Reality Setting In

I know I'm boring everyone by now with talk of Hailey starting preschool, but indulge me for another day (or two or three....).  I had to go to the school's registration office to drop off Hailey's birth certificate and a proof of residency in the school district.  As we were walking out of the school, it actually hit me.  Yes, I know, we have been going through this process for a couple of months, but it still always seems to "imaginary"...so far into the future. 

Hailey starts school in 21 days.  I've always been excited and nervous when one of my children started preschool, but Hailey is my last to start preschool.  As Hailey's 3rd birthday approaches, I think back to her start in life.  The obstacles she has overcome...the scares and tears we have had.  The successes she's had and the milestones she has reached.  It's been an overwhelming three years, but they have been fabulous at the same time.  Receiving a diagnosis that I thought would end our world...instead it opened our world to things we overlooked and people we never knew.  The NICU stay that made me feel like a new mom all over again...the worrying that came and then the joy of bringing our baby girl home.  The long wait for open heart surgery as we watched our daughter slowly go into congestive heart failure and then the fear of her not making it out of open heart surgery.  The hours of therapy to help her learn to roll, sit, crawl, cruise, walk, speak, communicate, and the worst...learning to drink out of a straw (yes, it was the worst for us...or seemed so at the time.)

I'm quite proud of my little girl.  She takes each task like a champ (there might be a little sass involved, but we are used to it.)  I'll probably shed more tears than her.  Don't get me wrong, I am excited for her to start preschool.  I received an email last week from her teacher before I even arrived home from our IEP meeting.  Then on Saturday, the school announced that a preschool teacher had applied for a grant (and was awarded) for an iPad.  Here is the quote they posted from her, "I have some non-verbal children in my class and I was wanting to have some sort of "higher tech" device rather than printed pictures to help them communicate.  I had been researching and there are some wonderful, affordable iPad apps.  It is also a nice way to help all students become familiar with technology and allow them a different avenue for learning."  It turns out that it is Hailey's preschool teacher.  I'm very excited!

I am hoping preschool breaks a few bad habits, but I'm sure she might come up with a few new ones as well :-)

Can you see the mischievousness and rottenness in this girl :-)

Don't let that smile fool you!

I have some non-verbal kids in my class and I was wanting to have some sort of ‘higher tech’ device rather than printed pictures to help them communicate,” she said. “I had been researching and there are some wonderful, affordable iPad apps. It also is a nice way to help all students become familiar with technology and allow them a different avenue of learning.” - See more at: http://www.littlemiamischools.com/school_NewsArticle.aspx?artID=713&schoolID=9#sthash.VeaCEolK.KQoZsHY4.dpuf

I have some non-verbal kids in my class and I was wanting to have some sort of ‘higher tech’ device rather than printed pictures to help them communicate,” she said. “I had been researching and there are some wonderful, affordable iPad apps. It also is a nice way to help all students become familiar with technology and allow them a different avenue of learning.” - See more at: http://www.littlemiamischools.com/school_NewsArticle.aspx?artID=713&schoolID=9#sthash.VeaCEolK.KQoZsHY4.dpuf

I have some non-verbal kids in my class and I was wanting to have some sort of ‘higher tech’ device rather than printed pictures to help them communicate,” she said. “I had been researching and there are some wonderful, affordable iPad apps. It also is a nice way to help all students become familiar with technology and allow them a different avenue of learning.” - See more at: http://www.littlemiamischools.com/school_NewsArticle.aspx?artID=713&schoolID=9#sthash.VeaCEolK.KQoZsHY4.dpuf

I have some non-verbal kids in my class and I was wanting to have some sort of ‘higher tech’ device rather than printed pictures to help them communicate,” she said. “I had been researching and there are some wonderful, affordable iPad apps. It also is a nice way to help all students become familiar with technology and allow them a different avenue of learning.” - See more at: http://www.littlemiamischools.com/school_NewsArticle.aspx?artID=713&schoolID=9#sthash.VeaCEolK.KQoZsHY4.dpuf