My special boy

Yesterday I exploded because the school called me to come get Ian because he was coughing. I was extremely mad and upset because I didn't know that coughing at school was against school policy and I felt like they just didn't want to deal with him because they were short handed. I felt like the whole incident was mishandled but regardless, I said things I shouldn't have. And now, I feel horrible and remorseful. When it comes to Ian I am overly protective. I don't feel like he is give a fair shot most of the time. Kids pick on him and adults don't want to deal with him. Sunday I was standing with him waiting for his primary teacher to come in when a few of his classmates came in. One of them turned to the other and said " I dare you to sit by Ian!" The other responded "I double dog dare YOU to sit by Ian!" I was crushed. These are the kids he will grow up with. These are the kids that will be the ones "looking out" for him. I know he is a difficult child. My messy house and grey hair will attest to it. But he is a child none the less and a very special child at that. What an honor it is to associate with one of God's chosen ones! I know I feel honored to be his mother! I know that kids don't have the maturity to understand and I don't fault them for not wanting to befriend Ian. He is strange and slobbery and he's not always nice. But adults are a different story. I know his teachers love him and that they are looking out for him and his classmates and so I shouldn't have gotten so upset yesterday. I'm stressed and worried about his upcoming school change and I think I let that play into my emotions yesterday. And, yes, I have a little mama bear in me. I just wish I didn't have to worry so much about him and how he's being treated. He can't speak for himself so I have to! I wish everyone could love him just as much as I do! I wish everyone could feel how I feel when he calls me "mommy" or says "lub you". Maybe then they could quit looking at him as annoying or strange and see him as the special child he is.

Here is what's going on at the Harris house...

1. Adam had surgery on his ankle friday. They had to completely replace the ligaments with cadaver tissue. We kinda thought he'd be back to work today, only on crutches. Little did we know he'd actually have to stay in bed for fives days. I'm not cut out to be a single mom of five kids.

2. Ian is in the process of changing schools. He won't actually change until January but we are doing IEP's and getting everything ready. I am going to work on potty training him again over this next break. It would be so nice to send him to the new school potty trained. I'm nervous, scared, and anxious about this whole move but it'll be for the good. right???

3. We are in the middle of Nutcracker season. It's such a fun time for Millie! She is a Bon bon again but she has the "lead" bon bon part. She's excited! There is lots of practices and four performances coming but she loves it so much!

4. The holiday season has begun. I am happy to report that I am 90% done with my Christmas shopping. I would like to have it all done before Thanksgiving but with Adam out of order, I doubt that will actually happen.

5. I got new pictures of the kids taken. I've very unhappy with them but bought them anyway...why do I do that? Next time I'm calling Janelle...Stay tuned and I'll post the best ones.

Well, that is about it I guess! Hope everyone has a happy Thanksgiving!

It's your turn

At first glance this paper looks like Millie is practicing how to spell mom. I thought it was curious that she would practice this word since it's such an easy word to spell. Turns out this is a chart to keep track of whose turn it is to turn the tv on when Ian turns it off...M is for Millie...O is for Owen. The things you have to do when you have a brother like Ian.

Reflections

This year the reflections theme was "Beauty is...". Millie really wanted to enter and made an adorable vase with flowers in it. She worked really hard and was very proud. Matthais was required enter and he wrote a poem "Night" the day it was due (and the day he was sick with the flu). Matthais won his division and is on to the next level and Millie won an honorable mention. Funny how Matthais really didn't try but won. That's kinda how things go for him. He has this amazing natural talent when it comes to writing only he doesn't know it. Millie really wanted to win and thought really hard about what she wanted to do. I was worried about how she would take the news because she is so sensitive but she was very gracious and very happy that she won and honarable mention because last year she didn't even get that. I have amazing kids!

In the eye of the beholder

All of my kids have blue eyes...except Owen. When he was born they were dark and everyone told me they would be brown. Now, I don't have anything against brown eyes but I really wanted them to be blue. They kinda settled somewhere between brown and blue. You can't really tell by this picture but they are a brownish color on the inside with a bluish ring on the outside. Not wanting to concede to the whole brown eyes things I've always called them hazel because that is what color Adam's eyes are(and really, I think his kinda are too!) For some reason Owen had noticed lately that he doesn't have blue eyes like mom and the other kids. He asks all the time what color his eyes are and if they are like Matthais's, Millie's, etc. Everytime I tell him no...they are hazel like daddy's. But, he is smart. He looks at Adam's eyes and he looks in the mirror at his own and he knows they are not the same so he's been pretty confused over this whole thing. Well, not anymore. Today as I was taking him to preschool he climbed up front and looked at himself in the rearview mirror. "MOM!" he exclaimed, "My eyes aren't hazel! They are diet coke!!!" Hmmm, guess that means they're brown after all!

Ward trunk-or-treat

Happy Halloween! (only a few days late!)

Better late than never right?