Update on Riley

I have not done a Riley post in awhile.  

Riley has made some big progress recently she is pulling up on anything and everything that she can get her hands on.  She has also started doing a really hands and knees crawl.  She has been army crawling and rolling for a long time now, but just within the last week or so she has started really crawling.  It is awesome.

She also got her wheelchair because ...SHE STARTED SCHOOL YESTERDAY!!  You heard right my baby is in school.  Riley turned 3 in December and that meant that she aged out of the Infant and Toddlers Program.  In order for her to still receive services she needed to start going to school.

We had our 1st IEP (Individual Education Program) meeting at the end of November and it went very smoothly.  Through Infant and Toddlers Riley was getting PT once a week, OT twice a month, speech twice a month, and the developmental specialist twice a month.  With her IEP she is still getting PT once a week, but she is also getting OT once a week now.  She is still getting speech twice a month.  Plus she is in school 5 days a week for 2.5 hours a day so they are working on PT, OT, speech, and developmental stuff through out her time in the classroom.  But someone is coming to work specifically with her according to the schedule above.

My husband and I dropped her off yesterday and as soon as another child walked in the room it was like we did not exist.  I think she is going to be fine.  Mommy's on the other hand we a bit sad to see her go. I was proud of myself though because I did not cry like I thought I would.  It was a bit to hectic getting out the door and into class for me to get upset.  I think school is going to be a great thing for her.  I can't want to see how much progress she makes between now and summertime. 

We have switched to a new orthopedic doctor because we were unhappy with the one we were seeing before   He put Ri in a cast on her right foot to try to straighten it out more and it worked well.  So she in now in new AFOs that are higher then the ones she had before.  They now come up to just below her knees.  We are going next Friday to meet with the doctor again to discuss the surgery that he wants to do on her knees.  Riley is missing about 20 degrees of flex in both of her knees.  Think about trying to walk with your knees bent at at 20 degree angle, and how tired you would be.  That is what she is dealing with now.  I don't have more information at this point but will after next Friday.  I will post after that meeting.

Here is a picture from Riley's 1st day of school.

Sign Language class 2

So I had my second sign language class on Tuesday.  I am pretty impressed with myself with how much I remembered from the last class.  I am kinda nervous because at the last class I have to sing a song in ASL.  I have chosen Rascall Flatts "You."  I have taught myself the chorus and I am having a hard time with the third line.  I want to do well with this.

Sign Language Class 1

I had my first sign language class yesterday and it was wonderful.  We learned a ton of signs we will see how many I will remember next week.  The teacher is really funny which is making it even more interesting learning this new language.  Both of his parents were deaf so he grew up in the language. 

At our last class we have to sing a song in sign.  So I need to start thinking about what song I want to do so that I can start practicing.  I want to do really well with this.

I will keep you updated

Sign Language classes

So I am super excited about next week.  On Tuesday I start a 6 week sign language class that is offered at my work.  Ever since college I have wanted to take a sign language class.  I was never able to fit into my schedule.

I always planned on using baby sign language with my kids.  That has become even more important with Riley since she will be delayed in the language department and with her hearing loss.  I am really hoping that this class is going to be good, because I am looking forward to it so much. 

I will update about how it is going periodically.