Yes We Still Have A Blog!!

"Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it"

---Ferris Bueller


To say we have been busy since our last blog would be an understatement.

In late February of this year we decided to put our house up for sale and find a house closer to the school Nicholas is currently attending. We really love the school, his teachers really love him and we have heard some not too favorable things about the two elementary schools here in Lantana. So we began to pack up the house for staging purposes...you know when you make your cluttered house look more roomy for the perspective buyers?? We rented a garage sized storage facility AND filled our garage up with boxes, so neither of our cars are protected from the elements. We have been lucky so far with several big hail storms......no damage done to our cars...woo hoo...but we are not quite out of "hail season." The house went up for sale in March. We have had 12 showings so far, but no interest. We are still hopeful to sell this house and be in a new house by the time school starts again in August. Speaking of school.....Nicholas will be going into Kindergarten in August!! He has been in Pre-K for three semesters. His teachers think he has learned about two years worth of language and skills in one year! He is very bright and continues to show us everyday just how special he is.....Like when we were at Toys-R-Us last week and I pointed to a giant castle we could put together....he said, "That's a fortress." Huh? When and where did he learn that?? Yesterday he found a toy compass in his pile of toys. He brought it over to me and said, "Go 15 paces to West." I said, "Excuse me? What did you just say?" Today he asked me what the dogs were eating....I said that it was dog food. He said, "Kibble." I agreed and then told him that they were eating crunchy dog food to help clean their teeth since we don't brush there teeth like we brush his....THEN during dinner on this Sunday night of Memorial Day Weekend 2011, he was eating yogurt with peaches mixed in and a slice of Lisa's world famous banana nut bread.....He pointed to a walnut in the bread and said, "What's that?" I told him in was a walnut and that it would 'crunch' when he ate it. To which he replied, "That's MY kibble." The boy is brilliant! He took a new concept just explained to him 15 minutes ago and applied it to his own life experience....Note to self....we really need to start his college fund now!

We recently met with his teacher, the assistant principal, the adaptive P.E. teacher, the speech pathologist and either his physical therapy teacher or his occupational therapy teacher, for his end of year A.R.D. (Admission, Review, and Dismissal) meeting to discuss his I.E.P. (Individualized Education Program). Since he has qualified for special education for his Cerebral Palsy and being behind in his language and social skills, he gets to have these meetings to discuss his process and goals. We also get to see the wonderful teachers and administrators that are helping Nicholas and that are also under his spell. He made everyone one of them laugh or smile during the meeting. Since the meeting was after school he had to be in the room with us. He managed to grab the microphone and send out a "PING" to the entire school....that's our boy! Anyway...he his definitely progressing in all areas, some not as fast as others....Lisa and I will be working on a variety of skills to get him ready for Kindergarten. Due to recent budget cuts, the Trans-K or transitional Kindergarten classes were cut. Nicholas could have qualified for this class, but since it is no longer an option...he will be in a regular Kinder class in August. He will be pulled out twice a day to work on math and reading, but the rest of the time he will be in the classroom with up to 23 other kids! His previous class had ten or less kids and two teaching aides. Nicholas has done amazingly well at school, compared to how he is at home with just Mommy and Daddy. But none the less, I will be a nervous Daddy the first week of school....I may even have to take a few days off..

I hope to Blog a little more often...here are some photos from a wonderful event we went to on April 1, 2011. It was an event for kids with special needs...it was free...and it was very close by at the Circle R Ranch in Flower Mound, TX. ALL of the volunteers were wonderful! There was a fire engine and an ambulance to explore, a small petting zoo, horseback riding, carnival games, prizes, arts and crafts, music, dancing, face painting, Super heroes, a photo booth and wonderful food...Nicholas (and his parents) had a wonderful time!

Spin the wheel and win a prize!

Getting ready for our family photo...

This was the last thing we did, so we are totally exhausted in this picture. But like the consummate professionals we are, we were able to pull it together for our photo session...

The arts and crafts were outside and it was a little bit windy. Here he is making a clothes pin critter.

Just throw the football through the hole and win a prize!
Or just walk up and push it through and then...

...take off running like zombies are chasing you!

An action photo! He just threw a bean bag through the top hole and then...

...ran behind the scenes for a quick photo opportunity with some monkeys.

Making a butterfly with popsicle sticks and tissue paper...

Meeting Wolverine and Thor and having to ask himself what every
five year old boy has to, at some point in their life...
"Which weapon would I use in an alley fight?"

"Okay Thor, if that is your real name, this hammer is now mine.
Let go, walk away quietly and no one gets hurt."

Flexing his muscles with Bat Girl, Green Lantern and Super Girl.

Flexing his fantastic flirting skills with Purple Girl and
Captain America's niece, Amber-America.

Petting Zoo overload....So many animals to grab!

Our kid petting a kid.

Sitting in the "Doctor's chair" in an ambulance.

Buckled in (by himself) the back of a fire engine. He even tried to close the door!

Quickly promoted to the driver's seat.
The firefighter told him that if he could reach the pedals,
he could drive it home!
Maybe next year??

His second turn in the drivers seat. As of right now, this is a possible career path!

The newest in firefighter fashion....
The fire proof coat-skirt and helmet combo!

Seven volunteers helping Nicholas mount up and ride!

Three volunteers helped him on his equine adventure!

.....DOWN THE STRETCH HE COMES.....

Everyone should get a hug from the Easter Bunny at least once a year!

Next year we can use this picture to see how much he has grown...
Over the past two years or so he has grown nearly 9 inches!

The last photo I took before Nicholas some how released the brake, started the engine, turned on the sirens and drove away looking for fires to extinguish!