Spirit Night

YAY!!! I finally got the video to upload. Thank you Tammi!!!!

Bryanna has entered the crazy life of a cheerleader. She is absolutely loving every minute of it!! She had her first performance at the high school this past week. Spirit Night was the big kick-off to the beginning of the high school football season. This event introduced all of the cheerleaders in the Bossier Parish schools (we are a “Parish” not a “County” :) as well as the high school football team. The event started with ROTC posting Colors while the high school band played the Star Spangled Banner. It was actually pretty amazing to see how involved the parents are with their children. Football and cheerleading are the two biggest sports here in the south. I literally felt like I was sitting in the middle of Friday Night Lights. It was crazy but a lot of fun. Bryanna did an amazing job. We were very proud "cheer parents" ;)

Unfortunately she didn’t get her uniform in time for this event. However, she managed to find the silver lining in the situation even though she was a little sad. The other little girl who stands at the opposite end of the line-up didn’t get her uniform in time either. This is what Bry had to say about that:

"it looked like it was supposed to be that way because of where we were standing. I really don't think people knew. It was awesome!!”

Here is a glimpse at my little "dancing queen" :)

It's Hard to be Five

I had some thoughts run through my head tonight and I thought I would share what was on my mind (I seem to be doing that a lot these days :)

My favorite part of the day actually takes place in the evening right before my kids head off to bed. Every night, the kids get to pick out one or two books each for me to read to them. We usually snuggle up on the couch because their beds are too small for all of us to fit on. This is a nightly tradition that we have shared ever since Bryanna was a baby. This is a moment I definitely treasure because I know that I will not always be able to do this. At some point my kids are going to grow up :( With Bryanna getting older, she tends to disappear into her room to read her book while I read to Kalyssa and Travin. Every now and then she will join us on the couch but, her books are much more interesting these days :)

I love to read but more than that, I just simply love books. Children’s books are among some of my favorite reads. I think I have more favorite children’s authors than I do adult authors. Needless to say my kids literally have their own library! We have books ranging from Eric Carle, Jan Brett, and Robert Munsch to Mary Pope Osborne, Roald Dahl, Ann Martin, and C.S. Lewis. One of the things that I’ve hoped to pass on to my kids is my enthusiasm for reading and my passion for books. So far, I think I have managed to sucker them into it but only time will tell.

Anyhow, tonight Travin picked out a book that we hadn’t read in a long time. I looked at the cover and had to smile to myself. It’s Hard to be Five stared me right back in the face. It seemed like the perfect book to read considering how the past couple of weeks have been going. I’m not sure how many of you read a previous blog I had posted about my struggles with Travin but things have been a little on the rough side with my soon to be five year old.

In the past 3 weeks, I have had a pediatrician adamantly tell me that there is something wrong with my son. I took the kids to the base clinic for a regular office visit to check them in with their new pediatrician and to have simple physical’s completed for school. During this appointment, I asked the doctor about some behavioral issues that we had been having at home. She talked with Travin a little bit but asked me to bring him back in so that she could evaluate him further. A week later Travin and I went back. She ordered a few blood tests, asked me some questions about his behaviors at home, and then spent some time asking Travin things and evaluating what he was doing. After about 40 minutes or so, she looked at me and said that she wanted to refer me out to a clinical psychologist. She felt that I should see someone who could work with us on finding out the answers for his behavioral issues. She told me that she has worked with children a long time and that she was pretty sure that Travin had ADHD. She wanted to have him further evaluated before she actually diagnosed him. I have to say that I was in a state of complete shock. That honestly was the last thing that crossed my mind. I know that my son has a lot of energy (he is constantly on the go). I know that at times my son has a short attention span but after all he is only 4! I just could not wrap my brain around what she was saying. The more and more she talked to me, the more I started to question things. She really had me convinced that this could be possible. She referred us out to see a few different doctors and then asked us to come back for a follow up in a week for his blood work. That day after we left the doctor’s office, I went home and did some research on my own. We touched on ADHD in one of my classes so I am familiar with it but I can’t say that I’m an expert. I had a lot of questions running through my head. By the following week, my head was spinning with information. I read articles from every site I could find. I talked to some of my family members about what was going on. I watched my son closely trying to find the signs. I didn’t see any. I couldn’t find any indication that could link Travin to having ADHD. I was confused and stressed out. I spent a lot of time crying. I had a doctor telling me that something was wrong with my son. She didn’t want to label him just yet but she was pretty sure she knew what was wrong with him and she felt that medication was in his future.

At his last appointment, we went over blood work. Everything came back normal. As she was typing information into the computer I was watching my son. He was up on the table playing with his car. He was pushing it around and making car noises. She proceeded to tell me once again that my son needs help and that she was going to get it for him. She promised me that once I started him in therapy, I would see a dramatic change in him and it would all be worth it because when he is 7 or 8, he won’t have any problems. Seriously, what kid doesn’t have problems? Isn’t that a part of life? I asked the doctor how she came up with the idea that my son had ADHD because I just couldn’t see it. I explained how my son will sit and do a 150 piece puzzle all by himself and how hard he concentrates to stay inside the lines when he colors. A child with ADHD would not be able to perform these tasks. Once again, I know he is full of energy and always on the move. If he really enjoys an activity, he can sit however long it takes to finish what he is doing. I told her that if something was wrong with my son I could accept it. As his mom, I will do whatever I need to do to help him but this just didn’t feel right to me. I know he has problems. This was exactly why I reached out for help because something is wrong and I don’t know how to fix it. As his mother, I don’t see this being the reason behind his issues. I would think that as a parent if something was wrong with my child, I would know deep down inside. I would feel it! She never really responded to any of what I had to say. By the time I left the doctor’s office she had us scheduled to see 7 different doctors. I was so upset when I walked out of there that I couldn’t stop crying. She was so adamant that this was what was wrong with him because of him not being able to control his anger.

Our next appointment that day was with a speech therapist. I was okay with taking Trav to see a speech therapist. He was in speech during his time in preschool. His speech isn’t perfect but it has gotten a lot better over the past year. When we left his preschool class, the report I got stated that if I wanted to continue services I was free to do so but that Travin really didn’t need them. He had progressed well over the year. The speech therapist that we saw said the same thing. She recommended I bring him in basically to help him fine tune some of his sounds but that most of what he needed help with was developmental and would come over the next year. We talked a little bit about what was going on with Travin. She said that she could see how his attention span was short but that it wasn’t abnormal behavior for a child this age especially a boy. She said that kindergarten could be a little bit of a challenge at first just because of the amount of time they have to sit but that he would more than likely adjust just fine.

When I got home that afternoon, I had 7 messages on my answering machine from 7 different doctor’s wanting to set up appointments to see my son. I called Jason to fill him in. My emotions had taken over this entire day so of course I was in tears. I have to say, my husband is the BEST!! He has always been able to keep me calm and sensible. He told me to take a deep breath. He said that everything that was going on was ridiculous. There was no reason for me to be as upset as I was. There was no reason to even think about putting our son through any of what they were suggesting. Our son is fine and that doctor could just shove it. Okay so he might have used different words but basically this is what it came down to. We made the decision that night to put a stop to the insanity that had consumed our week. Our son was about to start his first day of kindergarten and that became our priority.

I have to say that once that happened, I was able to gain a little clarity. I was able to take a step back and examine the whole situation. The truth is I have a pretty amazing little boy. Yes he is bursting at the seams with energy most of the day and no he doesn’t always like to sit still but that’s how he has been since he came into this world. Sometimes he makes me cry but most of the time he makes me laugh. He wakes me up way to early in the morning because he’s hungry but at the end of the night when he places his head on my shoulder and twirls my hair like he’s done ever since he was baby, he makes me feel like the most important person in the world. The more and more I went over all of it in my head the more stupid I felt. I couldn’t believe I had let myself get so wrapped up in all of the emotions. I had to tell myself that his little world has been completely flipped upside down. We moved out of our home where we had lived his whole life at the end of April and up until about a month ago, he hadn’t really had a constant in his life. First he lost his room and his toys. Then he had to say goodbye to his school, his friends, and his family. Everything that he had ever known was taken away from him in the blink of an eye. That’s a lot to handle especially for a child. I started thinking back to when Bryanna and Kalyssa first started kindergarten. Where they started the year and where they ended the year are two complete different places. They both grew in more ways than I could have ever imagined. The girls had one advantage over Travin when they started kindergarten. On their first day of school, they were among the older group of children. Travin has always been one of the younger students in his class. I have learned that this age difference is actually a huge advantage to have especially in kindergarten.

My son is 4 years old. He is just beginning his journey. Deep down inside, I know it’s going to be an amazing journey. He is smart, outgoing, and funny. He has always loved to tackle a new task. Are we going to have problems? ABSOULTELY! It wouldn’t be life if we didn’t have problems to deal with. No matter what happens, Travin is my son!! I will be here for him every step of the way and I will do everything I possibly can to help get him through everything he is going to face.

Getting back to the book that brought out all of these thoughts and feelings, “It’s Hard to be Five”is so very true. In an instant society expects our children to grow up and be big. They are supposed be proper by always doing the right thing and always saying the right words but we are forgetting that they are just kids. As kids, they are supposed to want to play and run and laugh all the time. They are supposed make messes and get dirty. They are supposed make mistakes and then learn from them. They are not always going to listen and follow exact directions the way would like them too. After all, this is what childhood is all about. I know when I look back on my childhood, the memories I treasure are the ones spent being a kid not the ones where I had to act like a grown-up.

I know that I am not alone with my struggles so, I am attaching a link that was sent to me by one of my favorite people in the world! I hope this helps others the way that it helped me. We are so blessed to have a supportive family who loves our family of five more than life itself. Thank you to all of you who helped guide us in the right direction over the past few weeks and for loving us and always standing by us.

This is my favorite quote in the book:

"At five I can lie down alone in my bed and dream of my past and my future ahead. And when I mess up or do right, it's a start, cause I have my own mind and I have my own heart"

Here is the link:

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/198077.php

Let's Get Ready For Kindergarten

August 18, 2010 was a very memorable day for us here at the Mall household. I got up just like any other “school day” morning and started my usual routine; pack lunches, make breakfast, make sure backpacks are ready to go, wake up the kids……I’m pretty sure I’m working on auto-pilot at this point well, at least until I’ve had that first luscious cup of coffee :) However, this morning I was feeling a little different. My heart was slightly heavy and my eyes were already stinging. Today was going to be a BIG day. As I packed three separate lunch bags, I had my first reality check. As of today, all of my children are going to be in school full-time. How exactly did Jason and I go from having one little girl in kindergarten and two little ones at home in diapers to a KINDERGARTNER, a FIRST GRADER, and a FIFTH GRADER? Seems a little crazy to me!

Before I could sneak down the hallway to take a peek at my little guy sleeping, I hear the bathroom door shut and the toilet seat slam, my morning has already begun :) At this point all I can do is wait patiently. Before too long, Travin comes barreling around the corner. The first words out of his mouth are “Mommy I’m hungry.” I kissed the top of his head, wished him a good morning and asked him if he was ready for school. As he made his way to the table he said “Mommy I think I’m a big kid now because you have to be big to go to kindergarten. I’m big because today I’m going to my new school with my new friends.” We chatted for a few minutes about his special day before I woke up the girls. I may not have been able to steal a few quiet moments with my son but I’m pretty sure that I got something way better. Those few minutes of conversation we shared together as he ate his breakfast and I drank my coffee were more than I could have ever asked for on this very special day.

Of course the morning became very hectic very fast. For the first time ever, all three Mall children have to get ready for school at the exact same time. They are all on the same schedule this year. Our mornings seem to be very chaotic as they make their way through breakfast, take turns washing up, and attempt to brush their teeth. My job is to make sure that they get all of the “nighttime/breakfast bugs” off their teeth. Their hair must be brushed neatly, their shirts must be tucked in, and we can’t forget to put on a belt.



By 7:20 the girls were running out the door with their backpacks bouncing behind them ready to catch the bus. Travin got to ride in mommy and daddy’s bus. Going to kindergarten for the very first time requires a special drive in the car with mom and dad in tow!





On the drive to school, I think the first day jitters crept up on Travin. He was being very quiet so I asked him if he was excited about going to school. He looked at me with his big brown eyes and shook his head no. I asked him why and he said “I don’t want to go I just want to stay at home with you” I explained to him that he was going to have lots of fun in school and that he was going to meet new friends and sing new songs. I told him that kindergarten is special because he is going to learn all of his ABC’s. He said “but mommy I don’t need to go to school I already know my ABC’s see” and he sang the ABC song. We both had to smile at that. Daddy explained to him that he gets to learn what sounds his letters make so that he can learn to read all of his favorite books. He asked if he could read his Transformers book :)

This year, the school hosted a “BOO HOO Breakfast” for the kindergartners and their parents. We all met in the cafeteria for muffins and juice. Each teacher made a special table for their class. They decorated the cafeteria with balloons and welcome signs. One of the teachers read The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn. Travin recognized the story right away. The Kissing Hand is a family favorite for us. I bought it when Bryanna started preschool. I have made it a point to read it to my kids on the night before their first day of school every single year. After the story, the parents had a few moments to say goodbye to their “big kids” before they headed off to their classrooms. The teachers were trying to make the first day as smooth as possible so, all of the parents were asked to wait in the cafeteria until the kids were settled in their classrooms. Travin was a little nervous. There was a lot of commotion as the kindergartners made their way out of the cafeteria. At the last minute Travin decided he had to use the bathroom. Daddy lead him to the restroom and then to his class. It’s probably a good thing that Jason walked him to his classroom because I was a little bit of a mess. I know it sounds crazy. My son has been going to preschool since he was two (I was a bit of a cry baby on that day too). You would think that I would be accustomed to first day of school goodbyes by now but, I’m not :)











To me kindergarten is a big step in life. It is essentially the beginning steps in a child’s educational path. Everything that they learn during this year allows them the mobility to move further through their educational journey. I know every grade is a stepping stone as they make their way through school but, I am a strong believer in the fact the kindergarten gives a child the basic building blocks they need to succeed as they move forward.

Jason and I made our way down the kindergarten hallway. The doors were closed so I wasn’t able to get a glimpse of my little guy sitting at his desk like a big kid. I could only imagine what he looked liked. Jason put his arm around my shoulders. We made our way out of the school and back to the car together without any little hands to hold.

Our finally journey through kindergarten begins on this day. I am excited for my son as he ventures into the great world of education but, I am also a little sad as I realize just how much he has grown up.

Everyone has a first day
When they feel sad and all alone
It can be scary
when you are on your own
And I know that a first day
Can be full of doubts and fears
But they are full of new beginnings
Take my hankie, dry your tears

You'll find lots of things to do
And you'll probably make new friends
I promise we'll be together
When the school day ends

Here comes the teacher
Blow your nose and be brave
Come on now and wipe your eyes
This is no way to behave

Well, Good Morning, Teacher
We really do beg your pardon
No, Mommy doesn't always act this way
But it's my first day of Kindergarten!

We survived our first day of kindergarten!

5th and 1st Grade Here We Come!

SUMMER IS OFFICIALLY OVER! Well at least for the girls:) Travin has one more week of vacation before he begins his journey into kindergarten.

Bryanna and Kalyssa headed back to school this morning. Our house was buzzing with excitement as we packed backpack’s, brushed teeth, and picked out the perfect outfit for the first day of school!

My alarm went off at 6 am this morning. The days of sleeping in until 7 are long behind me now:) My first stop was the coffee pot of course. I started my day by preparing school lunches. After making breakfast, I went in to wake up my girls. Kalyssa was not ready to wake up “it’s too early to wake up mommy I’m still tired.” A few Eskimo kisses and a butterfly kiss on each eye quickly changed her mind. I tried to sneak into Bryanna’s room but she was already wide awake. I managed to steal a few Eskimo kisses from my big 5th grader as well. At breakfast, the girls chatted about the new day ahead of them. They both seemed very excited to head off to their new school. Although they didn’t ride the bus this morning, we decided to wait outside so that we could all meet the bus driver. The girls were very excited to learn that their bus stop will be right in front of our house :)















Yesterday, the school held a back to school event. It gave us an opportunity to meet the teachers as well as show the kids where their classrooms are. Bryanna and Kalyssa’s teachers seem very nice. I got a warm feeling from both of them. They both took the time to introduce themselves. They went over a few things and then let us explore the classrooms. I have to say that it was a little overwhelming for me. I took a peek inside Kalyssa’s desks and was shocked to see so many textbooks. I am used to seeing Bryanna carry around different books but haven’t quite gotten there with Kalyssa. It was one of those moments when you realize just how much your child has grown. The classrooms are smaller than what we are used to seeing but on the positive side, the class sizes are much smaller here than in California. The teaching ratio in the state of Louisiana is 16:1 (Jason and I are very pleased with this). Having the back to school event was really nice because it gave us the chance to explore the school. This came in handy this morning. The girls knew exactly where to go and what to do.

Jason was able to take the morning off. It was nice to have him with us on such an exciting day. The girls were very anxious on the drive to school this morning. It was very quiet in the backseat:) Travin was the first to notice a very special welcoming from the Bossier City Fire Department. Across the street from the school is the fire department. The firemen took the time to line up all of the fire trucks outside the station this morning. They all stood in front of the fire trucks and waved to the kids as they made their way into school. It was pretty neat to watch!

We walked Kalyssa to class first. Her smile was big and bright as we made our way down the first grade hallway. She was very excited to get to her classroom. Her teacher greeted her at the door. We took a couple of pictures, gave her a kiss and a hug, and wished her luck on her first day. With that, my little girl turned around and walked into her classroom without looking back ready to begin her day.





I did my best to clean-up my tears as we walked Bryanna to her classroom. I looked at my daughter and asked her if she was ready to start her day. She smiled at me and just shook her head. I could tell that her nerves had kicked in. I put my arm around her shoulders and told her that she was about to begin an incredible journey and that she had so much to look forward too. When we got to her classroom, her teacher was waiting at the door. She greeted Bryanna and asked her if she was ready for her first day. She asked me if Bry was nervous (we had already discussed the fact that we were new to the area). After I mentioned that she was, her teacher took a moment to say a few encouraging words. I’m not sure what was said but the smile on Bryanna’s face let me know that everything was going to be okay!



Jason and I each held one of Travin’s hands as we made our way out of the school and back to our car. A few tears were shed. It’s always a little sad to give those good luck kisses at the beginning of a new school year. The realization that another year has passed us by is little hard to handle at times however, I am very excited for the girls and can’t wait to hear all about their first day of school as official 5th and 1st graders.

Summer Time Fun

Since our summer vacation is winding down, I thought I would share a few summer pictures. The ones of Kalyssa and Travin were taken on base. The base hosted a kids only pool party. The kids got to swim and play in the pool. We ate pizza, chips, and made snow cones. Some of the activities that Kalyssa and Travin participated in included a water balloon toss, a swimsuit fashion show, limbo, and the ever so famous piñata.

Bryanna ventured the east coast with my parents. They left Louisiana and started their two week journey in Arkansas and Tennessee. From there they made their way north through the Smoky Mountains. They stopped to visit some of our very dear friends (The Rich’s). Bryanna was able to spend some quality time with one of her very best friends that she hasn’t seen in over two years. The fun didn’t stop there. They made their way down the east coast with a stop at Seymour Johnson AFB in Goldsboro, North Carolina. Bryanna was able to see the town where she was born and Daddy’s first duty station. Goldsboro was the first town we called home as a family. After that quick stop, they drove into South Carolina and eventually made it into Georgia were they stayed with another very special family (The Gale’s). They drove through Florida and eventually ended up in New Orleans before they made their way back to our home.

Bright Beginnings

We are the official parents to a 5th grader, a 1st grader, and a kindergartner!! How in the heck did that happen? We are one week away from the start of a brand new school year. The kids are excited and we are excited for them!

The kids and I spent a couple of hours at their new school yesterday. Registration was a long and tedious process. After filling out three individual sets of school forms, the kids and I walked around and met some of the teachers. We met a couple of kindergarten teachers and one first grade teacher. We were fortunate enough to share a few words with the new principal. Everyone was so nice and welcoming. They were impressed with our California background. I find it funny that people are so curious about the state of California. It seems to have something mystical about it. This is not the first time it has happened. Our funniest story yet actually happened in church. We had gone to the chapel on base one of the first weekends we were here. The priest asked all of the new families to introduce themselves. We along with three other families stood up. The first two families came from Japan and the other family came from Mississippi. When Jason introduced our family, he explained that we came from California. Everyone in the church was so amazed. Now, I’m not trying to take anything away from California because I will always be a Cali girl at heart but, I would think that coming from overseas would be much more interesting than coming from California. After church, people came up to us and asked us questions about our life in California. The same thing happened at the school. Everyone wants to know what it’s like, what the people do, and how the weather is. It’s fascinating to me that people want to now so much. Usually people from other states tend to ignore Californians :)

A little of track so let me get back to the new school :) We had a great first impression. The school is really nice and the teachers seem very warm and friendly. As the parents waited in line, the teachers came up to the children introduced themselves and asked questions. Of course Kalyssa and Travin pretend to be shy (because we all know that my children are shy and quiet ha ha) and Bryanna fills in the blanks :) The school holds a lot of functions throughout the year. Everything from monthly family fun night’s and holiday celebrations to raising money for cancer and helping to keep our earth a little cleaner. They also host fitness events like family 5K’s and golf tournaments to raise money or awareness for different causes.

The highlight of our day or at least for Bryanna, was meeting Miss Smith. We got really lucky and got to meet Miss Smith who is a first grade teacher and the coach of the Stockwell Place Cheerleaders. We asked some questions about the program and found out that it is only open to fifth grade students that hold a high GPA. The girls get to perform at several events throughout the year. She asked us a few questions about Bry’s previous school and her grades. She was very happy to accept Bryanna into the program. Next week she will head out to cheer camp. Needless to say, she was on cloud 9 all day yesterday.

We spent a little bit of time peeking inside some of the classrooms. Travin was so excited to see the inside of the kindergarten classrooms. He picked out the classroom that he would like to be his. The classroom had a puppet stage filled with books. I guess he thought it was pretty neat because he spent the drive home talking about how that was his classroom where he was going to go to kindergarten just like a big boy.

Kalyssa was very impressed with Miss Smith. She told me that she really liked her classroom. She said that is was decorated very pretty and that she really hoped that she could be in that classroom when school starts. This was a huge step for Kalyssa. She unfortunately is a lot like me in the sense that she is not a fan of change. Leaving her kindergarten class was very hard for her. She was very comfortable and content in her surroundings. Once she gets to that point, it is hard for her to move on but I think she has!

It was really touching to watch the kids get so excited about their new school. Leaving their old school and their friends was heartbreaking. There are many things that will always be missed but, I think they are looking forward to their brand new start. They are all very anxious to meet new friends. They are excited to plan play dates and sleepovers. As we walked out of the school building, I looked at my three kids and just had to smile. I had a warm feeling in my heart, a feeling that told me that things are going to be very good for us here.