Last week we got results of the latest quarterly checkup. Once again, Zevi's Chimerism test came back 100% donor! The rest of the blood work looks great as well.
Zev continues to feel well, play well, eat selectively, but well enough to satisfy mom and grandmothers. He communicates remarkably well, learning English rapidly and asking one of us for a word he does not know once in a while. He also continues to have epic fights and meltdowns once in a while. While I understand those are (at least somewhat) normal for a just-about-five year old, they are still hard to take.
Benjamin gets excellent reviews in school, speaks English with no discernible accent (like he was born here, right?), and still runs like the wind. He particular approach to misbehavior is "fuss early, fuss often". He also backs off sooner and does better accepting consequences of misbehavior. As a result, warnings work better with Benjamin.
For reason I cannot understand that last two soccer classes both of the boys showed more interest in playing (as oppose to, say, lying down to watch the clouds mid-game). Zev, when he is 'on', can grab the ball and drive to an opposing goal with determination. Benjamin has shown grit in defending the goal for his team. Plus, Benjamin both runs and swims well ahead of most kids his age.
At least three times within a month I have seen the following: at some public venue Ben is being moody and grumpy (see fussing, above). In each case, an adorable little girl materializes and wishes to comfort Ben and hold his hand. True to the sullen 5-going-on-15 form, Ben ignores the young lady. In the mean time Zev swoops in, introduces himself, and tries to entertain the young lady Ben is ignoring. His persistence paid off in one case out of three so far, but I do anticipate greater success in his future.
Over all, the boys are growing. They can be trying and, for me at least, incredibly emotionally draining to wrangle. I do hope that within a year or two they will become a little more rational and a little less ruled by their emotions. The warnings and requests (as oppose to threats) do elicit compliance once in a while. Dare I say, a tiny glimmer of progress?
