E is for Effort!

Andrew always puts forth his best effort in everything he does. He is such of a perfectionist to the point that he is too hard on himself. He has a book that is being published at school that started out as a free-write project and has taken on a new endeavor. It's called, 'Diary of a Fat Cat', which I would describe as a humorous day in the life of my (slightly obese) cat, Kitty. Other kids in his class have started similar projects such as: Diary of a Closterphobic Ferret and Diary of a Timid Turtle. I've promised him that if he writes more, then I would transfer it onto our computer and have it bound and made into an actual hardcover book. Of course, this has inspired him! Both of my kids are amazing, but I have to say they are quite amazing in completely different way, as are most kids. Andrew is my anal, neat freak, full of integrity. He can't stand being late and sticks to a schedule he has created. For instance, every schoolday he wakes up at exactly 7:10. That gives him enough time to eat a bowl of cereal, get ready for school, watch 20 minutes of cartoons, and leave by 8:10 and not a minute earlier or later. Mind you, he does this every day all by himself. If I tell him I'm going to Target in about an hour, I better not even think about changing my mind or it makes him a nervous wreck! I have learned not to tell Andrew ANYTHING about what is going on that day in case there is a change of plans.

Madison, on the other hand, is very free spirited and more like me. She is spontaneous and has to drag herself out of bed every morning. She isn't always organized but every so often gets an inclination to clean and organize EVERYTHING only to find that a week later it's in complete disarray. Like me, this drives her brother nuts! He will start pacing until he finally comes to me to tattle on her for making a complete mess of her room. They both try their hardest in everything they do, especially in school. Andrew is a math geek and loves to write. He picks up quickly on number theories and is eager to help anyone in his class that doesn't quite get the math assignment being taught. He recently got all A's on his report card, we are so proud of him! His teacher tells me often how much he enjoys having Andrew in his class. I hope this continues as he gets older and the challenges become greater.

Andrew and his teacher, Mr. Lardes.