Getting a great start to 2012

Everything is going pretty well here! Nothing much to report, but I thought I would check in and give a few little updates.

First, the best news. Last week was Nate's first week back at school, and he has done great. He's been ready for bed by about 6:30 (and so has Georgia!), but the teacher says he's not complaining of being tired until after 3 and he gets out at 3:45. The teacher told me she was going to do an assessment of him to see how far he might have fallen behind while out of school all last fall. Keep in mind he went to Kindergarten 3 weeks in August and hadn't been back until last week.

So on Monday, I got a call from one of the special education teachers that comes into Nate's room to co-teach. She also takes him down to the self-contained room for a social skills class every day. She explained to me that they would like to reduce his special education services because when his teacher did the assessment, he scored AT or ABOVE grade level in EVERY AREA. After only 3 weeks of Kindergarten back in August! He's not behind, and he's even a little ahead in some areas! I was stoked. That is my smart boy!!

He gets two hours per week of special education services, and she said that's really not warranted at this point. Specifically, his teacher wanted him to drop the social skills class because a) He is not showing any delays in the classroom with social skills and b) taking him down the hall for that is taking him away from something she's doing in the classroom at that time that she wants him to be a part of. So I said drop it! I never really liked the idea of him being pulled out of the class every day for that anyway, but we were concerned about his social skills. But everyone agrees he is doing fine in that regard.

So my next question was, if he's at or above grade level in every area, is it necessary for him to repeat Kindergarten? She said we just need to see how he progresses this spring. The main concern for everyone is his handwriting. He still needs lots of work there. So she (the special ed teacher) is going to his class twice a day during normal writing times and working one on one with him. I'm not sure if I would want him to go to first grade next year anyway. I think he has some maturing to do before he's ready. But in the school's eyes, the handwriting is the only thing they are concerned about right now. So, we'll see. We will probably hold him back. But it's nice having the option because he's so darn smart!

The other consideration is we would ideally like to have Nate out of pullups by 1st grade. We are taking steps toward that now. We have a pretty good routine now for #2 where he's just going once a day around the same time. That's big progress!! Now we just have to figure out the bladder stuff.

Nate's favorite thing right now is the ipod touch Granna and Pop got him for Christmas. The loaded all of his favorite songs--Justin Beiber, Taylor Swift, Sugarland--and he is singing along with this thing constantly. I could have lived without hearing him singing "country girl shake it for me!" It also has his favorite games and apps. The other day I showed him it also has a camera on it, and you should have seen his face--classic wide eyes and open mouth surprise.

Georgia is also doing great. She is potty trained! We started the week after Christmas on a Monday afternoon, and that Thursday was the last accident she had at home. She had an accident at church the next Sunday because I forgot to remind her she had to tell the teacher when she had to go. But since then, there has not been one accident. She is so proud of herself! I don't even have to ask her. She'll just say, "I need to go pee pee on the potty" and will go over and do it herself. She's been using a little potty but is starting to use the big potty just fine. She wears a pull up at night, but if she wakes up needing to go, she will come tell me so I can help her get on the big potty. This is so easy!

Georgia is really into dressing herself now. She must pick out the clothes and put them on herself. Every.single.time. For the last 3 days, she has only wanted to wear the same red and white striped pajama bottoms, a tutu, and different shirts. Today's is tye-died. Oh, and her "cow boots." One day this week, she picked out jeans, a puffy plaid skirt, and a purple sweatshirt. Nicole said, "Did you see what Georgia wore to Bekah's house today?" I said, yep, I let her wear it! She's decent at getting herself dressed, except she needs help with getting the shirt over her head.

Oh, I've been meaning to write this on here. On Christmas day, one of Georgia's gifts from my mom was some pots and pans for her play kitchen. She had a toy muffin tin and was stirring something imaginary, and my mom said, "Are you bakin'?" And Georgia says, "I not bacon. I Georgia!"

Work is going awesome. This week I wrote 2 grants that have the potential for a total of $50,000, and I crossed a bunch of big things off my to-do list.

And I am loving having no real plans on weekends. Today the kids are going to Nicole's house, and Blake and I are going to go to dinner and catch a movie! I can't remember the last time we went to a movie.

Hope your 2012 is going just as well!