Still Reading.... and the Other is Singing!!

Darren continues to do a great job with his reading. Mark and I had the unique opportunity to literally be "a fly on the wall" as we watched his classroom via computer in the principals office. It was there that we watched him partake in his everyday activities and he had no clue we were doing so. I was nervous. Maybe I would see things that I didn't want to...Maybe I would see really good things that I didn't expect. I thought for sure I would cry. But instead, I just sat there. I took advantage of situation and just watched him. I laughed when he did something good...shook my head when he did something silly...and through this windowpane I saw the same old Darren that we all know and love. When the secretary asked, "How did it go?" My response was "He's still Darren." I am not saying that in a negative way...I am saying it because Darren is Darren. He is like no other child I know.  He has such an endearing quality about him...but a there's a side of him that will test every patient bone in your body.

One major positive thing we saw was how much Darren was watching his peers. He was really checking them out to see what they were doing. At the time they were singing an interactive song. So he would watch...and then every now then..he'd copy them.  I liked that. Darren seems happy at school, another positive. He is learning a ton...major positive. My major concern at this point is bridging that gap between his receptive and expressive language. So much to say...yet so little functional/conversational language. Sometimes the alien noises that he makes to fill that gap seriously drive me crazy. But, Trevor sings all the time...and talks constantly....so maybe Darren is exploring his voice still and just trying the fill the silence with SOMETHING. It is maddening...BUT he is reading....maybe I should just be thankful.

This week, Trevor has decided to be a singer/song writer. This video is a sneak preview. He are hoping to put music and obviously out together some awesome dance moves....I said "Ya know, you could be the next Justin Bieber" and he said "Umm no, more like Michael Jackson."  Gotta love that!

As their 8th Birthday nears, we are so proud of the boys that they are...and believe in all that they can be.

Halloween 2011

The Reality Is....

That Darren is still autistic in Florida. Yes, he has had a great start to the year...but as expected he has been testing the ropes lately with the school staff. We have been so impressed with Darren's behavior and learning thus far, that it was almost like...we forgot for a moment.  Well, he was happy to remind us:) Darren is so smart, but this time he made a grave error. He showed the staff at RLC just how smart he really was before acting out. So they have already seen his potential, they already know his tricks...too late to back track now. And honestly, in comparison to the "bad" times that Darren has had over the years, his behaviors are on the lower end of the scale. Yet, he is making everyone earn their Darren stripe. Those who have already earned theirs know exactly what I am talking about. I had an IEP meeting yesterday and continue to be extremely impressed with all that RLC has to offer. Their approach is positive and their will is strong. He has already mastered some of the goals that we just put in place in May. They modified some goals because he was already making significant progress...and they added goals that I never thought I would read on a IEP at this point and time. Here are some more videos of him reading and working on his homework. He is really trying SO hard..he's just making the teachers work just as hard these days.

Trevor continues to well in school and really enjoys 2nd grade. His reading assessment showed improvement from where he left off at the end of last year....and bottom line is...he is happy. The class size is great and his teacher is very caring and kind. Trevor is a mature kid for his age. I love that he loves school and adjusts well to new situations. I think a lot of that comes from having to deal with Darren over the years. Having them a different schools has really turned out to be the better path for them both. I had this vision of them being together...but my vision wasn't a realistic one. Trevor does a great job with Darren, no doubt about it...but he also needs a life of his own..to just be Trevor. I am not trying to paint the perfect picture of him..because Lord knows...this kid is a handful as well. He doesn't miss a thing, he is forever singing and talking, he will battle your will, but ultimately win your heart. Much love to everyone!

The Latest Videos and Pictures

This is Darren reading a page of his 2nd book! We are so proud and thrilled with his progress. The sentence reads "My home is in a city by the ocean."

Weekend Barbecue at Darren's school

The trampoline that Darren uses daily at school

Water Slides....woo-hoo!

Time to Eat!

Captain of the Playground

The boys playing their own game..but having a ball!

Tennis anyone?

Bring it!

Happiness...priceless

Sight Seeing

Serious Bike Riders

Water, please

Time for a playground break

Rollerblade Hockey Stadium

Picnic tables

You're it!

Bike/Skater Park

Tennis Practice Area

u

Push please Trevor

Here are some of the sights of Jupiter! We love taking bike rides...(boys bike and I run).  We have a nice little route that we enjoy.  Three quarters of the way into the trip we stop at the park, cool down with some water, and run around the playground. I love our bike ride/run. It is something that we can do together. Before, I would run to clear my mind and have some peace and quiet:) Now that the boys are older, this is a fun way to be together. It was on a recent ride that I noticed just how competitive Darren is at times. He likes to race Trevor...and he will speed up a bit and turn his head to see if Trevor is following close behind. Once he sees Trevor kick it up a notch...Darren kicks it into high gear...smiling all the while:) Wonder why he's so competitive?????? Where does he get that from?????  Anyways, this park is so nice. There are plenty of outdoor facilities here. We are trying to find our favorite hot spots and take advantage of the fun.
The boys are doing great. School for Darren has just been such a smooth transition, which is a sign to us that he is in the right place. Today is Friday, which means that Darren is golfing at school! Every Friday they take a bus to a local golf facility and have a 30 min lesson with a First Tee Program. The teachers say that likes hitting the ball off the tee, although last week he had to listen to one of the instructors go over the basics (heaven forbid)...they said he had no tolerance for that...he just wanted to hit the ball!!!!! Trevor seems to have made friends very quickly and loves school. Our days start a little earlier (school starts at 8 for Trev/8:30 for Darren) but they are home earlier in the afternoon...which is nice.  It's still hard to believe that we live in Florida, but I can't imagine being anywhere else.

Back to School

Back to School Party in our Neighborhood!

Woo-Hoo!

Slip Sliding Away

Go Trevor!

On our way to school...a little unsure

"Ready for school, Trev?

CHEESE!!!!!

So far, our first week of school has been GREAT! I am so happy to report that Darren is reading!!! Over the past two days he was introduced to 5 sight words and has been working on a short story using those words.  The story "My Home". It brought tears to my eyes as I watched him read. Mark and I were SO excited!!! What a positive step in the right direction. He has had two wonderful days at school. (Tuesday, he tried some old tricks, but it seems as though the plan in place is working:) Sorry for all the updates, but this was a big one.

Secondly, Mark has been offered a Manager position at Ruby Tuesday. He is VERY excited about this new opportunity and will start next week. Mark has spent some great time with the boys as I continue to enjoy my new job at Saks. Our schedules will be crazy, but it can't be any worse than living in two states! Things seems to be falling into place and we are thankful for all the love and support that we have received.

Great News!

Day 1 was a major success! Trevor was dropped off first and led to his new classroom by a helpful student. He was picked up by Mark and was happy to report that he had a great day, met lots of new friends, and likes his teacher a lot. He also asked to go to school a little earlier tomorrow! Ha!

Darren was next. He had a little anxiety in the car as we waited for the gates to open but was able to pull himself together and walk with his new teacher into his school. I admit, I cried in worry on and off for the next hour. Hopeful that all would go well, but nervous that he would test the limits of his new teachers. So as I picked him up, I was unsure as to what to expect. I saw his teacher soon upon arriving and the expression on her face surprised me. She said that he tested them from about 8 to 10:30. He did so by attempting to put his feet on the desk. They were persistent with him..which Darren doesn't like:) so he tried to swat at them a bit and tried to bite once and then she said, "that was it!" The rest of day he did great. I looked at her and said "seriously?" and she reiterated that he really had a good day. He has been very happy this afternoon and when asked if he liked school..he answers "yes!"

I don't know what to attribute it to honestly. All I know is that we'll take it. One day at a time...and day 1 was a success!
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry