1st Day of School!
Today was Maria’s first day of preschool. I think I had my semi-melt down Saturday, so I was pretty much ok today. Her class starts at a very decent 9:30am. We got to the playground at around 9:25 or so, nobody was there and the gate was locked. This being Phoenix and this being August, it was pretty stinkin’ hot already. Finally the aid came and I hung out with Maria for a while until they checked everyone in. The aid took Maria out of her stroller and sat on the fake grass with her and a ball, and I said, “so I guess I should go now?”. It all seemed kinda unorganized, but what do I expect for the 1st day?
At least half the kids (3-5 years old) came on the bus (can you imagine?). I saw one couple leaning against the wall, wasn’t sure who their kid was. Another mother was annoyed that the gate was locked, and when they opened the gate, she dropped her daughter off and left. One mom was there with her loudly crying boy (who was in kindergarten). And that was all the parents I saw. I thought it was going to be a line of all 10 parents, crying uncontrollably. Hmmmm. I took a couple pictures and went home. I didn’t even cry, which is a real shock if you knew me. I think I felt too sick to cry…
I got a lot of work done at home, then Sue came, we chatted a bit, and then Holy Crap, it’s 10 til 12! School gets out at noon. So we scampered on down there and yes, Maria was the last kid to be picked up. We zipped over to Babies R Us to get a car seat for Sue (I put the new one in my car and she got my 2-yr old one), then home. Maria guzzled the milk down that Sue thoughtfully brought, but she seemed a bit stressed. She was stiff, eyes rolled up, jerky movements. Sue fed her when we got home and we gave her some Calms homeopathic pills (sugar pills, I call them), and that seemed to help. She stayed pretty keyed up all afternoon and evening.
I’m sure being around 9 other kids with all the activity and noise is a lot for her, especially considering the type of house she comes from (quiet), but I suppose it’s good for her. We’ll see how it goes tomorrow. They didn’t even tell me how she did today–did she have any seizures, did she drink her milk or eat her snack, how was the adaptive chair they got her, did she sit on the floor–I got nothin’. I guess that’s the hardest part. I’m used to getting the blow-by-blow description from Sue and Andy.
I got a call from one of the mom’s I met last summer at the Hydrocephalus Conference. Her daughter is 6 months older than Maria. They have a LOT in common. It was great talking to a mom with similar issues! Of course, as is often the case, she gave me a couple more things to worry about, and vice-versa, I’m sure… But so much better than hearing those moms who complain about their kid talking too much or running around too much. We WISH we had such problems. The next conference is coming up June 19-22 in Park City Utah. This time I’m hoping to bring the “tribe” (me, my sis, bro, hubby, and sweet little Miss Maria).