LMS GRADUATION 2010...
Each year LMS holds graduation for the kindergarten students who will be joining the ranks of first grade the following year.  All primary students participate by performing a themed song.  It is always an adventure to get all the students and their parents settled before the program begins.  LMS parents and family pack the Berry Center stage each year.  It is literally standing room only.  We knew to arrive early so Mawmaws grabbed us some of the best seats in the house.  I visited with lots of friends before heading back to the staging room.  Mom and dad had the cameras ready to roll.  I was all smiles and sang along just as I had practiced 1,000 times before.  I even broke out a few of my fancy moves on the stage.  I was proud of my performance and up way past bedtime.  By the end of the program the combination of tired and being over stimulated by every friend in the school had come to a head.  It is hard to believe that I am just 1 year away from my kindergarten year.  We have lots of decisions to make about placement, public or private and so forth, but one thing is for sure...I'm ready! 

LIFE IN A FISHBOWL...
Catfish has long been gone. He was our first life lesson on death. Mom and dad noticed he was not feeling well and knew the end was drawing near. I noticed too. Mom and dad tried to tell me he was just tired, but I wasn't buying it. I just called out, "I think he's dead." Uh, hello...mom and dad did not know that I knew that word. I guess this is another thing I learned while at school. I still ask about Catfish now and again and ask mom to explain why he is dead and where he is. Mom tries to avoid the "he is in the trash" conversation and stick to the "fish have a short life span and we did everything right while we were taking care of him" conversation instead. Now, as I am eating chicken, fish, steak and such I often feel the need to say, "This is dead chicken, right?"
We didn't have an empty fishbowl for long (all of 24 hours maybe.) Meet Cherry, Strawberry Milkshake (a reddish/purplish beta.) I named him after having a Chick-fil-A shake of course. He is a really good swimmer and loves to hide inside the cave (Catfish never did that.) We take good care of him too. I test the water now and again to make sure it is the right temperature, but don't tell mom because she says to keep my hands out of the fish water.

ALMOST CUTE!...

MOTHER'S DAY...
It began with Muffins for Mom at LMS on Cinco de Mayo. I made mom the most precious book and the school purchased a bookmark to accompany it. The greatest gifts for mom are made by me, but dad surprised her too. He brought home an arrangement of hydrangea, lilies and peonies masterfully arranged by Lala. Mom loves flowers; the way they make our house smell and look more like a welcoming home to relax in. Her favorites have changed through out the years, but she will always love peonies, hydrangea and parrot tulips. They hold special memories for her.
Mother's day festivities would not have been complete with out celebrating with the grandmothers and a special aunt too. To celebrate Mawmaws, we had brunch at Uncle Jeff's house and had some time to visit as we munched on this and that and relaxed outback poolside. Then we visited Big Grandma, Aunt Kay and Lala to hand deliver my own bouquet. Mom and dad helped me stamp my hand print into a flower shape in all the colors of the rainbow. I figured if my mama loved these handmade gifts everyone else would too. I was right! Happy Mother's Day to all the "Mama's" that help make me a better and even more loved little man.
I love you all.
Sunday, was Mother's Day and we were tired. We passed on a day full of excitement to relax at home and just spend some downtime with each other. Dad decided that he would grant mom's wish to repair my bathroom sink. I think we all thought it would be a fairly easy fix, but we were so wrong! Mom and I were shaken for our lounging time by dad screaming "JENNIFER!" That doesn't happen too often (okay, ever) around her so we knew something was bad wrong. Mom ran into the bathroom to discover a literal blast of water spraying out of where my sink handle should have been. It had not been spraying for long, but my floor and cabinets were already standing in water. Dad could not get it turned off so he headed outside to shut off the water main. In the mean time, mom ran to the garage, dumped our trash bags and drug the giant, nasty, trashcan into the house. As she tried to push, direct and shovel water into the can she directed me to grab the squeegee from the master shower. It thought it was great! I ran laughing to the shower and returned with the squeegee. Mom did her best to keep the water moving in the right direction but outside dad was struggling to get the main turned off. He had to yell to a neighbor to help as they tried different tools--it was stuck. Mean time, I was having the best moments of my life as I splished and splashed around my bathroom. It looked as if I was singing in the rain as I was tap dancing in inches water. When the water finally turned off we grabbed every towel in the house to clean up. We were so lucky that the "flood" as we called it did not make it to the carpet. It took every towel in our house to mop up the water, every item under the sink had to be tossed or dried. It was a HUGE MESS; a Mother's Day Mess. Mom and dad did eventually laugh at the entire situation and I must say my bathroom has never been cleaner. So much for relaxing, but we did have some quality time together.

FROGS FOR THOUGHT...
Have you ever had a season like this; a time in your life where you felt like the weight of the world was on your shoulders? Or maybe it was a time when you felt like the only way you could possibly accomplish your goals or move on was if someone were to carry you through those moments. I guess we are not the only ones. Family and friends provide that kind of support. They lift you up when you need them most. They hold on even when the going gets really tough. But what a message to receive from frogs. All mom could see was Jesus. If you can't walk in the daily now...He'll carry you until you are ready. He will plant your feet on solid ground. We are so thankful for all the piggyback rides we have received along our journey and for the messages He gives us each day; even at the zoo.

MONTESSORI...
Here's a little taste of what I have been up to for the last 2 weeks.
I am writing words both copied and independently, coloring everything using my blocked out rainbow effect, learning to count by 2's and 5's and 10's and (drum roll please) READING! Truth be told, I have been reading words in isolation and environmental print for sometime now. Mom and I read book every night and recently I have expressed a greater interest in reading the books to her. But this month was special. My teacher announced to my class and to my parents that "I am a reader!" I bring home Bob books from school to share with mom and dad and I am so proud of myself. Mom can see the perfectionist in me develop even more as I set my heart and mind to achieve something like reading. She is sure to compliment my every achievement and every effort along the way. She knows all too well what being a perfectionist feels like. She wants me to always remember that "my very best is ALWAYS good enough."

A BEAUTY AMONG BLUEBONNETS...
We almost missed our opportunity this year; time has just slipped right by us. We had planned to venture out this way during the Bluebonnet Festival, but after being sick, mom did not want to rush into me sitting among the pollen filled flowers. So, we waited (almost too long.) Mom picked me up from school and we headed out to the country. Mom was sure we could find a bright spot within an hour of our house but that was not the case. All of the spots we had visited in years past were just pasture land. Mom has a theory about that. She is sure that all the trampling feet and flower picking during picture time last year caused the shortage in that spot this year. We literally drove for just shy of 2 hours before stopping on the side of a freeway and climbing the hill. We passed many a field that looked like an oceans tide rolling in, but they were protected. If she could have tossed me over the fence she would have, but instead Mom had to wake me from my backseat slumber to climb the hill. I was none to happy to do so. Mom had to pull out all the stops and promise ice cream on the way home just to crack my smile. I could remember the perfection of last year's photo session. Everything from the location to the timing worked for us. We ran through the fields and (pretended) to play hide and seek among the wildflowers. I wanted a repeat; trouble is, you can't go running down a hill of high grass into speeding traffic on the side of a freeway. Nope, you have to hold hands, walk slowly and pray to God that ants and snakes do not come up to greet you. So, all that being said, we got some really good shots and we are glad we did not miss our opportunity. By the way, our ice cream was FANTASTIC!

BEFORE AND AFTER...
As much as mom and dad loved my locks, it was time for a haircut. Summer is quickly approaching and this was just too much hair for comfort--sweaty boy. They feared that my curls would hit the floor never to return as my hair has been getting straighter with each cut. Luckily, that was not the case this time.
I never want to go get my haircut. I love long hair and I love my curls. How could I not? My curls are like a trademark of sorts, but I have always sat patiently while getting my haircuts. This time was no different; not a wiggle one. Mom and dad say I look so grown up. I have stretched and stretched to 43.5 inches tall and all my little baby curves have flattened right out. I am 46 pounds of sweetness dressed (but I might have lost a pound after the haircut.)

UPDATE(5/6/10 pm):
We visited with Reagan's ENT this afternoon. He reviewed the cat scan with me and it appears that all but one "room" if you will in Reagan's sinuses are blocked. All of the sinuses in the frontal regions including all of the sinuses in his cheek areas are blocked. The ones further back in his head appear to be more clear. Basically, all you could see on the scan was black. The good news is he does not have any malformations, or issues that can be seen on the cat scan that would result in the cronic sinus infections. His ears are clear. The Dr. believes that our best bet at this time is to return to the allergist and do another level of allergy testing (the first round was negative.) The less than good news is even if he were to do the surgery the problem will most likely reoccur especially if allergy issues are the cause of these problems. We have an appointment for this testing next week. The ENT called Reagan a difficult case because of the many different possibilities. He has reactive airways (or asthma), what we believe are allergies, history with ear infections and now these chronic sinus infections. He does not want to do the surgery given it is a complicated procedure as far as the healing goes if he is not certain it will help long term. The other thing to consider is Reagan's quality of life. Most children or even adults with the sinus problems that Reagan has run a high fever, have severe headaches or asthma issues due to the infection going to their lungs. Reagan is a happy kiddo. He never complains about his health or feeling bad. However, he is tired, more clingy (especially to his mama), congested and apparently having some hearing issues (from the stuffiness) that are also effecting his speech. After completing the allergy testing, the ENT would like for Reagan to take 5 days of steroids and then wait 5 days before returning to see him again. At this point we will have the allergy testing results and we can reevaluate how Reagan is feeling and his overall "mommy knows best" symptoms. I love how the ENT now believes and warrants what I have to say. He believes the steroids might help him. Even in looking in Reagan's nose today he saw inflammation but the mucus was clear. This is the case on most days. It is a random occasion that Reagan has green mucus (again, what the ENT calls a mystery in the form of a "sinus bowel movement.") It is truly a mystery as to why his sinuses are not draining properly and why the 42 days of antibiotics over the last 3 months have not cleared the infection at this point.
I made an appointment for a second opinion with another ENT (in a separate practice) to hear his suggestions. So...please continue to pray for Reagan's healing. I am certain his is a trooper, but I want him to know what feeling healthy is like. Thank you for your prayers.

UPDATE (5/6/10 am):
I received the cat scan results via phone message yesterday afternoon. Even after 42 days of antibiotics in the last 2.5 months, Reagan has a severe sinus infection in the left side and a moderate to severe sinus infection in the right side of his sinuses. We are returning to see the ENT today in the medical center to discuss our options from this point forward. Before completing the cat scan the doctor mentioned that if the results showed continued infection the best plan would be surgery to clean/suction all of it out. Please be in prayer today for Reagan's healing and the doctor to make the best action plan for him. I am frustrated as I have been telling his ENT for months now that I believed there was an underlying issue to the recurrence and felt Reagan was not hearing/speaking as clearly as he had in the past. Mothers, trust your instincts. No one knows your child better than you. At this point, we can only imagine how long this infection has been growing. I will post more this evening after speaking with the doctor.

So SICK...AND WE DIDN'T EVEN KNOW IT...
Mom can remember when she had a student come to school sick...wait for it now. The coming to school sick part happens all the time, but this little girl was covered in a horrible rash. Mom sent the girl to the nurse who then sent her home. She had scarlet fever. Well, here's where the "never say never" clause comes into effect because my mom said something along the lines of, "I can't believe that mom would send her child to school so sick. How did she not know she had strep throat and why in the world did she not take her child to the doctor before it turned into scarlet fever?" UMMM, mom...did you know that I was sick? NOPE, she did not. I did not complain one bit, no fever, no change in habits; just a bit tired. Mom attributed that to coming off a week of spring break and a time change the week before. Could have been, right? But sadly it was not. I woke up the Saturday before Easter with a temp. of 101.5. Mom instantly thought of sinus infection. I seem to get them as frequently as mom and dad did growing up. If I have a runny nose, despite your best efforts to prevent it, you just know what is next. Mom called Mawmaws because we had planned to head out to the farm to meet every angle of our family. I was lathargic, but did not complain of anything hurting at the time. Mom noticed a scratch on my neck that looked like I had clawed myself in the night, but other than some puffy, dark ringed eyes I was me. She gave me Motrin (which has now been recalled--thanks so much...I took 3/4 a bottle or more of the stuff while I was sick.) and we headed to the farm. Shortly after arriving, mom noticed that the "scratch" had spread and was now all behind my ears and down my neck and my lymph nodes were HUGELY swollen. Lala said I looked like I had the mumps. Couldn't be...I've been vaccinated. Mom tried calling the doctor with no luck and then gave me Benedryl (yep...this has been recalled too.) It didn't work. I was itching, my fever was still there, the rash was spreading down my back and onto my belly and I refused a tractor ride. WHAT? Yes, this is how everyone knew how sick I was. I laughed and played, dyed Easter eggs and hunted them too. I had visited all day, but to refuse my absolute favorite part of the farm was an indication of how I really felt. I WAS SOOO SICK! I did not eat or drink anything worth while and so mom continued to call doctors (ENT, allergist, pedi.) It was time to go home. Finally, Easter Sunday at 8:30 am mom was able to get me into the doctor's after hours clinic. She would not take no for an answer. I am sure they have her on record as being combative, but you just do not come between a mother and a wellness plan for her child. I had strep throat turned scarlet fever, a sinus infection and an ear infection complete with fluid. I started what was my 2nd round of 21 days of antibiotics in 3 months. Yes, I would agree we need a better plan of action. Since that time, my lymph nodes are still swollen (a month later folks,) but my ENT says my ears are now clear. I had a cat scan of my sinuses taken yesterday to confirm that the junk up there is truly gone and we continue to use my preventive asthma medication, saline washes and steroid nose spray. My second round of allergy testing is just around the corner as my first round showed NOTHING! Perhaps my body did not process the Benedryl I was taking for the itchy rash properly. It should be out of your system in 5 days. It had been 6 when I went in for my allergy testing, but all signs point to no. We are ready for some preventatives rather than another round of drugs. We are looking forward to a dry summer and putting the pollen and all the snots to rest. Please pray that I will be healthy, happy and strong in body, mind and spirit.

AN EASTER SURPRISE...

Easter was extra EGG-citing this year! Both sides of my family were able to spend time together eating great food and relaxing at the farm. Of course relaxing came after a tour and a visit to stables to meet Babe, Mawmaws bottle fed lamb. I was with Mawmaws the first time Babe got her bottle and this was my first trip back to see her. She has really grown!

Big Grandma made this Easter basket for me just like she did for dad when he was growing up. I loved it and all the goodies it held inside. There were plenty enough to share and so we did. We sampled each pack of candy and them some. Turns out, when you are sick just about the only thing that sounds good is candy, colored drinks and popsicles and mom was not about to deprive me.

Mom found monster eggs at Kroger this year and knew I would find them funny. I still have a "thing" for hair and all its crazy dos'. We used colored pipe cleaners, dye, stickers and lots of silly hair to create them. When they were complete they were a sight to behold. In fact, I wanted to make a whole 'nother batch. I didn't want to eat them or toss them just play with them. They lived in our fridge for weeks!

When mom was growing up they hunted Easter eggs every year. Mawmaws and Grandpa would hide the eggs all around the backyard leaving some eggs as a really big challenge. The prize was not chocolate or deviled eggs...they had MONEY EGGS! So, this year, I did too. Mom tucked special notes into each egg offering me a trip to the movies, popcorn and candy, a zoo trip and so forth, but pulling coins and bills from the eggs makes an even bigger impression. Thank you Mawmaws :) We learned a few good lessons from this egg hunting experience too. First, Uncle Jeff does not want to be left out of the money egg hunt. Mom wouldn't let him participate in the chase of the money eggs. She remembers all to well how he could sniff out the big bills as a kid. She wanted these eggs to be mine. Trouble is (this is lesson number 2) finding black batman eggs among tall trees and dirt is difficult at best. This is probably the best reason for purchasing the bright colored plastic eggs. Superhero eggs are AWESOME once in the basket. Lastly, a sick kid should never be given the option to continue to play in the sun. If you know he is sick...force him to act like it.

Mr. Tim and Mawmaws gave me the biggest surprise toward the end of the day. I opened a box to discover 30 plus chicks inside. There were brown ones and black ones, speckled ones and yellow ones, but only one was BRIGHT YELLOW! He was my FAVORITE! I reached my hand right in that box and picked up those chicks as if I had been doing it all my life. Forget the movement, the peeping or just the number of them within the box. I had no fear. I LOVED THE CHICKS! I wanted so badly to take them home with me (and it didn't help that Amanda's grandma continued to tease that I should.) The whole family enjoyed playing with the little one's. They are so soft and gentle--nothing like a full grown chicken strutting in the yard. At last we decided the chicks should stay at the farm to grow big and strong and we should be on our way home. It was getting late and after I turned down a tractor ride with Mr. Tim mom was certain I was sicker than even she gave me credit for.

Mom spent the next 1.5 hours as we drove home trying to get in contact with my doctors office as I slept.

It was a very EGG-citing Easter indeed.

A MONSTER JAM FAMILY...
That's what dad calls us. Some families watch sports; ours watches Speed TV. I am learning all about geography, broadcasting, truck maintenance and racing. I have memorized cities and states, truck names, driver names, number of wins/trophies and more. Mom and dad love my excitement and creativity and have enjoyed the hunt for trucks as much as I have. At least once a week our living room is transformed into an arena from somewhere around the world. It has been China, California (that's my favorite state), Florida, San Antonio and many, many more. I enlist mom and dad to play along helping me construct ramps, walls, obstacles and of course race my competitors. We throw on head phones, grab a microphone and channel Scott Douglas as we interview the drivers before or after each run. What can I say? We are happily enjoying being a Monster Jam Family...at least until it is time to clean up.

We are still on the look out for Backwards Bob...this is his drivers signature pose.

HE JUST MIGHT NEED A TROPHY...
At 4 I am a bowling pro! My arm lets loose and the ball wizzes down the lane. I amaze those who are playing with me. I manage to get a strike or spare with just about every roll of the ball. I love wii bowling!

Can you tell who my competition was? That is Daddy and Uncle Mean.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY UNCLE GENE...
Thanks for sharing your big day with us and bringing our lil girl in for a visit. We sure keep each other entertained and all the adults laughing too. Mom will never grow tired of hearing Ella Bella cry out "Nare Nanan, Ount Nanan." Our families are linked for life.

4 YEAR SHOT GONE WRONG...
Mom decided to break up for 4 year old shots into three groups. The last of the 3, was received over spring break. I wasn't too happy to receive the shot in the first place, but then I started sharing with mom that my leg hurt. We thought it was the typical soar injection spot, but 2 days later this is what it looked like. It was a knot much bigger than the red splotch, had fever in it and remained soar to the touch. We applied heat several times a day trying to disperse the medication that was pocketed there. A week or so later I was peachy again.