What Happened to My Babies?

Seriously, where has the time gone? I have to admit, in some ways the last three years have felt like a lifetime, but then I also feel like I have no idea where the time has gone. My little boys are three. It just astounds me that three years ago I was watching three little boys, they weighed as little at 1 lb 14 oz, fight for their lives.

On Sunday I went out to buy them backpacks. I wasn't sure what they would think of the whole school idea. When I got home they immediately attacked the back packs. I guess it was a good thing they had characters on them. As soon as Robert had his backpack on, he immediately started signing school. Robert is my child that signs the least out of the three. One of the Signing Time volumes is about school. That is one volume out of the 25 we own, and I have to admit it's not one of the ones we watch all the time since they are so young. You should have seen the smile on my face!



I handed them each the backpack I THOUGHT they would want. Robert getting Spiderman
seemed to be a no-brainer.


Noah loves to play with cars the most. I thought he would want the Cars backpack (even though he hasn't really seen the movie-except for a little here and there).


Matthew had the Sponge Bob backpack. Yes, my kids like Sponge Bob Squarepants-that's Noe's fault.


I had a brand new Mickey Mouse backpack in my closet for years, but I know better than to throw a different one into the mix. Those were the three backpack styles that the store had, so those were the three backpacks I bought!

I decided it was time to get them excited, and try to explain school to them. I told them that a bus was going to come get them. Once again, Robert started signing school bus. Hey, this wasn't going to be as hard as I thought it would. Boy, was I wrong. Robert started saying/signing that he was ready to go. Remember, it is Sunday and they don't start school until Tuesday. What made it worse was the fact it was nap time. That meant Mom had to collect the beloved backpacks and put them away. You would have thought that I did the most horrendous deed. Robert freaked out!

During lunch on Monday, one of the teachers said that I should make sure the kids understood that I would not be going on the bus with them. I would have never thought about that. That night I sat the kids down, the best you can sit three three-year olds down without seat belts, and explained that they would be going on the school bus without Mom. Noah and Matthew took off to play. For the rest of the night Robert kept coming up to me, with his head tilted and one arm on my shoulder, and said, "School bus-no Mommmy, no Leigha." All night I heard that. Well, at least one of them understood that.

As I was sitting at my computer that night, in a nice vegetative state, it finally hit me that I was about to put my three little boys, who barely turned three, on a school bus BY THEMSELVES. Then they would be taken to a place they are unfamiliar with and dropped off into the unknown. Luckily, I know their teacher! I used to work with her at my school and she is wonderful. The teachers pick the students up right from the bus, so I know they are in good hands. I immediately decided it was time to get their stuff ready. I think I spaced out how much "stuff" I needed to have.

For school they needed three backpacks, each containing a baggy of clothes, diapers, and wipes, one wheelchair/stroller, and one walker.


I will admit that I was pretty foolish to NEVER put Matthew in that wheelchair prior to him riding it on the bus. I wasn't sure what type of reaction he would have to it. He doesn't tend to like anything that leans him back (you will rarely see him sitting on the red furniture for that reason). My fears were gone right after they woke up.

Robert loved pushing Matthew around. They took it around the house for a test drive. Of course that meant Robert running him into everything. Matthew would hit the toy chest and say, "I'm stuck." Then they would both start laughing and Robert would run him into the next piece of furniture and then they would both say it in unison.


As I was getting my stuff ready, I saw that another little girl got to have a ride in Matthew's chair.


A little before 8:30 a.m. I heard the bus pull up to our house. This was it, the moment we had been preparing for. I immediately grabbed my camera, hoping I would be able to get three kids on a bus and take pictures. The boys had been so excited to go on the school bus. Then I opened the door and Noah dug his heels in the ground to make a fast stop. Uh-oh, I should have known it wouldn't be THAT easy!

It didn't last long, the boys started to make their way out the door. I left Katie inside to get Matthew in his chair (wow that thing is heavy). Robert walked right out and then sized up the bus.


Noah didn't was only delayed by a few seconds. He wanted to check out this bus, too.



I did have to carry Noah and Robert onto the bus, I don't think there was any way I would have gotten them on the bus any other way. They didn't cry at all. I think they were just soaking everything in.


After they were buckled in and okay, I went back to help Katie with Matthew. She had already had him outside and ready to go. I was hoping that the Occupational Therapist (OT) would fit the chair for him better-I forgot how to! I was a little concerned about how Matthew would react to being in this chair and being lifted into the bus. He did very well!




My BIG boys were ready to go!


Leigha was excited for them, but a tad jealous they got to go on a school bus!



Good luck at school!


Their teacher emailed me and told me they had a great day for their first day. In their backpacks they have a little notebook. They all received a smiley face stamp and she told me a little about what they did. I would say they had a good first day!