ABC song, the Days of the Week song (cleverly sung to "The Addam's Family" theme. I'll include it at the end!), and her most favorite "Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes." (To which she could do all of the body motions!) She helped pick out another song to sing where all the kids got up and pretended to be airplanes.  She was helpful to the other students, showing them where to sit and how to wait when circle was over and it was time for snack. Her requesting skills have improved phenomenally, so now instead of saying "snack!" when she wants to eat, she can ask me "Mommy, can I have snack?"  And she can say it clear as a bell! No more jargoning and little to no echolailia (repeating.) When it was time for recess, Jordan waited patiently for her turn to get her coat, and even helped her little friend Nick by tapping him on the shoulder when his name was called before hers.

Her teacher feels that it is time for Jordan to move up from the ASD class to the integrated class, that being the class with ASD children and typical children.  Now that I have seen how far she has come and how well she is doing, I feel the same way. The kids in her class are now where she was last year, and keeping her in that class would only hold her back. She is ready to progress and as much as I love (and she loves!) her teacher, it's time to let her move on and move up! We have a parent teacher conference next week, and I think we will set up an IEP meeting so we can get this ball rolling!

Now, we wait for Santa. Miss Jordan is super excited about Christmas, which warms my heart because she couldn't even say Christmas let alone acknowledge it last year. She knows that Santa is coming and that he's going to bring presents for her and Johnny. She turns the tree on when she gets up and talks about Christmas and "The Jingle Bell Song" every day. I can't wait to see her face when she gets up Christmas morning!!

Thanksgiving Day!

Playing with Johnny!

Daddy and Me

With Daddy, Johhny, and Uncle Josh at Nana's Christmas Party

Playing piano with Corey

With Carly and Auntie Janice at Nana's

The cutest little girl!

Being a ham!!!

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And, as promised, The Days of The Week Song  (to "The Addam's Family" theme)


Days of the week
**snap! snap!**
Days of the week
**snap! snap!**
Days of the week, days of the week, days of the week
**snap! snap!**
There's Sunday and there's Monday
There's Tuesday and there's Wednesday,
There's Thursday and there's Friday
And then there's Saturday.
Days of the week
**snap! snap!**
Days of the week
**snap! snap!**
Days of the week, days of the week, days of the week
**snap! snap!**

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cute, huh? :)