The Spelling Bee - Round Two

Jackson once again made the finals for the Spelling Bee at his school.

He bravely entered today's contest with 600 mg of ibuprofen in his 100 lb body and a gait resembling the Hunchback of Notre Dame. (His neck is still majorly out of whack)

While he was one of only 8 fifth graders last year, this year 21 sixth graders made the cut. He finished in the top three.

The "you've got to be kidding" moment of the event was when all remaining 20 or so finalists (including Jackson) had to spell the word BEQUEATH. Every single kid misspelled it and they were left with no winner. I swear I heard one of the kids spell it right but the moderators missed it. So they ended up calling all the remaining kids back and starting with a new word.

The word Jackson ultimately went down on was GESTAPO. The moderator pronounced it GUS-TA-PO and how do you think Jackson spelled it? GUSTAPO.

The Banquet, The Birthday and The Big Date

I've been lazy about posting this week but took lots of pics over the week.

First - we had Cameron's football banquet on Thursday. We were surprised he received his first high school letter as a freshman. I have a feeling they get bigger as he moves up to Varsity. It was a nice night to cap a great week for him - we received his grades for the first nine weeks - 4.0 GPA!!! (For you Canadian's that means straight A's)

Second event of the week was Caeden's birthday party. I love these pics - the innocence and fun of just being 10!


Finally - let me introduce you to Cameron's REAL girlfriend, Erin. She came with us to the YSU football game on Saturday. They have been "dating" for about a month now - we are good friends with her family so the dates tend to center around family gatherings. I didn't think it was possible, but she is actually shyer than Cameron - in fact, he is actually the talkative one in this relationship.

Box Tops and Playgrounds

This is the playground at the elementary school my children have attended for five years.

Shockingly much of the equipment came when they built the school - over 50 YEARS AGO!

Two years ago they removed the "merry-go-round", deeming it too dangerous. And last summer, someone burned the climbing turtle (?) so now we have a big gaping hole of nothing in the middle of the mulch.

My friend and I took over the collection of General Mills Box Tops for Education and Tyson Food labels this year and decided that whatever we collected would go to the purchase of new playground equipment. Unfortunately, none of my children will get to benefit, as this is Caeden's last year, but it will be nice to leave a legacy of having done something before we leave.

That's where we need help - we need LOTS and LOTS of labels. You may have a bunch of them in your cupboard and not even know it! We have asked the community for support and now I'm asking you too. The labels look like this - we need thousands and thousands.
Send them to:
Stadium Drive School
111 Stadium Drive,
Boardman, OH 44512
Attn: PTA Home, School & Community

I will keep you posted throughout the year as to our progress. Over the summer we collected 3,400 and that's without even pushing this initiative! Please help... :)

Homecoming

Part of me was ready for this and part of me couldn't believe I was looking at my son, WITH A DATE!

Homecoming is the only dance Freshman are allowed to attend. I'm very thankful for this as it cost us over $300! (Suit, tickets, corsage, dinner)

We didn't get through the evening without some drama...

As I've mentioned before, Cameron is shy to a fault! It was shocking that he actually asked a girl to the dance. Of course, he did it by text - God forbid he would actually have to talk to her! And that was the problem - as of 5:30 on Saturday evening we still weren't sure she was actually going to show up!

The football game the night before, he didn't say a word to her and I watched her all night walking around with two other boys. Then he "texted" her after to make sure they were still meeting between 5 and 6 and all she said was "I guess so".

Saturday he had an out of town football game (we lost 12-6, our record is now 4-1). When he gets home, there is no message from her so he texts again. Nothing.

He then tells us that he bought her ticket and gave it to her the day before - what's to stop her from just going with someone else? He also phones his friend who is supposed be going with her friend and he doesn't even have his date's phone number to check what is going on! (my son is not alone in the disorganization department)

So, being the hyper organizing Mom that I am, I start arranging for him to meet up with other friends and go with them. I even consider getting my friend's GORGEOUS senior daughter to escort him.

Then at 5:40 p.m. the text arrives - "I'm on my way".

...And she was lovely! She had been getting her hair and nails done and didn't have her phone.

They had a really great time but I expect they will just remain friends. Cameron would actually have to continue talking to her for it develop into anything more and why would he do that when he can just text his innermost feelings?!

The Boy Who Doesn't Get It

I love the first day of school when the kids get home and tell me about their teachers and classmates.

Cameron provided a gem comment that will go down in infamy (especially when he graduates from some big college on the Dean's List!)

"You should see my Advanced Biology and Advanced World History classes. I'm in with all the smart kids!"

What They Don't Tell You About The First Week Of High School

I remember when Caeden started Kindergarten four years ago they warned us that he wouldn't be himself for the first couple of weeks. Physical and mental exhaustion would consume him and he would be irritable, whiny and inconsolable.

They don't warn you that the same thing happens in high school.

Cameron is a wreck. When I picked him up from football practice last night he absolutely broke down. In fact, I picked up his best-friend Devin too and I'm sure he would have done the same had he not been with me.

He's up at 6am, the bus arrives at 6:45, first bell is 7:45, final bell's at 3pm, then he has 3 hours of football practice - everyday...

So how does he cope?..."I'm quitting football. My heart's just not in it...I've lost my desire".

"Well you know Cameron, we've always said that you can't quit a sport in the middle of the season...but you don't have to play next year if you don't want". I said this as my mind went "who are you and what have you done with my kid?!"

A few hours later, after a shower and a good meat and potatoes meal, it was like the earlier conversation had never happened.

"You know what Mum?...our quarterback is really struggling. The coach might bench him. Then Dayne will be QB and he ALWAYS throws to me in practice".

Welcome to the Jekyll and Hyde world of high school...

The First Day of School

Every year I take a photo of the boys on the first day of school. It's a wonderful way to chronicle how they grow and mature year after year.

I can no longer take that photo as you can see from the picture of Cameron. His bus comes at 6:40 a.m.!!!


I have to admit right now that I'm feeling pretty melancholy about all this. Cameron is in high school - gulp - only four more years until he's off to college - gulp, sigh - this is all going too fast - gulp, sigh, cry.

I do have a lovely photo of Caeden and Jackson, taken an hour later - when the sun has fully risen!

I still have both of them for seven and nine more years...but who's counting?!

The End of the Innocence

Yesterday, at precisely 3:35, Cameron became a high school freshman.

And also yesterday, around 7:00pm, the innocence of childhood ended with the Class of 2012 pool party!

Fortunately - there were only a few girls who came, but the one's that were here showed it off for all the boys to see!

What confuses me - and remember I'm the mother of three boys so I have NO concept of the girlworld - is how such incredibly nice little girls can turn into hoochie mamas when they put on bikinis! Could it be the belly button piercing? That's right - on a 13 year old girl!!!

Or maybe I'm just freaking out because my baby was loving every string bikini on their tiny little bodies...

Awards Season

I very seldom received academic or sports awards when I was in school. I was always in the upper end of the pack but never the stand-out when it came to achievements. The only thing that kept me from completely fading into the woodwork was my singing ability. I was always the go-to girl for special songs and talent shows. But oh, how I coveted recognition for being smart!

Well - my oldest son is smart, very smart. But he really doesn't want anyone to know
and, up until this year, never really worked too hard to be! So it was with GREAT pleasure that I watched him receive one of the highest overall academic awards at his middle school - The President's Award (signed by Bush himself!)

It is given to student's who maintain a 3.5 or higher GPA AND 85% or above in state achievement testing - for four consecutive years...
Cameron's the one in the striped shirt - oh darn - they all have striped shirts!!!

There are over 200 kids in the graduating 8th grade class - only 27 received this honor - so I guess this ranks him in the top 10%.

But getting back to Cameron really not coveting attention (unlike his mother)...the awards ceremony ended with a 24 minute slide show tribute to the graduating class.

Cameron wasn't in a single picture...

High School Confidential

High school...it was only a couple of years ago that I graduated - right?! Confidentially..(get it???)...it was over 25 years ago!

But tonight it all came thundering back into my consciousness as John and I attended PARENT ORIENTATION FOR INCOMING FRESHMEN!

So how did this happen? When did I stop being the kid who was cool in high school...and become the parent of the potential cool kid in high school?

Am I like that girl in the song that's "preoccupied with 1985"? (See - I'm still happening - I know songs by bands like Bowling For Soup!)

So there we were...meeting with guidance councilors and department heads...talking about Advanced Biology and Honors World History...Making sure that we can over-rule the middle school guidance councilor and place him in the Enriched English class based on his 97% English grade and the fact he was supposed to be in the enriched class this year but the lame brain middle school councilor wouldn't change his schedule even though he had three study halls to start the year but it's okay because, she said, "he's in enriched math", but I wasn't talking about Math we're talking about English and he reads at a post-college level and HE wants to be challenged and he was identified as gifted only in English and yet he's in all the advanced programs EXCEPT English in high school and I guess I'm the only one who will really work on behalf of my child...!!!

Yes - I am the parent of an almost freshman...

Theme Thursday - Focus

Welcome to the world of OCD where FOCUS is taken to the extreme.

Jackson finds flaws in his sports jerseys that no one else can see. I have become the master of "fixing" holes and lose threads - or simply reassuring him that the flaw is a design element within the shirt.

If only he would focus this much during math class! :))

Report Cards and Sports

Cameron has a "C" in Social Studies. This would not be much of an issue for most families but it brought Cameron to tears when he had to tell me.

John and I have set a policy with our sons that they have to have "A's and B's" in school or THEY ARE NOT ALLOWED TO PLAY SPORTS!

Sound harsh? I suppose on the surface, but by way of explanation you have to understand what we're dealing with.

Cameron has been identified as gifted in every area except Math (the irony is that math is his favorite subject!) - his IQ is 143! Now I expect that is an exaggerated number but I do know he read the Dune series of books in 5th grade, so that must make him pretty smart.

When the school called me a few years ago to share Cameron's gifted designation, I said - "I think you have the wrong son"! Jackson has ALWAYS been an exceptional learner. He could take a blank map of the U.S. and tell you all the States and their captitals - in 1st GRADE! Then, of course, his spelling ability. His memory retention is astounding - I thank Aspergers for this - who would think we would ever be thankful for Aspergers?!? Of course, none of this classifies him as gifted but he's pretty damn brilliant in my eyes!

So - because of these traits, Cameron and Jackson are expected to do well in school. If they aren't, it is simply a matter of effort. Caeden, my dear sweet baby, puts in more effort in school than both of his brothers - combined - but he usually gets B's and C's. So we placed a caveat on our 'C' rule - if you've shown your best effort, we can negotiate.

Cameron did not show his best effort in Social Studies - missing assignments and not studying for tests. But here's the rub - he knew he screwed up big time. He took full responsibility. He promised he would get high honors in ALL subjects the next nine weeks (straight A's). He was in tears...

As this was the first time we had to enforce our rule, we had to step back and re-evaluate. If we told him he couldn't wrestle now - with two weeks left in the season - it would hurt his team tremendously. If we told him he couldn't play baseball, it could jeopardize his whole season on this select team. There was one sport left...Track and Field.

So here's the plan - he needs to get at least 90% in Social Studies (a high B) and all other subjects this next period, or he cannot go out for Track. He still says he's going for High Honors to prove to himself what he can do! (I'm smiling inside at this one...)

By the way - Jackson has High Honors...and Caeden? His first report card without a C! You go baby...

Maybe It's Just Not His Sport - Rebuttable!

Cameron had a major five school wrestling tournament today. I decided not to go as it was over an hour away and an all day event - John was the lone cheering section for our family.

It's providence that the day I don't go...and three days after I say wrestling is not his sport...HE WINS THE ENTIRE TOURNAMENT FOR HIS WEIGHT CLASS!!!

But wait there's more...HE IS CHOSEN THE MVP FOR HIS SCHOOL!!!

But wait there's even more...HE RECEIVED HIS FIRST WRESTLING MEDAL!!!

I will NEVER not go to one of my son's games, tournaments or playoff games again! Practices? They're on their own...

Friday Night Lights...

We are not a basketball family. It's just not our sport. We don't play it or watch it - even though we have the required suburban hoop in our driveway.

Yes - we have put Caeden into a basketball league for the winter, but that's just to keep him active. He's in it to goof around with his friends.

Last night was elementary school night for our high school basketball team. The mania of football Friday's gives way to the winter version - only warmer and dryer.

There are four elementary school's in our town. When we arrived we were told to sit with our school in the lower half of one section. The other three schools took up three more section halfs. Four schools took up one eighth of the seating for the gym.

As we squeezed into the only seats left for our section, we looked across at the completely empty stands across the gym. No - we couldn't go there because we had to be with our school for school spirit night!

Thank God high school games don't have time-outs like NBA games...you know - 5 minutes on the clock takes half an hour?! By the end I was standing at the rail - desperate to stretch my back, and even more desperate to have the little girl behind me stop hitting me in the head with her spirit towel!

John didn't even bother trying to come back to our seats after his restroom break. He stood at the door of the gym and smiled knowingly as I remained trapped in my seat.

The game? We lost by two points. The spirit? Our school won - course, you can't help but be loud when you pack 200 people into seats that hold 50...

The Spelling Bee...

What is it about kids on the autism spectrum that makes them such good spellers?! Three years ago I told everyone that Jackson would be in the middle school spelling bee in 5th grade. Today was the day...

In order to become one of the 57 finalists, EVERY child in the school (5th thru 8th grades) had to complete the same written test. Then there was a verbal, in-class elimination. Jackson was one of only eight fifth grade finalists.

I was really excited for him, not only because he was a finalist, but because he was very nervous. He responded like a typical kid in being nervous, not a child on the spectrum! For this, I was excited!

Just before it began, he ran down to me for one final pep talk. Frankly, from years of experience with his sensory issues, the one thing I could really do for him was gently stroke his arm. As I did, he looked hard into my eyes for reassurance. I truly felt this was the only place I wanted to be, with him, at that moment!

He was in the third row. I soon realized the significance of the third row. The words got progressively harder as they went, meaning his placement in the third row was determined by how well he did in the written test. Additionally significant, he was sitting between two eighth grade boys - his older brother's cool friends.
I didn't take any pics of the actual competition - that may have thrown off his concentration...

His word - CAMPAIGN. He was supposed to start by repeating the word, spelling the word and repeating again. He spelled it just fine and walked away. He had to be called back to repeat the word to signify he was finished. First round done...

Second round - SINCERELY. He took his time...S-I-N-C-E-R-L-Y. He missed the second "e". Good God - I would miss the second "e"!

When he was eliminated there were only two fifth graders left in the competition!

As a side note - there were very obviously two other boys, more significantly on the spectrum than Jackson, that were still in the running when he left. My heart was with both of them.

I cannot...CANNOT EVER relay how immensely honored I was to be Jackson's mother this morning. Jackson reminded me I'm more than SportsMum - I'm also his very proud SpellingBeeMum!

They Come, They Feast...(and they give out some awards...)

Otherwise know as the middle school football banquet...as dutiful parents we trekked to the middle school cafeteria tonight to partake of the rubber chicken and the glowing accolades bestowed upon the children whose parents were stars at the same school 30 years ago (did I say that???)

Forty-five players made up this illustrious squad(Spartan Bowl Champions). Five were mentioned by name (because they accomplished the feat of pouring water on the coaches heads - oh yeah - and their parents were sports stars in this town 30 YEARS AGO...). Three were mentioned because they were small and got pummeled every practice and probably won't be back next year.

The rest of the evening were the forty-five names read off in order of their number. Cameron was #87 - third from last. By the time he went to collect his gym bag and letter (letters in middle school?!), the rest of the team were lined up in front and you couldn't find him behind the crowd. So much for a picture...

They did show a video at the end. Imagine seeing #8 and #20 and #9 and #33 and #57 oh, maybe 36 times! Then, the most impressive pic of the bunch, a kid laying a HUGE tackle on the opposing quarterback for the sack...and you can't read his number. I could though - it was a pic of my son from the very first game and the very first sack of the season! You Go #87!

Just a side note - as I have all boys and not really into the girl ga-ga thing - we have had people say he looks like Zac Efron from High School Musical. Anyone care to vote if you agree?!

Manipulation and Aspergers

I had to add an addendum to this morning's post...It is 2:00 pm...7th period is about to begin at Jackson's school. The school nurse just called and Jackson has again paid her a visit...his leg hurts! (I thought he had a cough?!)

Here's the thing people...can you not see that he is trying to get out of Math class?! I'm not sure if they are letting him get away with this because he's on an IEP and couldn't possibly be THAT manipulative.

A lesson in Aspergers 101. These children are VERY smart and EXTRAORDINARILY manipulative. If, for a second, he thinks he can get away with something, my dear, sweet boy will fully take advantage!

Note to school nurse - he's playing you like a fiddle. Note to Jackson - I'm onto you pal!

Cough...Cough...Cough

Our children have inherited good health genes. Both John and myself are very rarely sick; our immune systems seem to operate at full capacity. As a result, the boys tend to enjoy perfect attendance at school.

It is with this motivation that Jackson had a fever for the better part of the weekend but still managed to put in (almost) a full day at school yesterday. I say 'almost' as we did receive a note from the school nurse stating that he was with her during 7th and 8th periods; which happens to be Math and Science. How convenient that he would miss these not-so-favorite subjects?!

The lingering effects of the weekend fever appear to be an ugly, barking cough. And I mean BARKING! It fits somewhere in between the sound of our Golden Retriever and a Hound. I know this as I listened to it all night...

This morning I heard a similar cough but in a higher pitch - Caeden. His symptoms came quicker than Jackson's, in fact, I think he confused his emerging cough for growing pains as he asked for medicine on Sunday because his leg was sore! Don't worry, this association doesn't correlate with me either...

So we have two LOUD barkers in our house now. Not an issue during the day, but at night I hear them, because Mother's always hear their children when they're sick at night!

Isn't that the strangest thing about Mother's? How do we instinctively know that our children need us and we have to wake up?! I can sleep through every night of my husband coming to bed at 1am, but if I hear a sniffle from the other bedrooms, I'm awake!

I suppose some men also hear when their children wake up but choose not to act on it. That's not the case in our house. John is completely deaf in his left ear - he just rolls over on his right side and sleeps through the entire thing...