"Sleepy"

Not to Costco. Didn't happen yesterday, didn't happen today. I feel as if my window of time during Nikko's preschool is shorter than I'd like, and I'd be rushing back home before 11am, depending on where I go. I think Costco doesn't open until 10a, so I would really have to rush to get back by 11. Maybe next week I'll do it in the a.m. Instead, I tried to be productive by sorting through Ronin's clothes drawers. The weather is changing again and soon there has to be room for fall stuff. I am at a loss on how to organize the boys' room. But while I was working on Ronin's pants drawer, Audrey kept crawling into my business and whining. I couldn't figure out what she wanted. It was only 9:45a, too early for her 11a naptime, but Atz told me to just put her down. I did, and that's exactly what she wanted. Go figure!

When I picked up Nikko from the bus, Mrs. Beyer told me that Nikko was upset when boarding the bus and thus needed his burp cloth. He calmed down as the bus got rolling. But I wondered why he was upset so I emailed Ms. Winters to find out. She got back to me, along with answering my questions about Nikko and a picture schedule and signing:

Hi
Jean and I were just discussing the use of signs/pictures for Nikko - and think we will still use both. I would definitely try to use the sign videos because it must be something he can pick up. I think we will just give him all we can - signs, pictures and verbalization to express himself. I am still trying to figure him out and a lot of this is trial and error. We were also thinking that using pictures might be easier than signs due to his motor planning issues. When he is a little more successful with the pictures here I think we can start slowly using them at home. With the picture schedule here - I think he does understand that it means the current activity is over and now in therapy I think he knows if he gives me the bubble picture he can have bubbles. All great first steps. Let's give it some more time just using them here and then we can talk about how to use them at home. Margie and I can even come over on a Monday sometime and set you up.

Things you can do at home is hand over hand waving "hi" and "goodbye" I am also modeling head shakes for "yes" since he has such an emphatic "no" head shake. We are also going to start using a "wait" plate and I will send one home for you to use if you need it. He will hold it during boring "wait" times like waiting for snack to start - waiting in the bus line, etc. We'll see how it works.

Nikko did a great job with the big kid buddies today - we match our kids with Jr. high kids and they come play with our kids. Nikko's buddy was a very sweet 8th grader and they did great. We didn't have playground time because of the buddies and took a short walk in front of the building - Nikko got upset when we passed the busses and went back inside - I think he thought that he wasn't going to get on the bus. We went and got his backpack and bus picture and he settled down a bit but was agitated. He wanted the cloth from his bag and was calm when they left but I just talked to Mrs. Beyer when our afternoon group arrived and said he didn't really like it when they sang "happy birthday" to two of the kids on the bus. I'm sure it was too loud for him

That was so great of Ms. Winters to email me such a detailed account of her thoughts regarding the pictures, and Nikko's experiences today. I can certainly do HOH and wave HI and Good Bye with him, and I will start modeling a more pronounced YES. She's right, his No is very emphatic. This morning when I went into the boys' room to get Nikko, they were both sitting on Ronin's bed, awake. I had heard some Nikko gibberish around 6:50a and wondered if he woke Ronin up with it. Well, my question was answered. Luckily, both boys were in a good mood and there was no crying. I got them all set up for breakfast, fetched Audrey, and added her to the mix. Since Ronin had woken up so early, it was inevitable that he would fall asleep in the high chair during lunch, and that's exactly what happened. Nikko didn't seem tired after school, and I told myself that after Ronin woke up, I would throw everyone in the car and make a trek out to Costco and Jewel/Dominick's. When I decided it was diaper changing time, I started with Nikko and lay him on the floor. He looked at me thoughtfully and I guessed that maybe he was tired. I signed and said, "Sleepy" with my open hand and fingers trailing down the front of my face. Nikko shook his head No, but I repeated the sign and word a few more times and then he took his hand and trailed it across his face. He took his hand and trailed it across MY face, too. I coaxed his eyes closed [after I changed the diaper] and was able to pick him up and put him on the couch to sleep for over an hour. That also blew my Costco plans. Oh well. I'll go tomorrow morning since there's only one chicken nugget left in the bag. We went to the in-law's house for dinner and Nikko didn't eat much. For some reason we took a long time feeding the kids. We were the first at the table and ended up being the last to leave, and I don't know why. After worship the kids were chilling out in the living room and then some were getting cranky. Audrey was trying to climb into my lap again. Nikko came up to me, babbling, and put his hand up to his face and trailed it downward. SLEEPY. I reassured him that I would change diapers and we would go home, and I was amazed that he was able to tell me that he was sleepy. But he didn't fall asleep at all on the way home. I think he's definitely out like a light right now.

Tomorrow I hope to go to Costco and pick up a script from Target. In the evening we have to go to St. Lambert for the San Lorenzo Ruiz mass and reception.