Time for catching up. I haven't blogged since RJC started her adult program. In truth, it's been stressful and crazy and when I'm overwhelmed and feeling defeated it seems wrong to blog. I don't think I'm honest when I'm in that kind of mood. So I'm catching up on the last three months.
Here it is in a nutshell...she was participating in two programs that one agency runs. After about 5-6 days, they felt one of the programs was not a good fit and she is now exclusively attending one program. She was assigned a 1:1 for a few hours of the day which I think has been incredibly helpful. For the most part, this is a recreational program. Is this my ideal? Nope. I strongly feel that we need to develop some work skills and proper behaviors so she can be out and about in the community, but I also strongly feel that until an agency understands her and her potential issues, taking her out and about is not safe. So now what? Well, interestingly, this agency is opening another program in a few months (hopefully) that is smaller and more geared toward what I think can work for her so I am biding my time. RJC is perfectly content to attend the current program so that's incredibly positive. She looks at the calendar and is aware of other participant's birthdays. She's learned to play Wii games - I guess socially that's a positive. Still, there's tons of other stuff I'd like to see happening for her and when the new program opens I'll be an active mama and make my voice heard. Again. My plan is to help them build an amazing program so her friends who have not yet graduated will join her there. I miss her having her circle of friends. So there it is.
Outside of the program, I'm thrilled to say that she is still thriving. I think back to people who told me that once she was 5 years old she would not be able to learn as fast and her acquisition of skills would slow down. They were wrong. Very. Wrong. Her language is still emerging. I find that so much fun and just incredible. She said "I love you" completely unprompted one night - beautiful. She has developed into quite the little shopper. While I loathe shopping of any kind, she is all over grocery shopping and clothes shopping. Her self-help skills continue to develop and she is officially able to shower without my help - hair washing and all (though I pop in a few times a week...just to be sure).
Today was an awesome day. We got together with a few of her friends from her old school and went to a trampoline place and then for ice cream. It was a new experience but she plunged right in there! When we went for ice cream, our kids sat at one table together and they all ordered for themselves (we moms only piped in for clarification). It was...amazing. I truly never thought I'd see the day.
So there you have it. All caught up in just a few paragraphs!
