I'm separating this post from the one with the kids since that one was so long. We started looking for houses here in the Austin area about a month ago and we found a few that we like on 5 acres. We made an offer one one but the repairs aren't going as planned. We'll see what happens with that. We were supposed to close on July 1.
On Friday, K was told that he was being laid off at the end of the month. I'm glad that they gave him two weeks notice so he could start looking elsewhere, but that's tough. Last time, they just let him go the same day and it took 2-3 months for him to find something. From what I understand, Austin has that most jobs for his line of work. Oregon and Arizona are next. Most of the jobs we've seen are for 6 months to a year contract, though, which would mean more time without health insurance. We've been without it for a year now and it scares me.
Anyway, K is an electrical engineer that specializes in FPGA. He's always done engineering for the military sector, so when funding is taken away, a lot of people start losing their jobs. It's frustrating. He's going to start looking into more commercial companies now, but he's hoping to be able to keep his security clearance. Praying for something quick to pop up for him here in Austin. This moving every year business is exhausting.
Tuesday, June 18, 2013
It's Tough Being Two
I'm really behind on posting. Our dog, Porter, got out of our fence on Thanksgiving and was hit and killed by a car on A.W. Grimes behind our house. He was our first dog and we've had him since he was a puppy, but after he bit Bryce, I had a hard time dealing with him. I contacted a few rescue groups around us to see if they could take him and nobody could. So, I guess this was a blessing in disguise. I'm sad that he is gone but relieved that I don't have to live in fear of him biting one of us again.
I thought the kids would be sleeping well by now, but that's not the case. They have been very difficult to get into bed and to take naps. I finally said I had enough and I put them on a more structured routine. That seems to have helped. Lately, they take a bath, eat a snack, brush teeth, put on jammies, and we read a story before bed and nap time. We just started having them in bed by 8-8:30 and we start an hour early because it takes so long. Still, they wake up in the middle of the night and end up in bed with us. I honestly think K2's issue is that she wants more one-on-one time with her mommy and daddy. Not having that definitely affects her attitude that day.
B and K2 are growing like crazy, and coming into their own personalities. K2 is a perfectionist and introverted. She likes to follow mommy and do what mommy does...exactly. The books, toys, etc. must be lined up according to her standards and she will let you know when it isn't right. She is also a big helper. She likes to help mommy and daddy, but she's also very motherly towards B. Strangers bother her. If she doesn't know them, she will not give them the time of day. She loves to dance, sing (especially Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and Frere Jacques), talk, and read.
B has a very strong personality. He is strong-willed and easy-going. He loves people, animals, and moving around. If we're still members of the Y in August, we're going to sign him up for soccer. He usually tolerates K2 pretty well. If he has something she wants, he usually gives in and lets her have it because he doesn't care. There are situations when he will stick up for what he wants, though. That's when mom or dad have to intervene.
A few facts about B. He -
I thought the kids would be sleeping well by now, but that's not the case. They have been very difficult to get into bed and to take naps. I finally said I had enough and I put them on a more structured routine. That seems to have helped. Lately, they take a bath, eat a snack, brush teeth, put on jammies, and we read a story before bed and nap time. We just started having them in bed by 8-8:30 and we start an hour early because it takes so long. Still, they wake up in the middle of the night and end up in bed with us. I honestly think K2's issue is that she wants more one-on-one time with her mommy and daddy. Not having that definitely affects her attitude that day.
B and K2 are growing like crazy, and coming into their own personalities. K2 is a perfectionist and introverted. She likes to follow mommy and do what mommy does...exactly. The books, toys, etc. must be lined up according to her standards and she will let you know when it isn't right. She is also a big helper. She likes to help mommy and daddy, but she's also very motherly towards B. Strangers bother her. If she doesn't know them, she will not give them the time of day. She loves to dance, sing (especially Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and Frere Jacques), talk, and read.
B has a very strong personality. He is strong-willed and easy-going. He loves people, animals, and moving around. If we're still members of the Y in August, we're going to sign him up for soccer. He usually tolerates K2 pretty well. If he has something she wants, he usually gives in and lets her have it because he doesn't care. There are situations when he will stick up for what he wants, though. That's when mom or dad have to intervene.
A few facts about B. He -
- knows quite a few letters in the alphabet by sight and sound.
- can count to 20.
- loves Leapfrog Letter Factory DVD, Super Why, Barney, Thomas the Train, Cat in the Hat, Wild Kratts
- is fascinated by insects. He will lay on the ground and watch them or let them crawl all over him.
- enjoys chocolate chips in his vanilla Brown Cow yogurt, with cinnamon and brown rice cereal
- loves helping mommy in the kitchen
- likes to watch basketball at the Y
- can climb just about anything
- is a fast runner
- doesn't like swimming at first - takes about 20 minutes to get to where he wants to swim in the pool and even then, has to be tightly attached to mommy
- likes brussel sprouts, broccoli, strawberries, grapes, chicken, nachos, ice cream, yogurt drops, smoothie pops, Rosa's tortillas, milk kefir, water kefir, and kombucha.
- likes the park, but prefers to run around and play with a little of everything rather than to stay in one spot
- likes to be tickled
- likes playing with cars and dinosaurs, while making explosion noises
- enjoys playing with daddy's helicopters
- enjoys riding on the tricycle
- Can sing most of the alphabet.
- Knows quite a few letters in the alphabet by sight and sound.
- can count to 20.
- loves Leapfrog Letter Factory DVD, Super Why, Barney, Thomas the Train, Cat in the Hat, Wild Kratts
- really likes vanilla Brown Cow yogurt with cinnamon, brown rice cereal, and chocolate chips
- loves helping mommy in the kitchen
- enjoys swimming - can even hang over a noodle and kick her legs without being close to either parent.
- likes fingerpainting
- requests mommy to take her to the park daily so she can swing
- likes brussel sprouts, broccoli, salmon, strawberries, grapes, chicken, nachos, cauliflower soup, tomato bisque, potato soup, yogurt drops, ice cream, smoothie pops, Rosa's tortillas, milk kefir, water kefir, and apple juice
- is obsessed with B-pa and Moki (Grandma and Grandpa) - she requests to go to their house often
- likes playing with baby dolls and prefers to carry two dolls at once
- likes playing with trains and the sandbox
- enjoys riding her tricycle
- B is taller than K2 by almost 2 inches.
- B and K2 weigh about the same (27.4 lbs., according to our scale at home.)
- They love bath time.
- They prefer to sleep in the same room, but occasionally do prefer sleeping in separate rooms for nap time.
- They will eat peanut butter by itself...straight off the spoon! (Thanks Moki!)
- K2 gets annoyed with my singing and sometimes asks me to stop
- They both know the human anatomy and have since they were 18 months. Bryce saw a shirtless guy pumping gas one day and yelled out, "Look mommy, that man has boo boos!"
- K2 narrates most of what she does during the day.
- They are usually pretty good about cleaning up when they make a mess.
- B told me last night, "Porcupines! Porcupines! Porcupines on your legs, mommy!" (I guess that was my cue to go shave.)
- They both can sit straight through Finding Nemo and Smurfs.
- Mommy's kisses on owies make it all better.
- Anytime there's an ant bite, tummy ache, etc., they request oils and/or baking soda paste. (My crunchy remedies are rubbing off.)
- They love being outside.
- They can now call mommy and daddy by our first names.
- They are both potty trained and have been for a couple of months now. They wear underwear most of the day, except for bed time.
Monday, November 19, 2012
Parenting Ain't Easy
The kids and I have been sick the past few days. It stinks. I started putting essential oils on the kids' feet before bed so they regularly stick their feet in my face and request that I put oil on their feet. I think the kids like it because it's a chance to bond with mommy and it gives us a chance to switch things up a bit. It brings me back to Jesus washing the disciples' feet. There is something very humbling about washing another person's feet. If that makes any sense.
I was downstairs in the living room and Kevin was upstairs with the kids on Saturday night. I yelled, "I love you" to Bryce and he yelled back, "I love you mama!" I totally wasn't expecting it because he's never said it before. Talk about melting my heart. Kayla says it more often now. She prefers, "I lub you!" It doesn't matter to me. It's still cute.
They are connecting and understanding more words now. For example, "Daddy coming home?", "Going to get mail", "I see you mama!", "Daddy work", and "Butt owie" (diaper rash - Kayla did this today.) They understand when I say we're going to the store or somewhere so they'll go and get their shoes on. I told them today that we were going to the chiropractor and Kayla actually said, "chiropractor" or something very similar.
One thing I have learned is that in order to keep tantrums at bay, I let them help me whenever I can. They LOVE to help. It may take a little longer to do something, but they are learning and not fighting. When I do dishes, I generally hand them silverware or plates to put in the dishwasher and that goes over pretty well. They like to help dump ingredients into a bowl when I'm baking. I handed Bryce a spoon and he put leftovers into a container last night. They especially like to help with laundry. I'll often put the laundry basket in front of the washer (thank goodness for front loaders) and one of them will grab some clothes out of the basket and hand it to the other one to put in the washer. They'll do the same for the dryer too. We went to the dollar store and got each of them a broom and Kevin cut it to about their height so now they sweep the floor with me. :)
Lately, we've been struggling with a couple of things - throwing things on the floor out of frustration or just because, and manners at the kitchen table. Kayla screams/cries when things don't go her way - she gets a pink (you name it) and she wanted blue or she wanted to turn on the light, so she will scream for close to an hour in rebellion. Kevin and I try not to give in, but that's pretty hard. She was screaming in the car one day because we didn't let her buckle her seatbelt (we were in a hurry) and Bryce said, "enough" and "stop Lala". Her screaming is a big challenge for us right now. It is just so often and neither of us know what to do about it and we're about to the end of our rope.
We have chosen not to spank our kids (not that we're against people who do.) I believe that every child responds to different discipline. We have had our fair share of spanking and raising voices but it just scared them and made them start crying, so we searched for something else. We recently started a "recovery time" (where they are in the same room but off to the side) when they start hitting, biting, screaming, etc. and that seems to work. I hate to call it time out because people have made it out to be something negative. We use it as a time for them to recover and gather their emotions and thoughts before returning to where they were. We have tried a number of other things and so far, this seems to be working the best. When they get older, I'll have them do what my mom used to have me do...write their thoughts out on paper. It's a good way to make them better at writing, too!
This parenting stuff isn't easy at all. It truly is the toughest job in the world. Sometimes, when I get on to them for something, I tell them, "Mommy and Daddy have rules and we know what is best for you. I would rather you learn these lessons and be mad at me now than to have to learn these lessons the hard way as an adult." Not only does it explain things to them, but it reassures me that I'm doing the right thing. Discipline is hard. It's hard to see your child cry because they aren't getting everything they want. Sometimes, envisioning them at 21 years old redirects my focus to our goal: raising honest, well-mannered, helpful, hardworking Christians who will be able to positively influence society. This really is the toughest job in the world.
I was downstairs in the living room and Kevin was upstairs with the kids on Saturday night. I yelled, "I love you" to Bryce and he yelled back, "I love you mama!" I totally wasn't expecting it because he's never said it before. Talk about melting my heart. Kayla says it more often now. She prefers, "I lub you!" It doesn't matter to me. It's still cute.
They are connecting and understanding more words now. For example, "Daddy coming home?", "Going to get mail", "I see you mama!", "Daddy work", and "Butt owie" (diaper rash - Kayla did this today.) They understand when I say we're going to the store or somewhere so they'll go and get their shoes on. I told them today that we were going to the chiropractor and Kayla actually said, "chiropractor" or something very similar.
One thing I have learned is that in order to keep tantrums at bay, I let them help me whenever I can. They LOVE to help. It may take a little longer to do something, but they are learning and not fighting. When I do dishes, I generally hand them silverware or plates to put in the dishwasher and that goes over pretty well. They like to help dump ingredients into a bowl when I'm baking. I handed Bryce a spoon and he put leftovers into a container last night. They especially like to help with laundry. I'll often put the laundry basket in front of the washer (thank goodness for front loaders) and one of them will grab some clothes out of the basket and hand it to the other one to put in the washer. They'll do the same for the dryer too. We went to the dollar store and got each of them a broom and Kevin cut it to about their height so now they sweep the floor with me. :)
Lately, we've been struggling with a couple of things - throwing things on the floor out of frustration or just because, and manners at the kitchen table. Kayla screams/cries when things don't go her way - she gets a pink (you name it) and she wanted blue or she wanted to turn on the light, so she will scream for close to an hour in rebellion. Kevin and I try not to give in, but that's pretty hard. She was screaming in the car one day because we didn't let her buckle her seatbelt (we were in a hurry) and Bryce said, "enough" and "stop Lala". Her screaming is a big challenge for us right now. It is just so often and neither of us know what to do about it and we're about to the end of our rope.
We have chosen not to spank our kids (not that we're against people who do.) I believe that every child responds to different discipline. We have had our fair share of spanking and raising voices but it just scared them and made them start crying, so we searched for something else. We recently started a "recovery time" (where they are in the same room but off to the side) when they start hitting, biting, screaming, etc. and that seems to work. I hate to call it time out because people have made it out to be something negative. We use it as a time for them to recover and gather their emotions and thoughts before returning to where they were. We have tried a number of other things and so far, this seems to be working the best. When they get older, I'll have them do what my mom used to have me do...write their thoughts out on paper. It's a good way to make them better at writing, too!
This parenting stuff isn't easy at all. It truly is the toughest job in the world. Sometimes, when I get on to them for something, I tell them, "Mommy and Daddy have rules and we know what is best for you. I would rather you learn these lessons and be mad at me now than to have to learn these lessons the hard way as an adult." Not only does it explain things to them, but it reassures me that I'm doing the right thing. Discipline is hard. It's hard to see your child cry because they aren't getting everything they want. Sometimes, envisioning them at 21 years old redirects my focus to our goal: raising honest, well-mannered, helpful, hardworking Christians who will be able to positively influence society. This really is the toughest job in the world.
Thursday, November 15, 2012
Health, Learning, and Discipline at 27 Months
I hate looking for new healthcare people. So much so that either I won't go, or I will drive a good distance to see the ones I like and that I'm used to. So, since we're closer to the ones we had before we moved to Wisconsin, I drive up there to see them for check ups. The rest of the time, I try to do homeopathic treatments.
I recently read about essential oils. There is so much information out there! I found a company that sells certified pure therapeutic oils that can be ingested, used topically or aromatically. They are safe for children too. I bought a home physician kit and we're giving it a try. I've only had it for 48 hours and I have already used at least 6 of the oils with success! Bryce got quite a few ant bites on his legs and feet, so we put some lavender on them and the swelling went down completely in two days. I am a firm believer that God put plants on this planet to treat our ailments. For something as simple as allergies, a cold, but bites, etc., He gave us the medicine for it. I also figured out that I could dilute lavender oil in coconut oil and put it on the bottom of mine or the kids' feet to help with allergies. Apparently, it is a natural antihistamine!
Even though we use homeopathic methods, I still balance things out by seeing a doctor for yearly exams. Mainly to make sure we're doing okay and if not, determine if there is something at home we can do to heal us. Besides, they are usually paid for by insurance companies at 100%. On Monday, I took the kids in for their two year check up with Dr. R. The kids' measurements are posted on the sidebar. They are both around 25% for weight and height, and 60% for their head circumference. My babies have big noggins. That's a good thing. Until they start using those noggins to try to manipulate and outsmart us. Oh wait. That has already started.
The doc said they look really great. B is a little knock-kneed, but that's normal. His arches are a little low (flat feet), but that's nothing to really worry about. He said it should get better over time. He didn't see their two year molars coming in yet. Sometimes they can wait until almost three for those to come in. Wow! I can't believe they're headed for the big threes. I'm not sure how I feel about that. Time sure goes by so fast. The whole time in the office, they sat up on the table...no crying, fussing, or anything. They enjoyed the picture of the whale's tale behind them on the wall and kept saying, "whale!" They're like their parents - they love marine life. I was really impressed by how well-behaved they were.
I think we're in the heat of two year old age. Kayla, especially, has started to get an attitude. With bossiness, that is not a good combination. I'm doing my best to nip it in the bud before it gets too bad. Discipline has become a major challenge. Bryce has a temper. When something doesn't go his way, he throws things, pulls hair, bites. Actually, Kayla does the same.
I have started a new morning ritual where I wake up, stretch, and do a parenting devotional with the Child Guidance book by Ellen G. White. It's a great book and it reaffirms my purpose and pumps me up for the day. Then, if the kids aren't awake yet, I'll make breakfast. They really like cereal, eggs, and turkey bacon these days.
They spend the majority of their days playing or we run errands together. A lot of times, I put them in the kitchen with me to help cook. A couple of days ago, they helped me make dinner. Bryce put the potatoes in the pot and Kayla put the scraps in a bag to freeze for chicken stock later on. It worked out really well. No whining, complaining, crying, or fighting. I stumbled on something. Keep their minds and hands busy as much as possible!
Occasionally, I let them watch Sid the Science Kid, Barney, Sesame Street, Word World, or Cat in the Hat on PBS, but not very often. I don't like them watching much television. I prefer them to play, color/draw, help me in the kitchen, or read. I have read some articles that state that kids who watch a lot of television have trouble focusing and aren't as creative as those who entertain themselves, so it's something I am cautious of. Anyway, tomorrow is a new day. We're going to meet a friend for a play date at the duck pond!
I absolutely love staying at home with my babies. It's a HUGE blessing!
I recently read about essential oils. There is so much information out there! I found a company that sells certified pure therapeutic oils that can be ingested, used topically or aromatically. They are safe for children too. I bought a home physician kit and we're giving it a try. I've only had it for 48 hours and I have already used at least 6 of the oils with success! Bryce got quite a few ant bites on his legs and feet, so we put some lavender on them and the swelling went down completely in two days. I am a firm believer that God put plants on this planet to treat our ailments. For something as simple as allergies, a cold, but bites, etc., He gave us the medicine for it. I also figured out that I could dilute lavender oil in coconut oil and put it on the bottom of mine or the kids' feet to help with allergies. Apparently, it is a natural antihistamine!
Even though we use homeopathic methods, I still balance things out by seeing a doctor for yearly exams. Mainly to make sure we're doing okay and if not, determine if there is something at home we can do to heal us. Besides, they are usually paid for by insurance companies at 100%. On Monday, I took the kids in for their two year check up with Dr. R. The kids' measurements are posted on the sidebar. They are both around 25% for weight and height, and 60% for their head circumference. My babies have big noggins. That's a good thing. Until they start using those noggins to try to manipulate and outsmart us. Oh wait. That has already started.
The doc said they look really great. B is a little knock-kneed, but that's normal. His arches are a little low (flat feet), but that's nothing to really worry about. He said it should get better over time. He didn't see their two year molars coming in yet. Sometimes they can wait until almost three for those to come in. Wow! I can't believe they're headed for the big threes. I'm not sure how I feel about that. Time sure goes by so fast. The whole time in the office, they sat up on the table...no crying, fussing, or anything. They enjoyed the picture of the whale's tale behind them on the wall and kept saying, "whale!" They're like their parents - they love marine life. I was really impressed by how well-behaved they were.
I think we're in the heat of two year old age. Kayla, especially, has started to get an attitude. With bossiness, that is not a good combination. I'm doing my best to nip it in the bud before it gets too bad. Discipline has become a major challenge. Bryce has a temper. When something doesn't go his way, he throws things, pulls hair, bites. Actually, Kayla does the same.
I have started a new morning ritual where I wake up, stretch, and do a parenting devotional with the Child Guidance book by Ellen G. White. It's a great book and it reaffirms my purpose and pumps me up for the day. Then, if the kids aren't awake yet, I'll make breakfast. They really like cereal, eggs, and turkey bacon these days.
They spend the majority of their days playing or we run errands together. A lot of times, I put them in the kitchen with me to help cook. A couple of days ago, they helped me make dinner. Bryce put the potatoes in the pot and Kayla put the scraps in a bag to freeze for chicken stock later on. It worked out really well. No whining, complaining, crying, or fighting. I stumbled on something. Keep their minds and hands busy as much as possible!
Occasionally, I let them watch Sid the Science Kid, Barney, Sesame Street, Word World, or Cat in the Hat on PBS, but not very often. I don't like them watching much television. I prefer them to play, color/draw, help me in the kitchen, or read. I have read some articles that state that kids who watch a lot of television have trouble focusing and aren't as creative as those who entertain themselves, so it's something I am cautious of. Anyway, tomorrow is a new day. We're going to meet a friend for a play date at the duck pond!
I absolutely love staying at home with my babies. It's a HUGE blessing!
Monday, October 8, 2012
25 months
I am so blessed that I have the opportunity to stay at home with our children! I get to watch them learn new things and I get to be here when they hurt themselves or get sick. We don't have many extras nowadays, but I'm fine with that. The kids have me at home and they are going to remember that, not what toys or things we had or didn't have. I'm making a lot of our foods from scratch and I'm using home remedies for a lot of things, too. These are things I want our kids to learn.
Things are pretty hectic around here unpacking, cleaning, and taking care of twins. Oh yeah, and dealing with dogs trying to breakout of our backyard almost on a daily basis. Siberian Huskies are known for being escape artists.
Bryce's eye is doing a lot better. He didn't have a scratch on it at all. He had his stitches out on the 12th of September, which after three failed IV attempts, led to him being put under general anesthesia. For now, we have to put sunblock on his face when we go out, we have to massage his scars, and put scar treatment patches over them for at least 8 hours a day. We've tried putting them on at night and he takes them off before we see him the next morning. It's the same story when we put them on during the day. He takes them off at nap time.
The kids' development is so hard to keep up with. Since they were in the car accident with me, I took them to the chiropractor on September 25th for their first adjustment. I'm glad I did because they had higher than normal temperature readings along their spines.
Here are some pics:
I usually write stuff on the calendar and transfer it here, so by date, here's other development:
September 29: B helped put away bins in Sabbath School (he was the only child who stayed back to help)
September 30: B saw a partial picture of a gecko on a Geico add and said, "gecko!" (he has only seen tiny real ones and not even very close.)
October 1: K learned to vacuum the carpet. B taught himself to say "daddy" and tried to say "mommy" (we say that he taught himself because he corrected himself.) B also helped me move a table from one room to the other.
October 2: B&K climbed a ladder for the first time at gymnastics and B counted to two when he was pointing to his eyes
October 6: B hid in a closet, poked his head out and said, "I see you!" K walked around the corner and yelled back, "I see you!"
October 7: K wanted juice so she yelled out, "Juice for Lala" (Lala is what B started so she carried it on.) B recognized the letters "o" and "i" on my t-shirt.
Favorites:
Shows: Sesame Street, Word World, Super Why, Sid the Science Kid, and Cat in the Hat. They also like Big Bang Theory. We don't watch movies anymore, so they don't have a favorite. I usually let them watch about an hour of TV total in the morning.
Animals: birds, geckos, dogs, cats, ants, and butterflies (as of Saturday)
Activities: They love water (everytime we walk past the pool at the YMCA, they yell out, "water") but of course, we can't go for a while because of Bryce's scars. They love playing outside, petting the dogs/cats, and chasing the birds. They love to help me make cookies and anything else in the kitchen. They love to read.
Foods/drinks: pumpkin muffins, pancakes, waffles, apples, oranges, bananas, strawberries, vanilla Brown Cow yogurt, eggs (more K than B), turkey bacon, Tuscan Lemon Chicken, chicken enchiladas, fajitas, taco salad, tomatoes (K), turkey wrap, blueberries, graham crackers, snickerdoodles, chocolate chip cookies, M&Ms (although, they mostly only get these at other people's houses), flavored coconut water, apple juice, fruit juice, milk, oatmeal, peanut butter energy bites, and ice cream.
Things are pretty hectic around here unpacking, cleaning, and taking care of twins. Oh yeah, and dealing with dogs trying to breakout of our backyard almost on a daily basis. Siberian Huskies are known for being escape artists.
Bryce's eye is doing a lot better. He didn't have a scratch on it at all. He had his stitches out on the 12th of September, which after three failed IV attempts, led to him being put under general anesthesia. For now, we have to put sunblock on his face when we go out, we have to massage his scars, and put scar treatment patches over them for at least 8 hours a day. We've tried putting them on at night and he takes them off before we see him the next morning. It's the same story when we put them on during the day. He takes them off at nap time.
The kids' development is so hard to keep up with. Since they were in the car accident with me, I took them to the chiropractor on September 25th for their first adjustment. I'm glad I did because they had higher than normal temperature readings along their spines.
Here are some pics:
I usually write stuff on the calendar and transfer it here, so by date, here's other development:
September 29: B helped put away bins in Sabbath School (he was the only child who stayed back to help)
September 30: B saw a partial picture of a gecko on a Geico add and said, "gecko!" (he has only seen tiny real ones and not even very close.)
October 1: K learned to vacuum the carpet. B taught himself to say "daddy" and tried to say "mommy" (we say that he taught himself because he corrected himself.) B also helped me move a table from one room to the other.
October 2: B&K climbed a ladder for the first time at gymnastics and B counted to two when he was pointing to his eyes
October 6: B hid in a closet, poked his head out and said, "I see you!" K walked around the corner and yelled back, "I see you!"
October 7: K wanted juice so she yelled out, "Juice for Lala" (Lala is what B started so she carried it on.) B recognized the letters "o" and "i" on my t-shirt.
Favorites:
Shows: Sesame Street, Word World, Super Why, Sid the Science Kid, and Cat in the Hat. They also like Big Bang Theory. We don't watch movies anymore, so they don't have a favorite. I usually let them watch about an hour of TV total in the morning.
Animals: birds, geckos, dogs, cats, ants, and butterflies (as of Saturday)
Activities: They love water (everytime we walk past the pool at the YMCA, they yell out, "water") but of course, we can't go for a while because of Bryce's scars. They love playing outside, petting the dogs/cats, and chasing the birds. They love to help me make cookies and anything else in the kitchen. They love to read.
Foods/drinks: pumpkin muffins, pancakes, waffles, apples, oranges, bananas, strawberries, vanilla Brown Cow yogurt, eggs (more K than B), turkey bacon, Tuscan Lemon Chicken, chicken enchiladas, fajitas, taco salad, tomatoes (K), turkey wrap, blueberries, graham crackers, snickerdoodles, chocolate chip cookies, M&Ms (although, they mostly only get these at other people's houses), flavored coconut water, apple juice, fruit juice, milk, oatmeal, peanut butter energy bites, and ice cream.
Monday, September 10, 2012
Road to Recovery
It has been one crazy month! I wish this was made up, but it isn't.
Tuesday, August 28th, I took the kids to Target to look for some shoes for Kayla. When we left, I drove on the access road to head to H-E-B to get some groceries. A guy came out of nowhere, ran a red light and basically t-boned front part of the Honda Pilot and pushed me into the Target parking lot (there were two entrances.) Essentially, there was over $20,000 worth of damage, so it is a total loss. The great news is that I absorbed most of the force and the kids only suffered a small burn from the seat belt. I ended up with whiplash, a huge bruise on my abdomen, bruises throughout my body because of the seat belt, a burn on my left hand from the air bags deploying, and back pain. The kids are fine and I had no broken bones, thank the Lord! Looking at the car, the driver's side door was hit, the area where the kids were sitting was missed and then the back driver's side was hit, causing the window to shatter.
Thankfully, this happened around Labor Day, so we were able to get a new on with a really great interest rate on a 2012 Honda Pilot. We got the same exact car because it held up to the force. The damage really should have been worse.
Then, Tuesday, September 4th, I was upstairs doing some stuff with the car wreck and Kevin was downstairs tearing up lettuce with the kids. We have three dogs (Argon and Harlow, Siberian Huskies and Porter, a German Shepherd/Siberian Husky mix...all 80-90 lbs.) I heard Porter growl and then silence. Then, I heard the dogs fighting. Just then, Kevin started yelling for me. I ran/fell down the stairs, crashing into the baby gate at the bottom and spraining my ankle. I hopped over to see what was going on and Kevin just handed Bryce to me. He was crying and his face was covered in blood. Porter had bitten his face.
Bryce, still crying, immediately put his head on my shoulder. When I got a good look, I noticed that his eyelid was hanging off and his forehead was open. Shaking, I shooed the dogs outside and Kevin called 911. He took Bryce back and I got on the phone with the dispatcher. Within 5 minutes, EMS pulled up and wrapped his head in a bandage and put him in the ambulance. Kevin went with him since he was there at the time of the accident. I grabbed Kayla without any shoes on, got in the Pilot and headed to the hospital.
When I got to the ER, I received a visitor's badge and found their room. Kevin was sitting on the bed holding Bryce. Social Services came in and got some information from us, then brought back some water and crackers for Kayla. When the doctor came in to look at Bryce's wounds, he said that he would call plastic surgery immediately. One of the doctors or residents (I don't know which...I was too panicked) came in for a consult and left to book the OR. Two more nurses came in to put an IV in Bryce's arm and gave him some morphine to ease the pain. Just then, Kayla started to get fussy so I brought her home to get some food and laid her down to sleep. Around 9:30, they wheeled B back to the OR. My Grandmother showed up to the house around 11:00 to look after Kayla and I went back to the hospital.
Kevin updated me: He said that all of the nurses in the hospital told him that we got the best plastic surgeon in the hospital. The surgeon told Kevin that it was worse than he thought. Porter's tooth went pretty far back into his eye socket so he would be worried about infection but there wasn't even a scratch on B's eyeball (aka globe). The surgeon was surprised. Shortly after midnight, we were brought back into ICU to see him where they were monitoring his vitals and keeping him sedated and on pain meds. We got back to his private room around 1:30 a.m., changed his diaper, and tried to lay down on a pull out couch. He woke up a few times in pain. :( There is nothing worse for parents than to see their child in pain and knowing that they can't do much about it.
We stayed in the hospital until he was released on Friday, September 7th. During the stay, he had wonderful nurses and his surgeon was amazing. The ophthalmologist came to look at Bryce's eye on Thursday but didn't realize his eyelids were stitched together (for better healing) and she tried to pull his eye open! Since then, he has been very cautious and hasn't wanted anyone to change his diaper or touch him.
He was discharged at noon on Friday. He has more than 20 sutures on his head and eye. He has to take antibiotics and we have to put ointment on his wounds. He is a trooper, though. He hasn't needed pain meds since we've been home and most of the time, he just plays with his toys. A couple of times, though, he has woken up angry because he can't see out of his eye. His stitches come out on Wednesday and the ophthalmologist is coming to look at his eye at the same time.
We dropped Porter off at the shelter on Saturday. His bite to Bryce was out of anxiety, not aggression, because we have moved a few times in the past few years. It was a tough decision since he has been a part of our family since he was a puppy almost five years ago. At the same time, it was tougher seeing the pain that Bryce went through. Before we left for the shelter, Bryce walked up to Porter and petted him. It was a heart warming moment to know that even after all of that, he still isn't afraid.
We are a lot more cautious with our other dogs now. Harlow and Argon are a lot more gentle with the kids than Porter was. In fact, just today, Bryce was giving them treats. In fact, Kevin even told me that after Porter bit Bryce, Harlow came in and attacked Porter. She is very protective of everyone in our family when it comes to other dogs growling or biting us. I am thankful for her.
Since the accident, we have had a lot of people pull through for us and offer help or just giving us an ear to listen. The day of the accident, I went to the chiropractor for the first time. His office sent Bryce a beanie baby and a book, and a beanie baby for Kayla as well. Kevin's work (he has only been there two weeks) sent balloons to Bryce. A friend of mine called a church down here and they visited us at the hospital and brought us food. It is amazing to me that strangers are willing to spend the time to pray for and comfort a child who has been hurt.
The Lord performs miracles and I would say that the outcomes of both of these accidents are among those miracles.
Tuesday, August 28th, I took the kids to Target to look for some shoes for Kayla. When we left, I drove on the access road to head to H-E-B to get some groceries. A guy came out of nowhere, ran a red light and basically t-boned front part of the Honda Pilot and pushed me into the Target parking lot (there were two entrances.) Essentially, there was over $20,000 worth of damage, so it is a total loss. The great news is that I absorbed most of the force and the kids only suffered a small burn from the seat belt. I ended up with whiplash, a huge bruise on my abdomen, bruises throughout my body because of the seat belt, a burn on my left hand from the air bags deploying, and back pain. The kids are fine and I had no broken bones, thank the Lord! Looking at the car, the driver's side door was hit, the area where the kids were sitting was missed and then the back driver's side was hit, causing the window to shatter.
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| This is where the kids were sitting. |
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| The side curtain air bag. |
Thankfully, this happened around Labor Day, so we were able to get a new on with a really great interest rate on a 2012 Honda Pilot. We got the same exact car because it held up to the force. The damage really should have been worse.
Then, Tuesday, September 4th, I was upstairs doing some stuff with the car wreck and Kevin was downstairs tearing up lettuce with the kids. We have three dogs (Argon and Harlow, Siberian Huskies and Porter, a German Shepherd/Siberian Husky mix...all 80-90 lbs.) I heard Porter growl and then silence. Then, I heard the dogs fighting. Just then, Kevin started yelling for me. I ran/fell down the stairs, crashing into the baby gate at the bottom and spraining my ankle. I hopped over to see what was going on and Kevin just handed Bryce to me. He was crying and his face was covered in blood. Porter had bitten his face.
Bryce, still crying, immediately put his head on my shoulder. When I got a good look, I noticed that his eyelid was hanging off and his forehead was open. Shaking, I shooed the dogs outside and Kevin called 911. He took Bryce back and I got on the phone with the dispatcher. Within 5 minutes, EMS pulled up and wrapped his head in a bandage and put him in the ambulance. Kevin went with him since he was there at the time of the accident. I grabbed Kayla without any shoes on, got in the Pilot and headed to the hospital.
When I got to the ER, I received a visitor's badge and found their room. Kevin was sitting on the bed holding Bryce. Social Services came in and got some information from us, then brought back some water and crackers for Kayla. When the doctor came in to look at Bryce's wounds, he said that he would call plastic surgery immediately. One of the doctors or residents (I don't know which...I was too panicked) came in for a consult and left to book the OR. Two more nurses came in to put an IV in Bryce's arm and gave him some morphine to ease the pain. Just then, Kayla started to get fussy so I brought her home to get some food and laid her down to sleep. Around 9:30, they wheeled B back to the OR. My Grandmother showed up to the house around 11:00 to look after Kayla and I went back to the hospital.
Kevin updated me: He said that all of the nurses in the hospital told him that we got the best plastic surgeon in the hospital. The surgeon told Kevin that it was worse than he thought. Porter's tooth went pretty far back into his eye socket so he would be worried about infection but there wasn't even a scratch on B's eyeball (aka globe). The surgeon was surprised. Shortly after midnight, we were brought back into ICU to see him where they were monitoring his vitals and keeping him sedated and on pain meds. We got back to his private room around 1:30 a.m., changed his diaper, and tried to lay down on a pull out couch. He woke up a few times in pain. :( There is nothing worse for parents than to see their child in pain and knowing that they can't do much about it.
We stayed in the hospital until he was released on Friday, September 7th. During the stay, he had wonderful nurses and his surgeon was amazing. The ophthalmologist came to look at Bryce's eye on Thursday but didn't realize his eyelids were stitched together (for better healing) and she tried to pull his eye open! Since then, he has been very cautious and hasn't wanted anyone to change his diaper or touch him.
He was discharged at noon on Friday. He has more than 20 sutures on his head and eye. He has to take antibiotics and we have to put ointment on his wounds. He is a trooper, though. He hasn't needed pain meds since we've been home and most of the time, he just plays with his toys. A couple of times, though, he has woken up angry because he can't see out of his eye. His stitches come out on Wednesday and the ophthalmologist is coming to look at his eye at the same time.
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| This is almost a week after Porter bit him. The swelling in his right eye has gone down and he doesn't have the bandages anymore. We had an amazing plastic surgeon! |
We dropped Porter off at the shelter on Saturday. His bite to Bryce was out of anxiety, not aggression, because we have moved a few times in the past few years. It was a tough decision since he has been a part of our family since he was a puppy almost five years ago. At the same time, it was tougher seeing the pain that Bryce went through. Before we left for the shelter, Bryce walked up to Porter and petted him. It was a heart warming moment to know that even after all of that, he still isn't afraid.
We are a lot more cautious with our other dogs now. Harlow and Argon are a lot more gentle with the kids than Porter was. In fact, just today, Bryce was giving them treats. In fact, Kevin even told me that after Porter bit Bryce, Harlow came in and attacked Porter. She is very protective of everyone in our family when it comes to other dogs growling or biting us. I am thankful for her.
Since the accident, we have had a lot of people pull through for us and offer help or just giving us an ear to listen. The day of the accident, I went to the chiropractor for the first time. His office sent Bryce a beanie baby and a book, and a beanie baby for Kayla as well. Kevin's work (he has only been there two weeks) sent balloons to Bryce. A friend of mine called a church down here and they visited us at the hospital and brought us food. It is amazing to me that strangers are willing to spend the time to pray for and comfort a child who has been hurt.
The Lord performs miracles and I would say that the outcomes of both of these accidents are among those miracles.
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Longhorn Country
We officially "moved" to longhorn country (home of Texas Longhorns - seriously, I don't like this because I'm an Aggie fan, but hey, it's Texas nonetheless) on August 12th. My husband hired a moving company to move us since it was such a long distance. He chose Colonial Van Lines, who ended up hiring a smaller company to do the job. I had a bad feeling and he felt like we were forced to go with them. The company didn't have furniture pads, dollies, or shrink wrap for our stuff, so stuff got damaged during the move. The owner/agent of the company was rude while he was at our house. He was on the phone the whole time he was there and even asked to use our phone charger to charge his phone while he sat in our recliner and continued to talk/yell at people on the phone about money. When I went to the bank to get a money order to pay him, he requested cash only and said that since we were giving him a money order, he was going to take an entire week to deliver our stuff. Since we came in 4,000 lbs below our quoted weight, the owner/agent flat out refused to come back and get the rest of our stuff, so we had to rent a Penske truck to do the rest on our own. We tried to drive the 12 hours to Kansas, so that we could make the kids' birthday party with K's family. We missed it because we had to stop and get sleep. It had been almost 48 hours since we slept and we weren't going to make it.
Upon delivery (which he took 10 days to do), he demanded cash again and told my husband that he wasn't going to play these d*** games anymore. Our stuff was late, the movers were lazy so I had to help them take stuff off the truck, they didn't take stuff to the right rooms, nor did they assemble any of our furniture. We were honestly afraid that our stuff was going to be stolen or severely damaged. It was a horrible situation and we will probably never use movers again.
Before we left Milwaukee, we took a road trip to Michigan. We dropped off two of our glider families to a friend of mine from elementary school and then we drove up through Holland and on to Muskegon, where we took the ferry back with our car. It was an awesome experience. The trip was on the day before K's birthday. We had intended on getting on the ferry around 5 p.m., but we forgot about the time change, so we didn't make it. This left us there until 11:00 that night. The good part about this is that we were in the middle of Lake Michigan when the clock struck midnight. The moon was full and bright, and it was gorgeous when we saw the shore of Milwaukee. I am honestly going to miss living in Wisconsin. The beauty of the trees and wild animals just doesn't even come close to Texas.
While we moved, we left the kids with grandparents for three weeks. My parents took them for a week, then K's parents took them for a week until we drove down to Kansas, then we picked them up and dropped them off at my parents' house for a week while we unpacked, or so we thought we would be doing.
On Saturday, August 18th, we had the kids' 2nd birthday party: Dr. Seuss theme. After the party, we brought them down to Austin to see their new home. Since Saturday, we have been dealing with non-stop toddler tantrums. Today, things were much better, so hopefully that means everyone is adjusting. K and I are at least getting used to moving (sadly). Other then the issues with the moving company, everything else went pretty well. I did most of the packing, thankfully, which is why nothing was damaged. The last time we moved, we had some family helping K pack because I was in Wisconsin working and quite a few things were ruined and had to be thrown out.
Good news is...we're in a bigger house in a cul-de-sac, where cars won't be speeding through. Our neighbor on the backside of our fence is a church. The downside is that the dogs have gotten loose a couple of times by chewing a hole through the fence. Huskies are expert escape artists. We knew this going into it and we never had a problem when we first got them. Moving seems to be what set it off.
I'll post pics of the kids' 2nd birthday party and development updates later when I have more time. Time is even more precious now that we have toddlers.
Upon delivery (which he took 10 days to do), he demanded cash again and told my husband that he wasn't going to play these d*** games anymore. Our stuff was late, the movers were lazy so I had to help them take stuff off the truck, they didn't take stuff to the right rooms, nor did they assemble any of our furniture. We were honestly afraid that our stuff was going to be stolen or severely damaged. It was a horrible situation and we will probably never use movers again.
Before we left Milwaukee, we took a road trip to Michigan. We dropped off two of our glider families to a friend of mine from elementary school and then we drove up through Holland and on to Muskegon, where we took the ferry back with our car. It was an awesome experience. The trip was on the day before K's birthday. We had intended on getting on the ferry around 5 p.m., but we forgot about the time change, so we didn't make it. This left us there until 11:00 that night. The good part about this is that we were in the middle of Lake Michigan when the clock struck midnight. The moon was full and bright, and it was gorgeous when we saw the shore of Milwaukee. I am honestly going to miss living in Wisconsin. The beauty of the trees and wild animals just doesn't even come close to Texas.
While we moved, we left the kids with grandparents for three weeks. My parents took them for a week, then K's parents took them for a week until we drove down to Kansas, then we picked them up and dropped them off at my parents' house for a week while we unpacked, or so we thought we would be doing.
On Saturday, August 18th, we had the kids' 2nd birthday party: Dr. Seuss theme. After the party, we brought them down to Austin to see their new home. Since Saturday, we have been dealing with non-stop toddler tantrums. Today, things were much better, so hopefully that means everyone is adjusting. K and I are at least getting used to moving (sadly). Other then the issues with the moving company, everything else went pretty well. I did most of the packing, thankfully, which is why nothing was damaged. The last time we moved, we had some family helping K pack because I was in Wisconsin working and quite a few things were ruined and had to be thrown out.
Good news is...we're in a bigger house in a cul-de-sac, where cars won't be speeding through. Our neighbor on the backside of our fence is a church. The downside is that the dogs have gotten loose a couple of times by chewing a hole through the fence. Huskies are expert escape artists. We knew this going into it and we never had a problem when we first got them. Moving seems to be what set it off.
I'll post pics of the kids' 2nd birthday party and development updates later when I have more time. Time is even more precious now that we have toddlers.
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Texas-bound
I can't believe I haven't updated this blog in a month, but it has been a crazy month! Today's post is a little random because I have so many things to catch up on. So here goes...
On June 13th, we took our cat in to see the vet because his eyes were yellow. After blood work and X-rays, he was diagnosed with liver cancer. Basically, he has a large mass in his liver and fluid in his intestines. All of his organs are squished because of this fluid. He will die soon, but for now, he is hanging in there. It took a few minutes for the news to sink in and then I just cried as I waited in the vet's office for more results. Having a background in biology and several family members with liver problems, I knew that yellow eyes and skin were a sign of liver failure. I hate the liver. I know that it is an important organ, but I hate it when it starts failing.
I often wish that I had continued with the biology field so that I could work in a lab and find cures for illnesses. Microbiology, Anatomy & Physiology, and Chemistry were the classes that I enjoyed the most and they were the ones that I excelled in. As time goes on, I just don't think teaching is the right career for me anymore. I hate the stress, the paperwork, and dealing with angry parents or kids who don't care. I need to do a lot of praying on this one. Maybe it's just how I'm feeling right now simply because I want to be at home with the kids for a while.
My husband went to on-site interviews in Minnesota, Michigan, and Texas. He got offers from the places in Texas and Michigan. Kevin chose to work for the company in Austin because it requires him to get a Top Secret Security Clearance and they will be working on some "pretty cool" stuff for government projects. We also chose to go to Austin because the pay would be a lot better, it's cheaper to live there (no state tax, food isn't taxed, and gas is cheaper), and we will be closer to family so the kids can see their grandparents and we can get a break every now and then. I love the kids more than anything; it is just nice to have time to actually clean or read a book. That is impossible living so far away from family. At least when you have one child who is a little older, that child can play with and occupy the smaller one.
Last week, we went to Austin to look for a house. We found one that is around 2300 sf. The yard and master bedroom are HUGE! We can actually fence off an area for the dogs and an area for the kids so we can put a sandbox and a swing set up for them (the kids, not the dogs.) The house is close to my favorite grocery store, HEB, so I am happy about that. We are also close to YMCA so the kids can do gymnastics.
For the next week, we will be packing for our move. The movers should be here on Tuesday to get our stuff and take it to Austin. We tried doing the whole long-distance move thing by ourselves and we won't do it again. Our last move was done in such a hurry that we didn't get a chance to go through anything and throw stuff away. This time, we left the kids with my parents and we are spending time separating stuff to keep and stuff to donate. I really like packing because it gives me a chance to do some deep cleaning. I just hate that we're packing while the Olympics are on. It's hard to do both, while still giving each all of my attention.
I miss the kids like crazy, but here are a few updates in development:
Kayla is acting more and more like a little momma. She will put her hand on her hip and tell Bryce what to do. We were eating breakfast one morning and she handed Bryce her waffle to bring to me so she could get some syrup on it. He took it back to her, she would take a bite and hand it back to him. He brought it back to me about 10 times so she could have syrup on her waffle.
When I talked to my mom yesterday, she said that Kayla had put herself in her own toddler bed so she could take a nap. She had covered herself with the blanket and was sucking her thumb (we really need to find a way to kick this habit.) One thing about Kayla is that she is a little more dependent than Bryce. She needs more reassurance and attention. I notice that she cries and whines more when her daddy is in the room. My theory is that he is wrapped around her finger and he holds her a lot. A few weeks ago, she was pointing to the water bottle that I had and she was whining. I explained to her that I wanted her to use words when there was something that she wanted. So, I kept asking, "Do you want some water?" Finally, she said, "water." From then on, she has been a lot more clear about what she wants. A while back, she was asking for milk, which Kevin didn't want to give to her because "it wasn't time yet." I pretty much told Kevin that when she asks for something, as long as it is within reason, we should give it to her so that she knows that we understand her so that she will keep it up. One of the things that I have learned is that you have to pick your battles as a parent. Not everything is worth fighting about.
On June 22nd, Bryce peed in an adult potty at El Beso! He is pretty much potty trained, but a little inconsistent. I admit that I haven't been working with him as much as I should be. With Kevin losing his job and interviewing out of state, our schedule hasn't been quite as helpful in this area. We will devote more time when we get to Austin.
On July 20th, Bryce climbed onto our bed without help!
On July 21st, Kayla swam in the pool at the Wisconsin Athletic Club. Apparently, she's going to be a quick learner when it comes to swimming. I laid her on her belly on the little foam board (not sure what those are called) and she kicked her legs like crazy. Bryce is still a little unsure of the pool, but he "swims" in the bathtub all the time. Neither of them do well when we have tried to get them to float on their backs. Also on July 21st, we took the kids to M&M Gymnastics in New Berlin, where they had open gym time. They have a tot area and Kayla loved hanging on the rings. Bryce got on the uneven bars and swung around on his own (yet, he wouldn't do it when I helped him.) Kayla did a flip around the uneven bars with my help and she just laughed like crazy. I think we're going to have two little gymnasts on our hands!
I can't even begin to keep up with how many words they know anymore. Their expressive vocabulary has just evolved so quickly. Receptive vocabulary is even better. They understand most things that we tell them or ask them to do. Even with words they may not have heard before, they pick them up really quickly.
They are almost two and we are going to have two separate birthday parties since families live so far. For their party in Kansas, Kevin's family is doing an Elmo theme and we are doing Cat in the Hat theme in Texas with my family. There is a big thing with both Elmo and Cat in the Hat in our household these days. We bought Kayla some Elmo pajamas and she kept pointing and saying, "Elmo!" Bryce was so upset that he didn't have Elmo on his shirt. We told him that he had a monkey on his and of course, once I started making monkey noises, he was happy. Perhaps we need to go back to the store and get a set of Elmo pajamas for Bryce, too. The big deal about Cat in the Hat is this...I started singing the "Go, go go..." song and since then, they are addicted. They will actually bring me the remote and ask to watch the show. When the song comes on, they both look at me and I have to sing along.
On another note: Since about February, I have been hitting the gym about 5 or 6 days a week. With us moving away from the gym that I love so dearly, I have been going to every class that I possibly can. Mainly, Cardio Combat and Fit Club. I had no idea that I liked fighting so much. Apparently kickboxing burns over 800 calories an hour! I decided against Gold's Gym when the daycare worker told me that they don't change diapers and any needs that my child had would have to be handled by me. They page the parents to come "deal with their child's needs." They also have a television on the entire time there at the daycare. I definitely don't want my kids watching television the entire time that they are in there, especially if I am not able to pick what they watch. That crossed them off my list immediately. Right now, YMCA is the front runner, although it really isn't a gym geared for what I'm looking for. And as much as I enjoy children, I don't particularly like them running loose around the gym screaming while I'm working out.
That's all for now.
On June 13th, we took our cat in to see the vet because his eyes were yellow. After blood work and X-rays, he was diagnosed with liver cancer. Basically, he has a large mass in his liver and fluid in his intestines. All of his organs are squished because of this fluid. He will die soon, but for now, he is hanging in there. It took a few minutes for the news to sink in and then I just cried as I waited in the vet's office for more results. Having a background in biology and several family members with liver problems, I knew that yellow eyes and skin were a sign of liver failure. I hate the liver. I know that it is an important organ, but I hate it when it starts failing.
I often wish that I had continued with the biology field so that I could work in a lab and find cures for illnesses. Microbiology, Anatomy & Physiology, and Chemistry were the classes that I enjoyed the most and they were the ones that I excelled in. As time goes on, I just don't think teaching is the right career for me anymore. I hate the stress, the paperwork, and dealing with angry parents or kids who don't care. I need to do a lot of praying on this one. Maybe it's just how I'm feeling right now simply because I want to be at home with the kids for a while.
My husband went to on-site interviews in Minnesota, Michigan, and Texas. He got offers from the places in Texas and Michigan. Kevin chose to work for the company in Austin because it requires him to get a Top Secret Security Clearance and they will be working on some "pretty cool" stuff for government projects. We also chose to go to Austin because the pay would be a lot better, it's cheaper to live there (no state tax, food isn't taxed, and gas is cheaper), and we will be closer to family so the kids can see their grandparents and we can get a break every now and then. I love the kids more than anything; it is just nice to have time to actually clean or read a book. That is impossible living so far away from family. At least when you have one child who is a little older, that child can play with and occupy the smaller one.
Last week, we went to Austin to look for a house. We found one that is around 2300 sf. The yard and master bedroom are HUGE! We can actually fence off an area for the dogs and an area for the kids so we can put a sandbox and a swing set up for them (the kids, not the dogs.) The house is close to my favorite grocery store, HEB, so I am happy about that. We are also close to YMCA so the kids can do gymnastics.
For the next week, we will be packing for our move. The movers should be here on Tuesday to get our stuff and take it to Austin. We tried doing the whole long-distance move thing by ourselves and we won't do it again. Our last move was done in such a hurry that we didn't get a chance to go through anything and throw stuff away. This time, we left the kids with my parents and we are spending time separating stuff to keep and stuff to donate. I really like packing because it gives me a chance to do some deep cleaning. I just hate that we're packing while the Olympics are on. It's hard to do both, while still giving each all of my attention.
I miss the kids like crazy, but here are a few updates in development:
Kayla is acting more and more like a little momma. She will put her hand on her hip and tell Bryce what to do. We were eating breakfast one morning and she handed Bryce her waffle to bring to me so she could get some syrup on it. He took it back to her, she would take a bite and hand it back to him. He brought it back to me about 10 times so she could have syrup on her waffle.
When I talked to my mom yesterday, she said that Kayla had put herself in her own toddler bed so she could take a nap. She had covered herself with the blanket and was sucking her thumb (we really need to find a way to kick this habit.) One thing about Kayla is that she is a little more dependent than Bryce. She needs more reassurance and attention. I notice that she cries and whines more when her daddy is in the room. My theory is that he is wrapped around her finger and he holds her a lot. A few weeks ago, she was pointing to the water bottle that I had and she was whining. I explained to her that I wanted her to use words when there was something that she wanted. So, I kept asking, "Do you want some water?" Finally, she said, "water." From then on, she has been a lot more clear about what she wants. A while back, she was asking for milk, which Kevin didn't want to give to her because "it wasn't time yet." I pretty much told Kevin that when she asks for something, as long as it is within reason, we should give it to her so that she knows that we understand her so that she will keep it up. One of the things that I have learned is that you have to pick your battles as a parent. Not everything is worth fighting about.
On June 22nd, Bryce peed in an adult potty at El Beso! He is pretty much potty trained, but a little inconsistent. I admit that I haven't been working with him as much as I should be. With Kevin losing his job and interviewing out of state, our schedule hasn't been quite as helpful in this area. We will devote more time when we get to Austin.
On July 20th, Bryce climbed onto our bed without help!
On July 21st, Kayla swam in the pool at the Wisconsin Athletic Club. Apparently, she's going to be a quick learner when it comes to swimming. I laid her on her belly on the little foam board (not sure what those are called) and she kicked her legs like crazy. Bryce is still a little unsure of the pool, but he "swims" in the bathtub all the time. Neither of them do well when we have tried to get them to float on their backs. Also on July 21st, we took the kids to M&M Gymnastics in New Berlin, where they had open gym time. They have a tot area and Kayla loved hanging on the rings. Bryce got on the uneven bars and swung around on his own (yet, he wouldn't do it when I helped him.) Kayla did a flip around the uneven bars with my help and she just laughed like crazy. I think we're going to have two little gymnasts on our hands!
I can't even begin to keep up with how many words they know anymore. Their expressive vocabulary has just evolved so quickly. Receptive vocabulary is even better. They understand most things that we tell them or ask them to do. Even with words they may not have heard before, they pick them up really quickly.
They are almost two and we are going to have two separate birthday parties since families live so far. For their party in Kansas, Kevin's family is doing an Elmo theme and we are doing Cat in the Hat theme in Texas with my family. There is a big thing with both Elmo and Cat in the Hat in our household these days. We bought Kayla some Elmo pajamas and she kept pointing and saying, "Elmo!" Bryce was so upset that he didn't have Elmo on his shirt. We told him that he had a monkey on his and of course, once I started making monkey noises, he was happy. Perhaps we need to go back to the store and get a set of Elmo pajamas for Bryce, too. The big deal about Cat in the Hat is this...I started singing the "Go, go go..." song and since then, they are addicted. They will actually bring me the remote and ask to watch the show. When the song comes on, they both look at me and I have to sing along.
On another note: Since about February, I have been hitting the gym about 5 or 6 days a week. With us moving away from the gym that I love so dearly, I have been going to every class that I possibly can. Mainly, Cardio Combat and Fit Club. I had no idea that I liked fighting so much. Apparently kickboxing burns over 800 calories an hour! I decided against Gold's Gym when the daycare worker told me that they don't change diapers and any needs that my child had would have to be handled by me. They page the parents to come "deal with their child's needs." They also have a television on the entire time there at the daycare. I definitely don't want my kids watching television the entire time that they are in there, especially if I am not able to pick what they watch. That crossed them off my list immediately. Right now, YMCA is the front runner, although it really isn't a gym geared for what I'm looking for. And as much as I enjoy children, I don't particularly like them running loose around the gym screaming while I'm working out.
That's all for now.
Monday, June 11, 2012
22 Months (Almost)
The kids' development is still going strong. We've been working with them for a couple of weeks on body parts. They can say and recognize: eye, nose, ear, hair, butt, and belly button. They can recognize: mouth, tongue, teeth, leg, foot, toes, arms, hands, and fingers. I am such a proud mommy.
They know most things that we tell them. For example, when we get meals ready, we tell them to go to their highchairs. So, they will go sit in their highchairs and get themselves buckled in. All we need to do is put their bibs and trays on.
They can take their own diapers off and sit on the potty. K2 has peed twice. B does it all the time.
Today, B grabbed for K1's soda can. K2 pushed it back and said, "No. That's mommy's. No. That's Daddy's." She corrected herself because she realized it wasn't mine.
They understand:
In addition to the above, they can say (and I know I've left a lot out):
They know most things that we tell them. For example, when we get meals ready, we tell them to go to their highchairs. So, they will go sit in their highchairs and get themselves buckled in. All we need to do is put their bibs and trays on.
They can take their own diapers off and sit on the potty. K2 has peed twice. B does it all the time.
Today, B grabbed for K1's soda can. K2 pushed it back and said, "No. That's mommy's. No. That's Daddy's." She corrected herself because she realized it wasn't mine.
They understand:
- what a microwave does
- that a refrigerator has food in it
- HOT!
- what toothbrushes and floss are
- bath time
- when we ask them to give us a hug and kiss (or they will do it on their own)
- when we ask them to sit down in the shopping cart
- when I ask them to grab my hand in the parking lot
- when we ask them to look for something (they will usually say "ummmm" as they're searching and if they don't know where it is, they will shrug)
- take something to daddy
- take something to each other
- bring me a: diaper, wipes, blanket, remote, phone, etc. (because usually they are the ones who have taken off with them in the first place)
- when the other is upset and they will comfort each other
- which books are which (they can determine the Dr. Seuss books from the How Do Dinosaurs series books and other books...these are the two series they prefer)
- B likes to be "wrapped" in a blanket before going to bed
- Most recently, B was crying so K2 said "shhhhh, loud!"
- They love to rinse and shake off their toothbrushes before bed
- B has tried to put on his own diaper (the regular diaper, not the pull ups)
- They can both put on their own pants, pull ups, and shoes (they're trying for socks and shirts)
- K2 has grabbed an outfit and put it on without any prompting
- K2 points to water every time she sees it in a book or on tv
- They love pouring water in and out of cups
- They love mixing things in bowls
- They prefer to drink out of water bottles and regular cups rather than a sippy cup (the only thing they will drink from a sippy cup is milk)
- They know when to say "zooooom!", swing their neck from side to side, sigh, give a big kiss, slam their "tail" and pout, say ROOOOAAARRR, and stomp their feet on the floor in the How Do Dinosaurs Say Good Night book
- B hisses when he sees a cat
- They converse with each other, although we don't know what they are saying. They will nod or say "no" in response to the other.
- They can give us a "high five" when we ask them to
- One Fish Two Fish
- Cat in the Hat
- Green Eggs and Ham
- The Lorax
- How Do Dinosaurs Say Good Night
- How Do Dinosaurs Say I Love You
- How Do Dinosaurs Count To Ten
- How Do Dinosaurs Clean Their Rooms
- How Do Dinosaurs Get Well Soon
- How Do Dinosaurs Learn Their Colors
- How Do Dinosaurs Play All Day
- How Do Dinosaurs Love Their Dogs
- Sesame Street
- Super Why
- Dinosaur Train
- Cat in the hat
- Shrek
- Madagascar
- Sid the Science Kid
- almonds
- bell pepper
- salmon patties
- salad
- pasta with pesto sauce
- apples
- bananas
- yogurt
- applesauce
- strawberries
- grapes
- tomatoes (K2)
- chicken
- chips and salsa
- mommy's chicken enchiladas
- cherries
- cherry limeade
- Naked juices
- chicken nuggets/patties
- chips
- mommy's homemade chocolate chip cookies
- pretzels
- oatmeal
- dried fruit
- scrambled eggs
- pancakes
- french toast
- mommy's homemade corn tortillas
- peas
In addition to the above, they can say (and I know I've left a lot out):
- all done (along with the sign)
- more (along with the sign)
- night night
- light
- Grandma (K2 says this when she sees pics of Grandma J and Grandma K)
- bye bye (and wave)
- back
- go back (K2 says this to B when she's telling him to back up)
- fish
- bird
- duck
- I do it
- couch
- remote
- ice
- car
- dog
- cat
- paper
- shoes
- socks
- diaper
- wipes
- poop
- I pooped
- where'd it go?
- ball
- baby
- bowl
- spoon
- book
- milk
- fork
- water
- juice
- mommy
- daddy
- no (a new favorite of Bryce's)
- chair
- orange
- banana
- apple
- up
- down
- go down
- Bryce (Kayla says this)
- loud (Kayla says this)
Friday, May 25, 2012
Learning
I am so happy to be at home with the kids. I get to witness them learn so many new things. It's awesome. Although, it may be coming to an end. With K1 out of work, I've had to look for another job.
Today, I told the kids that dinner was ready and that they needed to head to their highchairs. So, they both sat in their highchairs and buckled themselves in. :)
Last night, K1 read How Do Dinosaurs Say Good Night to the kids. As they flipped through the pages, they copied my facial expressions, arm movements, and sounds that I started a few months ago as we read. I wasn't even in the room, so they had memorized everything that I had done with them. "Does a dinosaur swing his neck from side to side?" They turned their heads in unison. "Does a dinosaur throw his teddy bear all about?" They both swing their arms...in unison. When we get to the page that says, "No, a dinosaur doesn't", B started shaking his head no and said, "NO!" What a funny kid.
They are learning so much! It is incredible to watch.
Today, I told the kids that dinner was ready and that they needed to head to their highchairs. So, they both sat in their highchairs and buckled themselves in. :)
Last night, K1 read How Do Dinosaurs Say Good Night to the kids. As they flipped through the pages, they copied my facial expressions, arm movements, and sounds that I started a few months ago as we read. I wasn't even in the room, so they had memorized everything that I had done with them. "Does a dinosaur swing his neck from side to side?" They turned their heads in unison. "Does a dinosaur throw his teddy bear all about?" They both swing their arms...in unison. When we get to the page that says, "No, a dinosaur doesn't", B started shaking his head no and said, "NO!" What a funny kid.
They are learning so much! It is incredible to watch.
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Words
I mentioned before that K2 is picking up so many words! I can hardly keep up.
Today, she took off her diaper and said, "Bryce! Trash!" She the proceeded to point to the trashcan. He was in between her and the trash can.
More words for K2:
baby (she points to a baby in a book and says "baby")
bow-wow-wow when we read the dinosaur book
book
nanna (banana)
get down
can sing "A-B-C-D" from the alphabet song
can say and point to a ball
bubble
water
Bryce
egg
chair
spoon
plate
B is more concerned about carrying on a long conversation that he doesn't focus on individual words much. He does say:
book
bow-wow-wow when we read the dinosaur book
hisses when he sees the picture of a cat
says "ruff ruff" when he sees a dog
says "atchoo" when he grabs the dinosaurs get well soon book
when I pointed out the dinosaur's momma in the book, he slapped my chest and said, "my mama"
B can recognize Dr. Seuss books. I asked him tonight to get Cat in the Hat and he flipped through the books until he found it. A couple of weeks ago, I asked him to bring me a Dr. Seuss book and after flipping through a pile of books, he brought me about five of them.
Today, she took off her diaper and said, "Bryce! Trash!" She the proceeded to point to the trashcan. He was in between her and the trash can.
More words for K2:
baby (she points to a baby in a book and says "baby")
bow-wow-wow when we read the dinosaur book
book
nanna (banana)
get down
can sing "A-B-C-D" from the alphabet song
can say and point to a ball
bubble
water
Bryce
egg
chair
spoon
plate
B is more concerned about carrying on a long conversation that he doesn't focus on individual words much. He does say:
book
bow-wow-wow when we read the dinosaur book
hisses when he sees the picture of a cat
says "ruff ruff" when he sees a dog
says "atchoo" when he grabs the dinosaurs get well soon book
when I pointed out the dinosaur's momma in the book, he slapped my chest and said, "my mama"
B can recognize Dr. Seuss books. I asked him tonight to get Cat in the Hat and he flipped through the books until he found it. A couple of weeks ago, I asked him to bring me a Dr. Seuss book and after flipping through a pile of books, he brought me about five of them.
Saturday, May 12, 2012
Success! Potty Training
We've been trying for a while to potty train the kids. B knows what he's supposed to do with the potty and he goes as soon as we put him on there. He still wears diapers most of the time, but we keep putting him on the potty periodically throughout the day. He was easy. K has taken a little longer. We let them go with us to the bathroom so they know what to do and we used their curiosity to our advantage. Last night, K peed in the potty! Hooray!
K has been saying "water", "wipes", and "all done" lately. She'll also yell out "woohoo" after I do. They are getting very good at taking their own socks and shoes off. Many times, we'll get out of the car, only to find that one or both have taken their socks and shoes off. They love playing at the park. B prefers the big kid slide. They absolutely love to read. In fact, we usually read 10 or so books to them per day. This is aside from them reading by themselves. I am thrilled that they enjoy it so much.
Favorite Books: How Do Dinosaurs Say Good Night, Dr. Seuss, and Golden Books (actually, pretty much anything...pictures or not.)
Favorite Shows/Movies: Big Bang Theory, Mythbusters, Good Eats with Alton Brown, Lion King, Avatar, Mega Mind
Favorite Music: anything they can dance to
Favorite Activities: sitting in their high chairs and trying to buckle themselves in, eating, drinking out of mommy's water bottles, playing with the dogs, giving the dogs treats, playing in their cars, taking a bath, getting swung around by daddy, swirling around in a chair, helping mommy cook, cleaning (sweeping, vacuuming, and throwing things away), being tickled, and reading
Favorite Foods: mashed potatoes, apples, sweet potatoes, chicken, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, ice cream, yogurt, strawberries, oatmeal, muffins, energy balls (with peanut butter, honey, and oats), bell peppers, maraschino cherries, pasta with pesto sauce, dried fruit, pizza, and Pirate's Booty
Favorite Places: the park, the gym (tot time), Stonefire Pizza (they have kid toys)
K has been saying "water", "wipes", and "all done" lately. She'll also yell out "woohoo" after I do. They are getting very good at taking their own socks and shoes off. Many times, we'll get out of the car, only to find that one or both have taken their socks and shoes off. They love playing at the park. B prefers the big kid slide. They absolutely love to read. In fact, we usually read 10 or so books to them per day. This is aside from them reading by themselves. I am thrilled that they enjoy it so much.
Favorite Books: How Do Dinosaurs Say Good Night, Dr. Seuss, and Golden Books (actually, pretty much anything...pictures or not.)
Favorite Shows/Movies: Big Bang Theory, Mythbusters, Good Eats with Alton Brown, Lion King, Avatar, Mega Mind
Favorite Music: anything they can dance to
Favorite Activities: sitting in their high chairs and trying to buckle themselves in, eating, drinking out of mommy's water bottles, playing with the dogs, giving the dogs treats, playing in their cars, taking a bath, getting swung around by daddy, swirling around in a chair, helping mommy cook, cleaning (sweeping, vacuuming, and throwing things away), being tickled, and reading
Favorite Foods: mashed potatoes, apples, sweet potatoes, chicken, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, ice cream, yogurt, strawberries, oatmeal, muffins, energy balls (with peanut butter, honey, and oats), bell peppers, maraschino cherries, pasta with pesto sauce, dried fruit, pizza, and Pirate's Booty
Favorite Places: the park, the gym (tot time), Stonefire Pizza (they have kid toys)
Saturday, May 5, 2012
Kids' Development (20 months)
Actually, the kids are almost 21 months, but I'm updating now because we are bombarded with development by these two.
We got the kids some underwear. B is pretty much potty trained but K still doesn't even try. I went into the bathroom earlier and B followed me. Then, I hear, "Ohhhhhhhh....SHUT!" Okay, so it was funny as he said it but then I realized that he was trying to say something inappropriate. I have no idea where he heard this because my husband and I don't talk like that. Oh dear.
As we were watching a movie tonight, I yelled out, "Woohoo!" Of course, K's tiny voice repeated me. It was so cute.
They both sign for "more". They understand most of what we say. They can open and close drawers/doors or anything else if we tell them to. They can put things back. They can put things in the trashcan with direction. They can bring diapers and wipes to us when we ask. We gave them their own kitchen cabinet with snacks and they grab their own when they're hungry.
Kayla is more verbal nowadays. These are some of her favorite words/phrases:
-water
-bread pudding
-woohoo!
-more
-up
-hold me
-Grandma
-no
-no, no, no (while shaking her finger)
-down
-cat
-book
-ball
-bowl
-apple
-mama
-dada
-light
-bubble
-shhhhhh
-duck
-rocket
-poop
-pee
-juice
-A, B, C (from the alphabet song)
Bryce's favorite words:
-light
-bubble
-mama
-dada
-no
-ball
-bowl
-apple
-duck
-more
-pee
-poop
-juice
-(he grunts when he's frustrated)
I'll update as I remember other things they've said.
We got the kids some underwear. B is pretty much potty trained but K still doesn't even try. I went into the bathroom earlier and B followed me. Then, I hear, "Ohhhhhhhh....SHUT!" Okay, so it was funny as he said it but then I realized that he was trying to say something inappropriate. I have no idea where he heard this because my husband and I don't talk like that. Oh dear.
As we were watching a movie tonight, I yelled out, "Woohoo!" Of course, K's tiny voice repeated me. It was so cute.
They both sign for "more". They understand most of what we say. They can open and close drawers/doors or anything else if we tell them to. They can put things back. They can put things in the trashcan with direction. They can bring diapers and wipes to us when we ask. We gave them their own kitchen cabinet with snacks and they grab their own when they're hungry.
Kayla is more verbal nowadays. These are some of her favorite words/phrases:
-water
-bread pudding
-woohoo!
-more
-up
-hold me
-Grandma
-no
-no, no, no (while shaking her finger)
-down
-cat
-book
-ball
-bowl
-apple
-mama
-dada
-light
-bubble
-shhhhhh
-duck
-rocket
-poop
-pee
-juice
-A, B, C (from the alphabet song)
Bryce's favorite words:
-light
-bubble
-mama
-dada
-no
-ball
-bowl
-apple
-duck
-more
-pee
-poop
-juice
-(he grunts when he's frustrated)
I'll update as I remember other things they've said.
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Lake Michigan
We decided that we are going to suck it up and look at the good in the troubles we've encountered. I realize that things can always be worse, but I am the type of person that I need to express my feelings right then so that I can move on.
Since K and I are both out of work, we are using this time to apply for jobs and spend more time together as a family. Today, we went to the beach (Lake Michigan) where the kids experienced their first time with their toes in the sand. It was beautiful. K2 and B would run up to where the water almost touched their feet and then they would run back to our blanket. B particularly liked picking up shells. It was a lot of fun.
Since K and I are both out of work, we are using this time to apply for jobs and spend more time together as a family. Today, we went to the beach (Lake Michigan) where the kids experienced their first time with their toes in the sand. It was beautiful. K2 and B would run up to where the water almost touched their feet and then they would run back to our blanket. B particularly liked picking up shells. It was a lot of fun.
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Slow Down!
Things are a bit tough in the Hawley Household right now. I am scheduled to have surgery on Monday, which I have already pushed back once so that my in-laws could come up and help us take care of the kids. We got a call today saying that K's uncle had a heart attack and passed away yesterday. So, his parents are staying in Kansas to attend the funeral. I feel horrible. K is quite fond of his uncle.
It also leaves us without anyone to help us take care of the kids during and after my surgery. I can't push it back anymore because I am in quite a bit of pain as it is and I don't want it to cause any other problems for other organs. So we're trying to figure out what we're going to do. I want K to be able to go to Kansas and attend the funeral, too. If he makes the choice not to go, I'm fine with that, but I don't want him to feel like he has to stay here for me.
The kids have both been sick for about a week...a cold, apparently.
Yesterday wasn't too bad of a day. I went to the gym and worked out with my trainer. At the end of the workout, he offered me a free workout because I had been working so hard. When I got to Starbucks (oxymoron, I know), I ordered one drink and the guy gave me two because he said he made the guy remake it. We went to the store to get some groceries and I got out to get the kids. B's pants were wet, so I yanked them off to change him. Apparently, they weren't wet from pee. He had a diaper explosion and was covered from his stomach to his toes! After spending about 20 minutes cleaning him up, we went in, got groceries and came back home later than I had expected.
I think the hubby and I are waiting for our lives to calm down a little. Does that ever happen?
It also leaves us without anyone to help us take care of the kids during and after my surgery. I can't push it back anymore because I am in quite a bit of pain as it is and I don't want it to cause any other problems for other organs. So we're trying to figure out what we're going to do. I want K to be able to go to Kansas and attend the funeral, too. If he makes the choice not to go, I'm fine with that, but I don't want him to feel like he has to stay here for me.
The kids have both been sick for about a week...a cold, apparently.
Yesterday wasn't too bad of a day. I went to the gym and worked out with my trainer. At the end of the workout, he offered me a free workout because I had been working so hard. When I got to Starbucks (oxymoron, I know), I ordered one drink and the guy gave me two because he said he made the guy remake it. We went to the store to get some groceries and I got out to get the kids. B's pants were wet, so I yanked them off to change him. Apparently, they weren't wet from pee. He had a diaper explosion and was covered from his stomach to his toes! After spending about 20 minutes cleaning him up, we went in, got groceries and came back home later than I had expected.
I think the hubby and I are waiting for our lives to calm down a little. Does that ever happen?
Sunday, April 8, 2012
Easter!
This was our first Easter where the kids got to hunt for eggs and we got to hide them. Luckily, we have a pretty large yard here.
For the past few months, we had driven past this place called Stonefire Pizza. The building is huge so we were intrigued. We decided that today would be a pretty good day to go. It has games, a buffet with pizza, salad, pasta, dessert, and even a kid-sized buffet table. There is an area just for children under 8 that has slides, games, a train set, water table, and a sink at the level of the kids so they could wash their hands. We found our new favorite restaurant!
While we were at the restaurant, I got a text from a friend offering us free tickets to the Brewers game today. The game had already started by the time I got the text, but we accepted anyway. We haven't been to Miller Park yet so we headed over there after we finished eating. We hid and hunted for eggs when we got back. It didn't take long for the kids to pick up on the goal of the activity. I spent $1.76 on six bags of candy at CVS so I used that to fill up their eggs. We don't normally give the kids candy but today was special, so we gave them some Hershey kisses.
B figured out how to open candy. I wasn't as surprised at this as I was when he walked over to the trashcan to throw the wrapper away! I am totally convinced that my staying at home has played a part in some of the habits the kids have picked up on. After dinner tonight, K2 grabbed her plate and took it to my husband in the kitchen. Wow! They are learning to pick up their toys or objects they throw on the floor. It doesn't happen all the time, but some of the time is progress.
Here are some pictures from Easter today:
For the past few months, we had driven past this place called Stonefire Pizza. The building is huge so we were intrigued. We decided that today would be a pretty good day to go. It has games, a buffet with pizza, salad, pasta, dessert, and even a kid-sized buffet table. There is an area just for children under 8 that has slides, games, a train set, water table, and a sink at the level of the kids so they could wash their hands. We found our new favorite restaurant!
While we were at the restaurant, I got a text from a friend offering us free tickets to the Brewers game today. The game had already started by the time I got the text, but we accepted anyway. We haven't been to Miller Park yet so we headed over there after we finished eating. We hid and hunted for eggs when we got back. It didn't take long for the kids to pick up on the goal of the activity. I spent $1.76 on six bags of candy at CVS so I used that to fill up their eggs. We don't normally give the kids candy but today was special, so we gave them some Hershey kisses.
B figured out how to open candy. I wasn't as surprised at this as I was when he walked over to the trashcan to throw the wrapper away! I am totally convinced that my staying at home has played a part in some of the habits the kids have picked up on. After dinner tonight, K2 grabbed her plate and took it to my husband in the kitchen. Wow! They are learning to pick up their toys or objects they throw on the floor. It doesn't happen all the time, but some of the time is progress.
Here are some pictures from Easter today:
Friday, March 30, 2012
Tot Time
My children seem to have a ton of energy, so I found a gymnastics place around here that offered "tot time" for $4 a child for an hour. They can run throughout the gym and play. Apparently, this place is owned by the parents of Chellsie Memmel, a gymnast who won all around gold in the 2003 Olympics. The kids seemed to really love it. There were two other mothers there with their children. B (my son) was going after the pit of foam they have under the bars in case someone falls. He crawled right in and just let out the biggest belly laugh. He is incredibly strong; he was doing chin-ups on the swing set a couple of weeks ago. He nearly did a complete flip. K (my daughter) seems interested in gymnastics but not quite as interested as her brother. They have a slide and stairs at the gym, so she kept running toward those. I figured that I will spend $8 a week for them to go play at the gym during "tot time" to give them something fun to do out of the house. When it gets warmer, we'll probably start a garden and go hang out in the wooded area around our house. The kids really love watching the ducks in the creek.
For our own memory: Tonight, B smelled like his diaper was dirty. I told him to go tell daddy that he needed a diaper change because his diaper was sagging. He walked over to K1, leaned over, grabbed his diaper and made it swing. Then he looked up at K1. He did this not once, but multiple times. We were both laughing so hard that we couldn't breathe.
Parenthood is awesome.
Sunday, March 25, 2012
It's Always Something...
While I was in Texas, I went to my normal doctor to have a physical done. I've been to a couple of the doctors here in Wisconsin and I wasn't impressed. I had my blood drawn and everything was pretty much normal. Since I was having upper right quadrant pain, she sent me in to have an ultrasound done. Later that day, I got a call that said I have gallstones and I need to be seen for a surgical evaluation. This was all on Thursday afternoon and of course, I had a flight back to Wisconsin on Saturday, March 24th. So, I found a surgeon here in Wisconsin who is right down the street from my house. My evaluation is in a couple of days, so we'll see what happens. I'm worried about how I am going to take care of the kids if I end up having surgery and I can't lift anything over 10 lbs. for a few weeks. Sometimes they require that for even minor surgeries.
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Where Does the Time Go? 19 Months!
We've been in Texas for a little over a week now and I've tried to rest up some while the grandparents are playing with the kids.
I cannot even begin to go over the sudden burst in development these two have had in just a week, but I will try.
Kayla: (her verbal skills have improved dramatically...mommy is so proud)
We are leaving for home on Saturday. Kevin is already there. I'll fly with both kids by myself. I think the biggest challenge will be getting through security. Once we get past that point, it should be smooth sailing (I hope). Pray for us. ;)
I cannot even begin to go over the sudden burst in development these two have had in just a week, but I will try.
Kayla: (her verbal skills have improved dramatically...mommy is so proud)
- Put her shoe on all by herself today (it was really Bryce's shoe, but she put it on without any help from me...velcroed it and everything)
- Says, "book" when she grabs the dinosaur series books and wants me to read them to her
- Said, "G-ama" and held her arms up when she wanted my mom to hold her
- Says, "uh oh" when she drops something or falls
- Said, "oh my gosh" and "good Lord" when she was playing outside in the sandbox (brother was getting on her nerves)
- Said, "where did it go?" and "there it is" when playing hide and seek with a spatula from the kitchen
- Can say and recognize the letter H
- She tries to wash her own hair in the bathtub (and brother's, too)
- Wears size 4 diapers, but they're still a little big
- Wears 12 month and some 9 month clothes; 18 month are way too big usually
- Wears a size 3 toddler shoe, although I just went and bought some shoes that were size 4 today
- She loves bathtime
- She at an ice cream cone from Dairy Queen for the first time on March 19, 2012 (technically, this is at 19 months)
- She can take a step down out of a doorway
- She sucks her thumb when she's stressed out or tired
- She loves going down the slide at the park
- She enjoys playing by herself most of the time, but does tolerate her brother on occasion
- She has the best belly laugh
- Peed in the potty for the first time! Although, he hasn't done it again since (but then again, we haven't really tried...we'll pick up when we get back home.)
- Says, "what's that?" and "who's that?" and waits for an explanation
- Says, "hot" when he touches food or the oven (everything is hot to him, even if it came out of the freezer)
- Gives momma hugs when she cries (I stumped my toe once and he came over and laid his head on my chest and wrapped his arms around my neck)
- Wears size 4 diapers, although they are still rather big
- Wears size 12 clothing, but size 6-9 month pants still fit around the waist...18 month clothes are way too big
- Wears size 3 shoes, but I bought size 5 shoes today because his feet are growing so quickly
- Can do chin ups on the swing set at Grandma and Grandpa's house
- Chases his sister around the backyard
- Says, "ooh" when he falls
- Loves bath time, although sometimes, I can't get him out to dry him off
- Loves to dance
- Tries to "sing" in the car
- Had his first ice cream cone at Dairy Queen today and ate the whole thing!
We are leaving for home on Saturday. Kevin is already there. I'll fly with both kids by myself. I think the biggest challenge will be getting through security. Once we get past that point, it should be smooth sailing (I hope). Pray for us. ;)
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Things are Looking Up
Where do I begin?
K2 is still yelling out "Aubrey" (babysitter's daughter's name) periodically throughout the day. She now says "Lulu" (the other babysitter's dog's name) when she sees one of our dogs. I wish I had stayed home with them sooner. They are picking up names from the babysitters instead of names that belong in our household. It's kind of a shot to the heart and I am feeling guilty.
I've started organizing the house because well, it needs it. K2 has this thing with the wipes box. She'll go in and dig out all of the wipes and throw them on the ground. So, I got an empty one and put cut-up burp cloths in it. She takes those out and puts more toys in it. She's a pretty funny girl.
A couple who is getting married later this month made an offer on the house so we signed the official offer this weekend. We're still waiting to hear when the closing date will be, but we're headed to Texas here soon to get more stuff out of our garage. We're going to fly down there together and then K1 will drive up here a few days later with the stuff from the garage. I'm going to stay in Texas for a little while longer since my grandmother and my friend have birthdays later this month. I also want my parents to be able to spend some time with the twins. Once we sell this house, it will be a huge weight lifted off of our shoulders. We have so many stressful memories there and we can't wait to be done with those.
K2 has been waking up in the middle of the night so K1 has had to bring her back to bed with him. Unfortunately, I am a very heavy sleeper, so I don't hear them cry very often (even with the monitor on my night stand.) Yesterday and today were exhausting days for us because the kids haven't been going to sleep until almost 10:00, leaving K1 and I to wait until then to do our daily house chores. We didn't get to sleep until 1 a.m. on Sunday night and then the kids woke up at 5 a.m. We are exhausted and we need a break, so we're going to get a hotel room for one night so we can get caught up on some sleep. We could sleep at my parents' house, but the walls are really thin and the kids' beds are in the room with us. We hear every cough, sneeze, or movement.
That's all for now. I need to post more pictures on here, but it takes a while. I'll wait until I have more time.
K2 is still yelling out "Aubrey" (babysitter's daughter's name) periodically throughout the day. She now says "Lulu" (the other babysitter's dog's name) when she sees one of our dogs. I wish I had stayed home with them sooner. They are picking up names from the babysitters instead of names that belong in our household. It's kind of a shot to the heart and I am feeling guilty.
I've started organizing the house because well, it needs it. K2 has this thing with the wipes box. She'll go in and dig out all of the wipes and throw them on the ground. So, I got an empty one and put cut-up burp cloths in it. She takes those out and puts more toys in it. She's a pretty funny girl.
A couple who is getting married later this month made an offer on the house so we signed the official offer this weekend. We're still waiting to hear when the closing date will be, but we're headed to Texas here soon to get more stuff out of our garage. We're going to fly down there together and then K1 will drive up here a few days later with the stuff from the garage. I'm going to stay in Texas for a little while longer since my grandmother and my friend have birthdays later this month. I also want my parents to be able to spend some time with the twins. Once we sell this house, it will be a huge weight lifted off of our shoulders. We have so many stressful memories there and we can't wait to be done with those.
K2 has been waking up in the middle of the night so K1 has had to bring her back to bed with him. Unfortunately, I am a very heavy sleeper, so I don't hear them cry very often (even with the monitor on my night stand.) Yesterday and today were exhausting days for us because the kids haven't been going to sleep until almost 10:00, leaving K1 and I to wait until then to do our daily house chores. We didn't get to sleep until 1 a.m. on Sunday night and then the kids woke up at 5 a.m. We are exhausted and we need a break, so we're going to get a hotel room for one night so we can get caught up on some sleep. We could sleep at my parents' house, but the walls are really thin and the kids' beds are in the room with us. We hear every cough, sneeze, or movement.
That's all for now. I need to post more pictures on here, but it takes a while. I'll wait until I have more time.
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