LBJ League Play – Season Update

Here are the highlights of the second half of the basketball season:

2/4/18:  No game.  Alan’s team had the week off, but a play from the prior week — where Alan caught a hot pass from a teammate (Wyatt) and scored — was talked about by Alan and me all week.  After I showed Alan video of LeBron’s game-winning shot to beat the T-Wolves at the buzzer on 2/7/18, Alan commented on how Jeff Green’s pass to LeBron was just like Wyatt and Alan’s play.  After Alan shared his take on the play, it will likely now go down in family lore — just like the time Alan hit a baseball off the roof of the apartment.  That happened last summer, but we talk about that like it was yesterday. 🙂

2/11/18 vs Thunder:  Alan was miraculously held scoreless by the all-world Thunder D, but he impacts the game in other ways – most notably with his good passing.  Alan brought the ball up the court and set up the offense several times in the game.

2/18/18 vs Cavs:  Alan played his best game of the season, highlighted by four made baskets!  He scored once in the first quarter, twice in the third quarter (including at the buzzer), and once in fourth quarter.  It was an intense game due to one kid on the opposing team being both too skilled and too physical for the league.  Early in the third quarter, Alan got banged into by him.  But Alan shook it off, stayed in the game, and went on to score three of his four baskets after getting hurt.

2/25/18 vs Lakers:  Alan once again provided instant offense, opening the game with the first basket for the Heat.  He would later score again early in the third quarter.  I filled in as head coach (promoted from assistant), so I’ll take credit for calling Alan’s number.  Robbie was in the audience to see Alan’s two baskets.  The best moment for me was when Alan put his arm around me when I was kneeling for the end of game team huddle.  It was the same hug I felt when I took a photo with Alan at Millridge last month when he was the student of the week.  I also felt it back when I visited him on Sports Day at Millridge in March 2017.

All of these games were 11:30am starts (first wave of games), so Alan wanted us to arrive before the rest of the team to practice on the open court.  It was fun playing 1-on-1 with him!

Brady’s Birthday Party

Alan’s winter birthday party tour continued today at Brady’s house.  Brady invited over Grady, Xavier, Anton, Liam, and Alan to celebrate his 7th birthday.  The kids ate popcorn and watched Cars 3!  Alan even got to build a pillow fort, which he loves doing.

According to Alan, Brady is his very best friend.  They play together every day at recess and, on occasion, they swim together and play together at Brady’s house.

One School, One Book Night

Millridge Elementary has finished reading Fenway and Hattie, and to celebrate, the school hosted a party tonight.  The event was centered around a dog show that featured dogs up for adoption from a local animal shelter.  Alan had a front row seat for the show (and appeared to catch the dog’s attention in the photo below).

Kids also had an opportunity to make dog toys and dog blankets for the dogs in the show.  It ended up being more of an activity for first grade parents, though, as Alan used the time to get re-acquainted with Anton, Xavier, and Noah — almost the whole gang of friends from Mrs. Feldman’s Kindergarten class!

Alan didn’t leave the event empty-handed.  Before the night was out, Alan took home three new stuffed dogs.  🙂

Alan’s Favorite Activities

First grade – Part II – edition of the Top 10:

-Getting balloon animals at Tribe Fest!

-Playing LBJ league basketball

-Championship races on the Super Ultimate Garage racetrack!

-Reading Fenway & Hattie chapters nightly with different family members

-Making new creations with Tinker Toys!

-School parties (followed by Alan & Daddy hangouts at McDonald’s)

-Playing Chutes and Ladders

-Ice Skating and Swimming

-Playing Florida Speedway (Cars 3) with Tyler and Carleigh at Grandma Debbie’s

-Building (and re-building) “3-in-1” Lego sets

Valentine’s Day Party

Today Alan and I got to spend Valentine’s Day together at another great Millridge party.  The kids ate cookies, made bead bracelets, and then passed out their valentines to each other!  There were some unique valentines – particularly one that came with heart glasses and another that came with a mini stuffed animal.  Alan handed out Cars  3 valentines.  He decorated his valentines bag by drawing a picture of him swimming with Mom and playing baseball with Dad. 🙂

After the party, Alan and I went to our favorite hang out place — McDonald’s — and also read another chapter in Fenway and Hattie!

  

Student of the Week

The week of January 29th through Feb 2nd was Alan’s week to be the featured student of the week in Mrs. Russo’s class!

On Monday, Alan turned in his “Emojis About Me!” poster, in which he revealed his favorite subject (tie: gym and library), animal (Lulu), hobby (learning music), holiday (Christmas), food (Chinese bean sprouts), and sport (tie: baseball and basketball). Alan also worked in stickers/mentions of some of his other favorites, including parents, cousins, swimming, Cars 3, the Hot Wheels Super Ultimate Garage, and Tribe Fest!

On Tuesday, Alan brought in one of his “Lava Crawler” Lego vehicles (pictured on the far left below) for show-and-tell.

On Wednesday, Alan brought in one of the books we bought at last fall’s book fair – Ten Baby Bears – to share with his class.

On Thursday night, Alan compiled 100 loose Lego pieces as part of a homework assignment to collect and bring in 100 items in honor of the 100th day of school (Friday)!

On Friday, Alan’s big week culminated with his parents visiting class to help him present his poster.  We shared pictures and told stories about Alan.  I made sure to bring pictures of Tyler, Lulu & Rosie, the Super Ultimate Garage, Alan meeting Jose Ramirez, and Alan in his LeBron jersey. Then the class presented Alan with a “star student” book that they made. It was full of nice comments about Alan, which he loved to hear.

Alan was all smiles with his arm around either Mom or Dad the whole time.  When I took out my camera, some of his friends, especially Ella, wanted in the pictures too!

Afterwards I got to take Alan to lunch.  He picked McDonald’s of course – our favorite hang out spot!