Pieces of Us: Still here :)

WoW, it really has been awhile since I have sat down and blogged. When my kids started school 6 weeks ago I was in pure freak out *what am I going to do with all this time* mode. Well let me tell you that I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE that they go to school. The time that they are school flies by. They are at school for 3 hours and 15 minutes. It is a 30 minute commute both ways.

I know you are all on pins and needles wanting to know what I do during this time.......drum roll please!!!! I do housework and cooking the majority of the time. I have also remolded the kids bathroom complete with dry wall repair, grout paining, caulking, and some of the painting (Brandon did the rest). Woot....woot :) It is amazing what you can accomplish when you don't have two little ones and a therapy program to manage what you can get done. The first week I did hit the gym and last week I took a few naps while the kids were gone. I know, I said it.........I TOOK A NAP :) It was amazing but then I wanted to nap the rest of the day away.

So who would have ever thought 6 weeks ago that Ruby would be the challenging one to get to school??? Um, yeah NO ONE!! Ruby was super excited about school, seemed very happy about school, only said positive things about school, and then the boys chased her. The HORROR......and then she didn't want to go to school anymore. I talked her through what to do if the boys chased her. She seemed confident in telling them not to chase her (if you don't know Ruby she is very much a tell it like she sees it kid). Then morning came and she through a huge screaming fit demanding that she was not going to school. It was ugly!! We made her get dressed, we made her get in the car, we threatened to take her things away. Hayden even told her to calm it down and take a breath a few times. It was crazy to see him watching her throw a fit. The majority of my life as a parent it was Hayden throwing the fit. He would even go and get her beloved burpie for her. The look on his face was priceless........it was the *WTF is your problem look.* Well this went on for three mornings. I contacted her teacher just to touch base with her issue of the boys chasing her. I observed her at school to make sure nothing else was going on (which I didn't think there was). I then put a plan in place. We would give her an option. So the next morning I told her she could go to school with bubbie or she could stay in her room all morning until bubbie got home from school. Yeah, she choose to stay in her room. My husband looked at me like I was crazy. So bubbie and Daddy left for school and Ruby went to her room. I told her she could have water, no snacks, and she was not to come out of her room until she was 1) ready to go to school or 2) Hayden was home for school.

I sat in my room and listened to her cry for 15 minutes. I then her Ruby open her door and say I am ready to go to school now. I was shocked that it only took 15 minutes. I was preparing myself for the entire 4 hours that bubbie was gone. It was seriously like a light switch went of. Ruby got her emotions in check, got dressed, and off we went. I walked her to her classroom and she went right to work. We have not had an issue since. I honestly think that she just wanted to hang out with Mommy like we have done for the past 4 years of her life.

The above story is the ONLY issue we have had with school. Hayden is a rockstar and loves school. I can't put into words what it is like for me to observe him. It is such a surreal moment. He really is just one of the other kids :) One of the days I was observing him was a day that he can choose to go to PE. When the kids want to go to PE (once it is open) they take their name and put it on the PE slot and they can go. Hayden went over put his name up and left the classroom. I paused for a few seconds, Brandon looked at me, I looked at him and we waited. I didn't ask him but we pretty much both had the look like is someone going to make sure that our kid makes it down to PE look. Brandon said, "Maybe we should look out the observation room and make sure he makes it." I said, "What if he sees us." So we waited the 12 minutes that he was gone (yes, I looked at my clock and was timing him). We then heard him in the hall way so to another little boy, "where is Ruby." Hayden then appeared in the classroom. Ah, sigh of relief.

Hayden is changing daily. It is so exciting to see him do all the things that were once such a challenge for him. I am one proud Mommy. Please keep my little guy in your prayers. He is having dental surgery tomorrow.

xoxo,
Brandi