Michael's in 3rd Grade!

Over the summer Michael had his tonsils and adenoids removed. It was a fairly urgent procedure because over the past year (and even in preceding years), he'd seemed to develop colds, congestion, and breathing problems that would not go away. Throughout 2nd grade Michael went through several packages of tissue each week at school, then toward the end of 2nd grade, Michael's mom decided to send a mini waste bin to school with Michael because his teacher mentioned that Michael's tissue disposal had become a bit of a waste management problem. Apparently there were used tissues piled on, in, and under his desk. Not very sanitary. So with his new little waste bin under his desk, other students sitting near him started using it too :) I guess it saved them a walk to the classroom waste bin.

Michael had a fun summer. We enjoyed laid-back mornings mixed in with some fun mornings at LA Fitness where Mom could get her wiggles out and Michael & April got to play with other kids too.

Michael enjoyed playing with friends, and he had a few playdates with his 2nd grade buddy Dillon. Dillon is a very nice boy and he has a very nice mom, and Dillon has good manners and a fun, vivid imagination to match Michael's!

Michael took a few summer school classes at the college too. He took Robotics & Lego Stop-Animation classes (he LOVED it!!) and he also took a class called "Save the Planet" where they learned about being ecologically-minded (Michael loves stuff like that too), and they made a worm habitat out of rich soil, baby food, and shredded paper, and I think there was a little bit of green foliage mixed in too, I don't exactly remember. But at home it started to smell funny, so I buried it in the backyard. No more smell :) The worms were happy too, I hope. They were three of the biggest, healthiest earthworms I've ever seen! Michael also came home with other crafts inspired by nature too, like crafts including dried rice, beans, glued onto paper into a collage or a picture...Happy Michael!

Now he's in 3rd grade, and thanks to his surgery he can breathe better now. After we'd taken him to the doctor several times over the course of a couple of years, they finally referred him to an ear/nose/throat specialist who diagnosed Michael's problem right away. The doctor let Mom & April look into the Michael's throat with the doctor's instrument, and YES those tonsils were extremely swollen! No wonder that sweet, dear boy had trouble breathing! John was with Michael during the surgery and the doctor showed him the removed tonsils. They were as big as ping-pong balls, John said. Dear, tiny Michael's little throat had been nearly completely obstructed!

Michael has been much more chipper since his recovery. He can now run, do chores, do homework, walk up the stairs, and many other things without having a meltdown or a tantrum! Now we understand that life had been so difficult for him before because he simply hadn't been receiving enough oxygen!

Ahh, good times ahead.

Now in the 3rd grade Michael is beginning viola lessons. He had a choice of instruments, and that's the one he chose! Good choice, Michael! Thankfully this school district takes music education very seriously and does not cut back on that area at all. They fortify our kids with music lessons twice a week! As soon as we moved to Maryland in 2007, when Michael was 3 years old, we enrolled him in Kindermusik because I know that music education is a vitally rich aspect of mental, spiritual, creative, and intellectual growth. Those classes were a bit pricey, however, and now I'm so glad to see the school district teaching the children just as well (if not better!) than Kindermusik.

At recess Michael enjoys the "bug detective" club that he and a lot of friends formed in 2nd grade, now continuing in 3rd grade. Michael is very well-liked by his peers, and life is good :)

If there is any sadness or frustration in Michael's life it is probably due to tension at home between his mother & father. Over the summer his mom & dad began a divorce, and that is a very sad thing for children to go through. But life at home has been more peaceful, and everyone feels a little less tense these days :)