Life is a series of changes, but for our family, last couple weeks have seen quite a few more changes than usual. Some are little and some are big, but regardless, this adds up to great fun for me. I actually welcome--and tend to thrive on--change. I love change in our routine and change in my environment. So here are some of the changes that are energizing me lately.
- Getting into the school routine.
I was concerned about the early mornings, but it's actually been quite good for us to get up, get going, and be ready for the day. It's also nice to have Jeff's help in getting out the door--something we wouldn't have if we had to leave for school later. I will certainly change my tune when the weather is 20 below, but for now, I'm really enjoying it.
- Wednesday night activities have started at church.
Jeff is still helping with the Jr High; Carter is now old enough to have a class; and I am helping with nursery some weeks and attending a parent class when I can.
- Swimming lessons.
Swimming lessons are on Tuesday and Thursday, so having to be done with dinner and out of the house by 6:15 three evenings in a row (with church night sandwiched in between swimming lesson nights) is going to be difficult. Fortunately, swimming lessons only last a month.
- Bunk beds!
Last Friday night, we moved Logan's crib into Gavin's room and assembled bunk beds in Carter and Logan's room. We inherited the bunk beds that Jeff's dad made for him when he was a kid and our boys are so excited to have them. So on Friday night all the boys, even Gavin, slept in new beds and it went really well. Nap times started out rough (It took Logan two hours to fall asleep the first day.) but are going much better now.
- Rice cereal
Gavin is now eating rice cereal and loving it! I wasn't excited about starting him on solids before six months, but we are doing it in an effort to beef him up before surgery and hopefully help him sleep a little better at night.
- Jeff did away with his goatee.
Random thing to include on the list, but my husband looks different. I notice.
-It's time to get out the warm/bigger clothes.
Last week I dug through the huge pile of diaper boxes that comprise my clothing organizational system and pulled out seasonally-appropriate, size-appropriate clothes for everyone. It's fun to get out the warm, snugly clothes and I'm getting excited about fall cooking, too.
- We painted the trim in our kitchen. One step closer to done.
- We've gotten serious about buying a minivan.
By this time next week, chances are I will be a minivan-driving mom. We've been thinking about this change since we found out that Gavin was on the way, but have managed with our mid-size SUV until now. Getting Carter to and from school has finally pushed us over the edge. I'm not enjoying the backup that happens behind me in the drop-off lane when I have to help Carter unbuckle (because his buckle is underneath Gavin's car seat and it takes some tricky maneuvering to get to it) and open the door for him while he crawls under his brother's legs to get out.
I have actually rationalized my way to thinking that minivans are cool now. Just in time. ;) No offense to those of you who drive one; remember, I am joining you.
So, anyone in the market for a 2000 Nissan Altima?
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Gavin's 4 Month Check-up
Stats:
12 lb 15 oz
25 1/2 inches long
Gavin is slowing down his growing a bit, but that is on par for my kids at four months. Since he is waking more to eat at night and we want to bulk him up for surgery, we'll be starting solids soon. I can't believe it's already time for that.
We looked at the report from Gavin's CT scan and learned that the BPS is contained in his lower lobe, so we know that both lobes of that lung are there. Unfortunately, that's all the additional information we got from the report. I talked with the doctor about our upcoming meeting with the surgeon and got some ideas on what kinds of questions we could ask, so I'm starting our list for that meeting.
The shots went well, and he didn't spit up all over the nurse when she gave him his rotovirus vaccine like last time...so it was a good visit. :)
12 lb 15 oz
25 1/2 inches long
Gavin is slowing down his growing a bit, but that is on par for my kids at four months. Since he is waking more to eat at night and we want to bulk him up for surgery, we'll be starting solids soon. I can't believe it's already time for that.
We looked at the report from Gavin's CT scan and learned that the BPS is contained in his lower lobe, so we know that both lobes of that lung are there. Unfortunately, that's all the additional information we got from the report. I talked with the doctor about our upcoming meeting with the surgeon and got some ideas on what kinds of questions we could ask, so I'm starting our list for that meeting.
The shots went well, and he didn't spit up all over the nurse when she gave him his rotovirus vaccine like last time...so it was a good visit. :)
Kindergarten
Carter had officially started Kindergarten!
Last Tuesday, we attended an open house to meet his teacher and look around his classroom. We also had a short conference with his teacher on Friday to talk about Carter's strengths, challenges, and what she could do to help him succeed. While we were waiting for our turn (a wait that turned out to be rather lengthy), Carter struck up a conversation with an aid who was working nearby. It so happened that she was to help out in his classroom a few days a week. I think she was amused by him. Leave it to Carter: he's already making an impression on the staff. :)
Carter was excited for Monday morning to come. We got him dressed up in his uniform, took lots of pictures, left the other two boys with Grandma and Grandpa (who were staying a couple extra days after dedication weekend) and he and I were on our way. He led the way to his classroom and, after helping to unload his backpack and get him settled, I left him all alone in the great big world of Elementary School. It didn't phase him one bit. He was more than happy to see me leave and get his Kindergarten career started.
I, on the other hand, got choked up on the drive home. I spent the morning thinking about what he was doing and whether or not he ever paused in his chattering long enough for the teacher to get a word in edgewise.
When I went to pick him up, there he was, holding the hand of the aid he had befriended last week, excited as all get out about Kindergarten.
On day two, Carter learned that the all-day Kindergarten kids get to have lunch and school and do gym class. We had tears. Why, oh why, he wanted to know, did he have to be in half-day Kindergarten? Couldn't we change it? Please?? With day three under our belts, the love affair with Kindergarten continues, and we are still getting requests to change him to full-day. Fortunately without tears now, though.
Today on the way home, he informed me how to say "good-bye" in Latin. Don't ask me to repeat it, I can't. But I thought, it has begun: my child knows something that I don't know. Something Jeff or I didn't teach him and couldn't teach him. This is the tip of the iceberg. An iceberg that apparently begins with "good-by" in Latin.
Last Tuesday, we attended an open house to meet his teacher and look around his classroom. We also had a short conference with his teacher on Friday to talk about Carter's strengths, challenges, and what she could do to help him succeed. While we were waiting for our turn (a wait that turned out to be rather lengthy), Carter struck up a conversation with an aid who was working nearby. It so happened that she was to help out in his classroom a few days a week. I think she was amused by him. Leave it to Carter: he's already making an impression on the staff. :)
I, on the other hand, got choked up on the drive home. I spent the morning thinking about what he was doing and whether or not he ever paused in his chattering long enough for the teacher to get a word in edgewise.
When I went to pick him up, there he was, holding the hand of the aid he had befriended last week, excited as all get out about Kindergarten.
On day two, Carter learned that the all-day Kindergarten kids get to have lunch and school and do gym class. We had tears. Why, oh why, he wanted to know, did he have to be in half-day Kindergarten? Couldn't we change it? Please?? With day three under our belts, the love affair with Kindergarten continues, and we are still getting requests to change him to full-day. Fortunately without tears now, though.
Today on the way home, he informed me how to say "good-bye" in Latin. Don't ask me to repeat it, I can't. But I thought, it has begun: my child knows something that I don't know. Something Jeff or I didn't teach him and couldn't teach him. This is the tip of the iceberg. An iceberg that apparently begins with "good-by" in Latin.
Dedication Day
Last Sunday, September 11, we dedicated Gavin. It seemed a little strange to be dedicating a child on 9/11, but also very appropriate. What better way to declare that we have hope and a future, that we are not afraid, that we trust God. We are reminded that God holds Gavin's future and he couldn't be in better hands. While I would like to be the ultimate authority in Gavin's life, I don't understand as well as God does what is best for Gavin and how to take care of him. Jeff and I cannot be with him always; we cannot guide the surgeon's hands; we cannot protect him from Satan's schemes. But God can do all that an more, so we dedicate him to God's care. We also dedicate ourselves to bringing him up to know Jesus and to love him. That is an awesome task in our world, but with the help of God, our church, our family, and our friends, we will do everything we can to achieve that end.
We were also privileged to have three other families at our church dedicate their babies on the same day. Three families that are near and dear to us. Families that support us, love us, play with us, and advise us. We are reminded once again, that we are blessed with a wonderful church family.
On a more humorous note, we only had two hiccups in the process. It's quite a task to try to get a four-month-old to not be hungry (but not fed too recently; spit-up is still a major issue) or tired at a specific time of day. He cooperated nicely though, and we managed it. He did, however, spit up a flood on to my skirt when I fed him just before the service. So as we sang worship songs, I swished my skirt like a four-year-old in an attempt to dry it out before going onto the stage.
Also, I was concerned about Logan behaving himself. I wasn't too excited about bringing an energetic two-year-old in front of the congregation surrounded by a stage full of tempting toys like drums and guitars. I picked the wrong child to worry about. Carter didn't try to play with the instruments, but he was very bored in the two minutes that we were up there, and Jeff had his hands full trying keep him from laying down on the stage and rolling around.
And last but not least, one of the most adorable moments of the day was watching Logan during the worship songs. He's quite the little copycat, so as we sang "I'll stand with arms high and heart abandoned..." he looked around at many people with their hands raised and raised his little hands, too. I wish I'd gotten a picture, but instead, I just teared up and enjoyed the moment. I hope before long he's raising his hands with full knowledge that he is lifting his hands to the Lord.
What a good day.
We were also privileged to have three other families at our church dedicate their babies on the same day. Three families that are near and dear to us. Families that support us, love us, play with us, and advise us. We are reminded once again, that we are blessed with a wonderful church family.
On a more humorous note, we only had two hiccups in the process. It's quite a task to try to get a four-month-old to not be hungry (but not fed too recently; spit-up is still a major issue) or tired at a specific time of day. He cooperated nicely though, and we managed it. He did, however, spit up a flood on to my skirt when I fed him just before the service. So as we sang worship songs, I swished my skirt like a four-year-old in an attempt to dry it out before going onto the stage.
Also, I was concerned about Logan behaving himself. I wasn't too excited about bringing an energetic two-year-old in front of the congregation surrounded by a stage full of tempting toys like drums and guitars. I picked the wrong child to worry about. Carter didn't try to play with the instruments, but he was very bored in the two minutes that we were up there, and Jeff had his hands full trying keep him from laying down on the stage and rolling around.
And last but not least, one of the most adorable moments of the day was watching Logan during the worship songs. He's quite the little copycat, so as we sang "I'll stand with arms high and heart abandoned..." he looked around at many people with their hands raised and raised his little hands, too. I wish I'd gotten a picture, but instead, I just teared up and enjoyed the moment. I hope before long he's raising his hands with full knowledge that he is lifting his hands to the Lord.
What a good day.
Monday, September 12, 2011
Sapshots from the last coouple weeks
It's been a while since I've sat down to blog. Here are a few things we've been up to.
The weekend before last, Jeff took Carter camping. It was the first of hopefully many such trips and was a huge success. When they returned, I asked what the best part was. His answer: "I got my own can of pop at dinner and I drank the WHOLE thing!" Not exactly the type of memories we're trying to create, but, hey, it's a start.
Because some construction at Carter's school was delayed when the MN government shut down for a couple of weeks, the school is starting a couple weeks later than originally planned. Since that freed up some time around Labor Day weekend, we decided to go to my brother's place for a few days. Since we haven't visited them since they moved two and a half years ago, we figured it was about time. Also, they had not had a chance to meet Gavin yet.
At the beginning of the trip, we stopped at my parents' house for a day to see my aunt and uncle who were visiting from California. Then we drove on to my brother's place and had a great weekend and I learned several things: 1. My sister-in-law makes awesome peach crisp (or cobbler?). No surprise; she is a great cook. 2. I still can't remember the difference between crisp and cobbler. 3. Jeff and my brother can replace a window in a surprisingly short time. I'm beginning to wonder if Jeff should tackle our windows himself instead of hiring it out...(famous last words) 4. Touring an 1880s town with five kids 5 and under is not only doable, it's really fun. 5. You have to scare a prairie dog to hear it bark. (Just the men and kids went and no, they didn't scare them.) 6. I need some new creative ideas for entertaining kids in the car. (We have a no DVD rule in our car.)
I was also reminded of a few things: 1. It's stinkin' windy out on the prairie. 2. Sharing inside jokes with family is just about as good as it gets. Except for maybe creating new inside jokes. 3. Standing by the no DVD rule is only going to get harder and harder.
On our return trip, we spent an evening with friends that we see far too rarely. We were blessed with wonderful food and great conversation. I love it when conversations with distant friends are as comfortable as if you see them all the time. Our boys had a great time with theirs.
I started this post about a week ago and am finally going to publish it. Hopefully additional blogs will follow about dedication weekend and first day of school...
The weekend before last, Jeff took Carter camping. It was the first of hopefully many such trips and was a huge success. When they returned, I asked what the best part was. His answer: "I got my own can of pop at dinner and I drank the WHOLE thing!" Not exactly the type of memories we're trying to create, but, hey, it's a start.
Because some construction at Carter's school was delayed when the MN government shut down for a couple of weeks, the school is starting a couple weeks later than originally planned. Since that freed up some time around Labor Day weekend, we decided to go to my brother's place for a few days. Since we haven't visited them since they moved two and a half years ago, we figured it was about time. Also, they had not had a chance to meet Gavin yet.
At the beginning of the trip, we stopped at my parents' house for a day to see my aunt and uncle who were visiting from California. Then we drove on to my brother's place and had a great weekend and I learned several things: 1. My sister-in-law makes awesome peach crisp (or cobbler?). No surprise; she is a great cook. 2. I still can't remember the difference between crisp and cobbler. 3. Jeff and my brother can replace a window in a surprisingly short time. I'm beginning to wonder if Jeff should tackle our windows himself instead of hiring it out...(famous last words) 4. Touring an 1880s town with five kids 5 and under is not only doable, it's really fun. 5. You have to scare a prairie dog to hear it bark. (Just the men and kids went and no, they didn't scare them.) 6. I need some new creative ideas for entertaining kids in the car. (We have a no DVD rule in our car.)
I was also reminded of a few things: 1. It's stinkin' windy out on the prairie. 2. Sharing inside jokes with family is just about as good as it gets. Except for maybe creating new inside jokes. 3. Standing by the no DVD rule is only going to get harder and harder.
On our return trip, we spent an evening with friends that we see far too rarely. We were blessed with wonderful food and great conversation. I love it when conversations with distant friends are as comfortable as if you see them all the time. Our boys had a great time with theirs.
I started this post about a week ago and am finally going to publish it. Hopefully additional blogs will follow about dedication weekend and first day of school...
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