Where did April go? Seriously? Our month began with Riley undergoing a minor surgery to correct an umbilical hernia and now it's the second week of May. I kinda can't remember April . . . have to look back at my calendar to see what we actually did. Wow. April held a couple birthdays and Easter, multiple doctor appointments, standardized testing and my mother spent 2 1/2 weeks in Florida so I worked more for our friend than usual to cover some of what she does in addition to what I do. Oh - and I saw a chiropractor 3 times a week to help with pain and correct damage to my neck that I don't even like to think about. April 2012 = Blur.
Actually life in general is starting to feel like a blur so I have started to make some strategical cuts to my commitments. I am saying goodbye to MOPS because even though I technically have one more year of being a Mother to a Preschooler, he'll be in pre-K 3-5 days per week and let's face it - I don't really live in baby/toddler/preschool world anymore. My experiment on the PTA board hasn't quite been a disaster, but it also wasn't a picnic either. My job wasn't that demanding per se, but the time commitment was too much for me and at the end of the day I admit to just not caring that much. Now - if I had a chance to vote on decisions made by the actual board of education - well, I might make it to every meeting instead of only two. Anyway - lesson learned - I better have lots of things that I am really concerned about in an area before I commit myself to being involved in the organization or coordinating aspects of it or the ball is gonna drop. I have a couple more things that can go by the way side as well, but they are wrapping up for the year and I don't have to make any commitments (read as Heather gets to postpone making a decision) until the fall. The summer is going to be busy, but hopefully not quite as crazy as the last few months.
Alright - on to the important stuff - what's going on with the kiddos?
As I mentioned, Riley had surgery and then there was an infection. However, the infection was internal and nothing we could have prevented and it led to his belly button being HUGE and red and he had to take almost 2 weeks of the nastiest kid medicine I have ever seen. We worked out a system involving pep talk, gulping, breathing (huffing similar to lamaze breathing to prevent gagging and puking), sip of milk, bite of chocolate and repeat. He was a trooper through everything and now just has a cute button 'outie' belly button which I have been assured will go back in eventually, to Tyler's relief, but not until he grows a bit since he's so tiny. The silly juice before surgery was fun, his recovery was fairly easy despite having to stay fairly inactive for two weeks and we are glad the episode is over.
In the midst of Riley's recovery, Scooter had a nasty bout of Strep Throat. I have never had a little kid complain of a headache before, which is how he woke up that day, so I kinda blew it off and sent him to school anyway - cuz he wouldn't take anything for it. I felt bad when it turned out the headache had lasted all day long and then just as I picked him up he started running a fever and I saw some serious red back there. Serious mommy guilt ensued, but I have never had strep myself and didn't know it could start that way. Since Scooter was not interested in the gulp/breathe/milk/chocolate method of getting medicine down he chose to get a shot of penicillin and knock the infection out. Despite his choice he was really stressed out when he couldn't see what the nurse was doing and kept telling us 'I have to see!' So the nurse talked him through each little step and he watched it and there were barely any tears. Oh and since I can't get him to take any medicine other than Benadryl, I finally found a solution for fever reducers - a suppository. Scott thought I was awful for even thinking it, but at first I did it while he slept and he never knew the difference. Eventually, I had to do some while he was awake, but he actually didn't mind since the alternative was taking a medicine by mouth that he didn't like. I'm thinking of trying to teach him to swallow pills via tic tacs and mini m&ms this summer so we can avoid dosing fights in the future.
Thankfully, Tyler wasn't sick in April, but as I mentioned I started having to deal with some body issues I have as well. I am really grateful to my new chiropractor since I am sleeping much more comfortably than I have in a long time. I still have a ways to go, but in general I feel better. Or I did - until I went to Six Flags with the Sixth Graders last Friday and undid a bunch of the work. My neck is still recovering! The Doc adjusted Scooter one afternoon when he was feeling bad as well (allergy/fever stuff) and I was surprised he let it happen. Tyler is asking for an adjustment since he's had one before and I know that Riley could use a couple thanks to all those falls of his as a toddler. Even Scott is asking about finding someone closer to home for himself since he has a pinched nerve or something after helping some friends move furniture. The kids like being there when they go, or maybe it's just that they like to laugh at me while I do my exercises.
Tyler is wrapping up 6th grade - evidently there isn't a whole lot of actual work for the kids to do after their STAARS (previously TEKS) tests are over with. Field Trips and altered schedules seem to be the norm right now. He was pretty excited to find out that each subject is feeding into a robotics unit right now. They are designing and programming robotic lego units with wheels. Ummmmm - do any of you know Tyler? Yeah - he's LOVING it! He said his friend J had known all the answers during their genetics unit in science, but 'Now it's MY turn!' He said the hardest part is letting other people on his team do some of the building. Right - future engineer. He's really ready to be done with the year and he said 'done with elementary school and on to the next thing, even though I know I'll be ready to be done with that pretty fast too'. Yesterday the orchestra went to Sandy Lake for concert competition and got 1st Division ratings. He got to go to the opera last week as well and loved it, even to the point of telling a friend how disappointed he was that this guy purposely disregarded the request to wear nice clothes and wore shorts because it was disrespectful. Tyler was also baptized a couple weeks ago, witnessed by a whole lotta family who loves him. I was very proud of him, but was also so happy to see how filled with Joy he was while he was fulfilling this first commandment of Christ to his followers! He asked me just beforehand - 'What's the next commandment?' Man I love this kid! He's growing up to be such a sweet young man.
Scooter is getting tired. Poor guy - every day I have to tell him how many days are left in the school year so I can get him out the door. They are doing a lot of end of year assessments as well, even though they aren't the state standardized tests. I think he's just getting worn out. He doesn't react to the stress too badly, but he decompresses at home, resulting in a little backtrack on the sensory issues. He is still going into school on his own every day, but now he has added a little extra hug before he leaves me. When I got news of his recent evaluation, they mentioned that his teacher had told him to know that 'Mom' would be fine when he was gone so evidently there was some worry about what I would do without him during the days. So I think the hug is more for my benefit than his, at least in his mind. I will write more later on the evaluation, but the short of it is that Scooter functions really well in a structured environment and absolutely loves rules. Ha! That's why he is the only Kindergartener in the school left that still hasn't moved off of green this year with only 16 days to go. Frankly, sometimes I think he could do with a Yellow day, but oh well. They are leaving him in mainstream as he is excelling academically, but they are also leaving the Autistic tag on as well with the understanding that it's a very minor, but definite indication. The label enables Scooter to get help where he needs it though, which is socially of course. It also gives us the ability to give him special accommodations when he needs them, like where he struggles with transitions. Again, more later on that as my ARD meeting with the school is next week. I will be chaperoning the trip to the zoo with Scooter next week as well and after the rigors of Six Flags (my husband told me I'm NOT 18 anymore and I probably can't do everything I want to), I am looking forward to the relative ease of walking the zoo with 3 or 4 six year olds.
Riley was assessed recently as well to make sure he's put in the right place next year. He's a little smarty pants with definite strengths in math and logic. Very definite strengths. I had suspected this, but upon confirmation by an impartial source my first thought was 'Lord help me, Another one!' He's different than Tyler and doesn't necessarily want to sit still for as long as Tyler did at that age, but a lot of their gifts are in the same place (Mom mentioned that Tyler was an only child then and got lots more one on one time from multiple adults who sat with him patiently and that might be the difference! LOL). Scooter is so much more visual and creative in a completely different way - it's kind of funny how their personalities work out. Anyway, Riley couldn't write any letters or spell his name when he started at the school, but I have been told he's very clever and a problem solver. Now he's writing about half his letters decently, if not perfectly, and on almost everything else he caught up with the kids that are all starting K-5 next year and in only 20 class days versus a year. Not bad Riley Bear! Speaking of problem solving . . . a discussion overheard in our house this week:
Me - Riley, why do you keep putting your foot in your mouth? That's icky - and really how are you doing that? Babies do that, but they don't walk on their feet? (Thought crosses my mind that he's really flexible and I should look into gymnastics again)
R - Weeeellll, my foot itches.
Me - Then scratch it - but why are you putting your foot in your mouth? Stop it!
R - It's Becuuuuuzzz my foot is itchy and I have to scratch it.
Me - Well use your hand, your fingernails are really good scratchers.
R - They aren't as good as my tooth is.
Picture him with foot in front of face, scratching the bottom of his foot against his bottom teeth. It gives new meaning to the phrase 'Do you kiss your mother with that mouth?' Don't worry - excessive cleansing happens between the two since this momma has a history of 'issues' with things like slobber, backwash and feet. He's so silly. He didn't like the assessments and had a strong stubborn streak along the lines of 'I know this, you know I know this, I know YOU know this so why the heck are we doing this?' which is quite reminiscent of his Uncle Matthew (for whom he is aptly named). He also recently told me 'Momma, when God made me, God made me REALLY bouncy!' said while bouncing down the hallway from one room to another which he does frequently for the fun of it.
I have a LOT of Star Wars going on in this house so forgive this reference if you don't get it. In the original movie - Episode IV A New Hope (By far the best of the best of these flix, always my favorite even before I had children) - there is a scene where R2D2 (small, cute droid) is playing a virtual chess type game against Chewbacca (large, furry wookie). C3P0 (another droid, this one very verbose) warns R2 to be careful with a move and then Chewie's buddy Han Solo (humanoid) warns the droids that they might not want to actually beat the wookie in the game. When C3P0 wonders why no one worries about beating droids at games Han replies that it's because droids won't tear out your arms, etc. when they lose and wookies will. So C3P0 turns to his little droid buddy and says 'I suggest a new strategy R2: Let the Wookie Win.' in this very droll voice.
I can't get this out of my head lately. I see a Wookie as something large and untame, your enemy if you work against it and your loyal companion if it's on your side. It can be lovable and sweet in a big furry, smelly, slightly dangerous kind of way. My Wookie is time. I know that I can manage it, organize it, outwit it and certainly beat it into submission for a little bit when I have to, but it also has the power to yank out my arms and beat me over the head with them if it doesn't like what I've done with it. So I've decided to adopt a new strategy for the time being (at least until school is out in 15 1/2 days), let the Wookie win. I can't fit it all in, I can't even come close and in the meantime if I try I am going to miss priceless gems like kids eating feet and the joy of watching them finally 'get' how to swim across a 4 foot hot tub by themselves. I'm trying to let a bunch of stuff go and just enjoy the minutes I've got.
Speaking of which - I'm out of them. I've been squeezing this post into 5 minute segments in between breakfasts and lunches and back packs and school drop offs and now I am running late for my adjustment and I need gas and I am meeting dad at home depot to buy lumber and build new shelves for a closet (details and pics coming soon)! I'm off to let my Wookie win. What's your Wookie?
Love, H
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