Will is 3 years old and I have no idea where the time went!  It is cliche, but it feels like yesterday that we met this little guy that would turn our world up side down in all kinds of ways.  I can't believe how far we have come.  I mean both him and me.  What a crazy, fun, scary, frustrating and fulfilling whirlwind of 3 years it has been!

 

 

Will had a fun birthday weekend filled with family, goodies and lots of presents!  He really liked the cupcakes and ice cream this year but didn't want to pick it up:)

We went to the nature center today and took a nice hike in the sunshine:)  Then home for more cupcakes since I don't want to eat them all and he needs the calories!

 

A lot has happened since I posted last that I can hardly keep it all straight!  So where are we?!  Really where are we, I sometimes forget I have been so busy with all of this 3 year old transition stuff!  Will is now the responsibility of the Upper Arlington School disctrict as they will oversee his services until he graduates High School.  We will no longer work with the state under Help Me Grow but have a service coordinator from Franklin County that helps us along the way.  Will is the proud new owner of an official IEP (individualized education plan) which is his legal document that spells out all of his goals for everyone involved in his services.  It was a lengthy process.  Will has had several evaluations to determine which services he is eligible for and where he is at in all the major areas of development, which taught me even more about this little guy.  He will stay at the Childhood League Center this year for preschool, as is our choice, and we will look again at UA's special needs preschool this spring to see if it has improved under the new direction.  Will has been working hard at school with all his therapists and teachers and although sometimes they make him mad in the process, they are all getting some progress from him.  He has been working well with his speech therapist at school and enjoys her games on the iPad.  The occupational therapist has been getting him to do some open cup drinking and getting him to sit on the potty.  His physical threrapist is working on jumping, balance and climbing.  The teachers adapted the room for Will so that the toy cars are all up front now, so that Will does not retreat to the back away from the group to play.  They are forcfully inviting Will to participate in activities that he would be happy to observe.  His second private speech therapist this year is changing positions so we are AGAIN searching for a new therapist in leu of being put on a waiting list for another Nationwide Children's therapist.  He had been working really well with her.  On a positive note, he is working very well with his new private occupational therapist and doing lots of good things with hand skills like coloring, beading and throwing.  He is still challenging me everyday with his picky eating and stubborness but that is truly karma!

I love every ounce of this kid though.  He is worth all of it!!!