Call me crazy

After months of back and forth on the issue I finally made the call - I called Early Intervention to schedule an evaluation for Toby.  WHAT??!!  Easy, don't judge so fast!!

I am one (like most, no doubt) who would like to provide both my children with every opportunity to participate and feel comfortable with their peers. And I will exhaust all the resources to help me do that.

Clearly, for Emma, it was a no-brainer.  And the services she received were both a help to her and a support and encouragement to me.  I want to make sure that Toby has the same opportunities to learn and grow as his sister had.

So, back to Toby.  He was a little later at talking than most of his friends, and much of the time is still unintelligible.  So a few weeks ago, I just decided that not knowing was far (far, far) worse than someone saying "well now, we really didn't need to see him at all."! 

I've asked every expert I can, but given that no-one actually has the time to sit down and engage Toby to see how well he can do, there's been no definitive answer.  Rather than find out a couple years down the road, when he may have trouble fitting in with his buddies at school, I'm going for, well, early intervention!

Therefore, a few weeks ago I called and made the request.  A week later I got a call from our assigned coordinator.  He came to the house on Tuesday and gave me the required information and had me sign all the forms.  He was pleased that he really didn't have to go into detail, and probably quite surprised at how vocal a proponent I am of EI.  (With such stellar therapists, who wouldn't be!)

Then we had to find a mutually agreeable date for the therapists to come and do the two-hour play evaluation with Toby.  I'm glad it will be two hours because I imagine it will take a good 30 minutes for him to stop being shy.

Of course, between the initial call and visit Toby has become more verbal and understandable than ever.  On Sunday, as Scott and I got ready for church, Toby stood up in the middle of our bed and counted from 1 to 11 clear as day.  I didn't even know he could do that!

Since spending three days a week with Nanna and Pops, Toby's speech has improved so much.  Pops is like a friendly drill sargeant with the kids, and I have no doubt Toby will be more than ready for preschool in 2013.

Anyway, despite my second thoughts and Toby's improving grasp of the language, we will have the evaluation at the end of April.  Between then and now I am sure Toby will keep surprising me.  

Here's some video from yesterday when it was just me and Toby...

He's no Tiger Woods