Santa Visit 2013

I have been really excited to speak with Santa about my requests for this year. I've been especially good and know it. I also know being greedy gets one nothing on Christmas so I chose very carefully what I asked for. 

If you recall from my Halloween costume, I really enjoy Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. I have a small catalog that came with a toy. There are lots of cool items in it. Among them is a giant sewer set. At first I really wanted that but it was so large it would take up most of my bedroom and after some conversing with Mom and reading some reviews about it, I changed my mind. 

Instead, there is a mini-sewer set for "on-the-go" play. It stores to look like a pizza box (the Turtles favorite food). This was such a funny and cleaver idea I decided this was better. Add to that a couple of minifigures to go with it and that was my list to Santa. The coolest part is he totally knew what I was asking for - he really knows his toys!

Mom waited a significant amount of time for us to see Santa. Dad took us to a nearby jungle gym so we could play for a couple of hours while she and Baby Sis waited. It was worth it - best Santa visit and best Santa photos yet.

Six...

Well, I'm six years old now. Mom and Dad say they can hardly believe how quickly time has flown by. Actually, I've been keeping this blog since I was about 9-10 months old so even my blog is getting older, too.

I had many birthday celebrations - my friend party, my extended family party, a small celebration at school, a celebration on Thanksgiving with my family, and a little dinner with just the five of us at home on my actual birthday. It's kind of odd to not have a celebration planned for me this week! (That's okay because we celebrated Dad's birthday this week and next week we celebrate Mom's. Lots of birthdays this time of year.)

List of some of my favorites:

- Favorite superhero: Captain America (I also like the old school Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, especially Leonardo)
- Favorite food: pizza and stone soup
- Favorite dessert: unfrosted sugar cookies (this is what we had at all my gatherings)
- Favorite color: green
- Favorite number: 3
- Favorite book: Darth Vader and Son
- Favorite activity: playing (mostly Legos) and drawing; especially pretend play
- Favorite show: Johnny Quest, Ninja Turtles (from the 1980s)
- Favorite Movies: Cloud with a Chance of Meatballs,  Hotel Transylvania

 A few other things:
- I love school. I don't have homework. My teacher asked Mom and Dad to stop working with me so she would have some things to "teach" me. Still, I make up homework assignments to do at home. I LOVE school and LOVE my teacher and all her assistants. Recess is my favorite but I also like music class and computer time. I have not yet missed a day of school.
- I started a "fighting off crime team" at school. I am their leader. Mostly, made up of the few boys in my class. We chase "villains" during recess.
- I have a girlfriend. Her name is Bella. We play together during recess or before school and sit together during recess. I like her short yellow hair and that she's very nice to me.
- I very much enjoy my two days at JFK (after school program). It is somewhat of an extension of kindergarten with learning stations, activities, and recess. If Mom picks me up early I get grumpy with her and tell her to come back later. I don't like to miss my activities.
 - I learned to swim this past summer. I went from not being able to swim at all to independence and full reign in any pool at the YMCA.
- I still wear glasses. Next year I may need eye surgery. We'll find out in January. My dominant eye is patched for 30-60 minutes per day.
- Next year may also bring umbilical hernia surgery as it has not shrunk in size. We find out in a month if I need it corrected.
- My asthma is significantly improved. Mostly just with colds now. Eczema is completely resolved.
- I am still allergic to peanuts. 
- For some reason I'm really into cyclops monsters right now.
- I am not very opinionated about what I wear but I am going through a sweater phase and want to stay warm.
- I still have all my baby teeth and have never had a cavity.
- I still take naps about 60-75% of the time. (I like that when I do nap I get to stay up and watch an old Star Trek with Dad)
- When I grow up I want to be either an inventor superhero or a veterinarian farmer.

This past week I had my 6 year wellness visit. Here are my stats from that visit:

Weight: 42.65 lbs (35%)

Height: 44 inches (25%)

Blood pressure: 100/62 (normal)

The height is somewhat skewed as I have been on inhaled steroids for a significant part of my life so my growth velocity is slower. I'll catch up later in life but should achieve my anticipated height. Overall, I've been healthy this year but next year may bring a couple of possible surgeries which none of us are excited about. Maybe we'll avoid it, though.

For now, I'm a happy kid and just have great zest for life.

From Mom and Dad:

To our little guy - we love you so very much. You are our old soul and touchstone. We are so grateful you came along and made us parents. You make us smile every day and give the best snuggles ever. We are so proud of you and the person you are growing into. Thank you for being you.

Stone Soup - Thanksgiving Feast

Last week we celebrated Thanksgiving in my kindergarten class with a pot of stone soup. Mrs. T had each of us bring a vegetable to contribute. She washed them and we used some carving utensils to cut the vegetables. She cooked them and the next day we invited our parents to feast with us.

Oh, we also spent the past two weeks learning about Thanksgiving and preparing for our feast by creating napkin holders, place mats, and a costume. I chose to be an Indian (as did my girlfriend B). My costume included a vest and headpiece - both of which I made. 

When asked what I was thankful for I told the class, "I am thankful for my little monkey Bongo". It's my stuffed monkey that I love to sleep with.

I was so glad Mom, Dad, and Baby Sister were able to attend the feast. 

Oh, I brought an onion to add to the soup - I actually really love cooked onions. And we usually have stone soup at home about once a week so I am a stone soup making expert. Mrs. T was happy for my input in the matter.

Veterans Day

On Veterans Day my Grandpa N went to my kindergarten class, at Mrs. T's invitation, to talk with us about his service in the US Army during World War II. He brought in his dog tags which the kids thought were pretty cool. Each of the kids in my class presented him with a metal to say thank you. Each metal was designed by that individual child. He loved them. It was wonderful to have him there and is an honor to be his grandson. 

We are so proud of your, Grandpa. Thank you for your service.

Birthday Celebration - Kids' Party

Mom and Dad knew we would have a new baby by the time my party rolled around. Thus, they talked with me about picking a place outside our home to host the party. I opted for Planet Kid. The nice part was they did a parent hosted party so we could bring in our own food. I am a bit picky when it comes to my pizza so I was glad we did not have to have their pizza. Dad went over to Costco and picked up three giant pizzas, Mom brought some applesauce, and she also made sugar cookies (remember, I don't like cake). 

It was quite the event - every person but one of those invited showed up. There were about 17 kids there ages 1-6. We ran around for over an hour, stopped for pizza and cookies, then ran around some more. Mom and Dad visited with the parents, some of which they had never met since some of the kids I invited are friends of mine from school. Then when it was all over, we loaded into our van and headed home for a long bath and nap. Oh, and we woke to about 1-2 inches of snow that morning. What a day.

Here are some photos from the event.

Drawing Booth

We have this art easel at school which we call the drawing booth. It is my favorite activity at school. Well, aside from recess, snack, and math. When we finish our work, we have a list of activities we can do while we wait for the other kids to finish their work. One of these is the drawing booth. It is set up with drawing paper and markers. I love making "people". I was telling Lil Sister about the drawing booth and she insisted on having a try at it. Actually, she came with Mom to kindergarten one day and she was able to experience the drawing booth herself. She loved it, too, especially since she really is the artist of the family. 

Thus, Mom turned our art easel at home into a drawing booth. One side is a white board, the other a chalk board, and then she made a cardboard that we could attach paper to and draw on the paper. We LOVE it. We play on it at least once or twice a day, for at least 15-30 minutes at a time. These photos of are one of my favorite creations - a crew of submariners. There are some sharkmen thrown in, too, but Mom has a hard time knowing which are which.

First Field Trip

While Mom was on jury duty, I had my very first school field trip. I even got to ride the bus with my fellow students and everything. We went to the big fire station downtown. Dad and Lil Sister were also able to go, but they had to ride in our own vehicle as she's not old enough to ride the bus. Still, it was fun to have them there.

I was most impressed with the three story pole the firemen go down to get to the trucks. Plus, the equipment they wear weighs 100lbs. They can put it on in less than 3 minutes. We also heard, first hand, the alarm that goes off if a fire fighter goes down during an emergency, so the other firemen can find him and get him to safety.

You can also see little bits of my kindergarten teacher, Mrs. T, in some of the photos. She's the one carrying the big emergency bag (it has my asthma/allergy meds in it as well as some of the other students' - we have a few of us in the class with food allergies and asthma). You might also see Lil Sister, too, she was one of us kindergarteners that day and no one would have known otherwise as she was so grown up and well behaved. In fact, Mrs. T invited her to our next field trip in a couple weeks out to the pumpkin patch. She's sitting right next to me in the final photo.

First Day of School...

I have been super excited to start school - counting the days. I've met my kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Taylor, a couple times already and she is awesome. Here are some photos of me before and after school. I was a little nervous just because there were so many people around but once I was inside and settled I had no issues with Mom, Dad, and Sister leaving. (Sister, however, was a little distraught to leave me behind.)

I did pick out my outfit - it's not new clothes. However, my back pack is totally new and should last as many years as I want it to. Mom had one that lasted her through most of college and graduate school of the same brand.

The first thing I said when I told Dad about my day was, "I didn't go to the principle's office!" We went over school rules last night and Mom and Dad explained if I was not good I would end up with them in conference in the principle's office - it really stuck in my brain. We read a book, had 15 minutes of recess where I made a new friend and played tag (there are only 5 boys in my class of 24 students). Then we had a milk break, colored a picture, had my photo taken with my special stuffed toy I brought to school (Yellow Monster which is a Despicable Me minion), and then it was time to go home.

It was a grand, short first day. I am already looking forward to tomorrow, although, I was happy to take a nap today after getting up early. Oh, and Sister survived without me. Mom said she asked many times for me but she clung to her blankie and seemed to be fine when they picked Dad and me up. Mom kept her busy running errands. Then we went to lunch to celebrate my successful first day.

The two videos at the bottom are fairly short - one is of me running out of school and the other was an interview Dad did with me about my first day.

More of Swimming...

I have been loving swimming this summer. We are so fortunate to have friends who let us go swimming all the time in their super nice pool. Plus, my lessons twice a week with Coach Nick have been awesome. I started a new session this past week with him and as it turns out there were no other students signed up for our class so I am getting private lessons. Lil Sister's class is also during my class but she has a different teacher.

We did go to the swim shop this week and have me fitted for goggles. I cannot see really great without my glasses but at least I can open my eyes under water which has significantly helped my body positioning. My skills continue to explode with his encouragement and lots of practice. 

We've been practicing jumping off the diving board at class as well as deep diving. Coach will put a long pole in the water and I will use it to pull myself to the very deep end of the pool. I also have unrestricted privileges at the YMCA in that I can get into any pool without adult assistance. It's awesome. Although, Mom and Dad still insist they be on stand by even if there are life guards every where.

Oh, and somehow jumping into the pool is so much more fun if it is accompanied by a yell of some sort. Even Coach Nick agrees and he does the same thing.

Enjoy the video from our recent swim outing at Ms. Suzanne's place.

Diving...

I've really been enjoying swimming this summer and have really learned a lot, especially since I get frequent practice and starting lessons. 
Here are some photos from me "diving" but really it's just jumping into the deep end of the pool. I am told it is about 8 feet deep on the diving end. Mom and Dad still insist someone stand by in case I need assistance but mostly I do it myself.

Here are some photos of me diving from our recent family pool outing...

Cap at My Eye Appointment

I had my eye appointment last week. I did fine and was happy no eye drops were involved in this visit. However, after this appointment the specialist said I might possibly need surgery on my dominant eye to loosen one of the muscles (external oblique). She was hoping at our last appointment we could avoid surgery but this time she was not so sure. So, we'll take a wait and see approach over the next 6-12 months and see what happens. 

For now, we were happy to get a recommendation on a jeweler that could repair one of my pairs of glasses. My glasses run $400-$500 a pair so if we can avoid getting a new pair, it saves us quite a lot. Mom and Dad have paid for three pairs this year. Especially helpful has been my new sports glasses - perfect for t ball, gymnastics, and swimming. (Yes, we have insurance but for glasses it only covers $100 toward a pair every other year - not too helpful for someone like me.)

Here I am enjoying my super cool new Captain America shirt Mom found me. I absolutely love that it has a built in hood with the signature wings and "A". Here is also a rare photo of me minus my glasses. As you can see the eye crossing is getting better but still not resolved completely and may not ever be. With time and technology that could change.

T-Ball Wrap Up

It was a very busy season with about 26 games within a two month period. I actually only missed one game due to illness. Otherwise, I always made it and about 90% of the time was super focused.

Mom and Dad said their goals for me for t-ball were to have fun, learn to listen to a coach, stand in line quietly, and focus. They said I accomplished all my goals. I was actually quite sad when the season was over. Mom and Dad also say I was definitely the most improved player on the team. I consistently made my hits and playing catcher was by far my favorite position. One thing that dramatically improved for me was my throwing. Once I learned to step and throw I was able to play 1st base without problem, although, tagging first I sometimes forgot to do.

Actually, Mom had a couple coaches from some of the other teams ask how they taught me my catcher skills - mostly my ball stopping and my ability to see out of the catcher's mask. Nothing special she told them just that I am used to having no depth perception or peripheral vision so wearing the mask was no big deal. Because I'm used to having some vision impairment, I've learned to use other senses to overcome which put me at a significant advantage. The ball stopping, I learned on my own. Still, I liked being catcher because I got to wear the super cool battle armor like Aragorn. Oh, my new sports glasses made a huge difference, too.

I also loved wearing a helmet to bat, too. Toward the end of the season I developed a bad habit of throwing my bat after hitting. Coach talked with me several times and I just kept forgetting. Mom and Dad had me practice my batting with my foam bat for a while and that solved the issue. Then I brought my foam bat to use during games and it became the most popular bat for our games. We all got a good laugh at that. 

Overall, Mom and Dad were very happy with the season. The coaches were all wonderful, both on our team as well as the other teams. All the parents were great. No one complained or anything. Totally positive experience for all of us. Even Sister made some new friends and had a great time hanging out with the other siblings during the games. No score was kept. No outs given.

I chose number 3 which was surprising to Dad because that is his favorite number, which I did not know.

Mom's work sponsored my team, the Indians, too. 

I was also known for giving a thumbs up to Mom, Dad, and Sister every time I ran to 1st base. 

Here are some photos mixed in with a few videos, too.

Very first game, first time at bat.

 

First time playing catcher - at first I was scared. Then it was my favorite position.

My new throwing skills.

From my last game. I did not actually get to play catcher in the last game. I did get to play first base. I was on deck to be catcher the very next inning if we had had one. However, I insisted on putting on the gear one last time before the season officially ended.