Friday marked the end of Reece's first week of kindergarten. Wow! Five years ago it was hard for us to even allow ourselves to dream of something as normal as kindergarten. He's doing really well. Our biggest concern was for his toileting issues. This year he doesn't have a bathroom in his classroom, so there's not really a way for his teacher to help him. We knew this was all going to have to be on him. We practiced this summer with his new toilet aid, and I sent him off with it (in a cute monogrammed bag of course) to hopefully remember everything he'd learned. Oh, the stories he's come home with. The first day he forgot his bag and instead of sending his buddy Seth back to get it, Seth volunteered to help Reece wipe. Yeah, Seth is a keeper friend for sure! The next day, he forgot his bag, so he said he "pulled his pants up and went running back to the classroom to get it." He then went back to use his aid. The next day he actually remembered his bag but forgot to clean his aid after using it. Thursday, he said "I really made a mess and had to clean it really good." So, as you can see, each day gets a little better. I try really hard not to think about it because this control freak mom starts panicking visualizing her little 5 year old trying to figure out pottying stuff on his own. In perfect timing, I read a blog post from a special needs blog I subscribe to talking about that very thing... trusting God to handle situations your child with special needs may encounter in the beginning of the school year. I heard that loud and clear, God! For home, we discovered a sanity saver!
We installed one of these babies on Reece's toilet, and it's been great! He's able to independently use the potty now without us having to stop in the middle of cooking dinner, using the bathroom, pulling weeds, etc to put him up on the potty. We had a stool that he used for a while, but the platform of it just didn't allow him enough room to wiggle his underwear down and back up. This has been much more helpful. The best 35 bucks we've spent in a while!
In other kindergarten news,
Reece brought this home yesterday. Of course he explained his illustration to us. From left to right, "This is Daddy frowning. Next is me laughing at Daddy frowning, and then there you are, Mama, with a worried face." So nice to know how we portray ourselves to our child. Looks like we are pretty transparent though! Can you believe he has homework now? Oh my! He's growing up!
Yesterday afternoon while playing basketball, Reece says out of the blue, "I have a girlfriend at school." Me: "Oh, you do? Who?" Reece: "Maddox" Me: "How do you know she's your girlfriend?" Reece: "I just do." Ok, I'm officially not ready for this. I mean seriously kid, it's your first week!
At the end of summer break, we received Reece's new AFOs.
On the left are the ones we got for him almost exactly a year ago. The new ones are on the right. Think he's grown much? Big thanks to Mr. Tony for working so hard to make Reece the Saints ones that he really wanted. He's so proud of them!
Speaking of the Saints, it's all football talk around here now. Don't worry, he still practices basketball multiple times a day but football practice has also been added to the daily agenda. He will throw his small soft football into the couch, run after it, cheer and pep talk, then start all over again. So far he's watched 2 Saints preseason games with the goal being going to bed at halftime. Both times it's ended like this about 3 minutes before halftime-
He was fired up in the beginning though.
This fall, we have Reece signed up for two different kinds of lessons- swimming and guitar. Swimming lessons start in September, and that took a lot of convincing to get him to do it. Once we visited the swim school, he was ready to start that day! We also found a sweet man willing to work with Reece in learning the guitar. Reece mentioned learning how to play the guitar quite some time ago, but we knew it would take some creativity since he can't turn his palms up. We learned that there are styles of guitars that he would be able to play either in his lap or on a table. So, today we went to look at them and see what style would fit Reece the best. We have a couple of options that we are going to ask his instructor about- the square neck resonator guitar
or the lap steel guitar
We are leaning toward the latter, but I'm waiting to hear back from the instructor about what he thinks.
While I was talking to the salesman at Guitar Center, Daddy and Reece got a little distracted.
Daddy's really excited about his little musician. He thinks he needs drum lessons too. I have a feeling our house is about to get LOUD!
This week was my first week with my new students. Lots of babies, so this year will certainly be different. By the end of the day Thursday, my stomach was in knots. Friday morning, I woke up with fever, body aches, and nasal congestion. Nick was off so we took Reece to school together, and I came back and got in the bed. I had no trouble going back to sleep for 3 hours! Today I feel like nothing was ever wrong with me. I honestly think I was totally exhausted. I always wondered how people could be hospitalized for exhaustion, but I think if I would have had 2 more days going like I was, I would have found myself there. Don't get me wrong. I still love every second of what I do, but this group of babies is going to be challenging! I think once I get one of them adjusted well and not crying all day, things will get much easier! Prayers that it does, please! :)
So, we enter the second week in a little bit more of a routine than last week. That routine that I started craving about 3 weeks ago. Our house is still on the market, which stinks, but we know God has the perfect time for it to sell. I've become more relaxed about it... a little reverse psychology I'm trying I suppose. :) Please continue to pray for Reece as he becomes more independent at school. In addition to the toileting stuff, he has to remember to go take his medicine after lunch. Last week, I think he remembered once and that was because I got smart and put a note in his lunchbox. Pray for his teacher as she "learns" Reece and how to challenge him as well as understand his needs.
Thank you for continuing to follow our little guy's God story. I marvel in God's presence in his life every single day!
With love,
Beth
No comments:
Post a Comment