Anna:
Anna is running around everywhere now. She loves being outside and bangs on the door to go out. She's doing the typical one-year-old thing in which she clings to my legs crying for most of her waking hours (at least when we're at home), but she's so darn cute the rest of the time. She knows whose jacket and shoes belong to whom, and she'll pass them out to the appropriate person when we're trying to leave. She LOVES to "draw" (with a pencil is best in her mind), play ball, and dance to music.
Luke:
Fifteen months later, Luke is finally potty trained!! After over a year of making him go every 2-3 hours, we tried underpants again a few weeks ago, and something clicked and he started taking himself to the bathroom when he needs to go. He insists on going to the upstairs bathroom, for some reason, and then he just plays and waits for you to come up and clean him up, get him dressed, wash his hands. So he's still high maintenance on the potty front, but much preferred over accidents! He's such a happy kid, except when he's not (then he's really mad). He spends so many hours of the day running matchbox cars and superheros over every surface of the house. Oh, and he is now suddenly interested in books! I could not get him to sit and listen to a book for a very long time, but now he is ready. This kid does things when he wants to do them and not a moment sooner! He is so tiny, that Lukey-loo. Now that he isn't wearing pull-ups, even his 3T pants aren't staying up very well.
David:
Something has clicked on our street this spring, it seems, and there is a CONSTANT slew of children outside in front of our house, playing basketball on our neighbor's hoop (which is in the cul-de-sac). David is in hog heaven (all the kids are, but he especially loves hoops), and wants to be out there all the time. He is really excited to be turning 6 this week, and the big event in his mind is that we are going to allow him to watch Star Wars, Episode I. My kids are cautious movie watchers, so we have to be mindful about these things, but Brian and I read up on it and it seemed that his 6th birthday was good timing for this debut. He has really been into Star Wars. He's having a couple of friends over to have some cake and watch the movie together, so he's thrilled (and easy for me!).
David is also a budding reader which is so fun to watch. And...he lost his first tooth! He was playing with Luke and his friend Landon when it was suddenly hanging by a thread. I pulled it out the rest of the way and quickly took a picture - we were on our way out the door to take birthday treats to school on his last day before spring break! Then he was showing the tooth to Grammy and Papa John and lost it. We never did find it, so Katy transcribed this note for him to the Tooth Fairy.
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| $1 is the going rate at our house, $2 for first tooth |
Katy is doing well - happy at school, enjoying taking piano with my mom. When Upward ended a couple of weeks ago, her cheerleading squad performed a choreographed dance up on stage, I was really proud of her for doing it with confidence! The video is too big for blogger to handle, but I'm trying to put it on youtube for a short period of time so you can follow the link and watch it here. If you only have one minute, the 2nd half is a better shot of Katy.
One things that has consumed our thoughts is that she has had strep throat 4 times in the past 8 months, so her doctor sent her to the ENT, who promptly wanted to take her tonsils out. For now, we are putting it off until summer (the recovery is pretty rough and she'd have to miss a week of school), and we'll decide for sure when that time comes.
Brian:
Brian's been working hard, as he always does with a full time job, a rental property, side work, a home, and 4 kids. This winter he rewired the basement lighting. Previously it was precarious large fluorescent structures dangling from the ceiling and you had to go down there to plug and unplug them. Now there is nice even canned lighting that can be turned on/off from the top or bottom of the stairs. He's also running several races this spring and summer, always challenging himself to be healthier.
Myself:
I've been working on 2 projects: one is to get rid of 4 babies worth of baby weight. I've tried to overhaul the family diet which is no easy task, and I'm exercising 4 times a week (a sacrifice for both myself and for Brian to put in the schedule). I'm happy with how it's gone so far, but I still have a way to go.
Secondly, I'm doing 40 bags in 40 days again this Lent. I did it 2 years ago, and it certainly collects and requires attention again. The rewarding part this time is that I am planning to sell all of my baby equipment in a local consignment sale that is happening right after Easter. Every time I put something in that pile to go to the sale, I feel a release. Of course I will miss the babies themselves, but all the equipment that clutters up the house...after 8 years I'm ready to part with it. :)
