More Changes

Not much going on this week after such an exciting weekend. Ian saved up all his traditional 2 year old behavior, after being such an angel last weekend, and has been quite a pill this week. We're so not used to tantrums and irritability with him that I even called the doctor's office to talk to a nurse about the potential of an ear infection. Yes, I was completely jumping to conclusions…but we just don't have the terrible two's experience to tell the difference.

There are a couple of exciting changes to report. First, Shawn and I have been comparing notes on our impression with Ian's daycare environment and have decided that it is not the right fit for him or us. I think it was fine for transitioning him to being away from us during the day, but as a progressive learning environment, especially now that he has had 7 full months of exposure to English and our environment, it just doesn't cut it. When we pick him up everyday, without exception, we see young college girls watching them play. The interaction is minimal and we just don't see our money going to much more than organized babysitting. We also get less than optimal communication. We never have a conversation with his actual teacher (who is gone by the time we arrive to pick him up) and his daily sheet might say he was cheerful (which it says every single day), but they mention to us that he was cranky…it also said cheerful the day he was practically catatonic with fever when I arrived. I know they mean well and can only do so much with the resources they're given, but it just isn't for us.

For the past several weeks, I've been doing some hard thinking about where the cost factor should draw a line regarding what we need to do. In our area, monthly full time care is well into the 4 digit range per month, which forces parents to take sides: cost or quality. I want both; Call me crazy. We determined that for close to what we're paying now for 5 days/all day, we can go down to 4 full days with a provider that has better structure, healthier meals, and an overall better environment. What happens that 5^th day… well, that's where the next change comes in. Grandma Trish to the rescue!

Last weekend, we cornered her with the question "What are you doing on Fridays?" The answer we were looking for was "Pining away for my grandson". We got the answer we wanted, and starting in August, Trish will be making the long hike out to our house to spend one day a week with Ian!) It gives us peace of mind and allows him to grow up knowing his grandma. Now, if my mom were still local, we could really save a ton of money and take him down to 3 days a week… sigh. Sorry, mom… Phoenix is a long commute.

After a bunch of hugs, Trish wiped her tears and thanked us for giving her yet another excuse to retire. We didn't expect her to get so excited about quitting her job, but less than 48 hours later, she was announcing that her last day is next week. Because she has a lot of social and family aspirations, we will keep it to one day a week, allowing Ian the chance to interact socially with other kids the other days, plus his half day with me every other Wednesday before Speech Therapy, which I might end up doing on the non therapy weeks, also.

We have him on a waiting list for the Snoqualmie Ridge Early Learning Center, which is literally 2 blocks from our house and has gotten rave reviews since opening a few years ago. It may be several months before we can get him in, but at least we have him somewhere now…and although it's not our favorite choice, he's safe and familiar there. We will take him down to 4 days a week there until he can get in at SRELC. They have computer classes, music & movement, art, and library…for 2+. Once he turns 3, there are karate classes and other extra-curricular activities he can get involved in. They also have an online system where we can view the lesson plans, share feedback with the teachers, and download worksheets to carry over what he is learning.

Speaking of learning, Ian had his 3^rd Speech Therapy appointment Wednesday and is really doing awesome with her. She brings something out in him. He just talks up a storm when she's there. She is teaching us how to bring out conversation from him and how to get him to use certain sounds that his mouth muscles currently aren't used to making. There's also a great deal of strategy involved with his ear and the localization of sound, which I forget about, and tend to just talk to him normally…or (gasp) with my back turned, which is a big no-no. In general, we forget because he has adapted so well. It's not very often that he appears to lose track of where sounds come from, and he can hear even soft whispers from his microtia side. It amazes me how if, for example, I say "give Polli a kiss" at a whisper on his little side and, without looking at me, he will lean over and give her a kiss.

He came up to her with a spoon and she said "Look, a spoon". He answered, as clear as day, "I have a spoon". Knock me over. He said "I have a spoon". He hasn't said it, or any other multi word phrases, since… but she witnessed it, even if Shawn doesn't totally believe me.

I asked him to "Get the book with the bike and show Maura." It was a complex sentence with several commands. He walked over to his book cabinet, pulled out the "Cars & Trucks & Things that Go" book, brought it over to her, opened it, and pointed at the bike. He couldn't do that just 2 short weeks ago. She said he is doing as well as can be expected and better in many areas. Just this week, he started adding the 's' to the end of bus (comes out "bus-sss-sh"). It may not seem like much, but closing with consonants is exciting.

He is still addicted to bikes… and finds any excuse to say bike. He can spot one anywhere/anytime… and remembers where he saw one last. In the gym parking lot, there was a motorcycle parked near the entrance several weeks ago and he points at that parking spot and yells "BIKE" as loud as possible (to hear his echo in the garage), every week now. He does seem confused that the bike isn't there anymore, but still screams BIKE anyway.

Another anecdote that I keep forgetting to mention… Last week on the way to the locker room before his swimming lesson, we passed Slick Watts in the hall. He walked up to Ian, knelt down and said "Hey there little man, let me shake your hand". I was too surprised to remember the camera in my purse. My mom would have died to have a picture of the two of them. For those who don't know or remember, Slick Watts played for the Seattle Supersonics back in the 70's…I had his face on one of my night shirts, and he was one of my mom's favorite players. He and his son do summer basketball clinics at our club. I told Ian "He was a famous basketball player when I was your age". I'm sure that didn't make Slick feel old or anything. It was a cool moment. Ian didn't understand, but it was really cool for me. I wish Shawn had been there. Now, if we could run into Edgar Martinez in the halls (he's a member, too) I'd be VERY happy…and definitely wouldn't forget to get a picture.

Not much in the way of pictures this week. I've thrown in a few more from the aquarium trip last weekend.

Polli gets in touch with her inner bird dog

The "Jack" impersonation was so popular, I thought it deserved an encore. This is the "Risky Business" pose.

All three boys watching the puffer fish coming right at them

Matt insisted that he didn't need to hold Ian's hands... Shawn wasn't convinced. The fun ended right after this shot (not unlike my dad's shoulder rides in Arizona). We're just not ready for this yet! Maybe at his college graduation, uncle Matt! (p.s. you'll be 60! LOL)

Another great shot of Ian and dad... enough hogging the camera, Shawn! Geez!