Is over. For now.... I have been on the verge for a couple months now and we just kept hanging on because Declan was doing so well with it and I didn't want to mess with that progress but with this upcoming eye surgery its just way too much so I spoke with his speech pathologist and we decided to call it good for now. She, of course, would like for him to stay (well duh we are paying her out of pocket every single week!) but was awesome and totally understanding of our situation. And hopefully will welcome Carrig with open arms should he need it :)
With this ending though I went ahead and scheduled a preschool screening test with the school system because when kids turn 3 the school system supposedly takes over. If you qualify. And of course Declan didn't qualify. He met with and got tested for his vision (that was interesting as it turns out his right eye vision is pretty horrible. scary.), hearing, processing, speech and he met with a school psychologist. He's still 2 so they had to test him in that age bracket but for me they tested him for 3 years olds as well and turns out he passed thru age 4. Shocking. Maybe that is why the SC school system ranks so low?!??!?!?!?!?!
No but seriously, he is ok and when I dropped him off at school after his screening his teacher was like "what on earth did u have him tested for?!?!" and when I told her his speech she goes "WHY?????" Ha! She doesn't seem to think there is an issue at all which probably more than anyone makes me feel better as she has been a teacher for over 20 years and seen tons of kids his exact age pass thru and on. He does really well there and actually when I talked to the therapist and psychologist at the preschool screening they mentioned how important it was that he do well in school. At home, its a different story obviously but so long as he is behaving and interacting and speaking etc etc etc in a school setting, that's what I should be concerned with right now.
So that's that. For now I guess. I have unfairly high expectations for everyone in my life and Declan bares a very large brunt of this. Is he behind? In my eyes, yes, but to outsiders who are not his mother and aren't nearly as emotionally attached slash can't see straight :), he is fine and developing at the exact appropriate rate. Because this is my first go round, I don't know what to expect and that coupled with my unreasonable expectation level of EVERYTHING, its just hard. I am trying trying trying to take other people's words for it and go with this...my only issue is that I just do not want him to get behind and always trying to catch up. I'm trying to avoid a future problem...I can pretty much guarantee you right now he's not going to be the "smartest" kid in class or blow teachers minds away with his genius, but I don't want him to be the kid who constantly struggles either. Especially if its something I missed. Or should have caught earlier. I'm his mom and its my job to look out for him when he's too young to look out for himself so if I miss something I'll just never forgive myself. With that, I'm so glad we have done the speech, its honestly been phenomenal for him and he needed it. He, without question, had a delay and needed a jump start. I'm glad he got it and we will just go from here....
Wish us luck. Mainly Declan :) With me for a mommy, he will need it........
