In our state, Early Intervention services stop on a child’s 3^rd birthday. Callan turned 3 on 2/12. That meant the next step was for him to transition to preschool, where he could continue receiving speech therapy, physical therapy and occupational therapy. And any other therapies he may need over time.

Today was his first day. And he did AMAZINGLY WELL. He let his teacher carry him in, he ate his snack, joined circle time, played instruments and used his signs to communicate countless things. No separation anxiety, no uneasiness. He was a complete champ.

If the pandemic wasn’t a factor, Callan would be in an integrated classroom with kids of all abilities. But for now, there are only 2 other children in his class, both who need services. We’ve had months of preparation for this transition – calls with therapists old and new, working with our coordinator to get the details down, helping to create a very comprehensive IEP for him, advocating for him as his parents as to what we see to be his strengths and areas to work on, and many emails with his new teacher updating his sign list, records and more. We even requested two brief meetings before he started so that he could become familiar with her. Otherwise, we’d be expected to have him walk into a new building with a complete stranger, since we’re not allowed in the building under current guidelines.

Let’s rewind a bit. Callan has had in-home therapy from the state since he was 6 weeks old. But with the pandemic, it’s meant virtual therapy for a full year. He hasn’t met any new people and has had limited social interaction. He’s mostly been with his Mom and Dad 24/7, as well as some quality time with his grandparents each week. And we also added his baby brother Stowe to the family last summer! Callan has had a lot to contend with and has thrived. What he’s achieved in the last year alone could take up countless blog posts. But by the time school was about to start, we knew he needed a change: more frequent services, more social interaction and the extra push from someone other than us each day to help him reach his goals.

Both times we took Callan to meet his teacher, he didn’t want to leave. He cried the entire drive home. That reaffirmed to us that he was ready for this new adventure. And that made my Mama heart a little less anxious, because starting school is a huge step, let alone at 3 years old during a pandemic and after a year of being mostly quarantined.

When we were told Callan’s prenatal diagnosis, we knew he’d have obstacles in life. Maybe more than others. We didn’t know what they would look like because every child is different. But regardless of the challenges he faces, our goal has always been to raise him to be resilient and as independent as possible. Today, his teacher met him on the sidewalk with his favorite ball. Before long, he was playing and she offered to bring him in. She scooped him up and off they went into the school. HE NEVER LOOKED BACK. I still can’t believe it, but deep down, I think I knew that would be the case. That independence we’ve fostered his entire life? I didn’t expect to see it show up at such a young age, in such a hit-home kind of way. I’m a bit taken aback, but so incredibly proud.

I could fill this post with cliché after cliché about how a Mama feels when her “baby” grows so fast and takes these monumental steps in life. And they’d all be true. But for me, those emotions are heightened and feelings of pride extra special because of how hard I know Callan works every single day. Since the day he was born, Callan has been inherently a fighter and the most determined person I know.

Yes, we’ve done a lot of work over the years to get Callan to this point. But the truth is, we’ve simply shown him what he was capable of. At times he needed an extra push or more encouragement. Or to be told he could do hard things. And for all of those – we were happy to oblige. But this triumph is his and his alone. It has to be. He needed to do the big work today. He needed to be ready. And he was. ❤