Monday, November 14, 2011

Still Reading.... and the Other is Singing!!




Darren continues to do a great job with his reading. Mark and I had the unique opportunity to literally be "a fly on the wall" as we watched his classroom via computer in the principals office. It was there that we watched him partake in his everyday activities and he had no clue we were doing so. I was nervous. Maybe I would see things that I didn't want to...Maybe I would see really good things that I didn't expect. I thought for sure I would cry. But instead, I just sat there. I took advantage of situation and just watched him. I laughed when he did something good...shook my head when he did something silly...and through this windowpane I saw the same old Darren that we all know and love. When the secretary asked, "How did it go?" My response was "He's still Darren." I am not saying that in a negative way...I am saying it because Darren is Darren. He is like no other child I know.  He has such an endearing quality about him...but a there's a side of him that will test every patient bone in your body.

One major positive thing we saw was how much Darren was watching his peers. He was really checking them out to see what they were doing. At the time they were singing an interactive song. So he would watch...and then every now then..he'd copy them.  I liked that. Darren seems happy at school, another positive. He is learning a ton...major positive. My major concern at this point is bridging that gap between his receptive and expressive language. So much to say...yet so little functional/conversational language. Sometimes the alien noises that he makes to fill that gap seriously drive me crazy. But, Trevor sings all the time...and talks constantly....so maybe Darren is exploring his voice still and just trying the fill the silence with SOMETHING. It is maddening...BUT he is reading....maybe I should just be thankful.

This week, Trevor has decided to be a singer/song writer. This video is a sneak preview. He are hoping to put music and obviously out together some awesome dance moves....I said "Ya know, you could be the next Justin Bieber" and he said "Umm no, more like Michael Jackson."  Gotta love that!
As their 8th Birthday nears, we are so proud of the boys that they are...and believe in all that they can be.