Happy Birthday...

The Little Man turns seven on Tuesday, I am in disbelief. It all goes way too fast and he's now closer to being a teenager than an infant! I bought him size 10 jeans the other day, I was in denial that my 6 year old could possibly need anything larger than an 8 but I had to face the facts. (when they don't reach fully around his waist to button, you know you need to adjust your thoughts a bit!)

Monday he wore his new jeans to school and ended up with a rash on his inner thighs from it. Wednesday it was apparently hurting him on recess so he went to the nurses office and I got a call while on my way back to work from lunch. I tried to assure her that it was nothing and she suggested that if he put band-aids on he might feel better. I didn't have a problem with it and told her to go ahead and have him do that, if he was willing. Then she says "Sometimes children take things like that better from mom so I'm going to put him on the phone." NOOOOO!!!!!! Rule #1: Never, I mean NEVER, give a child with severe separation anxiety the phone to talk to mom in the middle of the day unless you want a riot on your hands. Before I could stop her I could hear that angelic voice on the other end...

TLM: "Mom? My leg hurts."

Me: "I know baby, she's going to get you some band-aids and it will feel better."

TLM: (voice wavering) "Mom?"

Me: "Yes honey?"

TLM: (hysterics) "You need to come!!! You can't leave me here, I NEED you!"

Me: "Honey, you're fine, get the band-aids and I'll see you at daycare."

TLM: speechless and sobbing

Nurse: "Well...that didn't work too well, did it?"

Me: resisting the urge to slap her through the phone "No, he doesn't do well with phone calls."


She said she would get him the band-aids and then send him to class. I told her to call me at work if she needed anything. 20 minutes later she calls. "He's fitting in the office, I don't know what to do with him. I really think you need to get here soon."

Really???? I kind of took my sweet time getting my stuff together to leave work, I was in the middle of a project that I didn't want to leave 1/2 complete. When I did leave, I called her to let her know I was on my way. A few minutes later she calls back and says that his teacher has him and that I'm supposed to call her on her personal number.

Mrs. T: "TLM is FINE. You need to turn your car around and get back to work!"

Me: "He's okay?"

Mrs. T: "She called me and said you were on your way and that he was having a meltdown in her office. He wasn't having a meltdown, he was having a 'sit'down and wouldn't respond to her. He shut down when he got off the phone with you, but now he's in library and he's happy and fine - oh, and he says his legs don't hurt anymore."

Me: "Thank you Mrs. T."

Mrs. T: "No problem, go back to work."


I love her. She's so wonderful and she KNOWS him. She knew exactly what he needed and he is so comfortable with her. She knows how to reach him when he shuts down, which he does too often, but she can bring him back and make him feel safe.

April 1st, a few short weeks, is when we have the meeting to determine his placement for next year. I still really hope that he can be in her class again. I think it will help him tremendously in his academics to not have to get through the hurdle of bonding with another teacher in the beginning of the year. It's one obstacle that is already out of the way.

On the 18th of March is our appointment with the psychologist to discuss Asperger's. More and more I feel like that diagnosis 'fits' him. Just yesterday I felt it when he was trying to interact with the neighbor children. It's so unnatural for him and it always seems like it's such an effort. Add to that the fact that the children know how to make him think he's playing with them when really he's not (yesterday they told him they were playing cops and robbers - he being the cop, them playing whatever they were playing and running away from him anytime he got near). It's disheartening to me as a parent (and their parents should be ashamed!) and maybe if he has gets the diagnosis, it will open up more help for him in teaching social skills.

Anyway...this post really got off track and has nothing to do with his birthday, but Happy Birthday anyway! Love you, Baby!!!