Monday - Andrew went to the doctor for his 4 year old check up. He is healthy. He is 34 pounds and 3.2 ounces (35%) and 3 feet, 4.25 inches (50%). His BMI is 14 (22%). Doctor has no concerns other than his speech. She asked me to call his old therapist and ask her to stop by and check on his speech. She stopped by on Wednesday and agreed that he is missing some sounds that he shouldn't be missing at 4. (C's, G's, Th's and F's). So she gave me some activities to do with him and if in a month I don't see a marked improvement then I will take him in to be reevaluated. I hope to avoid taking him to another therapist because at this age it is all out of pocket.
After his doctor appointment we went to the Colorado History Museum for a co-op. The kids loved it. They got to "milk" a cow, collect eggs, go to school in a one room schoolhouse and ride a horseless buggy. Then we went upstairs and learned about mining, WWII internment camps and Colorado tourism. The kids wanted to stay longer but I knew we were about to reach our limit so we headed home before everyone lost it.
Tonight, I went to a friends' house to do some planning.
Tuesday was piano for Andrew and a class for me from 5 to 8 PM. I didn't get home until after 9 though.
Wednesday Miss Jill stopped by to see Andrew and then we headed to Golden to go to another co-op. We went to NREL (National Energy Renewable Lab) where Phil told us about different kinds of renewable energy such as; solar, biomass, wind, ocean, geothermal and hydro. We learned about corn stover (the leaves, stalk, husk and cob that are left over after harvesting), bagasse (the fiber stuff leftover from sugar cane after squeezing the juice out to make sugar), and switch grass (American hay). We smelled some corn-biomass that smelled pretty yucky. It took my breath away. Phil told us there are over 40,000 types of algae. We also learned about photovoltaic, a car run by water and about a concentrate solar array that melts salt and then preserves the heat for when it is needed later. When it cools then the salt goes back to crystals and you can use it over and over. I learned a lot and Cairn asked lots of questions but it was a little over Skylar and Andrew's heads. I know they picked up a little though.
Got back home just in time to throw dinner on and I left for my class again.
Thursday - Grandma came over to watch Cairn and Andrew while I took Skylar to the eye doctor. We discovered she is farsighted and needs to wear glasses to read and whenever she is inside. She could possibly outgrow it but for now she will wear her glasses. This explains a lot. She complains of headaches almost every day after we finish up school. She did great in her large piano book but ever since she moved to her piano book where the notes are on the Grand Staff she has really struggled. Now I know why - she couldn't see the notes. I was getting pretty frustrated at her at times because I thought she was just guessing. She probably was but only because she couldn't see. She is excited to get her glasses - the color is chocolate raspberry.
Tonight, Skylar had piano even though she couldn't see well because her eyes were dilated but I figured she could do everything but read her music. I prepared her teacher. I had a Girl Scout unit meeting to run so Dad took Skylar to piano.
Friday - the only thing on the schedule was Andrew getting his 4 year old pictures taken. He was so excited. The girls went to 2 different houses for playdates so I could take Andrew by himself. He liked having mom all to himself. We hung out at Cairn's playdate for awhile because the mom, L, is going to help me co-lead the Girl Scout troop next year and we were doing some planning.
Finally, we got home and we didn't have to go out for once this week. Every night, I was out and the kids got to bed late but not tonight.
Snow is in the forecast for the weekend. It kinda threw off Andrew's birthday plans but I am sure we will have a great day anyway.
