Blown Away

Something has been happening around here lately. I have on several occasions been blown away by Ella. Now, I like to think that I don't lower my expectations for Ella because she has Down syndrome, but I think that I am realistic. Maybe? I don't know. Maybe it is just my coping mechanism so that I don't get upset. The fact is that I know Ella is smart and I know that she is doing SOO good, BUT she has Down syndrome and with that comes the need for a little more help and the need for a little extra time.

Ella's yearly IEP meeting was last week. Usually I am a nervous wreck going into IEP/IFSP meetings. I don't know why but I just dread these meetings. It's a time when you get to hear how different your kid is, and plan for all the extra help that they need the next year, and that is still such a raw spot, and when it gets touched, it hurts. I will say that going into the IEP this year was a bit different, maybe I am getting a little more used to it? Maybe its because at Ella's age they no longer do the evaluations they did when she was younger, you know the kind that says your kid is 24 months and has the gross motor skills of a 12 months old, stuff like that (I do NOT miss those.) I think the real reason I was more at ease was knowing that Ella will be going into the same class next year, and I can't tell you just how happy I am about that!!!


The special ed teacher that visits Ella's class twice a week said that she has NO cognitive or social goals for Ella, so the only thing she will work with her on in class is functional communication. I asked her if she re-evaled Ella, and if she is sure that Ella wasn't behind cognitively. I guess I always question that a) because all I have to compare her to is Hunter and that boy is so smart and b) I've always known that Hunter is smart because he tells me every little thing he knows and has done that since he was 1. I have often said that if Ella could talk (yes I know she can talk, I mean talk like her brother) that we would be blown away by how much she knows. Anyhow, in response to my question they all started presenting me with some of Ella's work, things she does in class etc, and let me just say WOW!! She is doing some of the same work that the "typical" kids in her class that are moving on to Kindergarten are doing. I am amazed!!! Her therapists all had great things to say about her as well, she is making great progress.

A couple of weeks ago when I went in to pick up Ella, Stephanie (Ella's Para) said she had to show me something. The class was told to do a self portrait and Ella drew herself without prompting. I was expecting some scribbles. This is what I was shown.

I had to fight back the tears. This is one of those things that I was just blown away by, I mean, I NEVER even entertained the thought that Ella could draw a picture. I mean seriously? Never. But there you have it, identifiable features, hair, ears, eyes and a smile. Ella's wonderful teachers framed it for me and gave it to me, they are SOOOOO sweet, then they demanded that I make Ella do her homework. Prior to the self portrait the teachers sent home a paper and the kids were supposed to draw their family. Yeah right. I said "you know this is just going to be a lot of scribbles," they said that's fine, have her draw mom and even if it's scribbles label it mom and so on. As I would look up at the board where they hung the others students pictures that they drew, I kept putting it off. None of the others were scribbles. So, that night we went home and did her homework. Again BLOWN AWAY. I did not prompt her other than to say "draw Daddy here," and point to the paper "draw Mommy here" etc. Ella picked her own crayons and did everything on her own, I simply labeled them at the end. Here is that picture..... again, near tears.

Notice Daddy has no hair : ) and Mommy has crazy hair.

I am just so dang proud of her, my heart could burst. She is amazing!!

I realize that Ella is shirtless in a lot of my pics : ) I can't help it, the girl likes to strip. Here is her newest fav thing to do when she is taking off her shirt.