A Step Ahead

 October 21, 2020

One Wednesday a month we used to have a minimum day for Bradley’s school.  It was always weird and kind of inconvenient, I mean why not give them a Friday for a minimum day, less confusing.  But then I learned that it is a training day for staff, and the teachers didn’t want to stay late on Friday.  Although, the work day is the same length of time, they leave on a minimum day the same time they would leave on a regular day.  So I still don’t get it, but whatever, if they learn something that helps them with Bradley at some point, then by all means.  But that is nothing compared to right now, They are still having minimum days once a month while they are on distance learning.  Huh?  

Don’t get me wrong, I certainly don’t mind.  We came home from Therapy today and he was just absolutely down for the day.  We walked in the house as his class would have been signing of Zoom.  It was awesome.  And a clear reminder to me that my attitude about Bradley’s school experience is probably still not quite in the right place. But alas, I am who I am.  

He spent the day watching his movie, doing some dancing for a few brief moments...and also felt the need to vent some frustration throughout all of it.  When even his movie is making him weepy, you know he is just really having a day.  

It started with this morning, when he was adamant that he didn’t need a shirt...or a coat...socks or shoes.  He ended up with everything on by the time we got to therapy, except for the socks.  For OT, he got to work with his favorite OT, who is sadly moving on with her education and improving her life, and improving the areas and ways she will continue to make Bradley’s life (and lots of other kids’ lives) better.  But he hasn’t had her in a while, so of courses he plays his I’m cute card for her and doesn’t reveal that crabby defiant side we’d seen all morning long.  Probably, what came after he got home was a reaction to the changes in his life.  He doesn’t truly show right away that he misses a favorite person, but sometimes his emotions are a little bigger than he can handle about it and it flows over onto other things.  

Anyway, in Feeding, he was playful and eating carrots and celery - both of which he spits out at my house.  Then he ate apple....so he happens to spit that out at home too sometimes, but not always.   So I mean, whatever. One of his words he was practicing in speech was “turkey”.  So I asked if he said it and how well.  They said well... I said great, cause he hears it a lot at home, because we call him a turkey all the time.  Seems only fair he can say his nickname I think.  

His little episodes of frustration boiled over when Dad took Sydney to physical therapy.  Although I do think he was sad to see Dad and Sydney leave, I also know that the big crocodile tears were mostly a croc.  But then he started tossing toys, so I took his movie and told him “Throw again, and mommy’s.”  So he thought about it, but I was holding his movie, so when he looked at me again I told him “When you clean up, you can have your movie.”  

Then I sat and waited.  He managed to pick up all the blocks, while whimpering.  When he got to his GO-Go Smart Cars, he started cleaning up, then decided to turn them all on as they rolled through the tunnel into the box.  And then out of the box, and then back in.  Thirty minutes of play time later, he decided to finally put them all away and came for his movie.  Five minutes after that, he determined he was hungry so we left his movie on the couch and came to the kitchen to eat.  

I know I frustrated him today, probably made him a little mad too.  But don’t feel sorry for him too much, he got his revenge.  While he was waiting for his food, I was also getting the rest of dinner cooking.  So I was in and out of the garage to the freezer out there quite a few times.  Apparently, I was not moving fast enough with his food, so he locked me into the garage.  Because most things have a bright side, while I was standing out there thinking, asking him to unlock the door... I determined that he was definitely improving his dexterity by flipping the lock to lock rather than always just trying to unlock the front door. I applauded his comedic timing and how well that is improving as he flipped the lock while I was out there instead of following me into the garage as his norm.  Then further enveloped by my ability to see his little feet quietly creeping from the kitchen as I peeked at him through the cat door.  And finally, his completely typical acting nonchalance as I hollered for Madison; who finally came to open the door, all while finding Bradley casually in the hallway with a look on his face of “What’d I do?”  And then slid back into his chair at the kitchen table like: “You gonna get my food now Mom?”  

Touché my boy.  Touché.  

Yeah, so he got some food and dinner got started finally, only a little behind schedule than I had originally planned. He ate two platefuls and then returned to the living room, his movie, and a pile of blocks that he immediately dumped onto his lap.  At least he sat here and ate without his movie, almost slowly with almost small bites.  And he apparently, has decided to wait on his popsicle until Dad and Sydney get home and once everyone else is eating...then he might sit with us while he enjoys his dessert.  

So there you have it.... the student has become a more adept student and managed to out maneuver mom today.  Sydney has another doctor appointment tomorrow in LA, so Bradley will be with Dad for the day again.  I’m almost relieved - let him pull his tricks on Dad for a few hours, I think I need to step back and start trying to figure out how to get back ahead of him again - if that is even possible.  

First up was put the deadbolt key for the garage/kitchen door in Eric’s tool chest.  And when I am done here, finding the key for that lower handle and putting it out there too.  

Trying to keep up with my kids has never been about keeping up with one of them it has always been all of them.  Just like trying to stay a step ahead has always been about staying a step ahead of all three of them.  I just never realized that my youngest was going to turn into a prankster too... or at least that is what I hope he was doing... I did make him mad when he had to clean up.  Hmmm....