Visiting School

Ethan keeps on growing. Everyone is commenting that he looks taller. The pants that seemed impossibly long on him last year now fit. And it’s sort of scary how much he’s been eating. For example, the other morning he consumed between 450-500 calories at breakfast. He’s been eating everything I put in his lunch box most days, which is a lot since I always try to over-pack it. When he comes home, he’s been eating big snacks, and lots at dinner. Luckily, he still eats lots of fruits, between 3 to 5 pieces a day.

Last Friday I volunteered to help at his art class at school. The poor art teacher has quite a job, setting up all the materials before the kids come in, and then cleaning up afterwards. They’re only in there for half an hour, so everything is speeded up. Before they go to the paints, they sat around in a circle and learned that you can make grey by mixing black with white, and pink by mixing red with white, which they then practiced quite successfully themselves.

I didn’t realize how much it meant to Ethan to have me come into his school until he broke down sobbing on Thursday night. I asked him what was the matter and he said, “You weren’t in art class today!” I pointed out to him that he didn’t have art class on Thursday, and that I’d be there the next day.

On Friday, he grabbed me when I came in the class room, pointed to me, and told the other kids that I was his mom. At one point one of his classmates called “Ethan’s mom” to have me help her, and Ethan jumped up and said, “No, she’s my mom!” I pointed out to him that she was saying “Ethan’s mom”, and that she knew I was his. I was very glad I volunteered, and will try to do it again, since it’s also a great way to meet all the other kids in his class too.