Brooklyn was ALL SMILES as we went to school today - I love it, there is NOTHING better than looking in the rear view mirror and seeing that smile and hearing her giggle. LOVE IT!
I also want to take a minute to thank the parents of some the of kiddos in Brooklyn's Kindergarten class that have taken the time to reach out to me.
It means so much to me that the other kids are so open and accepting of her. My hope is that they will see that she is more like them than different. Kids often times are better at "this" than adults (thank goodness!)
I also want to thank her teacher, Miss Weber for allowing me to send home this letter along with one of Brooklyn's GP2C cards to every child in her class, I think it will make the start of the school year smooth for everyone....it seems to be doing just that!

Hello!

My name is Kelly, my daughter Brooklyn will be in Miss Weber's class this fall with your child! I am so excited because this is a big step for us. You see, my little Brooklyn is severely disabled with Rett Syndrome.

She has a damaged gene which regulates a special protein in our bodies. This protein helps us to walk, talk, and move around.....it really helps us do lots of things!

So, Brooklyn cannot walk, or talk, or even use her hands very well....but she is full of love, life, and energy, plus she is SMART! She understands everything going on around her....she just cannot respond in words. She uses her eyes to communicate. Your child will see her using yes/no cards, an eye-gaze board, and even a computer that can talk for her!

Brooklyn will be working with therapists during the school day to practice things like standing, walking and different ways to communicate. She will also have a personal aide with her in the classroom at all times to assist her with classroom activities and procedures. She is SO excited to spend most of her day with some active, wonderful children!

My hope is that this will be a great experience for everyone. Brooklyn will learn from a wonderful teacher and fun students and friends! And, I hope, your child will learn about a different kind of "special" child. I'm sure they will have fun helping her and playing games!

If you have ANY questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to call me at home. My cell number is 260.243.2722 or my email is specialmommyx2@yahoo.com If you or your child would like to learn more about Brooklyn or Rett Syndrome we would love for you to check out her blog at www.brooklynbutler.blogspot.com

Thank you in advance for getting things off on the right foot and helping your child understand that Brooklyn is a fun little girl that just needs a little special help!

Sincerely,

Kelly Butler (Brooklyn's Mommy)