Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Thanksgiving

Our first Thanksgiving in Texas was pretty relaxed. Though it was a little bit of a shock since we've been spending Thanksgiving with the in-laws for so many years while in VA. I had a menu of what to cook, though it was quite flexible. I couldn't find something I need so I cooked something else. I still hadn't cooked my first turkey. The kids are still so young, I just cooked what we liked to eat. There will be time enough to establish a Thanksgiving holiday tradition.

Big M woke up vomiting. It was quite sad to see him so miserable, especially since he was looking forward to eating the pumpkin pie and the banana bread the girls and I baked. Thankfully, by the next day, Big M was on the mend. Little M was also sick. The week prior to Thanksgiving, he started with a runny nose and started coughing. Then he started wheezing. Since the girls were still recovering from asthma/cold and were still on the nebulizer, we decided to put Little M on it too. It helped a little bit, but he was still wheezing.

Yesterday, the doctor said Little M has RSV and has fluid behind the ears. He prescribed antibiotics which should start making him feel better in a day or two. One thing that is very striking to me is the way he handles this RSV. The twins being premature, the RSV was pretty tough even though they had the dreaded 6-month monthly course of RSV antibodies. For Little M, the RSV was only slightly worse than garden variety colds.

But even through the sickness, Little M has been surprising us this past 2 weeks. He has been crawling by pushing off with his feet for months, but a few week ago, he started crawling the right way on all fours. In a matter of days, he would crawl that way for a few paces. Than he started pulling up. A few days later, he was pulling up to a standing position. After that he would crawl and go into a sitting position. Pretty amazing.

It was near 80s the 3 days leading up to Thanksgiving. Then on the day of Thanksgiving, the high was 50 with lows around upper 20s. Crazy! One we have our AC on, the next we have the heater.

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

it's good to have a blog

Last weekend, Daddy and I spent a couple of nights coming up with "evidence" that our 5-year old shows signs of giftedness. We needed to illustrate his learning style, his personality and why we think he needs to be in the school's gifted program. Daddy went through this blog, and I went through the old blog. When I handed the application in at the school office, there were 4 sheets attached to it.

Our efforts paid off. A few days ago, Big M came home with a letter of a notice that sometime between now and January, he would be pulled out of class 4 times for an hour each session to be tested. For Kindergarten, the test would be read for him and he is allowed to take as much time as he needs to answer the questions. The program director advises us to tell our Big Man that he would be excused from class, not to take a test, but to solve puzzles and problems - not to cause undue stress.

During the first parent-teach conference, the teacher said that not many kindergarteners pass the test, not because it's too hard, but because they are not mature enough to sit still to be tested. She said not to be discouraged should he not be accepted in, and to keep trying. She said it really isn't until the 2nd grade that kids show the need for a gifted program.

Ever since Big M was 2 years old, Daddy and I agreed that he is the kind of child who would need to be challenged in the classroom, otherwise he would get into things that could get him in trouble. Daddy recalls cutting out all the buttons on his shirt as a child and not knowing he did it until he stood up and his shirt was wide open. Idle hands, right? :) We know that Big M is smart. Even if he doesn't get accepted to the program, we will continue to engage and encourage his curiosity and provide opportunities.

On a side note, he loves being in Drama. It is a paid extra curricular activity that is held at school once a week. Big M loved it from the very first day and wished he could go everyday. He loves the friends he makes there. Before the end of the school year, there is a production. I can't wait to see that.