Three Is A Good Age To Be.

Tommy is THREE! Let's look at some old pictures and talk about where we are now.

Welcome Tommy!

One day old.

I think it's only natural to think about the past when someone has a birthday. I can't help but think about how far Thomas has come and how much easier thing are today; for him and for us.

Doctors visits are far fewer than they were in his first or second year. We still don't have a name or official diagnosis for Tommy and that's ok with me. I think he is unique. His genes have been tested and he has been examined by professionals, but they can't find anything in his genetics and he just doesn't fit any of the syndrome or diseases associated with his diagnoses. No diagnosis also means no limits and I think that is a very good thing.

It's strange to think of Thomas as disabled because he held his own in a blended daycare class with children his own age. Yes, he is behind developmentally because he is missing a lot of information that sighted children get easily. A lot of early learning is very visual. Everyone that works with Tom finds him to be a very clever and capable child. He is just piecing the world together with the information he has and I think he is doing a good job of it.

I am growing and learning too. Not long ago, I remember writing that people who are blind miss so much because they cannot see facial expressions. Now I feel silly because I know that people who are blind can get lots of contextual information from what they hear. Think of the many intense conversations you have had on the telephone in your life (before texting, of course.)

Do you remember laughing and crying with friends and lovers on the phone? Hmm...and that was all without using your sight, right? I think we can agree that you can communicate tone and emotion through your vocal inflections, pauses, and hesitations. That is a perfect example of a sighted person over simplifying and overlooking things. That was something I read that was obviously written by a sighted person - probably an "expert!" So yes, I am still learning to think in new ways myself and I expect that will continue.

1st Birthday

Not too sure about this cake.

Now Tom is safely in the cocoon of a school for blind children where his needs are anticipated and met. But what will happen when he steps into the mainstream for kindergarten? I expect having a child like Tom in a mainstream class will challenge and disrupt the regular rhythm of a classroom. But does that have to be a bad thing? I don't think it has to be.

Every child that is in class with Tom will have a better understanding of the variety of people that exist in this world. It is an opportunity to develop empathy. What could be a better lesson for young children than that?

2nd Birthday

Our happy guy.

I am constantly impressed by Tom's flexibility and good nature. He just seems to blend into new settings these days. This is his first week of preschool and I am getting excellent reports. We got to spend his first school day with him. It helps to know who your child is spending eight hours a day with!

Letting go is hard. Two months ago I got a full-time job and enrolled Tom in daycare. I was nervous but I also was excited for the social growth I knew Tom would experience in daycare. His daycare experience proved to be all we wanted and more. He played, crafted, napped and danced his days away. Most days he came home with pictures for me and he always came home pleasant. We lucked out because most daycares will not accept a child with a g-tube. His daycare teachers easily learned to give a tube feed and after one week it was no big deal. I am greatful that they took a chance on us.

3rd Birthday. Now he's ready for cake!

Somehow it's harder to drop Tom off at preschool than it was to take him to daycare. Maybe because preschool is official? He is in real school with a IEP (Individual Education Plan) and everything. He has lessons and activities that were created with him in mind. That is pretty awesome. I know so many people now are choosing to home school but I know I could not provide him with the opportunities he gets in his school. This is the right choice for us.

He has swimming class and gym class. They even have a greenhouse and horticulture lessons for tactile, real-life learning. Yesterday he sat and participated in circle time just like I knew he could. He was always a big fan of circle time at his preschool readiness group. I can't wait to see what he thinks of the upcoming trips to an orchard and a pumpkin farm.

Big things are ahead for this guy! Welcome to School!

What a difference a year makes.