Dear Noah......you and Audrey Sunday the 6th of July.....

Dear Noah.......Springfield, Ohio

Well we decided to take a trip to the Antique Malls in Springfield, Ohio on Monday. I took you to Cracker Barrel for breakfast and then we began our journey.

I have to say you were very sweet yesterday and we had a good time visiting the malls. You picked out a school bus at one of the malls.....I got a Bible.

We stopped at Grandma C's house on the way back home. You helped water the flowers before going inside last night once we got home. All in all a pretty nice day though the weather got pretty hot and muggy during the daytime.

I cannot believe it is the SECOND week in July already. I need to crack the whip on some home school studies or you won't even start anything before school resumes at the end of August!

I love you Noah.......your cousin Audrey DID come to spend the day Sunday......but ended up missing her mother about midnight that night...and wanted to go home. You had a very difficult time handling that.......but you did finally calm down and went on to bed while she waited for her mom to come pick her up and take her home. You were sad because you think of her as your FRIEND and really wanted to spend the day with her on Monday going to the pool, etc. We will have to see how things work out another time.



Mommy
XOXOX

Dear Noah.....

Civil War Section at Woodland Hills Cemetery, Dayton, OH

Last Sunday we went to my parents' house for birthday celebrations for me and my sister. Her birthday was June 27 and mine July 5. We try to cram several birthdays onto a holiday when we can. That morning started out rough.....I got upset about the cat doing something here in the house. I admit I screwed up and cussed......and this upset you.....and you said some things to me that really surprised me and hurt me.....such as you wish you had a gun because you would kill me if I said another bad word.....etc. What does one say to that? You lost it......I mean lost it. So we were not going to go.....I figured you needed some cooling down time....and then I realized it was mostly me that started it all to begin with....you were only getting upset because of my yelling and occasional cuss word (IN MY BEDROOM with the door closed).....and you were afraid you were going to miss out on the party and seeing your cousins.etc. SO I decided to go after all....

We had a long talk before we went......and we went over everything.....and the only reason I am rehasing PART of it here is to there will be documentation of this for you or anyone else going through something similar one day. I know kids say things when upset they do not always mean....and as they get older and wiser they regret some of those things....so I am really trying to not take it personal anymore and I think I did finally successfully get past that!

I did take off Friday the 4th and today the 5th for my birthday......so we could spend time together and so special things. Your cousin Audrey was to come over on Sunday and spend the night into Monday......but I went and got sick.....so we have not really been doing anything or going anywhere.

we DID make it to Cracker Barrel on Monday after my doctor's appointment....and then to Woodland Hills Cemetery and then to your cousin's house....and you got Domino's pizza for supper...something you have not had now for at least a month.

I thought it was sweet when out of the blue you walked back into the kitchen to tell me THANK YOU for getting you the Domino's pizza.....all without any prompting on my part.

I love you Noah.....I feel bad for you that I feel like crap and cannot do anything with you after all these past couple of days. I got some medicine today so hopefully I will start to feel better soon!

Mommy
XOXOXOX

Dear Noah.......it has been quite emotional around here lately.....

I will post more about it later....but you have had a very trying past few days.

Still love you......

Mommy

XOXOX

Noah talking about his pinkeye coming back a week or so ago......

Noah you are a trip.

I love you!

Mommy
XOXOXOX

one of Noah's favorite activities....

update on Noah not having surgery.....

We get to the hospital.....Noah is registered....placed into a room and being prepared for surgery. I had asked all along that he be re-evaluated by his doctor/surgeon to make sure he needed the surgery because I still felt he did not but the doctor/surgeon was not to re-evaluate him till the morning of surgery!

I have always felt since Noah WAS BORN with descended testicles that he did not have the diagnosis of undescended testicles but instead "retractile" testicles which is defined here:

Retractile (hypermobile) testes are descended testes that easily move back and forth between the scrotum and the abdomen. Retractile testes do not lead to cancer or other complications. The testes usually stop retracting by puberty and do not require surgery or other treatment.

Anyway....last year when Noah saw this surgeon he performed a test on Noah and at that time Noah's testicles remained UP more than down...though they did make an appearance from time to time. BUT because they did not stay down during that test....the doctor diagnosed him with undescended testicles. I remember pleading with him on this and asking how could he be born WITH descended testicles only at 5 years of age or so for them to have rolled back up inside? I asked him if we could wait until PUBERTY because maybe since Noah was slow to develop in some other areas involving muscle tone he was just SLOW to develop there and would catch up? This doctor/surgeon really felt it necessary to perform a bilateral orchiopexy and drop those testicles down into place and seal off the inside so they could not roll back up inside anymore. If there were hernias inside (which I also felt Noah did NOT have) he would also repair those at the same time.

Noah was originally scheduled for surgery last November. I canceled it because he had just started school and was doing so well that I hated to yank him for that and have him miss.....etc. I rescheduled the surgery for yesterday, June 23, 6 months later.

DURING that 6 months Noah and I prayed about this. I really felt that he would CATCH UP and his testicles WOULD drop down into place and be down more often than not. During the month of May Noah's testicles WERE DOWN the entire month.....and he, for the first time, was AWARE of them on the outside of his body.....and would make comments if anything banged into them.

However at the end of the month and a few times of being banged around......they seemed to disappear back up inside him and remained up more than down again. BUT I noticed Noah also had the ability to make them go up or down using his own muscles...something he could not do before and I guess something most men cannot do on their own according to the surgeon yesterday. I suggested to Noah that he practice that movement as often as he could to strengthen his muscles there and we continued to pray for God to allow Noah's body to be the way it was meant to be and everything to be okay so he could avoid surgery.

We got to the room yesterday and Noah was admitted for surgery. We were there about 3 hours before the surgeon finally came in to examine him before surgery. It was during that exam he determined that Noah's testicles were indeed DOWN and stayed down during his exam....so he did NOT have to have surgery after all as he had "retractile" testicles. He stroked the inside of Noah's thigh and said "see" and his testicles rolled up inside him and then came back down. I said well Noah can do that on his own without anyone's help or stimulation and the surgeon said "oh no he can't" and I said "yes he can!" and he argued with me a minute and I finally told Noah to show the doctor and to suck those testicles back up inside him and then drop them back down.....and just that fast Noah lying there spread eagled for the doctor rolled his little testicles back up inside his body and then let them back down when I told him to! haha..The surgeon was stunned and could not believe Noah could do that especially on his own!

BUT to make my very long story short Noah will NOT require surgery on his testicles.....so that is great news and a happy ending!

They DID hear a heart murmur on his exam which a long time ago they had heard.....so he will need to see another cardiologist again for some tests and a check up. The last time he had the murmur the cardiologist in Colorado after testing said he did not hear it and he was fine...etc. Two doctors yesterday heard it so we will go for an evaluation.

Otherwise ...Noah is home and happy he is home and not had surgery.

We appreciate all your thoughts and prayers!

We will not be charged for anything according to the hospital yesterday when I called.

Dear Noah.....you DID NOT have to have surgery!!!!!

More on this in a bit! BUT Noah did NOT have to have surgery because as I have been trying to tell the doc all along...he has RETRACTILE testes instead of undescended.....so the surgery was canceled today after the surgeon examined him!

YEAH!!!!!!!!

I will post more later.....just did not want anyone to worry or keep wondering!

We thank the Lord..literally!

Dear Noah.......surgery day is coming up fast!

you are a little anxious and scared you said about your surgery on Monday. That is totally understandable!

You have been super sweet lately....and yesterday when I went in to finally try to take a short nap because I had been up all night the night before working.....when I asked you what you wanted you said "just to tell you I love you."

THAT was incredibly touching......and maybe because of lack of sleep.....not sure....I could have bawled my eyes out. BUT instead I grabbed you and asked you if you wanted to snuggle up in bed with me which you did.....for about 3 minutes......but you snuggled up tight!

You have been requesting to do all these things for the LAST time you say...then quickly add "before your surgery." I have to say you saying it the way you do freaks me out.

SO....Noah and I welcome all prayers for his surgery on Monday. I pray all goes well too and he will do well and be even better and stronger afterwards very quickly.....because I cannot imagine life without him in it!

I LOVE YOU NOAH WESLEY!

Mommy
XOXOXOX

Dear Noah....you at the pool........

Y

Dear Noah.....you completed the surgery tour.....

We finally DID successfully make it to the hospital last night for your pre-surgery tour. There was a nice-sized group.....and you did very well. At the end you all got certificates of completion and a mask and hat to take home.

Once back outside in the parking garage you let loose....and started making all your loud sounds.

We stopped by Grandma L's house because she had a special surprise for you. Since you were little you have always LOVED to push things.....like mini shopping carts.....strollers.....mowers....anything. You especially like strollers but now your toy one is just too short to do it comfortably. I understand that PUSHING is one of your sensory needs and it soothes you. Grandma L. decided to buy you a BIG umbrella stroller to push around....so we stopped by to pick that up on the way home.

Here you are with your new wheels:



AND today was another gorgeous day. I have been out of work more than with work....so I decided to take a break and mow..then weed and trim and water the flowers and feed the birds and wash the car and take out the trash and get the mail and show you what one of those Maple tree seeds look like once they take root...I also showed you our pumpkins coming up out back where we sat those 2 pumpkins from the year prior....

THEN you wanted to go to the park and FLUSH TOILETS....PLAY in the bathroom. I cannot say too many kids want to do that! SO I took you today. You flushed all 3 of the men's toilets and urinals over and over again while I sat outside waiting for you. ONLY of course after making sure the bathroom was empty. There is a vent on the outside I can yell through to tell you when enough is enough...and you stop when I tell you to. So while the other kids were playing at the play area....you were happily flushing away inside the restroom.

You saw a jogger at the park. A man. He had no shirt on. You have remarked on this before...telling me how you just thought it was GROSS and WRONG for a man to be IN PUBLIC without a shirt on. Today you asked me "men who run with no shirts on are drunk right?" I almost busted out. I asked you "what?" and you asked me again. I told you "no....most men who run without shirts are probably just hot and definitely not drunk as they are trying to take care of their bodies by running and staying healthy." You said "well maybe only ELDERLY gentlemen are not drunk" (because this one was an elderly man). You also told me you think sometimes they just don't wear shirts to show off and you think that is wrong in public.

On the way home..you told me you wished you were already 31 years old. When I asked you why you told me "because I would already be alone and I could stay at the park in the bathroom for as long as I wanted flushing the toilets."

I said "oh you wish you were older and living on your own so you could do whatever you wanted when you wanted for as long as you wanted." You said "yes."

I quickly reminded you that even then.....there would be times the flushing would have to stop ....you might need to go somewhere else ...you might need to go to work.....and if others saw you at the park...as an ADULT man flushing toilets over and over......since most adult men do NOT do that....they might wonder why..and find that strange.

I don't think you really cared. Your toilet obsession is at an all-time high.

You have made a couple of other cute comments lately....but for the life of me......I seem to have misplaced those thoughts. So I will get back to you on that!

I love you Noah. Your surgery is scheduled for Monday at 11:30 a.m. tentatively.....we must be there by 9:30 a.m.

Mommy
XOXOXOX

Dear Noah......emotional days for you lately......

I am not sure what is going on inside your body and mind.....all I know is you have been pretty emotional lately. I won't rehash everything over the past couple of weeks here again..suffice to say you cry at the drop of a hat....have a semi-fit....sort of get over it...and within a short time it can happen all over again. VERY similar to how you used to be when you were very young....been awhile since I have seen with such regularity.

BUT we are now hopefully reaching a steady calm in the stormy seas.....as we cut back a bit on some of the activities outside the home and do a few more just you and me within the home and out in our environment. I have realized I cannot take you to the pool and then somewhere else in the same day...it is just too much.

We did go to the pool the other day. One of your classmates from school was there and he was so excited to see you. The two of you had such a good time. All in all the day was a great one...with great weather and good times in the pool.

However later when we headed to the hospital for your presurgical tour....we never made it because of a closed highway and wrecks and construction and well...crap.

This upset me and you.....so we headed to your aunt Angela's house earlier than planned ..or event #3. You cried almost the entire time there about something. Needless to say we all learned a valuable lesson. You can only do so much in one day before it is oversimulation to the max........I need to keep my cool as I am setting an example for you on how to HANDLE stress in a positive way.....and keeping things simpler works better for us all.

Here are some pics of you and your bud Cameron at the pool!

Dear Noah.......you wanted me to make a recipe from your Rachel Ray cookbook....

you picked a meatless recipe with lots of veggies and brown rice which I love.....so....here is the result. Of course I condensed the version down for just ONE serving...instead of 4....and made a few modifications.....but it was YUMMY or YUM-O as Rachel Ray would say!

You could basically probably use any rice stuffed pepper recipe...but then pour taco sauce over it before baking.....for a simpler faster version...

Southwestern Style Stuffed Peppers

Dear Noah.......you and cooking.......

You seem to be feeling a little better.....your eyes look better. However yesterday you also made a lot of noises and laughed a lot watching videos which made you have coughing fits...and because you were so LOUD you ended up where your throat was sore again last night and you had a difficult time swallowing.

I did hear you play some pretty songs on your piano....one sounded very Oriental...Chinese......and I tried to get my camera in there to record it before you stopped.....I only caught part of it but it is below.....and then I realized I was holding my camera SIDEWAYS when recording.....so the entire film is sideways.......

oh well.

You brought out your Rachel Ray cookbook last night....wanting me to skim it to find something NEW for me to cook for.......me.

You found a recipe for me to try today and left your cookbook on the kitchen counter turned to that page.

I love you......you are very sweet.

Mommy
XOXOX

I will post that clip in a second......having problems with Blogger's video uploader.....as is typical

Dear Noah......well..you are improving a bit......I think...

You are still coughing....a lot....your pinkeye is a bit better but also spreading to the left eye...but they both do not look too awfully bad.

You do seem to sleep better I think at night....the Zyrtec does absolutely NOTHING for your symptoms. Good ole' Claritin still works better.

You have been grumpy....I know because you don't feel all that well. You are also concerned about not being able to go swimming for awhile.....because of being sick....pinkeye....

anyway....you will get better.....sooner than you think! I pray for you every night and day.

I love you Noah...even though you were quite sassy and mouthy with me today!

Mommy
XOXOX

Dear Noah......you are sick.....

I had to take you to the doctor's yesterday and to the ER this morning because while the doctor yesterday thought you just had allergies or hay fever symptoms....you seemed to get so much worse overnight. You have had symptoms now since last Thursday....I think it is much more than allergies or hay fever. You now also have pinkeye.

So.....it has been something...but you now have antibiotics. I am tired because you have not been sleeping at night well at all...which means you come to me.....and then neither one of us gets any sleep.

Today I am also trying to work now while you play on your computer or rest.....but I am not doing very well. I just really need to take a nap but that is just not possible right now.

Your surgery is scheduled for June 23. Providing you are well enough.

I love you....I pray you start feeling better really soon.

OH......you do look cute with your hair cut short again!

Mommy
XOXOXOX

Autism Awareness....

HELP MAKE A DIFFERENCE.....


I found a fabulous autism site the other day where you can purchase products for autism awareness. MOST of the products are made by people on the spectrum and ALL the orders are filled by people on the autism spectrum. They have lots of valuable information as well.....

I am not one to wear jewelry but you can also purchase keychains or hang these things from your purse or car rear view mirror.....etc.

I found this site the other day when I was doing some autism awareness research and they are one of the first autism awareness beaded items I have seen that actually had an excellent way to show awareness......I don't know...I just liked them a lot and found their site and items for sale very very nice and helpful.

If you are interested go check them out here:

LUCAS WORKS

LucasWorks was started by Lauren Padgett, mother of two terrific children, one of whom (Lucas) is autistic and mentally retarded. Lauren and her husband, Alan, saw the need for both autism awareness and daily living products to help Lucas, and the eventual need for Lucas to have employment. They decided to put these ideas together, and LucasWorks was born under the philosophy, "It works for Lucas and it gives Lucas work!"

As parents of a child with autism, Lauren and Alan were dismayed to discover that many of the products that are supposed to help autistic people are mainly focused on either medical or educational settings. Like many other parents, it was on the home front that they were seeking help.

So they began to devising their own items to help Lucas if they couldn't find anything on the market. The LucasWorks "Apparel Indicating Weather Thermometer" was born this way, and it is indeed the first product of its kind, hence the patent. The "Child's Placemat", that shows children how to set a table correctly, came along the same way, and we're working on some other things that we hope you'll like, too.

Lauren has years of experience working on behalf of children, especially those with disabilities. Among other advocacy efforts, she has Co-Chaired the State of Delaware's "Partners' Council for Children with Disabilities" (PCCD), and served on the PCCD's Professional Development, Family Involvement and Inclusion sub-committees.

Lauren has also devoted time to serving on the Delaware Autism Program's (DAP) Strategic Planning committee, the Kent County DAP site School Improvement Planning committee, founded the Staff and Parent Autism Resource Center at Lucas' school, and is serving her 4th year as Chair of the Kent County, DE Autism Program's Parent Advisory Committee. She is a member of the Autism Society of Delaware and the Autism Society of America. Of course, that's all worked in around the needs and schedules of Lucas and his brother, Robert!

All of LucasWorks' products either promote autism awareness or help those with autism. By focusing on these lines, we are able to spread the word about autism while offering items to help those dealing with this disability.



This is Lucas, the inspiration behind LucasWorks. Lucas thinks Deep Thoughts and works hard to understand life. He has a great sense of humor, and loves to hang out with his big brother.

Dear Noah.....you still don't feel all that well....

You have been fighting off some sort of sore throat....where you act like it really hurts to swallow......and you cough off and on. No fever really....though the first day you did have one when you first woke up....none since though.

This is similar to when you had pneumonia.....but you thankfully do not appear that bad...but with possible surgery coming up I need to make sure you are healthy and stay healthy. I cannot believe the hospital has not called us yet wanting you to come in for a check up BEFORE surgery....and no one has contacted me yet to confirm an exact time.

I was hoping and praying (and still am) that your testicles would STAY DOWN like they had been for a few weeks....so you could avoid surgery. Now some days they are not always present again. SO you will need to be re-evaluated for sure.

I may call today to see if you can get in to see your family doctor for a check up and he can also examine you down there and then I can always call and make a follow-up appointment with the urologist for another check.

Meanwhile you have been tossing and turning at night.....severely.....not sleeping well.....so you naturally want to share that misery with me I guess because you have been wanting to sleep with me or have me sleep with you. Then I don't sleep well if at all....no wonder all I did yesterday was sleep off and on pretty much all day......

Today I am fighting off a migraine and whether you are totally up to it or not we HAVE to go to the store today. We cannot put it off any longer.

It has been super hot here....something in the air I think may have set your allergies/sinus symptoms off.

I love you Noah.....we are going to plan some field trips for this summer too!

Today I will probably cut your hair....and you really need a bath!

Mommy
XOXOXOX

Dear Noah.....your last day of school....

was good.....but as the day progressed and you realized what was really happening.....you did become sad and when you walked out at the end of the day you were really crying hard.

I sort of knew this would be the outcome...but you snapped back pretty quickly realizing that while you would miss everyone a lot....you would get to see most everyone again in August.....and that we could enjoy the summer together.

I felt really bad for you though.

Once we got home I started sifting through the entire STACK and piles of school stuff you had brought home. I was so impressed. I had NO idea they taught you so much in school this year because all I saw throughout the year were tiny bits and pieces in your homework. FINALLY all the larger missing pieces were there and it all made sense.

I got to see so much of your work..things YOU ALONE worked on .....and ways you EXPRESSED yourself. I had often wondered when you were younger if one day I would ever get to see or hear you express yourself. IN ANY fashion.

WOW was I stunned. I sat there crying as we went through your stuff. I found a POETRY BOOK....a book filled with things you drew and cut out or wrote yourself. I had no idea you could or were doing such things until I saw that.

I read some short stories you had written and TYPED. Discovering how you THOUGHT and how you PERCEIVED and your mind worked just amazed me. I was speechless.

I immediately wrote a huge thank you e-mail to all your teachers and the principal....thanking them for not giving up on you and for teaching you so many wonderful things.

Because you have had this experience in a public school and it was successful this time round.....you have grown so much as a young boy. You have matured. You are much more self-confident and willing to try new things. You are becoming your own very distinct person....

and I love you even more.

Mommy
XOXOX

(TODAY FRIDAY (seemed like Sat!) you are not feeling all that well. On the way home from Grandma C's house last night you had a really bad headache...and I had to pull over so you could vomit. ...today you are taking it super easy...and only eating Popsicles though you say you feel okay...just not yourself. I think you miss school and have told you I am redoing my schedule yet again so I can spend more time with you during the day to work on school projects here at home again and to do MANY field trips.....)

Dear Noah......the swing not in the proper position at the park Sunday really upset you.....

I do not always see things bothering you like they used to ......where you would obsess and cry and have almost a meltdown over something being out of place....or not quite right.......apart from the "norm" in your immediate environment.

Sunday at the park at the Reunion this happened and I was quickly reminded of how you used to be all the time....what used to be commonplace......a daily occurrence many times over.

You went to swing on the swings at the playground and there was one swing that a group of teenagers had tossed up and over the top bar so it was all messed up and not hanging correctly. This TOTALLY upset you.....and you were having a fit.......and no matter what I said to you to tell you this was OKAY and you had at least 6 other swing choices to choose from.....you were still upset. AND I MEAN getting very very upset.

Well auntie Margaret came along and with her one crutch she is still on from her broken foot she was able to lift the swing up and push it up and over the top bar twice to get it into the proper position for you to swing on. Needless to say you were ecstatic this happened......BIG THANK YOU to MARGARET on this one!






And all was right in your world again...and as fast as the "moment" happened.....it was all over and you were back to yourself again....calm, cool and swinging!

Mommy
XOXOX

Dear Noah.......we made bookmarks for you to take to school tomorrow to give to your teachers....

yep..tomorrow is your last day of school! You will have successfully completed a full year in GRADE school in a public school.....this is HUGE for you!

It sounds like one big party tomorrow and we could not think of what to have you make to give to your teachers.....so we decided on bookmarks. PERSONALIZED ones with YOUR photo on them and we laminated them too!

I think they turned out pretty well..




I love you Noah Wesley and I am so very proud of you and happy for you too. I hope tomorrow won't be too emotional for you!

Mommy
XOXOXO

Dear Noah....today you have an administrative absence from school...

MR. FLEXIBLE HIMSELF.....


They are doing this incredibly long field day combined with walking field trip and putt putt golf.....so you were excused from school today. They know there is no way you could handle the heat, the walk and then the competition very well so they felt it best (and we agreed) to let you stay home today. Tomorrow will be your last day at school and you are all to take in a special treat to share with everyone else as basically it sounds like a big party day. You want to take fruit roll ups.

We took Tom to the vet yesterday (the stray cat from grandma C's house and he is healthy after all so today he will get neutered and his shots. We will pick him up tomorrow late afternoon early evening then to take back to grandma C's house. After that we stopped at the park in grandma and grandpa L's town and you played for awhile....then we stopped at a local car show and checked out some hot rods......and then we went to visit grandma and grandpa L. Finally back home it was about 8:30 already where you spent time on my PC enjoying photos and videos. Next up bedtime around 10:30...and you slept well last night being tired from SUCCESSFULLY doing a walking field trip at school to the local DQ and then all that activity with me after school.

CLICK TO ENLARGE THESE IF YOU WANT!!!





We also saw a gorgeous sunset we took many photos of......




Today you are enjoying time on your computer designing houses.....and watching train videos. IF we have time and the weather holds out (we are to get severe weather later).....we might try to go in search of some trains for you to videotape.

With me working and not finishing till afternoon sometime...there is not much else we can do probably today.

I DID make it up town yesterday in time to RECORD the emergency siren going off. It lasted an entire 3 minutes and 30 seconds with 12 seconds wind down time. WOW was it loud up close and personal.

Anyway.....I love you......and we will have to celebrate your completing a FULL YEAR in GRADE SCHOOL once the year is out. AND today is the day you MUST MAKE presents for your teachers if you are going to.

Mommy
XOXOXOX

Dear Noah.....yesterday was our family reunion....

You and Audrey always have fun together...




The last time we went to the Family Reunion was when I believe you were around 2 years old. We had come back for a visit from Colorado and you had actually accidentally fallen on my parent's front window and busted open your inside lower lip clear through to the outside with one of your teeth so we had to take you to Children's Medical Center before going to the reunion. Now you are 9-1/2 years old already....and you did very well though you got bored a few times because you basically just wanted to stay either playing at the playgrounds or playing in the men's bathroom the entire time.

Yes.....your obsession with bathrooms ....mainly toilets and urinals.....continues. I do always try to satisfy those obsessions so I made time to allow you to play in the bathroom....even recording you flushing the urinal. This after everyone in the park had pretty much gone home and it was empty.

This morning I took you to the park before school and before the park got busy so you could go into the men's restroom there and flush the toilets a few times. You had to also take a peek at the women's stalls.

I stood outside the men's bathroom (AFTER we made sure it was empty) and listened to toilet after toilet flushing.....finally yelling in to you with a STOP TIME because I had to take you to school soon.

You had a fitful night's sleep last night....and came into my room at 2:00 a.m. saying you could not sleep. So instead of just YOU tossing and turning I TOO then could not sleep so we basically were both not sleeping....and next thing I know it was 4:00 a.m.! You finally fell asleep and so did I but today I am fighting off a migraine .....and nasal stuffy crap from being outside all day yesterday probably. Allergy stuff...something. Your nose and right ear has been bothering you.

Today you have another walking field trip if you can handle it. I have given permission for you to go. You are wanting to do more and more and I really want to allow you to try as much as you can do. You are being walked to the Dairy Queen for treats. I know you don't eat anything from Dairy Queen but you were happy to know they do serve SPRITE....so you will get something to drink.

Tonight you may skip group because we are going to try to catch the stray cat at Grandma C's house to take to the vet.

I love you Noah.....I hope you have another great day today......only 2 more days of school left!

Mommy
XOXOXOX



I think I turned the camera sideways to get the entire urinal in......sorry about it being on the side.....

OH....today is the monthly testing of the emergency sirens in town....so I promised you I would head over to the newest one by the post office in time to hopefully record it UP CLOSE. I better get that shower now.....noon will be here before you know it!

my uncle's latest project in the Fairy Forest.....a tepee!

My uncle Sonny built this himself.....it is a full sized tepee and 18 feet in diameter ...fully lined so he can even have fires inside......it is beautifully done. He is so creative and artistic and can make everything seem so magical....Now if I can talk him into coming over here and helping me and Noah make one in our backyard!

Dear Noah......school is winding down.......

We went to Fulton Farms yesterday to get some fresh strawberries and some fresh tomatoes.......WOW......are they ever yummy!






You had fun playing outside in their train.....




AND you were THRILLED because the family bathroom had one of THESE in addition to a regular toilet.....side by side practically......giving going to the bathroom family style and at the same time an entirely new meaning...




AND you were also thrilled to see a toilet with the handle on the right side of the tank instead of the left..




We got extra strawberries and tomatoes to give some to Grandma C. so we stopped by her house on the way home.

We had a good day. You have a walking field trip today at the park....to fly kites.....have a scavenger hunt and do some nature etchings for a nature book....then pizza and soda at the park for lunch.....(though you are taking your own). I hope and pray you have a great day and lots of fun.....I will sneak over and take some pictures of you from a distance to post later.

On the way to Fulton Farms yesterday......you were talking about RR crossings....and then out of the blue said "oh by the way mom......" and I said "yes?" to which you used sign language to tell me you loved me.

That made my day.

I love you too little man!

Mommy
XOXOXOX

this totally ticks me off and is so very sad for this little boy......

Port St. Lucie teacher sidelined after letting kindergarten class kick kid out

May 27, 2008

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — A kindergarten teacher has been reassigned after she allowed her students to oust a fellow 5-year-old from the classroom because of his disciplinary problems.

Morningside Elementary School teacher Wendy Portillo was removed from classroom duties until further action may be determined, according to St. Lucie County School district spokesman Janice Karst said this week.

Last week, Portillo held a vote in her classroom in which the students "voted out" 5-year-old Alex Barton, who is in the process of being tested for Asperger's Disorder, a type of high-functioning autism, said his mother, Melissa Barton.

After each classmate was allowed to say what they didn't like about Alex the teacher said they were going to take a vote, Barton said. They said he was "disgusting" and "annoying," Barton said.

"He was incredibly upset," she said. "The only friend he has ever made in his life was forced to do this."

By a 14 to 2 margin, the students voted him out of the class.

Barton, who said she is considering legal action, said Alex began the testing process in February for an official diagnosis under the suggestion of Morningside Principal Marsha Cully.

Alex has had disciplinary issues because of his disabilities, Barton said. The school and district has met with Barton and her son to create an individual education plan, she said. A veteran of 12 years of teaching, including nine at Morningside, Portillo has attended these meetings, she said.

Barton said after the vote, Alex's teacher asked him how he felt.

"He said, 'I feel sad,'" she said.

Alex left the classroom and spent the rest of the day in the nurse's office, she said.

Barton said when she came to pick up her son at the school last Wednesday, he was leaving the nurse's office.

"He was shaken up," she said. Barton said the nurse told her to talk with the child's teacher, who told her what happened.

Alex hasn't been back to school since then, and Barton said he won't be returning. He starts screaming when she brings him with her to drop off his sibling at school.

Thursday night, his mother heard him saying "I'm not special."

Barton filed a complaint with the school resource officer, who investigated the matter, said Port St. Lucie spokeswoman Michelle Steele said. But the state attorney's office concluded the matter did not meet the criteria for emotional child abuse, so no criminal charges will be filed, Steele said.

Dear Noah......you have made another new friend.....a GIRL!

Yes...you have always been attracted to them......and this little girl also likes Sonic the Hedgehog....so you apparently went up to where she was playing the other day and went to the top of their fort and announced YOU were the new KING!

You came home from school beaming...so happy. Because you are apparently now a MEMBER of THEIR CLUB and you are to meet them UNDER the fort next time you have recess. You are soooo excited and sooooo happy! Friday it rained at recess so you missed out on playing again with her but I know you will be right back there on Tuesday! It is all so very sweet. Your parapro got the biggest kick out of it.

Today your cousin Audrey is to come over and then spend the night and stay into tomorrow. We will have some sort of cook out or something tomorrow after her mom comes ....so you are looking forward to that.

I am so happy all is right in your little world.

I love you very much Noah Wesley...

Mom
XOXOX

Dear Noah...the field trip was a success!

We got there before your class but that was okay. They finally showed up about 30 minutes later. Their journey was over 3 miles. I still cannot believe they had those kids WALK that entire way.....and on a STATE ROUTE instead of getting a couple of buses to haul them out there.

BUT you had a good time...and a short day from school. Back home grandma C. stopped by to say hi as she came to town to do some shopping.

Not many days left in school!

LOVE YOU!

Mommy
XOXOX

Dear Noah.........our local Domino's pizza closing???

OH NO! Grandma C. told us they were closing because the owner is retiring...and the local pizza place bought him out. I am not sure of the details and if they will change it to be another local pizza place or continue with the Domino's......but you and I are both thinking from what grandma said it sounds like Domino's is closing its doors here in town.

If that happens.....I don't know what we will do.......

needless to say......you are stressed.....since that is the main staple of your diet.

We will work out something.......

I love you

Mommy
XOXOXO

UPDATE.....THEY DID CLOSE UP AND ALREADY! Today on the way to school we noticed the SIGN was off the Domino's pizza place already and they were already closed. NO COUNT down warning or anything! I think that is all very weird and very fast even if they were going to retire. I mean they said nothing to us last week about closing up when I picked up a pizza there.

NOW I have to drive at least 20 miles or more to get Noah his pizza....crap

Dear Noah........another rough day for you Friday....

When I picked you up I knew you did not feel well and had a rough day.  You complained of a really really bad headache first of all.  AND I was informed you had a bad day....hitting another student during a competition game your class played with Legos.

Friday morning on the way driving you to school I talked to you about this LEGOS competition you told me would take place in your class....because I KNEW it was an event that could potentially set you off to REACT before thinking or remaining calm.....because I KNEW if someone TOOK your LEGO s or WON over you.......came in FIRST......you would lose it.  So we talked ahead of time about how you SHOULD react.....what you SHOULD DO and not do....etc.

I guess the other team won....and you told me you get tired of ROBBIE always being first.....and so you apparently pushed him or hit him because his team won.  Now ROBBIE is also a boy who causes his own problems and I don't know what happened in the class or if he instigated anything or not.  I got a note from the teacher in your ledger that said your reactions were UNPROVOKED....but I guess she still does not understand that your reaction WAS provoked......by exactly the scenario I was afraid would play out.  

I am not sure how I can make them understand that ANY social situation has a potential for explosive outbursts from you....A) if someone beats you or wins or comes in first over you....B) if someone looks at you the wrong way.....C) if someone says something to you that you don't like....D) If someone laughs at you....I could go on and on.  The point is......anyone coming in first over you bothers you.  TREMENDOUSLY!   HAD I been there.....I would have been in the sidelines and when the other team won BEFORE you reacted like you did (as I am sure if they had really been watching they could have seen you starting to boil and react). ...I would have held you and said to you "that is okay......we need to clap Noah because the other team won...YEAH ....and that is okay!  EVERYONE can take turns at winning.....you don't always have to win.....it is OKAY for someone else to win too sometimes."   Just saying the phrase to you "IT's OKAY!" works so well with so many things!

The teacher PUNISHED YOU however....by removing your noon recess.  I am not sure what you did instead.....but they still don't realize the importance of you receiving SENSORY STIMULATION throughout the day to help you remain calm.   DOCKING you your recess time and not allowing your BODY time to MOVE does nothing but add fuel to the fire.  YOU NEED that time to move.  In the past all the behavioral experts have told previous teachers this.  That you cannot punish a child for doing something they cannot control.....it is not like you are doing something or choosing to do something WRONG over something right.  These are impulsive behaviors you cannot control.  YOU CAN LEARN to control them better with time and  you have made progress....but they are still things you must learn.  They will never come instinctively to you.  Try as I might I don't think I am getting this across to the teachers.

SO she had punished you in school....and then told YOU that she was going to tell me about this and tell me to also punish you here at home which only upset you even more....so you cried and had a hard time and ended up with a really bad headache.

I know you must learn there are consequences for actions.  However......punishing any special needs child for behavior they cannot control is not really correct either is it?  I mean you don't  really even get all this.  You know you should not push or hit.....but you don't really understand the reasons WHY and you cannot always stop yourself from reacting that way.  It is a process....and ongoing one...one you will continue your entire life. 

SO these teachers are trying things the old teachers did.  Punishing you for behavior you cannot easily control.   This always happens.  It always ends up like this.  Somewhere along the way they start assuming they can and should punish you like they would another student who understands these sorts of things....I have already been informed by the staff that next year in 4th grade the teachers may not be as "understanding" or "knowledgeable" about your autism and special needs as your current teachers.  That they may not be as easy on you...etc?  BUT isn't that the entire reason for your IEP?  AND if the staff does not understand you and your needs.....how can they best provide you with the best of anything you need in their school?  AND would it not be appropriate that the staff then be required to receive proper training and education regarding autism?  I mean you are not the only child in that school with that diagnosis.  IGNORANCE on a teacher' s behalf is totally unacceptable to me.

I have thought and thought about this.  I am going to write a letter to the staff this weekend and send it with you on Monday to school for the  principal and all your teachers.   I know it is the end of the year almost but it is never too late to hopefully teach them a little more. 

I got you your KFC on the way home from school anyway for your supper and you were so afraid your punishment from me would not be to eat out because your teacher told you she would tell me to NOT take you out to dinner....and once home and after you ate and had some Motrin for your headache...you crawled into bed and slept for a couple of hours.  I am sure your blood pressure elevated at school today.  ANY time lately when you get mad or upset you end up with a really bad headache.  AND then are wiped out.  NONE of this surprises me.  However, if tomorrow was a school day and not Saturday I already know you would not be going as it will likely take you the better part of the day to recover from this latest episode at school. 

Here at home you are so sweet and good and kind.  EVEN if you get upset you do not act out like you do at school.  I have so many questions and want to do the very best for you.   I am not so sure still about the public classroom setting. 

BUT I AM SURE I LOVE YOU.......and understand  you.....

(we are planning a sleep over for you.....you have requested a sleep over in MY bedroom Saturday night to Sunday morning.  I have a couple of treats in store as I ordered a PLANETARIUM and MOON to put in my room so we will be sleeping under the stars and moon that night.  How cool is that? I cannot wait!)

Noah......don't worry about anything.  It will all be "OKAY".......I promise you that...because that is my job for you as your mom.  To make sure everything will be okay.

 

Love you!

Mommy

XOXOX

Dear Noah....you are so sweet....

(Part of the front of the booklet and the first page only of the inside......)

Tuesday you brought something home from school to give to me as a Mother's Day present. It was a booklet you made with all your personal thoughts or wishes for me. Your opinions on things about me. This booklet means so much to me. It has taken such a very long time for you to finally get to the point where you are able to express yourself with words....and now to state your opinions and write them down!? WOW! I know in the past I wondered if this day would ever come to pass.

I find it fascinating to see the little man you are becoming and how you express yourself. You are showing us all that you are not just a walking shell or zombie....but have true feelings and opinions that have just taken a very long time in finding a way to be unleashed. Now that they have been...I am in awe of how personable you have become. You can make your OWN opinions now on things and have definite likes and dislikes....all based on what YOU feel...not on what we prompt you to feel. This is HUGE. To be able to then take your thoughts and formulate them and express them to someone else (like me in this booklet) is earth shattering for me. It is such a huge accomplishment.

You have gone from not talking at all....to only really being prompted what to say and how to react....to now being able to talk pretty well all on your own.....and most times not needing a prompt or reminder (though you still do sometimes).

I know I am doing a lousy job expressing this to you or anyone else. I know other moms out there with autistic children will understand what I am trying to say.

I will treasure this booklet forever Noah. I love it. I love you. I love reading your thoughts you wrote yourself in this booklet. I love the fact that you are sharing more of YOU with me and the world.

I will love you forever and ever!

Mommy

XOXOX

Dear Noah...Monday's IEP meeting......

(Noah sleeping in strange positions...that white thing on his right arm is his left foot) When he was little many times he would sit but fall forward sitting cross legged and sleep like that. 

It went pretty well.  I feel much more comfortable about things we amended and updated.   The principal at the school is also the school psychologist so I asked her what her opinion was about the proposed changes for you next year.  Your teachers think you should try full days in the regular classroom with an inclusion teacher being in the room.  So there would be 2 teachers in the room and she would be able to help you in areas you needed help if you needed help.....but she would also be there to help anyone...mostly special needs kids but also any other student who might need a helping hand.   I think we all are aware academically you do not belong in the Resource Room.  However.....we all also know being in the regular classroom full time might be too much for you to handle all the time.  The principal is more like me......wanting to try to set you up for success and not have things change so much and become so frustrating before you can handle it that you get burned out on the entire school experience.  There will be many changes for you next year.  SO we have decided to let you try it for the first 4 weeks of school and then reconvene to discuss how things are going after that first full month back to school.   It may work well for you and you will be able to handle it.......or it may not.  We can  then make any changes that might be necessary and update your IEP again.

I was also told as you go to new grade levels....some teachers may not be all that familiar with autism.  However, I personally think since there seems to be quite a few in the school systems now with autism....that the teachers should be required to take some basic class or course to learn the most basics of autism at the very least.  I cannot imagine a school system not seeing that as something definitely warranted.   I hope and pray more schools will send their teachers through some type of training......or maybe bring someone to the school to help EDUCATE them on autism.

Otherwise you have been doing pretty well.  You made me a very nice Mother's Day card.....and then bought me one too.  We saw some old cars at a car show Saturday night and had family over for a cookout on Sunday.  Of course I had to fix you something else entirely to eat....so you had garlic toast and spaghetti sauce.....

It won't be long now and school will be out.  I love you very much and am thankful you have done so well this year in school!

Mommy

XOXOXOX

Dear Noah......you had a really rough day today......

I was sending e-mails back and forth to the principal requesting another IEP meeting when she then sent me one that told me you had been having a very bad day.  Apparently one boy in your class told you to hit another boy...which you did.......several times....on his back.   So they sent you to the principal's office for that.

You then later got into trouble for pushing a girl in her chair up closer to her desk.  I guess maybe she did not want to be pushed up closer.....so I am not sure of those circumstance.....but you were not supposed to do that so again to the principal's office.

FINALLY you ended up trying to bite and scratch the first boy  you hit earlier in the day, later on in the day...because he was butting in trying to do something that had been assigned to you.

You told the principal you woke up grumpy.   When I asked you how you FELT when these episodes happen you said "very very weak.....my bones feel weak and tired."  When I asked you WHY you do what  you do you said "my body tells me to....it feels like it HAS to push or hit or move."

I know this has everything to do with your sensory integration issues.....because from little up you seek EXTRA physical stimulus to remain calm.  You used to body slam people and walls from preschool up.  You only stopped that about right before we moved back here to Ohio.  BUT you have no outlet for those needs to be filled with.....so there is a deficit.  You NEED this need for stimulus filled up in a positive way so you can better cope in other areas of you life.

I don't know what else to say tonight about all this other than we have a long way to go!

It has been raining for nearly 2 days straight.  If it stops by tomorrow morning...the Special Olympics will take place and you get to go watch for a couple of hours.  If not...I think the rain date is Monday but that is also the IEP meeting....though we could go before that.

 

I love you Noah...

mommy

XOXOX

Dear Noah....2-4 servings of fruits each day......

You came home from school yesterday and told me you read in a science book that you should have 2-4 servings of fruits each day and 3-5 servings of vegetables each day. Now you have heard this before and have studied it before but for some reason.....reading this in your science book at school seemed to make a huge impact on you. THIS IS GREAT news because it will help you start healthier foods and make better choices!

You were standing in the kitchen talking to me about it...and I suggested we make a food pyramid-type chart and you could keep track of your servings of the different foods each day. I think it will be a great project for like at least a couple of months. We can start this now and continue into the summer incorporating it into an entire study on Nutrition and the Human Body.

I watched you busily calculate things on your fingers...to see if you had your servings of fruit yesterday. This is HUGE for you.....so I am again...thankful.

IEP meeting went well yesterday. The teachers love you and will miss you at the end of the year. You have done so well they really believe you are ready for total inclusion in the regular classroom setting with some brief snippets of time with an inclusive teacher along with anyone else who might also need some additional assistance...for a couple of areas. You scored off the charts with reading....and are at grade level appropriateness....actually ADVANCED for reading capabilities......off the charts they said.....however.....as far as figurative language and inferencing and comprehension.....you scored very low. COMBINING all areas allowed you to average out to exactly where you need to be.....along with the rest of the class for the appropriate grade level. BUT the differences are extreme in your capability of reading and always understanding what you are reading. SO we have our work cut out for us!

We have already talked about homeschooling during the summer months. You and I are both excited about that. I do love to teach you and I still wish I had an entire room to use as a classroom here or in our future house to be able to organize our school days easier. The way we do it works fine but I would love to have a separate area to use. I am planning on covering a lot and doing a lot of field trips and hands-on activities with you.

Anyway.....a few issues on the IEP....but basically it went well. VERY well. I am proud of you and all the progress you have made and continue to make. I remain thankful.

AND I love you. This morning I heard you playing songs on your keyboard you were making up as you went along. I will post some. The one I would like to post I probably can't because I had no idea when I scanned around the corner with the camera that you were NAKED from the waist down. SO I don't want to get accused of child porn or something by showing your naked butt online. I did take some other clips though and will upload one.

I love you Noah. VERY much!

Mommy
XOXOX

Dear Noah.......a wild, hyper past couple of days!

(a peacock we saw at the park)

Today I have ANOTHER IEP meeting to plan for next year for you in school. Not sure exactly how we can do that right now....but that is how they do things. It is always in May...for the next year.

SINCE the field trip day......you have been VERY HYPER and wound up....not really listening too well at all! I think today..........3 days later you seem like hopefully you will finally be more calm. You stayed home yesterday because you were having such a hard time and a few allergy-type symptoms.

Have to keep this entry short......I have a lot of work to do! Friday is the Special Olympics so I will have to try to make up some time for work because you are being given adminstrative absence from school to attend a couple of hours to watch the olympics...since you wanted to be a part of it......but only by watching. You said maybe next year you would participate. You apparently qualified to participate because you have an IEP in the school. ANYONE who has an IEP apparently is qualified for the Special Olympics.

Anyway.....I LOVE YOU!

Mommy
XOXOX

Dear Noah.......in 2 weeks......

Last night you brought out a Rachel Ray cooking magazine to me and told me to pick out something I wanted to cook......and to buy the ingredients.......

Then while checking your calendar  you told me that in 2 weeks you needed to BUY/GET me something.......so I assume you mean for Mother's Day.

You are so thoughtful and sweet....and it will be interesting to see what you end up making me or wanting to buy me.  I think you also want me to fix myself a special recipe from your cookbook......one where you can help.

You are sweet.......and I love you......not sure what we will do today but it is going to be something!

Mommy

XOXOX

Dear Noah.......the field trip was a success...

All I know is you all headed to the city building and met the mayor.....and then went to the Fire Department and then the Police Department.   While at the Police Department the city people came over and said they got a warning of a bad storm coming through and the skies were black so you all better head back to school.

I guess you all had to RUN almost the entire way back to the school.  You arrived SECONDS before a REALLY BAD storm hit. 

I am thankful it went well. 

I am thankful you made it back before the storm.

I am thankful you listened well and the male teacher escorted you to the restroom.

I am thankful.

 

And I love you very much.

Noah's latest art project at school....studying/drawing hands.....and more....

Now you have to keep in mind Noah could not even draw a simple circular face with 2 eyes and nose and mouth until recently. He could not draw too much of anything to resemble things.....except his highways and homes sometimes and RR stuff. I mean his stuff looks very very primitive and of a child MUCH younger than his years....because he started out so late to develop any skills he might have. Also when he is excited or in a hurry he will color in like this...otherwise he can color much better now when he is relaxed. I can tell here he was WOUND TIGHT when he filled this all in.

ANYWAY......they were doing/studying/drawing HANDS and apparently had to do a MODERN version of the Mona Lisa. Noah is obsessed with SONIC anything......so he of course did this




and called her the SONIC HEDGEHOG GIRL.......putting in the appropriate colors for it to be similar to SONIC.......but.....look closely at her hand........yes.....he ADDED a SONIC tattoo of sorts on her hands......




check out CRAFTMANSHIP on the Art Rubic.....




Now I am not sure what the assignment was but it says MODERN Mona Lisa......and I know "average is okay" but I thought he did an excellent personalized version of a MODERN Mona Lisa......makes me wonder if the teacher only wanted things to be done a SPECIFIC way and not any INDIVIDUAL way? You know what I mean.

Of course he scored well on the other areas.

This is his own hand he did....and again he incorporated SONIC stuff into it.....




HE said this was a practice one and NOT where he actually traced around his hand and arm which is what they were to do. I asked if he had to do it again and he said he did another one but it still had SONIC included...just like this one.

He does this in about all his stuff now......not only doing the drawings of SONIC....but now also adding TEXT or short stories to go along with it! On most of the papers he brings home the backs almost always have SONIC in a scene...

anyway......his field trip will start today after they finish lunch....he goes to lunch at 11:30 and I don't know exactly when but the teacher made it sound like they would not be going till around 1:00 and not coming back till around 3:00. SO who knows. I want to be down there but also part of me does not want to be around to see it...I might feel an urge to run up and step in and I need to butt out if I can.

AND now it looks like it is going to storm. SURELY they won't be marching those kids downtown in a storm!??

Dear Noah.......a walking field trip tomorrow....

First off.....yesterday you had a substitute for your parapro.   When I came to pick you up from school here you came down the sidewalk all by yourself......no aide with you making sure you ended up with ME or in the car with me....etc. 

I asked you who you were with and you said a substitute and I asked you if she knew you were already outside the building and with me and you said you did not know....you thought so.  I told you to march your little butt back up there with me and make sure the staff knew where you were and went so they would not worry (meanwhile me becoming increasingly anxious yet again over the same crap I have been telling them about forever.....HELLO.......he needs an AIDE to make sure he does what he is supposed to do and not wander off...etc.).

Right about the time we got back up to the doors two teachers came running out looking frantic!  Here came the sub.....apologizing....yeah.....save it lady.  I have heard it before....this is exactly how bad things happen to sweet little innocent kids.  She said she got called into a classroom at the last second to help with a student who was causing a problem and Noah saw me pull up and he left without telling her or letting her walk him out....so she said she had no idea he had left because ......yes......she was NOT with him or making sure he did what he was supposed to do. 

sigh.........

And now tomorrow is a walking field trip.  The class is going downtown to the city buildings to meet the mayor and see the Fire Department...basically spend like 2 hours doing city things.  Noah you want to go so badly....but part of me is super anxious about this.  I want to let you go because you are wanting to do so many social things now.....and I don't want to hold you back.  On the other hand I understand the importance still of you having someone being there to MONITOR the situation and making sure what is supposed to happen actually happens.   Your social studies teacher came out today and talked about the field trip.  He said they really wanted you to go along too.....and that he promised they would watch you very well and that your usual parapro was also going to monitor you.  You keep telling me you will be good....but it is not just you I worry about. 

I had decided before to not allow you to go on walking field trips after I heard where a little boy was pulled by the arm by some unknown man at another school event that was also to be heavily monitored.  My faith in the system is nonexistent.  BUT I have decided to allow you to go.....hoping and praying all goes well and I don't receive any phone calls you are missing in action or worse, hurt.  I also hope and pray the weather holds out as of all days....tomorrow I think it is supposed to rain.

You wanted to go so badly you even passed up the chance to go to the Drive-In tonight to see Iron Man where you could  have then stayed home from school tomorrow.  You said you wanted to stay home to go to bed and get up on time to go to school to do the field trip.  SO I KNOW you want to go.  My stomach however would have preferred the Drive In and knowing tomorrow you are safe and sound.  BUT....I also totally understand I have to start allowing you to do more and more on your own and with others....so I will pray for the very best and your protection and safety as well as the protection and safety for all the other kids and teachers. 

We had a busy day after school yesterday.  We ran out to Bushel and  a Peck....and got some bulk items...then to the butcher shop across the street from that store....and then to the pet store......and then to Burger King for your supper and then to the new Kroger's store near grandma and grandpa Lincoln.  We had a good time...lots of running around though!

I have been busy mowing and we both have sinus issues from all the stuff in the air from the pollen and things blooming I guess.

Anyway......

I love you Noah.  So very much.

Mommy

XOXOX

Dear Noah.........you made a new friend at school Friday...

You saw another little boy at school who had a Sonic the Hedgehog mini plushie....you seem to be drawing those children to you lately. So you naturally went up to him to strike up a conversation. According to your parapro you two became the best of friends, really enjoying playing together and having so much fun together. I am so happy you have made another friend at school!

Yesterday you were making movies on your computer. I was very impressed. You walked yourself through a tutorial on Windows and learned how to make "sprites" which you immediately then made some with SONIC the Hedgehog of course. You found some backgrounds and some Sonic images and combined them together and then made a sprite to make it all animated.

Do I have a future filmmaker on my hands? I think that is pretty impressive considering you did it all on your own and most adults would probably not even know what a sprite is (other than a soft drink)...let alone how to make one yourself!

We have not done a lot this weekend. You have wanted to do something but not really wanted to leave the house. I can't complain....I am sort of in the same mood.

I love you Noah!

Mommy

XOXOXOX

Noah made this snippet and also did his own credits and messages at the end of the clip. The last sentence I am not sure he really understood what he said. He tends to get things backwards sometimes. When he said he was sorry for the people who DON'T use guns when I asked him what he meant (since I apparently took this the wrong way and thought he meant he was wanting more people to use guns) after a long discussion he finally said what he meant was he was sorry for the people who could not use guns to help defend themselves.....he felt sorry for them not being able to help themselves.....because they don't use guns and someone else was using guns on them.

WHEW! glad I got that straightened out! This is a classic example however where a teacher let's say....might totally mis-read this and think Noah was intentionally meaning something really bad.....when he was totally innocent here and actually was only feeling bad for someone not being able to help defend themselves. It can be quite complicated sometimes in figuring out exactly what someone like Noah might mean....and he can become quite frustrated in the process of trying to explain it to me or anyone else.

Anyway....there you have it...his snippet above....in the middle......his first animation!