school and sports...

Last week I was able to meet with the teachers at school for conferences and it seems like the kids are all doing really well at their new school.  They've made friends and they are good students, according to their teachers.
As I was talking with Josh's teacher I realized that he is the luckiest boy to have been placed in that class.  His teacher told me about several of the activities they do daily that really help the children with their fine motor skills.  Last year, I took Josh to an Occupational Therapist because he was falling behind with his poor fine motor skills.  Writing with a pencil was such a chore.  This year, I have seen vast improvement over the course of about a month!  The activities his teacher has the children doing are the exact activities OT did with him.   I told her she may as well have been a trained OT, but she just has so much experience she knows what these little guys need.  He is doing so well and it's all thanks to his amazing teacher.  The areas I really worried about last year don't worry me anymore.  I can see that if we keep doing our part at home, he's going to do just fine this year.
Another concern I've had is more on the social side of school.  I have really worried Josh would get bullied since he's significantly smaller than the others.  I volunteer in the library, I've been to the cafeteria for lunch and recess & we wait for 45 minutes on the playground each day for Abby to get out of school, so I've been able to do a lot of observing.  The first observation I've made is that Josh is always drawn to the athletic boys on the playground & they just so happen to be the biggest boys too.  Josh can really hold his own as he's a great little athlete and no one cares that he's small because he's good.  He really fits right in.
Last week I saw two older boys getting into it after school and Josh defended the kid who needed it.   I was proud of him on a number of levels.  When I asked him what was going on over there he said, "Mom, that boy needed help.", it was that simple.  I don't worry as much about him being bullied after watching him at school because he can handle himself pretty well as far as I've seen.
It also helps knowing that he's got good friends who have his back.  One of his buddies goes to church with us & it's been great for Josh to have him as a friend.  They will be playing basketball together through the Boys and Girls Club in the coming months which will be fun to watch! I just can't wait to see him in the uniform, ha!!
I'll most definitely post lots of pictures!  It'll be his first organized sport, something he's dreamed of since he was big enough to throw a ball.  He's spent countless hours watching Abby play soccer and Callie do gymnastics, finally it's his turn! :)