And the game plan is...

After months of discussions and gathering information about resources available, we have a plan for Lainie...if she can get in where we want her to. She "graduates" from infant-toddler services when she turns 3, so we need to get something in place before then. Her speech therapist is going to recommend her for the early intervention preschool through our district, which is at Katie's school. They accept kids the semester they turn 3, so she can start in January. If accepted, the bus will come to daycare and pick her up and will take her back there afterwards. And, one little girl from daycare is going to attend at the same time, so she'll have a friend to ride with. By doing it the same day as daycare, I won't feel guilty about sending her (as much). The hope is that by getting her in that setting, she'll realize she needs to talk/sign for everyone like I can get her to talk/sign for me.

In addition, there is a speech teaching program at the university that Lainie should qualify for. (Think of it this way -- kids with a speech impediment get accepted there, and she's way beyond that...she doesn't have words at all, much less pronounces them correctly.) That will give her the speech boost to keep progressing. We will have to drive her to the appointments at least once a week, and we have to pay for these services...maybe. My insurance will pick up a portion, and I'm supposed to contact a parent advocacy group that will fight my district to pay for it, since they are not providing the services they are supposed to within our district.

There is a speech program at the preschool, sort of. There was a big shake-up and last year's speech therapists all resigned and were replaced with a new group that the state licensing board says aren't yet qualified to be speech therapists here. I wouldn't have (as much of) a problem sending her there for speech if we were just talking about a speech impediment, but her situation is just more severe than the average kindergartener.

So, we have a plan. The load will (hopefully) be off of me to teach and push her, at least by the time the baby arrives. Now we just need some prayers said that this is the right path and that she gets accepted into the programs and I can let this one worry go.