Boom! go the developmental delays

Yesterday my Sophie girl was discharged from occupational therapy. And as you may recall, she was discharged from speech therapy four weeks ago.  That same day, she was given her standardized test by her occupational therapist to see how far she’d come in the 6 months since she started OT.  Her scores were good, but I had to wait for the supervisor to evaluate her to see what they’d recommend.  I was thinking they’d say maybe another six weeks or so of therapy, maybe longer, honestly I was just hoping she’d be done by summer.  Unfortunately, due to schedule conflicts and family emergencies, (hers, not mine), the supervisor was unable to see Sophie until last week.  And after she evaluated her, she pronounced her “ready to be discharged”.  Woohoo!! I was thrilled!  I asked if she could come back one more time just for some closure since she loved her therapist so much.  And so, yesterday was her official discharge date.  I still can’t believe it!

Now, about 19 months after we started this journey to overcome Sophie’s delays, she is testing at or above age level in all areas.  She is reading well.  A couple of weeks ago her preschool teacher tested her on sight words and she knew them all up to and including third grade.  Today her teacher, Mr. G., told me, “Sophie did a beautiful job reading a book to two of her classmates today. It was just beautiful. Ms. M (the other teacher) and I were grinning from ear to ear.”

That’s right people, my girl rules the special school! 🙂 And I know she will do great in “regular” school next year too. I really have no qualms about it.  I’ve never been in doubt about her level of intelligence, and here’s a good example.  After she graduated from speech, we gave her a present, a Snow White dress-up dress.  This got her little mind working, and the next day she said to me, “Mommy, when I graduate from OT I want Hello Kitty pajamas for my graduate present.” Girl was thinkin’.  And schemin’.

I’m totally rambling here, I know.  But I am really having a hard time putting it all into words.  I am so immensely proud of my girl.  We worked so hard, we learned so much, but I am SO GLAD it’s OVER!  Relieved, proud, thankful.  My mom told me when this started, “The Lord made her and the Lord’s going to take care of her.”  And that was intensely true, every step of the way , clearly, obviously, completely.  God made Sophie just the way she is, and we’ve come through this closer and stronger and more prepared for whatever life may throw at us next.  And, I’ve really developed a passion for helping other parents of kids with delays, which I hope I can continue doing.

But I don’t have to drive to appointments, find sitters for the other kids, worry about health insurance, or PAY for any of it anymore! Yee-ha!!!

Way to go Sophie!