New stuff to get used to

As my beautiful boy lies sleeping in his room (only a 10 minute battle this time: IMPROVEMENT!), I thought maybe time for a little update on our lives together.

Last week, Emilio started at his Nido (nursery) and holy moly, it's been a week. I chose this place as it's very small with only 6 children in a class and 2 adults. It's a therapy centre as well and I will most likely use it for when we start the various therapies we have been recommended. He goes Monday to Friday, 9-12.30 and somehow, despite having time back in my life to do stuff, I've achieved squat all. Well, I've achieved making new recipes with beets due to a slight error in my online ordering skills (anyone need any beets?!). Dropping him off that first day made me really, REALLY sad...there were tears. Unexpected tears. I thought I would be delighted to have some 'time off' as, although I chose to Mum Alone and although I am loving every second (well, most seconds - full disclosure on here!), it's absolutely exhausting doing absolutely everything on my own. I'm a Feminist but...sometimes I really wish I had a man to fix the crap that keeps breaking in my house. Or do the phonings of the things I need phoned. Stuff. But anyway. It was really sad leaving him, despite him being delighted with the sand pit. 

It's gone really well and he's adapted quickly to our new routine. They are lovely there and are very keen on parent-teacher communication - I received 150 photos on Friday from the course of the week. One. Week. Calm it, Nido! There was also a huge moment and my first 'I wasn't there when that happened' sucker punch. Oof. It stung. Emilio was able to 'identify' colours and say them. I say 'identify' because I don't believe he was doing that, I think he was repeating the names and remembering the names but I don't think he knows his chair is red or whatever yet. Anyway, it's a brilliant sign - he did repeat colours when I first met him way back in October, but he hasn't really since he's come home. 

However, this led to the directors of the Nido asking for a meeting with me to discuss his diagnosis. I love that they care so much but it's clear that they don't really want him to be autistic. They told me that he was able to do the colours as a lead in to questioning his diagnosis. I repeated that there is absolutely no doubt in my mind that Emilio is on the Spectrum but that this doesn't mean that he's not intelligent or that he can't learn. The moderate to low functioning part is not really any real concern right now; I can see the progress he's making every single day. I listen to him singing from the moment he wakes up till the moment he goes to sleep (with some 'tired' or 'overwhelmed' or 'absolute mental meltdown' sections in between). He hardly made a sound when he first came home and he was SO serious! Now, this incredible Tiny Human is as happy as a clam going about his business, most of the time. I know he's exceptional. I know he's crazily intelligent. I know he's going to do whatever he wants to do in life. I can see all of that in our short time together. None of that means he doesn't have ASD. He has superpowers and he's different and I LOVE all of his little quirks and faces and noises and hilarious reactions and especially his 'food trance'...you'd have to see it. So I've told them that and they are just really happy that I am not putting a lid on what I can expect him to be able to do. Reckon we are going to get on alright there. Let's see. 

I've also been compiling a list of Things I'm Learning About Mumming. Part 1. 

1. Your house will never be tidy for longer than 1 minute and 23 seconds again. Ever. Again. 

2. NOTHING is 'out of reach'. 

3. You will say 'no' and 'don't touch that' more times than you ever thought possible. And even having been a teacher of the Tiny Humans for more than a decade. 

4. When it goes quiet, you are in trouble. Big Trouble. 

5. Peppa Pig does NOT uphold your values as a 21st Century Feminist (or our noble goals and the hypocricies and insecurities which undermine them...).

6. Bribery works and is an essential component of parenting. 

7. Bedtime is an arbitrary concept.

8. You thought you knew because of the millions of nieces and nephews and friends' children and teaching. You did not. You knew nothing. 

9. 'Where are mummy's keys/bag/shoes/tampons?' will become a daily mantra. Little klepto.

10. This is the most fun you have ever had in your life and even when you're going mental because of the Tiny Human going mental, it's still just perfect.