For the first time we heard, "I gotta be handsome..".for a GIRL...THAT WASN'T HIS MOM! He was going to dance for Olivia and show her all "his moves" (he says this while wiggling his bottom back and forth). Oh the joy and pain of having your last munchkin growing up. NOV 2013

All by himself

My husband and I really encourage Luke to try things by himself before we help. We want to encourage independence and self confidence. He pulled this box out and wanted us to show him how... we usually do at least once... but he asked while I was right in the middle of something. So he looked at the directions and ventured out on his own. So proud of him! October, 2013.

Luke's Favorite Jam

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10200172884098243&l=1559748187462472692

Found this today doing research for school. http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition/dandy-walker-syndrome

Well, it has been a really long time since I have updated Luke's blog. I began going to nursing school in 2010 which should pretty much explain my absence. Luke is 10 years old now and is doing really well. He's not on track with kids his own age; it depends upon the activity. School stuff...hmmm...he reads at about a level one reader book, he can do single line addition and subtraction with a pen and paper, larger if  he can have a calculator, he's actually pretty good with reading comprehension despite difficulties understanding abstract ideas like...when. As to behavior...well he's way above on the whole pre-teen moody, bossy, my parents don't know jack thing. Was kind of thinking we would skip that stage with our so sweet disabled kid....NOPE.
He loves electronics like the Wii, Kindle Fire, Computer, Nintendo Game Boy - Yes, they are allowed during homework time so that I can get something done. He also will stay hyper-focused with K'Nex and Lego's - yes I would smooch those inventors for not only creating a fabulous hands on activity but for also giving parents back a bit of their sanity.
 Luke talks incessantly, repeats the same thing/theme often. He makes little noises - suck, pop the lips, cluck, high pitched-crystal shattering whistling - that are some sort of punishment for my past sins. Its really fun when he combines them and we have an orchestra of craziness that most definitely means one of us must be sequestered to our room. In the middle of all that he is really, really, REALLY, sweet. He knows how to make people feel like they are a million bucks. He is thoughtful and is always concerned with letting others know how valuable they are to him. He's not easy, but he's so WORTH IT.

 Luke and Grandma

See...Whistling...always whistling and driving the boat with Daddy.

Favorite beach activity - dig a hole..i don't get it.

Leaf raking day. He was really a huge help. And his little cousin didn't mind the ride to the leaf pile either!

Events of the week...

 Luke turned 8 on Friday! As some, who have read earlier blogs know - that in itself is an awesome thing! He has been asking for every toy that comes on commercial for his "birsday" to the point where if I met an employee of a toy commercial company there would be an obligatory slap on the forehead (there are a lot of commercials!). I took cupcakes in to his class and brought along balloons for Luke and another boy in his class whose birthday was the day before. I had such a great time and laughed with (and at) his teacher, para, and therapists. Luke thoroughly enjoyed all of the attention. His "big" party will be soon - when my sister and her boys get here so that they can celebrate with us. Just another way to milk the entire birthday experience!!

He has been sick again. Apparently a strain of viruses is going around, and it is taking a long time to shake it. Luke has had his daily med list include: Pulmincort and Albuterol to go in the nebulizer, Mucinex, Murlax, ADHD med, Ciprodex, and Emergen-C and that's just in the morning... Seems to be coming through finally though.

I am back to changing his sheets everynight because he has gone through the pull up - Oy Vey when does that get to be done??


He has become a prayer warrior - praying for his friends, for him to remember to be responsible, respectful, and to be safe... LOVE IT!


Today, I heard it... Luke was in time out, in his room, having a baby fit, and what does he say? "But mom, I am dyyyyiiiinnnggg." Here's your Oscar dude.. really, take it - there is none that compares to you.

An Imagination Station.....

Luke and I cleaned his room up Sunday. He was a super helper... bit of an attitude and bossy, but the job didn't take long. He had been making a sport of getting up my nose that day so as "punishment" I told him he couldn't come out of his room until he had created a big train track (figuring it would give me time to study for my exam coming the next day). Under duress he created this beautiful track... then I came in and we built a "station" out of Lincoln Logs, and I located some decorations from his toy box to add to the scenery... showed him how to put logs on his train and take them to the station, etc. He got lost in his own mind/ imagination and played happily for hours. He got up at 6:30 and asked to turn on his light and play... I fell back asleep and had it not been for his sister, would have stayed that way and Luke would have missed the school bus!