Our Wild Wade is eight people.

If you remember, we thought we were ready for #2 when Haylee was less than two herself. We had a long wait that finally successfully ended in our second round of IUI at a fertility clinic.

Nine months later we had our Wild Wade. Looking back at these eight years I think it very well could be that God knew we were not ready for Tor-Wade-o.

Instead of having two kids under two, Wade arrived when our sweet, mature Haylee was almost five. A big difference and one that may have been the factor between mama losing her marbles or not.

He was a giant baby. Not at birth, but in his first several months of life. He didn’t roll over until about 6 months, which meant he just lay there and accumulated rolls.

It’s hard to remember those abounding rolls now when you see how skin and bones he is now!

He is our little daredevil. I have become somewhat immune to his scary antics over the years.

We can’t neglect to mention the traumatic femur break and body cast at age four.

He is a lover of all things electronic. We have time limits set in place but somehow it seems he is always on a device. He would live on them if we let him.

He is a creator and thinker…His determination and constant need to question and argue and think outside the box will serve him well in life, I’m sure.

But for now they serve as an attempt to drive his mama batty.

His experience with public school has been somewhat interesting. I’m learning that our public schools are so driven by their testing systems. Students must take periodic computerized tests to determine their reading and math levels. The computer test determines their math and reading placement. Not the educated, experienced human being that is with them all week. The computer test.

This has proved ridiculous more than once for Wade. At the beginning of 1st grade the computer test showed that Wade was below average in math and needed to be pulled out for help. The teacher questioned it to herself but still  implemented the pulling out.

The special teacher brought him back and said that Wade knew all this stuff. He didn’t need to be pulled out.

DUH! The teacher told us that the results didn’t coincide with what SHE was seeing from Wade but yet on she went placing him in a category he very well could have been stuck with for years.

The beginning of this year proved challenging with his reading placement. The computer test gives him a Letter rating that matches up to a system they have showing where they should be.

Wade was reading L & M books (small chapter books such as Magic Tree House, Junie B. Jones, etc) at Christmas during first grade, but the computer test in second grade showed that he was at an F level. What?? The teacher once again strictly went by what the computer told her. He was only allowed to read F level books for reading time during class which could be as long as 45 minutes or longer.

She actually told us that she didn’t think he was really at that level, but based on things the test pointed out she didn’t feel comfortable letting him move on.

At the same conference where she’s explaining this she hands over testing forms and tells us that Wade has scored in the 99th percentile on a non-computer ability test. This has placed him in TD (talent development) classes which later turned out to be Wade actually moving from his class to a 1st/2nd grade combo class full of only TD kids.

So let’s review… 1st grade we’re told he is remedial in math which quickly changed to oh wait, no, he’s not.

Beginning of 2nd grade we’re told he is behind in reading and is forced to read books at a lower level even though the teacher plainly said she didn’t think he was truly at that level.

Same meeting in 2nd grade we’re told he’s at 99th percentile for 2nd graders and she’s so proud of him.

Uh…. how does this reconcile?

He is now in a different class and his last reading test, he tested at L level. Thankfully, his new teacher reassured me that regardless of the test results he would never be forced to go back and read F level. She explained that she usually lets her students read at a letter or two higher than where they test because she recognizes that there is a discrepancy there.

His new teacher is amazing… she’s very low key and laid back. Loosey Goosey and Go with the Flow. Even though that is not my preferred style it really works for Wade. She doesn’t seem to mind his constant inability to remember to bring home his planner.

Wade forgot his valentines the day of his party and when Davis and I brought them to his classroom, we managed to get stuck in a Lockdown drill. She was cool as a cucumber even though teachers were literally in the hallway yelling, “I’VE GOT CASEY!” (Not kidding)

The bad thing about getting a great teacher is the dread and hope of what you’ll get next year!

I was shocked to see a fraction paper that he brought home recently. I had to send it to my mom and to another teacher friend because I was amazed they were already doing fractions. Adding them and being able to change from improper fraction to mixed number too seems crazy for 2nd grade!

As of yesterday our scholar got glasses!

No, not those kind, ha!

This kind! The kind that will hopefully help him be able to actually SEE this world he’s living in. Apparently when you’re in 2nd grade in our family, you get glasses.

I got mine in 2nd grade, and so did Haylee. His are converse with reversible rubber covers on the arms and obviously WAY cooler than mine ever were!

We are hoping they can last at least a few months with the Tor-Wade-o.

We are thankful for our Wild Wade’s eight years and wonder what the next eight will hold for us?!

Happy Birthday, Wade!