And They Are Off...

Let's face it.  The Internet has been full 

of all these darling portraits of kids holding signs

about what grade they are in or what school they are going to.

I'm lucky to a. get my kids off to school

and b. be alert enough to snap a picture on my phone.

Poor Holland starts her day with an out the door time of 6 a.m.

Yes, it is still dark.

And yes, she's still half asleep.

 Greer is a much more palatable 7 a.m.

 Remember, I was crazy enough to have four kids going to four schools.

Reese and Kean both ride buses.

Luckily they are supposed to be only 15 minutes apart.

 Reese got on and left us with no problems.

 Kean's bus was well over half an hour late.  Which means we played around

and rode his bicycle for nearly 50 minutes.

But once he got on the bus, he was fine.

His new bus driver and aid, by the way, are darling.

The first day is under our belt.

They all seemed to do fine, even Kean.

He's a big first grader this year- we have him on a Kindergarten 

schedule, only going half a day.  But I think he'll be moving right up to longer

and longer days before we know it.

Yes, he's doing that well!

Knock on wood...

Kean's First School Yard Brawl!

Today was one doozy of a day.

We got up with the sun to pick berries and

then get Kean off to his last day of "Extended

School Year".  He went four weeks this summer

and seemed to do okay--

 Until today, that is.

He was fine taking off on the bus.

 But I got a call from his teacher at the end of his three hour session-

telling me some 1st grader had clocked him in the face with his fist.

She said the boy has behavioral problems and that Kean didn't do

anything to provoke, he just happened to be standing in the wrong place

when this kid went off.

Kean came home with a bit of blood on his shorts but other than a rosy

cheek, I can't see anything wrong.  And other than being a little

grumpy (who wouldn't be?), he was fine.

 So, on top of Kean getting hit,

both dogs limping (and Lola moping around all depressed)...

 there is Reese.

The girls had three of their closest friends over

from Siblings Cancer camp- Camp Rainbow Gold all day yesterday.

And while Reese was all smiles most of the time,

 she got kicked in the head while playing a game in the swimming pool Monday night.

 She screamed in pain for quite some time, has had clear fluid

constantly coming out of it-- so we figured she broke her ear drum.

She was still in quite a bit of pain today, so I took her to the doc.

Because, hey, you know that's my favorite thing in the world to do, right?

There's a lot of fluid and gunk. But no big sign of a tear or problem.

We go back in a week after the antibiotics have had a chance to work.

And that was only half of the crazy stuff that happened today.

I swear, never a dull moment around here.

I'm off to bed!

Almost Famous

Does it make us famous if we hang out with someone who is?

Hmmmm.  

We had a great weekend-- Andy Grammer was in town

to perform at the Boise Music Festival.

 Andy was our headliner last year for our Baldapalooza

(children's cancer fundraiser).  He agreed to meet with us

this weekend-- and we got to have breakfast with his Tour

Manager the day before.

That's Angie, our Baldapalooza Executive Director with

Welshie (Andy's Tour Manager) at the festival on Saturday.

 For some reason, he was charmed by we three girls

(Angie, myself and Calene- one of our main volunteers).

We stayed (in the heat) and listened to Andy wow

the crowd.

I, especially enjoyed relaxing and listening to Andy--

last year, I was running around and answering questions

for about a third of his performance.

 So this was quite the treat--  he puts on a fantastic show.

 Oh, and Monday morning brought some big changes to our routine.

Kean started Extended School Year today--

(I think it is a version of Summer School for those who really need it).

 It was kinda strange for the girls and I to push him down

to the ol' bus stop.  He rode his little therapy bike.

 I'm not sure he could figure out what was going on--

new bus, new bus driver, aid, school, teacher

and classmates.

He is such a creature of habit, I'm sure today

was quite discombobulating.

This was one of those times I really, really wish he 

could talk more than he does!

The Swinger

I don't know where she gets it-- certainly not from me

(my own mother says I run like a newborn calf).

But our eldest is an athlete!!

She's been running track this season

and has done better than average but over the weekend

she pulled out a surprise.

 At the last minute, she was pulled in to run the 4 x 100 relay--

she's never run a relay.  And get this, they came in 3rd in Districts and more

importantly, she loved it!

Way to go Holland.

 I went to Kean's Kindergarten Mother's Day Tea

on Friday.

 He has a new classmate- actually a little girl we've known

for years from therapy.  Mika is also blessed with that

extra chromosome.  

 She's ahead of him socially and scholastically

(guess 3 plus years of Chemo do have an impact)

but it is fun to see them together.

 The children sang a song for the moms (Kean clapped at the end--

better than nothing, I say).

 We had treats together and even made a craft.

Love this boy.

 Then we headed up to the cabin in Cascade.

We are all about done with the big remodel-- the

laundry room is the last hold-out and we are getting there.

 We even got ol' Byron to take some breaks and cut loose

on the swings at the park.

 No joke, Kean stayed on the swing for at least 45 minutes

and would have stayed all day if we would have.

 We had a yummy Mother's Day weekend with Greer

leading things in the kitchen.  That girl can cook!!

 We wrapped up the weekend with a rousing game of Charades.

Trust me, you haven't played Charades until you've played with this guy.

Hope everyone had a relaxing and loving Mother's Day weekend.

The Humble Rock Star (How's that for an anomaly)?

In case you didn't know it by now:  Kean is a super star!

He was one of several honored kids at his school

this morning-- getting to eat breakfast with the principal.

 He was nominated by his teacher- Mrs. Hymas.

She nominated a boy and a girl in her Kindergarten class.

(Isn't she cute?).

 And of course, his wonderful aid was there- "Baker" as he calls her.

(Instead of Mrs. Baker).

 Funny thing is, he was totally unaffected by the limelight.

But did quite enjoy his donut and mine.

 They called each of the kids up to the front of the gym.

 There the principal (kinda) shook his hand, gave him his certificate

and passed him along down the line for high fives from 

every teacher and aid at his school.

 Then the entire audience clapped as we made our way back to our seats.

 Yep, a rock star who doesn't even know it.

Road Rash (Ouch)!

Poor Kean.

On our way down to the bus this morning, he crashed and crashed hard.

Bloodied face and bloodied knuckles.

 Any day we get even a skiff of snow, Reese begs to take him down

on a sled.

 Normally, they're both all smiles.

(This was from last week).

Today?  Not so much.

 She got going a little too fast and wiped out.

I'm not sure who cried harder-- Reese felt so horrible for hurting Kean.

Come to think of it, this may be his first ever natural "ouchie" -(one

not given to him at a hospital).

Oh, he cried and cried and stopped crying and bleeding

moments before the bus came.

I sent him to school  but get this, they called and had us

come get him.

I guess you can't have a kid at school with an "open wound"--

their description.  And since there is no way on earth he'd keep

a bandage on, he earned a day off of school.

Black Magic

Zany might be the word for the day.

Byron went in to give Reese a hug goodbye before he 

left for work this morning.  As he stuck his arm

under and around her pillow-- he found this-- a metal spoon.

Reese was pretty groggy but Greer was happy to answer

his question as to "WHY?".

(Because, if truth be told, she had one under her pillow too).

Evidently, they somehow got it into their heads that if they "kissed

a spoon and slept with it under their pillows" -- today would be declared

a snow day (no school).

Um, didn't quite work.

But, seriously, where do they get this black magic stuff?

We about died laughing.

Kean got to wear pajamas to school today.

I'm certain as I changed him out of the pajamas he slept

in-- into another pair of pajamas, he thought I was crazy.

It was Polar Express day in his class--

and look at this cute picture his aid sent me of

the boy with the conductor.

Blossoming

It has been cold, snowy or rainy here.

Quite a shock to the ol' system after the sweltering humidity of Orlando.

But I thought I'd update you on Kean after

completing his first full week back at school.

(Plus, I had to grab this picture that actually shows

him with his hat ON-- he hates hats, gloves, shoes....).

 Kean had his best week yet.

Every day his aid, "Baker" sends home a form

she fills out that tells me what he ate, how many diapers

he had changed, what he worked on, what type of

therapy or special he had etc.

This week, for the first time ever, every day

had a good or great note.

He's starting to follow directions and class routines.

And here's the biggie-- a whole week without

pinching, pushing or pulling another child's hair.

 He's even making friends.

This week, he was invited to a birthday party (dang, can't go)

and this little homemade horse came home in his back pack one day-

from a friend in class who made it specially for Kean.

Doing a little happy dance over here!

Thriving

You will never guess where I am...

sitting in the waiting room of St. Luke's

while Byron has surgery.  He's having the

plate and ten screws taken out of his leg

(they drive him insane and constantly zing him).

At least I brought my computer and can get some stuff done.

This morning, I got to go to Kean's school

for the Kindergarten Costume Parade.

I know it will come as a shock to many of

you-- but he dressed up as a motorcycle man.

 All the little kids went room to room to show off their cute costumes.

Kean (and his aid) were always at the end

and get this, the most popular.

The kid is a rock star at school.

EVERYONE knew him and wanted to give him "high fives".

 He did great giving the kids "fives" until the last few classrooms

when he started petering out.

It was so funny to see the kids he didn't pound their hands--

and how disappointed they were.

This video is from early on when he had lots of energy.

Then it was back to the classroom for a little party.

I just love the look on his face as he gets directions 

from his teacher.

 I couldn't stay for all of it but Kean started out

at the cookie decorating station

(he loved it-- took three bites and then wanted Goldfish).

 Then it was on to the game station--

for matching and a rousing match of balloon toss.

 The final station (while I was there) was crafts.

We made little skeleton and pumpkin bracelets

(which he wouldn't wear, of course).

 Just before I left, he came over and gave his teacher "Hymas"

(nobody gets a Mrs. in front of their name)

the biggest hug.

So, so sweet.

He had a great day

(Bhyron?  Probably not so much).