Samara's Moments for the Month:
- So, I've been trying not to make this facial tic issue into a big deal, but at the beginning of March, Samara's eye blinking/rolling is at the most prominent it has been. We've noticed it when listening to a book being read, while walking along, sometimes when you're talking to her and while she's responding, when she gets excited it increases a lot. Is this nerves or energy she can't handle? I spoke with her pediatrician and he said the spectrum would be from a tic (monitor, ignore for the most part, may fade in a year or possibly change to another) to a compulsive behavior (possibly a coping habit for stress or anxiety - potentially have her see a therapist to cope with things that may be causing these issues). She doesn't seem like an anxious kid, but who knows what it going on inside. Kindergarten is a year of lots of change - new kids, not all nice like in preschool. She has talked about one girl on the bus being mean (despite her attempts to talk it through and handle it well) and its making her upset. She seemed to want to be friends with her because she's also in her class, but I finally said that if someone can't be a good friend, then maybe you should find someone who will be. I almost feel like she is more hurt that this girl says they're friends and then does mean things. We'll only continue having her ride the bus if she is able to ride without getting so upset. I don't want it to become something she'll be teased about, but I want to monitor it more before we decide what, if anything to do. It doesn't seem to hinder her at school, she's friendly and outgoing with all kids (besides the one girl), she's doing well and mastering all new lessons they're learning and she has friends she plays with. Samara says that Lucas is her best friend in her class. "Not that she's going to marry him or anything. He's just her friend in her class." (Her words). We want to focus on building her up more, talking through her day or issues she wants to process at bedtime and pray for and with her.
- In monitoring over a weekend, basically didn't roll her eyes at all while at home. We ate lunch at the park and didn't see her do it once until other kids were there to talk and play with. Sunday was okay for the most part. Monday-right back to it after being at school all day.
- She had her kindergarten program this month. She was glad to have her own audience and she did so well! They sang 15 (yes-wow!) songs and she knew all the words and actions...it seemed all 100+ kindergartners did. She asked if we could stop on the way to school at HyVee so she could pick out flowers for herself (from us though) for a great program. Um...no, I think not. We suggested she wait for her dance recital for potential flowers. ;)
- on Sunday 3/13, Samara wanted to sit by Auntie Courtney during church. Courtney helped her with her kids bulletin and then Samara loved getting to feel the baby kick on Courtney's belly. And it's good she did because on the 15th, Samara got to meet another boy cousin! She lost the gender bet with Courtney and owes her a penny and a quarter since Samara said it would be a girl. She didn't get too upset (no tears like when Wesson was born). Courtney said she didn't have to pay up. ;)
- Samara was "Top Banana" at school the week of March 17th. She got to fill out an "All About Me" poster and bring in some pics to go on the bulletin board to show the class. She brought green chocolate chip cookie bars and ring pops on St. Patty's Day for the class and I joined her for lunch one day, too.
- March 19th - This morning Samara seemed to be testing out a new habit. I asked why she was wiggling her nose, was it itchy or something? She said she just couldn't explain it. Then later she asked if I'd rather have her roll her eyes around or wiggle her nose. What the heck?!?! I said, well, I would choose neither one. She seemed to switch today to the nose wiggle for the rest of the day. She made a reference to maybe she is just weird. So strange really. But the nose wiggle as of now is less distracting, so we'll take that. Maybe she'll get over all of it completely and decide she doesn't need a "habit".
- We got to have our first experience with a kid having pink eye in the Derby household... Monday it was slightly red in the evening and then overnight we knew for sure it was pink eye. We were able to call in and get drops Tuesday, so no school that day or Wednesday, since still contagious. The drops worked and she never even got miserable. She already had no school Thursday due to kindergarten roundup or Friday because school was closed. She was in "stay at home day" heaven! Jammies, playing, crafting, painting, a few chores, tv show watching during inside lunch picnics. She won't want to go back on Monday! Thursday afternoon she came down with a fever and low energy (no nose twitching the whole time with fever). She took a cool bath and have her med at bedtime since fever was 103.5 and she slept well. By morning she seemed better and appetite back to normal next day. And no one else got sick - whew! Pink eye did spread, but that's for early April...
- She got to run errands with Mom and use a gift card to Claire's that Grandma gave her for Christmas. She chose a locket necklace, clip on earrings and a headband with crystals. We went to pay and they said, It's buy three, get three free! She was in sheer amazement!! We went back to pick out her additional items and pay. She proudly carried out her bag full of girly treasures. We might have a dangerous shopper on our hands when it's shopping for her! She didn't enjoy the longer than expected stop at Home Depot before that Claire's stop quite so much, but neither did I though.
- March 29th - We had a rough morning with Samara today. She had an hour long, vicious temper tantrum that even rolled into school drop off. Kids have meltdowns, I know, but she really seems unable to get it under control once she gets to a certain point. We will work to fill her love tank and reach out to a therapist, just to give her some coping strategies. Are the tics and tantrums actually out of her control? Are they related?
Kalum's Moments for the Month:
- Early March - can snap his fingers!
- Kalum to Samara during dinner conversation...
- K: If you keep losing all your teeth you'll be teeth bald!
- S: No, it's called toothless.
- Me: Either way, there'd be no more chewing food. So, let's just keep brushing ALL of your teeth, ok? (holding in most of my laughter)
- He enjoyed his own Hawaii Day at school after getting to tag along to Samara's the past three years. He didn't want to hula, but enjoyed snack, making a lei necklace, playing in the "ocean", finding sea creatures, coloring a fish picture and shuffleboard (well, running around with the equipment in hand at least).
- Running around one day, he slipped and fell in the kitchen. When I asked if he was okay, he said that, "it hurts where God hooked my leg to my body". After figuring out what he meant and soaking up the cuteness of the explanation, "Oh no! It hurts when you hit your hip on things." Kalum - "My hip, yeah, that's what it's called".
- Kalum and I played a simplified version of the board game, Life, one afternoon. He ended up an athlete with a car full of kids! I asked what his wife looked like - she had long blonde hair. Kids names included: Banana, Ice Cream, and Ant. Lol! I ended up as a married salesperson with no kids, if you were wondering.
- Mid month - he counted all the way to 20! Always got stuck in the mid-teens, but totally nailed it today!
- He saw a dinosaur craft at Hobby Lobby when shopping for a possible birthday gift for someone else. He really wanted one for him! So, when we got home, he paid me with his own $10 he had saved in his wallet and worked diligently on it for nearly two hours. It was stiff paper on foam dinosaur cut-outs to assemble and add color coded squares to the sides of. I helped a little and Samara joined in after school. But it was all him and he's been playing with them all the time. I later found out that he paid me with paper dollars (which he saw as valueless in compared to his coin money. That's why he just tossed the dollars my way, as if I was being taken. Dinosaurs for this dumb paper! Ha!)
Wesson's Moments/Milestones for the Month:
- Early March - tries to jump. Squats way down then stands up and does some quick marching in place. Getting there bud! He now waves and says"hi" very clearly. Even at the store, and usually to someone too far away or after we've already passed someone who waved at him and hello.
- One morning while we were all getting ready to head out the door to church and we all of a sudden couldn't find him! We heard him squawking but couldn't figure out where he was. Finally, Samara said, I know, and we opened the pantry closet door in our kitchen. He had been in there by the cereal boxes, pulled the door shut, then couldn't get out!
- When you get out your camera or phone, he stands there and smiles a big cheesy grin, as if to say, "here I am, take my picture!" Then he, of course, wants to see himself.
- March 21st - Yesterday started acting like he could climb out of his crib, putting his leg up and kind of starting to hoist his body up. Then today, as expected, he climbed over top of his crib after nap time. He was standing on front bottom rail, still holding onto the bars, saying, "mama mama" when we opened the door. I guess the six inches to step down were too much. That only lasted a day, then he had the full dismount figured out! Goodbye soon to that crib.
- Started telling me when he needs his diaper changed. One day I told him it was time to got get into the van to get Samara. He seemed really reluctant and usually he is really excited saying, "Sissy! Sissy!" Then he pointed to his booty and said his version of diaper. I said, do you have a dirty diaper that we need to change? he nods and starts climbing up the stairs. We barely made it to bus pickup, but he didn't have to sit in a dirty diaper! The next day he did the same thing. Okay, now if we can just catch this before the act...alright, settle back to reality, he's only 18 months old.
April is next, and with that, more spring fun!
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