Getting Ready for Disney & Other Updates

Friday we leave for a week at Disney World and there is sooooo much to do to get ready! Nevermind the packing; haven't even started that yet. Last minute shopping, getting an iPod fixed that a certain 7 year old dropped on the front sidewalk, buying groceries to bring with us, getting the oil changed on the car, as well as getting things wrapped up for work. I picked a really bad time to go on vacation-- the week before the election -- but when we planned the trip last year I wasn't thinking that far ahead. Consequently I am bringing my laptop with me but hoping not to have to use it too much! Tomorrow I have Ben's parent teacher conference, and Clara is getting picked up for a week+ at the dog sitter's. We're boarding her with a coworker of Abby's who dog-sits on the side, this time, since our usual go-to place is taking a vacation of their own and could only take her for part of the time that we are going to be away.

An already busy week has been complicated by the fact that we noticed that Ben has lost weight since he started back on the ADHD medication when school started. According to our bathroom scale, he weighed 75 pounds when he should have been close to 80. Even 80 pounds for a kid who is almost 5'1 is too skinny, so seeing 75 pounds freaked me out. Joel immediately went out and bought Boost supplement drinks and plenty of junk food, and we started packing his lunches and plying him with Boost at every opportunity. I took him to the doctor today, and on their scale he weighed 77 pounds exactly (though the last few days binging on Boost and zebra cakes may have helped). Nevertheless, he has dropped off his growth curve and is now down from the 70th percentile to the 55th percentile for weight. The doctor was quite concerned and discussed eating strategies at length with Ben and I. She will see him again in a month, and if he can get his weight up he can stay on the medication but if not, she will have to lower the dosage or switch to a different medicine, neither one of which she wants to do because he has been doing so well with his schoolwork with the medicine and dose he is on. It has been working exactly as hoped, and the only (unfortunate) side effect is the appetite suppression. Hopefully a week off the meds and having lots of junk food at Disney World will help too!