We made it!

Whew! We made it through our crazy week with just a few more additions.
First, add one Rylee with what we thought was stomach flu on Friday, then a funeral in our ward on Saturday, a trip to Instacare with Rylee to confirm that the flu was actually the first stages of strep throat so add a trip to the pharmacy, add in a few bandages on Alex's knees and all the other performances and commitments I mentioned in the previous post and there you have it! Our insane week.
Alex upon finding out that Rylee will not be attending church today came in this morning faking a hoarse throat. I know he thinks I was born yesterday. (I had already heard him fake coughing to Rylee and Rylee telling him he's not sick.) He came into my office and delivered a stellar award winning performance. Too funny. He's going to church.
He and Rylee purchased combination locks for their bikes while we were picking up Rylee's prescription yesterday. I came down this morning to find them both watching cartoons and each of them with their locks wrapped around their legs all locked up. Wow. Who needs toys when a $3 bike lock can give you so much entertainment and possibilities?
Alex has tied the wagon to his bike and likes to ride with it dragging behind him. So far I have not seen anyone IN the wagon and I made it very clear that anyone in the wagon better have a helmet on but mostly he just rides around with it dragging behind him.
Thursday he had a bike crash (he did not have the wagon attached at the time) that gave him a big skinned knee. Bath time Thursday was a major ordeal. He insisted he could not take a bath due to his injury. I told him he did have to take a bath but he didn't have to put his knee in the water. I walked by the bathroom and could hear him crying in the tub. The door was locked and I knocked to see if he needed help. I could only hear crying so I told him I would be unlocking the door and coming in. I was armed with a washcloth and shut my eyes. I handed him the washcloth and gave him a minute to cover himself and then I told him I'd be opening my eyes. He was using the washcloth alright....to wipe his tears! I guess he could care less about anything else. I washed his back and he confirmed he had washed the rest of him and I helped him out of the tub and towel dry. He did not have his knee in the water so I don't know why this was so painful for him. My theory is that he's a very tough kid, he can skid down a mountain on his belly and jump up and say "cool huh?" and pillow fight with a brother three times his size and take a beating but once he let's go and a tear escapes, he really let's go and we have a flood! Luckily this doesn't happen too much.
He's so excited for school to be out next week. Each morning he tells me how many more days of school. I thought it was time I broke the news that he would be having a tutor this summer. He was disappointed but when he realized it would be here at our house and with other children from Ukraine he seemed to take it okay. He even told his teacher at school that he was having a tutor at "mine house" this summer. June he will have a reading tutor up at school for a half hour Monday & Wednesday and then our ESL tutor for two hours on Tuesday & Thursday.
His English has improved so much. The other day during our study hour I got out one of our books and covered the English words and just pointed to objects. I was amazed at how many he knew. When I went in to meet with his teacher and the principal on Friday to discuss his placement for next year, (He's going into 5th grade in the fall-like I wanted!) his teacher told me how well he communicates and how much everyone in his class likes him and looks out for him.
He has discovered that he LOVES being with his cousins Brach & Tyler. With Rylee sick on Saturday and me running in a million directions he spent the entire day playing with them. He called me on my cell phone. "Me cousins, okay mom?" We are so lucky to have our cousins live just two blocks away.
Well, this is the last week of school. I wouldn't mind summer so much if I didn't have to make lunch everyday. It feels like I make breakfast, clean up, make lunch, clean up only in time to turn around and make dinner. This eating thing is highly overrated!
Speaking of eating, for those of you in our parent lunch group, don't forget we have lunch this Tuesday! Email me for details if you didn't get my email already.
Here's to the last week of school-may we all make it through and savor these last precious hours during the day we have to ourselves!