ADHD with a Side of Reading Learning Disability

Have I told you how much I worry about you? Because I do. But we will get you help. And then you will be brave and smart and strong and become whatever it is your heart dreams of, whether it be an engineer or a puppy groomer. Sorry, I won't let you become a professional Lego Star Wars gamer. No matter how much you beg.

You have been diagnosed with ADHD with a side of reading learning disability. I am struggling with how best to help you. The transition won't be easy. It will take trials with meds, tutoring, special classes with some hopefully great teachers. And if they aren't great, I will find you great ones. I promise.

I didn't know how to tell you we were taking you to get tested for whatever was holding you back in school with reading and writing. So I told you we were taking you to see a doctor who would help you read better. You said, "Good. Because I am behind in school." You even knew. I wish you could have told me how much trouble you were having.

When I told you we were going to see the pediatrician about getting medicine that will help you learn better, you said, "There's a medicine for that? I've never heard of such a thing!" Then shrugged and said, "That's cool."

You have made so much progress this year in every area, even reading, despite your struggles. We will get you help. I promise. And, about that busted lip? It wasn't your first fall and won't be the last. Those battle scars will only make you stronger and help you fight through this new fight. 

I love you, Buddy. You are my rock star.

Ray Likes Boys.

I recently separated from Ray and Chay's father. The kids are dealing with it well. However, Ray is concerned about me and my newly found dating status. On the way to the movies, Ray and I had the following conversation:

Ray: "Mommy, it's tough having a boyfriend."

Me: "Excuse me?"

Ray: "It's tough having a boyfriend. You will have to get used to it. They call you and stuff."

Me: "Excuse me? How do you know it's tough to have a boyfriend?"

Ray: " 'Cause I have three of 'em."

Me: "You have three boyfriends??? Who???" (Not shocked and could pretty much figure out who she was going to say...but still...she's never called them her boyfriends before.)

Ray: "Sheldon, of course, he's just plain funny. Then there's Alexander, because he's the cutest little thing. He's the shortest in the class, even more than me!"

Me: "I thought you were the shortest in your class?"

Ray: "Nope. Alexander is. He's the teeniest tiniest little cutie pie. And there's Andrew."

Me: "Is Andrew the one that isn't in your class but stares at you all the time?"

Ray: "Yep. Abbey and I chase him all the time."

Me: "I thought he wasn't your boyfriend?"

Ray: "He's not. I just like him. And he likes me. So people want to get us together."

She's 7. And I am unprepared for these conversations.

Herbert Higglebottom's Email

You know Elf on the Shelf? Well, Ray and Chay's Resident Elf is named Herbert Higglebottom.

And he's upset. Ray and Chay have not behaved the past few days. So they received the following email from Herbert this evening:

Herbert Higglebottom to ep.miller


*********************************************************************************************************************************************************************

From the Desk of Herbert Higglebottom

Audrey and Chayton Miller's Resident Elf

***********************************************************************************************************************


Dear Audrey and Chayton,


Due to my recent reports to Santa Claus about your behavior yesterday and today, Santa has decided to keep me back at the North Pole so he can watch you himself. He is concerned with your behavior and has decided that I am not to return until you can earn your way back onto the Nice List.


To earn my presence back, you need to be on your best behavior at all times and in all places. No fighting, fussing, crying or general rebelrousing! Goofyness is allowed of course. The goofier the better! (Unless you are disrupting class....then stop it!)

Now be good for goodness sake.


Regards,

Herbert

Herbert Higglebottom
Your Christmas Elf

The One Where Ray Cheered and Chay Rocked the Redskins

Ray had a chance to cheer with the Panther's cheerleaders for the game against the Redskins. We couldn't resist signing her up.

Ray and her mentor, Laura R.

The fun part of the whole thing is that she would be cheering at the half time of the Panthers v. Redskins game. How great is that?

So of course we had to dress the boy up in the Red and Gold's finest.

Charlotte used to be Redskins' territory prior to the Panthers. We found a parking lot hosting a Redskins tailgate. These two were a total hit.

Sworn Enemies

Yes. I did that to my son's head. And I'm proud of it.

Fans of both teams stopped us constantly wanting to take his picture. I can't tell you how many Facebook pages that kid is on.

And now, it's half time!

That's Ray, 7th from the bottom of the G on the 30th Yard Line

And that's her on the 4!

My girl was so proud of herself and I couldn't be more proud of her. She was a brave and beautiful little cheerleader. Now I need to come up with the money to keep her cheering for the next seven years!

I just wish the Skins won!

She's Famous

Ray: (Singing) Alright, uh huh, I'm famous, uh huh, alright, I'm famous...

Chay: What's famous mean?

Ray: It means you get whatever you want and you don't have to pay for it. Uh huh, I'm famous, alright, I'm famous...

She's famous alright.

She's Ramona

Family movie night was anchored by 2010's "Ramona and Beezus." Two fabulous quotes came out of Ray's mouth during the movie.

"I'm just like Ramona without the messed up hair!"

and

"I'm not even gonna watch this. It's just nonsense!"

I don't think I need to explain the first quote. The second was said during a scene in which Hobart proposes to Aunt B. Ray closed her ears, started humming and then came out with that humdinger. Thank goodness E was standing in front of the sink when he spit his beer out.

I guess she has something against marriage.

Roly Poly

I came home from work today, and Chay was excited to tell me about his new best friend.

Chay: Mommy, guess what!

Me: What? You went to Australia today?

Chay: What? What does that even mean?

Me: Nevermind. What do you want to tell me?

Chay: I made a new friend today!!!!

Me: Wow! Who is it?

Chay: His name is Roly Poly and he's a beetle. Did you know birds eat beetles? I hope a bird doesn't eat my new best friend. But he rolls up into a ball and he's a potato bug!!!!

Apparently, Chay is the bug equivilent of the Dog Whisperer.

Except, when he introduced me to Roly Poly, it was obvious that Roly Poly had been squished to death by a good intentioned 4-year old who just wanted to give his BFF a hug. Chay swore up and down and West that Roly Poly was sleeping. So he gave him several more hugs and placed him back on the lawn chair he was "sleeping" on.

Before bed, Chay had to give a night kiss to his BFF and came back inside crying his eyes out.

Chay: A bird ate Roly Poly!

Me: No, it didn't. (Thinking: Oh, crap! How do I deal with this???)

Chay: Yes, it did! Birds eat beetles! And Daddy said he couldn't come in the house! So, a bird ate him!

Me: (Cuddles while thinking, Oh, Crap!)

E: How do you know he didn't just wake up and crawl away?

Chay: Cuz he was up high on the chair! A bird ate him. It's all your fault!!! (Bawls and cuddles into me)

Me: I think Daddy's right. He could have unrolled himself and crawled down the leg. (Thanking E privately for that out)

Chay: You think? Maybe he stayed rolled up and he just rolled off?

Me: Of course! He just went into the woods. Maybe he'll come by tomorrow to say hi.

Chay: He's not coming back! A bird ate him! I need a bug box!

E: You've had two bug boxes and broken both of them. You aren't getting another bug box. Roly Poly is just fine.

Chay: I need a bug box. So I can keep my next Roly Poly in a cage.

Because that's how you treat your BFF. But, on the bright side, he's ready to move on to his next best friend...

Overheard Conversation

Chay: "Ray, Let me ask you a question." Ray: "What?" Chay: "How do you know everything?" Ray: "Huh?" Chay: "How do you know everything? You know about everything? How you know dat?" Ray: "I just feel it." Chay: "Like you feel the Earth?" Ray: "Yeah. I just feel it."

Ray is Almost as Big of a College Basketball Fan as Me

While we were at lunch today, the restaurant we were at had college hoops tournament games playing. Ray focused on the Kentucky v. WVU game, and as usual, she was rooting for whoever I was, which in this case, was WVU. She was cheering loud and taking it seriously. At one point, after WVU made a free throw to take the lead, but KY got the ball, her response was, "Oh, man, we may have a problem. Kentucky got the ball back!"

Ray was such a huge hit at the restaurant that the manager came over and asked us which game we wanted to hear over the sound system. He turned the music off so that my girl could listen to her basketball game. That's impressive.

Yep. She's my mini-me and I am proud.

My Chivalrous Little Man

Chay loves his mommy. A lot. He has my back and looks after me like my little man.

Chay likes to take his time at things, just like his dad. Its an annoying habit because he's slow. To get him  moving, E likes to say, "the last one there is a rotten egg!" For some reason, I am always in the back of the line, and this bothers Chay immensely. He refuses to let me be the rotten egg. If he thinks I will be, he yells, "Mommy, hurry! You need to beat daddy, you can't be the rotten egg!" Sometimes he'll even fall on the sword for me and be the rotten egg.

The other day, he didn't realize I was in last place when Daddy yelled, "Last one in the house is a rotten egg!" Chay stopped, gasped in horror, and grabbed my waist before stepping over the threshold. At the exact same time. Once inside, he said, "Now Mommy, neither of us are the rotten egg cuz we bof came thwough the door at the same time!"

Over the weekend, someone dropped a glass on the tile floor, which sent glass shreds all over the kitchen. While cleaning up the mess, I stepped on a tiny piece of glass and it is still wedged up in the ball of my foot. I was complaining about it when Chay asked what happened. I explained, and he sat down on the couch, tapped the seat next to him and said, "Mommy, sit down. I'll get it out for you." He sat there, analyzed my foot, dug around (it tickled) and claimed he found it and saved my foot. The glass is still there, but its the thought that counts.

If he keeps this up, he's going to be a good man when he grows up.