What a crazy week.  We missed going to summer school so we asked mom to play our summer school songs during our stroller bike rides and it was a blast.

Mom wasn't feeling better until Thursday so we had to postpone Storyland/Playland until Thursday.  We had a couple of cool park days.  Nixi tried to play tag with some big kids but they kept climbing up a rock wall so she could never tag them.  What goobers!  We went to Petco and got supplies for the guinea pigs.  Nixi had a nuclear meltdown at the store, screaming and hitting mom.  It was pretty upsetting but we managed to power through the day.  The change in routine with no summer school was a little rough for her.  She struggled all week but ended on a high note without any meltdown's on Sunday!

On Thursday mom was feeling good enough to go to Storyland/Playland and we were excited!  It was pretty fun.  Nixi was hesitant to go down the slides in the Storyland houses so we kind of figured the rides would be out for her at Playland.  We both quickly began replaying our last visit to the parks, demanding that we see the houses in the same sequence and Nixi even replaying dialogue from last time verbatim.  It was pretty clear to mom and dad that while we may have been really excited, we were also feeling anxious.  When we're anxious we need everything to be exactly the same so that its predictable and safe.  When we were ready to take the train to Playland we were told the train wasn't running and wouldn't be for at least a week.  The train was the only thing Nixi really wanted to do, we both really needed to do it because that's what we did last time.  Needless to say, it threw us for a loop.  So, we walked over to Playland and it was obvious once we got in the park that it was going be a very different visit than last time.  Nixi immediately started going down the list of all of the rides that she wasn't going to go on.  I was disoriented because the walk-in entrance is on the opposite side of the train entrance so I struggled to find my bearings.  We tried going on the ladybug ride together and Nixi lost it...so she was out for the rest of the day.  She played in the water fountains and hung with dad and mom took me on the rides.  I went out of order from last time and that upset me, I was too afraid to go on the roller coaster and the tilt a whirl, I didn't get to ride on the horse that I wanted to on the merry-go-round.  There were tears, a little bit of yelling, but overall I kept it together enough to eek out a decent time and a few fun rides.  Mom cut the visit short and we were off to McDonald's and home.  McDonald's ended up being more fun than anything else because it had the coolest play structure ever and Nixi loved the pop music they were playing, dancing her tail off.  All in all, it was ok and we had as much fun as we could have for the way the day unfolded.  So, another success.

Friday dad came home early and mom went to meet with Teacher Jenn and the school district special services lady to talk about where I'll be going to school this Thursday.  The meeting went pretty much as mom expected...not a lot accomplished, tears shed, a little anger, and some more tears.  I heard her telling dad something about it feeling degrading, as usual, to cry in a room with people she has no desire to be vulnerable around and who ultimately don't have the resources to help.  So, her and dad decided to just bite the bullet and start getting me prepared to go to a new school.  Mission Valley it is.  Mom has been talking about my new teacher and my new school and she's acting super jazzed about it...at this point I'm being cautiously reserved.  Mom could tell I was a little upset about a new teacher so she told me her name then we played the name game we play whenever Nix and I are nervous about seeing someone.  Her name is Mrs. Pagee (Paa-gee).  So, mom talked to me about the new school and then quizzed me on my teacher's name.  I couldn't remember so she started with "Mrs...", which I repeated and then she said "Obbeewoobee doobee?!"  I thought that was hysterical!!!  So for then next few minutes we made up different silly names and I thought that was great.  When we were done being silly mom helped me with her name and I went to bed with a smile on my face.  I think this year is going to be scary, different, and above all, ok.  Mom says we're just going to make this school what we need it to be, and I think we will.  Heather will go with me on my first two days to make sure all of the supports are put in place and being used correctly then I'm just going to have be brave and figure it out.  Mom says I'm going to spread my wings and fly...I think she may just be right.

So that's the big excitement around here.  Make sure to check back next week to see how my first days in kindergarten went and to see how Nix copes with the change of me not being here for 6 hours a day.

xoxo
Safi

The one, and only, slide Nix enjoyed at Storyland...


Nixi being super supportive of me on my solo ladybug ride.  Thanks, little sis!  Make sure you have your volume up!