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!

His Princess...

After raiding the dentist's treasure box to get the right kind of rings that he knew would bring joy to his dear Princess Mikala, Luke wanted to see how they looked on her fair hands.... When he saw them he said in a high pitched excited voice, "OH MY GOSH, Mikala! Your such a PRINCESS!!"

Becoming Friendly with the ER

We have become familiar with the various routes to the hospitals in our area since Luke has been born. Routine trips for check ups mostly, a couple late night breathing treatments... but this weekend he had his second of two ER visits in the span of 8 months or less.. The first happened when he excused himself from the table to use the bathroom and then we heard a crash and that cry (you know... the i'm seriously hurt one), he had blood spurting out from the bridge of his nose in time with his heartbeat, there was water beginning to cover the floor because somehow when he fell he moved the toilet over an inch and a half and broke the water line. A couple of hours and a few stitches later we were home (1/2 the stitches stayed in for all of 20 minutes), now a few months later he has his battle scar but life is good.
Friday night we were going into wally world to get Dad's crackers and somehow he shut his fingers in his car door. My son - who does nothing by half - when it was all said and done - had broken the tip of his finger, taken off 3/4 of his fingernail, and had to have 2 layers of stitches because he had cut himself so deeply. Our fun didn't get to end there - he kept removing his splint, so we had to go back tonight to the ER - he ended up with some cool hand taping that he thinks is so awesome he hasn't messed with it one bit. It immobilizes  his finger, keeps the nailbed clean and he can't wait to go to school tomorrow to show his friends!!! Im just glad I have school and work tomorrow - I need a vacation from this weekend!

Luke and the Princess...

Luke loves all his siblings, but after figuring out how to get a movie on Netflicks (thank God it was a kid friendly one) he decided that his sister, Mikala was his princess and since she couldn't get him to grasp that Prince was for boys, Princess for girls, he became King Luke. Now coming back from school he has to hurry to "see my PRINCESS Mikala!"

Baseball Seasons Over...

Luke had  a great first season of coach pitch t-ball. We were so blessed to have an awesome coach and a totally uncompetitive team. His team-mates just wanted to learn and have fun, it was a perfect fit for Luke. The kids were all kind to him, the coaches were super patient and encouraging. He was very sick and had to miss three games, but he thoroughly enjoyed every one he made. He's ready to go again next year!

Update

Luke is almost done with first grade and he has made great strides. He has such a hunger to learn. He can't get enough of his "homework" books, you know those workbooks that you buy from the store for extra practice? He carries them in the car and around the house. Our big challenge now is learning to read. His teacher tells me that comprehension isn't a factor, just putting all the letter information together and recalling it. So we will continue to plug ahead at home and will look for a tutor this summer that hopefully will give him the extra boost that he needs.
He is playing Coach Pitch Baseball now, we were blessed with an awesome coach. Coach Mike and his assistants are amazingly patient with the kids... what a blessing he has been. Luke is doing fine, I recognize that professional baseball will probably not be in his future, but what he lacks in skill he makes up for in enthusiasm!! When he is tired of being in the outfield he creates his own game.... He chases the other players as they run the bases. Then there is the old standby of sand castle building and making your own dust storm. He's happy and most of the other players are doing the same things. I'm just glad that the  other team parents take this level of play for what it is... FUN!
More and more I am noticing what I had hoped to avoid, kids being mean to my kid because he was different. Ugh... it hurt. Luke didn't seem to understand that they meant what they were doing to be unkind and I was grateful to be able to steer him to another activity without any harm done. I was also grateful to know those childrens parents and know that they were the caliber of people who would deal with their child's behavior, not excuse it or encourage it. Luke didn't seem to notice being treated unkindly, but when another situation began to arise with different children and I said to him, "Don't play with them, Luke, they will be mean to you." He understood and found other playmates.
His health is good, fighting off a cough, but we all are. Great news! His back seems to be straightening on its own! Our last ortho check up was a super surprise!! Thank you Lord!
He is wonderful, sweet, funny, and a pill all wrapped up in one package. He drives us crazy, but we'll deal with it all to have the amazing kid that comes with it!

Woman Born with half a brain...

http://news.aol.com/health/article/virginia-woman-michelle-mack-born-with/714900

Fishin pt one
*<><Kym><>*

This message has been sent using the picture and Video service from Verizon Wireless!

To learn how you can snap pictures and capture videos with your wireless phone visit www.verizonwireless.com/picture.

Note: To play video messages sent to email, Quicktime@ 6.5 or higher is required.

Going Fishin'

Luke's favorite place to be is on the boat with the family. He likes to knee-board (he lays on his belly and holds on), help daddy drive the boat, and fish. Usually fishing consists of a piece of rope with a chicken bone tied to it that he watches drop in and out of the water as he runs it in the water displaced by a rapidly moving boat. On this day, however, Daddy was determined to take him fishing - real fishing. It was a wonderful day and Luke can't wait to go out again.

Luke loves to Jam out to Guitar Hero with his siblings. Thankfully he has not noticed that his wii remote has no batteries and it is actually his siiblings talents that he is taking credit for. We love watching him play...he is our rock star!

Growing Up Sassy!

Luke's kindergarden year is almost at a close. I am encouraged by how well he is doing. He knows all of his shapes, colors, letters (big and small) and just about has all their sounds down too! He can write his FULL name - which his last name is a long one so it makes me greatful that his first name is Luke and some long drawn out affair....

He is a disobedient thing - and for those of you who read this and say awww... he just must not understand, yes we made that mistake too... interestingly enough if you say, "Obey or I will take your game away" (Leapster...LOVES IT) suddenly he repeats what I asked him to do and hurries off to do what I asked.

His siblings have taught him things like, "I am gonna give you a knuckle sandwich!" or "I am gonna beat your butt!" before a romp on the floor or wrestling match. He now says it ALL THE TIME... clearly tact and timing are much harder to teach.... His favorite times to say these phrases are on the way to the time out chair or after being told that "No, 2 cookies is enough".

He has joined the soccer team and LOVES IT! He wants everyday to be Saturday. His skill matches most of the other kids on the team... he often kicks the ball towards the other teams goal and last week he did a big WOO HOO when the other team scored and went up to their coach and slapped him a big Hi Five... I admit I did look around and wonder out loud.. "Hmm..whose child is that?" jk

I am looking forward to his summer break, which is short b/c he attends summer school, but not having to be out to the bus so early and rush the kids off to their day is a welcome thing for me. I like it when all the chicks are in the henhouse.

Until then...

Well my baby boy is now 6 1/4 years old. Winter time has been a lesson in patience. Fear that his inattentiveness would further hold back his learing we put him on ADHD meds. While they do help, the side effects sometimes manifest in an unwillingness to eat, sleep issues..which become sleep issues for us both, and picking at the fingers. The other issues seem to be taking care of themselves but his poor fingers are paying the price.

Hearing is an issue again, the tube in his good ear has come out and his ear is filled with fluid and his hearing aid mold is too small and is getting feedback so therefore he can't wear it either. He takes atvantage of this and has become about the orneriest and LOUDEST boy i have ever seen or heard. He repeats everything over and over and says what when we are two words into answering him just out of habit. We are all about to go crazy. Thank God for "Uncle Nut".

Lukie LOVES Nut! He follows him everywhere - we have had to crack down on bathroom prvacy time and whenever he accomplishes anything he can't wait to tell "my buddy, nut".
Nut/Jim told Luke, "Draw me a picture of your most favorite thing, anything, color it for me and when I get done I am going to come over and you are going to show it to me - whats your favorite thing, Luke?" Luke answers, "You" awww....

Luke has finally begun to lose some teeth as the adult teeth are pushing the babies out of the way - but not before they are all twisted and contorted into funky directions. He has lost 3 and it is so cute to see him with a front tooth missing. He is getting so big!

Kindergarten has been an adventure, especially for his teacher who has 6 boys and no girls. He is learning well and seems to be doing only slightly less than his typical peers. I am so pleased with his progress.

I am so proud of my guy, for all of his frustrating moments, he is so sweet - i am too tired to be anything but greatful :)

The Boys of Summer...and Mikala too

Luke has an endearing affection for the water - bath water, pool water, beach water, drinking water... he loves it so summer is HIS time. Tuesdays are beach days and since his summer school is over he gets to come along. While initially the waves at the cape were intimidating this past week he became an overcomer and I became intimidated by his lack of God given fear - he was ready to swim to the next state! I wasn't worried about drowning as much as drifting - he has his Diego lifejacket- what a well spent $20 that was- Diego the Lukie Rescuer!
The beach is the haven for us both - a relaxing place to play and dig in the sand, he runs around with his siblings and imitates their behavior -this is not always a good thing- but Tristin is an avid Skimboarder (and has gotten to be a good one rather quickly) and so Luke throws his boogieboard on the sand and jumps on for the ride (of his imagination) over and over. Skyler and Luke run from the waves which luke finds loads of fun and Skyler endures the humiliation to see him so happy. Summer is almost over and these days will be memories. Thank God they will be good ones.

Day Out With Thomas. And Nate, and Caleb and.....

Despite a grueling 10 hour journey from Tennessee 2 days before my sister, Jen (in red) was both brave and ambitious as we took the 3 hour trip to go see Thomas the Tank Engine with her 2 year old Nathaniel and 7 wk old, Caleb, my mother, Luke and myself. It was 95 degrees in the shade, very muggy and I was dreading having to "deal" with Luke as we attempted this adventure. Miracle of miracles - Luke was an angel. He stayed right by us and waited patiently for his turn, was helpful with the baby, didn't go nuts in the store just thoughtfully picked out 3 of the least expensive items - his favorite being the $3.00 balloon. Nate was fed up with the car and the heat but who could blame him - other than that it was a wonderful time. The music with the homemade musical instruments that the kids could play with was Nate's favorite. Luke used the stamps, did a puzzle, listened to the music, but his favorite was what was ingrained in him by his beloved Mom-mom Hilda - just playing with the trains. Luke still almost 2 mo. later gets up in the morning and asks if we can go see Thomas today.... No buddy, he's back in Sodor.