Preschool - week 1

Monday, June 4th, was the big day. I was excited for Andrew when I woke up, because I knew he was looking forward to going to school. For days I'd been telling him when he goes to school he has to listen to the teacher and do what she says, and that mommy and daddy won't be there with him. It seemed like an eternity to get him to eat his yogurt so we could get him dressed and out the door.  I got him there around 8:15 and got him all checked in. They went ahead and moved him up to the 3 year old class. Originally they were going to keep him in the upper twos even though I'd explained to them that he already knew everything they were teaching in there - that all he'd learn is following routine. So I'm glad for him to be in the 3 year old class already. And he did just fine with doing what he was told and following the instructions on his first day. He told daddy he made a new friend named Carly.
  We decided to pay their astronomical fee to have webcam access so I can see his classroom, his enrichment area, and the playground. I was glad to know he was playing well, napping, and having a good time - but the cameras are so bad and so small, that half the time I had trouble figuring out where he was and what he was doing. At nap time, I wondered if they'd figure out to give him his white swaddle blanket he loves so much. Sure enough, they didn't. I saw all the other children wiggling in their cots and Andrew sitting up watching the teacher sweep the room. Finally I saw him get up and go speak to her. They went to his cubby, and she reached into his backpack and pulled out the white blanket. Andrew went back to his cot, laid down, wiggled just a little bit and I thought fell fast asleep. (the teacher told me later he only slept for 30 minutes, just laid there awake most of the time.) I was so proud of him for telling his teacher what he needed!  He was the last one to wake up. I saw one of the other little girls take the white blanket from his arms and then spread it out over him. Then she went around and did that to another little person. Then when everyone else was up, she went over and stroked his head or something. I saw him start moving a little bit after that, but it took the Teacher waking him up the rest of the way to get him up. Then he just squatted on the floor and stared for a while. I think he was still in a daze and not sure what was going on.
  I did send him in pull-ups for his first day since I didn't know how comfortable he'd be asking these ladies for help on the first day. I told them that at home and everywhere else, I have him in big boy underwear. The teacher told me whenever I was ready - to just send him in his underwear.  Monday morning I had asked Andrew "do you want to wear pull-ups or underwear to school today?"  His reply, "I'll wear pull-ups today. Underwear tomorrow."   Okay.  He went potty for them just fine. Yeay!
  They said he ate most of his snacks and lunch, and played well. That he LOVED playing soccer outside.  I was watching him after 4pm for a few minutes and it looked like he was starting to disconnect from everything going on.  To me, he almost looked like he was starting to wonder if he'd been left there.  Then I saw him go up to a teacher and just stand there. She moved across the room and he followed standing behind her. Eventually I guess he finally spoke to her and she turned around. Then I see her take his hand and they walked out the door! I switched camera views and they went to a water fountain and then that is when daddy walked into view!  Ted scooped him up and held him and rocked him and followed back into the classroom. They told him that it seemed like Andrew was starting to get "sniffley" about ten minutes before dad showed up. So I was probably right, and he was tired from napping well. Andrew just melted into daddy's shoulder. Though, Ted said when he was loading Andrew up in the truck, that Andrew asked to stay. So that's good.
   He came home in good humor and was pleased to see me when I opened the front door for them.
Tuesday morning he got up at 6am and Ted put him back to bed. About 10 minutes later he got back up and with a smile and a hop said, "I want to go to school!"  Sorry buddy - not today.. tomorrow.

   I didn't have any particular plans for our first Tuesday-mommy-day. Our new kitchen cabinets were delivered in boxes early in the morning. Our glass shower door was installed in the morning too. I've been battling with migraines, sensitivity to light and sounds, pretty much since I got hit in the face with the frisbee. My mom and some friends convinced me I should go to the doctor. Of course Andrew wanted to come. He wanted "to take a deep bref for the doctor."  In the waiting room he kept telling everyone that he was sick and he was hurt and needed to take a deep breath for the doctor.  If you asked him where he hurt - it was his head, then his chin, then his knee, then his ankle. After I was done being examined, Andrew wanted to get up on the table. I offered it to him and then he was too scared to. So I asked him if he'd like mommy to pretend she was his doctor. He liked that idea and hopped up on the table. I made sure his knees still work and that he could wiggle his toes. But when I checked to make sure he had a belly-button the doctor came back. Andrew immediately said, "no!" and wanted off the table. He wasn't taking any chances of having the doctor touch him!
We went to cracker barrel for lunch and came home for a much needed nap.

  Wednesday was day 2 of preschool. Andrew was up super early and I told him when he finished his yogurt we could get dressed and go to school.  When I got to the classroom, no one was there. (i think they were all someplace else because one teacher and 4 little girls showed up all at the same time later.)  I hung out with Andrew as he showed me the toys he liked to play with. We played with a little roadway mat on the floor, setting up wooden road signs and driving cars. He was having a great time... then the girls showed up. He immediately jumped in my lap and was fighting back tears. Two girls came over to talk to me and then Andrew burst into tears. "I dont want to stay at school, I want to go home!"  I cuddled and hugged him and we talked about it. I told him he was brave staying at school without mommy, and that he'd have so much fun. He perked up a little bit but was still emotional. So I told him to go to my purse and find a white envelope and open it. Inside it was the card of last years family photos. He got so excited and was showing it off to the girls. Then I told him to show it to his teachers (they asked for a family photo and that's all I had!). He broke down crying two more times telling me he wanted to go home. Finally the teacher asked if he'd like to help her mix paints and he was interested enough to let me leave.
  He did fine. He is so obedient and well behaved there. He "sits on the letter Q" when they all come to the rug/mat for instruction. I dont know if he chose that letter or was told - but that is what he told me and sure enough, that is his spot that he claims each time they are on the mat. He was a good helper after snacktime, clearing plates off the table that other kids left behind.
  They had some "Fish guy" come to the school. It was in a classroom I didn't have webcam access to so I didn't see it. According to a friend who works there on Wednesdays, he got to touch a starfish and kept raising his hand to ask questions (which really came out as statements instead.) The friend is in a different congregation from us but knows who Andrew is. She sat near him and at one point leaned over and said, "Jehovah made that." She said he got a big grin on his face and said, "Yep!"  I can't get Andrew to tell me anything about his day at school.  I asked him what he ate at school and the only thing he'll tell me about is Apple juice.  Obviously, a novelty to him since everything he's ever had has been severely diluted and has had green superfood powders in too.
  Anyway.. they have enrichment class from 3:30-4 so I decided to show up a little before 4 hoping to get a peek at the Kid Fit fitness activities for Wednesday.  The were tossing balls, shaking moraccas, and prancing like different animals around the room and having to 'freeze' randomly.  He was enjoying it but when he saw me he came running with a huge smile on his face and threw his arms around me. He said he wanted to go home. I told him he could stay and finish class and to go play. He did but kept a close eye on me. A few minutes later he decided he really did not want to be there anymore so I consented and we left before Kid Fit was over.
  The teacher told me he took a good nap, was a great helper, and that he was overall happy. He was still in the same underwear and shorts that he went in - so I'm guessing there were no accidents. He was in a different shirt. She told me that he got that wet. Andrew told me he got paint on his shirt and had to take it off. So I'm guessing the teacher washed the paint out and thats why the shirt was wet. Who knows. Overall - good day.

   Thursday he was in good spirits. He had a meltdown moment this morning. He has asked me for help and then after I helped him, he decided he should have done it by himself and got mad at me.
He didn't sleep well Thursday night. (i dont think he's been sleeping well at all this week but I'm too tired to recall for sure what happens each night.) 
  
  Friday morning, he came in my room when he woke up. I asked him if he was ready to go to preschool. Then in a voice that was obviously him trying to stay strong and not cry, he says, "I don't want to go to preschool today."  I told him he'd have fun because he gets to wear his swim suit and play in water today at school. "No, I don't want to go to preschool. I want to stay home."  I said, "okay" just to not get him upset. We went about our regular morning routine of getting him fed and organized - with the intention of sending him to school anyway.  As the morning progressed though.. he just looked like he didn't feel well. He felt warm and had a low grade fever. So, now I couldn't send him to school.  I was so glad my photoshoot had rescheduled.  I pretty much let him lie on the couch and watch educational programs. He didn't even watch some of them.. just laid there. I couldn't get him to eat.. he didn't like anything I gave him to drink.  And on top of that - I ended up needing to babysit the Perry girls for a couple of hours. (They all got dressed up in my studio and made Jade and Andrew get married.)  He did enjoy playing with them and seemed to do okay for the most part. Then he took a three hour nap.  He still felt warm, still wouldn't eat much or drink much.
  
   Saturday morning, he woke up feeling warm and with a low grade fever, but obviously feeling better than Friday. We still gave him a laid back easy day. I had to work in the morning, then could help Ted continue ripping out the old kitchen cabinets. Then we went to help another couple move some machinery into a moving truck. There Andrew enjoyed walking up and down the ramp, and playing in the grass, etc. It was good for him to be out. 
 
    Sunday was miserable. Andrew had me up 4-5 times overnight, and then I had trouble sleeping and was awake early.  He was completely disagreeable about everything. If he asked for something, then he didn't want it if I gave it to him. He was upset with me that I wouldn't let him watch a video. He didn't want to eat his yogurt after he asked for it. Eventually I got it in him. The entire day it seemed like he fought us. He wanted his shoes off. He got one off by himself but couldn't get the other. He didn't want help. He'd say he needed help but didn't want me to help. I finally had to anyway which of course resulted in tears.  At nap I asked him to please turn on his fan and he said no and crawled into bed, and then got mad at me when I turned the fan on because he wanted to do it. Then he pushed and kicked me away after I tucked him in. Then he didn't stay asleep either - woke up crying for me, but then wanted me to go away.  After nap, I needed to get him dressed to go to a grand-baby shower for a friend. He didn't want me to look at him or talk to him. He only wanted to talk to daddy. I was sitting on the floor in his room picking out books he was too old for that we could pass on to the grandmother to have at her house when her grandbaby came to visit from out of town.  If I looked at him he'd scowl at me and say, "No. Mommy - you look at the books."  If I asked him if he wanted to go to the party (or anything else) I only got a negative response. If daddy asked the same question, he got a positive one.  Everything conflicted.  But after the party, he still fought both of us about eating or doing anything else. overall - just not a pleasant day for anybody.