Summer Break Catch Up

Well, it's Memorial Day and I'm sitting here by the pool while the kids are splashing around.

That probably sounds really nice and relaxing, but the truth is that the pool is a little $15 thing we bought at Walmart and I'm sitting in a garage sale lawn chair and sweating like a pig who's just realized it's about to get stuck on a spit and roasted.

Ewwwww.... that's not a very good visual, is it?

Anyway, Nandi and Noah are out playing in the pool while Eli - who is currently shunning anything that involves being outside in 98 degree temperature (no doubt about it, he's my son) - is inside driving Sim crazy.

And I'm sitting here watching three ducks giving my kids the stink eye because they think that anything involving water is their territory.

It kind of amuses me that there's a huge 'ol lake right across the street and I end up having to shoo ducks away from our plastic swimming pool every evening.

Well, the purpose of this post is to play a bit of catch-up. I honestly don't know where the time is going. I end up spending just a tiny fraction of my day on the computer, yet I still can't manage to get anything done. How on earth did I ever accomplish anything when I was on the computer all day?. Father Time is disappearing before my eyes.

So, anyway, here's a little update on the fam:

1. Eli is officially a 1st grader! My gosh, he actually made it. I'm so proud of him. It was a very, very difficult year - probably the most difficult year - emotionally - that we've ever been through (and that includes the years we had an autism diagnosis and a RAD diagnosis - so you know it must've been tough). The school continued to have to pull Eli out of the van each morning at least a couple of times a week. Homework was hell. Sorry, can't pretty that up and make it sound any better than that. It was hell. But he made it.

And you know what he did when we drove away from school on Friday afternoon? He cried because he was going to miss it so much. I had no choice but to laugh at the absurdity of it all.

Anyway, he made one good friend, participated in the talent show(!!! He told dinosaur jokes) and he's learning to read. So it's good. We'll see what the summer brings, but right now, I do have plans to put him in 1st grade next year. (I'll tell that story and the reasons behind it later). Which brings me to...

2. Nandi! She's officially a kindergartner now. She is doing soooo good. She was voted Most Improved girl of her class and she can't wait to start school. Life can be tough with Nandi, but she has a real thirst for learning and it's exciting to see that. She would "play school" with me all day and everyday if I would let her.

Nandi's been having some spacing out issues and her doctor thinks she's having seizures. Her first EEG didn't show anything, so they sedated her and ran another one last week. Basically they got her good and drunk and saw a side they'd never seen before. (hee hee). Boy, was she ticked. She refused to go to sleep and got really violent. Finally, after 1 1/2 hours (!!), she crashed and they were able to run the test. They found a spot that they couldn't figure out, so she's going back for another one on Thursday.

That'll be Thursday at 7:30 in the morning. So remember us please. I swore last week that I'd never do it again, but whadya do? Praying everything comes back normal. I know nothing about seizures. It's a language I don't speak, and I think we already speak too many languages, you know?

3. Noah's doing good. He's glad the hot weather is here so that he can do his favorite thing in the world.... open his eyes wide and stick his head in the water. During the winter months, we actually have to hide the dog water because he'll just bend over and stick his little face right in it. So, with summer here, he knows he's guaranteed to get his water fix at least once in the morning and once in the evening.

Noah is doing good. Kind of the same. Every once in a while we see little gleams of progress. Today, Sim and I were on the couch and Noah just came in and scooted his little tush right between us. That was nice.... it's nice when his brain connects with his body and he's able to do things that are more typical for a child. We're seeing a few more of these brain/body connections. The other day we forgot his stroller at the Dallas World Aquarium and he was forced to walk. Oh my, he did so good! We were all amazed. He did, though, manage to steal some guys lemonade slush and he kept caressing some blonde lady's bottom, but Sim said I had to forgive him for that because he'd of done the same thing if he could have gotten away with it.

It was pretty funny, though, because the lady kept turning around and glaring at the guy behind her and never even once noticed that it was the cute little boy standing catty corner to her. heehee

4. Sim is back from his India/England trip. He really enjoyed it, although I don't think he cried once, which makes me think that either he's really insensitive or I need to go on a good antidepressant. He had a brilliant time and I think it was really good for him to get away on his own for a while. Our lifestyle can be rather hectic and stressful and we're not in a position to take vacations away together, so I was really happy that he was able to have a bit of an adventure and get away for a couple of weeks.

After India, he hung with his parents in London for a few days and met up with his best mate, Olly. They've been best friends for nearly 30 years and I so admire their friendship. It's one of those where you can go a whole year without talking and then meet up and it's just like yesterday. He is very blessed with a core group of friends in England and is looking forward for their big reunion next year when everyone's going to gather at Olly's place in Wales to celebrate their 40th birthdays. I'll have to stay behind, but he'll take Nandi with him (it's her turn to meet the family) and I'll get to watch all the chick flicks I couldn't watch all year, so it's a win/win situation. ;-)

5. As for me, I'm looking forward to this summer. It's going to be a cheap one as we're completely broke. I was forced to buy spaghetti sauce in a can this morning during my weekly Walmart shop and if you know how much of an organic food snob I am then you can appreciate my misery. I also had to buy storebrand milk and cheap white bread.... so if you don't hear from me for a couple of weeks it's probably because I've sprouted 3 extra arms and developed some sort of unknown intestinal illness.

Oh, I kid.

But I did draw the line at storebrand eggs because I watched Food, Inc a couple of months ago and a tear still trails down my face when I think of that chicken farmer. My $3.48's for you, dude!

We don't have a lot of plans this summer. The kids will be doing swim lessons with Miss Stephanie next week and I'm going to watch my beautiful niece, Alaina, for a couple of days in July. Our 14th wedding anniversary is next Tuesday and while I wanted to go see Wicked, I think we'll probably end up going to a matinee showing of Iron Man 2 and splitting a meal at Chili's.

Cheap and romantic. That's how we keep the flame alive.

Eli is driving us crazy with his incessant begging to go to Dinosaur Valley State Park in Glen Rose, which really is nothing more than a creek with big rocks that snakes hide under and a couple of statues of dinosaurs, but he finally wore us down and we'll go when Alaina comes in July.

Hottest time of the year. I'm already bracing myself for the crying and whining... and that's just me. I shutter to think how miserable Mr. It's-Too-Hot-Outside!! is going to be.

We're headed to Austin for 4 days at the end of July. Noah will do his RPM camp at HALO and then we're headed to Morgan's Wonderland in San Antonio for a day. It's the world's only fully accessible fun park for kids and adults with special needs. It's totally free for the kids and 5 bucks for us. Pack a cooler of drinks and some PB&J and we've got ourselves a cheap day out.

We've also got a Gotcha Day coming up (Eli's in June) and two birthdays (mine and Sim's in August) and a load of school shopping to do (I'm trying to decide if the kids really need new clothes or if they can somehow make highwaters come back in fashion) and that's our summer.

Oh, and well, we're gonna have to do some homeschooling in there, too. I'm doing Handwriting without Tears with Eli and Nandi this summer... and since handwriting is synonymous with tears in Eli's world, I'm really hoping it delivers the goods.

And I think that's it. Nothing too exciting.

Okay, gotta go. Noah is drinking out of the water hose and I have visions of snakes living in that thing and getting in his throat.

I have a very active imagination.

Did ya'll ever see the Buffy episode where a snake comes out of Willow's mouth? Gross!! Oh, and that reminds me.....my brother was wearing this super awesome shirt at Alaina's birthday party the other day. It said...

"... and then Buffy staked Edward. The end."

I got a good laugh out of that one.

Of course, my 13 year old niece was like, "Who's Buffy?" and my 58 year old mom was like, "Who's Edward?"


Have a great summer!

Comments

Pam said…
Ms. Leslie,
Thank you sooo much for the update on your family!!
I have really missed your frequent posts:)
Could you pleasssse post new pictures of Noah and Eli and Nandi soon? Please?:)
sandwichinwi said…
So can you fit us in? I'm still toying with the idea of a road trip this summer-probably during the hottest part! I polled the kids and they were all in.
Pam said…
Oh my word: "and then Buffy staked Edward." I LOVE IT!!! I hate all things Twilight. :))) Can I make this my FB status? LOL!
Sounds like you will have your hands more than full girl! Wow!
Amy said…
Okay, sounds like your summer break is just as busy as your school year. LOL Will we ever see eachother again? :0( Glad everyone is doing so good though- and I am with you on the heat thing. YIKES it is HOT here right now!!! Miss you!!!
Amy said…
Okay, sounds like your summer break is just as busy as your school year. LOL Will we ever see eachother again? :0( Glad everyone is doing so good though- and I am with you on the heat thing. YIKES it is HOT here right now!!! Miss you!!!
Lisa H. said…
Leslie!

I can't tell you how much your blog makes my day....I've said it before, you always make me snicker with your dry wit.....And that's no small feat these days!

A hug to you all (and ENJOY that sunshine...we're still dealing with weather in the 50's up here and THAT'S hard on a Southern girl, let me tell you!)

Lisa H
Recovering Noah said…
Kaleigh, I'll be posting some pictures for you soon! My mom took some great ones over the weekend and I'm waiting for her to send them to me. :-)

Sandwich.. see you in a few weeks!! Can't wait!

Pam - isn't that quote awesome! I actually like the Twilight book series. Hated the first movie. The second was okay. But I am always and forever will be a Buffy fan first and foremost. I gotta get my hands on one of those shirts...

Amy - just emailed you. Let's get together soon! Our schedule is actually pretty relaxed this summer.. I just crammed in 3 months of stuff in one blog post. lol

Lisa - been thinking about you. Glad I got a smile out of you. Hope things get better soon.

And, uh, 50 degrees? In June??!! It's gonna be 103 here on Friday... what is August going to look like??!

Leslie :-)
Pam said…
Ok! I will look forward to them, Thank you!
The Johnson's said…
I LOVE handwriting without tears!!! I used it a lot when I was working in the schools and in an outpatient clinic! I bet your kiddos will like all the fun jingles and songs that go along with the program! Good luck!
Wendy said…
Ooooh, I have the best handwriting exercise that we do as part of Vision Therapy. Take an old magazine or newspaper with a little larger print, give them a pen and have them draw a line under each line. As they go, they have to circle a specific letter if they see it, without lifting the pencil. More of a loop around the letter in the line above. Pick a vowel since there are a lot of vowels to find. Really develops the fine hand motor skills and is fun. You can have them do one letter, or the letters of the alphabet in order or whatever!

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