My first days...

Hi all,

Mom said to make this quick--it's late and I need to get my beauty sleep (and so, I suspect--does mom!!)

I have now had 1 1/2 days at my new school and it has gone GREAT! Mom and Caleb took me on Tuesday morning, and as soon as I walked in to the hallway I had lots of new friends. Everyone is so friendly, like they were at my old school too. My teachers are young and nice, and they take me to do all sorts of fun stuff all day. When mom came to pick me up on Tuesday afternoon I didn't even want to go home (although I did!). We went to the park, and then Dad came home early and took me for a celebratory bike ride in his new basket--that's right, I said IN his basket--see the picture and be jealous of my fun life! ;)

Today was a short day for a teacher's inservice, but again a good day. I'm learning where to put my bag when I come in, where to sit and what to do. My teacher has made a visual schedule for me that tells me what I'm doing next. I like to wave it around a lot, but I also look at it. My classmates like me, and we are all learning to adjust to each other.

I've been having a little trouble walking today--for some reason that I can't tell mom I'm limping, but she thinks it might be a bruise from walking barefoot over the weekend and will hopefully get better. I think it just means I get to be carried more--lazy boy that I am!! :)

Caleb and I went to work with mom this evening since Dad is away, and boy did I make lots of work for the ladies!! It was fun though, and we danced a bit when we came home to burn off energy. Now I'm off to bed, like I said, and up again early for school. Bye for now!

Love, Adam.

and the verdict is....

I'm moving to a new school!

Mom had another marathon meeting today--Dad watched Caleb and I so she could concentrate, which was doubly hard because she's "all full of the cold" as our Scottish friends would say. I'm afraid I gave it to her, but all the kids at class gave it to me first!

Actually, that was the first order of the day: Mom got a call from my teacher at 10:30am to ask if she could come pick me up, not because I was being bad, but because my nose was running so much and they were worried about me spreading it to the other kids! Mom tried to explain things to them, but a policy is a policy and since she was already there she took me home. I wasn't that bad, and both she and I knew it, but we tried to make the best of it anyway.

Dad came home as soon as we got home and we all had lunch together. Then mom went off to her meeting and Dad and brother and I had a nap--a little too long if you ask mom, but we didn't mind! :) It was sort of raining anyway, and my nose needed the rest!

So, mom's meeting was at my new school, Merrick-Moore elementary school in East Durham. It's a little farther away from home than my school now, but it's nice and very big. Mom said she saw lots of students playing and in class, and she met the people who will be my teachers and they are nice. They are almost all very young, so they will probably have enough energy to chase me around! Mom said the routine is more structured than mine here at Hillandale, and there are lots of fun things I'll get to do there like music therapy, art, dancing, adaptive PE, signing and field trips. In fact, the first day I'm there they will take me with them to the local field where we will practice for the Special Olympics. Wow--I'll be an Olympian before you know it (but what sport to choose??)!

Mom said she was a little sad, both that I will have to make another transition and that I will have to leave my friends at Hillandale. They have truly become my friends--they hug me, they help me and they make me laugh. Mom came to my parent conference on Wednesday and she and my teacher Ms Mills talked about how far I had come in just 6 weeks. I know mom doesn't want me to leave that safe and happy environment, but she thinks the school people believe this move is for my best development and I think she trusts them. I hope to make more friends at Merrick-Moore, both in the hearing impaired (HI) class and the Autistic (AU) classroom. There are three other students in the HI class, and three others in the AU so we will be cozy and have lots of time to interact closely.

So my first day will be next Tuesday, after a doctor's appointment on Monday morning and a big cupcake party at Hillandale later that day. Mom thinks it won't be long until I'm settled in my new school, but to help things along she will take me and pick me up rather than me taking the bus. It's going to be a long bus ride, an hour each way, so she's still thinking if she wants me to do that or not. I don't mind the bus, but 2 hours IS a long time in a wee boy's life!

Well, we've still got some rough-housing to do and then it's off to bed. I wouldn't want to keep dad waiting, so I'd better go. I have an ENT appointment in the morning (at 8am!) and then we're going to a grassroots music festival outside Chapel Hill, so I'll tell you all about it next post.

Bye for now, love Adam.

My Daddy's back!!!

I've taken a pause from jumping on (and off) the couch and being swung around by one leg and one arm (I REALLY love that one!!) to tell you the good news: My daddy came home yesterday from Cambridge and we are finally four again! Not that brother and I didn't have fun with mom...she did the swinging trick and played lots with us too, but dad is best. Any of you who have ever seen us in action know we do pretty cool acrobatics!

Dad had a good trip and no problems on the airplane. He said the symposium went well and so did the conference. He also got a lot of work done with his professor friend, Bernd. I like Bernd, he and his family are very nice to me and they gave me a great ball once. Dad stayed with us all evening, but he did go to bed pretty early!

I also forgot to tell you that mom and I went to see my doctor on Wednesday, and I really like him. He's a Christian, and also does a lot of research in the field of Autism. You would think that meant I wouldn't scare him when I played up in his office, but I think I scared him anyway! I was pretty bad, but mom didn't mind too much. She laughed when I wedged myself behind the garbage can and laughed for a while--it was pretty funny if I do say so myself!

The next step is to see an Ear, Nose and Throat doctor, on Sept. 24, to talk about my ears and hearing aids. Mom is excited to see what they have to say...I just hope it doesn't mean too much sitting!

That's all for now...have a good weekend!
Adam

We got it!

My mom said to share with you all the great news that our application for Medicaid was approved for my brother and I. This may not sound like blog-worthy news to you, but if you were over here sweating in North Carolina without health insurance, and you were anything like me--Unpredictable!!!--you would be very glad too. It means my brother and I are now covered, and since Dad left this afternoon for 10 days, mom is relieved. I can tell because she danced extra with brother and I tonight, and let us watch the rest of the Cars movie. I liked it OK, but not as much as Caleb who said "Ka-chow" all night!

We had a nice Labor Day yesterday, and by labor I mean we did nothing! Played all morning, went to the river all afternoon. I'm sorry for any of you who had to actually work!

They are doing digging work at the house right now, making it so the water does not come into the basement so much when it rains. This is good as "Hanna" is coming pretty much right toward us. Brother and I are ready to play in the rain again, should we get any.

Not much else to report--more after mom has her big meeting at school tomorrow to discuss my progress. I'll see what I can cook up for while she is here....he he!

Love, Adam