August isn't usually a time when you think about having to say goodbye to a fabulous teacher, is it? But for Connor, August 2007 is the time when he'll say goodbye to his incredible preschool special education teacher, Suzi.

Tomorrow will be our last session with Miss Suzi, ever. And while Connor probably won't miss a beat in this transition, I sure will. I'm not sure what I could type here in this little ol' blog, to convey to the universe just how amazing Suzi is. How at her very first meeting with Connor, she just got right down on the floor and pretended to be a dog just like he was doing, and won his heart immediately. How she finds really interesting ways to keep him "in the game" when Connor feels an urge to get up and run about the house. Or how she immediately recognized Connor's signs of sensory integration disorder.. and set a course to address it.

Additionally troubling, is that Connor's speech therapist, who has been with us since May 2006, and had to take a few months off over the summer, may not return as Connor's speech therapist. When Carrie started with Connor, he barely said mama and dada. We learned signs.. we addressed oral motor issues aggressively.. and now my boy can say "I love you mama". In fact yesterday when Suzi arrived, Connor excitedly yelled "Suzi! Come see my new video game!"

Making this/these goodbyes more difficult, is having to deal with the Syracuse City School District's CPSE (committee on preschool special education) all by myself. Now that Connor is three, we no longer receive the luxury of having an early education coordinator (who did her best to show me the ropes in preparation for this "transition") And let me just say one thing about the city's CPSE.. they stink - They're rude - They're terribly disorganized - But its all probably because they're also under-funded. I'll refrain from ranting about the city, the school district, rising taxes, and suffering education system.

Anyway.. We say goodbye to a special education teacher and possibly a speech therapist. Then do our best to welcome a new speech therapist, and add several days a week for an occupational therapist we have yet to meet. I'm pretty bad with transitions myself - maybe its where Connor gets it from.

So I wanted to knit something for Suzi. I had all this time planned to knit her something lacy and scarf like for Christmas this year, as she is always fawning over my knitting basket when shes here.. especially my clapotis. But that was before I found out she was finished in August. Being short on time, but wanting to make something I knew she would use.. I chose Fetching. I finished one last night (ok, it still needs the thumb, whats that? 20 minutes of knitting?) And I'll start the second this afternoon, then have them wrapped and ready for our last session tomorrow.

Knitty's Fetching fingerless mitts, using Cashmere Luxury Aran (45% Merino 49% Microfiber 6% Cashmere) This is the last two balls of this yarn I have in my stash, having bought tons of it when AC Moore had in on clearance. I've used nearly all of it on Fetching mitts, or Panta headbands.

If it turns out that Carrie will not be returning as Connor's speech therapist this fall, I'll be making another pair to mail off to her.

Tomorrow, after Suzi's gift is completed.. I plan to attack the spinning wheel. The summer has crept on by, and I've barely touched my wheel. Summer isn't usually prime spinning time for me, but I have some special wool/alpaca that needs spinning soon, so that it can be knit into something wonderful for the guild's holiday gift swap. Tick Tock Tick Tock!

Around a year ago on this day..

• Katrina - 2005

Posted in family, friends, knitting, spinning

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