My tightly wound child

So it's been almost two months since we started Sam on his prescription for anxiety.  We had to increase the dose once, but we are starting to see some serious results.  At bedtime, he goes to bed.  And stays there.  He isn't up a dozen times, checking to make sure I'm right nearby.  He hasn't needed me to sit with him until he fell asleep in over a month.

Most nights, he sleeps all night.  However, if he wakes up and has to go to the bathroom, he is still having a difficult time going back to his own bed.  But, he no longer gets me up.  He just crawls into bed next to me.  I don't really mind that.  He is putting himself back to sleep.

Saturday morning, it was probably around 6:00 a.m. when I noticed Sam was in the bathroom.  A moment later, he was by the side of my bed, preparing to crawl in.  But then TJ came in.  TJ hates being alone in his room, and it bothers him when he wakes up and Sam isn't there.  The two of them had a whispered conversation and then Sam turned to me and said, "Mom, I'm going to go back into my room.  TJ needs me."  I was only half awake, but I was really touched by that.  Sam put his concern for his brother over his own anxieties.

The other day, the little boy from the end of the street came over to play.  My boys hadn't known he was coming and they were thrilled to see him.  There was lots of excited chatter in the hallway when he came in.  Sam greeted him cheerfully, but the commotion was just too much for him.  I looked out the front window a minute later and saw Sam quietly playing a game in the driveway.  So, he still isn't the most social kid on the planet, but he is learning how to cope without taking away from other people's fun.

Sam starts first grade next week.  I hope and pray that he is able to make friends and fit in.