We pretty much spent the week being late for class each morning as none of the family, cats included, didn’t want to get up.

Monday was a bit of a strange day and I knew immediately I didn’t want to participate in the day. I was very scared to go to school despite the fact that my friends were really awesome about welcoming me. I tried to sabotage the morning by blowing into my drinking yoghurt rather than drink it. That meant we ended up going back home to change.

We managed to drag ourselves out of the house at 8:10, which was consistent with the rest of the week. To try and wake ourselves up, Mom and I played Modulated Mozart on the way to school. It seems to have had the desired effect and Mom and I had fairly a successful week in our respective ways.

At school Mom quickly left me to my devices and while I cried for a while, it was short lived according to Teacher Sasha. I got on with my day and very soon Mom collected me to visit Dr T, my Johannesburg neurologist. It was at 11:00, so I only had half a day at school. I was so well behaved at Dr T, even though I kept saying to Mom that I didn’t want to go here because my brain wasn’t hurting. I did all my exercises and Dr T was very happy with my development since last time. We agreed a way forward and she weighed in on the saga to get another surgery done. The bottom line is that if there are feeders to the AVM we shouldn’t wait, and this is exasperating some ever present brain damage.

We were puzzled as to whether we should go home or if we should go to Granny after our appointment with Dr T. We ended up going to Granny (my best friend) to wait for the time between Dr T and my Speech Therapy. I had such fun at Granny’s, I played with the dogs, played tennis and swam. The latter however I had to do alone as the older folks refused point blank to swim with me. Apparently it’s winter. Who knew? Granny and I made egg for lunch with salad and I had some red velvet cake. I have decided this is my favourite.

This is when I started the “A little help here” comment to the folks. Everything I need assistance with goes along the lines of “A little help here”. Of course I am supposed to be independent but I reckon I have this lot wrapped around my finger. Maybe not so much Mom on this fact. Speech with Vicky went well and I got stickers and sweets. Yah! My sentence syntax is coming along nicely and my putting ideas together in story form is progressing as well.

Tuesday I was shattered from a hard day at school and slept on the way home and for a really long time after. I ended up just wanting to play outside and help Aaron with the leaves and tidying the garden. Then Mom announced that we had a playdate with Kayla and Kyle at Orango Tangos. I was soooooo excited I just could help myself from jumping with Joy. We arrived and I gave everyone a quick hug although all I wanted to do was run around. We were the last to leave and Mom and Kyle spent some time bonding. Can you believe we are 4 years old? Mom and Helen were just amazed at how well we have both done. Beyond anyone’s expectations. Helen and Mom eventually ended up talking in the car park and were eventually chased out of there as well as it was so late.

Dad was home late and I was allowed an extra half hour to say goodnight to him. I can’t exactly say my food intake had consisted of anything worthwhile during the day following school so I was happy for the half hour extra for the comedown.

Wednesday was music at school and I was so excited to play instruments again. I got two stamps for my effort and the boys and I were playing Ben 10 when Mom arrived, we all sprang on her from behind a tree hitting our Ben 10 watches. She’s such a girl she just shrieked (which was well received). I slept during the afternoon and Mom suspected that something was brewing as my nose was running (bleeding, as I am prone to saying). Sometimes I can see Mom is very puzzled when I come up with things she clearly doesn’t say. Mom had some work to do on the computer at home, and I was happy to show her where the letters were. I have even started reading words and Mom is so excited she quite willingly arrives when “I say A little help here”.

Thursday morning I announced to Mom on the way to school that my brain hurt. When she asked me where exactly and could I point to it, I graced the question by showing her. That’s when she realised I was a little off colour from sinus or the start of a cold. This was evidenced by me not eating for the rest of the week. During Thursday afternoon, we discovered that my cousin Tamsin had scoliosis of the spine. So Mom galvanised into action while I was on my jungle gym and managed to get appointments with the right people the next day. We were really worried.

So on the way to OT on Friday Mom collected the CD and report of Tamsin to take to Sunninghill. I was so glad I got to see my favourite, best friend Granny. It was really cool, although it was a drive through visit. She also found my Zebra at her house and brought it along for me. I was thrilled. At Lauren, I did good work and Lauren and Mom agreed to do an assessment pre op after my 4th birthday. At which time we will do an MRI as well. Lauren and Mom had a good laugh at my attempt for help during my work with Lauren, and to the waiting room I called, “Mom a little help here”.

Mom found that she cannot hide anything from me and I saw packets at the top of her cupboard and have consistently asked her what they are. I have been informed that they are birthday presents. I can’t wait only 30 sleeps left. She also started making balloon animals this week on Friday. I asked her to make me a balloon sword like the man on HoopHoop (Jb speak for YouTube). She obliged. I had great fun tormenting Mom as she hates the idea of balloons popping and freaks out frequently when they do.

Friday afternoon I had a playdate with Ryan; we were so excited we jumped on the trampoline and threw ourselves off the jungle gym. Mom took the approach that if she watched my guardian angels wouldn’t. Only when I got really quiet did a parent arrive to identify what we were up to. We left late, but I was amped up and took forever to come down off the adrenaline high.

Saturday Granny took us out to breakfast at Primi Piatti Lifestyle. I spent two hours playing, none of which were spent eating I will have you know. Not even Granny could get me to eat. I jumped off high places and generally gave shock value to everything I did. Wow what a morning. When we drove past the house in an attempt to get me to sleep a bit, I broke down and told the adults I need to go to my home. We had a sleep and soon the day was spent with Lego, trains and making dinner. We ate dinner around the table which is covered in a train track so Percy and Salty came to snack frequently.

Sunday we headed off to the Barney and Mister Maker show. The folks were quite impressed that during the show I followed instructions and did the dances. It was a lovely morning. I have also started asking why things have to come to an end. Mom has been trying her best to explain, but I haven’t internalised the whole thing yet. Following the rest of the day with the Phineas and Ferb Special Agent Day marathon on Disney XD (yes the TV was on all day we were home) and some tidying of my room, some other chores, it was time to start a new week.

‘Til next week.

Love

Jarrod

Photo 1 With my Zebra at Dr Tiziana’s offices

Photo 2 Helping Aaron pick up leaves in the garden

Photo 3 Oooo, missed a few

Photo 4 Peek-a-boo with Roxy

Photo 5 Lego play

Photo 6 Playing on Ryan’s jungle gym

Photo 7 Ryan and I jumping

Photo 8 Bounce!

Photo 9 In Ryan’s room

Photo 10 Smurf cereal

Photo 11 Just Jay-Bee

Photo 12 Breakfast giggles

Photo 13 Pizza dough

Photo 14 One, two, three jump!

Photo 15 A little help here

Photo 16 Hiiiiaaaaaaa (my Kung Fu Panda move)

Photo 17 Another hiiiiiiiiiaaaaaaaaa

Photo 18 Showing Granny how to make pizza

Photo 19 Scientist Jay-Bee

Photo 20 Helping Mom doing science

Photo 21 A quick kiss

Photo 22 Mixing it up

Photo 23 Adding universal test paper

Photo 24 Adding water

Photo 25 Volcano!

Photo 26 Ooooooo

Photo 27 Wow

Photo 28 Focused

Photo 29 I love science

Photo 30 Sandwich time

Photo 31 You can never have too many sparkles

Photo 32 Cheesy grin

Photo 33 Floor giggles

Photo 34 Waiting for Mister Maker and Barney

Photo 35 Awesome

Photo 36 Mister Maker!

Photo 37 Complete with alien eyes

Photo 38 Making a triangle shape for Mister Maker

Photo 39 Barney giggles

Photo 40 Huge giggles!

Photo 41 Bye for now

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