Speech evaluation, part I.

So, our speech evaluation was this morning. It did not start out on a great note as the Coordinator (not sure if she's a social worker or nurse, but sort of doubt it as "Coordinator" was her business card title) showed up in her white Mercedes exactly one half hour earlier than scheduled. She did call from the car and ask if that was alright, so I obliged, even though the boys were in the middle of breakfast and I was still in my PJ's. Oh well, time for Coordinator J. to get a taste of the boys' "natural" surroundings. She seemed competent enough, but as she checked out my house (freshly cleaned, I might add) I could not help but feel just the teensy-eensiest amount of Judgement. I suppose that goes with the territory for an evaluation in general, judging from the types of questions on the endless intake forms I had to fill out. I can only imagine the level of delay they typically evaluate; children born profoundly premature, drug addicted or suffering from severely debilitating delays.

From the moment she walked in, William was immediately repelled by her. Maybe it was her intimidating horn rimmed glasses, maybe it was her high, sporty leather boots or maybe it was her festive green beret, but William spent most of the morning giving her the *stink eye* and clinging to me, occasionally looking to make sure she wasn't getting close to him. David, on the other hand, was flirting with her and borderline showing off. It was like the two of them reversed personalities, which they have been known to do.

She spent the next hour and a half observing and asking a litany of questions, ranging from clearly relevant (when they hit major milestones, major illnesses, responsiveness, receptive language, birth weights, etc.) to the superfluous (What are David's "strengths" and "favorite things?) It took everything I had inside me to prevent me from responding with a snarky - "Well, David is a sharp little fella who prefers a fresh Lucerne Vitamin D vintage in an Avent or Born Free bottle, a banana that is just about to turn the corner into turning brown, waffles with butter and syrup, his pink Ortho-Pro pacifier - not the blue one or orange one, only the pink one - and anything having to do dinosaurs or birds."

All in all, I think J. got the information she needed. Being the self professed Control Freak that I am, I tried to feel her out as to what her opinion was. She responded with a short, "I don't think this was an unreasonable referral." Okaaaaaay. So, I'm not totally neurotic? She indicated that the boys would probably qualify as having a moderate speech delay, but it will be up to the doctor who evaluates them in a few weeks to make that final decision. And being toddlers on the verge of new words, they may have 5 new words in a few weeks, which would change the ballgame entirely.

We shall see how it all shakes down.

Tonight is Sofia's pre-school Christmas show. The new camera is charged and ready. Between the show and the recent familial visit and cousin birthday party, fluff will be forthcoming.