Paul's Fall semester of classes has started (he's finishing an online program for an Information Technology degree). No more watching The Rachel Maddow show together for a while and a few weekends where I'm "on duty" so he can do homework but Paul has been working hard towards this and I'm glad it's not me this time! (I did my MPH part-time while working full time...no-way no-how these days).
I started back to work part-time this week. Although I was working from home over the summer, I'm back in the office a few days a week. I would much prefer, of course, to stay home longer with Lucas BUT I have to say I am glad to return to doing my work AT work. If I could have changed anything during my leave it would have been to find a way not to have worked, even minimally, from home over the summer. It was just way too much and tiring to fit things in during naps and at night when I was most needing a break. Now when I leave the office I can leave it all where it belongs.
Alexander started Kindergarten last week and has been doing great! The first few days he was so exhausted when I picked up I thought he'd barely be able to walk the 2 blocks home. Not that he went to bed any earlier but he didn't have his usual evening energy. He seems to be adjusting well to the new routine of going to school M-F and loves getting out earlier in the afternoon than he did in preschool. This will really be great when it's winter and DARK at 4:30p. He's making friends quickly and it makes my heart swell to hear him talk about playing with his new BFFs at recess and hear them all say bye to each other in the afternoon. Some of these friendships may last a long time!
OK - those where the 'easy' ones...
Lucas has had a BIG couple of weeks! Two weeks ago we went away for our first overnight since he's been home to Storyland in NH. We stayed overnight at a family-friendly inn and let's say Lucas wasn't too crazy about being away from home. Who can blame him? He had a very hard time going to sleep and then proceeded to wake at 4am and then stayed awake...he had enough sleep at the point where his discomfort at his surroundings outweighed his need to sleep more. He was then up for the whole day, sleeping only 45 min on the car ride home. The very next day, his 3-month anniversary home, my easy, happy, go-with-the-flow little guy started a whole new set of behaviors which exist still. He started whining and easily crying when he needs/wants something and he began exhibiting separation anxiety from me for minor separations (e.g., going upstairs, to the bathroom, etc). He's also been much harder to put down at night now...really resisting sleep. OK so in hindsight the trip to NH wasn't the best idea, but at some point we needed to bite the bullet with a change to our schedule and handle the repercussions. Also with 2 kids every once in a while you'll do something for one that is probably not so great for the other and vice versa.
Oh, I know...let's add part-time school to the mix! Last week we gradually started him at the Montessori school and all-in-all things have gone well. The staff was very accepting of how we wanted to transition and has been just wonderful and caring towards us. We started with a joint visit for an hour, then the next day I left him for about an hour and the following for about 3 hours. Both times I left him he didn't cry (which was odd considering his separation issues at home) and they said he quickly became involved with all the activities. This week though he's been in for two full days (until 3p) and there were tears (his and mine) in the mornings and today they said he had a bit of a hard time in the morning and at naptime. They said he felt better after looking at the photo album we left for him - I am so happy they remembered to show it to him! It will take a while for it to settle in that we'll always be back for him and for him to relax and feel completely free to have fun. I wish there was a way to have him know that now and save him from these unknown feelings and fears but alas trust is to be earned.
I'll leave with a few photos from the past couple weeks. Happy Fall!
Laura
Bamboo shutes at Storyland
In 'jail'
Tired of playing peek-a-boo...
First day of Kindergarten...
Brother love...
2 comments:
on honey -- i love you so!!! you are doing such an amazing job of parenting and now back to work too!!
as i read your descriptions of lucas's melt-downs and difficulties, i hope it is also signals for his "attachment" moving in a hard, but positive way.
you can't second guess yourself into perfect parenting, only insanity ---lol
again -- i love you and you are a light of love to all you touch!!!!!
p.s i love rachel maddow too!!
I just realized I missed this post weeks ago. Sorry things are a little bumpy right now. We have some trips scheduled next year and I worry about how that will go. I'm sure things will work out with Lucas. At least Alexander is adjusting well :) Hang in there!
Post a Comment