Saturday, May 30, 2009

Miracle Grow????

All of a sudden both of my kids seem to have sprouted. I do realize that both of my children are short, but to me they are getting really tall! Today I put an outfit on Ella from last summer, (all of her clothes from last year still fit, they are just a bit shorter!) and there were two things sticking out the bottom of her skirt that weren't there last year..... LEGS. Obviously she had legs last summer, but they were VERY short!!! I tried to find a picture of her in this outfit last year but couldn't. I couldn't help but think about how much Ella has changed in the past year, not just in her appearance (which is quite drastic) but in all that she can do. At this time last year Ella was still not even walking, knew maybe 2 or 3 signs, no words, couldn't eat by herself, no attitude problem : ) and on and on.
Before I post the pics I want to share a few things. First of all, I found out on Wednesday that I did get the job at Ella's school, Spokane Guild's School and Neuromuscular Center, as a team assistant. Meaning, I get to play with kids birth to 3 with disabilities and actually get paid to do it! I am SO excited and can't wait to start work on the 8th. I will be working 18 hours a week, 3 days a week so it is a perfect fit for me.

Also this past week we had Ella's IEP meeting with the school district for this upcoming school year. Seeing as Ella's 3rd b-day is August 30th she will begin the first day of school same as Hunter. The therapists and teacher threw me for a loop. They decided that they were not going to do what we had discussed in the past several meetings and have decided that they want Ella in the General Ed Preschool. WHAT???? She will be in the ECAP (like Headstart) preschool with "typical" kids and be pulled out for her therapies. While I am totally excited that they see how smart she is I am also totally terrified. Ella is such a baby!!!!! She is about half the height of the other kids, essentially non-verbal, and really I don't know that she is able to behave like other 3 year olds. They assured me that if it is too much for her they will put her in a special ed preschool class. It's so funny because my goal obviously is for her to be mainstreamed, it just kind of took me by surprise that it would happen so soon and without a fight! So, my little cutie pie smarty pants is going to big girl school this September!!!

OK now for the pics of Miss Thing today.......
Here is Ella one year ago!
Now for the cutest pic, despite the tongue sticking out....
One last thing.....Does anyone elses kid, that's Ella's age, love to lick things? All of a sudden Ella is obsessed with sticking her Gene Simmons like tongue out (seriously the thing goes down past her chin) and licking stuff, like people, TV's, tables at resteraunts, etc.......so strange!!!! I tell her to put her tongue in her mouth and she either purposefully starts licking more, or says no. *sigh*

15 comments:

Jennifer said...

SO much to say...
First..GO YOU! I'm so glad you got that job. I know it's something you're passionate about and will love.
Second, GO ELLA!!! I know you must be terrified to have her in general ed, but that is awesome!!
Lastly, Emily used to lick windows and anything else she could get away with. Not to be a killjoy, but she STILL puts everything in her mouth. :)

Wendy P said...

Congratulations on your new job! That's awesome! And go big girl Ella!

Kira licks stuff, too. Yuck.

kecia said...

congrats on the preschool for Ella and the job for you! That is exciting! Ok I swear ella and Bree have the same hair! That pic from last year of Ella totally reminds me of Bree's hair!

Denise said...

Congrats on the job!!! Oh my...look at those long legs!! I just want to squeeze them. I have to say that the dress may actually be TOO short!! She really has grown since last year. But since I have never actually seen her in person....give me an idea. How tall is she right now? What size is that outfit? So cute...I really missed seeing their pics!!!

Cammie Heflin said...

Addy and Ella pretty much have the identical wardrobe! However, Addy doesn't have her cute little rolls anymore! I'm trying to fatten the poor thing up!

Anne and Whitney: Up, Down and All Around said...

CONGRATULATIONS on your new job - so exciting!!! also, what great news about Ella and school!!! love the pics :)

Amy Flege said...

good luck on the new job. sounds like a perfect fit!! mayson doesnt do the licking think but her little friend who is the same age with DS does!! she licks everything! someone told them it could be a zink deficency.. but who knows!
very cute pictures of ella and her LONG legs!!

Cheryl said...

Ella is SUCH a cutie patootie!
So great you got that super cool job!
I know Ruby is much younger than Ella but she loves ,loves to lick everything and her tongue is extremely long,I call her lizard tongue :)
I hope miss Ella does great at school!

Kristen said...

I am so happy you got the job. Like I said, you were a shoe in. You'll be great and those hours will be perfect for a mom.

You're right, Ella does look leggy! She's certainly growing.

Monica Crumley said...

Congrats on your new job! Miss Ella and your son are super adorable. Cute pics.

bizzum said...

I am sure Ella will do fine in preschool. My classroom is made up of children with and without special needs. Some of the three year olds come in and are so tiny, but do just fine. They also benefit from the constant peer modeling. I am always amazed how quickly kids with limited communication simply absorb all the oral language in the classroom and blossom!

datri said...

Congrats on the job! Ella will do fine in preschool. Kayla really was a baby when she went -- she was 2 1/2 and had only been walking for 1 month! But she did great. And it's wonderful that she'll be with typical peers. Kayla moved to the integrated PreK last summer and it's been an amazing year for her developmentally!

And those legs! Wow! I so know what you mean. I used to buy capris for Kayla and use them as long pants. Now they actually fit her like carpis!

Aunt Tami said...

Congrats on the job!! Sounds like it is going to be great!! And congrats to Missy for going to big girl school so soon! Gotta say i am surprised, not because i dont think she can handle it (totally can) just because she is such a peanut i just cant picture her there!!! Is that going to be hard for you to be working at her old school while she is in big school? How will that work out? Gotta love the pic of her when she was teeny, not only did her legs grow but look at that hair!!! I think you should stop watering her now, keep her small for just a little big longer!!! Love ya's, Aunt Tami and fam

Anonymous said...

Wow, you've been busy!! I think it will be great for Ella...Olivia has gone to "regular" school the whole time and I think that has a lot to do with how well she does. She models the "typical" kids. It will be great!! Fly, Ella, Fly!!

Anonymous said...

Congrats on the job!

LOL! I am laughing because we say that Christopher has a Gene Simmons tongue too!!!!! LOL! He has just started the licking thing. He seems to gravitate towards anything metal right now - especially his O2 tanks! UGH!

Steph and Christopher
www.carepages.com OurLittleMan