One might think because Lauren loves horses, snakes and dragons, playing in the dirt/mud and Tess's house, that she isn't a girlie girl....Oh wrong. This little girl loves to wear dresses, the longer the better. She loves make up, with is usually how I attempt to entertain her while I do her hair. Often when I'm puttin on my make up she climbed up to stand on the toilet and puts make up on with me.
Lauren also loves nail polish! I have to hide it because if she finds it, that is it, it has to go on her fingers or she is one mad girl. Yesterday we sat on our new block wall as we waited for the school bus and I painted her fingers. When I was done she painted mine. She did so good. She was so careful not to get it on my skin and if she did she would wipe it off (this caused more mess then the actual painting). It is so cute to see her focus so hard. I love these special moments I have with her, no words are shared but I understand what it is she would say if she could and in those moment I know, she knows I love her.
Today we met with her teacher, Chari and the schools director, Eric. Awhile ago Chari asked if we had or would want Lauren tested for Autism. I have had a fear of doing this. I am worried her diagnosis would become her label. Her excuse. Her identity. That it would precede her. Its not a issue of denial. I am very aware of Laurens strengths and weakness. I told Chari at this time we were not but we would be interested in meeting with the tester to better understand how the testing was done, what the benefits and draw backs were and those kind of things. So that is why we met today.
These people, who work with Lauren, are incredible!! I feel so blessed to have them apart of Lauren and our life. They explained the benefits (tax deductions and gov assistive programs) and draw backs (none really). The benefit to having Lauren tested at her school is that Eric is able to watch Lauren over an extended period of time in an environment she is used to. One of my concerns was having to take her to some stranger in a strange/new place, have her watched for 20minutes then have them say she is______. Like you can tell the ins an outs of a person in one meeting, not my child, no way. That is striping her of her individualism in my opinion.
The thing I was most impressed by was that at no point was it encouraged, suggested, hinted at, anything, to have the testing done or what they feel she would be diagnosed with. I know that they, especially Eric, probably has a partially formed diagnosis for her, how could he not, its what he does and he works with Lauren often. However, those impression were never expressed in anyway. I felt so respected as her parent and advocate.
We also went over her progress report, which was good. They said they felt Lauren was doing so well and accepting and utilizing the interventions so well they wanted to extend her day to 4 hours instead of 2. I asked is it really because she is doing so well or because you don't feel like she is making progress fast enough. They were adamant that it was because she was doing so well. We'll try it out starting on the 28th and give it a trail run. It will be so weird to have my little girl gone from 8:50am till 2pm, oohh that's a long time.
I am so grateful! I feel so blessed! I know these people were meant to be part of Lauren life to give her what we don't know how to! My appreciation goes beyond what my being can hold.
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