Whoa! Stuff!

Wow! It's been forever since I posted here. It's even been awhile since I posted anything important on Facebook. It's been a super busy summer and is shaping up to be a super busy fall as well. Aidan did Cub Scout summer day camp, he had a camp-in at a Science Museum (they had full run of 4 stories!! Including the shark tank!!), played a day at the beach, spent time in Chattanooga with Mawmaw and Pawpaw, and even got to go visit Papa and Grandma Holly twice before Grandma Holly passed away this month.


In June Aidan was officially diagnosed with ADHD and the doctor started him on Intuniv which is a non-stimulant medication that was adapted from an old blood pressure medication called Tenex. Now that we've got the dosage figured out, Aidan takes 2mg a day in the morning. The difference is amazing. He has a much easier time communicating with us, he has found his volume control instead of being at the top of his lungs most of the time, he has a much better control of his temper, and is finding it much less of a problem to focus on his work at school and at home. It's actually really fun to be around him now that he's staying out of trouble and doesn't get aggressive so easily.


School started back in the middle of August and since then Aidan has only had ONE stick pulled (it's like a check mark on the board, or one time of getting in trouble). It was for talking when he wasn't supposed to, which every kid is going to do at some point. Last year he did that at least once a day it seemed like. His first progress report shows he has 2 A's and a B - the B is in English. He loves Math! He's making friends and doing great at the new school. Friday we got to go on a field trip to see Disney on Ice (how is that educational?) which he was so-so about. Most of it he wasn't interested in but we made it through.


Last night he had a Cub Scout Pack meeting. They gave out all the awards earned over the summer, and I'm pretty sure Aidan earned more than any of the other boys there!!! Here's a list of what he got:

-BB shooting belt loop

-archery belt loop

-hiking belt loop

-kickball belt loop

-art belt loop

-science pin

-one year service pin

-wolf badge (which requires a LOT of work to earn!)

-1 year service pin

-Outdoor Activity Award

-Gold Unit award

Seriously guys, the kid is amazing. Now he'll start working toward his Bear Badge and of course all the other stuff that he can find to get into and earn. Plus he's selling popcorn on top of everything (let me know if you're interested and I'll post the website for you to order or if you're local to me then I can put your order down). We're so proud!!!

Stay tuned, I'm sure there will be even MORE amazing things to brag about on this kid.

Cub Scouts

So we started Aidan in Cub Scouts this year. We are a long line of Scouts in my family, including my Grandpa and my Dad. The den really seems to adapt to Aidan's oddities, although he's still trying to find his place in the group, and they sometimes bounce him around so they can sit next to their more familiar friends, but that's just little boys I suppose (the whines of "he took my chair..." get old regardless of the boy).  Aidan has already accomplished his Bobcat badge, is working hard on his Wolf badge, has earned the physical fitness and science belt loops and bridged with his Den last night over to Bear Cub.

Apparently Aidan LOVES Cub Scouts. Other than talking about Storm Chasing I've never really heard him plan for the future before (and this included Storm Chasing too). He told me on the way home that when he grows up he wants to have 2 sons and he will be a Scout leader in between storm chasing, and that he wants to give his son his wolf neckerchief and hat one day.

This summer they'll have camp outs and summer camp and it will be interesting to see him react to all of those. He's also having to learn to be less bossy, less competitive, and to work as a team and cooperate, all of which are skills he desperately needs to learn. So far I'm really glad we've put him into Scouts, especially after our conversation about the distant future today.