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.

A note from kindergarten

Hi everyone!

I had my first day at kindergarten yesterday, and it was good. Let me quote to you what my teachers said about me in the book they send home to mom: "Adam had a very good first day. He came in quietly, followed directions, participated well, was shy at introductions (who could blame me??), ate most of his lunch, (at) recess ran around exploring, napped for 30+ minutes, cried near end of day at 3pm." Now, was that a good first day for me or what?? I can't really explain the crying, it just happens, you know? And really, all those people who think boys don't cry, well they're wrong, we do.

Today was my second day, and it also went well. My teachers said I did my morning work well, ate most of my lunch and slept for a bit again. I'm beginning to like this routine, I tell you! The only hiccup was on the bus coming home, when it broke down and they had to put us all on other buses and I didn't get home until 5! Mom was a little worried, but otherwise just WET--it was raining hard and she and Caleb were out from 3:30 until 5 in it, yikes! Luckily they had the neighbours across the street to keep them company. Everyone was real happy to see me again.

Mom said I was a good boy all evening, and happy. We had a good dinner of chicken and spaghetti and now I'm going to bed. More later, Love Adam.

p.s. don't I look handsome in my shirt??!

Blistering!

Heat, that is. Today it was about 300 degrees, or at least it felt like it! Mom said it was only 92, but I sure did think it was hot. Dad took the day off so I'll tell you about the fun we had.

First we had pancakes. I do like pancakes, especially with bananas in them. Mom puts bites on the fork and I even feed myself. Then, my brother announced he wanted to take a nap at 9:15 (which he did!) and DAD announced HE wanted to take a nap at 9:30 (which HE did!), so Mom took me to my new school to hand in the rest of my paperwork and meet my teacher.

We found my teacher and my classroom, and had a little meeting with my teacher and her assistant and the school nurse too. Boy, did I impress them!! I tore the classroom up right nice, all within the first two minutes of being there. I must say mom held her composure well, and the teachers didn't even seem to be cross when I knocked the supply caddy off the table and scattered pens, pencils, markers, scissors and erasers everywhere! I did manage to pick some of them up, and said thank you and clapped for myself each time I put something on the table. They gave me a sticker for that. I think we will have a good year if they can appreciate my good points! I do like my teacher--she seems to understand kids and has a very gentle way with me.

The teachers asked a lot of questions about me, and then we went to meet the special needs resource teachers. They were nice, and let me draw on their papers with the orange marker. I think I will like this school, and that's a good thing since it turns out I DO start on Monday after all, 8:45am-3:30pm. I'll get picked up by the Exceptional Children bus in the morning and dropped off at home again after school. My school isn't far, but mom is still pleased not to have to drive twice a day. I'm just pleased to be riding a BUS now like a big boy!

This afternoon we took Dad back to the museum and showed him our favourite parts: the dance floor, the wild animals (We saw the rattlesnake and copperheads this time, mom said she'll know what to look for now when we go to the River!), and the petting zoo. We also saw the bears and the butterfly house, though I did seem to snooze through most of the butterflies (I tell you, it was hot today!) Afterward we went to Burger King and had some food.

Now I'm going to bed, since my brother will get me up early to play. Goodnight!