How old are you on other planets?

So. A bit of an update. Took K to psychometric testing thinger, with a psychologist who didn't give me the impression that he was a quack, and had been working with kids for 35 years. Turns out K's IQ in academics (reading, writing, arithmetic & comprehension) is 118-120, which is above average (average being 100-110). The kid reads and comprehends at a grade 5 level (he's in grade 2) and math is around grade 4-5. His IQ in perception, logic, & something-or-other-I-forget-now is 134. That is beyond anything the doc anticipated, and he said "oh yeah, there's no doubt, your son is gifted. I see a case like his very rarely". I got to witness the testing, and even I was having trouble with some of the patterning logic etc. and I'm no dummy. Bottom line however, K has issues keeping focus, partly because he's bored with the material being presented to him, partly from external factors. He is a pretty active kid too - always moving, always on the move, however the doctor feels that it's more about him being a boy, than anything else, and he'll probably outgrow it in time. So the doctor is writing up recommendations for the school, for us, and a report for our family doctor as well.

It cost a kajillion dollars for us to find out that something we sort of already knew. Worth every god damned penny, if you ask me. Not just for the being smug that our kid is smart thing, but because we're finally getting K the tools he needs to reach his potential, as well as help him relieve some of the boredom & etc.

C came with us today for the testing, and the psych. asked her some questions, and made some observations on things she was drawing, etc, and said he wouldn't be surprised if she was also above-average intelligence etc.

Um. There's more on that topic, but I'm kind of tired now. I've been having seizures again, for the first time in years (since K was born at least) and they wear me out. I don't know what's going on; I have to go see a neurologist again.

Check out these fantastic aquariums!

This just in: Tom Jones is crazy.

So!

I got my birthday present from S a month early... and I'm not going to complain one bit becauuuuussseee:

IT'S A NOTEBOOK COMPUTER!!!!!!

HOLY EXPLETIVE!

I was just so shocked I sat down and cried. S found this slightly amusing but he was also happy about my reaction- it meant that he got the right thing, haha. I have been wanting one for so damn long, and every time it looked like I'd squirreled away enough money to do so, something would come up like the car needing repairs or the kids needing something or getting massive traffic fines (*cough*) so I always end up putting all those other things before my needs (welcome to Motherhood, right?). As a result, I'd pretty much given up on the idea of ever getting one.

And then I came home on Monday and S was looking stern and said that we needed to go upstairs to talk... right now. This had me worried and confused because I had no idea what was wrong but he looked pretty upset. So we went up into our room and he still had this really stern look and he said "you know how [S's bank] called me about my [credit card] recently?" (they had called on Friday asking him to confirm a purchase, I took the call but they wouldn't tell me anything because I wasn't the card holder. This happens a lot when he orders computer parts online so I thought nothing of it). And then he said "Well, my stuff from [online computer resource] came in..." and I said "Uh-huh. Annnd?" because it wasn't making any sense. Then he said "Well, it wasn't for me..." and then he made me sit down and handed me a big box. I had no idea what it was - I figured a new monitor, at best.

So when I opened the big box and found a smaller box inside, I was flummoxed. I opened up the littler box and out it came... and I just sat there looking at it and I looked at him and he said "I wanted to wait, but I knew there was nowhere I could hide it on you here, and you've been wanting one for so long, I couldn't wait to give it to you..."

I just sat there and looked at it and cried. He went on to say that he knew I always wanted one, so that I could take my writing with me, and he wanted to encourage me to write more. He said that he knew it was one of the things that truly made me happy, and he wanted to encourage that as well. I kept apologising for crying and hugging him and crying some more. Eventually I got myself together but I was so damn overwhelmed and happy I couldn't help myself. He was a pretty good actor - I was convinced something was seriously wrong.

Of course, now that I have it, I am suffering from Block - hello there Irony, been a while. Don't make yourself too comfortable now.

My kids have to be "assessed" by an "occupational therapist" on their "fine motor skills" because their writing is apparently "a concern and illegible at points". Right, because when you are 6 and 9 your penmanship needs to be impeccable. Give me an effing break. S hit the roof when I told him. I gave in though and signed the damn document, hopefully they can get this "assessment" over the summer.

Hammer made an interesting point - the school is losing a lot of their special needs kids this year, so they are probably grasping at straws to keep their funding. But anyone who's met my kids would hardly find them to be falling under the "special needs" category. But whatever.

Also, report cards came in and their grades decreased (not so much for K, but definitely for C - her teacher is a cow, as some so delicately put it. Remind me to insert rant here later).

Ok, time to go do work type stuff I guess.... I find it hard to pull myself away from this thing though...

SHINY TOY HURRAH