DId I Hear You Right?

After much testing and evaluation, we were finally going to get the results of Sophia's speech analysis.

I was nervous.
I was also prepared.
I knew Sophia had some speech issues.
It's why I took her here in the first place.

However, during all of this testing, there were two words I was not prepared to hear.
Severe
and
Disability.

But there they were on each evaluation page that I was given.

The first page had a section that was written in BOLD headings.
It was labeled: Determination of Disability
There was a check mark next to the box that stated the following:
"Evaluation data substantiate the existence of a disability consistent with state and federal regulations implementing IDEA.  This student has been determined to have the disability of: SI Speech/Language Impairment


The second page told me more about her "disability".
The counselors told me that her speech impairment was severe.
As did various parts of the evaluation.

"The Word Inventory score indicates a severe delay in articulation skills."
"The Consonant Inventory indicates a severe delay in consonant sound production."
"The Phonological Processes Inventory indicates a moderate (thank goodness) delay."

The paperwork said that Sophia demonstrated significant use of these processes (not a good thing):
Assimilation
Final consonant deletion
Weak Syllable deletion
Stopping
Gliding
Cluster Simplification
Depalatalization
Vocalization

So what does all this mean?
It's quite simple actually.
She needs speech therapy.
Two days a weeks.
Thirty minutes each day.

The good news is that we know she will do well in therapy.
Her other tests show how she has moderately high skill levels.

Sissy is one smart cookie.
But I knew that.
I tell her all of the time.
I just can't wait for the day when she can clearly tell others just how smart she is.
And they understand her.

Be Our Guest

Alas, the guest room is complete.

Here is the before...

And the AFTER.
Here we have added a new bed frame, bedding and side table...

This is the BEFORE of our t.v. stand...

The AFTER shows that we painted it (Fern) and added new knobs...

We also got rid of that big, bulky t.v...

 The BEFORE of our country style dresser...

This is how the AFTER looks once it was painted a sleek, modern black and also got new knobs (plus that ugly carpet is now gone)...

The BEFORE of our cluttered furniture...

So fresh and so clean now...

So, all we ask is that you please be our guest!

A Leisurely Walk

I don't generally have a lot to rave about here in Arkansas,
but I guess I have to give credit where credit is due.
These first few days of Spring have been beautiful.

The weather has been glorious.
The sun has been shining.
There has been a gentle breeze.
Best of all, there has been zero humidity.
All the more reason to get outside and enjoy it.

So we did.

We packed a lunch.
We grabbed a ball to kick.
The girls stopped by our neighbors house to ask their newest friend, Nia, to join us.
And she did.
So off we went...

 Many of the trees in the neighborhood were in bloom.
This one reminded me of tiny cotton balls...

 The beauty of the tree caught the girls' eye as well...

 Then something else caught Lily's super duper blue eyes.
Dandelions...

 More natural beauty was found...

After taking in all of the wonderful eye candy along the way, we finally made it to the park.
There were more beautiful sights to be seen.
Like children happily playing.
So carefree.
So innocent...

Beautiful.

Simply Beautiful.

Break for Spring

On this second day of Spring, 

Lily had her first day of Spring Break.

Today we were meeting with Madison and Jennifer for lunch.

We arrived a few minutes early and took an opportunity to look at the fish...

Once Madison arrived, the girls skipped off hand-in-hand-in-hand to the fish pond again...

Then we enticed them away from the fish the only way we knew how,
with ice cream...

We quickly discovered how fun being downtown can be...

Especially when all of these fun things can be done with one of your oldest friends!