Walker

At 17 months to the day, we have a full-time walker.  Ok, he still crawls a bit, but he mostly walks and falls down maybe every 25 steps or so.  Cameron is our latest walker, but not by much - Nolan was 16.5 months before he walked, a mere 2 weeks before Ethan joined our family. 

I know, I know, I am FAR behind.  I apologize, but make no promises at this point.

'Twas Five Days Before Christmas

I went to Brenden with the first line and a half and told him I needed help writing a poem and he took it from there.

'Twas Five Days Before Christmas

by Brenden Boehme - age 8

‘Twas five days before Christmas and all through the house,

The decorations not up and Mom scurried like a mouse.

We went to the Internet to find stockings there,

In hopes that St. Nicholas won’t have to use our underwear.

The children raced around, their faces red,

With the words “HURRY!” and “QUICKLY” stuck in their head.

Mamma insane and I in my thinking cap,

Trying to figure how to decorate in a snap.

Out in the garage there was such a clutter,

I went to find something and started to mutter.

Away to the store we went for some shopping.

The kids slowed me down, but there was no stopping.

There were hundreds, and hundreds of so many rows!

Of toys, trains, candies, and bows!

When, what to my tired eyes should appear,

But the perfect star and our friend, Mr. Deveer!

Just as we finished, my brother got very sick,

And threw up all over the store’s St. Nick.

More rapid than eagles, home we came,

But then there it was just more of the same.

We continued to clean and decorate in a hurry,

Then, we decided that it was worth all the scurry.

We made cookies to eat and left Santa some,

We’re all ready now, for the big man to come.

As I fell in bed the world was all right,

Merry Christmas to you and have a good night!

Background: We are in search of the perfect star for our 11 foot tree, we really haven't decorated, our garage is full of boxes containing the Christmas decorations, and Brenden helped me search for stockings online last night.  As for the end, we have not made any cookies and are in no way ready for the big man to come - here's to hoping that our day will end just like Brenden's poem.

**If you would like to comment on Brenden's poem, please follow the link to his blog on the right hand side.  It is called The Good Life.  You can comment there and it will go directly to him.

The marriage of eggnog and pumpkin

Although I do not like eggnog, while trying it for the something-like-the-11th year in a row, I decided it might be okay if mixed with pumpkin.  That became this year's Thanksgiving challenge - create the perfect dessert to combine eggnog and pumpkin.  Tomorrow, or rather later today, we will be eating pumpkin eggnog swirl cheesecake.  That will be plenty of dessert for our family for Thanksgiving, but the next in line is a pumpkin/eggnog layered pie, perhaps followed by a layered pumpkin/eggnog pudding pie.  We're gonna be HUGE by the time this holiday season is over!  Hey, I used light eggnog and 1/3 less fat cream cheese - we're still being health conscious.

Royalties

Doug and I told Brenden that after he sells his first book, through a publisher, he can buy himself a DSi, otherwise, he was NEVER getting one because we're not buying it.  He has been marching around saying, "I can't wait until I get my royalties, I can't wait until I get my royalties..."  It has at least motivated him to finish typing and editing the book he wrote last year.

And while we're on the subject of Brenden, I just have to tell you how amazing my kid is.  He is currently reading at an 8th grade reading level, at the beginning of 3rd grade.  He was tested for the Quest (gifted and talented) program at school at the end of 2nd grade and we just met to discuss the results.  In order to be admitted to Quest, you have to earn 3 out of 6 points on various testing.  Rarely do children earn all 6 points, but Brenden did.  Some of the tests earn 1 point and others 2.

The first qualifying factor is general testing in the areas of math, reading, and other academic subjects.  Usually kids qualify in 2/3 areas, but Brenden had high enough scores in all 3, being in the 99.9th percentile in written language.  He loves to read and it shows in his writing.

Second is a drawing "exam."  They have several different boxes with different shapes of lines drawn and he had to the turn the lines into pictures and create an appropriate label for his picture.  The kid amazes me with the things he comes up with, I always wonder where it comes from.  It is scored on several different levels, but he did very well.

Another area is IQ.  Brenden is in the 99th percentile in his age group for general full scale IQ.  The score that truly amazed me was his 99.7th percentile in verbal comprehension.  VERBAL.  He is, on all measurable levels, deaf, but his score testifies to me the correct decision we made to give him cochlear implants.  Cochlear implants are amazing things and I couldn't be happier with the results he has had with them.

The last point is given because he has a "disability," so to be fair, not all children can get 6 points on the test.  The point is given in fairness to children with something that might have kept them from scoring 3 points in the other areas, so as not to dicriminate children with other things holding them back, like being deaf.  He didn't need the point, but it gave him a perfect 6.

Maybe there was another test in there too, but if there was, I can't remember it.  This meeting was immediately following 3 parent/teacher conferences, so tests and results were running together at that point - and Cameron was about 4 hours late for a nap and showing it.  Brenden's love of reading has really made him who he is.  He wants to be a writer and 99.9th percentile in written language will hopefully get him there.  He might have to be a NASA scientist on the side though.

Glue

Our family seems to be having a rough time lately.  Doug's work schedule is terrible and the kids and I are having a hard time with it.  The saddest thing I've heard lately though was Sunday afternoon.  As Brenden was bawling, he said, "I feel like the glue that holds our family together is melting."

Cameron, after one year and one week, has learned to crawl.  Whew!

Brenden's Blog

Brenden is starting a blog today.  Beware.  I don't know what will appear.

Brenden's Blog

I asked him what he wanted to call it.  He said "Pokemon!"  I said NO.  Then he came up with The Good Life - specifying THE Good Life, not A Good Life.

Butt Dial

Doug butt dialed me this morning while taking the boys to school.  I didn't answer and it went to my voicemail.  I listened to the whole message.  This was my favorite part.

Doug: Ethan, please hold his backpack while he gets buckled.  Brenden, please help him buckle.
Brenden:  GET BUCKLED!!!!!!
Doug: I asked you to help him, not yell at him.
Brenden: I'm helping him by yelling at him!