Thursday, February 25, 2010

Best Friend

Ella goes to public preschool now, which it dawned on me that I never updated on my blog how things at her school changed after the first week..... I was NOT impressed at all Ella's first week of school. I was not impressed with her teacher nor the aides in her class. When I asked how she was doing in class I was told "she's cute," and then they walked away. Great. My child, who in case they didn't notice doesn't really talk, is not going to fill me in on how the day went. I was just so upset (there were several more incidents) and was racking my brain on how I could pull her out and pay to put her in another school. Anyhow I requested we switch classes, praying that it would be at least a little bit better, and to my amazement it ended up being the perfect place for Ella to be. Her teacher is wonderful and her aide is incredible, she is the perfect combination of loving and having the ability to push Ella and best of all does not cave to Ella's stubbornness : )
Anyhow Ella's class is full of "typical" kids. Ella is half their size and obviously doesn't communicate anywhere near their capabilities. In the beginning I was so worried about Ella being treated like a baby or simply being ignored. However in the past couple of months something quite amazing has happened..... Ella has a best friend.

By all of the teacher's accounts these two seek each other out all day long and actually play together. At the end of class they have a closing circle time, and they receive stickers before they are dismissed. Well Ella and this little girl have to compare stickers, then they hold hands and the girl walks Ella out to her locker and gives her a hug. Seriously, it's all I can do to not tear up everyday. I have heard lots of stories about these two, one of my favorites is this one.... the class was out on the playground one day, Ella and this girl were playing together and hand in hand climbed to the top of the twisty slide. The little girl says lets go down the slide, Ella says "no." (she is afraid of big slides because her trunk is so weak and it is hard for her to hold herself upright while going down the slide.) The little girl tells Ella, it's okay I'll go down with you, Ella says no. So the little girl gets off the slide, holds Ella's hand and walks her back down to the ground and they go off and play something else. What 4 year old would do that???
The mom to this little girl told Ella's teachers that she told her mom "Ella is my very best friend." **tears again** The mom told her teachers how glad she was that Ella was in her daughters class. We then received a card in Ella's locker, an invitation to come and play at her house.

The teacher also told me that Ella and the girl were playing a game at the table. Ella patted her on the arm and said "I like you," to which the girl turned to her and said " I like you too Ella." Um, I could just die from shock. For Ella to put 3 words together and for the teacher and a 4 year old to be able to clearly understand her is just so amazing to me!!!

I really can't put into words how this all feels to me. I remember when Ella was very little and we still lived in our apartment I was sitting out on the patio watching two little girls jumping rope and talking and giggling with each other. I got so sad. Will Ella ever have that? Will she ever be that giggly little girl who has a true girlfriend? It hurt to think this may never happen for her. Now here we are in her first class with "typical" kids and she already has a friend, a real friend. I happen to think that this other little girl is quite special, I mean think about it, at the age of 4 she is befriending a little girl who is much smaller than her and doesn't really talk, yet she treats her like a peer, she doesn't baby her but realizes that Ella does need help with somethings. This friendship just makes me feel so.....I don't know.....just knowing that there are kids out there who will befriend my daughter just really warms my heart.

So, the last day of school before Valentine's Day Ella's class had a teddy bear tea party. The kids were to wear their favorite party clothes and bring a stuffed animal to school. Ella wore her tutu and a little crown. Well as we were walking into school her little friend ran up to us and said that she brought Ella a hat to wear like hers so they could match. Yeah, you guessed it, tears again. I was able to catch a few pics (they aren't the best) between dropping her off and picking her up, so here they are, Ella and her best friend : )

Ella before school.


Helping push Ella up to the table.

23 comments:

Becca said...

Oh my goodness, Kacey, I'm tearing up, too. This is so wonderful!!! I just want to go hug both girls (well, especially Miss Ella, for being so stinking cute and for putting those three amazing words together!!!). Funny, I just posted about Sammi's little friend in school this week, too. The future is bright. :-)

Michelle Z said...

Wow! Count me in for tearing up, too - oh my gosh, so cute!!

Aunt Tami said...

That is so precious!!!! How sweet!!! Love her little tu tu also!!! She is tu tu cute just like her shirt says!!

amy jupin said...

oops. there they are. those darn happy tears.

ella is doing so great. you must be so proud of her!

ds.mama said...

That is so heartwarming to hear. They look so sweet together.

Tara said...

How wonderful! They are so cute together and I teared up reading of their sweet friendship, too!

Violette's Mom said...

This happy little post made my day! And I love love love the pictures!

Jessica said...

Thank you so much for sharing that. It really warmed my heart too, and the timing couldn't have been better for me. I needed that warm fuzzy hopefull feeling today.

Cammie Heflin said...

Tearing up here too!

Cheryl said...

That is so good!!!!!!
Cute pictures,I love that second one and the one's where Ella is with her friend Ella has such a sweet look on her face :)

Jennifer said...

KC, I can only imagine how that makes you feel! It makes me so sad that Vannah is not her BFF. They would have been amazing together. Love you!

kecia said...

The dreams and thoughts behind this post could have been written by me...I just hope this happens for Bree too and reading this made me cry and have hope that it will! How amazing and how cute!!Bree just finished her first week at preschool with "typical" kids and so far I think it is going good but it is SOOO hard not to really know what goes on...I totally agree with you on how hard it is not to be able to ask her what she did and find out what she liked or didn't like. I think I am going to try to ask the teachers each day what a few things they did are so that I can talk to BRee about them.I am SOO glad you posted this...it really made me have hope for this for Bree. One little girl in her class has already befriended her a little...I am told but I hope it can develop into this magical friendship and that invitaion to play...just what we want for out little ones! I love the first two pics! They are total Bree poses and faces!

Runningmama said...

Thank you so much for this post...it is so encouraging to me. My Emily is only 9 months and I am always wondering how things will go when she gets to the age of making friendships. Both Ella and her best friend are amazing little girls!

kelli@ http://livinglifewithes.blogspot.com

Tina said...

There really is hope for all our kids was what I was thinking while reading your post...I was all teary myself, I guess when you think of it as moms we are all in the same boat with the same worries and fears. Thanks for sharing such a heartwarming, beautiful story.
I just love love the pictures, Ella looks so secure and happy with her friend, and her friend too looks like she has such a kind soul. They are so cute together.

Mommy to those Special Ks said...

Such a GREAT story and SO cute are those pictures!!!!! I LOVE them!!!!

Anne and Whitney: Up, Down and All Around said...

oh my gosh, i love it! i am so happy ella has such a sweet best friend - the pictures are adorable!!! thanks for telling us all about ella's "best friend"!!!

オテモヤン said...
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Kelli said...

This post just completely warmed my heart.
I am encouraged and hopeful for colins future.
Thank you for sharing such an amazing story
of love and friendship...

Sari said...

Oh what a beautiful princess you do have! I am a first time visitor after finding you on Ds Mama's blog and I am so happy that I did. You have a beautiful family :)

Cindy said...

This is my first time on your blog. I loved your story! We had a similar story with our daughter' unhappy with her placement in preschool, then finding a 'best friend'. Our daughter Beth is now 25 and doesn't see Miranda as often as we'd like. They still greet each other with a big hug like they've never been apart!

Your pictures are wonderful! And Ella is so beautiful!

Debbie said...

Oh my goodness! I cried reading thru the whole thing.....how very precious!!!

My JEB is the same....I always wonder how kids are with him and when I went to his school for Special Olympics, I got to see others with him at breakfast and thruout the day. They treat him like normal and that makes me feel good.

Sally Bartlett said...

Loved that story and those photos are adorable!!!! Thank you for sharing them!

Also thought you'd enjoy the following blog: www.princesshairstyles.com. You always do amazing things with Ella's hair, and this blog has out-of-this world styles! :) Really wish I could get my 8-year-old to sit still for me to try some (not to mention wish she'd leave the sytle in!). :)

Tiffany said...

Oh, Kasey! I'm so happy for you and for Ella. I KNOW how good this feels. I still get teary and Olivia is 9...it never loses that magic when something happens that you only dreamed about!!