I just dropped Connor off for his first day of his last year in preschool!
How did the past three months of summer go by so fast?
This summer was so huge for Connor. Honestly, I was really worried about how we would survive 3 months without school but Connor really surprised me! He did so well and has grown up so much since the last day of school in May.
Social/Emotional update:
Socially we have seen huge changes in Connor. I have always been mainly concerned with his lack of interest in his peers. In the classroom last semester he would rather play with the adult volunteers than the other kids. At a play date he would rather play by himself with his ipad. Typically play dates usually caused a lot of anxiety and meltdowns for Connor. I am so happy to now be able to see him enjoying his friends at play dates and looking forward to seeing his friends at school. He also is really enjoying playing with his cousins which makes me over the moon excited! I have been waiting so many years to have my kids and my brothers kids play together and enjoy each other like we did with our cousins when we were little. Many of you know this was a really big challenge with Connor. But now, he actually has fun with them and looks forward to seeing them! He hasn’t shown the aggressive behavior towards his peers like he used to in several months! Praise God! It was so heartbreaking for me to see him physically hurt someone. Knowing that he would hit or scratch someone out of anxiety or frustration broke my heart each and every time. But, Connor has since been learning how to handle anxious situations and is no longer treating his friends in that way.
Fine Motor Development update:
We canceled Connor’s occupational therapy sessions this summer but will start back up again this fall. I wanted to give him (and myself—it was a 45 minute drive each week!) a break. I made sure to increase the amount of time we spent working on his fine motor skills at home during the summer and I have seen a huge improvement! If you follow me on instagram (renaelee7) you would have seen the photo of a Connor writing our last name! Last semester he couldn’t write any letters at all and now he can write our last name! I bought the Handwriting without Tears curriculum and love it! We have been working from the workbook and are really pleased with Connor’s progress. We continue to work on using scissors and utensils.
Sensory Processing Disorder update:
This one is still a tough disorder to fully understand for me but we are doing our best to help while he is out of therapy. I notice him asking for “big squeezes” at time and I believe that is due to his sensory seeking nature. I don’t mind at all because I love to snuggle him and I will do it for as along as he lets me! He has started shouting almost every time he speaks and I am constantly reminding him to use his inside voice. I don’t know if that is a boy thing, a sensory thing, or just a Connor thing, but we are definitely working on that!
Speech update:
Connor’s speech blows me away each and every day! His speech therapist sent home some summer homework and he has flown through that like a champ! He loves to go over his words with me and get a Cars sticker when he’s finished. I am looking forward to hearing some feedback from his therapist because I believe she will be very proud of him and all of his hard work!
So overall, this summer was awesome! I love seeing my handsome boy growing up and overcoming some of these challenges. I know he will do great this school year and can’t wait to see how much he will grow and learn.
Thank you all so much for the prayers. I know that we owe this amazing summer to The Lord and all of you who have been praying for our family. I am thankful for God’s grace and for Him giving me the patience and strength to handle all of these challenges. I am thankful for all of the family and friends God has put in our lives and for everyone who loves Connor. I am thankful for all of the therapists and teachers who God has provided to help with Connor. Please continue to pray for Connor as he starts this new school year.
