Rule #156: School is cool

Preschool was so good for Evan. It pushed him out of his comfort zone. It gave him the opportunity to socialize with kids that weren't related to him. He learned a ton (because he had some amazing teachers). I'm so grateful for the chance he had to go to two different schools. He loved both of them.

He had one program from each preschool last year that I never documented. There was a Christmas Program held at a Senior Center. This group was Mrs Butters and Mrs Everett. (They are also Evan's swim teachers)

This is when he saw Grandpa Doug! So cute!

He was fairly uncomfortable during this program. But I was proud of him because he stayed up there with the rest of the kids. Smiled...sometimes. He didn't say his line, but that was okay. It's all about the progress and the baby steps.

At the end of the year his preschool at Hannah Holbrook Elementary had a program. This was six months after the Christmas Program and he did AMAZING! He did all of the actions, with a big grin the whole time. Shame on me for not remembering more clearly, but I think he at least said his name. It was in a whisper, but I think words were said. :)

His best friend in school was Tyann. She LOVED Evan, and he was fond of her as well. :)

Miss Jessie and Miss Amanda. Two of the best teachers. Ever. They left gigantic shoes to fill. I am so grateful for how much they loved my son!

Fast forward to last week. It was our Primary Program in church. That morning I had a talk with Evan, trying to prep him for the day. I bribed him and I'm proud of it. :) He has been working on a sticker chart to earn Eyebrawl, a skylander. I told him that if he stayed up on the stand all by himself he would earn 4 stickers. (Last year I had to go up with him halfway through. I squatted on the floor, trying not to block the view of the other little Sunbeams). Then I told him that if he said his part, loud enough for people to hear, he would earn Eyebrawl. That was 16 stickers!

He seemed excited about it, but I still didn't expect him to say his part. I really was just hoping that he would stay up on the stand. :)

And he did. But then he rocked my world.

It came time for his part. And I was nervous. It seems so silly to me now, he should have been nervous, he was the one speaking in public. But I was really nervous.

And then he spoke! Spoke! Out LOUD! He said his entire part!!! There are not enough exclamation points in the world to express how I felt. I. was. shocked.

And then I cried.

Like, sobbed.

I was SO unbelievably proud of him! And surprised. I think I would have cried anyway, but he took me by such surprise that my emotions overwhelmed me.

It turns out that one of the primary teachers had turned to Evan before it was his turn to speak. She said "I bet if you say your part, and say it loud, you're mom will fall off her chair." It must have been motivation enough, because he said it. Then when he was done he said to the teacher. "She didn't fall off her chair." Ha! She told him that he got a much better reaction than falling off my chair.

My boy has come so far. When we started the ABA therapy I had to fill out page after page of assessments and history. Good thing I started my blog, I wouldn't have been able to remember when he hit his milestones. Reading back on his young life shocked me. He was SO delayed! There were so many things he didn't do. It made me sad. It was really hard to look back at how he used to be.

But when I think back on the child he used to be, and place him side by side the child he is now.....well, it's amazing to think about. He has come so far, and I am so proud of him!

To say that I am no longer worried about him and his future would be a lie. Of course I am. I think all mothers worry about their children, and I just have a few additional worries. :) But I have such HOPE for Evan. We have been so lucky in the therapist that have come into his life. Blessed to be picked for the Autism Waiver Program so that we have an ABA therapist for a year. That is something we would never be able to afford on our own and has proven to help children with ASD.

Evan is a great kid. He is super smart, and extremely literal. He loves his brother and sister. He wants to teach Rory all that he knows. He changes more and more every day.

I'm very proud to say that he is my son. I feel lucky to be called his mother.