Spencer
Spencer just finished up his last season in Little League for
baseball, I am not crying, your crying! (sniff-sniff) He is a champ, he
branched out this year and played several different positions. He
struggles to sometimes have the self-confidence to believe that he can do
anything that he puts his mind to. Although he stills has nightmares
about being a perfectionist, he is working on this and improving every single day.
(He is totally his mother’s child) He is currently finishing up his 6th
grade year at a local charter school, AMSA. I am sad to say that when he
entered this school, he had a 3rd grade reading level. I am proud to say
that although his grades are still quite low, I am very proud to report
that same little boy, has read SIX MAJOR NOVELS this year, including
Unbroken, and The Odyssey. Although he still has quite a long way to go,
but he has made fantastic progress!
This summer he has several trips planed with
"Grandfather" fishing in the Atlantic with the Narragansett Fishing
Club. He is so thrilled to be the Co-Captain on Grandfather's boat.
He is our "Outdoors-man" He is also looking forward to many of the
day trips and excursions that we have signed him up for through our local towns
summer camp.
If anyone knows anyone (preFeRably a studEnt looking for somE
community service hours) that would be willing to work with Spencer this summer
on his summer reading or teaching him the beginnings of Algebra or Geometry,
please PM me. We are trying to get a
jump start on next year.
Anthony
Anthony has continued to struggle to find where he "fits
in" in our house. He has started to show both Gary and I more
affection, I even got a wonderful Mother's Day Card from him where he called me
"Mom" in it. (I am not going
to lie, there were some tears.) He now continues to amaze us with his
ability to read books well beyond his age. He has taken over one of the
children's bibles that we have in our home. He has opened it every night
and I can hear him sounding out difficult words..."COR-IN-THE-IANS..."
It is sweet to overhear and he continues to show us every day how resilient a
child can be when you shower them with love and consistency.
This summer Anthony is signed up for a few weeks of a "fun
and games" camp. Where they will learn to make their own carnival
type games, although he is quite inventive when he is playing with Lego’s, unfortunately,
this is where his creativity stops. Unfortunately, through no fault of
his own, he is still drawing stick figures and is behind his peers in his “creative
thinking”.
Tucker
Oh boy...where to begin with this kid!
In school Tucker is still a little far behind, however this year
he is certainly presenting with more age appropriate skills. His
education team does not think that he needs to continue with his year-round
schooling so I am happy to report, that he has the summer off of school this
year. I am hoping that he can remain on a tight schedule and that I will
be able to transition him appropriately into 2nd grade in the fall.
Fingers crossed. He is signed up for a “Sensory” camp this summer.
Cardiology
Tucker's heart looks good, so far, so good. It has been
quite a while since Tucker has had an SVT episode. Although he has made some complaints about
his chest hurting recently, after a brief visit to Boston Children’s Emergency
Room, he was diagnosed with dehydration, he was rehydrated and sent on his
way.
Neurology
This one might be a tough one. Let me start at the
beginning. Tucker was born with several anomalies that we have yet to
understand. He is not Asymmetric, he has an ear and one of his eyes are not
aligned. It is very slight and not something that the normal eye would
even notice. However, he also has a crooked crack in his bum.
Insanity...Right?! Well after a checkup when he was an infant, where we
tested his DNA, all was deemed OK. Well we just assumed that these were
"Tucker, being ...well...TUCKER?!" SO…to bring you up to what
is happening today, He has been having potty accidents, being almost eight
years old, this is no longer "normal" He continues to tell us that he
is unable to feel the "urge to go". Sometimes he even blames
these accidents that happen in our home on the dog? After his
neurologist found this out that his Barium Enema was within "a normal
range" and that he had an extremely long colon, and something
called a “sacral dimple”, she urged us to have an MRI, which I thought would
rule out anything major. Unfortunately, it is believed that Tucker is
again, like "No one else" and he has an abnormally long spinal column
nerve and extra vertebrae. However, the physician that read the MRI
results could not rule out what is called “Tethered Cord” Syndrome. We are
working with a Neurosurgeon at Children's Hospital in the next few weeks
to complete more Urodynamics testing. (Currently
scheduled for Monday July 8th.)
Please send your prayers that Tucker doesn’t have to have another
surgery, I honestly don’t think that I would be able hand him over for a spinal
surgery.
Kayla
Well we have our last graduate from Kindergarten in the house…and
a soon to be 6 year old as well. Her
Mermaid birthday party is scheduled this weekend at a local beach, please send
good vibes for nice weather for her big day.
Kayla still is struggling with a severe attachment disorder. I
personally think that it is getting worse, but she still has her days where she
regresses and talks like she is a baby. Honestly, it has been quite a
hard thing to help her with. She seems to have days where she glues
herself to either Gary or I and will not leave our sides and do age appropriate
things. She continues to miss the
absence of her mother in her life, and now with the loss of her grandmother. She is doing well academically in school, at
her testing recently, she was tested and has tested double her age level. She lacks a lot of social skills and self-regulation. Sometimes she simply, doesn’t know how to act
around people her own age. She is signed
up for baking camp this summer, and she is thrilled to learn to be a “little
lady”. She can’t wait to be able to cook
for her little baby dolls. I am hoping
that this camp will also provide her some social skills for the transition into
first grade in the fall.
Us
So this April Gary took the leap and had the Gastric Sleeve
surgery, I am proud to report that he has lost 60lbs to date and continues to
strive to be the healthiest he can be every day for our family. His back pain seems to be getting better, so
this is a HUGE win! On a more difficult
note, being the primary breadwinner Gary has been under a bunch of stress because
we have been struggling financially for so long now. Especially since he was out of work for 6
weeks. We always make do with what we
have. We are just tired of living
paycheck to paycheck, and with minimal finances coming in from my two part time
jobs, there would be no way for us to put the kids in before and after school
and be able to afford it. Just our
grocery bill is astronomical every month, especially every summer. I am trying to get a part time job (to alleviate some of the financial stress) that will fit my schedule (Monday,
Wednesday and Friday’s from 9am-3pm) but it seems that no one is willing to
work with my schedule. If anyone knows
of anything please PM me.
I have finished up my last spring semester and I am happy to
report that I only have THREE more classes until I have a college degree!
Sadly, those three classes are, History, Biology and Statistics. YUP...I
saved all of the best for last! I was going to attempt to take the
Statistics during Summer II, yet, I am feeling that I really need a break from
school work, so I might drop it and enjoy the R&R this summer. With all of the stress that I have been under
with the passing of my Aunt Nancy (who was the grandmother of Kayla and Anthony)
I feel like I am needed more at home (and with them) this summer. With all of this stress my Psoriatic
Arthritis has been at epic proportions and the joints in my right hand are
still more swollen then they should be on weekly Humira injections. Due to the stress of everything…I just
finished my second round of shingles. (YUP…I
am one lucky girl over here!) Between
the swollen joints and the pain of the shingles on three sides of my body, I
have been in agony. The excruciating pain
has subsided, now just a right shoulder ache remains.
Now…my hands are tired but if you have read this entire post, I
thank you for being part of our “Village” the constant support from you is what
keeps us going.
Just Simply…Thank you!
#WatsonPartyofSix
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