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He loved it and is very excited.  He even made a friend named Owen.

Garret had to sing a song in front of the music director and director, then learn a dance routine (see pic below.  Owen is to the right of G), and memorize some lines for the director.

I was not allowed back to watch and had to sit out front and wait.  They let us come back afterwards and they kids showed us the routine they learned.

We should know by Monday which role he will be playing in 101 Dalmatians!!

This house is very excited.  🙂

We miss you…………

As most of you know, Garret has been wearing glasses since he turned 3.  He has been dx’d as being far sighted, having a astigmatism and amblyopia in his right eye.

I have been very diligent in getting him care (constant vision checkups, prescriptions changed, eye patches, etc) over the last 5 years and he now has 20/20 vision with his glasses on.

Over the past 2-3 years, I have been meeting with teachers and have been discussing G’s progress in school.  He is very smart, but I always felt like he was stumbling somewhere.  Losing his place when he reads, having trouble taking tests, etc.   At each meeting I have asked, do you think there is something wrong with his vision?  Each time I was told no; could be maturity, maybe ADD, etc.

This past year, G has been graced with an exceptional teacher, Ms. Piper!  One that I wish he could have the remainder of his time in elementary.  When I brought these things up and why I could not get him in Occupational Therapy through the school (504 plan)….she immediately jumped on it.  After he met with the OT, she actually suggested that he see a vision therapist (finally someone agreed with me) and that they would help him strengthen his eyes.

Over the month of May, Garret and I made 2 trips to Harrisburg to meet with a specialist.  They did a vision exam, to make sure his prescription was correct and the 2nd for him to go through a series of tests.

Last week, Tony and I went back to Harrisburg to meet with the doctor and discuss their findings.  The doctor is very impressed by G (has not met him yet) and said that G is very smart (and can’t wait to meet him!).  He scored very high on a lot of his tests and some not so much.  The ones that he did not score well on, they could tell from them that G has double vision and that he sees letters MUCH different from the rest of us and is probably getting terrible headaches and fatigue at school (just to name a few).  I can tell you this made me very sad to hear.   It is hard to hear that your child has been struggling and we did not know.  🙁

What they told us is that when Garret was little and his eye started to turn, basically his brain gave up on the right eye and solely started using only his left.   Which caused the eye to cross more and the poor vision.  What they need to do now is re-train his brain to start using the right again.  It will take about 6 months of intense therapy (twice a week) and the doctor is positive that Garret’s eyes (with glasses) will greatly improve.  Not only are we excited, but so is G.

The doctor has also taken the initiative to start getting G some added help at school.  Must sit in the front of the class, teacher needs to print out all learning material for him each day (vs. white board), he needs to sit in a room alone for testing and given extra time and when doing state testing his test should be on paper with someone reading it to him, tilt table……..

I will keep everybody posted of his progress, but for now below is some info.

Tony and I are very excited!!

http://www.familyeyecarepc.com/Content/visiontherapy/whatisvisiontherapy.aspx

http://www.familyeyecarepc.com/AboutUs/eye-doctor/index.aspx

While my day did not go as planned (thanks rain!), I still had a fabulous Mother’s Day.

Saturday we planted a ton of flowers and worked in the yard and today, since it rained,  has been a do nothing for mommy day (except for laundry….ssshh).  🙂

Thanks to the boys and Tony for making it so special and for taking me to brunch.

You’ll remember me when the west wind moves upon the fields of barley
You’ll forget the sun in his jealous sky as we walk in fields of gold
So she took her love for to gaze awhile upon the fields of barley
In his arms she fell as her hair came down among the fields of gold

Thanks to everybody that donated to a GREAT cause.  Broc and Garret ran their butts off today.  Broc completed 22 laps and Garret, who had a cramp, finished with 18.

BTW….these are some good looking shirts.  Thanks Coppermine and P-n-G Services.

This past weekend I planned a trip for the boys to go to Busch Gardens and Colonial Williamsburg.  It was a LOT of fun and the boys are now over 52″ and could ride (almost) all of the rides.

Broc is the thrill seeker like me and loves roller coasters and anything that scares the poo out of you.

G likes more of the virtual rides and things that spin!

We spent a few hours Sunday walking around Williamsburg.  They had a great art fair where I proceeded to try and buy something from every vendor.  🙂  Loved the paintings and pottery.

On the way out, we stopped off at Pirates Cove and played some putt putt.  Mommy came in first, Broc second and Daddy and G tied for third.

Jim, Michelle, Pags and I had a HUGE lead in the Trivia Night going into the 5th round and then we slowly came apart.  Jim, who apparently had a huge knowledge of intro songs to Netflix original series kept us in the game long enough to take 3rd place.

It was a lot of fun and even the boys and Tony came to watch us and cheer us on.  🙂

I am doing a Trivia Fundraiser Night to help raise money for the local theater and my team is going as Trivia Newton John.  We all have picked a character to go as from Grease.  My cousin, Jim, is going as Danny, I am going as Sandy and my sister and Pags are going as the Pink Ladies.

G thinks it is hysterical to put on my wig!

I can’t believe it is almost over.   I hope that G can get another teacher like Mrs. Piper and Broc can get a teacher just like Mrs. Piper.    She is wonderful!!

There are rumors that homework for elementary students might just be going away.  Fingers crossed!