Kindergarten*

Our poor, sweet Ryeland.

When he was a baby (and up until about 3), when something was overly stimulating or exciting, or all attention was on him - he would kind of get the 'shakes'. He eventually grew out of this...but definitely is a child that has higher anxiety and craves stability and routine still.

He was excited to begin Kindergarten on Wednesday, but the night before, he broke out in tears when Boyd was trying to help him do a worksheet he needed to have completed...

We calmed him down, played a Waldo game to take his mind off of things, watched cartoons, took a bath, read some books and tucked him in... he seemed fine...

An hour or so later we heard screams and crying coming from his room... we rushed up to discover he had broken out in hives all over his stomach and back. Also, his heart was racing and he was clenching and convulsing from anxiety plus the actual pain of the intense itching all over his body. I had never seen him like this...it was heartbreaking. Boyd rushed to the store to get Cortizone Cream and Children's Benydryl... I laid in our bed with him, watching his body convulse, I couldn't touch him without causing him pain...it was hard knowing that as a parent, there was nothing I could do but pray that God would give him solace, and comfort. We medicated him and he eventually fell to sleep...(but still tossed and turned the whole night).

In the morning he was all smiles for his first day of school, and we felt good about leaving him there. When he came home to his mom, she said that he reported that it was 'boring' and that he didn't want to go back. She also let Boyd know that last night, AGAIN, he had a rough night and broke out in hives. :(

I know that each day will get better and he will grow to love school...I just hope it happens fast... I'm sure he won't remember any of this... but we sure will.