Kinder or No Kinder

Ever since Casey and I were told we were going to have a boy in August, we just knew without a shadow of a doubt that our baby boy would not be the youngest in his class and start kindergarten when he had just turned 5.  We have stood by this....until Sunday.  First, let me preface that we both knew he was academically ready.  Riley is extremely smart and has the most awesome memory and he LOVES to learn/read/spell/write.  We were also told at our parent/teacher conference that he was also very mature and socially ready for school.  So we knew that, we just didn't want him to be the last in his class to get his liscence and to graduate at 17, etc.  Well, the Easter bunny brought him some sight word reading books.  I got these to work with him over the summer so we could be ready for the fall.  Sunday, he started with one and by the middle of the book, he was remembering blends and was sounding out each word faster and faster.  Casey and I were both VERY impressed. 

This led me to start praying hot and heavy.  I didn't want to cheat Riley out of something based on what his Dad and I were wanting.  Yesterday at school, a handful of events unfolded and I just knew God was telling me something.  Casey and I talked last night and then we talked to him and HE IS GOING TO KINDER next year!!!!  He is really excited and now I am nervous nelly.  I don't know if I am prepared for this!  LOL

Vacation

Casey and I celebrated our 6th anniversary this year in Mexico.  We went to Excellence at Playa Mujeres.  It is a WONDERFUL resort located about 35 miles north of Cancun.  We have never been north of Cancun, so we thought we would try it.  The resort was wonderful...the food was great and the room was phenominal.  It was by far the nicest room we have ever stayed it.  It had a rooftop terrace with a little "pool" and shower up top.  We didn't do any excursions, we just sat around and read and ate!  I did have a wardrobe malfunction though.  My top broke and popped off.  I was very lucky that I caught most of my goods and no one saw anything.  There was a man that had one too many tequila sunrises and he asked for a do over....Casey politley but sternly refused.  We also go burned pretty bad.  The last day, I had to sit in the shade.  (silly gringos we are!)

Here are some pics:

The rooftop terrace...beautiful

Her Tonsils are Huge!

Bentley has been told basically by every doctor at every appointment she has been to that her tonsils are huge.  In fact, it is like a running joke or a SNL skit..."say ahhhh, Oh my, her tonsils are HUGE!"  When she had her tubes and adenoids done, I asked the ENT if he could remove her tonsils at the same time and he acted like I was crazy for asking and told me it was a much more involved procedure.  From that time until now, Bentley has been known as Darth Vader and she also suffered from sleep apnea, snoring and sinus trouble.  Since her first doctor kinda irritated me, I asked Melissa who did Anna's last year and decided to visit with him.  He is a very good doctor and upon examining Bentley (which took 3 people to hold her down by the way), guess what he said...."Her tonsils are huge!"  She had kissing tonsils (meaning they touch all the time) and were a 4 plus on a scale of 1 to4,  he recommended that they be removed.  Since she is 2 and has such large tonsils, that landed us a night in the "hotel" (aka hospital).  I built up this surgical vacation and got her as excited as I could.  Upon our arrival at hotel, she was immediately very leary of everyone and only wanted me.  We made it back to our preop bed and she chose to lay on the floor in a corner and snarled at all of the staff who we spoke too.  They told us we could give her some verset, if we could get her to take it.  Verset is a drug that helps to make you not care and not remember anything.  It took Casey and myself and a nurse to hold her down and she still did not take most of it, but she got some.  The anesthesiologist told us it will still work....and boy did it???  She actually laid in the bed by herself and was happy and slurring her words.  Casey and I were cracking up!!!  She did well during surgery and the dr said once again "her tonsils were huge!!"  We went over to our hotel room (and we got to ride in an ambulance from Professional Bldg 2 to the hospital - our tax dollars hard at work) and she was great!  She ate a popsicle and ice cream and was smiling and thought this was fun.  Then the drugs wore off.....and it all went downhill.  She refused to take pain medicine or her antibiotic.  It took 3 of us to hold her down and it was still not working.  Her pain increased and so did her will.   Long story short, we got a veteran nurse who really helped us out.  She also noticed signs of dehydration and put Bentley on a different iv drip and a steroid.  The combination really helped us out and she finally started drinking mid-morning the next morning.  Melissa saved the day and brought her favorite juice!!  She is resting at home, still fighting her medicine, but each day we are getting better.

Thanks to everyone for the prayers!  Thanks to Miss Lori and Nana and Melissa who came to see her.   Thanks also to Miss Sharry (her preschool teacher) for the wonderful care package she put together for Bentley.   During all of this chaos, Riley was with Memaw and was very sick.  She took him to the dr while we were in surgery and he had a nasty double ear infection and strep.  I don't have any clue what I would do without Memaw.....she saves the day all the time.  She took the best care of Riley and nursed him back to health.  I am very blessed with all of the friends and family that I have.  God is good!!!

Her sheep from her gift from Miss Sharry

I LOVE VERSET

Look mom, I am a big girl in the hospital bed

The verset ROCKS!

The drugs are wearing off....not so fun

Miss Lori brought gifts!!!

Lil' Putt Putt Fun

We didn't do too much over spring break, but we did take the kiddos to Mountasia.  I think Bentley is still a wee bit young, but she managed to have fun.  Her source of entertainment was some $3 popcorn, but nonetheless, she had fun.  Riley had fun too, but a round of 18 holes took us abut an hour and 45 min (YIKES!).  We also bought some tokens to use on the games inside, but we didn't even make it to that!  We will have to do that another day.

This is Bentley's putting skills hard at work

Riley is doing some kung fu with his club.  Notice Casey waiting in the background.  That is what he gets for being  a little Tiger Woods.  Casey actually got a hole in one on this hole.  Riley and I also left the course with a hole in one!!!

Rodeo Dances

Riley got well just in time for rodeo dances at school.  Every year, they have the 3 and 4 year old kiddos dance and sing for the parents during their music time at school.  Riley had a hard time this year just because he just had gotten over the flu.  He had to sit out and get some water, but he still did good.  He is such a handsome little buckaroo.  Here are some pics!

Allergies, Flu and Fun in a Box

I went to the allergist on Monday for round 2 of testing....after 34 needles pokes under my skin, I am allergic to humidity!  Ha!  Really I am really allergic to dust, dust mites, and mold.  I am also allergic to weeds, grass and cedar, so I will be starting allergy shots.  They will be for once a week, then once every other week and so on until I build up to once a month.  I will be on this therapy for a few years, but the goal is to eventually not need any medicine.  I am really pumped about not having the same allergy troubles that result in many, many sinus infections. :)

Riley just suddenly started running a high fever and coughing and his fever just kept climbing on Wednesday.  I took him to the dr on Wed afternoon and she diagnosed him with the flu.  It has been a rough 24 hours....vomitting, reaction to tamiflu, and no sleep.  This is the sickest he has been.  He has been running between 102 and 103 and has just been lifeless.  Needless to say, I hope and pray this ends really soon.

Bentley has had a hard time entertaining herself as I have been really wrapped up with Riley.  I got some new patio furniture (YAY!) and I assembled it this morning.  She took one of my boxes and went and got her pillow pet and her blanket and her owl and her baby (yes, we sleep with all of that!) and made her a little "bed."  Every time I looked at her in that thing, I just kept thinking she was a pet in a pet bed.  She watched both Snow White and Alice in Wonderland in that box today.  It clearly is the little things in life!!!

Pajama Day at School

I have been the worst blogger lately.  I swear, it feels like we have not stopped since Christmas and the times we have stopped, one of us (or all of us) was sick.  I am gonna try to play catch up!!

This was the first year that Copperfield Church Preschool had pajama day (at least since we have been going) and Riley and Bentley were sooooo excited.  I got them new pjs for Valentine's Day so they would be all outfitted for this occasion.  Bentley wore her new nightgown with no questions asked (thank goodness) and looked adorable.  Riley, on the other hand, picked out the smallest, most faded, not cute pajamas that he owns to wear to school.  You pick and choose your battles these days, so I just rolled with it.  They had a blast and loved sporting their pjs to school.  Here are some pics:

So Far, So Good

Riley has done great with his transition into glasses.  He got them first thing Saturday morning and he was very excited.  Casey and I both took him and it was a bittersweet moment.  First of all, it changes his whole look.  He looks so much more grown up and that makes me so sad.  I just kept picturing my baby, not a grown boy.  Then, we just are a little apprehensive of other kids.  I will just have my heart broken if anyone makes fun of my baby.  You just don't ever WANT your child to be in a situation that makes them more prone to getting made fun of.  We all know how mean kids can be.  I also worry about him losing something so expensive and let's face it, he is only 4 and a half years old. With all of that being said, I have kind of been a basket case about this whole transition. 

After getting his glasses, we went to our soccer game later that morning and we saw Anna and he put them on for Anna and was fine with it then.  He wore them all day, taking a break every now and again for his eyes and head to rest.  He cleaned them constantly and kept up with his case very well.  Sunday, he wore them to church and at home.  Well, when it came time to get out of the car today at school, he didn't want to :(  He kept asking me if he looked "cool."  I totally assured him that he did and he went into school.  It was touch and go while I set up our room, one minute he would be ok and then next, he was taking them off.  I talked to him and to his teachers and they did a GREAT job of helping the whole class transition into Riley's new look.  I must say, I was so worried....really makes you think about others who have true disabilities and other challenges they face.  This is nothing compared to some things and it all boils down to you hurting or worrying when your child is hurting and worrying.  At the end of the day, I am happy to report that he had a great day and was very confident when he left school.  I prayed for him all day and just as God always does, he answered my prayer :)