Tag….I’m It

Hello out there **listens to faint echos**

Look, I know I fell off the face of the earth…I know.  So many things started happening that blogging is the last thing it seemed like I had time for.  It has literally been so long that when I went to go to my site Google didn’t even remember me! *Hangs head in shame*

Well some things have changed and some have stayed the same.  The best way to catch you up on the past *mumbles unintellibly* year+ is my fav….a bulleted list.

** I drafted this post last year….not even drafts are safe but I’m going to try to do another update **

• Football – Things got so much better with *A* and his first season football. He made friends including *J* who was his best friend on the team.  The boys went to the state fair together and to several of their teammates’ birthday parties.  *J* came over to play after one party which was nice.  Ultimately the boys went undefeated and were only scored on once the whole season.  #CapCity.  If that wasn’t good enough me and the other football moms got really close (not that we had a choice given that we were spending 8+ hours together a week).  I finally have MOM FRIENDS (with kids the same age).  A surprising note was that I was the 2^nd oldest mom there.  *Cue record scratch* say what now?!  That was an interesting change for me….I was really shocked honestly but I didn’t really care because we all had the same goals for our boys and have encountered the same struggles.  It was great meeting the ladies and we continue to check on each other and get together despite the fact that football ended for us in November.
• School – *A* started the first grade! Where has my baby gone?! **rolls around in my feelings** I was so hesitant about letting him continue at the same school given the issues we had last year however after asking him, he really wanted to stay.  His argument was that things will be different because he would be in a different class with a different teacher and different kids.  Logical optimism for the win.  I decided since he felt so confident about it I would trust him and let him stay but this was it….if this year wasn’t better I was going to either try to transfer him mid-year or DEFINITELY move him next year.  What can I say….sometimes from the mouth of babes.  This year has gone really well.  I love both his teacher and the teaching assistant.  They’re so patient with him.  He’s still hyperactive and struggles to stay on task but because of their classroom management they’re usually able to get him back on track.  He’s still a math whiz and hates showing his work, lol. According to him number lines are a waste of time….I agree.
• Vacation – *A* and I went on a cruise last summer with my Parents to the Bahamas. Long story short, he wanted to know if we could just live onboard forever, lol.  *A* and I spent a ridiculous amount of money in the arcade and ended every night in the pool.  He made friends with a couple of teenagers (seriously….they talked for hours….about what I’m not really sure).  We ate hotdogs at midnight and beat the Jurassic Park video game after 55 tries, lol.  It was a blast.  We also went to Atlanta to go to the Legoland Discovery Center and Aquarium.  Again, the parents joined us as well as my sister, my cousin, his wife and 7 year old son.  Again, a blast.  The aquarium was amazing (my mom was so excited because it’s the aquarium from the movie Daddy’s Little Girls, lol).  Legoland was exhausting and it was inside a mall which tells me when we make it to the real Lego Land I’m going to need a scooter of some sort.  We also ate at The OLG restaurant (which is owned by Kandi Burress of Xscape and RHOA).  Listen, if you ever go to Atlanta, it’s worth the 2 hour wait….trust me.
• Family – Michael’s Arts & Crafts has these Kids Craft classes on Saturdays in their stores. Andre and Mrs. B (a grandmother figure he lived with prior to going into care) get together to do these classes about once a month.  They enjoy them so much.  It also gives me time to make Target runs without him trying to maneuver us to the toy department.  It has been a great way for them to maintain their relationship.  Additionally, Mom finally responded to my Facebook message.  We ended up getting together for lunch and had a very interesting chat.  We’ve messaged a few times since but we haven’t planned anything for her and *A* to get together.  She hasn’t asked and there’s a part of me that feels like I should wait for her to initiate.  I’ve made it very clear that I’m open to that and even said that we can do the art classes.  I will also admit I feel guilty because I can contact her and I haven’t helped her and *A* reconnect.  After our lunch I was really worried about how them getting together would affect them both.  This is one of the hot-button topics that I’ve brought up with his therapist.  She calls it my ‘This is Us’ dilemma.  We’re figuring out the best way to facilitate it.
• General Boyhood updates – *A* turned 7!! We went to the Trampoline Park and Red Robin for his birthday per his request.  He surprisingly didn’t seem upset about not having a party this year.  Besides, he got a 4-wheeler for Christmas so unbeknownst to him it was either party or 4-wheeler.  I started giving *A* a little more independence so he picks out his own clothes and I let him decide how he wants to wear his hair.  We are currently rocking a Mohawk.  He’s so freakin cute with his Mohawk and it masks some of the corners on his head, lol.  I don’t know why but the mohawk made him seem more grown-up.  Maybe its because he had a clear vision of what he wanted and went to the barbershop and asked for it.  In January….after 2 LONGGGG years of waiting, *A* finally lost his first 2 teeth.  The permanent teeth had already grown in so braces are on our horizon.  In a shock to no one, the first one that he pulled came really loose after he hit his head on a table at school.  He can also fix his own Eggos for breakfast….he’s practically a man at this point.
• Other – *A* and I LOVE Black Lightening. I probably should’ve watched it without him first because I didn’t know it was PG-13.  Oh well.  It’s our new bonding time.  It comes on after his bed time so we watch together on Fridays.  Sidebar: We also watch Project Runway together from time-to-time and his commentary is hilarious….he’s like a mini Michael Kors.  We also watched Marvel Inhumans together.  He loved that one too.  He’s convinced that it’s back on air and I haven’t told him….he asks me about it weekly.  We recently went to the Marvel Universe Live show.  Listen, it was nothing but light-up toys, explosions and lasers.  I saw so many kids in costumes/masks (including *A* who rocked his Iron Man mask, gloves, and wrist shooter).   We’re both huge Marvel fans which means of course I’ve already gotten our tickets to see Black Panther.  I’m also making us custom shirts (if I can ever decide which designs I like best).  I’ll post pics….I also want us to wear matching chucks but he has outgrown his so we might go shopping just so we can be cute to the Nth power.  Also, in October I cut my locs!  I had been locing my hair for 10 years and I just wanted a change.  It’s been great so far but I do miss that ear coverage on those cold mornings.  I only miss them when I don’t feel like taming these curls.

Whew…those were some impressive bullet summaries if I say so myself.  Honestly….that was just the high level stuff.  There have been 2 important developments in Casa’d Future.

First, *A* was diagnosed with ADHD last year.  After MUCH back-and-forth, I was finally able to get him into a program to do an assessment.  Honestly, the diagnosis was a surprise to no one.  I didn’t tell him or the school because I didn’t really know what we were going to do (differently) moving forward.  Fast forward to a few snow days this year and I experienced firsthand how difficult it is for *A* to stay focused.  Ultimately I decided that we need to look into medication.  My sister and I met with the doctors at the Behavioral Clinic to ask questions and get a better understanding of the process.  *A* and I will be going back this week to start the process.  I got some books and we read them this weekend and I explained that just like the boy in the story that he has ADHD.  Surprisingly it took it very well.  He’s excited at the prospect of medication that will help him focus so he won’t be the last one to finish his assignments in class.  That just let me know that as frustrated as I’ve been, he’s been frustrated with school as well.  I felt much better about the whole (if not a little guilty for waiting so long).  I’m still not thrilled with the idea of informing his school….I still don’t trust them after last year despite the fact that his teacher is awesome this year.  I may not have a choice about telling them but it doesn’t matter; at this point they know what I’m willing to do to make sure that we get what we need to be successful.

In the most epic lead burial known to man…the most exciting thing that has happened is….

OUR ADOPTION WAS FINALIZED!!

There was no fanfare….just a lovely adoption decree randomly in the mail in October.  My wonderful friends threw us a party to celebrate our family and it was amazing.  *A*’s brother and his family came as well as my friends and family.  My licensing worker came as well as *A*’s GAL.  It was a hodgepodge of people from the various aspects of our lives and it was fun.  There was even a Power Ranger!  The best part were these wooden boxes which had hearts inside.  On the hearts everyone wrote their well wishes and encouraging words to get us through the challenging times.

Basically, the past *womp womp womp* months have been beyond busy.  I really want to do better about blogging but…..don’t be mad if I don’t, lol.  I mean the kid is in Taekwondo 3 days a week, we still go to therapy weekly and work has been kicking my butt recently.

** Just reading this back brings back memories and it was just last year.  So many things have changed **