Jun

In the words of a 7 year old . . .

Warning: Mom doing diary writing….

Jarrod is presently on the trampoline in handcuffs (not the parents doing) jumping and screaming like a ‘monster’, it is left to me to inform you of the last few weeks.

With warnings issued and due diligence (i.e. Jarrod is now 7) achieved, let me tell you a little of the developments over the last few weeks.

Jarrod’s obsession with sharks continues as he continues to demonstrate his ability to take in information and dispense it at his own will. Jarrod returned to Fastrackids about 2 months ago to finish Grade R and secure him a place for the new year.

This was on desperate and pleading from the child. He is in love with his teacher and very happy in his class. 2 boys, 4 girls, he is still the instigator of much mischief and misguided adventures. Maddi, his teacher is divine, and having spoken to her a lot found out that one of her secondary study subjects was criminology… To be honest sounds like the perfect combination for Jarrod and his posse.

Jarrod in the last two months has learned to write his numbers to 20, do sums to the same amount and start reading.

Jarrod however is presently learning the consequence of making one’s own decisions. His desire to go back to FTK was nothing short of miraculous for us as his parents, and since he has been forced to actually work he has been trying to come back to Jay-Bee Academy. We do Jay-Bee Academy every afternoon, so we still do extra work, much to the disgust of my child.

I have taken to calling him quirky as he, much like his father is capable of multitasking to the ⁿth degree. A couple of days back he was singing a song SAY SOMETHING…. Quite in tune and playing Lego whilst watching TV. This is something which happens often, but sometimes it’s just too much for me. I grabbed the child by the shoulders and asked, no, begged him to give me a break as I was suffering intensely with information overload. His response… “OK Mom, but am I still cute?” Oh YES Jay-Bee you’re supercute… whew! About 30 seconds later my child was running up the stairs, clicking his fingers singing, I am cute, I am cute.

At school some evangelistic work was taking place between the kids and Jarrod arrived home asking… Read me Jesus, Huh? Read me Jesus. (Bad parents) okay I say slowly and go off to find a book of Bible stories. Intrigued by the whole concept I start asking questions, who was talking about it at school, what did he learn about Jesus… we must pray, I’ll get Dad… Oh Jay-Bee, maybe don’t get Dad, I’m not sure if he would be happy about this. In a moment of pure unadulterated drama, my child in front of my dropped to his knees, put his arms up in the air, brought them down to a praying position and announces, “Dear God I am so sorry Daddy does not believe in you….” OMW. Did that really just happen?

Every night Norwin and I get quizzed about the Megaladon Prehistoric shark. He is capable of getting Discovery Channel info on YouTube, but I think he has fun seeing who can or can’t answer the questions posed to them. He on some level still believes in the depths of the Marianas Trench this shark still exists, but the hammerhead is a close second and he has two sharks that sleep with us and him every night. One a hammerhead his size. The other a cutie he got for his birthday. He announced to me one afternoon last week… didn’t I think that some countries were really inconsiderate in not having nets and sonic devices to repel sharks safely… they are endangered you know.

Which brings us to one wild 7 year old party, all shark themed. I had such special help. Firstly thank you to Pinterest, secondly Jen, who provided a great many items and ideas and Michelle who artistically turned them into reality with her skills.

We covered the floor with bubble wrap, this was sea and foam, we made Jelly Fish and lantern sharks and little coral pieces hanging around. We that is Jarrod and I decorated with uncontrolled delight, especially when the cats turned on the bubble wrap and carried on all night popping them. Jarrod in his sleep giggled hysterically, me thinking he was in dreamland made no comment but he opened his eyes put his arm around mine and said ”if the cats are enjoying it, it going to be a great party!”

Oh well I am going to have to watch what we say after he has gone to sleep.

His party was a bit of a riot, we had one little one riding a dolphin, saving them, 8 other kids were screaming around a room inside as we are experiencing a late icy winter. One adult announced at the end of the party that the noise level was the same with 3 and with 8…

Jarrod was in top form and when he saw Aunty Kim, he asked her, “Do you recognise me? I haven’t seen you for so long!” Wow ok then. Thank you to everyone who spoiled him and wished him via all electronic and non-electronic media. Thank you’s are in the post.

Jarrod has sprouted again coincidentally near his birthday and I feel like I’m buying new long trousers every week. He has become quite the snazzy dresser and chooses his clothes at night to wear the next day. He often changes his mind in the morning, and in the afternoon and in the evening.

Granny is staying with us for a while as she recovers from back surgery. Jarrod finds this such a novelty. Today he took a great big cardboard car into her room and cleaned it there. I don’t know why, please don’t ask. He is still very cute.

He ran his bath, bathed, dressed and announced he was off to Granny for a story. He has very quickly moved from younger books to books like Artemis Fowl and Space Collection. My orbitrek has been turned into a space ship.

Coming up in his world are a 24 hour EEG in hospital, we’re planning on entertaining the staff of either Sandton or Sunninghill.

Some work on a tooth that doesn’t look happy.

Some psychometric testing and a few other minor things.

He will need some speech therapy.

We are giving Jarrod a bridging course of an anti-anxiety drug while he learns his own skills. Really, I think he knows his own power. It does help him get to school in the morning and believe he can do the work and doesn’t make him into a Zombie at all, so we’re happy with the outcome.

He has cognitively and emotionally, come really far in the last 6 months… For a kid that had no chance at birth, he has spent the last 7 years entertaining me and making me wonder about the universe. All his therapists are very happy with the outcomes we are achieving every day. He is super cute.

He is presently rolling on the ground fighting a shark, asking me for help. He has just come to ask why I am taking so long, and what Norwin is doing on his laptop and now he’s gone to play Xbox, now he’s singing…

“There is a star wars (queue star wars music sang by JayBee) Xbox…. Can we pre-order it? And so it goes, minute by minute, without a breath!

Til next time,

Lynn