Four Days Since Exposed-No Symptoms!

Well, we could be dodging this one, too. (pray, pray, pray; hope, hope, hope; cross my fingers!)

According to the CDC site, the incubation period for Swine Flu is about 1-4 days. It can be up to 7 days for young children. So, today is day four. Monday will be day seven. Obviously, I'll feel better once we get past Monday with no symptoms. I'll feel like we dodged it this time around. The thing is, apparantly young children can be contagious a day before the symptoms appear. So, perhaps today is day 5?!?! Hope so.

Anyway, no offense to Grandma and Grandpa, but we're not going to bring Aidan around them until Tuesday. Although he is continuing to go to Preschool and we will get to church this Sunday (finally), I just can't risk possible exposure to them!

So, say a pray with me that we'll stay symptom free through Monday!

Oh, and Aidan is showing signs of learning how to read, already. During breakfast he "read" Go Dog Go to me. I think he knows about 90% of it by heart! I was loving having him "read" it to me, too! My first book was Green Eggs and Ham, so this seems really appropriate to me!

Jumping into the Deep End of the Pool

Week two of our new school and things are going really really good. . .even with a couple of BIG ISSUES. Aidan is no longer crying when I drop him off and is really loving his structured time. He is playing with the children really well, is very attentive and helpful, and is super polite. Our training was taking even though I didn't think it was! And, as an added bonus, he has been soooo good in the evenings! He is eating his dinner, is polite, helpful and his whiny times are limited to a minute or two--hardly any timeouts this week. It's really great!

So, about those issues:

Week one is was the Lice. No big deal. No sign of them on our boy! Of course. ; )

Week two, and this is a biggie, Swine Flu. Yes, that's right, Swine Flu. There has been one confirmed case, as of yesterday, at the school. And, to make it even more fun, the child is in Aidan's class!

The best defense is a good offense: Wash our hands allllllll the time!

We didn't think we had to worry about flu of any kind until fall. That's a little worrisome. But, to be philosophical about it, we'll hope for the best; be prepared for the worst; if Aidan gets the Swine flu, then we will have that immunity built up; if Aidan doesn't get it, then we'll get the vaccine this fall.

Nothing like jumping into the deep end of the pool!

My smart little Dudely!!

When we received the referral for Aidan, we contacted an International Adoption doctor in Fairfax to review the pictures and medical records--Standard practice in International Adoptions. He didn't find anything overtly a problem, medically speaking. But, for some reason, he added that Aidan would probably have difficulties in school and that he would not go to Harvard. I hadn't even met Aidan yet, but my back went up and my internal response was "Well we really wanted him to go to UVA!! So, that won't be a problem!"

I have gotten over that. Really. : )

Fast forward to last night: Aidan was getting out of the bathtub and we heard heavy rain start. I said to Aidan, " Look, Aidan, it's pouring! Now we don't have to water the trees!" Aidan replied, with a worried look on his face, "Is is stormin' Mama?" He hates thunder and lightening, so I said, "No. It's just a Tropical deluge." And Aidan said, "Oh. Like a Rain Forest?"

My jaw dropped to the floor. Where did he learn that??? I grabbed him up in a huge hug and said yes!!!! What a smart little Dudely!!!

New school, new experiences

Aidan started preschool on Monday. So far, so good! He didn't cry when I dropped him off on Monday--I did stay with him for about 15 minutes or so to make sure he felt comfortable--but he started to cry a little on Tuesday, and then Wednesday he really cried. It bothers me, but I know he's okay. He cried a little at nap time on Monday and Tuesday, but not at all on Wednesday.

Aside from the crying, I know he is having a good time there and is already learning some new, and good, things. About 95% of his day is now structured. There are about 14 total children in his class with 3 caretakers--pretty good, I think! And, at the end of each day I get a "report card" telling me what he ate, when he slept, his demeanor, things he liked, what he did, and even when he went to the potty! I'm loving that!

Two additional side benefits of this change is that he is eating all of his breakfast and dinner now! On Monday, it was like pulling teeth as usual at breakfast, but by Wednesday, he scarfed down his food. . .he no longer gets a second breakfast at Daycare! And, because his afternoon snack happens at 3:00 instead of 4:30, he is ready for dinner between 5:00 and 5:30! I really like that. . .

And, he's been ready for bed much earlier. Monday was a little rough--we had been staying up very late at the beach--but he was ready at 8:00 on Tuesday. I think he was ready that early on Wednesday, too, but we had to do some additional laundry. . .

About that additional laundry--Apparantly, a couple of children and a teacher at the center were discovered to have lice. Yikes!! Day 3 in our new place and already a VERY BIG issue!! But, they weren't in Aidan's class and, in fact, don't have anything to do with his class. . .whew!! But, everything had to come home and be washed. So, we had additional laundry to do and, thus, we didn't get to bed until 9:00. Could have been worse!

On September 8th, Aidan will transition into the 3 year old class (they move them all at the same time, just like they will do it when they start school). At that time, his time will be structured a little different into more learning time. I can't wait to see how he likes that!

Emerald Isle, NC-Vacation 2009 pictology