And it has paid off!! For the last 2 weeks or so, Ben has done WONDERFULLY! He loves "the kids" as he calls them, and has a special affection for his teacher, Miss Pam. The school sends home daily reports (we can pick them up in batches periodically) tracking such wonders as diaper changes, eating and nap habits, and overall achievements. The first few of these were very uneventful, but we finally received the one we were waiting for!
Here is Ben's first really positive day! It's hard to read, but the first comment is "Much better day!" which made us so happy. The teachers included a photo of him doing an art project, and we've seen quite a bit of subsequent drawing and painting since this day...
A closeup of the photo... (Note that Blue Ted, Ben's teddy bear, is right next to him. Blue Ted accompanies Ben to school everyday, which I'm hoping will eventually stop.)