Princess Magic...

I have been a busy lady since I wrote to you.  I say that because I can't even count how many emails I received from people - sure that they were the recipient of my "Dear You," post.  I feel so, incredibly lucky for so many reasons.  One, because so many of you feel comfortable enough to open up to me.  Two, because I have the opportunity to help someone who is struggling see their situation from a more positive perspective.  And three - because people are reading my blog at all.  Truly - I still can't get over the number of you who take the time out of your busy lives to sit down and read about mine.  It moves me.  It matters to me.  And if you ever think that something I write helps you in ANY small way... you being here helps ME more.  So, thank you to all of you who wrote to me following "Dear You,".  And thank you, too, for the anonymous comments that were left.

So.... I have not been here since Thursday so we have much to catch up on!!

This past Thursday I had my first phone call from one of my childrens' schools with a "please come pick up your sick child!"  Gavin!  Miss Megan called to say he had been inconsolable in class.  When they took him to the nurse, on a hunch, he had a slight fever!  He's fine!  He's congested, but the fever never came back after that.  

Friday had me back at Gavin's school.  They held an "information session" for parents who have kids that need services... meaning any type of therapy or extra help.  They basically wanted to let us know that they would do everything they could to support our child - providing a psychologist, therapy services, accommodations, etc.  I didn't ask a single question during the meeting... I couldn't.  Every question I wanted to ask had me choking back tears at the thought of even voicing it.  Like, "Is it possible you will tell me that the "Kindergarten Center" is not appropriate for Gavin?" or... "Are Gavin's needs to overwhelming for him to be in a regular classroom?"  or... "You keep talking about 'readiness testing' - are there children with developmental delays like Gavin in this school that clearly couldn't pass a 'readiness test'??"

I decided to save these questions for my private meeting this week.  There's no turning back - Gavin is formally being registered for Kindergarten.  Where he will go - and if they will allow him to keep Miss Sara as his buddy (please, dear God, please.) - is all up in the air.  I have said in the past that I'm not always sure that inclusion is right for Gavin - but I may have changed my mind.  At least for Kindergarten.  I would love to see him stay there for another year!!

Saturday morning I sent Ed out of the house so Brian and I could make him a birthday cake!  (Gavin was completely disinterested and was happy to play with his toys while we made a mess.)

Today at lunch we sang Happy Birthday and wished for all of his wishes to come true.

I am secretly wishing to one day get him the ultimate birthday gift that he doesn't want to return.  Maybe next year.

We made fun plans for his birthday, though!  My good friends, Jen and Kirsten had bought tickets to see Disney On Ice - but their son fell ill and they couldn't go.  We bought their tickets and decided to give it a shot with the boys.  To be honest, we didn't expect much.  Brian hasn't seen any of the Disney Princess movies - and that's what the show was centered around.  And Gavin - we just weren't sure he'd be into it.  

Boy, were we wrong.

The first thing we had to do was swap our tickets.  Our friends had purchased box seats for yesterday, but upon calling the box office, they offered to switch those tickets to today for us - and switch out seats to handicapped accessible.  They couldn't have been nicer.  

We got there an hour before showtime and were brought to our seats - a whole big row with a perfect view.  I thought Brian would be awfully bored waiting an hour just sitting there with nothing to watch.

Boy, was I wrong.

He sat there the whole time.  Daddy asked him if he wanted to go for a walk.  Nope.  If he wanted to shop for souvenirs.  Nope.  If he wanted a snack.  Nothing.  He sat in his seat clutching a post card we found in the lobby advertising the show and just waited... counting down the minutes.

And he AND Gavin were obsessed with the stadium - the lights - and the changing mickey silhouette on the curtain!

The show started and I was shocked by a number of things.  I was shocked when Brian asked - as he sat on his Daddy's lap - to hold my hand.

I was shocked that Gavin laughed a lot as he watched - and clapped with the music - and never, ever, showed a second of boredom or even overstimulation from the loud music.  He had a GREAT time!!

And I was shocked - okay, maybe not totally shocked - that I got very emotional.  I feel everything big. This was my children's first "Disney experience" and they were eating it up.  Brian was mesmerized and clapped when the audience clapped.  This wasn't a movie - it was more like a broadway show.  On ice!  He's never seen anything like it - and I was THRILLED that he seemed to love it.  (Hopefully he'll always love theater more than football or hockey!  I'm half kidding!)

Ed and I both had the same thought - we think we should start thinking about a Disney vacation.

It was a wonderful, magical experience.

Earlier in the afternoon, I experienced another magical experience.

Brian was playing by himself this morning in the living room.  Gavin, in the kitchen with me... and Ed sleeping in for his birthday.  Lately Brian has been doing a lot of imaginative play - talking things through with his puppets or stuffed animals or his Little People.  This morning he was playing with the Little People school that Gavin got for Christmas.  I hear this "conversation" and snuck around the corner to spy on him...

"Hi, I'm Brian."

"Oh, hello Brian."

"This is my sister, Darcy.  You can't see her.  She lives in Heaven."

I'm grateful I took the photo before he started talking... because what I heard took my breath away.  I can't recall the last time Brian and I talked about Darcy.  It amazes me what comes out of his mouth lately.  I am hoping that my suspicions are correct... that he sees Darcy.  I know that she is present in this family - and I feel so fortunate for that.

She would have loved the Disney on Ice Princess show today.