First Official Week!

Well, this is my first official week as a stay-at-home mom! It's not really going to be a regular week, as I am trying to get everything ready for our vacation Thursday. I am already loving this feeling! Even though I had the summers off at my former job, this feels different. It doesn't feel like a vacation, it feels more real and official! I have been noticing people post some pretty snarky Facebook posts about stay-at-home moms this weekend. I really, really hope that I wasn't like that when I was working. I don't think I was ever rude or looked down my nose at homemakers. I am pretty sure I was just envious and wistful about it. I think I am going to have to get used to the snide remarks, but I sure will stand up to them! I really don't think one is better than the other, it's just what is best for your family and what you can manage. I have wanted this for four years and am so thankful that it has finally happened, that nothing can knock me from my cloud (at least for a while!).


I have a lot I want to accomplish this summer, cleaning and organizing, as well as working on things with the kids. Sam is four and is already reading, so I want to work on improving his reading skills and his handwriting. Lilly still needs to master the basics; recognizing colors, letters, and numbers. Sam was so advanced in those areas that it is hard for me not to worry about her :) I know that she is right where she is supposed to be, but I want to give her the best start possible.

We haven't shared this with a lot of people, but we are pretty sure Sam has hyperlexia. Basically, he has advanced academic skills and an unusual interest in letters, words, and numbers, but has a delay in language and social skills. There is debate about whether hyperlexia is on the autism spectrum or not, but that doesn't really matter to us! He has not been formally diagnosed, but does receive speech (language) and occupational therapy. He is also in a special education preschool classroom to help with his language and social skills. I can not say enough good things about his preschool experience so far. We were so worried when he first started, but he has made so many improvements that I am thrilled with his progress! I cannot wait to see what kind of improvements he makes next year! It's really hard to tell at first that he has any delays, but once you have a converstation with him, you will notice that he uses a lot of learned phrases and has a tendency to repeat lines from shows he has seen. He is such a wonderful, funny, sweet, michevious little boy and we are so lucky that his delays are not more serious. Some days when he is having a melt down, or I have to repeat a direction for the fourth time, I have to remember that!

So that's the plan for this summer; clean, organize, play, explore, and learn!! It's going to be great!