Okay, so maybe school did start a month ago today, but I've been in a bit of a funk lately, and haven't been in the mood to blog. The funk is lifting a little bit and I'm trying to get back into the swing of things, so here I go! I only have time this morning for one blog post, but I have a couple more to put on, so stay tuned.

Here is Erik on his first day of school. He is in Kindergarten this year, and is in a "Supported Kindergarten" class, which includes First, Second and I think, Third graders as well. Erik is still only 25 pounds soaking wet, though, so I'm sure he is dwarfed by all of the big kids in his class!! The school he goes to is not particularly welcoming, and they frown on parents in the classrooms, so I haven't even seen his room yet (I know, slap my wrist), but I've spoken with his teacher several times and she is great. I get notes home each day on how his day was (something I longed for last year but didn't get), and soon I will go in for a teacher visit. I am comfortable with him going there, though I don't like it - the school is in the middle of Titusville, which is terribly inconvenient for me, and poor Erik's bus rides are an hour in the mornings and 45 min. to an hour in the afternoons! Good thing he likes riding...!



As per tradition on the first day of school, the kids stand with their backpacks by whatever car we happen to have that year. This year, we had a rental car! LOL

I have a petty confession about why I haven't put much on my blog lately: Mark is redoing the format of it, and in doing so, grabbed a couple of random pictures to put in the title as a trial. I saved out several new pictures for him to put in instead, but he didn't get around to it and now he's out of town! So please forgive the silly pictures of Adam and of the boys with their eyes closed in the above pictures! LOL (Looked again, didn't you? lol)

A "Reese" update first: Reese is in 9th grade and is LOVING school. He has ALWAYS loved school, and just really gets into it. He liked homeschooling as long as I wasn't working much and could do lots of stuff with him (and Nikolai) but for the past few years I have been working quite a lot more and just haven't been able to homeschool him properly, so much to his excitement and joy, I stuck him back in. And he loves it. He is very much wanting to work on the AA program that gives him both an AA degree and a high school diploma at the end of his senior year. He is very charged up about this. He just recently learned that the school has "Academies" and he is joining the "Business and Finance" academy, which is like an enrichment program with field trips and special projects. By the time the kid graduates, hard TELLING all that he'll be ready for!! I'm so proud of him and how *ambitious* he is!



Now, on to Erik: I got another note from his teacher today that was fun and I thought I'd share: "...Erik is progressing each day. After PT today, he came in and walked about 25 feet without holding on to anything. We've been getting him to walk mroe and more without holding on. He eats like a horse ;o) which we really love. He interacts well with the other students and seems to enjoy being here..." Fun, huh?? For about the last week or so, Erik's walking has really taken off!!! He will voluntarily let go of my finger or furniture and toddle over to wherever he wants to go (usually his spot at the table! lol)!! I think he is finally figuring out that walking is more efficient than scooting and you can see better! Today at the doctor's office (for an icky nose that hasn't quit) as I was standing there giving my c0-pay, he let go of my finger and toddled down the hallway back by the treatment rooms! It was so weird to have to go catch him!



I walked in the room from being outside and heard a strange noise. I asked Reese if he knew what it was, being near the noise and he said he didn't know. I turned the corner to see Erik RAKING HIS NAILS DOWN THE PANTRY DOOR!!! He did it again and again until I could scoop him up and make him stop!! I still have goosebumps on my arms!! WHAT A NOISE!!!



Mark is currently in Illinois enjoying (!!) the cold and snow! He is visiting his mom for her birthday and just sort of getting a break from the daily grind around here. I'd say "lucky dog", but I'm no glutten for punishment - I'll stay down here in the 60-degree weather!! Poor guy DID have to drive the bug, as I needed the van for the kids, and he's soooooo embarrassed! A cop gave him a look, and a truck driver actually took his picture!!! Poor Mark!! LOLOL

I couldn't stand it. I HAD to know how my little baby was doing in school, so instead of waiting for her to contact me, I sent a note and simply asked how it was going. To my great joy, that same afternoon a note came home! Here's what it said:

Hi, Mrs. Taborn (it STILL feels weird being "Mrs. Taborn"! I was "Ms. Voigts for soooooo long! lol),

Erik has been doing very well. He has been trying to keep up with the other students by following them around (mostly scooting on his bottom, but he has been cruising more and more). Going over to where someone is playing and generally joining in play with another student. [Yay!!] He has been interacting very appropriately. [Another BIG Yay!!!] We are working with him on not throwing things and not taking things away from someone else. [Had to LOL at this - I can totally see him doing this!!!]

He hasn't slept at all, but he will stay on his mat or at least in the area of his mat during quiet time. He went once on the potty, so we will incorporate that into his daily routine [I mentioned that in my note to her, that he knows what a potty is.]. He seems to enjoy circle a great deal, he watches very intently as we are singing and performing the songs [I'll BET!! He LOVES singing!]. For OT and PT both therapists will walk him to and from their classrooms and keep him on his feet during their 30mins sessions.

Below is my e-mail, [etc., etc.]

Not bad for a first week in school!!! I hope they are enjoying him at school half as much as we are at home. He's such a cutie pie!!!

I had to work yesterday afternoon. True, I got to drop Erik off at school in the morning and he seemed perfectly happy to be there (which was the true test - how he reacted when he had to go back!). He did show FAR more interest in my leaving however, than he did the previous day (having no clue that he would be left there all day) but he didn't get upset. I was pleased actually, that he was interested in my leaving as it shows a bit of attachment. :o)

Anyway, Mark was on "duty" in the afternoon when the bus came. I left strict instructions to get pictures of him getting off the bus, etc.

"You want me to get pictures?"
"Yes!"
"Of what?"
"Of him getting off the bus and stuff. I wish I could be there!"
Groan. Muttering to himself, "You and your pictures..." (Mark's NOT a picture guy.)

So after I knew that Erik would be home and everything and dying to know how his day was, I called.

"How's Erik??"
"He's fine."
"He's fine?"
"Yes, honey, he's fine."
"How was his day?"
"I don't know."
"Did you ask the bus driver how he did on the bus?"
"No. I didn't know you wanted me to."
"Oh. Well, did they say anything??"
"No. I didn't know I had to do all of these things."
"Well, it's his first bus ride and I was wondering if he was scared or anything."
"He's fine, honey, he's really tired, though. I DID get a picture for you like you wanted."
"Oh, good!! Is it a good one??"
"It's of him getting off the bus."
"Yay!!" (Big visions of him sitting in his bus seat, or coming down the steps being held by his bus aide come to mind.)

True enough, Erik was fine when I got home. No note from his teacher, though, to my disappointment. I eagerly dove into the picture file on my camera to look at what he took. Here is Erik on his very first day riding the bus:

I have it in good faith that that IS Erik in the picture and that IS our garbage can in the front, so I am quite sure of the authenticity of this photo.

...it's better than nothing.

Well, my little baby's all grown up and institutionalized in America, now! He started school today!! It took quite some time for him to start because of the surgery for his tubes, getting assessments done, etc. but he finally started!! He was ready emotionally and really needed more stimulation than we were able to give him at home, which was very little, I'm afraid...

Anyway, with every kid on their first day of school, I get their picture by whatever car we have at the time. Erik was very fussy this morning because he didn't get his usual big breakfast (because I knew they'd feed him breakfast at school) and he was mad! He got a big banana but to Erik, that is nothing. So here he is, still ticked that he didn't get stuffed at breakfast!!


He did much better once the car ride began (he'll start the bus tomorrow afternoon) and perked right up with this new adventure (what happened to vegetating in front of Sesame Street most of the morning...??). We got to the school but I parked in the furthest-most place from his room that I could. When we found it finally, they were at breakfast so we went to the office so I could turn in his paperwork:

By this time, he'd walked further than I think he's ever walked in one stretch in his life and he was getting tired! An office person helped me carry him (I was loaded down already with stuff) to the cafeteria where we found out the class had already gone back to the classroom and FINALLY found them!! (What a wild goose chase we'd had!)

He met his teachers (teacher and aide) and let him look around before the teacher and I headed back to the cafeteria so he could get some food for breakfast.