Annual Checkups!

Ralph and Henry had their yearly check-ups last Friday.

Ralph (8 years, 3 months)
52" tall (68%)
62.8 pounds (68%)
BMI 16.34 kg/m2 (50-75%)
Blood Pressure 108/60
Pulse 100

Ralph was very inquisitive with the doctor - asking what various instruments were and why she was using them.  She told him he could come back after high school and shadow her if he wanted.  Healthwise, there isn't much to report.  We talked about his headaches some but there isn't any great solution so we will continue to track them.

Henry (6 years, 6 months)
44 3/4" tall (16%)
40.41 pounds (8%)
BMI 14.20 kg/m2 (10-25%)
Blood Pressure 86/56
Pulse 100

Nothing new to report healthwise and at this age that is just fine.  She asked about his medications and if I think he is actually getting enough of the one.  I let her know I questioned if he was when we first made the switch a year ago but he had just a good year; hardly a cold that I wasn't that worried about it.

Henry: Celebrating 6 1/2 years!!

Have not decided if I'll keep this photo or take another one.  This was taken yesterday as I was trying to get a "farm photo" for a drawing.  Henry was true to form . . .he didn't want to cooperate and it was obvious few photos then he got on board and started suggesting poses.  This one was my idea; I am just not happy I didn't have his whole body in the photo and cut off his feet and arm.  I think I was in shock he was being helpful.  It is still worth sharing.

Henry has learned a few good habits from his brother (or maybe he would have had them anyhow but) ~ one of which he LOVES to read.  He will read in the car (when we could be talking about our day), at the dining room table (while we should be recapping our day), and at bedtime (but luckily is pretty good at closing it when it's time for bed). I’m pretty sure he is getting the gist of the stories he reads but I need to take the time to have him read out loud more; just to know he is reading the correct words.

Henry has been sleeping better lately after I broke down and let him have a night light.  Henry would wake up Mike and I would usually sleep though any disruptions but it seemed to be more nights than not; the night light has helped.  He still usually gets up by 6:15 (and that’s a little generous).  There was one weekend morning a month or so ago Henry came in at 6:47 am while we were exercising.  After he did his thing in the bathroom I told him “sometimes you are amazing” (for sleeping so long) and he says “I know I’m the best . . . .and I didn’t even wake up daddy.”

Also about a month ago, I was brushing my teeth with the water turned off but did turn it back on too soon before I was done brushing. Henry told me it was bad to run the water (while brushing one’s teeth).  He went on further to tell me a name (that will remain anonymous) runs the water the whole time he brushes his teeth so Henry took it upon himself to write this individual a note.

Yearly checkups are in a few weeks - Henry “unofficial” weight (ie. home scale) is right at 40 pounds and is around 44”.  He wears anywhere from size XS (4) – size 6 shorts (these are usually the nicer church shorts that have a zipper and adjustable waist).  His shirts are mostly S(5/6) though new ones are definitely big.  The big advantage about summer – shorts & short sleeve shirts – less worry about articles of clothing being too long!  Shoe size is 11.

His eating habits are  . .well, nothing to brag about.  He finally discovered peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are better than ham and cheese sandwiches when he took cold lunch to school.  He would come home from school with barely a few bites missing from his sandwich and now he eats the whole ½ sandwich.  He still likes to use “I’m full” as a way to be done eating though he still will have room for dessert, funny how that works.

He still does the daily inhaler of Qvar.  We last visited the allergy/asthma doc in April and the puffs were reduced from 3 to 2 each morning and our next appointment isn’t until next year around the same time vs. in 6 months.  It’s still day by day, month by month but, really, until something hits and lingers we don’t know how is body will react but I feel lucky he made he through kindergarten and all the new germs with nothing too bad.  Health wise Henry had a super good year – hardly even had a cold.  I was amazed he didn’t get anything that knocked him down.  He did miss 2 separate days of school in the 3^rd quarter; one he probably could have went the other was a bit more questionable.  He is also continuing with the chewable singular which we seem to be a bit more lax about now; sometimes forgetting a night once in a while and not freaking out about it.

I was reviewing his 6 year entry to see if I missed anything.  There was a mention of going to the safe seat a few times; that issue did not magically disappear when he turned 6. There was a rough day of not listening at school a few weeks after his 6^th birthday.  This day though he earned himself a trip to the buddy room and we received a “think time” report that was sent home in his backpack.  I got to talk to his teacher.  His time in the safe seat and consequently the buddy room is the result of him not listening well.  Hhhmmn, sounds familiar.  I encouraged his teacher to keep on him and I know that was not the last time in the safe seat but fortunately that was his only time of going to the buddy room.

We are in week #3 of summer day camps.  I am/was a bit worried about Henry (especially at the camps at Southeast Community College) since he is so bashful/introverted but last week he did find another boy who had just completed kindergarten at Kahoa.  They were not in the same class but at least he recognizes someone – and who knows maybe they will be in the same class next fall.  Unfortunately that boy was not there today (so probably not there this week) and Henry had a tough few moments when the groups split and Ralph went to the another group.  Overall the camps are going well – on the agenda this week at SCC is a mini-camp at a gymnastics facility.  I thought they’d go a few times over the week; they are actually going every day.  I think Henry really enjoyed himself today.