This is Going to be a Hard Week

     So this week brings about a lot of changes. This week, three years ago, I had already had three false labor "episodes" and was big as a whale and ready to pop! My baby boy will be 3 this coming Sunday. But its bittersweet. We have to say goodbye to his first friends. Because of the way that early intervention services are designed, birth to three are one unit and three to five are another.

     So Friday will be his last day with the women that have helped him more than words can say. These women have been in and out of our home several times a week; cuddled, yelled at, climbed on and laughed with. They know the silly little things Xander loves to play with. Like the feet of the scale the nutritionist brings with her every visit, that she lets him play with before getting him to play her game and stand on the scale. Or that his speech therapist knows his favorite puzzles and which puzzle fits the mood/level of attention he happens to be in at the time. Or that his o/t is willing to flip, spin and twirl him for her entire session all while talking over updates and changes with me. They have watched him grow up; feel the joy of seeing him learn new things and the pain of him losing some.

     His speech therapist was his very first service provider to come in and for a while took care of his sensory needs too. She really was his first friend outside of family ties and it will be hard to say goodbye to that. Sure he's young and will move on without remembering or mourning but I'll remember. They have helped my baby, they have come in and listened to our ups and downs, given advice and helped where they could. They have become friends. I wish I could express my gratitude for the help and kindness they have all bought into our lives in a time that felt very lonely and restrictive, but I feel like my words are failing me. I'm sure we may try to keep in touch a bit but the world keeps moving and new clients come in, just as new therapists will fill their spots. But there will always be a soft spot in my heart for each person who has come into our lives and helped my boy take even one step farther down his road towards his true potential.

     Xander will be starting pre-school at a private autism based classroom in the next town over thanks to the support and help of not only his therapists, but his doctor, bsc, tss and the advice of the Aboard services. We fought the evaluation that put him in a delayed classroom twice a week for two hours a day because it truly wasn't what was best for Xander and won! Thank God. So in the fall he will be going 5 days a week for about 5 hours. It sounds like a lot for such a young kid but the more help he gets early on the better. And without the support of his early intervention team, it wouldn't have happened.

     Thank you, from the bottom of my heart. I will tell Xander about how you and all the others after you have helped him reach his goals.