Cute boy

 

B has this adorable hooded sweater our friends handed down to us.  He looks so dapper in it.

He's very interested in the telescope.  I hope he can see anything.  I can never see anything in telescopes.  I used to not be able to see out of microscopes and then one day I could see in the magicscope at G's school.  So we bought one and now I have a microscope I can see in!

2020 About Me

 

love sometimes

 B is such a loving little boy, sometimes.  Other times he gets his feelings hurt and goes silent.  He's the most compliant of our children, but also very stubborn when he has gone silent.  We've warned his primary teachers that silence from him means he wants to be left alone.

Eye OK

 We went for an MRI Tuesday and heard back today that his MRI was normal.  Hurray!  No tumor.  That is awesome.  So he does have a small cataract that the Dr. is not thinking would cause the the loss of vision.  So we'll keep patching and and hope his eye gets stronger and follow up with the doctors a few times a year.

To be continued... eye

 We went to the followup appointment with the pediatric optist/opthamologist after patching for 4 hours a day for 6 weeks.  His eyes look totally healthy and they have no reasons for his 20/50 vision in the left eye.  The next step is an MRI to see if something is pinching the nerve.  I'm at the point where I just hope he has inexplicable blindness in one eye, instead of there being a growth or other reason for the loss of sight in otherwise healthy looking eyes.

B let his work slide last week.  He missed computer time for it.  This week he didn't work Wednesday and Thursday so he got no computer, and then no dinner Thursday night.  Friday dawned and I let him be hungry.  He had 2 cheesesticks and some carrots until he finished his work at 5.  Then he got to eat the pizza and treats I packed for him.  I think he learned that he can do the work and must do the work.  

B's sunbeam teacher said "With that smile B gets whatever he wants."  Could be true.  But what monster would he become if he just learns to manipulate and get others to do his work for him.  As he languished on the floor this morning, not getting his work done, M tried to help him.  I told her that he was manipulating her.  Then I said this was good practice since she was never going to meet someone more good looking than B.  So she could learn to see how he was tricking her into doing his work, and that is bad!  

We had a miscarriage before I was pregnant with B.  He's a rainbow baby and also such a likeable child AND the hair.  We adore him so much and as hard as it is to not give in to his sweet smile, we want for him to have confidence in himself borne of experience.  He can do the work.  He can hold himself to a high standard of kindness and self control. 

kindle

 

     B asked for a kindle for his birthday back in April.  I didn't think he was ready for one, as his siblings got them at 8 or older.  Then several months after his birthday he was still wishing for one so I found a nice used on.  He had some particular idea in mind about the cover and he tore the one I made off, and now the kindle is lost.  Yay for 7 year olds.  He's also been lashing out and hitting a lot.  We miss the little sweet guy he was.  But with age comes new emotions and frustration he has to learn to master. 

    I saw a meme that raising sons is like breaking up in slow motion.  This is certainly true with B.  He used to be so affectionate but at 6 he stopped liking hugs and kisses.  He is particular about who and how he is touched, which I certainly respect.  It's his body and he is is in charge of it.

mysterious left eye

 B isn't seeing out of his left eye so good.  We've been to an optometrist and the pediatric Ophthalmologist.  We'll go back to the pediatric ophthalmologist in 6 weeks for tests they couldn't do while his eyes were dilated, which they were for the first round of tests.  In the mean time he'll be wearing eye patches.  I picked up a box from CVS and painted some to make it fun.

cousin

B resembles the H side of the family.  Here he is with his cousin H and even though their are both making sort of strange expressions, they do make a lot of the same expressions.  H is 6 feet tall at 15.  B is also very tall for his age.

Cake Design

 I asked B what kind of cake he wanted for his birthday.  He's been anxiously counting down for 2 months.  He designed this cake and it has me, and B and hearts and a rainbow.  I think it's about the sweetest cake a 6 year old ever designed.  I love it.

In the subsequent weeks some of B's siblings tried to convince him that there were cooler cakes that could be made but B stayed true to his vision.  The cake is strawberry with pudding frosting.  The decorations are cookies.  The 7 candles are sparkler candles that gave off a spark every couple of seconds.  It was awesome.

We ordered some presents for B and did a facebook chat with grandparents to enjoy his cake and presents. 

We also filled the pool finally and it looks like it may rain.  But we had a great day.  I'm very grateful for such a sweet and dedicated 7 year old!

Leading up to today B did his school work early so he could be free today.  Then today as others did their work, he went ahead and did his work for tomorrow.  That kid is awesome!

Nature walk

I took the kids for a walk at the park and we were so prepared.  B loves to pick up trash and so we brought the grabber stick.  We picked up a lot of trash and tried to avoid poison ivy.  B wore the water back pack and lP wore the snacks.  I love how B is such a loving brother to L. 

Sometimes he tries to control L as he tries to protect him.  It's a balance.

haircut and great signing

In the morning we take turns signing and voicing for each other in the scripture story books.  B could barely sign when we started this a few months ago.  He had lost a lot of his basic 100 signs and didn't know many of the scripture signs.  Now he's doing great!

B also cut his hair last week.  It's a classic 6 year old, all the bangs, cut.  Oh yeah!  He hasn't let me cut it all short yet.  Oh B!

2 front teeth

B held on to this tooth for days hoping to have it fall out on a Thursday as happened with his other front tooth.  We went to gtown and got doughnuts.  Yay!  What a fun family tradition.  What a cute little boy.

lost tooth

 His piano teacher said this was the magical time where he could drink from a straw between his teeth, so he did.

 We sent this photo to family to let them know we'd be buying doughnuts in Gtowne.

This was us cleaning the church the day he lost it minutes before we had to go.

reading and all

 We visit the library sometimes in the evening when P is working.  L and B go sit down and read.  It's awesome.  The big kids scatter and I can pull out a book and read too.  I love this family.

 We found these sweet clothes made by grandma L.  B is skinny enough to wear them.  He is so silly.

And so sweet.

golf pants, leather jacket

 Aunt L came to M's band concert and everyone was impressed by B's leather jacket that matches hers.  The story of this jacket is that someone asked for coats for a family with several boys.  So I went through our coats (because we keep them in all sizes) and donated several to the family.  I realized too late that I had given away the coat B needed for the coming winter.  Within a week someone had given us this leather jacket for lP but B was able to use it the and again this year.

 We went shopping, just the little boys and I.  I had read somewhere that if you can,  it's good to walk with your children.  So we parked at the far end of the strip mall, by the thrift store.  Then we walked to the grocery store, shopped and walked back.  I was carrying eggs and milk.  The boys were loaded up.  They did a good job.  L was tired.  B was strong.

When we went putt-putt golfing B wore these very bright plaid pants.  He told me that they are golfing pants.  P thinks he got that idea from watching Daffy Duck cartoons.  Wherever he got the idea, he looked awesome and did a great job.