Saturday, August 12, 2006
We're outta here!
Hey! We moved! Once Luke got the offer, we took off incredibly fast. Now we're in a new place, getting settled in. We're having a fabulous time thus far! Though I can tell Niko misses his old friends. Especially Marilyn and Jason. He runs to everybody that looks even remotely like them, and holds out his arms to be picked up. He has absolutely no fear of strangers. He takes the hands of anybody close enough to grab. Which is okay, I think. Almost everybody seems happy to have a smiley little boy trying to hug them. But of course I keep an extremely close eye on him. You can't work at some of the places that I have and not suspect the worst in people.
Ode to the Hospital
June 1
How time flies. When I was a kid, June meant EVERYTHING. The beginning of summer, the end of school, long days playing out in the yard. Now I'm like, "Oh, is it June?" Waiting for Niko's bus again. This is the way to do it, with my trusty journal by my side! Catch up and enjoy being outside at the same time. Luke applied for a job in a different city, and chances look pretty good that he'll get it. Today I went to the hospital to pick up Niko's meds, and I kind of took a look around. I thought, "Hmmm, one of these days, one of these trips might be my last." The murals on the walls and the animal statues...they're so familiar! This hospital is just as much a part of Niko's life as church, or his developmental school, or the playground. When you anticipate your child's life experiences, you don't usually think of hospital walls, but sometimes that's the way it is. These people have made a big difference in our lives. You just can't forget that.
How time flies. When I was a kid, June meant EVERYTHING. The beginning of summer, the end of school, long days playing out in the yard. Now I'm like, "Oh, is it June?" Waiting for Niko's bus again. This is the way to do it, with my trusty journal by my side! Catch up and enjoy being outside at the same time. Luke applied for a job in a different city, and chances look pretty good that he'll get it. Today I went to the hospital to pick up Niko's meds, and I kind of took a look around. I thought, "Hmmm, one of these days, one of these trips might be my last." The murals on the walls and the animal statues...they're so familiar! This hospital is just as much a part of Niko's life as church, or his developmental school, or the playground. When you anticipate your child's life experiences, you don't usually think of hospital walls, but sometimes that's the way it is. These people have made a big difference in our lives. You just can't forget that.
Nikolai on the Bus
May 30
I'm sitting on our steep stone steps in the sun. The best part, though, is that I'm our here waiting for Niko to come home ON THE BUS. I drove him in and out for about a week. Then one day I left my car at his school and rode home on the bus with him. He held onto me with both hands and screamed for about ten minutes. That night a neighbor drove me back to pick up my car. The next day we did it again. He held on with one hand and screamed for about two minutes. Next time, my Dad was here. I hid and watched, and Dad rode with Niko. We did that a few more times, and then we both hid and watched the teachers put Niko on the bus alone. (Well, except for Cookie Monster, of course!) As soon as the bus took off, Dad and I zipped home in the car and greeted Niko at his triumphant return! Now Niko does it all by himself without any problems, and I'm happy and proud of him. It gives me 40 more minutes that I'm not driving him in and out to his school, which agreed to keep him until the end of the summer. What a relief.
I'm sitting on our steep stone steps in the sun. The best part, though, is that I'm our here waiting for Niko to come home ON THE BUS. I drove him in and out for about a week. Then one day I left my car at his school and rode home on the bus with him. He held onto me with both hands and screamed for about ten minutes. That night a neighbor drove me back to pick up my car. The next day we did it again. He held on with one hand and screamed for about two minutes. Next time, my Dad was here. I hid and watched, and Dad rode with Niko. We did that a few more times, and then we both hid and watched the teachers put Niko on the bus alone. (Well, except for Cookie Monster, of course!) As soon as the bus took off, Dad and I zipped home in the car and greeted Niko at his triumphant return! Now Niko does it all by himself without any problems, and I'm happy and proud of him. It gives me 40 more minutes that I'm not driving him in and out to his school, which agreed to keep him until the end of the summer. What a relief.
Foppish Cocktail Parties
May 10
Niko's third birthday party went well. The cake was, of course, a marvelously designed masterpiece. Luke's a natural. Preppy clothes were given to us by family, fun things from our friends. Niko pinwheeled around the room like a giddy, slightly drunken host at a foppish cocktail party. He is a very loved little boy. Pinwheel all you like, son.
Preschool is another matter. After multiple scheduled and rescheduled appointments, we finally found a school. (Most schools felt they weren't a good fit for Niko.) His first day at his new school, he had a complete meltdown and screamed for two hours. The teacher called and asked me to come pick up my son, and that she didn't think this school was right for him. I'm at wit's end.
Niko's third birthday party went well. The cake was, of course, a marvelously designed masterpiece. Luke's a natural. Preppy clothes were given to us by family, fun things from our friends. Niko pinwheeled around the room like a giddy, slightly drunken host at a foppish cocktail party. He is a very loved little boy. Pinwheel all you like, son.
Preschool is another matter. After multiple scheduled and rescheduled appointments, we finally found a school. (Most schools felt they weren't a good fit for Niko.) His first day at his new school, he had a complete meltdown and screamed for two hours. The teacher called and asked me to come pick up my son, and that she didn't think this school was right for him. I'm at wit's end.
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