Well, after such a week filled with up and downs with Cameron and his behavior, last Friday we tried a new daycare. It is a daycare center with kids between 3-5yrs old. Our regular daycare mom Mindy had the day off, so I needed someone to watch the kids anyway. I was nervous about it, just like a kid with the first day of school! I also felt sad. The routine we’d got used to for the past 5yrs was breaking up. I longer knew personally who was taking care of him during the day. To my surprise when we got there the first day, he hopped out of the car and went in willfully and happily! WOW! I worried ALL day long. When I went back to pick him up he was cheerful and rested…. I could tell his day when well! We talked about it and he decided that he would go back. I then talked to Mindy who was gracious enough to agree to releasing him so that he could try it. With only 4 weeks left to his summer before we go on vacation, then onto Kindergarten for him, we were excited!
Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday came with great days! John and I both commented on how he seemed like a different kid. We know they have very, very strict rules at this daycare center. They also make the children have rest time. They go into a seperate room on cots around 12:45 and are expected to remain there until about 2:30! Well, I was hearing each day how Cameron hated it. He wanted me to get him before rest time. I knew he wouldn’t like this part. He hasn’t had naps in quite awhile. Not that he doesn’t need them every now and then, but he HATES them. Sometimes when I know he needs one we hop in the car to run an errand and he’s out like a light! That’s my trick with him and its worked for a long time. Anyway, Thursday morning came. Because of the naps he’d been staying awake later at night. Probably not going to bed until 10pm or later! Most nights he’s out by 8:30am as we get up very early! I hadn’t realized how much he hated that rest time until Thursday morning. I knew he was overtired from the late night on Wed. We got to the daycare and he sat perched in his car seat asking “mom, where are we going?” Silly question but I knew the challege was coming. I said inside to daycare, come on let’s go! He got out and took my hand. We went inside where I told the teacher we forgot his blanekt. She said no problem Cameron, you can choose one of our blankets for rest time! I felt him clench my hand tighter! Uh Oh. I then encouraged him to put his lunch on the cart, and to go with the teacher to get breakfast started (he’s always the first kid there). He refused to let go of me. For the next 10min I begged him to go. PLEASE Cameron. You’ll have a good day, blah blah blah. At least I think that was all he was hearing!
The teacher came around the corner after seeing what I was doing wasn’t helping. She went to take his hand and he shot out of the place like a bolt of lightening!!! Before I even got out the front doors of the building, he was in the car, buckled in, holding the seat, and crying hysterically. I told the teacher that I would need to get him calmed down and hopefully we’d be back. I went so far as to promise to pick him up at lunch time so he wouldn’t have rest time! Nothing was working. I got in the car and drove to Mindy’s to drop Rylan off. Once inside she knew, she knew because we were late that Cameron was in tow! Thankfully she took him!!!! You could see the relief on his face. Like he was home again!
He had a real good day that day. I had to call the school to put him on drop in status. Friday came and he went back to Mindy’s. He was a bit naughty again even after knowing Mindy was doing us a favor! We’ve come to the conclusion that he must be kept busy. He needs schedule and activity. He needs kids his age. He needs a break from his brother. He is creature of habit and routine. His needs have changed now that he’s older and adding a little brother has made them more immediate. He is a great kid! Smart, SO smart, creative, immaginative, happy, and completely adorable! We have three weeks left. 3 weeks! If we can make it through these last weeks in one piece, I will be one happy mother! It’s going to take lots of extra efforts for all of us, lots of patience, and lots of rearranging our schedules if need be. I don’t want his last 3 weeks to be terrible, or to be torturing his daycare mom. So we’ll do what we can to make them happy. If that means mornings at the daycare center, then afternoon at Mindy’s. So be it. Call mom, the taxi, and I’ll do it!
Who knew? Who knew that I would ever turn into one of those mothers who would be happy and exited about school starting! I swore I would never be! But I am. Kindgergarten can’t come fast enough. Seriously, if he could go tomorrow I’d be the first one at the school doors. Not because I want to get rid of him, but because I now see exactly how great school is! Structure and routine, my child thrives off of it. He needs to be around peers his own age. I’m sure with that will come another set of problems. I caught him calling his brother a crotch the other day! A crotch? I don’t even think he knows what this is, and we certainly don’t use the word here. Urgggg…… let the week begin.
And to those of you wondering about our friends waiting to bring home their children from Guatemala….. Anna is there now picking up Libby! She and I went to Guatemala (with Sonja) in May 2007 to meet our children for the first time. After an extremely long adoption process, she is bringing her home! Sonja and Sean have the 2nd DNA results on a Fed Ex truck in Guatemala as we speak! They should be delivered Monday, and then will get their Embassy Appt within 1-2 days! I would say within just a week or so, they’ll be heading to Guatemala too! Kayla is coming home! WOOOO HOOOOO! Just a couple more kids from our agency to go, and they will all be home. A miracle. Who would have guessed that we as adoptive parents would have made this happen? No one knew what the heck they were doing, yet our love and determination got us through…. and one another! Congratulations Anna and Mark, and Sonja and Sean - I am thrilled for all of you!
