Kindergarten visit

 

 

This is a picture of Zander meeting his teacher during a special visit just for him. I think they got along great. He really seemed to like the room. It is really hard to tell if he is excited.

Star Wars Camp

 

 

Zander also got to attend Star Wars camp for a week. He had so much fun! Yes that is Darth Vader and Boba Fett was also there. He wanted it to go on forever!

Blue hair

 

 

 

Blue hair, yes blue hair. When Zander got his last haircut it turned out to be shorter than it ever has been. He wanted it to be spiked and we found some blue get to put on it. It definately spiked it but the blue is hard to see. He really enjoyed it and wants it to be like that everyday.

Scicamp

 

 

 

Zander was able to attend Science camp this summer. It was his first experience away from daycare and teachers that know him. Mama was extremely nervous. It was alot of stimulation and I think that he did the best that he could. He had a ball but it was hard to find out much about what he got to do. These are pictures from the first morning when they were doing bubble prints. This week he would like to be a chemist.

Big 10

 

 

 

 

When I was a little girl, my sister and I and my cousins, Vicki and Tracy stayed at my grandmothers house during the summer while our parents worked. Things were quite different then and most days we were sent out to play and didn't come back in until lunch. Then we usually went back out and stayed until the late afternoon where my obsession with General Hospital began. That is a story for another day.
One of my favorite things to do was to go to Big 10. What is big 10 you ask? Big 10 is what we called a large rock that was by a creek behind my Grand parents farm. Some of my favorite memories are there and it continued to be a special place for me as I got older. I took a few special boyfriends there to show them my special spot. None of them seemed very impressed. I also found it quite comforting to go there when things in my life weren't going right and I needed to be by myself with the rock and the water. I can't imagine how it will be when my grandmother is gone and so will be all of the special spots but not the memories.
When my sister was here, we decided to take the children to share it with them. It was alot of fun. We walked in the creek to Big 10. The kids had a ball walking in the water and most of them had walking sticks. PaPa helped them find a crawdad and we took pictures and videos of them having fun. It makes me sad to realize that my son will grow up so very different than I did and won't get to know about summers on the farm and lasting relationships with cousins and siblings.

First big scrape

 

Zander had a rough day at school today. This is the way he looked when I picked him up. He and another child got their feet tangled up and fell face first in the dirt. His nose took the brunt of the fall. Hope it doesn't scar.

Happy Fourth of July

 

 

 

 

We had a lot of fun on Saturday. We started our day at the local parade. It wasn't as long as usual but Zander still enjoyed it. We got to cheer for our friend Ms. Lisa that was running a 5K and watch all of the floats. Zander's favorite thing is getting candy of course. There was an older group of people sitting beside of us and I couldn't help but laugh at the elders trying to get candy faster than Zander. He was nice enough to share with them.
We went home for several hours and just chilled out together and then returned for fireworks in the evening. We met the Brady Bunch. It was alot of fun. I bought the kids poppers and glow sticks and they brought bubbles. They had a ball with the poppers, not so sure all of the people around us enjoyed them as much as we did. We had to wait for an hour and a half but it went by really quickly. The fireworks were pretty, just not very long enough. Happy fourth to you all!

Swimming

 

We decided against putting up the blow up pool this year. I am not sure if that is the right decision or not. He is really doing great and has graduated from a mask that covers his nose to goggles. If we could, it would be the perfect time to do swimming lessons, but it is not going to happen right now.
We are very glad that Uncle Trav has moved back home and has a pool at his house. We have gone over a couple of times. This is video of him jumping off of the diving board and having fun with his dad.

Water park

Once a year our water park offers discount tickets. There is only one catch. You have to get in line very early because they only offer that price to the first 2000 people in line. The doors open at 7 AM. We got up at 5:00 and made the 45 minute drive. Zander did really well waiting in line. We got in and went to a pool first. It had a large pirate ship that you could jump off of. He loved it until he fell off of the side and skinned his knee. My favorite ride is the Cyclone Cove. It is a round circle with a current. You put on a life jacket and just let it pull you around. It is very relaxing. Zander and Dad rode the Bonzai Pipeline. It is a very tall slide with a bump in it. Most of the time you become airborn at the bump. I was a nervous wreck. Zander was too small to hold onto the handles so Summers just wrapped his legs around him the best he could. THey are on the right in the video and you can see them just hanging before they start down. They made it and he rode it 3 more times. I didn't watch anymore. Then they went on the Tunnel of Terror which has a 4 story drop. It is totally enclosed and in complete darkness. He loved it! We had a great day and were all very tired. Once a year is enough for me.

Preschool Graduation

This is my new favorite picture!


This is Zander not wanting to go on stage and dance. This is his nervous face.

This is what Zander wants to be when he grows up.

I can't believe that Zander has graduated from Preschool and will be attending Kindergarten in the Fall. The school that he currently attends has been open for almost 3 years and they have never had a graduation. I met with the director and teacher and helped them put together a Hawaiian themed graduation. It was really funny. Zander does not like to be in front of people and usually won't say or do anything. Not this time! This time he wouldn't be quiet. He really didn't want to dance or sing though. It was really cute.

More Birthday

We usually go to the Mexican Restaurant for birthdays. Zander loves it and they always put the sombrero on him and sing. For some reason this year they also put one on PaPa and the pictures were too good not to share.

5 Years Old?!

 

As I sit here and reflect on my life five years ago, I can't believe how different it is. Today is Sunday and I have been thinking about the Sunday before Zander was born. I was on bedrest and the I hadn't felt the baby move in several hours. My friend Paige came by and called my doctor and they wanted me at the hospital. They admitted me right away and then I began to worry. It wasn't time. He wasn't due for another month. My blood pressure was very high and the baby and I had to be monitored. This was so scary and I couldn't help think about my previous miscarriage and my nephew Sam that passed away unexpectedly during child birth. The next few days are really a blur to me. They induced labor later in the week but those of you that know Zander know that he is stubborn. He did not want to come out and was not going to without some help.
I did OK until they decided suddenly that I must have a C section. They gave me too much medicine in my epidural and it felt like I was suffocating. I don't think I could do it again. I was so freaked out that they let Paige and Summers go into the operating room with me. It didn't seem to take very long and they got to watch the whole thing. I remember the doctor saying, "He looks like Goliath!". They took him and weighed him and he was 9lb. 9.6 oz. He was the most beautiful baby that I had ever seen.
They let me take him to recovery with me for quite awile. I tried to nurse him but he couldn't figure it out yet. They took him after a while and did his bath, etc. The next morning, I found out that he had jaundice. I didn't really know what that was but really wasn't worried as I had heard of many other babies that had it. They would come in every hour and take his blood. It was horrible. He was premature and did not know how to eat yet. We tried finger feeding, nursing and bottles and had little luck. He looked like a little glow worm because they had light paddles in his clothes to help with his billirubin levels.
They kicked us out the next evening. I had to take him home on a light table. It was awful! He was in something that resembled a straight jacket and was attached to a table with lights. I could only take him out very briefly to try to feed him. We had to check in with the pediatrician first thing in the morning. She of course said that it was worse and put him immediately in NICU. Now I am freaked out. It was so hard because I had to stand beside of his bed and I had just had major surgery. I also was in alot of pain as my milk came in and had to go pump every 2 hours. They needed his bed for children that were sicker than he was so they moved us to the new 6 bed pediatric ICU unit where the nurses were great! Zander had his own bed with huge blue lights and Summers and I shared a tiny single bed, but we were all together. The blue lights made his ICU doctor and me very sick so I had to have a big screen in between us. I remember nurses from all over the hospital coming to see "the beautiful baby." He really was. I think we finally got to go home after 4 days. He still had a very difficult time learning to eat and it was very stressful for us all.
I can't believe my teeny baby (that wasn't ever teeny) is going to be 5 years old tomorrow. I have enjoyed every minute and I can't figure out where the time has gone.

Oh yeah, his birthday party. Saturday was a great day, but we are all very tired. We went to eat breakfast with CiCi andn PaPa and then to Zander's soccer game. It was fun but very hot. He had to play most of the game so he was tired. When it was over we had to go set up the party at the park. By the time I finished, guests started arriving. Zander was so excited to see his new friend Blake, old friends Kaden and Charlie and all of his cousins. Well not the Texas cousins, we missed you guys. The kids went to play on the playground which was conveniently right beside of the shelter and Zander promptly has his first accident. I kid on the monkey bars with cleats on fell on his head and then landed on his arm. I don't know how it wasn't broken. Only a few minutes later, Kaden's dad pushed him on the swing. Zander didn't tell him it was only his secont time on a swing and he wanted him to push him higher. As he did, he leg go with one hand and did a complete flip out of the swing. Once again, I don't know how he wasn't seriously hurt. He did cry and need to sit with me for a few minutes so I know it hurt.
After about an hour of playing the kids came to have cake and a snack. Then he opened presents. Thanks for all of the great gifts! The kids then enjoyed blowing bubbles for a while. Next came the dollar store water guns. The parents and kids had a ball and everyone left wet. Who knew that would be their favorite part of the party. Almost everyone stayed an extra hour playing with guns. Then it was time to go home.
Everyone was gone except for Kaden, Charlie and their parents, Wendi and Kevin. All of the sudden I realized Kaden wasn't where I could see him. Kaden is 5 years old. Everyone immediately started looking for him including the other children and parents at the park. It was the scariest 15 minutes of my life. My heart still races thinking about. Kaden is autistic and sometimes wanders away. We all split up and after about 15 minutes of frantic searching his dad found him. He had gotten far enough to be past the fence and next to the highway. I have never been so scared. Thank God, that he was found and was safe.
We then went home and changed clothes to go to Zander's favorite Japanese Restaurant where his favorite chef was waiting to cook for him. It is always a treat but he made it extra special this time. Zander ate a huge amount of food and actually stayed awake until we got home. As soon as his head hit the pillow he was out! IT was a great day and I think everyone had fun.

Spring Folly Fun

 

 

 

 

Today was a big day. We went to breakfast with CiCi and PaPa and then we went to the spring folly. It is a local event that host crafts, music and fun for the kids. Zander was having a rough morning. I knew he wasn't feeling 100%. We all made it after a couple of total melt downs and some thinking time on a church's steps. I took him to ride the pony after that. Ponies always fix everything. This kind of event is tough for all kids when it is time to leave, but because of Zander's sensory processing issues, he needs things that have constant motion like the swing ride. I think he would have rode it over an over if we had let him.
Then it was time to go to his soccer game. It was interesting as usual and he actually knew where the ball was once today and followed it trying to kick it. Next we went to Urgent Care for the ear check. Yes, as suspected the third ear infection in about 6 weeks. More antibiotics and discussion of tubes. UHGGG! Then we ran 3 more errands and finally ended up at home around dinner time. It was an eventful day and I love every minute with him. There is nothing like seeing the smile on your child's face when he is happy.

Brownies

 

This is Zander making brownies with Daddy. The expression says it all! Needless to say, he didn't sleep much that night.

Easter Sunday

 

 

 

On Easter Sunday we went to CiCi and PaPa's house and had a delicious lunch. After lunch we went to Granny's and then to the Brady Bunches for an egg hunt with all of the cousins. It was alot of fun and it was nice and warm so the kids could play.

Easter Bunny

 

 

The Easter bunny came to our house and brought Zander lots of Easter goodies. I listened to some of Zander's friends at school tell what the Easter bunny brought them and it sounded more like Christmas. The Easter bunny brought a video, Star Wars playdough stampers, jelly beans and a chocolate bunny. I thought that was alot. Until this year, Zander always forgot about the chocolate bunny. I would put it in the fridge and Summers and I would eat it. This year he wanted it all. I still put all of it but one ear in the fridge and he forgot about it. I am trying hard not to eat it.

Egg Hunt

 

Here are pictures from Easter at the church egg hunt. Zander also got to play with a bunny and a baby lamb. He had alot of fun.

Too much TV

Zander is sick today. He has spent the day going between video games and watching Noggin. He also took a very look nap with Daddy today, so he is up watching Mulan with me.
We had the following conversation a few minutes ago.
Mom - Zander does anything hurt?
Zander- my arms
Mom- you arms, why?
Zander- depression
Mom- Did you say depression?
Zander- yes, depression hurts all over and hurts everyone.

Word for word the commercial pushing medication for depression.