AD...hey what's that? HD

So Max had his 4 year check up, which I thought when surprisingly well.  I am happy to report that I am raising a healthy GIANT!  98% in weight and 99% in height.  Where in the world is he getting these genetics?!  I am thinking Aunt awa's genetics are at work here :)  Also, how can you be 99% in height...that just doesn't make sense to me.  Are you saying that he is bigger than 99% of the kids out there his age?  If that is what these little percentile charts are saying, then I seriously doubt that...Max is a big boy, but I don't think he is bigger than 99% of the kids his age.  Anyways, even though my quirky little man survives mostly off of pancakes, yellow cheese, almond milk, a variety of noodles, chicken and corn, he is somehow thriving.  Who knew my little incubator baby would grow to be such a giant?!

I love my pediatrician, he is amazing, always fits us into his busy schedule, gave me a working cell phone number to call for emergencies and goes above and beyond what I think a pediatrician is required to do.  He understands and respects my holistic approach to any illness before medication and is always willing to start with the least invasive approach to anything and work our way from there.  Which is why I was so surprised when at the end of the appointment he sits me down and says, "wow you must be exhausted!  You son has extreme ADHD, and I could and should diagnose him in just one appointment.  What medication would you like to look into treating him with?"  As I wait for him to laugh and say "hey I'm just kidding, he is as healthy as a horse and as big as one too, see you for Abilene's 6 month check up!", But he never says that and simply asks, "Do you know a lot about the medication offered?"

So, yes Max is a handful.  He excites easily, is pretty anxious at times, and he runs everywhere he goes.  I think he is just being a boy.  Yes, it can be very very difficult to get him to focus, but you just have to try a little harder.  It's not an impossible task, but it can be difficult.  So of course I REFUSE to drug my child for my convenience.  Side affects from these drugs that are supposed to "help" these perfectly normal children "focus" better are absolutely crazy.  Excuse me but I will take a hyperactive child any day over worrying about the condition of my child's heart. At what point do you distinguish between medicating an "illness" and changing the personality and amazing characteristics of a growing and developing little human?  I love my Max just the way he is, at warp speed playing doctor superhero all at the same time...would this medication change the Max I love?!

I personally think Max is a little bit of a super hero.  He can do about 5 different things at 1 time!!  I would kill for that level of multitasking!  He has the energy of superman and captain America ( his 2 favorite heroes) all combined into one super Max package.  I would be lying if I said that he wasn't challenging, but we are finding ways to work around it.  I don't like to laugh at Max's level of distraction, but sometimes that is all you can do to keep from pulling your hair completely out.  I have started pinning little task cards on his shirt to remind he exactly where he was going or what he was doing.  It helps me keep my sanity from walking around and telling him to do the same thing about 50 billion times.  I have actually sat and watched Max get distracted 7 times just from walking from my bedroom to the kitchen (we have a small house, so its not a big distance at all).

As he grows we will learn new ways to work around it and work with this ADHD to make it seem more like a gift instead of this dreaded curse many educators and doctors describe it as.  He may not learn to read at the age of 5, or it may take him a little longer than most to sit down and completely finish a book, but I am ok with that and I know he will be too, as long as he isn't ridiculed about it.  So if you see my child running around like a crazy person, or if you try and have a conversation with him and it turns to a completely different subject at least 2 times, please say a prayer for me that we will continue to see the light in this supposed dreaded diagnoses and find humor daily that I am raising a multi tasking superhero.

Not loud...just animated lol.   

He may not be able to focus at everything, but when he loves something, he LOVES it!  I was able to get this little man to focus and learn how to swim at the age of 2.

When he is out, he is out! 

Yes, there are stickers all over his face, but that is how he learned what each and every one of those fish were called :)