B's First Day of Pre-K

OK, so this happened over a month ago but as usual I am WAY BEHIND on just about everything!!  B started in his "big boy" elementary pre-k program on September 17 & we were all a bit weary about how he was going to handle the change because one of B's main issues is transitions & change.  Generally when he experiences a change or something brand new it does go very well; he gets very nervous & upset which means a tantrum.  I wish I could say that it was a normal tantrum but it isn't; it is 10 times worse because he is only throwing it out of fear & anxiety not just because he isn't getting his way or just plain ol' mad.  It is hard to watch & I was prepared for this to be the case the first day of Pre-K............thankfully it wasn't as bad as we thought it would be at all!!  He didn't like getting up & getting dressed before he usually does but after that drama he was pretty much OK.

We dropped Colt off at daycare that morning & then we were on to B's new school.  Pulling up to the school I almost had a complete breakdown but managed to reel it in so that he would see nothing but smiles from Lance & I.  I know this is what is best BUT in my mind I just kept saying he's not 5 & this school is too big.  He is going to be scared & sad & I am not going to be there to help calm him down.  I was freaking out in my head but B was a trooper; we walked in & he was happy to see a water fountain in the front "lobby" area & he played there while I filled out some of the final paperwork & then his teachers pair a pro came & took his supplies & then Ms. Baker (his teacher) came, grabbed him by the hand, & took him to class.  He looked worried at first but Lance & I both told him he was OK & he was going to have fun & he smiled & off he went to class!

This was the best possible outcome that we could have ever dreamed of & we were so proud that he handled it so well.........the rest of the day was pretty rough for him BUT he is settled in quite nicely now & doing so well.  He is learning & talking more & more each day & he his kicking his delay's ass!!  His speech progression is moving faster than I thought it would & he can now tell us what he wants & needs without too much frustration.  We still have a long way to go but I feel like he is going to be all caught up by the time Kindergarten starts & that is a true blessing!!

We celebrated when he got home with birthday cake ice cream cones & playing outside.  It is funny that I think the day was harder on me than it was on him & honestly I am still feel a little blue when I drop him off Monday - Friday but it is getting easier I guess.  He is thriving & I need to snap out of it!

He is growing up so fast & turning into such a big boy............he's even making strides at getting potty trained BUT that is a whole other post!!

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Brayden's Is Starting Pre-School

I am almost in tears as I type this but it is what is best for him!!  I know that most 3 year old children start preschool & it is normal BUT B is starting in the actual school system!!  If you read my blog you probably know that B has been seeing a speech therapist for almost a year now & he was diagnosed with motor planning apraxia  & therefore has had a very difficult time communicating verbally.

Lance & I were concerned for a while when he was younger (1-1.5 years old) because he wasn't babbling or trying to talk to us; he was just mainly pointing to get what he wanted.  We spoke to his peditrition about it & he just told us that sometimes it just takes kids longer to speak & especially boys.  We listened & took what he said as what it was BUT we just knew that something was off.  As he got closer to turning 2 he was still just pointing & at this point he was beginning to throw fits & tantrums all the time.  We thought it was the terrible 2 come early BUT we later learned that he was & still is just very frustrated that we don't know what he is trying to tell us so he wasn't ever really getting what he wanted.  It was becoming harder & harder to get through the days because he was always upset about one thing or another & as a family the tension was becoming very bad.

As a mother I knew something wasn't right so at his 2 year check up we spoke to his doctor again but again we were told that sometimes it takes boys longer to talk................not listening to that this time we started B in speech therapy & eventually he started occupational therapy as well.  He started in October of 2011 & when he was approaching his 3rd birthday they told us that B could get evaluated by the school system for a special needs pre school program.  I was elated to hear that he was possibly going to get more help that speech a half an hour a week & OT for an hour BUT I was saddened too.  I was sad that our little guy was having to struggle so hard to do what came natural to so many other kids around him.

It was quite a process; there was the initial evaluation that B rocked (mommy was a wreck though), then there was the acceptance meeting & then came the IEP (Individualized Education Program) meeting which basically outlined B's personalized plan for the school year.  At each of these meetings I cried & I still cry daily about it.  I love my son & will do anything for him & this is what is going to help him tremendously BUT he is only 3 & he is going to be in the big boy school 5 days a week starting September 17th.  My big boy is really going to be a big boy & as happy as I am, I am also overcome with other emotions as well.

B will attend a county special needs pre-K program 5 days a week...........my 3 year old is starting school 2 years early & this mommy is struggling to wrap my head around that.  He is going to get the speech & OT help that he needs & he is going to get this developmental delay under control ASAP; but he is my baby & I am going to miss him.  I hate that he gets so frustrated so often, I hate that he gets stressed when there are too many people in a room, I hate that he has mini panic attacks for so many reasons, I hate that he looks at me & ou comes some babble & I don't understand him, I hate that at 3 years old he is struggling so hard to just get through the day...............I hate to watch my little guys day to day issue BUT am so happy that there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

Don't get me wrong he has come leaps & bounds from where he was a year ago & he is conquering new words daily but we are still so far from the "normal" vocabulary & have a lot of work to do.  I am proud of him for trying each & every day & for being such a trooper; he has no idea that I worry so much for & about  him & that I would do anything for him.  He has no idea how much he is loved & I just pray that a year from now all of his stress & frustration is gone & he can be the happy little boy that he wants to be.  It is so hard to watch his smiles turn into fear or frustration so often.  We have a long road ahead of us & I am sure that it is going to have its bump but I really feel in my heart that we are on the right road & heading down the right path!!!

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B's Actual BIRTHday

 On B's actual birthday we did the same that we have done since his first........presents in the morning (InnoTab) & then 

 Chuck E Cheese in the evening!!  He freaking LOVES this place but it really isn't made for the younger kids.  I think that he will really like it next year though.  He really only wants to play the games that have balls that he can throw so he plays lots of basket ball & a little skee ball.  

Trying to explain to a 3 year old that he needs & should through the ball underhand & not overhand is quite difficult & he tends to throw it in the next skee ball lane!

Colton really enjoyed himself as well until it got into his dinner time & then he only had food on the brain!

Overall I think that the birthday boy had a great time & as always Lance & I enjoyed watching him run around like a hellion from game to game only to get bored with them literally after only a few seconds.

He is growing so fast & is such a good boy.  We are finally getting him into the school system to help with his Speech Apraxia as well as his sensory issues.

It has been a lot of work so far & there is so much more to be done but the words that he is finally starting to say are music to our ears!  I'll post more about that very soon though..........

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Brayden's 3rd Birthday Party

So this big guy turned 3 on August 3 & then we had a big ol' pirate party for him that Sunday.  It was a blast for all of us I think & this years party came together a lot easier than his 1st & even Colton's 1st!!  I think the easy party was because we decided to order pizza instead if cooking out or making anything at the house plus the water slide was a hit & all the kids were consumed with it the whole afternoon.

I made a few signs to put out in the yard, around the house & on the candy/cake table in the house.  We made a plank for the kids to walk & also had a little buried treasure dig for them.  

The cake turned out better than I could have ever imagined & it defiantly made the table look AMAZING!! I stuck with the pirate theme for the snacks & candy & had things like Whoppers for cannon balls, popcorn for pirates teeth & gold fish for the "catch o' the day.  It was pretty cute if I do say so myself.  I made the pirate ships below for the kids to carry their snacks around in.

Thank you bags were quick & easy this year as well; just a few stamps & some brown paper bags & voila.  Thank you bags that all the kids stuffed full of yummy goodness as they left; plus there were some other Jake & the Neverland pirate stuff in there too.  It was very hard to find Jake stuff so the party had a few things here & there but really turned into plain o'l pirate party.............but B didn't seem to mind one bit!

We had a kiddy pool set up for the smaller kids to play in & the pirate swords were a big hit too.

B never actually climbed up the stairs to slide down the water slide but he had a good time playing in that thing for 3 hours straight!! 

It was such a great day & one of our friends little girls kept saying that she was coming back to Brayden's house for sure!!  That makes a whole party worth it doesn't it?  The smiles & laughter of all the kids while they run around like chickens with their head cut off!!

How am I going top this one next year???  I have no idea but it is a good thing that they only have 1 birthday a year; we were all so tired after this one!!

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The Place to Be.

We went on a play date & found a new park that the boys LOVE.  It is set up better than the one by our house because it is made for both B & Colt but not too big.  The one by our house had parts that B would get daring & venture towards but would then get scared because they were that big.

He is a little dare devil most of the time but I guess even he gets a bit frightened sometimes.

Colton always plays for a bit but then has to jump in his stroller for a pick me up snack.

This is Livi; she is a tad bit older than Colt & they are cute together when they play.

It has been A LOT to hot to be there here lately; we were going right after the boys woke up a few days but then it was even too hot then.  Maybe it's me & they really don't feel the heat but they sure look hot with their cheeks all red & hair soaked with sweat.  We will have to get back there very soon since they love it so much!!