September 2

Sarah started preschool this week. She goes two mornings a week from 9-12 to a neighborhood preschool that is very welcoming and flexible. Sonia goes as her attendant, but she doesn't need much attending. Except when she does, and then she really does. She has always enjoyed school and this year is no exception. Tuesday was her fifth first day of preschool. While at the sand table, Sarah said that the sand was soft and another kid responded, having understood her! I am noticing that more and more people understand her without needing assistance. YAY! She also drew a self portrait when that was the assigned activity. 

Tuesday morning when I opened the fridge, something was clearly amiss. Tuesday night we went shopping for a new refrigerator and Sarah loooooved it. What heaven for someone who loves opening and closing doors. I am thrilled with our new refrigerator. It is beautiful and large. We move through a lot of fresh food in this house and in the past we had to go shopping multiple times per week because we simply couldn't store all that we were going to use. I think now that might change. Tonight I bought 6 dozen eggs and enough greens to hopefully do the week of juicing, among lots of other things. Sarah also tried brussels sprouts tonight! One of her favorite books has Elmo mentioning them and she has been mentioning them frequently. Normally she doesn't pay any heed to the cooked veggies on her plate, but tonight she boldly picked up the sprout and took a bite. And spit it out. Hooray for trying it!

On Thursday night just before going to sleep, Sarah started going through the bodywork routine from Becky's program that I do with her in the afternoons. She was doing it on herself and saying all the corresponding words. When Carl offered her his foot she did the foot routine on him! My jaw dropped repeatedly.

We had a wonderful visit this weekend with Carl's cousin and her family. As Sarah said, we had feasts. The night before they arrived we were telling our girls about what was going to happen. Amy got confused because one of her cousins is called Z. and Amy thought we meant that her friend Z. (who recently moved) was coming to visit. Amy was very upset when she realized her friend was not coming. I suggested that Amy could write a letter to her friend. I asked if she wanted me to write various things and she said yes to each one and then she drew in the empty space. We had to explain that it was best not to draw over the writing. I gave Sarah some paper to write a letter and she didn't respond to my questions about what I could write for her. Instead she started making the marks that are her letters and signature. She was clearly writing a letter, even if no one can read it. 

I have been attempting to more often prioritize the use of myself. In all ways. The first thing this usually means when I think of it is in terms of the Alexander Technique and my own ease and connection within myself, freeing my neck, leading with my head, and the rest of Alexander's directions. 

I have also been feeling very burned out at times and worrying that if I took a break I wouldn't want to resume the program. I had an excellent consultation with M. and she suggested that I give myself some time each week that is just for me. Not for me to improve myself so I will be a better team leader, but for me just to rest or read something unrelated to the things I am doing to help Sarah.  I will be revising my schedule to include a time for me when I am not permitted to do anything I'm "supposed" to do. When I start feeling more freedom for myself I have a lot more creative energy and love for Sarah.

I hope you all had wonderful weekends. When I was little, I thought Labor Day was for pregnant women.