The Monthly Recap: August Edition

When Summer began, it seemed like August was so far away, but the months flew by. It felt like I blinked, and August was over! I took off half of the month for vacation and family time, so I left a lot of blog posts hanging out in my drafts folder, just waiting to be published. That included my usual weekly mom life recaps, so I figured I would just share the rest of August in a quick monthly recap!

At the end of my last recap, I left off a week into August. So let's play catch-up on what happened last month! Spoiler alert: It's a lot!

The First Day of Kindergarten, 2nd Grade, 6th Grade, and 8th Grade

I'm back!!! After a nearly 3 week break from blogging, I figured it was time to get back to work. Over the course of those 19 days, we had a lovely family vacation at Myrtle Beach, and as soon as we returned home, it was time to go back to school. There was something else keeping me away, too, which I will be sharing soon. I'm going to kick off my return with a recap of a big day for my crew: The First Day of Kindergarten, 2nd Grade, 6th Grade, and 8th Grade!

Although I missed blogging, I have to admit that the break was nice. I loved being able to focus on just my family! I have so much content lined up over the next few weeks, so I'm hitting the ground running today. I'm going to ease into it with one of the biggest changes for our family this year...sending all four of our children to the same school district, and having weekday mornings all to myself!

The past week was exhausting, but the school year is off to a great start! Although I was very nervous about the transition, Liam is THRIVING in Kindergarten. Lily moved to a new building, Lexie is in her last year of "elementary school" and Dylan will be heading to high school next year. All four of my kids are in different schools, so I'm adjusting to the new normal of juggling even more chaos! Back to school is always one of the busiest times of the year!

The First Day of School 2017

We wished Summer wouldn't come to an end, but before we knew it, the first day of school had arrived! Dylan, Lexie and Lily have been back in school for almost two weeks, and Liam's first day was yesterday. This year, we have a 7th Grader, 5th Grader, 1st Grader and preschooler, and this mama can't figure out HOW her kids grew up so fast!

This year brought so many changes for Dylan, Lexie and Lily. Surprisingly, they adjusted well to all the changes. I can't honestly say that I love our new normal, but it's a work in progress!

Dylan started 7th Grade this year, which just seems crazy to even say. We both have to wake up over a full hour earlier than everyone else, while it's still dark outside. My alarm goes off at 6, his alarm goes off at 6:15, and he's on the bus by 6:40. He hasn't complained, and seems to like the independence of middle school, and all of his teachers and classes!

Lexie started 5th Grade, and she moved to a new building. In our district, the 5th and 6th graders get moved into a larger school that is run very much like a mini-middle school. I personally feel like it forces our kids to grow up too quickly, but it is what it is. Lexie loves school, though, and she loves her teachers this year, so that definitely helps!

My sweet Lily started 1st Grade, so she is officially in school all day long. I'm not going to lie. I miss the afternoons we spent together! That transition was tough for the first few days for Dylan and Lexie at that age, but it hasn't even fazed Lily. Even though she's the youngest in her class again, she adjusted beautifully!

{Lily's Outfit - The Hair Bow Company}

Liam is the only one who didn't experience many changes! His routine for Pre-K is nearly identical to his first year of preschool. He is attending the same preschool, is in the same classroom, has the same schedule, and has the same assistant teacher and therapists. His amazing teacher moved to another school, unfortunately, so he has a new teacher this year, and a few new classmates.  He has a year of hard work ahead of him preparing for Kindergarten next Fall! (Hold me!)

{Liam's Outfit - Babies R Us}

As for me, my days are chaotic! I wake up at 6, wake Dylan up at 6:15, watch him get on the bus at 6:40, work for a half hour, wake the girls up at 7:15, take them to the bus stop around 7:55, work for another half hour, get ready for the day, then work until Liam wakes up. After he plays for a bit, we go for a run and tackle necessary errands or appointments. Liam starts school at 12:30, so I have to drive him. Since he just started yesterday, today will be the first day in my entire (almost) 13 years of parenthood that I will be without a child in the afternoon. It's definitely strange! I plan on working as much as possible while he is at school!

Dylan gets home from school at 2:45, just as I have to leave to pick Liam up from preschool. A half hour after we arrive home, the bus drops the girls off. Then we are thrown into a flurry of homework, studying, packing lunches, choosing clothes for the next day, and going to activities. I am EXHAUSTED. I still can't fall asleep until 1 AM, then naturally wake up at 5:30 each morning. A wave of exhaustion hits around 1 PM, but I can't do anything about it!

Our new normal is exhausting and busy, but everybody seems to be adjusting well so far! The kids were blessed with great teachers this year, and every parent knows that makes all the difference. We are officially 9 days into the school year, and I'm already drowning in paperwork and desperately trying to juggle 5 busy schedules!

The first day of school was on Thursday, August 24th. It was a week earlier than when they usually start, and earlier than many of the surrounding school districts. The only perk is school ending in May, as long as they don't have snow days to make up!

Our back to school traditions are the same every year! I always decorate the living room with a back to school banner and a first day of school wreath, so they wake up to a festive morning. We usually have donuts for breakfast, which is their favorite special treat, and a favorite dinner. And we always do a mini photoshoot on the first day of school! I take pictures of them holding their Back To School chalkboards just before they get on the bus, then take a few more pictures when they get home.

Here is a glimpse of Dylan, Lexie, Lily and Liam's first day of school:

DYLAN
AGE: 12
GRADE: 7
SCHOOL: Middle School
TEACHER(S): Too many to list!
FAVORITE SUBJECT: Social Studies/History
SPORTS/ACTIVITIES: Basketball and Chorus

ALEXANDRIA
AGE:10
GRADE: 5
SCHOOL: Centennial School
TEACHER(S): Mrs. Madigan and Ms. VanIddekinge (I had to ask for help for that one!)
FAVORITE SUBJECT: Science
SPORTS/ACTIVITIES: Soccer, Band (flute), and Chorus

LILIANA
AGE: 6
GRADE: 1
SCHOOL: Primary Center
TEACHER(S): Mrs. Wright
FAVORITE SUBJECT: Math
SPORTS/ACTIVITIES: Ballet, Jazz and Acro

LIAM
AGE: 4
GRADE: Pre-K
SCHOOL: MIU
TEACHER(S): Ms. Tracy (Bellis)
FAVORITE LEARNING ACTIVITY: Reading
SPORTS/ACTIVITIES: Destroying the house in 5 seconds

School is off to a busy, but great start! Here's to a wonderful school year for all four of my kids!

Have your kids started school yet?

You might also like:

Back To School Homework Caddy

First Day Of School Memories & Moments Link Party

The time has arrived! You might be dreading the moment or you might be counting down the days, but either way, it's time to send the kids back to school. The first day of school is always exciting, and it's so much fun to document those memories! 

I teamed up with a few other awesome mom bloggers to host a fun back to school link party! Link up all of your back to school posts with us by September 10th, and if you share on social media, use the hashtag #2017B2S. We hope you will join us in sharing all of those first day of school moments! (Link your posts on the widget below!)

My kids go back to school two weeks from today, and one of those weeks will be spent in Virginia Beach. We are all fiercely Team Summer, and we are not looking forward to the start of the school year, but that first day is rapidly approaching!

This year, Liam will be in Pre-K, Lily will be heading to 1st grade (and will be in school ALL day), Lexie is moving up to another building for 5th grade, and Dylan is going to middle school. For the first time in almost 13 years, I will have 2 1/2 hours to myself 3 days a week. (Hello, cramming in work.)

When Dylan was a baby, the first day of school seemed so far away. Somehow, I blinked, and 12 1/2 years are behind us. My "baby" is going into 7th grade. This is the year when everything changes!

Our first day isn't here just yet, and you better believe we're going to be enjoying the two weeks of Summer, but soon, I'll be sending all four of my kiddos off to school. While this year's first day of school moments are going to have to wait, here's a glimpse at some past first days of school!

2016

Dylan - 6th Grade, Lexie - 4th Grade, Lily - Kindergarten, Liam -Preschool

2015

Dylan - 5th Grade, Lexie - 3rd Grade, Lily - PreK

2014

Dylan - 4th Grade and Lexie - 2nd Grade

2013

Dylan - 3rd Grade and Lexie - 1st Grade

And that's as far back as I'm going! Photobucket ruined third party hosting, and I have 5 years of blog posts to fix. I can't reference my old posts for pictures, and I'm not hooking up my external hard drive to find 4 pictures! (Darn you, Photobucket. NOT cool.)

Dylan, Lexie, Lily and Liam's first days of school are so near! I will be recapping all the special moments and linking them up here. Now go link up your first day of school posts and recaps! We can't wait to read them!

An InLinkz Link-up

Liam's First Day of Preschool

I knew the day was coming but I was living in denial. As the big day drew closer the worry and fear began to set in. I poured my heart and soul into this post but there wasn't anything I could do other than brace myself for the harsh reality of my baby starting preschool.

Liam's first day of preschool came and went and we both survived!

It wasn't easy to hand him over to a stranger. There were no tears from Liam which is exactly what I expected. He doesn't have stranger anxiety.  He did, however, look a bit confused as his teacher picked him up, shut the classroom door behind behind them and took him to his seat. I'm sure he was wondering where I went. There was no time to say goodbye. It felt so weird to walk out of the school with only Lily's tiny hand tucked into mine.

I held it together until I started to drive away from the school.  It just felt wrong to leave him behind! That's when the tears started to fall. I cried the entire 1/2 mile to the library and had to sit in the parking lot for a few extra minutes to compose myself before taking Lily in for Storytime.

The entire afternoon felt so strange. It was weird sitting in the silent library completely alone while Lily was in Storytime. That hasn't happened in 3 years! It was weird eating lunch without him. And afternoons just aren't the same without that Toddler Tornado tearing a path through my house.

Thankfully those 2 1/2 hours flew by!

While I waited in the hallway outside of his classroom I peeked in to see what he was doing. It took me a few seconds to spot him. He was sitting behind a table, all by himself, flipping through a book.  He wasn't smiling but he didn't look unhappy.

Liam had a busy day! During those 2 1/2 hours he also receives his weekly therapies.  His therapists who have been with him since he was born no longer come to our home each week. He has a new set of therapists and all therapies now take place in school.  It's definitely a huge change for us!

The teacher assured me he had a good day and his speech therapist said he was using a lot of words. He also had his weekly physical therapy session in the gross motor playroom.

When his teacher brought him out to me he just looked overwhelmed. I don't blame him for feeling that way because I felt the same way. I'm sure it was confusing and overwhelming for him! He immediately reached up his arms so I would pick him up and he held on for dear life. It felt so good to have him back in my arms!

When we arrived home we looked through the papers in his take home folder. It was so funny to see his first two pieces of schoolwork. He's too little for that!!! After that I had so many emails and sweet messages to go through. I guess it was evident that I was on the verge of a nervous breakdown! I was definitely touched that so many people were thinking about us.  It wasn't easy but we made it through the first day!

 

 

Liam had today (Wednesday) off due to teacher training sessions so we headed to the eye doctor instead. Yet again we were relieved to hear that his eyes are healthy and his vision is perfect! He returns to school tomorrow and I'm really hoping for a smooth drop-off. He knows what to expect so it really could go either way!

Liam will be attending this special ed preschool on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday afternoons from 12:30-3. There are 9 kids total in his class but not all of them are there every day. Some kids are there 2 days a week, some kids are there 3 days a week and some kids are there 5 days a week.  The structure of the day is very similar to a typical classroom and the ultimate goal is to have Liam ready for full inclusion next year. 

Liam's teacher has an assistant and there is also a speech therapist in the classroom on Tuesdays and Thursdays.  Liam will receive a half hour of PT and a half hour of OT each week during school hours.  That's all he qualified for and no outside therapy is needed at this time.

My worries eased a bit after I dropped Liam off on Tuesday. I was so worried because he is the tiniest and youngest kid in the class. The entire class was together last year so that means he is the new kid. I thought he was the only child with Down syndrome so I was thrilled when I spotted another little boy rocking his designer genes when I dropped Liam off. And guess what his name is? Liam!!!

I'm trying to stay positive about the whole situation. I think it is going to be good for Liam but if it isn't we have other options. As for right now I'm just going to go with the flow and hope for the best! My fingers are crossed that tomorrow goes well, too!

The first day of preschool wasn't as difficult as I expected it to be but it's definitely going to take some time to adjust to our new normal! I truly can't believe Liam is in preschool!

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The Night Before Preschool {Down syndrome}

It's currently 1:30 AM and tears are streaming down my cheeks. "The Night Before Preschool" is sitting nearby, reminding me of the bedtime cuddles that happened just hours before. A tiny backpack is packed and ready to go. My just turned 3 year old is sleeping peacefully in his crib completely oblivious to the changes that are about to occur when he wakes up.

In less than 12 hours I will be dropping Liam off for his first day of preschool. I will desperately try to say goodbye without crying, hand him over to strangers while praying that my baby will be okay and walk away. My tears are not those of a mother who is sad about her baby growing up so quickly. My tears are those of a mother who is completely nervous and apprehensive about what lies ahead. Six words are ringing in my head, "Am I making the right decision?"

This isn't what's supposed to happen. He's supposed to be spending one last year home with me before heading to preschool, just like his older siblings did. We're supposed to spend our days reading, playing, having fun with messy sensory activities, going to storytime, playing with friends and visiting zoos and museums. But Liam has Down syndrome and because of it things are different. THIS is the next step. This is what we were told we had to do.




I felt completely comfortable sending Dylan, Lexie and Lily to preschool at age 4. I knew it was time. But this time it's different. Liam is a lot younger, a lot smaller and a lot less verbal than his siblings were when they started school. I was confident about the fact that they could fend for themselves but that simply isn't the case with Liam.

I have fears-genuine fears-that only a parent of a child who has special needs could understand. It's difficult to let go of ANY child but when it comes to sending a child with special needs off into the world it's a whole new ballgame. Fear is squeezing my heart and uncertainty is crippling my mind.

Other parents have tried to reassure me. "He's going to thrive!" they say. "He's going to love it!" "It's going to be SO good for him."  But what if he doesn't? What if this isn't the right fit for him just yet?




We met his teachers and therapists last week and had a brief run-through of the preschool day. His teachers and therapists seem amazing and he happily said hi and repeatedly gave them hugs. Liam loves everyone he meets and they seemed to love him right back. But he hated it. He hated being there. I witnessed behaviors from him that I had never seen before and he was genuinely unhappy which is not Liam. My son smiles 99% of the time and is so easy going so who was this kid?

What hit me the hardest was the fact that Liam is the only child who has Down syndrome. He is also the new kid. All of his classmates were together last year and knew what to expect. Having just turned 3, Liam is the youngest in the class and he is by far, the tiniest. He truly looked like a baby trying to fit in with a much older class.

I left the preview feeling like the weight of the world was on my shoulders and began second guessing every single decision we made regarding preschool. And now here I sit with tears streaming down my cheeks while fear paralyzes me. 



Liam is loving, outgoing, clever, strong, active and very social. He IS capable. I shouldn't be worrying like this. But he's just so tiny. My biggest fear is that he won't adapt well to this transition.

His teachers and therapists seem amazing but he doesn't have the words to tell me if something is wrong. Yes, he's verbal but he speaks in words, not sentences. His vocabulary is only emerging. The only people I have ever trusted to take care of Liam are his grandparents and our closest friends. I worry about his needs being met while we're apart. How can I possibly trust strangers to take care of him in a loving manner? 

I have so many worries. If he gets hurt, will he just sit there and cry or will somebody help ease his pain? The mere thought of him crying and nobody comforting him makes my heart shatter. What if he misses me and feels like I abandoned him? Will somebody be there to reassure him until he's back in my arms? What if he gets frustrated and can't find the words to say what is bothering him? Will they be able to figure it out? If a classmate hurts him will they intervene?

Will they be patient with him as his tiny legs slowly climb up and down those big steps? Will they help him open his lunch box and sit out his food? Will they wipe off his tiny cheeks that are so sensitive to food remnants before continuing with their day? If he doesn't immediately understand a command will they gently try again?

Most importantly will they treat him with kindness and respect? Will they be his advocate when I'm not there? Will they protect him? Will they be his cheerleader and clap with him when he reaches a milestone? Will they make him feel like he matters?

Liam is my baby. He's my pride and joy. This world can be so scary for a child with a disability and even more scary for the parents. I just want him to feel happy, loved and safe when he's away from those who love him the most. 


I hope this is the right choice.

 

This is it, my friends. Everyone asks what the hardest part about having a child with special needs is and it's this. I never knew how to answer before because nothing ever felt difficult. But this is it. This moment. This crippling fear of sending your child off on their own and leaving them to fend for themselves is the most difficult aspect of special needs parenting that I've ever encountered. I can only pray that the transition goes smoothly and the end result is a positive one.   

If I had it my way he would stay in the safety of my arms forever. But I know I need to let him conquer this world on his own and pave his own way. In order for that to happen, I need to let go. It doesn't mean I have to like it and it certainly isn't something I can do without worry. 

Deep Breath. Here we go... 

"Not All Superheroes Look The Same" shirt & shorts - Trendy Bubs
Cape - Tiny Superheroes 
Shoes - Converse

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