Sniff. Sniff.
When Kaden started 2-day-a-week Mom's Day Out at two, I didn't cry. When he started in the every day, almost full-day Head Start program at 4, I didn't cry. When Blue did Mom's Day Out in Texas and preschool here in FL - no tears. Kindergarten? No tears.
But now my baby has officially begun his academic career.
Sure, he's had an IEP since May, but 60 minutes of speech appointments and one 45 minute OT appointment a week doesn't really feel like school. Sure, we called it "Toby's school" but it was only these short appointments that fell three days a week.
Today things changed.
Starting this week he's no longer going to his appointments at Bayshore, but as of today he's at Kaden's school to attend preschool every day. Now he's in a classroom with a schedule outside his door. Now he has to follow dress code.
My three year old in dress code!
This mama cried.
And cried.
And now that she's typing her blog post she's crying again.
He's in the afternoon session in a class of all boys. (Toby makes 4.) They start off with lunch, so today Toby sat in the cafeteria just one table over from his big third grader brother!
"Turkey in a bag," he said. Yes, yes it is.
Toby chomped through and finished up with lots of time to spare, so his teacher pulled out a book. That was good for 1.5 minutes of entertainment and then he hopped up and grabbed his backpack.
My little boy! Wearing a backpack!
She then convinced him to sit back down by giving him this chameleon.
The chameleon was more popular than the book.
As you'd expect, on his first day, I stayed through lunch.
And marched with his little class over to their room.
See? Here's that schedule.
So he'll follow this schedule with his peers but also have his speech therapist and occupational therapist come in and join him at various times during the week.
He put up his backpack (after first just releasing it to the floor) and then sat at the table and began digging through a toy bin.
At this point he didn't give a flip about me, so I stepped outside and watched a little longer from the window.
And then I left him there.
And cried.
But he had a good day! (I didn't have any doubt.)
The daily report had a smiley face and said, "He enjoyed centers, playing near classmates, singing songs, learning nouns and verbs. He had a very good 1st day."
It'll be good for him.
It'll be good for me. (2 free hours every day - whatever will I do! Grocery shop BY MYSELF. That's one idea.)
But as we transition, I kinda feel like I'm losing my best pal.
No, not feeling crazy enough to want another kiddo, but I'm definitely going to need to stay away from all animal shelters and/or events with pets available for adoption. At least for a month.
Um, gotta go. Toby is home now and I just saw him leave the craft cabinet with a bottle of glue in hand.
Silly boy, he doesn't have homework!
Aweee..... enjoyed reading this. I bet it is going to take some adjusting to. When I saw on here that he started school I started to tear up. Wow, These pictures on here with the backpack, bigboy. Well if you are just lost for things to do and want to come float around in the pool for a few hours with no disturbances.....ENJOY!!!! Prayers are with you during this new transition of life.
Hugs, Karen
Posted by: karencottin@aol.com | 10/08/2012 at 06:08 PM