Fall Things

A couple of weeks ago was Luke's fall break.  We didn't travel but thought we'd hit some local hot spots we haven't had much time for since school started.  Monday the weather was beautiful so we went to the zoo.

We enjoyed the flamingo exhibit.  Well, Luke and I enjoyed the exhibit while Lamar ran to the gift shop to get some cash so we could ride the train.  We have a zoo membership so you'd think a trip to the zoo would be pretty low cost.  But Luke seems to prefer to do the things that cost money:  eat, ride the train, ride the carousel and such.

So back at the flamingo exhibit, Luke pretended to be a flamingo.  Dead ringer for the pink bird huh?

Daddy got the cash, so we rode the train.  We folded our bodies in the tiny cars and circled the small track twice.  Luke loved it.  Worth the $$$.

The train ride was fun for taking photos.

We had a pretty cool time at the zoo, along with everyone else in the metropolitan area.  We saw lots of folks we knew.  And Luke didn't try to join any other familes.  Typically he finds any other family more interesting than our party of 3.  So, score for us!

Seeing all those wild animals and eating Dippin Dots made him fierce.

After the zoo we went to OT, because that is what super cool kids do on fall break.  Luke and Ms. Danielle made the jack-o-lantern stick puppet seen above, and then convinced her he needed two more to make at home so our family could have a puppet show.  He's very convincing.  He came home with two puppets we promptly assembled and played with all evening.

Day 2 of fall break, we planned to try out the Adventure Science Center.  But Lamar was having terrible back pain.  He'd been in some pain the day before and then we walked all over the zoo . . . probably not the best idea.  So, we stayed home for the day.  Luke was so excited to have a day just to stay home.

He helped me fix coffee for all of his.  His was loaded with cream and sugar and he loved it.

Last month at our fall festival, we had a silent auction that included Teachers for Sale.  We bid on and won a "bedtime story visit" with Luke's teacher.  She came over Tuesday evening in her p.j.'s with fresh baked cookies (the best cookies ever) and hot chocolate.  She and Luke shared a snack, played Kinect, and she read him two stories.  She stayed a couple of hours and Luke loved every single second of it.

Such a great memory for Luke.  I can see the joy on his face.  So thankful to Mrs. H for a terrific night!  Luke is wondering when she can come over again.

Looking back on the past few weeks to write this little post reminds me how blessed I am.  Life's a gift to be savored. 

The Walker

Luke recently got his haircut and while cutting his hair stylist, Ashley, teased saying, "Luke, I think I'm going to give you a mohawk."  Luke responded with, "Oh yeah, do that!"  So after the cut, she put a little goo in his hair and . . . ta da!  He loved it.  Luke has quite the transformation over the past couple of years with his feelings toward professional hair styling.

And on that transformation theme, all last year Luke walked to the car ride line hand in hand with an aid.  Dismissal was kind of a stressful time for him.  He began this year leaving the same way, hand in hand with Ms. Sally.  Over the past few weeks he began coming to find me in line without his aid.  Sally commented to me he didn't need her much anymore.

During spirit week we had a "walk to school day."  Luke loved it and has been asking to walk to and from school since then.  So we've been walking, but I was meeting up with him in our normal spot in front of the school.  A couple of weeks ago he told me that Mrs. H said he couldn't walk unless he had a note.  And if I wrote a note, he could leave with the walkers and go right instead of left.

So I wrote a note, at his insistence, confused as to why it was necessary.  When I dropped him off that morning, I asked Mrs. H and she said if I filled out a "walker form" he could be dismissed to the gym and walk out the back doors.  She said, "Why did someone tell you couldn't walk with him from the car rider line?!"  And I said, "Yes, that somebody is Luke."  She said, "You don't miss a thing, do you buddy?"  He is the chief rule follower, keeping me in line.

Now that I've filled out the appropriate paper work, Luke, the only walker in his class, walks from his classroom to the back doors by the gym where he meets up with me for the walk home.  Crazy huge surge of independence.  I'm really enjoying our conversations on the walks to and from school.  Great way to start and end the day.  It's always interesting when we encounter dogs on the way, which happens most days.  But I'm proud of him for facing that fear too.  Yesterday he told me, "Lots of people have dogs.  Maybe we should get one."  I said, "But aren't you afraid of dogs?"  He said, "Yeah, but everyone has one."  Trouble, trouble.

Luke is loving school, working hard, and learning so much.  So thankful.  So far, we love some 1st grade.