As many of you know I have returned to work for now. We have to do what we have to in order to make ends meet right?
Well with this we've had major changes.....
Last Friday I had off so we did our test pilot and put the kiddo on the bus for the very first time ever. If you follow my page at all you'll know it was a blazing success!! For those of you who don't, despite all the anxiety on everyone's part, we prepped and planned very well. He came off the bus grinning ear to eat and saying that it was fun!
The bus he rides on is a special designation bus. It only has special needs kiddos from his school. That's it. No mixed population. So we thankfully get to avoid all the bs that goes with bullies. Since he lives on the other side of town and the school he attends isn't his home school (the same is true for the others on the bus) we also lose any weird stigma. These kids simply live elsewhere.
So I get off work at 4 now. I think this bus thing could work since his official drop off time is 4:14 pm. Even if he beats me home it won't be by more than 5 minutes. So begins our next round of prep. Getting him in the door without panicking if I'm not here.
Before you get all sweaty and upset with me, know that he can definitely handle it. He manages just fine when I'm sleeping till noon on lazy Saturdays. He is actually really excited over the prospect of being here by himself and proving some responsibility. He can manage the door locks and playing a game or watching TV till I get home. Even if he has the munchies he can also get himself a snack. He wants to prove he can stay home alone while I go to the store. The jury might stay out on that one for a long while but we'll see.
It's all good.
So I've been working with him on unlocking the door and what he needs to do when he gets home. His BSC has made some cards at my request to walk him through what to do if he beats me home. He's getting a key. His teachers, BSC, and Grandma are all on board and ready to test this out this week (Grandma will be meeting him here at home this first week, helping to walk him through what to do, while I time myself home).
Sunday night, plan in place, start date in T+2 days and it hit me.
I have no house phone.
What if he needs to call? What if he can't get in? What if he just needs a mommy eta time check?
Fudge.
Insert two frantic days of 'now what?!?!' here.
I've never had a house phone so I don't even know if these lines are any good. But I investigate anyway. $10 phone services exist right?
Wrong...
Upon closer inspection they aren't really $10 and some even interfere with home security systems. Well that doesn't help. I'd need a real, traditional phone line put in.
Mobile phone? I do have access to a new phone from a friend. Perfect.
And.... Holy crap are the plans expensive. Even the prepaid!! I can't add him to my line very easily because I have the ancient nonexistent plan from Verizon that gives me unlimited data that I will never give up. (Over my dead body!) I am still unclear on if it could be added to the iPad, also Verizon... Still investigating.
All this stuff takes too much time!! I need something ASAP!!
So I start looking at apps. Google voice (which I currently use for voice mail), Talkaphone, Skype...
None will work because they won't let me call myself. Ugh!!!! I went to bed very frustrated last night. So I sent out a call for help.
I got a lot of suggestions. I got some offers of free phones. Nothing that would really quite work. And some I just couldn't implement fast enough. (Phone offers are on standby....)
Then a dear friend (you may know him from Blogging Lily) clued my blonde self in to a brilliant idea.
Use a separate Skype account.
GENIUS!!!
Who doesn't have several email addresses sitting around collecting dust? I sure do!
So I set one up for him (I already had one). I gave it a password the kiddo would remember. I logged it in on my laptop. Shazam!!!! It worked! We did a test call to the account I already have and the kiddo nearly came out of his skin with excitement!
Hmm... Will it go on the iPad? .... I look... Holy crap on toast it will!! So I set it up there. Once again the kiddo's skin peeled off in his excitement.
Wait! The phone! My old phone travels to school with him and he gets it for rewards to make videos or whatever. It basically runs like the iPad so it's usable. Internet over Wi-Fi.... I log it on... It works!!! I think he might have passed out.... ;)
I think we are covered for now.
He's growing up so fast on me.... Please pray for my sanity this week. :D
