School Year Summary

If I hadn't been painfully present for their births, I might not believe that my three daughters came from the same womb. Their differences have been a life lesson to me: I have less impact, power and control than I thought.

At the end-of-the year awards assembly Hailey received nine (count 'em--NINE) awards, including the annual citizenship award for her classroom (I'm happiest with that one: intellect is largely inborn, but citizenship is earned), the math award for having the highest math grade in fourth grade, the music award, and on and on. I'm proud of her, happy for her, hopeful for her. She strives to succeed and, if her Wii behaviour is any indication, she dislikes losing.

Katie couldn't care less. Give her a critter and she's happy.

Yes, folks, that's a crawdad. One of nine she caught that day. Nine seems to be the number around here.

Then there's Hannah. Sweet Hannah Savannah. I received her quarterly progress report. Her annual goals began November 30, 2007, so we are ¾ of the way there. The school doesn't count the summer months. She has already met her annual goal for physical therapy, which reads "In 27 weeks, Hannah will ascend and descend a small flight of stairs unsupported, marking time up and down on two out of three trials for two consecutive PT data days."

Her physical therapist wrote, "[Goal is] met. Hannah ascends and descends stairs unsupported, MT [does that mean 'most of the time?']. She is gaining confidence with this skill. Running, jumping, galloping have also improved." WOO-HOO!!

However, Hannah has regressed when it comes to following two-step directions. In March she was 60% complete with this goal, but as of May 15 her teacher wrote, "Hannah has dropped to 42% on this objective from the last nine weeks. When we give a direction, she will just look at us, or when I give a group direction and the group gets up to complete the direction, Hannah is still sitting. It does not seem to phase her that the others are up doing what they were told."

The teacher used snack time as an example of the direction-following process. When snack time is finished, she tells the students to throw away their milk cartons and go to their chairs in the adjoining room. While sixteen other preschoolers make a commotion chattering, pushing their chairs in and throwing away trash, Hannah sits and watches, unfazed. Her teacher has even continued class in the other room to see what Hannah would do. Nothing. She remains seated until someone tells her specifically to get up, throw away her trash and return to her seat. Grimace.

I've been trying to find a tidy way to wrap up this post, but it isn't flowing. School is over. Summer is here. More later...