Bowers Blog: Mack's High 5

Mack is 5 years old. I can't even form the words. It seems like yesterday and 30 years ago all together that he was born. He is such a character that has definitely given Worth and I a run for our money. He is relentless with his questions (which I hope means that he will always be intrigued by life and seek information.) He is a cuddle bug who loves to snuggle with his mama. He currently only knows how to use his outside voice everywhere (we are working on that.) He is a leader in the classroom (according to his teachers.) He is challenging and head strong, (which I, with God's help, hope to somehow mold into something incredible,) and he is incredibly funny with wit and humor that rivals many adults. He is adored by his 2 older sisters even though, at times, he and Ellie can have some MAJOR disagreements. He loves anything Batman, and believes he can become a super hero one day. (I hope he does!)

This past week he decided to come down with strep - on his actual birthday, Tuesday. He began a small fever Monday, but woke up Tuesday morning and walked into my bathroom and threw up everywhere. We thought it was just a stomach bug, but the vomiting didn't happen again, but his throat became increasingly sore, and once NSAIDS wore off his fever would climb higher each round. He actually was negative for strep in the pediatricians office but it resembled strep so much that they went ahead and started an antibiotic. He was pitiful and some of our birthday plans for him had to be rearranged to accommodate the sick one.

On a sad note, Freddie received some brutal injuries when he fought a stray cat this week, and therefore, had to spend some time at the animal hospital. He is now a temporary inside kitty due to healing wounds. He is NOT loving it, but we do love having him around inside. We are trying to hold on to him as long as we can, but with FIV, stomatitis, and no ability to fight any infections, his days with us are limited. We are loving on him as long as we can.

Also this weekend, Worth's 1997 High School Football team was inducted into the TCHS Athletic Hall of Fame. We went last night to the ceremony to celebrate his induction.

Emotionally intense is one descriptor for this fireball. Sometimes it's good, and sometimes, as in this picture it's really exhausting. This was the night before the sickness hit full force (not to make excuses.)

Happy Birthday to Mack! He didn't have a party this year because he opted to go on a trip to Legoland instead.

No worries on not having a party, the family made sure he was covered in gifts.

This was a classic response to a gift from his sisters:

A critter catching kit from the Berryman's was one of his favorite gifts.

He was also very excited to get the birthday song FaceTime call from Grandma and Papa.

He wore his birthday batman shirt but couldn't go to school due to a 102 fever.

A big highlight of the day, was hearing his birthday being announced on the Absolutely Mindy Show on Kids Place Live (a SiriusXM radio show that the kids listen to every morning.)

The tylenol kicked in and he attempted some critter catching in the back yard.

We also sat down and did his birthday interview for his birthday book. The kids love doing this on their birthday every year.

And then the Tylenol wore off. He did a lot of this all week long. I'm still not sure why he would hold his cheeks, but that was always my clue that his fever was going back up.

We couldn't go out to eat for his birthday because he was sick, so the grandparents came and risked sickness to celebrate at our house.

Ellie, of course, helped him read his cards.

Holding his cheeks again. I had just given him NSAIDS again because his temp had creeped back up.

He loves a birthday card, especially the funny ones:

He has asked for the BATBOT since last Christmas. I finally figured out what it was and he got one for his birthday this year. Clearly, Emma is just as excited about it as Mack.