Dear Scott (BKZA update)

A’s sleeping through the night! Hallelujah! I hope I’m not jinxing myself but the last three nights she’s slept fine, the two previous to that she woke up once each, yelled and went back to sleep. Sleep is so nice! In addition the bucket training is working, the last several nights she has not given me any grief when I’ve put her to bed – well she yelled that she wanted a book tonight but no need to stick the bucket in her face so that is a big improvement. Go little A!!

B is going to play Alto Saxophone next year in band. Turns out that he rocks and has a musical ability that has heretofore been undiscovered. Every instrument he picked up he was able to blow on correctly – who knew. We may have a little musical savant (okay I’m a too proud momma!). Either way he’s decided not to continue with guitar (much to my dismay) but has decided to focus on sax and swimming. I’m just here to support him, clean his laundry, fix his dinners, transport him from here to there, you know the minor stuff.

K will be taking piano lessons this summer and deciding in the fall if she wants to continue. She’s very excited about this. I’m hoping it is rewarding to her. She’s such an amazing girl – always so kind and gentle, hardly ever complains and is a wonderful little mother to her younger siblings. I couldn’t have asked for a more gentle soul!

Z is going to be 4 years old tomorrow! CRAZY! We are sending the ingredients to make dirt cups in his class at childcare – he was a little concerned when I told him this. He said he thought that might give him a stomach ache. We took him out for dinner tonight and when I complained that I ate too much he said, “well some people do eat too much but I don’t.” Good point oh wise and brilliant 4 year old! Brat.

That’s it for tonight – I know I’m not catching up to Cheryl on my word count but you have to give me credit for trying. G’night!

P.S. Here's a picture of purple leg girl - no worries she still has her temper. The story here is that I took away the paint... hmm I wonder why?! FYI - in this picture you can see she missed her target (her mouth!).

Dear Scott (A's first day back to childcare)

Dear Friends

My wayward brother Scott is in Congo and apparently is looking for emails. I've informed him that all my posts will be specifically for him. This will make him feel all happy and giddy inside so please allow this slight change in my format. As you will see the posts will continue to be the stimulating and incredibly witty blog postings you are familiar with they will just start a little differently to give that wayward brother of mine a little extra TLC (tender loving care - not the learning channel :P)

So let me tell you about today! We went to childcare this morning – you know the same place that A barfed all over the table last week? (yea they let us come back) A went with Z to his classroom, it made her happier to be with big brother and eerily he is VERY sweet to her when I’m not around (I still bring out the worst in my children!) – anyway Ms. Lauren agreed to take A to her class when things settled down. Here’s what happened, Z and Ms. Lauren took A across the hall and she got MAD! She started her coughing and her gagging and they took the bucket, that I so kindly provided, and she spit in it and then sat back to listen to a book and was FINE after that. I know she did fine because Ms. Lauren checked on her several times for me. Is A a nut or what?! She was very happy to see me and had a good day, after the little incident. I’ve gotta stay strong in those situations, I heard it coming and was yelling across the hall. Picture me behind a child proof gate, unable to figure the *#@!&#$^ thing out, yelling, “she’s going to blow!” Ha ha – pretty funny picture huh?

Okay that is the scoop for today – gotta get back to work.

My new living room

Saturday I sold our couch and recliner in a garage sale! We had been talking about buying new furniture but I put a rush on it by selling the old stuff. Here's our new living room - complete with our very own lazy Z. So comfortable - I taped Amazing Race and tried out every seat while watching it last night. Oh so much fun!!!

This is what it looked like when they dropped off. Before we put the rug out.

Tough Love for A

Today was a rough day at our house. A had another one of her night time not sleeping bouts followed by a puke episode at childcare this morning. Needless to say I was feeling very frustrated and overwhelmed - we got home and she happily played and watched Dora, very obviously happy that she got her way (no childcare, Mommy to herself - like she doesn't get that every day!).
So here is what I did:

Tough love - today I spent the day telling her that she was going to sleep and not yell or scream when she went to bed. Every time she began a fit I said no - that isn't acceptable (in two year old words). So tonight at bedtime I read books, sang songs, kissed her and told her night night and walked out. She immediately began her tantrum, I stood out of sight and when she began to cough and gag I ran in shoved a bucket in her lap and told her to stop! She did (stop that is!). It took three times and now she's sleeping and I'm praying for a full nights sleep - but if I don't get it then I have my plan of attack. Here's what I've learned from this - she is not the same as her older brother's and sister but I am the same mother and I will continue to uphold my beliefs about fits - unacceptable.

I have some really adorable pictures to post of my little (talking) sea cucumber but those will wait for another day - for me right now it is bed time!

She's walking, yes she is, she's talking...

Is that the song?
Last night she started walking, quite a cute little gait she has! In addition she's trying to say everything you say - SO much fun (I guess cave baby is growing up!).
Check out the pictures and video - is it just me or do you just want to wrap your arms around her and squeeze?!

In this picture she's sweeping the floors and saying "cheese"

#1 - listen carefully (it's over quick)



#2 This one was taken last night - kind of dark.

Banner Day

Today I received a call asking me to interview for a job at Negley - I'm super excited! After that I got another call saying that a teacher that was leaving wanted to see my resume too... two job prospects in one day!
A is doing GREAT! She's such a trooper. I've been asked to share some pictures of my little scooter (aka Mo, purple legged girl, teeny theeny, sea cucumber, cave baby).

This picture was taken right before she took a facer into the kitchen set giving herself a black eye! This girl can't win! She's getting much better at cruising furniture.

A loves to have her cast signed -
you can't tell that these two are smitten with each other can you!


Random K picture - she dressed up for an assignment.
See if you can figure out who/what she's dressed as (answer at the bottom).




Valeria Khomocova
(German female pilot during WWII)

Sad little girl

Here's the story!
Sunday - around 9am our little A had a mishap with a Little People Bus, a twin sized bed and an overactive sense of adventure. Beyond that we don't know what happened, just that A fell out of the bed and that the bus may have been involved. We've discussed it with eye witnesses (Z and a handful of Little People) but we've been unable to get the real story. After this A wouldn't put any weight on her left foot so Jason & B took her to urgent care where they x-rayed her left leg. Sunday evening she continued to be unable to walk so I decided (with the advice from urgent care) to call her doctor on Monday. I got in at 11:30 - by then I had determined that she was now putting weight on the left foot but would not put her right foot down on the ground. The doctor wanted to x-ray the right foot (I foo fooed that thinking it was just sprained - I'm not a doctor and I won't make that mistake again) turns out that the right leg had two fractures in it. Poor sweet A now has a cast and will have it until her 2nd birthday, May 11th. Let me tell you that my little sea cucumber/cave baby did GREAT getting her cast on. She sat and watched, didn't fuss and when it was over even graced the wonderful people (they stayed late to wait for us!) who helped her with one of her sweet smiles. We are now learning to adjust to this new apparatus and trying to convince her that baths aren't that great.
On an ironically funny note - the urgent care clinic called me yesterday in the midst of my phone calls with the doctor to give me the good news that her left leg was not broken! Phew!!

Right after the accident.

The only good thing about illness/injury is that you get to sleep in Mommy & Daddy's bed.

See I can touch my toes.

Helpful big brother Z.

Sweet A is learning to adjust.

Slow Down!

As you all know here at Jason's Clan we don't slow down - not even for living room remodeling. Since I was last able to post a blog we've had lots going on.

B has started guitar lessons - alas his dad's old electric guitar is not conducive to lessons so if he wants to continue to learn we'll have to invest in a different instrument. Apparently the music bug has bit B because in addition to that he wants to join band next year in middle school (I'm pausing here for everyone to pick themselves back up after that news flash - B's starting middle school last year!) *gasp* Okay - dust yourselves off and let's continue. B wants to be in the band and play baritone - so he may be a little instrument whiz by the time this is all done.

K has started piano lessons now too. I'm hoping some day soon we'll have need for that piano that is waiting for us in Missouri - it'll be a good reason to travel to MO.

A is trying so hard to talk but she's still convinced that the best form of communication is simply to throw herself to the ground and give a good old fashioned primal scream - that's my little cave baby. She loves a bath and I believe (no undisputed proof yet) that she is actually messy at meals so that I will be forced to bathe her. When I pick her up and talk about how dirty she is she immediately lights up and says, "baf, baf!" Turkey! Her favorite part of the "baf" is pouring water over her head and then giggling, gurgling and grinning from ear to ear as the water drips down her face.

Z is now taking swim lessons. He's so much fun to watch and he's getting more and more comfortable with every class he takes. I'm going to keep taking him all summer until he's got the moves! I know he can do it and I feel so strongly about water safety and being comfortable in the water (something that was not always the case for Mr. Z - my little maniac is also the only child I've had that won't put his face in the water and recoils at being splashed or doused with the cool refreshing cement pond contents). So hi ho hi ho it is off to swim lessons we go. He's doing great and LOVES going.

So the news you have all been waiting for - we remodeled our living room. Yippee! I've waited so long for hard wood floors and now I have them and my dh is terrified that they'll get scratched and is on red alert with every toy, foot wear and objects that 4 children wander around carrying! Ugh! But the living room is beautiful and now we are saving money to buy some furniture - think I'll sell the couch so that we'll feel some serious pressure to lay off the eating out so we can have a comfy seat again!! That'd be motivation!

Here's some pictures to show you that we may not write, we may not call, we may not even breath outside this house sometimes - but we are still never slowing down!

K making Daddy's Angel Food Cake.

Daddy & the clan

Before

During

Oops - I don't have an after. Probably because it still doesn't have all the furniture back in.

How I found A sleeping the other night. So sweet & silly.

How Daddy found A sleeping the other day at dinner.

Waiting for swim lessons to start.


I love that face!

Ice cream scoops.


My favorite shot of the night.
He gave me the thumbs up right after his successful jump into the pool.
Way to go Z!!

April Shout Outs!

Happy Birthday, Andy (today), Bonnie (5th) and Marky Sparky Superman (11th)! I hope you all have wonderful birthday's and that no one makes fun of you because of your age. Especially Mark - he's hitting a milestone this year...

In honor of the birthday's I'm including a little Z funny to make you smile.

Today while at Bible Study my friend Rachael went up to check on our sons - they were very quiet, obviously up to something. What she found shocked her but she was very restrained in her approach - she's so calm! Z was buck naked trying to put on a Spiderman costume - sadly the costume was made for a Build-a-Bear stuffed animal so would never fit him! Ha!! Ha!! She explained this and he dressed himself, shorts inside out and on backwards, t-shirt backwards but the underwear were right - he explained to his friend (who is potty training) that you look for the tag and put it in back. Guess we need to explain that for the rest of his clothing. Poor Z - someday this will come back to haunt him!