Noah at 4 1/2

My sweet boy is about to be 4 1/2.  He no longer looks like a baby at all but like a handsome little boy.  He's been in school now for 8 weeks and is doing so well.  Up until this past week, he would cry every.single.time I would drop him off.  He would gradually begin crying as we walked down the hall and once we turn the corner and approach his classroom, he would literally pull away and try to not walk into class.  It sure makes drop off hard to do! Especially when I look like Mean Momma trying to force my child into his classroom, trying my best to hide my embarrassment and frustration, while balancing a wiggling baby in my other arm!  The funny thing is I always hang around outside the door, and within a couple of minutes, the crying has ceased.  And his teachers always reassure me that he NEVER cries during school.  Thankfully, during this past week, he has quit crying.  He always enjoys school but I'm sure he had some anxiety over me leaving him but has now realized that I will come back! 

We had his parent/teacher conference this morning and it went really well.  His teacher, Mrs. M told me that Noah has made so much progress in the first 8 weeks.  He makes more sounds, he participates and gets excited over things, he gets up and walks independently more.  He has learned hand motions to some of the books and songs they sing each day.  She told me that the kids all love him.  I have witnessed it firsthand, because when I drop him off, some of the kids come up and hug him each morning.  PRECIOUS.  As a mom of child with special needs, you ALWAYS worry about how they will be accepted and what others think of them.  It's always been in the back of my mind how kids would treat him once he begins school.  One thing I have quickly learned is that these sweet kids do not discriminate towards anyone, regardless of the child's capabilities.  One sweet boy loves to give Noah hugs each day.  He ran up to us one day in Walmart to say hi to Noah and then on a Friday afternoon after school was dismissed, he ran up to Noah in the parking lot to hug him goodbye.  His mom apologized to me but all I wanted to do was THANK HER and hug her sweet boy!  Noah's teacher told me that the kids all want to hold his hand to help him walk and they are all so proud of him when he learns something new.  She said they all try to 'momma' and 'daddy' him.  He's their buddy that they look after.  I just can't begin to explain how happy it makes me to hear these things.  All I can do is thank the Lord for leading us in the right direction for doing what is best for Noah and for surrounding him with such kind people.  I'm so grateful that these kids accept Noah and love him.  I hope that they all continue these friendships with him as they get older.  One of the teachers at his preschool was telling me that she has seen that the kids are very protective of the kids with special needs as they get older.  That helps to ease the worries I have. 

It's funny how when you are accustom to a certain behavior that you don't take it in and appreciate it.  You overlook it because you are so used to it.  Noah's teacher was telling me how Noah always eats so slowly at school (which I knew this because he does it at home). She said that he'll shut his eyes and take slow, deliberate bites as though he is savoring every bit of it. I've NEVER thought of it this way.  I've just always known he was a slow eater (and yes, sometimes gotten frustrated by it when we are in a hurry).  She told me that she has decided to be more like Noah and has been eating much slower, trying to enjoy each bite and in turn, she gets full quicker, doesn't overeat and has even lost weight.  Her observation completely opened my eyes and I've been thinking about it all day.  Sometimes I need to slow down and just take it all in, no matter what it is.  Quit trying to rush through my day, through my life, and just enjoy every single moment and in turn, my day will be more fulfilling and more beneficial.  One of the beauties of having special needs, is that Noah doesn't have a care in the world.  He doesn't worry about what others think or say about him or about anything.  He simply enjoys life.  How AWESOME is that?!  I think that's the way God would have all of us live, but we get to caught up in other things.  I WISH I could be so carefree.  I'm glad Mrs. M helped open my eyes this morning and hopefully I can continue to have that same mentality!  Isn't it funny how when you become a parent you think it's all about teaching them to be all the things that you hope and want them to be.  It never once crossed my mind just how much I would learn from my own kids.  Thank you, God for speaking to me through my kids!