Toot’s House

Settling into our new routine is taking some time to get used to. Slowly, but surely, we are getting there. Our biggest struggle with the new school year has been the bus. Tyler is having a hard time with this new transition -- having a new bus driver. But in time, it will work itself out.

Luke LOVES his new class. He is in the little pond this year, a precious little Duck. His teachers bring a smile to my face each day. I can see the love they have for their job in the way they treat each of the children and in the energy and enthusiasm they bring to their classroom. So all in all, we are blessed on all fronts.

I think the new school year has been harder for me to get adjusted to. I still yearn to go back to teaching. I am always a little sad when school starts and I am not in the classroom, among the dark world of teenagers, a world which I love. One day soon, I will be back, when it is the right time for me.

Right now, I am trying to find the balance between Tyler’s therapy schedule, volunteering at school, having fun with Luke and finding time for me. I have found that this is really important, I need my creative time and at the moment, I am not finding it. I am so overwhelmed with everything else now, so designing jewelry and scrapbooking will just have to wait. And then, there’s making time for my other love, reading. It’s a balancing act, but I will master it soon.

I am so excited with all of the new things I am noticing in Tyler - his excitement at the end of the day to tell me what he did at school, singing his songs and playing with his brother. He is making significant strides in the area of social interaction. At school, he has become more engaging with his peers by asking them to play and playing with them appropriately. He is also holding conversations quite well – we worked on this a lot this summer and it shows. His teachers and therapists have told me they notice an incredible difference in his language development. So the explosion I noticed with his language really did occur.

At the end of the day, my heart melts when I watch Tyler and Luke play together. They have such a special bond and for that, I am truly grateful. The other day, Luke and Tyler were playing and Luke was riding his fire truck, his latest obsession. Tyler asks him, “Luke, you want to go to Toot's house?” And I’m thinking, “who is Toot?” The boys start laughing uncontrollably. Then it dawns on me, this is a joke that Tyler has going on with his brother about flatulence and I love it! Make room for little boy potty humor, it couldn't get here fast enough and it is here to stay.