I hate that I get the feeling something might not be quite right with my son. It's like I can see it, but now one else can. So a couple months back, I asked for a PT assessment from the school. I was able to get a doctor's note to order it. But initially the Therapist only observed it, she was disinclined to conduct the Assessment. This made me a bit angry. So I bawlked, and she did it. A month later, we got the results. On and on she went in her email about how Christopher was able to keep up with the kids. She even went so far to say that he lagged behind in lines because he wanted to, not because he couldn't keep up. In October we took a couple field trips. First we walked to the Fire Station, and Chris was crying by the time we got home because he wanted me to carry him, and I can't. He wanted to stop and rest, and we couldn't. That's not him, he's not whiney, particularly in front of his friends. His teacher suggested putting him in a wagon for the trip to the library, but when it came time, there was no wagon. He did fine again, until we were halfway back to the school. One of his little friends stopped to give him a hug. He really has enchanted those girls. Anyway, the therapist, didn't think he qualified. But she made a typo on her sheet, saying he did. I went into the meeting thinking (well hoping) she'd seen reason. Nope. They said that his delays are minor enough that they don't interfere with his schooling. I said, you watch, right now it's minor, but leave it neglected and we'll end up here again next year. Just like when they graduated him from developmental preschool too early. But they don't listen to me. I was mad, sad, etc.
We had Chris in gymnastics class last year, and it did wonders for him, so we discussed at great length doing something like that similar for this coming semester, but our finances are settling down somewhat, still uncertain, and it is so expensive. And we hadn't been able to do anything. Well, my sister came through. She had a great idea. For Christmas she is giving Christopher a Dance Class. She and my Mom bought Chris his shoes for his ballet/tap class. I'm so excited, I used to do ballet, and it's quite obvious from anyone who has spent more than 10 minutes with Chris, he's got feet for dancing, he can't stay still.
So when he opened these shoes for Christmas, classy black ballet slippers and tap shoes, I was so excited.
I can't believe my little boy has become So Big! He's 6 now. Still can't believe it.
The birthday pig brought Christopher a video game: Lego Batman. Chris was thrilled, he played it right away, though it seems it will take a lot of practice for the dexterity to kick in.
This is the first year that Sam has been remotely interested in the presents that his big brother has received. I think Chris got a little bit more joy out of being able to share joy with his brother. Chris is a great brother, they even played sweetly together....for a bit.
Christopher was quite thrilled that Sam gave him a Perry shirt. Just like his. Though he doesn't realize "Sam" got us some too, so we can wear them in Disney World.
Chris sure knows how to relax. For his birthday he wanted to just chill out, watch tv all morning, play video games. Then we went for lunch to his favorite place: Chick Fil-A.
The boys had a great time going to Chick Fil-A. And before.
Now this child may actually be my child. When we were talking about what to do for a cake, he told me he wanted Cupcakes. He and I had gone on a mission for cupcakes earlier in the month when we made his teacher and Daddy their Christmas presents. So I mentioned we might try to find some after lunch. We went to the Vanilla Bean Bakery up by the Chick Fil-A in Indy.
Oh the Wickedness! Sam picked a little chocolate truffle. But Chris just wanted a boatload of icing. He might be ours. ;)
After we came home and Sam napped, we went to Chuck E. Cheese for his birthday party. All Chris asked for his birthday was a "Really Big Chuck E. Cheese Party". So we used a gift fund, scholarship check that had been given to him to invite our friends and family to come out to Chuck E. Cheese. He wanted his whole kindergarten class, but that was too hard to get. I invited 8 of them, only one showed. But it didn't matter much because Christopher was having such a great time with his friends and family member that did show.
Chris and his friend Zachary played all kinds of games.
He got to play with his cousins, until everyone was extremely exhausted.
Then Chuck E. Cheese came out. There was a dance party, then pizza eating.
And it was time for cake.
Chuck E. Cheese now offers something called the Ticket Blaster, where they put the birthday boy (or girl) into a capsule and airblast tickets at him. Chris loved it.
It was his favorite part of the party.
Although he did get pretty spoiled with presents from his loved ones. I guess that's a good thing. He's a very hard kid not to spoil. He's so good natured, he doesn't ask for things he really doesn't want. And he's had such a rough go of it, I have the darndest time not getting him most everything he asks for, if he has the wherewithall to ask nicely for it. It seems his other loved ones feel the same way.
And it's nearly Christmas, which makes it even harder to refrain from attempting to spoil him.
This was the last thing he was doing, starring in his own video when I started to cash out his tickets. He's such a Rock Star!
However, at the ticket counter, he started to complain his tummy hurt, he was crying and whining. I thought maybe he had not eaten enough dinner, just a bit of pizza and a pizza of cake. But he started to get really emphatic about the pain. So I turned ot Eric, who was playing with Sam, and said, It's time to go NOW. Eric came over, and I said, he's either eaten something bad, or he's going to puke. At the word Puke, Chris let loose. Luckily the last of our guests had just left.
Yes, No, it's the stomach flu. He puked a trail at Chuck E. Cheese. (God Bless those employees who had to clean up after our 'party'.) And then we had to pull over on the way home so he could yak a couple rounds. I don't think it was bad pizza and cake. Sam had it last weekend, so I'm not surprised, then Eric got it just now too. Good times.
Chris was most upset because he puked at Chuck E. Cheese on his Birthday. I'm not sure if it's going to scar him for life, but it was certainly an evening to remember.
Friday was a great day for Christopher. It was his last day before Christmas break. And I got to be the room parent, sponser and planner for the Winter Party. (It's not a Christmas party.)
We had three stations: a craft, making a snowman ornament using pictures of the kids.
We had a snack station of milk and cookies. Yum!
It was quite a lot of fun to see the kids enjoy their foamy stickers. And I love how kind his school friends are, they are so excited to play with Christopher, and they love it when I visit too. Christopher has a good few of the girls wrapped around his finger. He has that gift of having such a caring heart, that one hug will enchant any girl. I speak from experience, because his magical hugs get me every time.
And we had a game station, where the kids played snowman musical chairs. The music was holiday songs. Super cute.
Christopher didn't win, but he certainly was an enthusiastic player.
At the end of the day, Christopher got to wear a crown, because his birthday happens while school is out. They sang a special song to him, and it was so precious, Chris and a couple of his girlfriends were dancing, just before the bell rang for the end of school.
Did I mention he's a little excited about his imminent 6th Birthday?
Christopher likes to know what he will be doing the next day. It's part of our routine, discussing what we'll do tomorrow. Last week, we had Therapy with Mr. Doug. Christopher was at first very excited to go tell him about the fire drills. Daddy had been cooking and set offf the fire alarm at 7 in the morning on a snowy day. Chris came tearing down the stairs in his jammies, yelling EVERYONE GET UP! FIRE DRILL! Well, never mind we were already up. But we were so impressed with his enthusiasm and didn't want to shoot him down just because Daddy tried to burn the house down, we all ran outside. Even Fina. Frankly we were Proud of Christopher for learning what to do during a fire drill and applying to our home. It gave us a great platform to teach the boys what to do, where to meet on the sidewalk and all that. We were very impressed, and we told him so. I suppose that was why it was the first thing to pop into his mind when he was to go see Mr. Doug. But as he was telling me before his appointment about how he wanted to tell Doug about fire drills, he asked me to not tell him any bad stories about him (him being Christopher). It made me feel bad, like I tell tales, negative ones. I told Chris, as it just so happened, I couldn't think of anything that Chris had done that was bad. Could he? No. Well, then, nothing bad to report. Actually, Christopher has really been maturing lately. We don't fight as much, he's responding well to TimeOuts. When he can listen, before he loses it in tantrums, he can be reasonable. Maybe it's that he's approaching 6. He's very excited about his birthday. But he's also becoming quite a wonderful boy, he's my cuddle bug with the biggest heart. This weekend, Sam got a bad case of the pukies, in the car. And when he'd puked all into his carseat and over his clothes for the second time, we decided it was best to just continue on. Sam didn't feel well, and Chris told us, "Mommy, I need to talk to Jesus." Like Pray? "Yes, I need to pray that Jesus will make my brother feel better." And so we did. And when Chris was done leading the prayer, he asked Sam if he felt better, and Sam piped up, a teeny tiny yes. It brought tears to my eyes. But it illustrates how wonderful a big brother Christopher is becoming. Sam wants to be just like him. The only flaw I've seen, is that on occasion Christopher will flop down in tantrum or harrumph back just like Sam does. But all we have to do is ask him, Are you 2? And he stops. Usually. We talked about how Christopher has been helping Sam get dressed, and helping Sam get ready to go in the mornings, even trying to get his shoes on. We'll have to watch for when Sam is ready to do it himself. But that is another day. For right now, I have a Sweetie sweetboy, who loves going to therapy, and listens on most occasions, at least this week. I am so Proud of him.
Today was a dress Holiday Festive chic for Christopher at school. This was his 'costume' a Santa Mickey shirt I picked up for him yesterday. (turns out he doesn't have much in the way of Christmas clothes) Sporting a Santa hat, I let him borrow my Jingle Bell Socks. And this was what he did with them.
This weekend was our friend Shaylee's Birthday party at Christopher's favorite place: Chick Fil-A.
It was hard to pin down the birthday girl with the mass of friends taking over the play area. It was great to see everyone again, all our Butler friends, and some wonderful bonuses. It was a great visit.
The tree in the center of the play area (meant for toddlers) was like a clown car, all the little ones would climb in, and climb all over each other. In there in this picture were our friends: Hailey, Hannah, Brett, Sam, Kristin, Shaylee, with Parker trying to get in, and Chris climbing around the top. Maniacs!
And everyone was so excited about getting to eat some cake. But my boys were Done with the crowd, they don't do well with noise for long. Wonder where they get that. ;) Still it was wonderful to see our friends.
Chris: in the morning, we need to open to twoth drawer Eric: Tooth drawer? what do you mean the tooth drawer? We don't have a drawer for teeth. C: in the box, that we opened this morning, with the oneth drawer. E: Oh, you mean the advent calendar -- one, two and three are funny, those are the first, second, and third, drawers, not oneth, twoth and threeth. C: Oh, yes, the second drawer. Then on Saturday we will open the thr-ird drawer and on Sunday we will open the fourth drawer, and on Monday we will open the fiveth drawer -- hey! Monday is your birthday daddy! What are you turning on your birthday, are you turning 5? E: No, i am currently 36, and on my birthday, i will turn 37. C: (very wide eyes) WOW!
This year we broke out the advent calendar, and we've been putting M&M'd in each drawer. Chris is so excited. It's the high point of his day. I love bringing Joy to his holidays.
