Testing done...

So today went well...No major surprises. When you've raised a couple kids you already have a good feel of where your child is developmentally on any given chart...So things were pretty much how I expected them to be.

So here's the run down...(Russell is 38 months old)

Russell scored lowest (ah, that wording doesn't sound right, but you guys know what I mean)...Anyway, he scored lowest in Gross Motor. Some of the skills we were looking for are just not there yet. He cannot walk up stairs without holding on to a railing...He cannot jump yet. And for the love of God he would not kick a ball today!!! And she needs to witness that to be able to give him credit for it. So that was that. No biggie...These are emerging skills, things he will learn in time. So gross motor he was charted at 18-24 months. 

The "testing" itself took two, that's right TWO hours! How many 3 year olds do you know can sit at a kitchen table doing structured activities for that long? Ya, I don't know any either. To be fair the test should have been broken into two half's, but whatever...This isn't about being fair it's about getting the testing done damn it!

*ahem*

So Russell actually scored highest in Fine Motor. The kid has got some pretty sweet skills for those tiny little fingers. You know, there are just times during the testing where you actually have to stop yourself from laughing because it all seems so ridiculous. Here we were timing Russell to see how quickly he could pick up these tiny little dots and put them into a little bitty container. When he finished his worker turned to me and said "That took him 30 seconds, so that's good to know"...I smiled and thought "Really, really?? Why is this sooo good to know? Why does this even matter?"

Ah well....

After a few of these activities Russell begins losing his patience. His worker then takes out three blocks and builds a little tower. She gives Russell three and asks him to build the same. Russell looks at her lunges forward and grabs all her blocks and shoves them behind him in his seat and yells "me"  Which is how he says "mine" Ha! Take that! It was hilarious, and I can't help but to notice he has quite a bit of Jordy's sassy little attitude about him!! I find it humorous and frightening all at the same time...

And then there was Speech. And this was the one I didn't want my heart to hear. The truth is I already knew exactly where Russell would fall. For months now I have watched as his little cousin Zane, who is not even two yet has passed him in speech. And I would be lying if I said it didn't sting a little from time to time. It's funny because I don't mind seeing the difference between Russell and his peers, but when I see a child younger than Russell soaring past him...That hurts.

So in speech he sits at 21-24 months. A good year and a bit behind the "typical" for his age. And I suppose it's not a huge deal...I mean hell I know he is doing good...Just this morning he learned to say toast! I asked him if he wanted breakfast, he asked for a banana and then ran and pointed to the toaster and said "Toast" perfectly...It was an exciting moment for me...Every new word is.

Russell has a little over 50 words in his vocabulary. Words he says consistently and knows the meanings of. And it is only when I compare him on that "typical" chart where I feel a little down. The average three year old knows 300-500 words...*sigh*...We are a ways from there.

There were other parts to the test, like Adaptive Social and stuff like that...He sat pretty solidly at 24 months with skills emerging to 30 months. I can't remember the exacts. I won't get the formal print out until later.

So there it is. Testing done. Therapies continue. And Russell is growing and learning.

It's all good :)