Floating Comfortably, Dare I Say?

Harrison is in preschool! Really, truly in preschool! Our local public school in an integrated classroom, with absolutely amazing teachers and wonderful therapists- we are soooooo lucky to be in this town!  So lucky!  He is so happy being with regular kids in the controlled chaos of a normal classroom. We can only hope that he can continue here, stay in town, keep making friends in the neighborhood, feel like a part of the community. I truly believe this will help him thrive and reach his potential, exceed it even. Since the day we visited he has been bombarded with new friends, two in particular who always vie for his attention and the privilege of being his helper. Wow! They love him, they all want to be his friend, and all they see is a cute kid who needs some extra help to be a part of the class, and they have welcomed him so enthusiastically. All the moms in the class say the same thing..."All he/she talks about is Harrison, Harrison, Harrison!" That feels so incredibly good.

He got to start right after his 3rd birthday instead of waiting until the Fall, so that he would not lose time with his services (physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy). For now he goes to school with a nurse...not forever though. We have lost some nursing hours (thank you Mass Health) and one of his nurses took another job so we will have to find someone else for the Summer and next Fall, but other than that, life feels a little more relaxed. It is the first time he is in an environment where I trust that everyone involved in his care actually knows what they are doing! What a nice change from constant battles with the hospital, nursing agencies, insurance, and medical supply company.

So here we are. Harrison continues to make slow but steady and forward progress with everything that we take for granted. As a friend of a child with autism said to me, we see progress a lot differently than most people do. A smile, eye contact, playing with food, playing with voice, playing with anything...each is such a huge step for us, but he is the hardest worker I know and I have the utmost confidence he will keep going, and going, and going...