Movin' on Up

WARNING: This is one of those gross bragging parent posts. Stop reading now if you don't want to hear me tell you how awesome my kid is - complete with numerical proof of said awesomeness.

We got Wm's test results today for his acceleration to 6th grade Math. He tested better than 99% of his peers, 99% of kids one grade level ahead of him, and 95% better than kids two grade levels above him in Math alone. And his overall IQ is in the top 99.79% of the US population. They want to accelerate him immediately and I meet with the Gifted Coordinator for the entire district next week. She called me today and we have all the plans in motion! YAY Wm!

Also, I stalked Wm on patrol while I took a walk yesterday. Fun things about the picture include: Wm looking bored, his tininess compared to the other kid, and the fact that all the 5th grade boys have long hair and I hate this trend.

Lawn Beautification

Saturday was cold and wet and gross - and Wm's last day of soccer for the season! WOOT! Saturday morning farmer's market...here we come! I spent the day having lunch with my friend Matt and shopping with Suzanne, so it was still fun! I don't think Wm and Steve managed to get out of their jammies all day - so, they too, had a good day! But, Sunday was GORGEOUS. I think we are finally done with the weird, cold May! And we worked our butts off in the garden all day!

We mulched, we planted flowers, we weeded, and we planted veggies. Steve mowed and used the grass clippings as garden mulch, so the yard looks magnificent! We were all very dirty and very tired by the end of the day! Wm was a big help, too. He is finally old enough to make meaningful contributions to yard work! Wheeeee!!!

Wm has now decided he wants to go to middle school for Math. He told me last night, "In life, there are 3 paths: the fun path, the social path, and the intelligent path. I need to take the intelligent path." He's a weirdo. But he makes me laugh! As soon as he said that, I was all, "But safety patrol is awesome! You love it!" Then he was disgruntled because I had previously been trying to talk him into middle school. So I just said, "Honestly, buddy, I think they are both good options and as soon as you pick one good option, I'm sad about the other good option. So, really, you can't go wrong. It's a good problem to have - too many good options!" We still have meetings and jazz to complete before it's official, so he has a bit more time to consider. Hopefully, he chooses the right "path" for him. Ha!

Whirlwind

The end of the school year brings a whirlwind of activities! Last night, we went to Wm's Strings concert at the high school.  He did GREAT. They played a bunch of songs, so I only recorded my favorite. Stay tuned until the end for a jaunty conclusion!


Then, this morning, Wm had his Wonders of America Fair. Wm did his project on the Golden Gate Bridge. He has been working on it for weeks! Next year, he does Wonders of the World!

The tri-fold amazingness!

Quiz show time!

 

Lego model of the Golden Gate Bridge

Safety Patrolling

Wm has found his calling. If you could make a living off of safety patrol, Wm would do this for the rest of his life. He LOVES it. I walked up yesterday after school to cross the street under Wm's guidance. Unbeknownst to me, he is not supposed to wave and/or be distracted from his mission. So...I kind of annoyed him.  I waved like a crazy person and insisted on taking his picture. Basically, I was Embarrassing Mom. He has a 5th grade "mentor" who shows him the ropes and he thinks she is the coolest (in fact, he is privy to all sorts of info now - he told me that the 5th graders watched "The Video" yesterday...about the differences between boys and girls and changing bodies).

Two more weeks of 4th grade after this one! Big time!!

Annoyed - but on mission.

Neither rain nor sleet can keep Wm from his post!

Reluctant Math Genius

Wm's gifted Math teacher called me today. Wm should have him again next year, in 5th grade. But he said that Wm has kind of "maxed out" what he can do in elementary school and suggested Wm bus to the middle school for Math next year! The kids work at their own pace and Wm is already almost 40% of the way done with 6th grade - and has already completed 5th grade Math. So his teacher thinks he would be REALLY bored. He warned us that there is a lot to consider - and a lot of paperwork. And we'd all have to have some big sit-down about it before the end of the school year. But, basically, Wm would have to wait at the bus stop with all the middle school kids and go to middle school for first period Math. Then, he would be bussed back to his regular school for the rest of the day. While the rest of the class was doing Math, Wm would have a study hall - where he could do homework or whatever.

I thought this was all pretty exciting. But Wm came home from school and was like, "I WILL NEVER DO THIS! I WILL FAIL ON PUPOSE!" Soooo..it's not looking good. It's looking more like a boring 5th grade year for Wm. He has started safety patrol training and he LOOOOOVES it. Like, intensely loves it. And he wouldn't be able to do it anymore because he'd be bussing to middle school. He's also nervous about being in a class with "big kids" - especially since he is a tiny kid! We talked to him a little bit and he thawed slightly (mostly when we pointed out that the "big kids" are currently in 5th grade and he knows them), but it's a hard sell. We absolutely won't force him, so we just kind of agreed to let it lie. His teacher is going to talk to him about it, so we'll see what he thinks after that.

But, no matter what, Wm is a smarty pants! He gets ALL that Math crap from his father!

Art Show

Friday night was Wm's art show. His piece this year freaked me out. Ever since Wm was in kindergarten, we have hung his latest art show piece for that year in our hallway. The space for 4th grade is right outside our bedroom - as you are headed into the bathroom. I'm not sure I want to get up to pee at 3am and run into this:

 

 

Nightmares waiting to happen

It was, of course, super fun to look at all the kid art - and Wm's piece was technically very well done! (If scary.) We bundled Wm up for an early - and very cold - soccer game Saturday morning. This has been a yucky season...so wet and cold! This coming Saturday is his last game, and no one is sorry! Then, Saturday afternoon, we headed to what was supposed to be a cookout at a friend's house. But, since it was barely 50 degrees out, became a cookin. Everyone is REAL sick of May sucking.

Steve spent all of Sunday in the backyard working on his retaining wall. He is dedicated. He got a good workout in! While he did that, I puttered around the house. I added a colorful quilt to the couch and was then locked in a battle with Wm, who did not like it, for the rest of the day. Luckily, when Steve finally came in, he cast the deciding vote IN FAVOR of the quilt. Winning!

 

Wm had to go to Safety Patrol Training this morning. It worked out really well! My car had to go in for an oil change. So we did sort of a run through of how things will go next year. We got Wm up and fed and all ready to go. Then we left him alone while we took my car in and Steve dropped me at work. But, then, Steve went home and "shadowed" Wm while he left the house. The only thing that would have happened if Steve had not been there is the dining room light would have been left on all day. Apparently, Wm also had a bit of trouble locking the front door because he didn't remove the key from the fob in his backpack. Steve said he yelled at the door: "LET GO! MY KEY IS ATTACHED TO MY BACKPACK!" I love that he was mad at the door. But, he did it! So we plan to just remind him to turn off all the lights - and remind him he can leave via the back door, which is much easier to lock! Success!!

Safety Patrol

Wm danced home from school yesterday bubbling over with excitement. He was invited to join the prestigious 5th grade safety patrol next year. Only the best, most responsible, students are asked to join safety patrol. He has to write an essay about what it would mean to him to be on safety patrol and get the signatures of 3 teachers who support him. I also have to sign something saying that we will support his safety patrol endeavors. It's quite the Big Deal. Wm goes, "I thought it would never happen. And then...IT HAPPENED." Because he rolls with the Nerd Posse, most of his friends were also invited, so he will have some amigos doing it too!

The one wrench in his otherwise grand plans is that he cannot go to Before School if he does safety patrol. He would have to be at school early. But not as early as he leaves for Before School now - and after Steve and I have to be at work. So we'd get him up, fed, make sure he's dressed and ready to go, but then he'd be home alone for about 30-40 minutes, have to remember to set the alarm and lock the door, and get himself up to school. He claims that this is "no problem." I reminded him that he asked to do this months ago (before we paid our non-refundable deposit on Before School!) and then decided he wasn't ready. But he claims now that's actually 10, he is very ready and he is King of Responsibility and Readiness. I told him to think about it a bit, make absolutely sure, and then we can move forward. I made sure he knows that once we give up his spot at Before School there is no turning back! He seems determined! And it is an honor!

I can't believe that next year is his last year of elementary school!!

Chez Wm

Wm has had a very productive day! First, he said himself that now that he's 10, he thinks he should do his own laundry (he said, "I need to be more independent.")  So I showed him how, and Wm did his laundry from start to finish! To reach into the washer, he practically had to climb in there, and it did freak me out a little bit! But he survived.

Wm has long enjoyed helping me bake (he has helped with scones and cookies and cakes), but he has never really cooked anything. So I told him a great way to be more independent is to learn how to cook. One meal a week is now "Wm's meal." He will decide what the family is eating, add the ingredients to the shopping list, and then cook it! Well, the actual deal we made is that while he's 10, "cooking it" involves being my sous chef. Then, when he turns 11, I become HIS sous chef. Then, when he's 12, he's just 100% in charge of Wm's meal.

Tonight, Wm decided to make black bean flautas. Wm loves black beans! He preheated the oven, shredded the cheese, added the beans to the tortillas, rolled them up,  "painted" them with olive oil, and actually put them into the oven! While they cooked, he helped me make corn/peas as the side and set the table. And...they were DELICIOUS! Wm's first meal was a huge success! Next week, he has selected tacos (just like Donald Trump, Wm loves Hispanics!)

Wm enjoying his meal

His first Wm Meal!

I told Steve he's never enthusiastic about things I send him. So today, I texted him a picture of a dress I was thinking of getting to see what he thought. Typically, his reply would be something like, "OK." or [ignore]. But, today, he tried...

Smart ass

Race

Wm: We had to take a survey today about how we liked school. The teacher said that there were no right or wrong answers, but I didn't know one of the questions.
Me: What did it ask?
Wm: What is your race?
Me: So what did you put as your answer?
Wm: I guessed White and Native American.

First, it cracked me up that Wm didn't know what race he is! Some white privilege up in here. But, I loved even more that Captain Cracker put "Native American." I'm sure the school will be happy - he can up their URM percentages. He does have a couple drops of Native American blood, so I guess it's not a total wrong answer. But since he looks like he belongs on a Nazi propaganda poster, it's extra funny!

I am home with a sick Willie today. Poor kid. When he has a cold, he's always secretly happy, though, because he's allowed to sit around in his jammies and play on screens all day. Which is Wm's most favorite activity of all time. So even though he's miserable, he's also pleased as punch.

Ten

Ten years ago today, a tiny (evil, pooping) peanut was born! Wm got to sleep in again today and head directly up to school, skipping Before School - Steve stayed with him today. So he was happy as a clam. He has a special treat and note in his lunch. I'm cooking his favorite dinner. And I told him it's a Wm Day of Yes. So he is majorly pumped!

Poor Wm has a snuffle nose and sore throat, so I think he's getting a cold. He played soccer on Saturday is 50 degree weather and pouring rain. I asked Steve if he thought that was a bad idea at the time, and he laughed at me, said he did it constantly and I was being "weird." But now Wm is sick. So I blame Steve and feel vindicated. Wm is a delicate fleur. His miniature body is not used to that kind of action! So far, it's just the sniffles. I'm hoping he avoids anything worse! But now I have activated "Helicopter Mom Level Fuchsia" and will not allow soccer in rainy weather under 70 degrees. But, it doesn't stop poor Wm from saying he can't breathe out of one nostril on his birthday!

In other birthday-related news, Wm stayed home all by himself for the first time yesterday and it was a success! I ran to CVS and Wm stayed home. I locked him in, with alarm set (and strict instructions to not answer the door to anyone) and was gone for about 20 minutes. When I got home, Wm didn't even seem to care if I was present or not. So it was smooth sailing! Today, I'm going to go for a real walk after he gets home from school instead of just wandering up and down our street over and over. Having a 10 year old rocks!! Big time!

Wm has changed a little bit in the last decade:

2006

 

 

2016

Sleep Over of Awfulness

I will start off by saying that Wm had the time of his life. So, that's good. But, his birthday sleep over did not go well. Did. Not. Go. Well. All the boys arrived, pizza was ordered, cupcakes were devoured, games were played - and all was well. Wm was a bit rude and belligerent (likely being "cool" and showing off for his friends). Getting them into bed was difficult and things started to take a turn. But then, at 1am, we were woken up by one of the party-goers projectile vomiting all over our bathroom. ALL OVER. It was like he used a hose. So I had to call his mom and have her pick him up in the middle of the night. Poor Steve was the one who actually had to go in there and clean up the mess, at 1am, on his hands and knees and in every crevasse while I dealt with the parents. When he was done, Steve was so nauseated from the ordeal, he could barely sleep.

Then, the other boys were JAZZED. There was no getting them back to sleep. After that excitement, it was giggles and banging around galore. At 3:30, I got to pee and found Wm just hanging out in his room on his computer. We have very strict sleep over rules (after the horrible incident where Wm just sat and cried for no reason for hours from exhaustion) - and that was in direct violation...and Wm knew it. I sent him back to bed without screaming at him (like I wanted to!) But then laid in bed and festered about it the rest of the night. So Steve and I got about 2 hours of sleep.

The boys may have gotten less than that! They were like zombies in the morning. But we stuffed them full of cinnamon rolls and they were happy. 2 of the parents were over 20 minutes late picking up their kids - which is NOT COOL after a sleep over. (No one was late at drop off, I can tell you that!) For the last hour, we just sat and watched the clock tick closer to freedom. 20 minutes was like an eternity.

I let Wm sleep in today and came in to work late. He got over an hour of extra sleep, but still did NOT want to get out of bed!! It was rough. But - Wm had super fun times! And he's (almost) 10!!! Which is BIG TIME! He said since this is his "biggest birthday," he is "too old" now for any more parties. That remains to be seen...but I pray he doesn't change his mind because I'm too old for this shit too.