The Wheels on the Bus

Guess what came to our house today?

Ben was just about beside himself with excitement today as he realized he was finally going to be able to ride the bus.

He's been attending school for a bit now, but as I mentioned before, hasn't been able to ride the bus since his health plan has not been in place yet.  Each time I have picked him up from school and he sees all his friends getting on the bus he points eagerly and does his little sign for bus that he made up (rolling his fists around each other like you do for the song "The Wheels on the Bus").

He cries when he can't get on so I was very excited to tell him that he could ride it today.

I could tell he understood what I was saying this morning as I was getting him ready to go.

Sometimes you wonder if he's catching the meaning of what you're saying but other times you just know.

We waited patiently...

 

and when it arrived and he got on I don't think he looked back once :)

He was happy as a lark!

I got a phone call from his teacher a while later and when I saw the caller I.D. my heart sank thinking that he was having a seizure.  However, she apologized for calling and said she just had a couple of questions for me.  What could they use for reinforcers for him since the little candies they used for the other kids would be against his diet?  "Grapes.  He loves grapes."

What does Maymee mean?  "That's his name for me."

That's what she figured.  She said he cries for maymee every time they ask him to do something he doesn't want to do.  Ha!

I asked how he seemed when he got off the bus, wondering if when he noticed I wasn't there with him if he had a hard time.

She said he was just so happy.  Yeah!

So, while Ben was off at school and my blessed mother came to be with the other kids I had an important meeting concerning something coming up in the next month or so.  Much more to come on that.

When I got home from the meeting it was time for Ben to arrive home as well.  We waited and watched out the window.  While waiting, our mail lady came up the walk with a package!  Who doesn't love getting mail like that?

It was from Andy's sister up in Idaho.  She and her kids were so thoughtful and sent a sweet box full of presents for each of the kids and adults.  They were thinking of Josh and also of Ben going in to start the diet in a couple of weeks and wanted to send their love.

The kids of course (and the mom) were so excited to open the box and find such fun things inside.

I was so touched by her thoughtfulness.  Thank you so much dear Jenny!

Shortly after, Ben's bus pulled up.  We all went outside (except for Josh of course) and welcomed him home.  I climbed the steps and met Ben at the top.  When he saw me he grinned and said "Maymee!  Maymee!"  It warmed my heart. 

Look at that sly little grin on his face.

The aide had a couple of questions for me so we chatted for a minute.  Mom took Ben's helmet off as we talked since sweat was running down his face.

As it drove away, he was so happy and excited to "tell" us all about the bus :)  It was stinkin' cute!

Too bad there are only two more days that he'll go to school before the summer session is over.

I hope the rest of the summer flies by so he can enjoy his bus experience to a greater extent.