Back to School

School for Dallin started again this week. He is going to the same Preschool program for delayed children, but this year he is in a different class at a new school building. There was an open house the day before school started. We knew that the new school was further from home than before, but it didn't really hit me until we made the 20 minute drive, most of it through farms and corn fields. Literally, there is nothing but corn for miles around, then the school, then more corn.

Dallin had so much fun seeing his new classroom. We met his new teacher. He got to play with his friend Kendal.

 She also has Williams Syndrome. They were in the same preschool class last year, they did the walk for WS  together in the summer, and now they get to be in the same class again. He also knows a girl from church in the same class. He's pretty popular with the ladies.

The next day he was up early at 6:30am. I think he could sense something exciting was going to happen. I got him all dressed and ready. He was really excited to see his backpack again.

 His preschool class before was in the afternoon. This year he is going in the morning. The bus picks him up at 8:15am to get to school by 9am.

While we were outside waiting for the bus, we could see the rest of the neighborhood kids waiting at the corner for the elementary school bus. Dallin was excited when he saw their bus pull up, but we told him it wasn't for him. Then we saw his bus coming around the corner a few minutes later. This was his reaction:

(Please ignore the loud train in the background)

I think at first he was still doubting that the bus was for him. It wasn't until it stopped right in front of our house and opened the doors that he got really excited and starting jumping and cheering. If only he had done that on camera...

At first, I was a little worried about having him up, fed, dressed, and ready for school by 8, but we've done really well with our time in the mornings. It helps that I made this chart to remind us of what needs to be done in the morning before school. I got the idea from this post at the IHeart Organizing blog. I made a chart that more specifically meets Dallin's schedule.

There is a similar chart for bedtime as well. I like that it has images along with the words, so even though Dallin can't read, he can recognize the pictures and know what needs to be done next. This will help his independence and make him a little more accountable. I also like that it helps me remember to give Dallin his blood pressure medication each morning. He's been on it for 2 years now and all of a sudden I keep forgetting it in the mornings. And we won't mention the time I accidentally tried to give the medicine to Connor, and I couldn't figure out why he wouldn't let me put the dropper in his mouth.... I might be losing it. I've been good about Dallin's medicine this week though!

He's only had 3 days of school so far, but I can already see him talking more and being more independent. Sometimes I feel a little guilty that I'm sending him off for someone else to teach him things I could be doing. But his teachers are really great and he's getting therapy and so much more than I could do at home. And it gives me a little more time alone with Connor. I just realized that Connor is 10 months now and is picking up a lot of things quickly (like waving bye-bye, clapping, saying ma). It's the perfect time to be working with him and teaching him new things.