Lows and Highs.

Well, I do believe Day 2 was as hard as Day 1, but for different reasons.  

Today all 4 sessions were just with an empty spoon, which Cody accepted well.  But today Cody had a lot of meltdowns.  I think they were mostly due to being tired and stressed out from a big week of transition.  Cody really thrives on a schedule and routine.  He's doing very well, all things considered, but today I heard his first "I want to go home!" That was hard, because I know it will be a long time before I can say "yes, let's go."  He also was struggling today with having to leave his toys at therapy sessions and not getting to play with them whenever he wants.  His last session of the day, which they call "dinner," was particularly hard, because it was right after he woke up from a nap.  Yes, he did sleep today!  I found out from Cody that they play soft music while they nap at his preschool, so I did that today and he took a nice long nap. They said it's pretty typical for the dinner session to be the worst, particularly on Friday afternoon, because it's been a long day/week and the kids are DONE. 

The therapists come pick Cody up from wherever we are (play area, family lounge, or nap room) and take him to each session.  I am allowed to follow later and observe the session from behind a two way mirror once they get Cody in the room.  I'm asked to leave the observation room and wait for the therapists to bring him to me wherever I am after the session.  Each time Cody cries when they come get him, but he does go with them fairly easily, despite the tears.  I have witnessed other children having a much harder time leaving their parents.  It is still heart breaking though, because at the beginning of each session he's always calling for me.  Cody always calms down as soon as they put on his Paw Patrol DVD.  Even after his hardest session, he comes back to me like nothing happened.  The one exception was when he wanted to keep playing with his Paw Patrol squishies after the session was over.  Again, he calmed down when I showed him a video on his Kindle and gave him a snack.  

One fun thing from today was getting to see and talk to my friend from college whose daughter went through the program and is still coming for therapy every other Friday.  I got to share with her how the program is going for us and meet her daughter.  I also had more conversations with other caregivers who are  there with their children for therapy.  I learned that one family is traveling 2 hours to therapy every morning and home 2 hours away every afternoon.  And did I mention she brings her 7 month old son in addition to her 6 year old who is having treatment?? She also has a 4 year old who is staying with family.  Super Mom.  

Other successes today:

• I navigated to a Target on N Druid Hills that sells "monkey yogurt."  Cody insisted on buying Goldfish for Cole (so sweet) and a Mickey Mouse PEZ dispenser for himself that he is excited to show Daddy on his next visit (which Cody talked about, showing me that he understands that we're staying and Daddy will come visit). 
• I unleashed my inner Claire Coleman and honked at someone in Atlanta traffic.  I honk at people all the time in Cairo/Albany but never Atlanta. That was a first. 
• I finally found the mailboxes and received two sweet notes from friends back home. 
• I bought tickets to the Children's Museum of Atlanta for Cody and I tomorrow.  
• Cody is happily playing with Paw Patrol figures and playdough next to me at the table while I type this post. 
• Tonight I will lay on the couch and watch Grey's Anatomy and veg instead of updating this blog.