School Time at TSD!

Today, the boys completed their first two weeks of pre-k and preschool at TSD.  Aside from Tian still being a little unhappy when we drop him off, they really like school!

Tian enters the elementary building.

Travis checks out his classroom.

This morning, my younger daughter and I dropped off the boys.  When we arrived at the school, Travis was eager to don his backpack and get into the hallway.  I stayed with a clingy Tian while my daughter stayed with Travis in the hallway.  Travis hung his backpack on the hanger, then proceeded to empty the backpack of its contents. Mackenzie tried to get him to stop, but Travis was adamant.  He finally reached his red notebook, sat it aside, and began refilling his pack with its items.  When his sister tried to hand him the red notebook, he told her, "no."  He zipped up his backpack, hung it on its hook, then took his red notebook and deposited it in a small box at the front of his classroom...exactly where it belonged.  Ken had been bringing the boys to school all week, so I didn't know this was the new routine.  It was so cute to see him insisting on what he knew he was supposed to do.  

Made it through my first day!

Travis' teacher said he loves school!  He is excited to be there in the mornings and is thriving on the routine of it all.  His teacher said that about 15 minutes before school is over, Travis comes up to her and signs, "DADDY SOON PICK-ME-UP!"  Wow!!  He's recognizing the schedule and putting together three-ASL-sign sentences, which is huge. That ASL sentence is equivalent to a 5-to-8-word English sentence.  

Last week, after just three days of being bombarded with language at school, Travis told his older sister, "NO, LEAVE-IT. WAIT," when usually, he would have just shaken his head and signed, "NO!" with some aggravation.  

Tian is less eager to arrive at school in the mornings.  He enjoys getting ready for school and loading into the SUV, but begins signing and saying, "No! No school!" when we pull onto campus.  The other morning, when Ken woke up Tian and told him it was time for school, Tian signed, "NO. STAY HOUSE. STAY HOME."  That breaks this homeschool momma's heart just a little, but God reminds me in sweet ways that all of my kids are where they are supposed to be.  I just make sure I spend extra snuggle-time with Tian and with Travis when they are home. 

Happy to see Momma at the end of the day.

Tian is talking and signing up a storm.  His language started growing a lot over the past couple of months, but he's done some really cute stuff since beginning school.  Just today, Travis hit his head on the couch (same couch, different place on his head, not nearly as severe as his nose injury) and was crying.  Tian rushed over to him and (with an "oh no" look on his face) signed, "WHAT-HAPPENED?! HIT-HEAD THERE (on the couch)?  YEAH, I KNOW.  HURTS."  Then kissed his brother on the head.  

Each boy is in his own classroom.  We played around with the idea of them being in the same class, but as days go by, we feel they are both in the right place.  We are happy that the school is willing to work with us and consider what is best for each child.  

The school itself is a pleasure!  Contrary to the statistics that 90% of Deaf kids have hearing parents, the majority of parents (at least in the early childhood area) are Deaf.  That's because many parents, like us, moved to Austin because of TSD.