Here's what it was like at my house this morning --- how about yours?  All 3 of my kiddos were SO EXCITED to go to school.

Emma is entering 2nd grade, Sophie kindergarten and Big Nate is starting pre-school.




The girls were thrilled to start the school year!


The girls, the girls, the girls are easy peasy lemon squeezey!  Sophie's 504 is in place, all of her teachers know what's up and she has an awesome 'GOTTA GO' pass that she can use at anytime.  She is feeling good (update on Soph later this week) and ready for a fantastic year in kinder.


Oh Oh Oh - and then there is my Super Big Boy Nate giving my plenty of grey hair already.  I was terrified to send my sweet boy off to school today.  I slept maybe for an hour last night --- I went over every scenario in my head over and over and over.  I was up emailing the school nurse at midnight and making more laminated lanyard tags to put on his backpack and D Bag.






After we dropped the girls off at school I started getting a bit weepy just thinking about taking Nate to pre-school.  Nate was running on the low side while at school with the girls so we carbo'd him up but when we got to his school his bg was 57.  Holy can't do this Batman!  We gave him some apple sauce but he was so busy playing and pushing us out the door I wasn't sure he was going to eat it all.



The nurse checked in an hour later and he was 71 so they gave him 15g of carbs which is ok but snack was coming and at this point they are not bolusing for snacks.  I sent 30g --- whoa nelly I knew he would be high at pick up.  Oh yea - 370!  Hello Roller Coaster!!  Normally he needs the uncovered snack to cover the tail end of his raging breakfast basal and bolus but today the combination of the 30g he got uncovered before snack and the 30g he got for a snack we ended the day high.  The good news is he had a BLAST.  He got in the car telling me all about playing with his friends, singing songs and playing with train tracks.  And 2 hours later he was back in range. 



Oh yea - Did I mention that he was WIPED OUT after school? 

As for me I had 3 hours by myself for the 1st time in almost 2 years and although it was quiet and somewhat peaceful I could not relax until my little man was home.  He took a 3 hour nap which was nice for the both of us.

So, how did I get here? I have to say it wasn't easy.  If you've read Nate's dx story then you know he was attending a mother's day out program when he was dx.  Since it was just a little church school they were not equipped to care for a 14-month old T1.  Then last year I remember being so sad when the girls went back to school.  I so wanted him to be able to go but again there was just not a mother's day out program that would take him.  Now my little guy is 3 and is able to go to an early childhood school is our (public) school district.  Hello federally funded, 504 accepting, full time nurse having school!!

It's not an easy step to take --- letting these little ones head off to school.  Letting go of the diabetes control is soooooo hard but turning over that care to perfect strangers is even harder.  Trusting that our babies will be safe is almost overwhelming --- there were times today that it literally took my breath away just thinking about Nate being there without me.

I am not the 1st D Mama to send their child off to school.  There have been many others facing this day just like I am today.  They have done - they have kept calm and carried on!!  So must I!!

I am so thankful for the parents that have helped me through this new phase of diabetes and I love that I can look to them for guidance daily.  Not only have these wonderful ladies given me the moral support I needed to get through today but they also helped me prepare for this day by sharing tips on health care plans, Section 504 plans and awesome other must-haves for sending type 1 diabetes to school.  If you too are embarking on this journey and are looking for some help I haven't had a chance to upload our docs to the blog yet but I can tell you that I got a lot of help from Wendy, Lorriane, Hallie, Heidi, Reyna and Tracy. Seriously ---- these women were so helpful in planning out Nate's 504, his care sheets, his EVERYTHING, even lanyard tags for his bag ---- hello Heidi!!   So, thank you to all those that have taken this path before me and shared your knowledge, shared your wisdom and shared your support.  Even if you are not listed about --- you all know who you are ---- Thank you.  Let me say it again and please know I mean it when I write it --- Thank YOU!


And instead of signing off with my normal keep calm and carry on --- let's face it today was more like this . . .



Thanks, Mallory --- LOVE IT and LOVE YOU!