My Favorite Stage

I love one year olds. LOVE. It happens at a slightly different time for each kid (Katy was 10-15 months, David was 12-18 months), but there is this period of development that I can't get enough of. They are so sweet, so cute, so interactive, and they aren't stinkers yet. Luke is just entering this stage. Here's a glimpse.

Bilingual(ish)

One of Katy's preschool teachers speaks Spanish, so she is frequently coming home with some language that I don't understand. (I took French, ok? It's totally functional! I went to Montreal once!) I thought this song was hilarious, and for those of you who know what she's supposed to be saying...it's probably even funnier.



David's version of a fit

First up: David. Being three is so tough. Trying to assert your will, having only a handful of control over your life, and your emotions are so intense! And so many rollercoasters to ride. I had thought (and even shared here) that we had the potty training thing down (again), but no. We're back to more accidents than successes and only going when I make him, and there are often tears in the process. Potty training is SUCH an enhausting process. A disgusting one, too.

But in this feature, I am over-praising because we have really had to encourage David to get on a bike with pedals. He doesn't want to, isn't interested, tries to pedal for 2 seconds and gets frustrated. So I was excited that he started to do it a little bit, even with the downhill slope. Then he adds a classic three year old moment: gets too easily frustrated and throws a fit - at least a David version.

Easter: A Pictorial

Before I go wordless, a few things to say. We had a nice Easter, although it was WET. The kids had a blast and were almost as excited as they were for Christmas. Katy sat in Big Church with us and it was nice. Luke wore the outfit that David wore on his first Easter, and then randomly I got a hand-me-down matching outfit for David! Love it when that stuff works out. We did the usual egg-related activities between the raindrops. We were a little sad that we didn't see any family, wishing that they were close enough to pop over for an egg hunt. But it was a nice weekend.

I took lots of videos this week and I'm going to spread some of them out over the coming week.

Finally, ten days left to sponsor for Traffick Jam! If you are more of a Paypal type of person, there is a link to donate via Paypal. You're supposed to put Traffick Jam 2011 in the "purpose" box. I'm not sure if it will be attached to my name or not, but that doesn't matter, as long as the cause is supported.

Tidbits: Once a Week Version

*I started to write this earlier today when I was interrupted by David, waking up from his nap, screaming bloody murder with 104 fever. And he was ALREADY ON ibuprofen, as I had discovered his temp before lunch. That kid can spike a fever like none other that I've known. My gut feeling told me he was fine, but I called the doctor to double check and they convinced me to make my 2nd trip of the week to the office (first was for Luke's ear infection that put us sleeping in a rocking chair for a night). Conclusion for today: nothing serious, keep an eye on him.

*My mission for this upcoming week is to take some pictures and videos of the kids. They are growing and changing and cracking me up and I'm not capturing it at ALL! I feel like it's difficult to do because my hands are always occupied (mostly by keeping Luke from getting into harm's way) so as soon as I pick up the camera, I need to put it (safely) back down again so I can chase after someone.

*But the weather has been so great. This past Sunday we had a glimpse of summer, in which the kids were sweaty and completely exhausted by bedtime. Katy was asking to go to bed before 8!

*Another excuse for not taking pictures is that Luke has had multiple purple goose eggs on his forehead in recent weeks. Dearest future Luke, I am thoroughly enjoying watching all of your milestones, even if I don't have record of them here! You are SO adorable. You just started waving, you play peek-a-boo, say Dada, Mama, Yaya. You give kisses, eat graham crackers, cheese, and strawberries. This is the first time that I have wanted time to FREEZE because you are so sweet and precious and I am going to miss this stage.

*David's recent accomplishment has been tolerating a swim lesson without me. The first two weeks were not good - lots of clinging and crying from him, and frustration on my part with how the teachers handled it (or didn't handle it). I was about to throw in the towel (ha!), but decided to call the manager and ask for her advice. They ended up putting a "floater" teacher in the pool to be assigned just to David to help him adjust to the class. He basically got a private lesson the first week, and then the week after that he skirted the edge of his class and was practically participating by the end! I am really excited that we persevered and had success!

*Katy is zooming around the neighborhood on her bike, which is equal parts fun and terrifying. Even within my sight, I can't get to her fast enough if she starts to fall. It's just the first part of letting go, I am sure. Giving up the afternoon quiet time has been an adjustment for her and I. My new goal is to get something set up for her that will keep her busy for a period of time. She's doing read-along books/CDs, crafts, and these kindergarten readiness workbooks. (Lest you think I am pushing academics on her, I swear, this is what she wants to do.) But mentally, it's hard to adjust to days without any break. About once a week, she takes herself over to the couch and falls asleep. 

----

Thanks for the support for Traffick Jam. Three weeks left to sponsor!!

Traffick Jam 2011

This is going to be a detour from my usual banter, but it's about something that has grabbed my heart and caused me to pause and do a little something. If it causes you to pause as well, I hope you might choose to help me.

The backstory is that a fellow mom came to speak at my Mops group back in January about a totally unrelated topic, but after that visit, I started to read her blog. She went on a mission trip to Cambodia last year, and since then has been trying to go back with her whole family. About a month ago, she wrote the post that made me pause. The images that she shared shook me pretty hard.

I had heard the word "human trafficking" before, and even "child sex trafficking." But I hadn't had someone that I have met say that they have seen it and explain exactly what that means. The short story is that every day in Cambodia (and other parts of the world), girls as young as five are being sold to grown men for sex. Five. My daughter is about to turn five, and I don't know about you, but it's hard for me to imagine any single thing more evil in my concept of the world.

So here's the helping part: there is an organization over there doing really positive things to put a halt to this awful trend. They are having 10 mile walk-a-thon all across the US on May 7th to raise money to support their efforts. The walk is called Traffick Jam 2011, and I am participating. Now, I have never walked 10 miles before, and I am literally in the worst physical shape of my life, but now that the weather has turned and the time has changed, I'm working hard to be able to do that by May 7th.

What I need now is sponsorship. The goal of Traffick Jam is to get each walker to have ten people donate $10. But I think I can get more than that! If you would be willing to make a donation, I'll be collecting cash and checks (made out to I.O.M.) until May 7th. If you know me personally, you can hand me the donation in person. If you have my mailing address, you can mail it to me. If you need this information, email me or leave a comment with your email address and I will get it to you.

Thanks for taking the time to consider this. My prayer is that we can make a difference in some girls' lives who have very little hope in their current situation.

Unbelievable!!

One of the parts of parenting that I enjoy the most is watching in awe as my kids learn new things. Katy's been begging us since last fall to take the training wheels off her bike, but I really thought she was too small. I cringed as Brian removed them yesterday and said to her, "Once we take these off, we won't put them back on!" I was thinking, oh, but what happens when she struggles and struggles and struggles? But, within 30 minutes...

I know this isn't off the charts amazing or anything, but I am just stunned. How did she get so big?

Spring Break: pics and stats

After David's birthday (with Grammy, Papa John, Grandpa, and Grandma Sue), we had a week of spring break. Without preschool, church activities, or swim lessons, we still managed to keep busy.

Monday: After an early morning dentist trip for me, we traveled to visit my cousin Abby and her boys. My kids love to go because they get to play with their cousins (not to mention two dogs, two cats, and chickens!!!!), and I love to go because it's great to catch up with Abby. We talked kindergarten and doctor visits and kindergarten and playgroups and kindergarten. (It's on our minds a bit.) I was also proud of myself for making the day trip (nearly 2 hours each way) by myself with three kids.

Tuesday:  Well visits for Luke (9 months) and David  (3 year), with tag along Katy (mom missed spring break on the calendar when scheduling). All is well with the boys. I've got the paperwork to do bloodwork for David to test for GI concerns, but the doctor says he expects them to come back normal. I also enjoy asking about current issues since my pediatrician is always well read in the latest studies. He said they are changing the recommendation about holding off on peanut butter to prevent allergies, and that he thinks the new recommendation to keep toddlers rear facing in a car seat until they are 2 is excessive. Interesting.

Luke at 9 months: 

18 pounds, 11 ounces - 20%'ile (what? the kid that was nearly 10 pounds at birth?)

28 inches - 40%'ile

David at 3 years:

32 pounds - 50%'ile (Katy currently weighs 33, by the way)

37.5 inches - 55%'ile (and I think she's about 39)

Wednesday: An appointment for me this time. It's a topic for another day, but I would really love to be "back to normal," but it's been 9 months since Luke was born, and I'm not. *sigh* Did I mention that it was freezing cold all week so we couldn't play outside much? I am desperate for warm weather.

Thursday:  Playdate with Weed in the morning (I meant to take a picture!). Her daughter will go to the same school as Katy in the fall. This week was the first time that I didn't have Katy take any quiet times in the afternoons. If I do, she falls asleep and then keeps David up with her until 10pm. So now I'm downstairs in the afternoons trying to keep her busy with crafts, games, and constant questions. It's okay, but it has been a mental adjustment for me not to have any moments of down time. Maybe that would be an advantage of afternoon kindergarten. At dinner Thursday night, Katy asked me, "What are we doing for spring break?" It took all my strength not to answer, "You're lookin' at it."

Friday: Birthday playgroup for David! The girls came over for lunch, singing, and candles in brownies. David was SO excited every time someone told him Happy Birthday. I love that kid.

Saturday: Oma came to visit and we went to Young's Dairy to meet Great Granny and Great Grandpa. We were hoping to do some of the farm activities, but it was so cold and windy we couldn't stand it. The kids were thrilled to eat ice cream, feed the goats, and spend their loose change in the gift shop. Katy has recently become interested in money, including understanding how much she has, how much she can spend, and making basic change. It took her 10 minutes to decide how to spend 80 cents.

Sunday: Still to come, but we're planning to do church, walk, and maybe go to the pool if we have the energy. I'm finding that with 3 kids under 5, I'm thankful for any vacations that we get just to catch our breath and get some things done. It doesn't have to be exotic, but the little adventures are plenty for me. And I enjoy our weekly routine enough to be happy to see it this week.