Preschool!

Berrykin started preschool on the 27th. It's an integrated special ed program, and he has something like 9 teachers that float between two classrooms. That includes occupational and physical therapists, speech therapists, special ed teachers, and regular teachers. We met with two of them ahead of time and came up with an individual education plan for Berrykin in conjunction with the specialists who evaluated him. Essentially, this year's plan is to catch him up to being ready for kindergarten. I'm not thrilled with the ultimate goal set to a school standard, but they're addressing all of his delayed areas so I'm not complaining, either. :)

He has class three hours, four days a week. He usually falls asleep in the car on the way home. ^_^ And of course, he brought us a cold on day four, and we spent Halloween and the next four days sick. Jeremelon has already taught him how to say, "Yay! No school!" which...well, it made me laugh when he said it, but now it bothers me. Jeremelon HATES school, with a rare, fiery passion. The hatred is justified - his first grade teacher frequently called him stupid and made his life such hell (at 6!) that he developed an ulcer and he shifted to homeschooling. So yeah, I get that he hates school. I know he's scared that Berrykin will end up in the same situation. I'm going to have to help him watch how he talks about it, though, because he wants the berrykin to enjoy it...he just...doesn't know what that's like. He won't appreciate my help, but better he be mad at me for being a nagging cow than Berrykin grasp any idea that school is bad. :/

Anyway! End of week 2, and so far, so good! Berrykin loves it...I think. His verbal communication is still pretty limited so there's no way to ask him. But he doesn't throw a fit or freak out - though yesterday he did say, "No school. Go home," when he saw it. But I think that was probably because he hadn't been there for five days, and going back is always harder after a break. He's a little nervous going in every morning - he makes me carry him up the hill to the classroom, snuggles into my shoulder, and lets his whole body swing limply in my arms. But he's so good about going in anyway! And he gets to play with kids and try all kinds of new activities that I never exposed him to (and it's all so freaking adorable!), and it lights him up in a new way. It does, as I mentioned, exhaust him, though, so I'm going to have to be more diligent about bedtime limits. Otherwise, he turns into a kicking, hitting, shrieking monster who thinks it's funny to bite. It doesn't help that he's decided to start getting up at 5:30 instead of 7 every morning. Ugh.

After the first week, he recognizes his name in writing. He says his name more, though it's still kind of unintelligible if you don't know what he's saying. Three-syllable words are still really difficult for him, but holy cow! His two-syllable words are perfect! (Except "bunny," which is still "bunky.") His scissor skills and coloring skills have improved. And, for the first time in a loooooong time, he's talking to himself again. Narrating what he's doing, talking to an imaginary friend, telling a story...I'm not sure what, as it's still Berrylanguage babbling, but he's okay with using words again in a big way, and that makes me so happy. :D He also wants to try new things and get involved with activities he's never shown that he's even noticed before, like doing the dishes (he started unloading the dishwasher last night all on his own). Mostly, the biggest change is the way he plays. He played actively and explored and did what normal 2-year-olds do...until we moved to Arizona. And then I don't know if he had an Autistic regression or if we placed so many limitations on him (my emotional situation messed him up a lot, I know) that he just...stopped. Whichever it was, school has opened up his mind and energy again. There are moments when he even seems like a totally different kid - both in good ways, and in hyperactive ways...but mostly the good. :)

And all of that is after a week! I'm going to try to remember to update here when I notice changes, to keep a record. I'll probably forget, but fingers crossed!