Changeable As ...

James has been having a tough week. Focusing, staying on task, and transitioning are not going as well as they usually do. He gets upset more easily. I hear him at night, more restless than usual. His nose is running and he has a cough, but no fever -- allergies? Could be -- there are vineyards on back of us, and they are busy trying to get in the crop (VERY early in the morning) after another weird summer. He is definitely more fretful than usual.

Then I looked through my camera pics over the past week and saw something else - extreme weather swings. Last week we experienced 100∘in dry heat. This is very uncomfortable for James, who runs hot in general. He literally melts down in hot temps. We made a couple of runs to the frozen yogurt place we love so much, just to feel a bit better after school. The extremes from going between a playground that melts him into the cool, air-conditioned classroom and home can't be healthy.

We had a low-pressure rain system mosey on through over last weekend, dropping temps and some precipitation. Come Monday, we were back up into the 90s with a little humidity. The grape harvest behind us swing into high gear, kicking up dust and who knows what else. Then they fertilized with something natural, or it got so hot we could smell the stables from down the lane in back of us -- either way,  it didn't smell too purdy. James had fun trying out all the shorts his cousin just handed him down. He started complaining his throat hurt as his nose ran more.

This morning, he picked out a really loud (but cheerful) pair of blue-and-green plaid shorts. This is what we saw when we looked outside:

From talking with other Moms and reading their online posts, it seems as though the weather can affect childrens' behaviour -- especially if they have sensitivity issues. Research studies do not back this up, but that doesn't stop me from thinking that there really might be a connection. I've come to view scientific discoveries as a work-in-progress ... but I digress.

We have a birthday party to attend this weekend, but then I think we're taking it easy. Happy fin de semana, regardless of the weather!