Getting our feet wet at the pool this season

We ended the pool season last year with a bang.  Thomas was confident going in the 2 ft. pool and going over to the playground by himself, as long as I was in sight.  He even began to put his head partially underwater. His little brother Liam was happily splashing around in the baby pool and putting his feet in the big pool.  I was prepared for setbacks come June, since it had been over 9 months since the pool was last open.  Thomas had been taking swim lessons though and Liam was a year older so I was cautiously optimistic.

I can completely understand how the pool is a place ripe with sensory overload.  As you enter you pass by people coming in and out, the smells of the snack bar, loud music coming from the speakers, children running around chaotically from the sugar induced snack bar snacks and that's all before you even get close to the pools.  Then there is the act of getting into cold water with kids splashing and bumping into you.  This is A LOT for a child with sensory over responsiveness and as I am writing this, I am getting a much clearer understanding of why my son clings to me.

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't jealous of the parents who's children run off carefree with their friends and swim happily through the water with ease.  While they are reading the latest People magazine or talking with other parents about what camps their kids are in, I am trying to figure out how to get Thomas to calm his brain down and get the feeling back in my hand from his tight grip.  Last year, I'd dump all the toys in the baby wading pool and let him warm up in there with his baby brother.  Yes, it looked ridiculous, but it is just another reason why you can't worry about what other people think when it comes to SM and SPD.  If you are not living it, you just won't understand.

So when we get there, I dump all the toys in and wait for Liam to hop in like last year. Liam doesn't move.  I try to lift him in and he screams.  He is upset that his bathing suit will get wet!  What!?!?!?!  Liam wasn't even a concern today and it just is another example of why I think Liam has some sensory issues that need to be addressed.  Great.

So there we are, all three of us sitting in chairs in the baby pool area, sweating and miserable.  I am fighting both complete frustration and sadness, as we watch all the other carefree, pool loving kids swoop up our pool toys one by one to enjoy.  I ask myself the same question I asked this time last year, "Why did we sign up for the pool?"

Where have I been?

So as I am sure you have noticed, there is a big empty gap between when I posted in July until now.  It has been an extremely busy, amazing, challenging, whirlwind of a year.  We decided to move and sell our house at the end of July 2015.  As if we needed another challenge, right!?!?  We found a house literally around the block that we loved and so the next few months were a blur of cleaning, packing, negotiations, contractors, and chaos.  We moved the day after Thomas started Kindergarten.  Nothing like two huge changes (full day school and a move) for an anxious kid to deal with.  I have to say though, Thomas was a rock star.  Both the boys adapted so well and quickly.  I was so worried about how Thomas would handle kindergarten, but he did so well and ended up having a truly amazing year!  He has made so many new friends, had a great Halloween, participated in the school Christmas concert and church play.  (Didn't sing or speak, but got up there!)  Did the talent show with his class- WHAT!?!?!  That was a little tricky, but we gave him a prop- notice big pink heart and he did great.  He was one of the best t-ball players on his team this year and did fairly well with field day too.  There were some struggles, but overall, so much growth this year!  He will have an IEP for the upcoming year, but it will be much less detailed.  The child study team and I discussed the possibility of being able to phase it out half way through the year.  Again amazing progress.  I wish I could go into detail about everything that happened this year, but I want to have time to really continue this blog and keep updating on the current progress, so here are some pics to show the progress he made this year.

Confidently starting 1st day of kindergarten!

The Hulk in the school Halloween parade

Getting on stage in front of a crowd of over 100 people for the school talent show (holding the big heart)

One of the best t-ball players on his team this year

Holding the flag for the pledge in the kindergarten graduation ceremony.  Everyone had a speaking part, but since he was not comfortable speaking, the teacher and I worked to give him a special job.  He choose holding the flag to start off the show and for the pledge.