Sipos Family

Awareness is key

2012-02-01T23:29:00.000-05:00

The heart is a key symbol of the month of February, not only for Valentine's Day but because it is also National Marfan Awareness Month. I think it's so important to get as much information out there as possible about this genetic disorder, especially since it affects Todd, Michael and Katie.

I read this article earlier today and found it to be very interesting and informative. Just knowing that you have the disorder is key to getting the proper treatment and being seen by the specialists that are needed. I feel extremely fortunate that our family is able to get the care that is needed for the best quality of life. I know that everyone is not so lucky.

36

2012-01-29T22:17:00.003-05:00

Today was my 36th birthday. I am now officially on the downward side of the 30's. However, I am finding that I am enjoying life so much better as I get older. Maybe it's maturity or maybe it's just that I have learned to appreciate everything that I have to be thankful for.

It was a wonderful day. It started with Todd getting up early with the kids so that I could sleep in. He brought me breakfast in bed and the Sunday paper. I was also able to take a leisurely shower. When I came downstairs, both kids wished me a happy birthday. Todd's parents and Sidney came over today to help celebrate the day. His mom cooked a nice breakfast of sausage, eggs and toast. Shortly after lunch, I put Katie down for a nap and enjoyed some quiet time as Todd took Michael to Home Depot with his dad.

After doing everything for the kids and waiting on me too, Todd prepared a wonderful steak dinner for all of us. The birthday would not have been complete without the finishing touch, a Carvel ice cream cake. It's been my favorite birthday cake since I was a little girl! Apparently Katie agrees with me as she ate her piece and the rest of Michael's. She told me that the cake was yummy.

Thank you Todd for the wonderful birthday gift of rest. It's really all a mom could ask for.

Lunch with my "Sisters"

2012-01-28T22:09:00.003-05:00

Today was the Founders Day Luncheon for my sorority alumnae group. It is always nice to get together with my sisters and have a few hours to catch up on what is going on in our lives. Every year, there are people there that I haven't seen in a while and I enjoy the time spent together. This year we enjoyed a very nice catered lunch and celebrated a 50 year anniversary of another sister.

I think back fondly to my years in college when I was a member of this great organization. I definitely had some good times and made some lifelong friendships. It's nice to be able to carry them on into adulthood as we grow older and our lives move on. I look forward to getting together again next year!

Never Enough Sleep

2012-01-25T23:07:00.000-05:00

Sleep is something that we always seem to have a shortage of in this house. The kids normally get to bed between 8 and 8:30. However, during the week, it's pretty hard to wake Michael up, even though he's up bright and early on the weekends. I always wonder what that's about and have thought about telling him there is no school the next day so he gets up without me having to wake him.

Katie has transitioned pretty well to her bed. Now that she is wearing underwear at night, this usually results in at least one or two trips to the bathroom. This would be fine if she didn't want me to tuck her back in. So I am getting interrupted sleep just about every night. I feel like I am getting too old for this.

The third sleep issue is that I can't seem to go to bed early. Once Todd and I settle in for the night, it's our time to catch up on our days and relax. I like to watch TV, go on the computer and read. I often do this for too long, just taking in the relative quiet. I know that I should attempt to go to bed before midnight but it just seems to come way too fast.

I really want to make more of an effort to get to bed earlier at night. Maybe it would make the wakeups better for me, which would allow me to get Michael up a little earlier. It doesn't help that school starts at a ridiculously early hour in my opinion (7:50 am). Quite a change from the preschool start time of 9am!

Potty Training: Complete

2012-01-23T22:10:00.002-05:00

I have hesitated to post this as I figured once I did, then Katie would have an accident. Katie is now potty trained, both day, naps and nighttime. She is still having occasional accidents at night but she wakes up dry 95% of the time.

The biggest hurdle to completing potty training was pooping on the potty. We officially started training in July and I will say that we finished up in the second week of January. That was almost 6 months. She has been pee trained for at least the last 5.5 months though.

I am not sure who said that girls were easier to potty train than boys but the opposite was true here. Michael went from pull-ups to underwear all the time in about 2 weeks but he was just one month short of turning 3. Katie showed interest much earlier but didn't seem fully committed to the idea. Once she decided to give it 100%, there was no looking back.

It was rough at times but I am so happy to be done with diapers! We have had someone in diapers in this house for 5 1/2 years straight. It's a bit of a bittersweet moment though. Our little girl is growing up.

Katie's New Glasses

2012-01-22T22:59:00.001-05:00

Katie got a new prescription for her glasses at the end of last year. She has had the same pair of glasses since she was 13 months old. At her next 2 checkups, her vision did not dramatically change. In the past 6 months, her vision in her left eye has gotten much worse. So as soon as the new year came, we went to pick out her glasses.

Katie's old pair used a band around the back of her head to secure the glasses. I really wanted to get her a new pair that didn't need the band. I was not sure that she was old enough to take care of a pair of glasses but then realized that Michael was wearing a regular pair of glasses at this same age. We looked at several pairs and finally decided on a pink/purple pair.

Look at this diva in her new glasses. They even have transition lenses so they turn into sunglasses outside. Love them!!

Brotherly Love

2012-01-18T23:30:00.003-05:00

Michael and Katie definitely have their share of sibling squabbles. Underneath it all, I know that he and Katie really do love each other. Michael showed just how much he loves Katie today.

Wednesday is library day for Michael's class at school. Each student gets to pick a book to bring home until the next Wednesday. I met Michael after he got off the bus and asked him how his day was. He told me a little about it. I asked him what book he picked for the week from the library. Michael said to me that he picked a special book out for Katie that he knows she likes.

We got in the house and he happily opened his backpack to show me what was in there. It was one of Katie's favorite books, Fancy Nancy and the Delectable Cupcakes. When Katie woke up from her nap and came downstairs, Michael stopped what he was doing to get the book for her. A big smile came across her face and she said, "Thank you Michael!". Then they hugged.

I was so touched by Michael's thoughtfulness, especially in doing something for his sister. Recently Michael has been having a hard time following directions, both at home and at school. Todd and I have been talking about what we are going to do about it and how we can make him listen better. Then he does something like this that lets us know he is listening to what we say, at least some of the time.

It's the little things

2012-01-17T21:59:00.000-05:00

Michael has been bathed by someone almost every day since he was born. For the past few years, he has been taking a shower with Todd. Now that Katie is a little older, she wants to take a shower with them too. It is getting crowded in there and the time has come for either Michael to take his own shower or for me to give Katie a bath.

After much coercion from Todd and I, he finally decided that he was going to take a shower by himself. He washed up and did a really good job. I guess he enjoyed it. Last night he informed us that he was ready to take his own shower again. Apparently he likes the water really warm because he kept asking me to turn it up. All I had to do was put the shampoo in his hand and lather up his washcloth.

I can honestly say that giving a bath is not my favorite part of parenting. Todd has done the vast majority of bathing Michael for the past few years and I haven't missed it. Still, it was bittersweet watching our little boy take his own shower but I was proud of him for the kid he is growing up to be.

34 Months

2012-01-16T23:56:00.004-05:00

Katie turned 34 months old today. I vividly remember the day that Michael turned 34 months old. It was the same day that Katie was born. It's hard for me to grasp how much time has gone by since Katie was born. It's getting harder to remember how Michael was at this age. I am glad that I am blogging more now than I did when Michael was this age because I will be able to look back and see what the kids were doing.

At 34 months, Katie still takes one afternoon nap on most days, unless we are out or away from home. She is a creature of habit and definitely sleeps best at home. We still rock to sleep for naps but when she moved to her big girl bed, we stopped rocking at night and I don't turn on her lullaby CD anymore. She is growing up too fast.

Her conversation skills amaze me just about every day. The things that come out of her mouth are funny and interesting. She listens to EVERYTHING that everyone says and repeats it back when it's appropriate. She loves to talk and talk and talk (I wonder where she gets this from). I can't even begin to think of how many words are in her vocabulary but they include words like frustrated and beautiful. She can recite almost the entire alphabet and knows how to count from 1-10. She also knows some Spanish, thanks to Dora and Diego!

Katie loves to read books. Her favorites right now are anything that has Dora, princesses or Fancy Nancy. She also likes the Sounds Like Reading series by Brian Cleary, which includes The Peaches on the Beaches and The Thing on the Wing Can Sing. I read her several books a day and she reads many more to herself. I read one book before nap and then she reads it to herself. I love watching her "read" and absorb all that the book has to offer. She also enjoys reading books with the Leapfrog Tag pen.

She is also quite the techie, taking after her dad, mom and brother. Katie loves to play the iPod touch and Kindle Fire. One of her favorite games is Angry Birds. She also likes to watch Michael play Wii and she tries her best to play with him. Cell phones are also a big hit with her. The only electronic device she doesn't seem to be too fond of is the camera.

She can pick out her clothes and get herself dressed most days, which is nice. She has very definitive fashion opinions and can match her clothes pretty well. Her favorite item to choose is shoes and she has many pairs. She still does not like to wear her hair up in a ponytail or put back in a bow, which is getting more difficult as her hair gets longer and longer.

Katie does not eat everything in sight like she used to but if it's something she likes, she will try to eat as much of it as she can. She loves to eat cookies and a special treat, like candy.

This age has been quite trying at times but Katie is 2 so I didn't expect any less. She gets quite upset when she doesn't get her way and can throw some back arching tantrums. That being said, she is usually fairly quick to calm down and you can reason with her much more than you could with Michael, even though she definitely has a stubborn streak.

We have been enjoying Katie very much, tantrums and all. Can't wait to see what the next few months bring before she turns 3!

Closed In

2012-01-05T23:05:00.000-05:00

Todd and I have been discussing putting a fence around our backyard for the past 6 months or so. At first, he really wasn't too crazy about the idea because it will change the look of our backyard. We back up to the woods and have a nice view of trees and the lake at the bottom of the hill from upstairs. We talked about it more and he started to get excited about the prospect of the fence. He met with a few builders to get some quotes and chose one to do the job last month.

They started the fence on Friday and finished it up late Tuesday afternoon. I am thrilled that we will have an area for the kids to be outside without having to worry about them running off or into the street. It will also be nice for Michael if he wants to go out for a few minutes without me. Todd and I are both happy with how it turned out and both kids seem to like it too.

Happy New Year

2012-01-01T22:27:00.003-05:00

Welcome to 2012! Seems like the years are flying by ever since we celebrated the turn of the century in 2000.

I really don't do New Year's Resolutions because I always seem to fail at them. It's better for me to just make long term goals and work to achieve them. I also find that the school year seems to mark a new year for me as that is when new routines are established and modifications must be made.

I looked back at last year's post welcoming 2011. All of the things that I listed last year to work on still things that I need to work on. One new project I want to work on this year is photo organization. I want to get rid of extras of my printed pictures and get all of my videos from previous years burned to DVDs.

Lunch Date

2011-12-29T14:34:00.001-05:00

Since Todd and Michael have been spending a few days with Todd's dad at their country house, Katie and I have been getting in some quality girl time. Even though I am home with her every day, we rarely get one on one time as I watch David during the week and Michael is home the rest of the time. I tried to think of something fun that we could do together so I asked Katie out for lunch. She said yes and was so excited. I told her that she could pick where we would go. Of course she chose her favorite place, McDonald's!

We both got ready to go and loaded up into the car. When we got there, she got to pick out what she was going to eat and we went over to the table. It was so nice not to have to fight with her as she sat right down. We chatted while we ate lunch and she told me that she loved me so much. It felt so good to have that time together, just the two of us girls. It gives me a glimpse into what I hope our relationship will develop into as the years go on and she gets older.

Katie's Christmas Present

2011-12-27T00:55:00.005-05:00

Ever since Katie climbed out of her crib a few weeks ago, we decided that she would need to convert into the full sized bed sooner rather than later. So Todd's parents generously bought her a mattress, Dora sheets and Dora comforter for her big Christmas present from them. It was ordered the weekend before Christmas and delivered to the store later in the week. We were getting ready to go out of town so Todd picked it up today.

We had to do some rearranging of Katie's room to fit everything in there as she has quite a bit of furniture. After trying several combinations, we found one that seems to work. I put the Dora sheets and comforter on the bed. She was so excited when she came in and saw that her new bed was together and ready for her to sleep in (not without some issues getting it put together).

Tonight was the first night that I did not rock Katie before putting her in bed. We had to move the rocking chair out to make enough room for the bed. I asked her if she wanted her music on and she told me no. I guess that she is really growing up.

Merry Christmas

2011-12-25T12:54:00.002-05:00

Cookie Party

2011-12-18T23:13:00.004-05:00

Katie and I went to a cookie baking/decorating party today. It was fun for the girls to do something together. There were 5 other little girls there and it was so cute to see them all together. Each girl had her own little apron to wear while they made cookies.

Katie wanted to use the cookie cutter over and over again in the same place on the cookie dough and then pat it down. She did seem to enjoy doing it though. After the cookies were baked, it was time to decorate them. Katie really enjoyed this part of the process. She started getting the icing and putting it on cookies. She was moving it with her finger around the cookie. Next thing I know I look over at her and she has the tip of the entire bottle of icing in her mouth. She can't get enough either because she tried to pick up other bottles off the table. Guess she had a good time!

The Happy Castle is Full

2011-12-17T23:31:00.002-05:00

Katie has been working on potty training over the past 5 months. She pretty much mastered peeing after a few weeks but pooping in the potty has been another story entirely. She refused to use the potty and much preferred to do her business in her underwear. Then she would do it in the potty but only when Todd was here.

A while back we pulled out the castle with crown stickers that goes with her little potty. We told her that if she filled up the castle with stickers, then she could get ballerina panties. She started calling it her "Happy Castle". Whenever she would poop in the potty, she would get so excited to put a sticker on her castle. And when she didn't, she would say that the castle was sad. Over the past few weeks, she has been going more in the potty, getting closer to filling up her castle.

On Friday night, she got her final sticker to fill up the "Happy Castle", which has 12 stickers. I told her that we would go to Target in the morning to get her ballerina panties. She informed Todd and I that she was only going to poop in the potty from now on. This is the first time that she has said this so let's hope that this is a good sign.

We are so proud of Katie for this accomplishment. Whoever said that potty training girls was easier clearly did not have Katie as their daughter!

Lights at the Zoo

2011-12-12T21:51:00.002-05:00

Saturday night we went to see the Holiday Lights at the Zoo. We went with some of Michael's friends from his preschool class last year and their families. The 4 older boys were so happy to see each other after not getting together for a while. As usual, Katie was the only girl there as the only other younger sibling was a boy.

The weather was nice and clear but it was pretty cold. Katie asked to go home several times as I think she just wanted to get warm, even though she had fleece mittens and a fleece hat. The kids got to roast marshmallows over a big fire pit and walked around looking at the lights.

Everyone had a fun time and it was nice to catch up with everyone. Here are the boys together:

I should have known this was coming

2011-12-11T23:56:00.002-05:00

Yesterday morning Michael went into Katie's room after she got up to keep her company while I got out of bed. He helped her out of the crib and they both came out into the hallway.

Katie went down for her nap in the afternoon. When she wakes up, she calls to me to come get her out of the crib. Yesterday I heard her wake up on the monitor. By the time I got upstairs, she was at the top of the stairs. Katie had climbed out of the crib by herself. Since then, she has climbed out this morning when she woke up and several times last night to go to the bathroom.

She is moving to a big girl bed after Christmas so this was just right around the corner anyway. We are going to take the front of the crib off and make it a toddler bed until she gets the new mattress. To be honest, I am surprised that she stayed in the crib this long.

Visit with Santa

2011-12-06T21:27:00.005-05:00

We took Katie and Michael to see Santa tonight after Katie's dance class. Every year we try to go right when Santa gets back from "feeding the reindeer" to minimize our wait time. We hit it right on this year as we were the second ones in line to see Santa. Both kids were really excited to see him and kept talking about what they were going to tell him they wanted for Christmas.

When it was their turn to go up to sit on Santa's lap, Michael went right up and started telling Santa all about what he wanted this year. Katie was much more hesitant. At one point, she said "I am ready to go home". After a minute or two, Todd got her to go over and sit with Santa by showing her that Michael was already sitting with him. I may have also mentioned that we would go to McDonald's for dinner afterwards.

Once Katie sat on Santa's lap, she warmed up to him and told him that what she wanted. Of course, she wants all items related to Dora. Her main thing that she asked for is a Dora blanket. Michael has been asking about getting Star Wars Legos at home but he asked Santa for the Batmobile and a Batcave with Batman and Robin. I guess that must have been something he saw on TV. It will be interesting to see what Santa brings on Christmas Day.

Santa's elves took several pictures to get a decent one, which means both kids were looking at the camera with their eyes open. As we were walking away from Santa, Katie told me that she loves Santa. The visit went better than I could have ever expected!

Here are a few of the ones Todd took:

O Christmas Tree

2011-12-04T23:15:00.000-05:00

Todd went to get our Christmas tree yesterday afternoon and put it up last night. Every year, he puts the lights on and I decorate it. This year, we had Michael's help. I have to say that this year was the most fun that we had decorating the tree so far. Michael was finally old enough to help out with the ornaments and understand that they can break. Katie was napping while we did most of it but even she did pretty good with not touching the ornaments. Of course, I put anything breakable above her reach, which is no easy task.

Michael was so excited to help decorate the tree and could not wait to get started today. He took all of the ornaments out and we talked about where some of them came from. After we finished with the tree, we put up the stockings inside. He also went outside with Todd to put lights on the outside of the house.

Here is a picture of the finished tree:

Cookie Exchange

2011-12-03T16:47:00.004-05:00

My book club participated in our second annual cookie exchange last night. We had a larger group than last year, which just meant more delicious cookies to eat. Everyone brought their cookies in bags of 6 to be exchanged with others. Several of us brought extra cookies to eat while we chatted. I think that everyone had a good time. I know I did and look forward to eating the cookies over the next few days.

I made chocolate chip meringues, which is one of the cookies that I make every Christmas. My favorite cookie that I received was a mint chocolate chip cookie (it was green!). Anyone who knows me knows that I love anything mint at the holidays.

Christmas Traditions

2011-12-01T23:30:00.004-05:00

This year we decided to start a few new Christmas traditions. The kids are old enough now to really enjoy Christmas and start to understand the meaning behind it as well.

We started off the season by donating some stuffed animals that are not being used to Michael's school We are also participating in the angel tree at our church and Todd's office. Michael got to pick the angel off the tree at church and we will go to get the gift this weekend. He is excited because the child that he picked wants an art set. I am sure that he will want one too.

Michael got to open his first Advent calendar tonight. He got the Lego Star Wars Advent calendar. This seems to be a popular item among 5 year old boys. He loved it and thought it was so neat to be able to open a different door every day, especially since each one has Legos to put together in it. I guess Katie was excited about the present too as she unwrapped it before we had a chance to give it to Michael and I had to rewrap it.

We are also giving the kids one wrapped Christmas book each day. The first one was a Dora book. I let Michael help me to wrap it this afternoon and he was so excited to see Katie open it. Both kids were really into the idea of getting a new book to read every day for one month. I have several new ones and the rest are books we already own.

This is such a special time of the year and I love doing things together as a family. To me, making memories is what Christmas is all about.

What a Great Feeling

2011-11-29T23:29:00.003-05:00

Michael has been working hard on learning to read and letter sounds at school and at home. We have been playing games with words to identify the first letter here and he has been working on it at school during center time and with his teacher.

I opened his folder when he got home from school today and this note was in there.

I was so proud of him and excited that he is learning to read. It's so wonderful watching him put the pieces together to learn this new skill. I am excited to see how reading is going to change his whole world!

Dental Issues

2011-11-29T00:40:00.002-05:00

Today Todd and I had our semi-annual dental checkups. He had a great visit. I was not as lucky. I have been very fortunate to not have any problems with my teeth. 6 months ago, I had a cavity and got my tooth filled. The dentist said that I now have 4 cavities. 3 of them are in between my teeth and were only caught on the x-ray. So I will be heading to the dentist in the new year to get my teeth filled. I can't wait to spend some quality time with the dentist!

Things to Thankful For

2011-11-24T12:11:00.002-05:00

This year I am thankful for many of the same things I have been thankful for in the past but it's always good to give thanks again. They include:

- a wonderful and supportive husband and father who goes above and beyond

- two beautiful children who mean the world to me

- a comfortable home to live in

- extended families who are involved in our lives

- good health and happiness

I know that there are so many things that I am forgetting but I am thankful for the life that I am living every day.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-11-23T00:06:00.001-05:00

Uncle Day

2011-11-20T23:12:00.005-05:00

Todd let me sleep in this morning. When I woke up, the kids were coming upstairs to get dressed. Uncle Sidney had come over to see if they wanted to go to the pond in our neighborhood to feed the ducks. They couldn't wait to go. We gathered up some old bread and they headed down there.

When they got back, they couldn't wait to tell Todd and I what they had done. They collected leaves, fed the ducks, played on the playground and went for a walk in the woods. Michael even told me that Uncle Sidney climbed up on top of a rock that was super tall. He said he wasn't big enough to climb up there.

Tonight, Todd got a text that Alex, our brother-in-law, was going to be coming through Columbia for a work trip and wanted to stop by. He got here a little after 5:00 and stayed for dinner and hanging out with the kids. Michael was excited to see him but Katie took a few minutes to warm up because she had just woken up from her nap. Uncle Alex offered Katie a tortilla chip and all was good between them.

The kids had fun with the surprise visit from Uncle Alex. Unfortunately, he had to leave right before bed to head on to Georgia. The kids climbed up on his shoulders and thought that was so much fun.

I feel that Katie and Michael are very lucky to have such awesome and fun uncles. It's such a special relationship and I am glad they have it.

Pajamas

2011-11-14T23:35:00.000-05:00

Michael and Katie love pajamas. If it was up to them, we would wear them all day every day, especially Michael.

All summer long, Michael has been asking when he can wear his zipper pajamas again (footed one piece Pjs). Of course, when it is over 100 degrees outside, the last thing he needs to be wearing is a pair of fleece pajamas. He has been so excited since the weather has gotten a bit colder recently as he can finally wear his zipper PJs.

Now Katie is taking after him. If he asks to wear the zipper 'jamas, then she wants to wear them too. The only problem with this is that most of Katie's pajamas are two piece without feet. She only has 2 or 3 zipper 'jamas and gets upset if you tell her that they need to be washed.

I love seeing the kids in these pajamas. Even though they are getting big so fast, there is something about the footed pajamas that makes it seem like they are little for just a little longer.

Potty Training Pitfalls

2011-11-07T23:11:00.002-05:00

We are several months into potty training Katie. I would say that she is 75% trained at this point. Unfortunately, the 25% that is not complete seems to be the most difficult and keeps her from getting to 100%.

She is wearing underwear all day and pees on the potty regularly. She even wears underwear for naps and wakes up dry about 60% of the time. For a while, she wanted to wear underwear to bed at night but she was waking up wet almost every night, multiple times a night. So we went back to pullups for now.

The main obstacle seems to be using the potty for #2. For whatever reason, she does not want to do that on there. If you catch her in the act and take her to the bathroom, she will stop and wait until you are busy doing something else. I have actually followed her around for more than one day and the minute that I leave her alone, that's when it happens. To be honest, I am tired of changing dirty underwear. Every 10 times or so, I want to throw the towel in. Of course, I can't bear to do this after all of the work that we have put in.

I keep hoping that one day things will just click and that's all it will take. I have tried giving candy, telling her she can go to the store to get something she picks out but it doesn't work. Now that we have been at this for a while, I wonder if it was too early to start. One day I will look back and wonder why it seemed so hard. I know she will get it before she heads off to kindergarten (I hope it doesn't take that long).

Everybody Dance Now

2011-11-02T22:47:00.002-05:00

Michael has a toy car that plays the above title song and moves by itself in time to the music. The kids seem to think that this toy is so entertaining. It doesn't hold the same appeal for me as it bangs into the wall and various furniture items. I want to get rid of it whenever it makes an appearance. However, the kids can have so much fun with it. Today was one of those days. It made my heart sing to watch the kids dance and laugh with the car. Maybe I will let it stay around for a little while longer.

Trick or Treat

2011-11-01T22:50:00.004-05:00

Our neighborhood had trick or treating last night from 6-9pm. The kids were so excited to get ready to go out. Katie started asking about when she could put her costume on as soon as she got up in the morning. Michael was ready to go as soon as he got home from school. We were waiting on Todd to get home from work.

One of Todd's co-workers and his sister were coming over with her kids to go out with Katie and Michael. Two of Michael's classmates from last year also met up with us when we headed out. Our friends brought over their golf cart limo and we rode it around the neighborhood. There are quite a few hills in our neighborhood and while it's fine walking to the trick or treating, it's kind of rough on the way back. It was nice to ride in style as the golf cart was decorated for Halloween!

The kids had fun. Of course, the boys ran from house to house while the girls were much more deliberate in their quest for candy. They were both dressed as princesses and acting like it by not getting too rowdy. Katie didn't go to as many houses as Michael did but yet it seemed like she had as much, if not more, candy.

After trick or treating for almost 2 hours, we came back to the house where the kids ate cupcakes and looked through their candy stash. Everyone left shortly after 8:00. Katie and Michael ate some cereal and Michael actually asked to go to bed, which is a rare occurrence for him. I guess something finally tired him out!

Halloween at the Museum

2011-10-31T07:28:00.005-05:00

The kids and I went to the SC State Museum on Saturday with two of Michael's good friends from his school last year. The museum was having some Halloween activities, which included a scavenger hunt, coloring and craft areas as well as a balloon artist. Once we got inside, the boys really didn't care about much other than being together and running around from exhibit to exhibit.

We spent a good bit of time inside the indoor play area as well as the dinosaur exhibit. They also had fun looking at the model trains and going inside the real train car that they have inside. I am not sure how much this had to do with Halloween but they did wear their costumes and get some candy as we were leaving. There was also some bobbing for apples outside.

The kids had a fun time (and so did the moms). The best part about it was that it was inside so we didn't have to worry about it being too cold or rainy as both of those were in the forecast.

Carving Complete

2011-10-27T21:23:00.003-05:00

Michael has been attending religious education classes (aka CCD) at the church we attend every Wednesday night since the school year started. Last night they asked the kids to bring a pumpkin to carve in the parish gym. We got the pumpkin that we picked from the church down the street and brought it with us, along with some carving tools and patterns. The pumpkin was not quite big enough to use the patterns though.

We were served hot dogs and chips for dinner, even though we already ate at home. Michael has had a pretty big appetite lately and ate a hot dog, chips and cookies for dessert. Then the carving began. I worked on a pattern and Michael helped to cut it out once I had the outline done. It was fun to work on it together as we didn't carve a pumpkin last year.

Here are some pictures of the finished product:

Music

2011-10-24T23:05:00.002-05:00

Katie and Michael both really seem to like to listen to music. We have regular dancing sessions in the kitchen while we are listening to the iPod. I usually keep it on a pop music station because that's what we all like. It's become interesting to watch them identify songs and sing along to them, especially Michael.

One of their favorites right now is "Moves Like Jagger" by Maroon 5 featuring Christina Aguilera. The song came on in the car one day and I was explaining who Mick Jagger was to Michael. The Rolling Stones are one of my Dad's favorite groups and I told Michael about it. He told my dad all about the song and asked about Jagger's moves. It's so cute to hear him sing the song too and then Katie likes to join in.

They have a few other favorites like Dynomite and Switchup (as Michael likes to call it) by the Black Eyed Peas. Katie will pretty much dance along to anything that has a good beat. I think it's great that they enjoy music as Todd & I both like to listen to a wide variety of genres.

Good News

2011-10-20T23:24:00.003-05:00

This afternoon was another follow-up appointment for Michael's ear surgery. Since it had been two months since the surgery, he was also scheduled for a hearing test today.

The hearing test was the first part of the appointment. As soon as we went into the room, he cooperated with the audiologist. He was placed into a little room inside the room we went into and she closed the door. She put on some headphones and read Michael words that she wanted him to repeat. There were also a series of beeps that Michael had to raise his hand when he heard them. After the test was over, the audiologist told me that Michael's hearing was within the normal range. This was quite a relief as I was worried that he couldn't hear because his ear was still healing.

We went into the exam room and waited for the doctor to come in. He came in and did his exam of Michael's ear. Michael cannot stand to have him clean the wax out of his ear and he always does this. I came prepared to the appointment this time. I told Michael that as long as he didn't scream or start trying to escape that I would take him to Sonic afterwards so he could get a "green drink". For whatever reason, it worked this time. The doctor said that everything looked good and the graft is taking nicely on the eardrum. What a relief! It's always nice to get good news for a change.

Pumpkins

2011-10-16T23:05:00.006-05:00

This afternoon we went to a local church to get pumpkins to decorate the house for Halloween. Katie and Michael were both excited to see all of the pumpkins out there. Michael was having a great time picking out his pumpkin and he helped to pick out one for Katie too. It was so cute to see him helping her out.

They also have a few photo opportunities too. Katie and Michael both posed in the cutout although Katie was not quite tall enough. Michael and Katie both stood up next to a ruler with pumpkins next to it. I was amazed to see how tall Michael has gotten over the past few months. Since we took the kids' pictures at the same place last year, it will be interesting to see how they have grown from last year.

When she thinks no one is looking

2011-10-13T22:00:00.003-05:00

Katie has been taking dance for a month and a half now. It has been taken her some time to get used to going into class by herself. She was originally signed up for the 2 year old pre-ballet class. Since she was the only one in there, the rec center cancelled the class and she was moved up to the 3/4 year old ballet/tap combo class. For the first 2 weeks, she would not do much dancing at all but she was quietly observing.

As I have found out over the past few weeks, she is intently studying what the teacher is doing and repeating it at home. Of course, this is only when she thinks no one is looking. I caught her singing the ballerina song in her room. Katie also did an impromptu dance in her crib this morning for David, the little boy I watch, when he got here this morning. I know she thought I wasn't looking.

It's so cute to hear Katie talking about dancing and to do the steps. I asked her earlier today to do some dance but she didn't want to. I asked her to do it tonight for her uncle and she turned on the charm. She did some tap steps and a plie with her arms over her head. I love watching her and am so glad that she is having fun.

Katie really looks forward to going to dance now every week. Last night, we were talking about what we were doing today and she told me she was going to dance. Too cute!

Lego Fest 2011

2011-10-11T22:45:00.008-05:00

This past weekend we traveled to Raleigh, NC to visit my sister and her husband. My parents joined us there too. About a month ago, my sister let me know that LegoFest 2011 would be visiting there. We got tickets as Michael is really starting to get into building Legos. We were able to leave Katie at my sister's so that we could take our time with Michael and really enjoy the experience.

There were several areas where Legos were on the floor for building whatever the kids wanted. They had an area of Duplo blocks and two other areas with one color of blocks only. It was neat to see kids building different things in each area.

In one area, employees were handing out small squares. You took the squared to a table that had different color Lego cubes on them. You matched them up on the square to put on a large mural on one side of the room. Michael enjoyed this so much that he did it more than one time.

There was also a portion of the room dedicated to lifesize Lego models of different characters. It was very interesting to see how something as small as a Lego could turn into something bigger.

Michael won a Ninjago toy after we dueled in the arena with Ninjagos that we created. He also won a free month of membership to play Lego Universe online because he picked the green block out of the box. He was so excited and could not wait to play when we got home.

We all had a great time!

It took all of these (and more) for a smile

2011-10-05T19:45:00.005-05:00

I wanted to get a picture of Katie in her Halloween pajamas earlier this week. However, getting her to look at the camera and cooperate for a picture is one of the most difficult things to accomplish. As soon as she sees the camera, she says that she does not want to say cheese. I have tried to bribe her but that doesn't seem to work either. I finally got her to smile by telling her that I wasn't going to rock her to sleep unless she smiled. It did work but I know she has better smiles to give.

Walk for Life

2011-10-04T21:10:00.002-05:00

This past Saturday I did the Walk for Life for Breast Cancer sponsored by a local hospital. My sorority alumnae chapter organized a group to walk together. It was great to do something like this to raise money for a great cause. There are so many worthwhile causes out there that it's hard to pick just one to support. Recently several people that I know have had relatives diagnosed with breast cancer so it seemed like the right cause at the time.

My OB who delivered Michael was diagnosed with breast cancer in her early 30's. It went into remission for a while and came back about 6 months after I had Michael. She passed away last year. She was such an awesome person, as well as a great doctor.

Fall Festival

2011-10-03T20:32:00.004-05:00

Friday night was the annual Fall Festival at Michael's school. This was our first year attending as he just started Kindergarten there. There was a lot for the kids to do there. We bought tickets to go on rides and play games. They had a bounce house as well as a bounce slide. Michael really enjoyed the slide and Katie got upset that she could not go on the slide too. She likes the slide but cannot climb up by herself.

The kids got to see and climb up inside a fire truck. The firefighters showed them the different equipment and how to use it. There was also a "pumpkin patch" set up in front of the school. Inside they were doing photos and fingerprints. The book fair was also going on in the library and Katie & Michael each got to pick out a book. The whole family got to go on a hayride around the school parking lot.

Katie's favorite thing to do was the lollipop tree. For one ticket, she could choose any lollipop from the "tree". She was in heaven. Michael's favorite thing was the bull riding. He got to sit up high and spin around before being thrown from the bull. Thankfully it didn't go too fast.

It was definitely a fun night and we look forward to doing it again next year.

11

2011-09-30T06:45:00.001-05:00

Today Todd and I are celebrating our 11th anniversary. When you first get married, even 5 years seems like a big deal. I now realize that every year should be celebrated like a big deal because it is. I am so thankful to have found the love of my life, who also happens to be my best friend.

I fall more and more in love with Todd as the years go by. I love that he is a wonderful husband and father to Katie and Michael. He knows me so well and takes the good and bad parts of me, which is not always easy. I feel so lucky to have him as my husband and know that I count on him to be by my side.

As a surprise to me, Todd took the day off from work so we can spend it together and I am looking forward to it. I think it's amazing that something so simple can make me so happy. Happy Anniversary Todd!

Storytime

2011-09-28T23:12:00.003-05:00

Wednesday is the day that we go to library storytime. We didn't go during the summertime as I felt like Michael may have been bored with it and there were plenty of other things to do. The latest session started back in the last week of August and today was the final class of this session. The next one will start back up in 3 weeks.

Katie really seemed to be participating today, which figures since this is the last class for a while. She is singing along with the songs and doing the hand motions. One of her favorite songs that they sing is "The Wheels on the Bus".

Today the librarian read a Spot book, which is one of Katie's favorites right now. Since there are so many kids in there, it's sometimes hard to pay attention to the book. There are also quite a few younger siblings, who are babies, and Katie wants to monitor their every move. It's so sweet how she goes up to the babies and studies what they are doing.

Katie enjoys library storytime and asks about it when we don't go. I hope that the next 2 weeks go by quickly. I wonder what activity we can do instead of storytime. Maybe a trip to the zoo or the museum.....

Apple Picture Day

2011-09-25T22:44:00.004-05:00

Friday was Picture Day at Michael's school. We are still struggling to get him to wear a "button shirt". I guess I figured after 3 years that he would eventually decide to give up his fight with buttons. No such luck yet, although we can usually get him to wear one with a bribe. The shirt that he wore for Friday's picture was actually one that he picked out himself. He threw a fit when we were buying it for my cousin's rehearsal dinner last month but agreed to wear it for the picture after we asked a few times.

It was also Apple Day for the Kindergarten classes. It was fitting that Michael was wearing a red shirt. The classes went around to different rooms and got to taste and touch different apples. Todd's parents brought over a basket of apples this weekend. Michael was able to tell me that the green ones were Granny Smith, the yellow were golden delicious and the red ones were delicious too. I was impressed. They also made an apple hat with the different color apples on it. Michael was pretty proud of it!

All Night Long

2011-09-23T22:38:00.001-05:00

That was the amount of time that Katie wore underwear on Wednesday night without any accidents. Todd and I were so proud of her!

For the past few nights, Katie has been asking to wear underwear to bed. I have been very hesitant as most days she still wakes up with a pretty full pull-up. She really wanted to and I didn't want to discourage her so I let her wear underwear to bed on Tuesday night. She did have an accident but I am pretty sure it was near the morning as she wasn't that wet. She asked again last night so I put the panties on. My mom has been visiting for a few days and she got Katie up this morning.

We made a big deal about her doing such a great job wearing underwear all night. I hope that this is the start to staying dry every night and that it wasn't just a one time thing. If she can start pooping on the potty consistently, then potty training will be done. I will be keeping my fingers crossed and keep cheering Katie on!

One Month Later

2011-09-22T22:25:00.002-05:00

Today was Michael's one month post-surgery appointment for his eardrum repair. The ENT said that everything looks good so far. We can stop with the eardrops and keeping the water out of his ear in the shower. The skin graft is still a little thick so he will recheck the ear again next month and there will also be a hearing test then as well.

Thankfully, this was one of the shortest appointments we have ever been to. The time from checking in to leaving was less than 30 minutes. This was good because Michael does not like to have his ear checked. The doctor also cleans his ear, which is the worst part of the appointment. Today I showed him all of the things that the doctor used to check his ear. It seemed to calm him down a bit. I hope that after the next appointment, it will be a while before we have to go back.

Blogging Blahs

2011-09-16T21:43:00.002-05:00

We have been so busy over the past few weeks getting into the school routine and adjusting to getting up so early. It seems like there is so much going on that I could be blogging about but yet there is little time to do it. I hope to get back into it in the next few days as I have come to rely on the blog to keep track of important milestones and events in our family's life.

Reflections

2011-09-11T21:17:00.001-05:00

Isn't it crazy how some moments stand out in your mind and you can remember what you were doing at that exact moment in time? But then other things that you did a million times don't seem to leave any impression at all.

I can remember exactly where I was and what I was doing the morning of September 11, 2001. I was sitting at my desk at work. I got a call from my mom saying that a plane had hit the World Trade Center. My dad was doing contract work right across the river from the WTC. Thankfully, he was fine. We turned on the TV at the office in time to see another plane hit the second tower. We were glued to the TV for the rest of the day at work and at home that night. I remember being in shock that something this serious had happened. I also kept waiting for them to bring out survivors. Unfortunately, there were not many. I know that I felt such relief that my dad was OK as he was so close to the tragedy. My mom spent the next few days trying to get up there to be with him from NC.

Ten years later, the world has changed in so many ways. My life has also changed drastically. I was a newly married working woman. Now I have been married for almost 11 years, have 2 kids and am lucky enough to stay at home with them. I am thankful for my family every single day.

First Ballet Class

2011-09-09T08:03:00.005-05:00

Tuesday was Katie's first dance class. I had called to several dance studios around us and all of them will not take kids until they are 3 years old. I finally found a class at a local rec center and it will be on Tuesday afternoons.

The class is pre-ballet and it is just for 2 year olds. Well, I guess that most of the other 2 year olds are doing something else because Katie was the only one in the class! I figured that she wouldn't actually do any dance but she did let the teacher show her what to do. They sat together on the floor and listened to music while talking about dance. The class lasted about 40 minutes, which I thought was pretty good for Katie. It was nice to have the class to herself because she got to ease into the setting.

The highlight of the class was getting a pink stamp on her hand at the end. As we were leaving, I asked her if she wanted to come back again next week. She said that she would and she told me she wants to dance "The Nutcracker".

Bye Bye Summer

2011-09-05T21:52:00.005-05:00

Growing up on the Jersey shore, Labor Day weekend always meant the end of summer. The day after Labor Day, the island changed and all the tourists went home. It was when we always enjoyed the beach the most. Now that I live in South Carolina, school starts mid-August and the beginning of school means the end of summer to me.

We were invited by some good friends to spend the weekend with them at the beach house they rented for the week. We visited with my parents on Friday night and headed over to the beach house late Saturday afternoon. It was nice to spend time with family and friends.

We all went swimming in the pool and headed to the beach today. We really enjoyed ourselves. It was the ideal day to spend at the beach and pool. The ocean water was the perfect temperature and there was a nice breeze blowing on the beach. Everyone had a great time and we were happy that we decided to the spend the final weekend of summer at the beach!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-08-31T22:00:00.002-05:00

Out of the mouth of a 2 year old

2011-08-30T22:38:00.004-05:00

Katie has been saying some of the funniest things lately. Having a conversation with her is highly entertaining. She has started to repeat some of the things that she hears Michael say too.

Some of her recent favorites include: "How you dare me" (How dare you?), "I never get to eat that" (courtesy of Michael), and "Oh, man". It's pretty hysterical to hear these phrases coming out of her mouth. Her tone of voice makes it even funnier as she is very dramatic. She also likes to start sentences off with statements like, "you remember the other day when I....."

Having a conversation with Katie is like talking to a 3 or 4 year old. She is constantly asking questions and making observations. We were at the grocery store earlier this week and I asked her to help me count an item that we were buying. I started with 1, 2 and then she finished with 3, 4, 5. We have also been working on manners. If Katie catches you talking with your mouth full, she says, "You shouldn't talk with your mouth full".

I tried to get a video of her talking but as soon as she realizes that you are filming her, she turns to the camera and says "stop saying cheese". I was able to get a few phrases while her back was turned to me one day. This is such a great age for talking as things really start to come together.

Michael's First Homework

2011-08-29T22:42:00.000-05:00

Every day Michael brings home a folder from school that has papers in it to send back to school the next day and other ones to keep at home. Michael's first homework assignment was in the folder today. It is to be completed and turned back in by Friday.

The first assignment was to cut on the lines on a sheet of paper. Michael did that today and let me know that he would do the second assignment tomorrow. Each child was assigned a letter for the second assignment. They have to find something in their house that starts with the letter. Then he has to draw a picture and put a sentence using the word underneath it. As he was sitting at the kitchen table cutting with the scissors, he told me that he loves homework and school. What a great thing for a parent to hear! Let's hope it continues in the years to come.

Working on his assignment at the kitchen table:

No More Stitches

2011-08-25T20:35:00.003-05:00

This afternoon Michael had his follow-up appointment with the ENT to get his stitches out from his ear surgery last week. I have been nervous about this appointment as I know that Michael is very sensitive to pain. I knew that getting the stitches out was not going to be a good experience.

Everything was fine until the doctor came in the room and asked him to lay back in the chair. He did not want to do this. The nurse and I had to step in and hold him still so that the doctor could remove the stitches and look in his ear. After the stitches were out, the nurse said that he could look at them. He was so upset from the removal of the stitches that he did not look at them and the nurse finally had to throw them out. Of course, he wanted to look at them right after she did that. When I told him that she had thrown them out, he got upset and started crying all over again.

By the time we got to the elevator to head out to parking lot, Michael was fine. Everything looked good today and he will go back in one month to check to see how the graft is taking and if the eardrum repair was successful or not.

He did it

2011-08-23T21:05:00.002-05:00

Monday was the second day of school. After getting everything sorted out regarding the bus situation from Friday, including speaking to the bus driver on the phone, Michael was ready to ride the bus home from school.

Fortunately Todd was able to come home from work so he didn't miss this important first for Michael. When the bus pulled up to the corner, all you could see was Michael's little face looking out the window. As soon as he saw us, his face lit up and he jumped up to get off the bus. He was so proud of himself for riding the bus and he got a Lego Star Wars set since he did so well riding the bus by himself.

Michael's First Day of Kindergarten

2011-08-21T22:14:00.008-05:00

Friday was Michael's first day of Kindergarten. Todd and I were both able to take him to his first day. When he woke up in the morning, he went downstairs and was so excited to see his lunchbag and what was inside.

We headed to school and took him inside. Only half of the class was there as his school does a staggered start for kindergarten to get the kids used to going. The entire class will be there tomorrow. When we arrived, his teacher showed us to his cubby and we put his bookbag in there. Michael already has a friend in his class and he arrived shortly after we did. The boys sat down to read some books together. It was so nice to see Michael settling right in.

As we left, it hit me that we now have a child in kindergarten. It was a bittersweet moment but I knew how happy he has to be there and I loved his enthusiasm. All of these firsts are hard as a parent but seeing Michael so happy makes the adjustment so much easier.

When he got home, Michael said that his day was great. He told us about what they did for the day and where they went around the school. We also talked about the kindergarten playground, which was fun too. He asked when he could go back to school!

The only thing that did not go smoothly was the bus ride home. Apparently Michael's paperwork got lost so he could not ride. His teacher said that he was all ready to ride it with his friend and Todd had even gotten off work early so he could see him leave the bus. At least now we know that he will ride the bus, even if he didn't get to on his first day.

How can this day already be here?

2011-08-18T22:03:00.002-05:00

Michael's first day of Kindergarten, that is. It seems like just yesterday we were bringing home Michael from the hospital. These past 5 years have just flown by.

I can remember talking with him a few years ago during the time that he loved school buses. He was so excited to ride on one and whenever we saw one, he would talk about the day that he would be able to ride too. I can't believe that day is here and now he doesn't want to ride on the school bus. He asked if I could drop him off and pick him up in our own car.

Tomorrow morning is going to come very early for all of us here. Summer's over and school is beginning. At least the first day is on Friday and we will have the weekend to get ready for the first full week of school. Heading to bed now as soon as I finish packing his lunch and get the camera ready.

Wordless Wednesday - Wedding Edition

2011-08-16T21:08:00.005-05:00

Surgery Complete

2011-08-15T21:51:00.004-05:00

Michael did very well during the surgery this morning. The doctor was able to take the piece of skin from behind his right ear to use to repair his eardrum. They pack the ear with material that is absorbed by the body as well as antibiotic cream. Both of these help to hold the graft in place. We will go back next week to have the stitches removed and then it will be another month or so before we know if the graft took or not.

When he woke up from surgery, we were allowed to see him shortly afterwards. He was extremely groggy and the first thing he wanted was to have them remove the IV. I can definitely relate to that. First he had to eat a popsicle and drink some juice to make sure he had some fluids in him. After he did that, the nurse was able to take the IV. Until the pain medicine kicked in, Michael was in a lot of pain and out of sorts from the anesthesia.

We got home and Michael got a special present from Todd's parents, who were here watching Katie. He got 2 new Lego games for the Wii. He quickly seemed to forget how much his ear hurt and was ready to play the games! It was pretty funny.

Here is the patient while we were waiting for him to go back to the operating room:

Another Surgery Day

2011-08-14T21:52:00.003-05:00

Tomorrow Michael is having surgery to repair the hole in his eardrum. The ENT will take a small piece of skin from behind his ear to repair the hole. I hope that this surgery goes as smoothly as the hernia surgery did. We have to be there in the morning at 7:30am, which is much better than the 5:30am for his last surgery.

Kindergarten Evaluation

2011-08-03T20:12:00.001-05:00

Monday was the day that Michael had his evaluation for kindergarten. This is the first year that they are doing these before the start of school at his elementary school. The teachers are going to use the evaluations to help decide which teacher they should have. I think it's a good idea to meet the students ahead of time.

I only know what went on in the evaluation based on what Michael told me. The teacher asked me if he went to preschool. It lasted about 10 minutes. I had Katie and David in a conference room and was filling out paperwork while they played with toys. As we left, I asked Michael what they talked about. He said that they asked him about some shapes, colors and letters. Since it didn't last that long, I doubt that they asked him much more. It will be interesting to see how they use the evaluation to place the students in each class.

School starts 2 weeks from tomorrow but Michael's first day will actually be Friday, August 19th. The school staggers the start for kindergarten so that the first half of the alphabet goes the first day and the second half the second day. I think it's good to get them used to the new school.

Dry

2011-07-31T22:53:00.002-05:00

Katie woke up from her 2 hour nap today with dry underwear!! I was so excited and told her how proud we were of her. I wonder if it was just a fluke or if she can repeat it again. We'll see what happens tomorrow.....

Phone Photo Friday

2011-07-29T00:01:00.002-05:00

Michael has been very interested in playing video games on the Wii or computer lately. I let him play some during naptime for the little kids. While I was putting the little kids down for the nap, Michael pulled out this magnet game and started to put together the puzzles in there. When I came back downstairs, this is what he had done. It's nice to know that he can enjoy toys that he hasn't played with in a while.

Reading Time

2011-07-27T22:11:00.003-05:00

One of Katie's favorite things to do is read books or have someone read books to her. She is listening to every word that you say when you are reading to her and loves to open up the books and "read" to herself.

Katie got to pick out a new doll as a reward for using the potty to pee 10 times. We went to the store to get the doll today. Katie couldn't wait to open the box when we got home.

Here is Katie "reading" to her baby before bed tonight. So sweet!

Potty Training Progress

2011-07-24T22:18:00.003-05:00

A few weeks ago, I decided to give potty training Katie a shot. I also thought I would try to potty train the little boy I watch at the same time since Michael was out of town for the week. After 3 days of both of them peeing everywhere but the potty, I decided to rethink my strategy and focus on Katie first.

I had her wear underwear at home all day and pull-ups at night and nap. She was telling me when she would pee in her underwear by handing the wet pairs to me. I was asking her if she had to use the potty but her answer was always the same: NO! About 2 weeks went by and there was no further progress. I told Katie that we were done with potty training and to let me know when she was ready to wear big girl panties. The next morning, I went in her room to get her up for the day. She told me, "Mommy, I don't want to wear diapers anymore." I decided to do one more day of underwear before completely throwing in the towel. For whatever reason, this was the breakthrough day. She consistently peed in the potty, even though she still wouldn't poop in it. The next few days were the same thing.

Today was her first outing to a birthday party wearing underwear. She did great and only had one accident (and it wasn't pee). We went out to eat with Todd's mom after that and she had an accident in the car. It was a long day and she didn't have a nap. I thought that she did pretty well considering this was her first time out in underwear. We will try again tomorrow.

We have really been praising her everytime that she uses the potty. She comes up to you and says, "I'm so proud of you", and claps for herself after she uses the potty. She also likes to say, "Good job Katie!". It's so cute to hear her. Michael has also been really good about giving her words of encouragement. He told her congratulations the other day after she used the potty. And also told her to keep trying when she wasn't having success.

This is going to take a little while but at least we are making progress in the right direction! And I didn't want to say anything about it here for fear of jinxing it.

Getting Ready for School

2011-07-19T19:52:00.005-05:00

I took Michael out this past Sunday to pick out his backpack and lunch bag for Kindergarten. I can't even believe I just wrote that out. It seems like just yesterday he was a tiny little baby celebrating his first 4th of July.

We went to Toys R Us as they were also having a deal on some other school supplies he needed. I let Michael choose the bag that he was going to get. This was a decision that was not taken lightly. He pored over the entire selection of backpacks and matching lunch bags. There were 2 that he really liked and he kept trying them on to see how they looked.

He finally decided on this one. I think it may have something to do with his obsession with a certain Lego Star Wars game on the Wii.

What's Up Next

2011-07-18T19:42:00.003-05:00

Well, I figured that the rest of the summer would be pretty low-key, with the exception of our trip to Baltimore for Todd, Katie and Michael's appointments at Johns Hopkins. We needed a break after casting the first week of June, many doctor's appointments through the rest of the month and hernia surgery the first week of July. Looks like I was wrong.

Thursday we went for a follow-up visit to the ENT. Michael had his left ear tube removed at the end of May and his right ear tube was removed last August. We have been waiting for the hole to close in his right ear since then. The ENT told me that the holes do not close up in 3% of the patients with tubes. Guess who is in that 3%? I wasn't surprised when he said Michael. Thankfully, the right ear closed up as expected in just 6 weeks.

The ENT said that his eardrum would have to be repaired. He said that we could have it done anytime as there was no rush but that it would have to be done at some point. We decided to get it done now for 2 reasons: Michael is starting kindergarten in the middle of August and I don't want him to miss any school so early and since he already had surgery this year, we shouldn't have to pay much more to meet the out of pocket maximum for our insurance. I also want Michael to be able to go swimming without having to wear earplugs all the time.

The surgery is scheduled for August 15th, just 4 short days before the first day of school. The doctor said that the recovery time is minimal but you do have to come back to get your stitches removed 10 days post surgery as they take a small skin graft from behind his ear to patch the eardrum. Seems like it's always something here!

Found in our Mailbox

2011-07-13T22:56:00.003-05:00

We went out on Monday morning to run a few errands and go to the library to pick out some new books for the week. When we returned home, this is what I found in the mailbox:

Michael was thrilled to receive these get well cards from his two best friends, Mark and Connor, who are also twin brothers. He wondered how they got there and loved getting mail. I thought it was so sweet of them (and their mom) to make these cards and bring them by for Michael. They certainly made Michael feel better!

Pool Time

2011-07-12T21:51:00.005-05:00

We have been staying close to home since Michael has had his surgery. Most of our days have been spent inside trying to stay cool. I didn't think it was fair to Katie to not be able to go to the pool until Michael is better so I set up our little pool in the backyard. I took Katie and the little boy I watch out there after naptime.

Michael went outside to check it out and told me that there wasn't enough water in there. I had put about an inch in there. The little kids got in there and had a blast. They laid down on their backs and let the water cool them off. They laid on their stomachs, kicked their feet and splashed water all around. I put a few balls and a couple of boats in for them to play with too.

It was awesome to watch them having such a great time with each other doing something that was so simple. It definitely wants to make me get out the pool more often. If only it wasn't so hot when I was setting it up.....

Post Surgery

2011-07-10T21:08:00.000-05:00

Michael's surgery went as planned on Friday morning. It started at 7:38am and was completed in less than an hour. The surgeon came out to the waiting room to give us the update on how the surgery went. He was able to repair both hernias and there were no complications. Michael fought the mask a little bit but then it went fine. Todd went back to see him in the immediate post recovery and then I was able to go back into the second recovery room about 20 minutes later. We were leaving the hospital by 10:00am.

Michael rested for most of Friday but never went back to sleep. He had some pain medicine to keep him comfortable and he spent most of the day either playing video games or watching TV. Both sets of his grandparents were here to visit him, which provided a nice distraction.

He went to bed around 8 on Friday night and slept through all night. The only thing that he really couldn't do was get in and out of bed and he needed some help getting his clothes off to use the bathroom. We let him sleep with us on Friday night but he was back in his bed last night. Tonight he will get to take his first shower since the surgery.

Michael is doing surprisingly well. If I didn't know better, I would have no idea that he had surgery on Friday. He was just playing around the house with Katie and running outside. I am going to try not to plan too many activities for this week so he doesn't hurt himself. We can take the bandage off on Friday and will go back for a follow-up visit next Thursday.

The children's hospital here was great. We didn't really have to wait very long to see the doctor or nurses. The pre-op room that we were in had a TV with DVD player and movies to choose from, as well as a Nintendo DS with various games. Michael loved playing IronMan and Toy Story 3. He got to have a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle surgery cap and wore peach pajamas with yellow socks. Unfortunately, I only got one picture.

I am so happy that this was a good experience for Michael's first surgery.

Surgery Day

2011-07-08T01:18:00.001-05:00

Today is the day of Michael's hernia surgery. When we were first given the date a month ago, it seemed so far away. Now the day is here.

I am a little nervous about what is going to happen today but know that we have done all that we can to prepare for it. We got the clearance from his cardiologist here, as well as his cardiologist at Johns Hopkins.

I am most worried about how Michael is going to react. We have been talking a little about the surgery. I have told him that the doctor is going to give him a special medicine that will make him go to sleep. When he wakes up, his body will be fixed. He asked me if they were going to have to cut him in half. I wonder where he got that from.

We would appreciate any good thoughts or prayers sent our way today for a successful surgery and a speedy recovery.

One More May Mom Meetup

2011-07-07T07:06:00.005-05:00

I had the pleasure of meeting Beth, her boys and her mom as they traveled through Columbia on their journey from FL to NC. They were able to stop by our house for a short visit last Friday afternoon.

Her boys had just woken up from their naps so it took them a few minutes to wake up but once they did, the boys all played in the playroom with the trains. When Katie woke up, she joined them too, as she does not like to be left out. We also headed outside for a little while so that the kids could play in the playhouse and sandbox. As is typical for a South Carolina summer, it was pretty hot outside!

Beth was warm, funny and easy to talk to. I felt like we could have talked for hours if we had the chance. As always, the time we had to hang out was too short. By the end of their time here, William and Michael were playing nicely together. Seth is a cutie and Katie was following him around like she does with older kids.

It was so nice of Beth, her mom and boys to come for a visit. I hope that we can meet again soon when we all have more time. Thanks for stopping by!

Happy 4th of July

2011-07-04T23:41:00.001-05:00

We spent the holiday weekend at my parents' house. This morning we went to a parade in my parent's neighborhood. Michael got to ride a pony and both kids enjoyed watching the parade. We got back yesterday afternoon in time for dinner and to listen to the fireworks in the neighborhood as you couldn't see them very well from our house.

Hope that everyone had a great holiday!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-06-29T23:44:00.002-05:00

First Pedicure

2011-06-27T21:45:00.003-05:00

I was painting my toenails on Sunday morning when Katie asked me what I was doing. I told her and she asked me, "Can you paint mine too?" I decided that there was no harm in doing it so she got pink toenails just like me. She asked about getting her fingernails painted too but I didn't do them because she likes to put her fingers in her mouth all the time. I look forward to doing more mother-daughter things in the future.

Here is her pretty pink pedicure:

Katie sitting in her chair:

Movie Time

2011-06-23T22:46:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I took Katie and Michael to the summer dollar movies. Each Tuesday and Wednesday, a local theater has a slightly older movie for a dollar. This week's selections were How to Train a Dragon and Shrek 3. I let Michael pick the movie and he decided on How to Train a Dragon. We got into the theater and it was very loud. He told me that he changed his mind and wanted to go see Shrek 3 instead.

We went over to the theater that was showing Shrek 3 and then Katie didn't want to go in. She told me that it was scary and she wanted to leave. I took her to the movies last summer but all she was interested in then was running up and down the stairs. I told her that I had some popcorn in my bag and that got her to come inside.

Michael sat through the entire movie with minimal talking and Katie sat in my lap for 75% of the movie. Towards the end, I think her eyes had adjusted some and she was getting antsy. She would climb up and down 2 stairs but not go any further because the movie was loud and she would get startled.

I was prepared to have to get up in the middle of the movie and leave because Katie wouldn't want to sit still. Both kids did surprisingly well and I feel confident enough to attempt taking them again, along with the little boy that I babysit. We'll see how that goes....

3rd Time Is A Charm

2011-06-21T23:02:00.003-05:00

Michael started swimming lessons for the summer yesterday. This year we signed him up at a local rec center and the lessons will be four days a week for 2 weeks in the afternoon. We went down to the pool, showered and Michael went to the steps. He wouldn't get in until the lifeguard came near the stairs so he could jump to them. I had signed him up for Level 2 but he was placed in Level 1 yesterday.

I watched the Level 2 class and thought that Michael would be able to do what they were doing. But I had also been watching him in his class and he was doing fine. Today was another story. He got right in the pool and started swimming to the instructor when it was his turn. He also went under the water by himself.

At the end of the lesson, I went up to the instructor and asked him how Michael did today. He told me that Michael should be in Level 2 since he did so well today. It just takes him a little time to get warmed up in a new environment. Tomorrow he will join the Level 2 class and I can't wait to see how he does.

This is the first year that Michael is really enjoying the swimming lessons from the beginning. It's a relief to not have to worry about him being scared of the water. I hope that he continues to have fun at the pool as the summer goes on.

Happy Father's Day!

2011-06-19T23:17:00.003-05:00

It was a great and busy day here. It started with Todd and Katie sleeping in late while Michael and I hung out and ate breakfast. Michael was so excited for Todd to get up so he could give him his present. He had waited patiently for the past few days, not spoiling the surprise at all. The present was a framed picture of Katie and Michael that we had taken one day last week. Michael was so happy to give it to Todd and Todd really liked it.

A friend and I took our kids to the pool in the afternoon while the dads stayed behind to relax for a bit. They also grilled hot dogs and hamburgers for our dinner and set up the bounce house for the kids. Everyone had a really nice day!

Thank you Todd for everything that you do for our family. I couldn't think of a better father for our children and I know that they feel the same way. The excitement and joy that I see on all of your faces when you are together is priceless. I will treasure these years forever and look forward to many more happy Father's Days! We love you.

27 Months Old

2011-06-17T23:01:00.002-05:00

It's been a while since I have done one of these posts but Katie turned 27 months old yesterday. The time has been flying by and I keep telling people she just turned 2 but I guess I better change that. Of course, it doesn't help that she looks and talks like she is closer to 3 than 2.

Katie can carry on a full conversation with you now. She is able to repeat what you told her several hours before, almost word for word. I am amazed at how she is always listening to what is being said and commits it to memory. Several of her favorite things to say include "stop it Michael", "Can I go to the store too, Mommy?" and "Good night Daddy.". If you tell her you love her, she will say it back to you. That has to be my favorite thing that she says.

She now calls books by names that she has made up based on the story inside. Katie loves to be read to and we take full advantage of that by reading several books at nap and bedtime every day. She also recognizes people that we see on a regular basis and calls them by name. I love this age because they are learning so much and get so excited about it.

Katie's eating isn't as good as it used to be but she is 2 years old. I don't think that she is nearly as picky as Michael was. She likes to eat whatever he is having and if he finishes his dinner first, I have to ask him to wait to have his snack. If Katie sees him eating a popsicle or lollipop, she wants one immediately. Two of her favorite foods right now are cereal and any kind of fruit.

There has been a little progress on the potty training front. Katie actually peed in the potty one day last week. Some days she wants to wear "big girl panties" and others she doesn't. Even when she wears panties, she mostly just pees on the floor. She is definitely aware of it because she will come to me immediately and tell me "I went pee-pee on the floor." Ummm, not sure why she couldn't just use the potty. If I could devote several days to following her around like we did for Michael, then I think she would learn to use the potty and that would be it.

I can't believe how fast she is growing up. There are times that I want to freeze and others that I am so excited to see what the next step is. Watching her learn and grow is an awesome gift!

All Clear

2011-06-16T23:34:00.004-05:00

We had a marathon day of doctor's appointments this past Monday.

The first appointment was the opthalmologist for Katie and Michael. Neither of them had to get a new prescription for their glasses since the last visit 6 months ago. Michael's lens dislocation has remained the same and Katie's glasses are fitting her properly, even though I had my doubts. We will go back again in 6 months for a re-check. This was the first time that we were out of the office in less than 2 hours. Between dilation and waiting to get in to see the doctor, we are usually there for a while.

The second appointment of the day was Michael's physical therapy. The therapist checked out his legs since he got the casts removed on Friday. She said that he looked great. The only two things that we need to do now are to keep up with his ankle exercises and get his shoe inserts adjusted. Michael is not a big fan of doing the exercises at home but I may use a chart to get a prize at the end of the month. We'll see how it goes.

Next we went to get his inserts adjusted. We did not have an appointment for this but I called the clinic that makes the inserts to see if they could fit us in. They could so we headed there. The inserts had more padding added in certain areas to help give Michael's foot a boost. He has done well with them since the adjustment.

The final appointment of the day was the cardiologist for Michael. This was a pre-op checkup for his hernia surgery. An echocardiogram was done, as well as a physical exam. Michael's echo looked good. His aorta was changed only 1 mm and they said that this could be due to the different machines used to do echos. His cardiologist gave him the all clear to proceed with the hernia surgery. I am still going to email the results to Johns Hopkins so that they can review but it looks like Friday, July 8th is going to be the surgery day.

Amazingly, I made it through the day with 3 kids going to appointment after appointment with very few breaks for them. However, it's not something I want to do again anytime soon!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-06-15T23:24:00.000-05:00

Slip and Slide

2011-06-12T23:35:00.003-05:00

This afternoon we went outside to play on Michael's new toy that he got for his birthday, a slip n slide. Our neighbor next door was outside with her son and the boy were going to play on their own slip n slides. Todd was pushing the boys down each slide on the small inflatable board that comes with it.

After watching this for a few minutes, the moms decided to show the boys how to slip n slide. We each went inside to put on our bathing suits and then took our turns on the slides. It was fun to go through the water and slide down to the end. It was also refreshing at the temperature was approaching 100 outside. However, one thing I realized is that it's a lot further down to the ground when you are a mom than when you are a 5 year old. I felt lucky to get a few slides in and not break anything or get any bruises.

What was pretty funny was that after I went on the slide, Michael still would not go on the slip n slide without being pushed. He would walk on it but that was it. Maybe next time.....

A Different Kind of Footlong

2011-06-09T23:17:00.001-05:00

Todd and I were outside last night after the kids went to bed. We started looking at our garden in the backyard. We are growing peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes, zucchini and eggplant. Most of the cucumber plant has been eaten by deer, as well as the tops of most of the pepper plants. So far this year we have gotten one zucchini that we ate earlier this week.

I decided to look at the zucchini plant to see if any of them were ready to be picked underneath all of the leaves. I was moving leaves and stalks and glimpsed one underneath. Upon closer inspection, I realized that this particular zucchini was enormous and bigger than any I had ever seen. I called Todd over and he couldn't get over how big it was either. I picked it off and brought it inside. I decided to measure it. It was 1 foot long and about 3 inches wide. I really would have liked to have been able to weigh it, just out of curiosity. I wonder if the rest of our zucchini this season will be this big!

Hernia Update

2011-06-07T23:10:00.002-05:00

Today we had Michael's consult for his hernia surgery. The doctor examined him and determined that he has a small hernia on one side and a larger one on the other side. The type of hernia that he has is a inguinal hernia. The surgeon will repair it with an outpatient procedure. The surgery is scheduled for Friday, July 8th.

Michael is on heart medication to slow the enlargement of his aorta from Marfan syndrome. He will have a cardiac consultation, as well as an echocardiogram, prior to the surgery. That is scheduled for this upcoming Monday and then we will go from there regarding the surgery. Hopefully that will be a good visit and the surgery will simply be a routine procedure.

Casting - Red, Green and Black

2011-06-05T21:56:00.000-05:00

Michael got his first set of casts on his lower legs and feet last Friday. The procedure is serial casting and it helps to improve his range of motion and strengthen his ankles as a result of Marfan syndrome. The casts will stay on for one week and then be removed. After they are removed, it will be determined if the casting improved his ankles or not. If there was improvement, then the doctor will assess how long it will be before he gets casted for another week.

Todd took Michael to get the casts on Friday. He did a great job while they were putting them on and was extremely cooperative during the casting. One of Michael's favorite parts of the casting was getting to pick out the colors for his casts. He chose red & green on one leg and red & black on the other leg. It looks pretty neat.

Michael has been very good with the casts and hasn't complained about them at all. He is getting around pretty good too and has the walking shoes so he isn't that limited in what he can do. Todd and I are really impressed and proud with how he is handling the casting. The hardest part about the casts is that you cannot get them wet. It makes bathing a bit challenging and there won't be any pool time this week.

Todd will take Michael to get the casts off this Friday. We have a busy weekend planned with Todd's work picnic and 2 birthday parties so that will be his reward for being so cooperative.

Here is a picture of Michael wearing the casts:

Almost Wordless Wednesday

2011-06-01T19:59:00.000-05:00

"Can I play with the Idapod?", asked Katie.

Happy Memorial Day

2011-05-30T20:09:00.004-05:00

Final T-Ball Game

2011-05-27T16:06:00.000-05:00

Last night marked the end of Michael's first season of t-ball. He really enjoyed getting out there playing games, as well as practicing. He made some new friends on the team too. This will be his only year of t-ball as they start coaches' pitch next year.

Their final game was against the Seadogs. One of Michael's friends plays on this team so it was fun to have the last game against someone he knows. Here are a few shots from the game:

After the game, we went to CiCi's Pizza for an end of the season party. The kids had fun eating pizza and playing video games. The coaches had baseball cupcakes for all of the team. They also gave out trophies and a bucket of popcorn. What more could a 5 year old ask for?

Wordless Wednesday

2011-05-25T00:28:00.000-05:00

Doctors, Doctors

2011-05-23T23:29:00.001-05:00

Michael had his 5 year well visit last Tuesday. It was a bit crazy as I had 3 kids there and Katie was also being seen for a sick visit.

The visit started off good. The nurse took Michael's height and weight. He is now 43 inches tall (50%) and weighs 39 lbs (30%). Then she took him in for a hearing screen, which was fine. Michael also had to pee in a cup, which he thought was fun. Everything was OK until it was time for the finger prick. This is when he started freaking out. I can't say that I blame him. He didn't want to stay still and was hiding from me. I finally got him and the nurse did it as quickly as possible. Michael screamed and let me know that he was not happy with me!

We finally got in to the exam room and waited for the doctor. When he came in, he joked that he was scared to come in the room due to all of the screaming. He examined Michael and discovered that he has a hernia. Michael will need to have surgery to have this fixed. We will be referred to a surgeon and I have also contacted Johns Hopkins to get their opinion on the surgery since Michael has Marfan syndrome. Other than that, the rest of the appointment went OK, until the shot at the end. We had a better plan for that and it was over before he knew it.

Wednesday was Michael's annual orthopedic appointment. They took x-rays of his spine, hips and feet/ankles. The doctor said that Michael is showing no scoliosis at this time. He also doesn't have flat feet. The final thing that they checked for was his hips and they were showing no signs of displacement. It was a great checkup.

We also talked with the doctor about casting for Michael's ankles to help strengthen them. His physical therapist had recommended that we look into that as our next step as the therapy is only helping so much. The cast will be for a week and then they will remove them and re-evaluate. After he gets them removed, we should know if it helped or not almost immediately.

Now we just have to wait for the next step on the casting, as well as the hernia surgery.

Preschool Goodbyes

2011-05-22T20:58:00.004-05:00

Friday was Michael's last day of preschool. It was a bittersweet day. I can't wait to see what kindergarten brings next year but I am sad that he will be leaving a school that he loved so much.

Michael has changed so much from the first day of preschool when he was 3 years old. He was so excited to start going there. His first year was filled with making new friends and learning new things. His second year was spent growing closer with his friends and learning even more with fun activities thrown in.

I can honestly say that he enjoyed going to school here. He had some wonderful teachers who have helped him on his path to kindergarten. And he was taught that learning can be fun! I know he will miss his "little school", as he calls it.

First Day, August 2009

Field Day, May 2011

Kindergarten Orientation

2011-05-19T22:28:00.003-05:00

Michael had his Kindergarten orientation on Tuesday afternoon at the local elementary school. I don't think he really understood about going to a new school next year until we were there. We went into the center of the school where we got an information packet. We were taken to another part of the school where they had a snack table set up. The kids loved this!

We went into the auditorium where we heard from the principal, as well as some other administrators from the school. The tour of the kindergarten classroom came after this. This was the best part of the orientation according to Michael. To quote his words, "these people are boring", while the speeches were going on.

The classroom was awesome. I had envisioned rows of desk and a chalkboard. Instead, there were tables all around the room organized into centers and a Smartboard. Michael LOVED the Smartboard and had so much fun being shown how to use it by current kindergarteners. He also checked out the other centers.

He told me, as we were walking out of the school afterwards, that he thought the school was so cool. He also told me that he can't wait to go there next year. He did tell me that he does not want to ride the bus because it makes too much noise! That was so funny to me because a couple of years ago riding the bus was all he could talk about. I am so glad that he liked school and is looking forward to it.

Birthday Party Recap

2011-05-16T23:39:00.006-05:00

We had Michael's birthday party at our house on Saturday afternoon. We considered having it someplace else but decided against it. We invited Michael's classmates, as well as family and friends. The theme for the party was Transformers.

The plan was to have the party outside and on the porch. The kids were going to play some games and run around before we did the pinata. Well, it started to rain about 30 minutes before the party. It rained just enough to make the ground too wet to go outside. So we hosted 20-25 kids and their parents, as well as family inside our house. I had several people tell me we were brave to have that many people but it actually turned out really good.

The kids played inside with Michael's trains and other toys in the playroom. After about 45 minutes, we took the kids into the garage to do the pinata. Todd lined everyone up from shortest to tallest and they got several chances to hit the pinata. It took about 3 or 4 times through the line to get the pinata open. This was one stubborn Transformer! Once it was open, the kids went wild for the candy.

Before

During

After

Shortly after we finished the pinata, we did the cake. Michael had requested a Transformers cake with a Transformers candle on top. We all sang Happy Birthday and then everyone ate cake. People stayed for a while longer before starting to go.

Michael opened his presents after the majority of the guests had left. It was better this way as there were so many people in the house. That way, he could concentrate on who gave him what gift and really get to see everything.

We all thought it was a great party and had lots of fun!

Happy Birthday Michael!

2011-05-16T01:54:00.011-05:00

I became a mother for the first time 5 years ago today. It was one of the best days of my life. I can't believe the time is going by so fast already.

This year you went from preschooler to a little boy. You started to like toys that I only think of older boys playing with, like Transformers, Legos and super heroes. You became much more vocal about what type of toys you like to play with and have definite opinions on what is good and what is not.

You got your first computer last fall and have been enjoying it ever since. There are many games that you like to play and your ability to figure out how to solve them amazes me at times. You have also learned how to play Game Boy and use the iPod touch with apps that you like.

Your relationship with Katie has really evolved into a true sibling relationship. Some days the two of you play nicely all day and other days you both want to play with whatever the other one has. You told me that you are happy to have Katie as your sister, which I think is so sweet. You also show her how to do things and help her when she needs it. I couldn't have asked for a better big brother for Katie!

You played organized sports for the first time last fall. You started with soccer and then did indoor soccer in the winter. This spring you are playing t-ball. I think that you enjoy the social aspect of the sports as much as the actual sport itself. It's been fun watching you learn the sports and play games with the other kids.

We have been working on letters and numbers, writing them and learning to recognize them. You learned how to write your first name and were so proud of yourself. You have been asking about reading and figuring out the sounds that letters make, as well as how to spell words. Asking questions about all kinds of things has really helped you to learn about different subjects. One of your favorite books is The Illustrated Encyclopedia because you like to read about your body.

Michael, this year has been one of learning and growing. You are now a little boy but still aren't afraid to show everyone how much you love them. I love to get hugs and kisses from you. I hope that they never stop. We are so blessed to have you as our son and we love you very much!!

Isn't this sweet?

2011-05-09T23:05:00.000-05:00

I picked Michael up from school one day last week and he had a bag in his hand. He told me it was something special that he made for me. He wanted me to open it that day but I told him that I wanted to wait for Mother's Day.

We sat down on Sunday morning for me to open the bag. I was so excited to see what was inside. This is what I found.

There was also a piece of paper rolled up inside. The teachers asked each child what made their mom fantastic. Michael told them that he loves when I make him yogurt popsicles. It's the little things that mean a lot.

It was a nice Mother's Day and I am so thankful to have Michael and Katie as my children.

Show Me the Mommy - by Michael

2011-05-06T10:14:00.000-05:00

"Mommy, can I......?"

2011-05-04T23:52:00.000-05:00

This is one of Katie's favorite ways to start a sentence. It can end with all sorts of requests. A few of the most popular include ".....something to eat", "......watch a show,", ".....go outside". Her newest one let me know that she is listening to everything we say. Yesterday Katie came up to me and said "Mommy, can I write my name?". This was when I was sitting at the table writing with a pencil. I told her yes and gave her a magnetic erase board and she "wrote her name" to her heart's content.

Tonight I wasn't home for bedtime so Todd put the kids to bed. Katie didn't go to sleep right away and he had the monitor on. He said that she was up there talking to herself. Todd likes to tell Katie and Michael that he is crazy about them. Todd told me that he was listening to Katie say, "crazy about Daddy", "crazy about Mommy", "crazy about Michael", and went on to list a bunch of different people, including one of his co-workers (who is also a good friend). We both thought that was pretty funny. It was also even more proof that she really is taking it all in.

I think we are going to have our hands full with Katie too! This can be such a sweet age.

An Early Mother's Day Present

2011-05-01T21:51:00.004-05:00

Todd called me one day last week and told me that he knew what he and the kids were going to get me for Mother's Day. The only problem was that he needed to tell me now so he could get it done. I really like surprises but he said it would be really hard to pull it off without me being suspicious.

So we went on Wednesday to pick out my present, which was a new cell phone. I have had the same phone for 4 or 5 years. Todd thought it was time for me to get a new one, especially since I rarely get anything for myself. I got the EVO 4G and love it. I can tell that it's going to take some time getting used to it though since all I did on my old phone was make calls and send texts.

Thank you Todd, Michael and Katie for this awesome gift! I love you all very much.

The Deliciousness of Strawberries

2011-04-28T22:00:00.005-05:00

We went strawberry picking last Friday for the first time this season. Since we went fairly early this year, I may try to go again. There is nothing like fresh picked strawberries, especially when eating them out in the field.

Here are Katie and Michael at the beginning of the field.

Picking strawberries

Cleaned and cut

The final product, strawberry cake

Easter Activities

2011-04-27T23:19:00.010-05:00

We were going to church on Sunday morning and then out to eat for Easter dinner. So we decided to do some fun Easter activities on Saturday.

Michael and Katie dyed Easter eggs in the morning. Katie actually did more dropping of the eggs than decorating but she still had fun. You could tell which eggs she did because they had a speckled look to them, due to all the cracking shells. Michael was very methodical in his decorating and carefully chose the colors for his eggs. They all turned out great.

Saturday afternoon, we had an Easter egg hunt after Katie woke up from her nap. Katie really got into it and was able to find some eggs on her own. She would spot an egg and head toward it. Then Michael would follow her to try to get the egg first. I guess he knew that she was a good hunter. Both kids enjoyed themselves, aside from a few minor incidents involving who saw the egg first! Of course, they both wanted to eat the egg that had the candy inside (the rest had change).

The kids opened their Easter baskets on Sunday morning. We only got pictures of Michael opening his as Katie got into hers before we were up. We were at my parents and she got out of bed, saw Elmo and dug in. Guess we know who was really excited!