A new day

This morning, Lloyd was running late getting out of work and I was already at work with the kiddos waiting to do the old switch-a-roo (my work is the halfway point between our hosue and Lloyd's work so we meet there and exchange cars and hand off the kids) and rather than making the kids sit in the car for a half an hour, I brought them inside with me. I was a bit hesitant because Gavin tends to have a sensory freak out in my workplace and I'm not really a fan of being fired. I work in a pediatric environment so there is a waterfall, giant fake wild animals all over the place, brightly colored kites and stuffed bears hanging from the ceiling, and toys galore in a huge open space and this all tends to send my boy into a tizzy. I wasn't keen on sitting in the car with them for a half an hour and I'm a big 'ol geek who doesn't like to be late for anything so I went against my better judgment and brought the monsters inside with me.

I prepared myself for the worst and I figured if things got bad I could walk away from him and act like I didn't know him. Maybe if I was lucky the nurses would think he was a patient and sedate him and then Lloyd could have a good day. We went inside and much to my surprise, he held my hand, thoroughly enjoyed his ride on the elevator, entered the cafeteria (a place that usually sent him into freak-out mode), waited for me to get some milk, sat in a chair, drank his milk, smiled and flirted with all my coworkers, got up when it was time to go, walked past all the toys still holding my hand, and exited the building to meet his daddy.

WHAT?????? WHAT??????? It was EASY!!!!!!! This trip inside my workplace was totally new and unplanned and we went through I don't know how many transitions that included bright lights, strange people, and more lights, colors and sounds than Disney World and he was fine. He didn't scream. He didn't cry. He didn't try to escape. He listened to me. Listened to me. L. I. S. T. E. N. E. D. to me. Is there something in the Bible about this? Is the end of the world near? What gives? I was shocked. Nothing with Gavin has ever been this easy. Lloyd and I always stare longingly at the people who could take their kids into the mall or grocery store for 5 minutes without a meltdown and here I was hanging out with my own kid outside of my home for a good 30 minutes without any tears. It was like being in an alternate universe. I was one of those mothers I have envied for two and a half years. I was one of those mothers who could take her child somewhere!!!!!

Later on, Lloyd took Gavin to therapy and his physical therapist informed him Gavin had already met all of his goals and she would only be seeing him once a week from now on. His goals? He met all my goals. World, I think I may be able to live again.

Gavinator
Mommyhood