Magic Kingdom

Day 2

Epcot

Disney World

Day 1

Past Kid Updates

I started typing an update of the kids but didn't finish.  This is probably from three or four months ago.  I just found it an thought I'd post it separately and then complete a new update (hopefully).

Ty

Today Ty made progress with potty training.  We had such a happy day together.  He is a joy to raise.  He is such a good listener and for the most part goes with the flow.  If he doesn’t like what is about to happen, it doesn’t take much to talk him into it.

Ty is shy and takes awhile to warm up.  He grunts, moans, and leans into mom with a shy smile when he is around people and expected to talk or interact. 

When he gets talking at home he has the best expressions and hand motions.  This paired with his lisp and speech errors is priceless.

He keeps asking about when he turns 4 and 5 and what school he will go to.  He tells me he just wants to stay home with me and I want him to stay home with me forever.

He misses Blake and Janie while they are at school.  He is sweet to Chet.  They also wrestle and are playful with each other.

I can’t say enough good things about him today.  He is the sweetest cutest three year old.

Chet

Chet is 17 months.  He loves books and will recently lay with me on Janie’s bed and let me read and read to him. 

He is a climber.  I find him on the kitchen table when I walk into the room.  He has climbed out of his crib 4 times.  He is also a screamer.  And started biting recently.  He likes to get a reaction.

He is becoming quite verbal.  Some cute words he surprised me with recently are “beeba” (zebra),

When we are in the car if any of us say Yeayuh, he copies.  He can fill in the blanks to songs.  He likes patty cake, itsy bitsy spider, and other interactive songs.

I’m trying to switch him from his bottle to sippy cups.  He does not like it.

Janie

Janie’s school has a different ‘courage to care’ challenge each week.  She has loved doing these challenges and does them independently.  She has been announced over the school intercom 5x so far for having the courage to care.

New Years Eve

The Schmidts, Teuschers, and John Brown came over for a New Year's party.  We had lots of food.  The kids played and watched movies.  We let the older ones stay up until midnight.  After we rang in the new year, we put everyone to bed and then the adults played games until 3 a.m!

December Phone Camera

Ty always gets to ride Sandy at Meijer when we are done shopping.  Only a penny!

My little monkey

Chet LOVES fishies.

Eating toast together.

Chet's first beater licking experience.

I volunteered for Blake's Christmas party.  I brought sugar cookies and visited with the kids while they ate their treats.

We hosted a Christmas party for our friends.  We played Nertz, Reverse Charades, Charades, won prizes, ate appetizers, laughed, and stayed up too late.

One day after school we had some friends over to watch Home Alone (for the first time).  It was a perfect fit for Blake.

I taught the kids solitaire.

Janie has recently started to read and loves finding a quiet place for it.

I finished my last day working at Lakeland Hospital.  I worked there for five years as a part time speech therapist.  Each year I worked less.  For 2015 it was about one or two Saturdays per month.  Saturdays are busy and as the kids get older and more involved with activities, I felt like I wanted to be home for it all.  Plus it is our family day and a chance I can have some help to get the house clean.  Working at the hospital was a great experience and I learned so much.  I am also very glad to be done for now.

We bought little craft houses for the kids to make/decorate for Christmas.  Had I known it would bring tears along with anger and frustration, I probably would not have bought them.  Eric saved the day by completing the projects.

I bought Eric a new strategy game called Splendor.  We love games!  

Park in December

There was a day that was nice enough to go to the park in December.  It was so great!  We were all happy to be out of the house.  So far this winter has been pretty mild.