Happy Days!

It's been about 2 weeks now that Maggie has been going to school. Can I just say WOW!?! What a drastic change. Those first couple days were so SO hard for me. The teachers said each day that she was crying less and less, but she still was! I think it was the 3rd day, I just came home from dropping her off and curled up in my bed for half an hour trying to figure out if this was the right thing for Maggie. I decided to just keep trying for at least a little bit longer.

Each time I went to pick her up the news was better and better. The teachers were getting to know her quirks while she was learning the routine and what is expected of her. The last few days she's had only a couple small fits (no full on tantrums like the first few days). Thursday they said she didn't cry at all until I came to pick her up and told her we needed to go home. She wanted to stay! What a 180. I am so grateful! She is learning a lot about how to interact with people and I know this is going to be a great experience for her.

As my neighbor said when I told her things were going so much better, "You need to give that girl more credit." She's right, I do. Maggie is an amazing girl, she can and will learn. She can do it! I can do it!

(Wrote the beginning of this post a little over a week ago….oops) So now it’s been almost a month.  I couldn’t be happier with how she’s doing in school!  She loves her teachers, she tolerates the kids.  Her teacher said that today she explored the classroom by herself for the first time.  They found a wake of destruction in her path – broken toy, box of tissues almost empty, and chairs pulled away from one of the tables.  But they were really happy that she was comfortable enough to move around the room on her own.  She really loves going to school. 

Potty training is…ok. She does a great job when we’re out and about, but for some reason when we’re at home all day she just gets too busy playing and won’t stop for a potty break until she’s already wet her panties a little. Sigh. Some days we’ll go through 6 pairs and then she’ll make it 2 days without an accident. I guess it’s just all about practice and reinforcement.

We went to the doctor, just for a normal check up.  Maggie has gained 2.5 pounds in the last 3 months! That’s more than whole year before that!  We’re really excited that the growth hormone seems to be working. She still needs to get another blood test to make sure they don’t need to switch the dosage or anything.  Her pediatrician says it’s a good idea that we’re doing the hormones, because her projected height without them is 4’9”. HAHA!!! She’d be a blind midget…. Sigh. With them she’ll probably be around 5’2”. I’ll take it!

One of Maggie’s favorite activities is jumping. On the trampoline, the bed, really anything bouncy.  I love how her hair poofs out on the way down. So cute!And really, could she get more happy? I submit that she cannot.

First day of school (again)

So we started off this whole blog with a first day of school. That was technically a first day of play group that happened to take place in what is now her classroom.  I stayed with her the whole 2 hours as we played with our friend Ella and her little sister Jenna.  Now it’s for real. Kind of.  She’s started pre preschool! It’s still so funny in my brain. Who sends their 3 year old to school? I do. And I’m excited about it.

The day started off ok. I’m really incapable of being on time to almost anything, so we were a couple minutes late. I’m really going to work on that.  Promise.  I wasn’t the only one late though, and they were running behind schedule anyway. We first stopped in the front yard to take some pictures before we headed out.  Even that was a bit of a trial.  But I had to document the adorable backpack I made for her the night before. I went looking at Target for one, but she’s so tiny, even the littlest ones would have made her tip over.

I stayed for the first half hour or so, just watching.  They start class by letting the kids play with toys first, to let the adjust to just being in the classroom, then they move to “circle time” where they begin learning letters and sounds and other fun pre preschool things. :)

And lets add in some explanation here: Maggie is in a class of 7 kids that are all special needs.  I’m not really sure what they’re needs are, but Ella is in her class. She is visually impaired and was in playgroup with Maggie earlier in the year.  One boy has some physical disabilities, walks with crutches or a walker.  The others are speech delayed or have some level of autism, I believe. There is a teacher and an aid to help with just these 7 kids.  That makes me so happy!  If they are anything like Maggie, they each need reassurance at every change in routine and all seem to be pretty stubborn.  So within the small amount of time I was there they moved from playing to circle time. One kid just screamed when told he had to put the blocks away and come sit with the rest of the class. He set off two other kids who are apparently sympathy criers, and this set Maggie on edge too. She didn’t want to sit in the little chairs, but eventually was ok with it. Then they sang a welcome song and that made her very happy. 

Move over to singing time, and there’s a whole new set of problems.  Maggie didn’t want to sit on the floor. Sigh. I decided to leave at that point. They obviously know how to handle crying kids. I got a text about an hour and a half into school asking if I’d bring milk when I come to get her. Another sigh.  That means things are not going very well.  I show up and she is asleep in Laura’s arms, has been for half an hour, but is still making the little sobbing sounds.  Yup, that means she cried so hard and for so long that she fell asleep and was still calming down half an hour later. I proudly report that I did not burst into tears, even though I really wanted to.  I got her stuff and took her from Laura.  She woke up during the transfer and was very glad it was me. She drank some milk and when I asked her what she did at school, she said, “I cried. I was sad.” Heart tearing apart! What am I doing to my little girl?!? I talked with her teachers for a little bit and though they were being very reassuring that things would get better and that it wasn’t all that bad, I could tell that it had been a hard day for everyone.  We went home and she got all the things that bring her comfort and as we started talking more about school, she didn’t say anything negative. It was all about the play dough, which I know she didn’t touch. Sitting at the art table, where she wouldn’t do the painting. Drinking apple juice, which I’m sure is about the time when Laura texted me to bring milk.  Reading stories, they told me she wouldn’t sit down.  She seemed to be remembering everything in a very positive light. This was very calming for me.

Today was her second day.  The morning was rushed again.  I had to actually wake her up to make sure she had time to eat before we left. She was only reluctant to go because she wanted to stay in her high chair, one of her very favorite spots to be.  We were a bit late again, I swear I’ll get better, but came in just as they were heading to circle time.  She was eager to join in and talk about the sound the letter P makes.  So I left, went to sewing group at my church and worked on a quilt for my cousin.  I came about 10 minutes early to get her.  They are out on the playground for the last 15 minutes or so of school.  I saw her talking with Lauri, her orientation and mobility specialist, and could see she wasn’t upset, so I went and talked with her teachers. 

They said today was much much better.  There was still some difficulty with transition, and Sandra (our old VI specialist) who had shown up to drop off some braille books for Maggie actually went to the store and got some milk. Bless her. She’s doing better!!! She likes school enough to say it. And we asked at dinner if she was excited to go back tomorrow and she said yes. I have faith in this program and in these teachers. I feel so very blessed! Here’s to a good day tomorrow.

 

MRI results

We’re all good. With the exception of a missing bright spot on the pituitary gland, everything is as it was before.  This lack of bright spot may indicate diabetes incipidus. Yay. We’re watching for the signs, but as of her last test results everything is fine.  She’ll be getting another blood test soon to see if all her growth hormone levels are where they should be or if the dosage needs to change.

Everything on the medical front seems to be winding down to a manageable pace, for which we are very grateful.  I’m glad to have a healthy little girl.