preschool here we come...

i thought i would update everyone on reese's progress since we are at the beginning of a new era.  as of midnight on his 3rd birthday his services through the regional center stopped and he was to start preschool with our school district the following day.  the school district tested and observed him over the course of 5 days to see if he still qualified.  they did find that he would benefit from a special ed preschool starting now.  so the day after turning 3 he went off to preschool with backpack in hand, 5 days a week, 4 hours each day.  i even have to pack him a lunch.  i have to say i was happy to have him continue the therapy he needs to be successful, but it seemed like a lot for a 3 year old.  his language has come so far over the past year.  he is speaking in complete sentences and in fact using manners.  just the other day he said, "mommy, take off my shirt, please" while we were getting ready for a bath.  and as he always wants to imitate maddie, he wanted to rinse his dish in the sink and put it in the dishwasher.  so after doing that once, the following day he said, "move the stool for me please" wanting me to put the stool in front of the sink so he could clean his dish.  i am amazed every day at how far his language has come.  i think i notice his more than i did maddie's simply because he's had to work so hard to get here.  he is also growing in his motor skills, however he still has a ways to go.  he learned to wave bye-bye in october, point to things in the sky in december and we have been doing research to find out if he has a sensory processing disorder.  he still has trouble drinking from a straw and will only use utensils sporadically.  he does not enjoy coloring or much to do with his hands.



{reese with his preschool teacher on the first day. 
of course he fell and split his lip the day before.}



{after school wearing his backpack for a brief second.}

so off to preschool we go... he did not like it the first week.  he cried and broke all of our hearts because he will still obey, not throw a tantrum, and go with the teacher all the while crying as if to say, why are you doing this to me.  but by week 2 he began liking going to school.  he told us about his friends and their names.  he told me "i played on the playground at preschool. i sang slippery fish at preschool." wow! and by week 3 he was happy and excited when he saw his teacher.  we almost couldn't hold him back; before she could open the gate he was running to her.  i feel this is going to be such a good experience for him. 



{look who's in a "big boy" toddler bed!}




{look who's also out of a high chair and into a booster seat!}




{look who loves his dog!}