Preparing for our IEP meeting...

I have been busy for the past couple of days trying to prepare for a meeting I have this Friday for Munchie! I have asked that ECSE (Early Child Special Education) review his IEP (Individual Education Plan) with the hopes that since he was officially DX'd (Diagnosed) with Apraxia over the summer (and with the instruction of his SLP (Speech & Language Pathologist...I know...sorry...alot of abbreviations!) that they raise the amount of therapy he currently recieves from them from 30 minutes a week to at least 90 minutes a week!

If you have ever had any experience with an IEP meeting you know why I am dreading this so much! I need to have all of his reports in order and ready to go, I also need to find as much educated information I possibly can explaining why it is exactly that this much therapy is necessary for a child like him (this amount will be added to an additional 3 and a half hours, stretched over the course of 4 days of therapy he recieves from his SLP!) And I have to have a few realistic goals set in my mind as to what exactly I expect to get out of this and within what time frame I expect for it to be accomplished!

I have decided that, realisticly, all I am looking for, is that he be capable of producing just 1....ONE...real word, not ma-ma, or ba-baaaa(bye-bye!) that a complete stranger will understand! The truth is that right now my son is over 3 and a half years old, and the only reason that I (his MOMMY!!!) can understand 99% of what I do understand is due to tonation...he copies the rythym basically that we use with most words....for instance, when I say "It's right there!" I always use the same basic tone to say it....when my Munchie says it, it sounds like..."i..uh...uh!" with the same tone! I hope that this makes some sort of sense to someone...this is the most difficult thing I have ever tried to explain to anyone, even in person when you can hear what I am saying....and trying to type it for you to read it and make sense to you...well you get my drift!

That 1 goal is NOT going to do it for them! They will expect me to have so much more in mind...and to tell you the truth...my mind is in overdrive constantly, I cannot think anymore...I cannot concentrate, and I feel completely exhausted...all of these "little" things that I have to keep up with due to his Apraxia DX has taken it's toll on me!!! It's enough trying to keep up with the house, a 3 and 4 year old at home all day...a second grader, and keeping my relationship with Hector at least partially in tact...add dealing with insurance companies, finding an SLP wo is qualified to deal with this, looking for a new pediatricain for all of the kids (due to the old one not giving a crap!!!!!!!) IEP meetings, therapy all those days...worrying how exactly you are going to get there with a broken down car and no gas money...driving 45 miles each way....with a 3 and 4 year old....now being made to wait outside in the HOT car with my 4 year old daughter at therapy at ECSE...okay I think you get it! I'm POOPED! :|

That being said....I think it's about time for this woman to get to bed...as Munchie says it....

NA-NA...everyone....maybe tomorrow will be a better day! :)