We are going through a couple changes around here again.  It always makes me nervous and anxious when we start something new.  In my mind, I know I just need to take it one day at a time.  But in real life, I still feel overwhelmed.

Stevie started his new school last Monday.  Ohmygosh it’s like the cutest thing ever – because now, instead of walking him to class, I drop him off at the front gate and his teacher takes him in.  He has his little doggy backpack on and he takes Miss Stella’s hand and just walks right into school, like such a big boy!  It’s adorable

What’s not adorable is what happens after school.  Many meltdowns, screaming sessions, throwing things, and general behavior problems.  Hmph.  I think he’s in an adjustment period (I HOPE DEAR GOD PLEASE that’s all it is) so we are trying to be patient with him, but it has escalated to really bad really quickly.  I am so tired.  It’s hard to believe there was a time he was easier than this!  Luckily he is not acting out at school the 2 hours he’s there.  He just saves all the good stuff for us the rest of the 12 hours of the day. Weeeeee!  (Cue me interviewing baby-sitters this week to help me out occasionally.)

Then there’s the new Regional Center services.  Once he turned 3, they cut him off for any therapy sessions because that all takes place in school.  If we want extra services, we have to go through our insurance.  The only thing RC offers is behavioral therapy.  So, as the parent, I first have to attend 6 weeks of workshop classes (groan) and then I can get a therapist in here to help us out.  I know, I just gotta pull up my boot straps and git ‘er done.  But it’s the last thing I want to do right now, to be honest.  We have so much on our plates as it is. The workshops start Jan 22nd and then hopefully we can have our therapist by the end of March.  I want that therapist like yesterday.  Kind of at our wit’s end here.

We are also trying to find new ways for Stevie to communicate, since that’s a huge trigger for frustration.  I’m thinking a photo series of things that he can’t/won’t use signs for?  That means I will have to use my brain and little remaining energy, but maybe that’s a good thing.  There are tons of apps out there, but so far, none of them have helped us (even the ones that were $50+)  His attention span is just not there yet.  We don’t want to rely solely on devices anyway.  At least not right now.  I’ll let you know how the photo thing works out.  If it does.

I know you’d never believe someone so cute could be such a shit.