April Photo Dump

At a recent Girl Scout event. The best part of this troop is that they have really gotten close this year. They really enjoy being together.

There is so much going on around here, and I am playing around with starting a post from my phone because... I got a Smartphone, and I'm really excited about it! Yes, I am arriving a little late to the party, but now that I have it, I am loving it. One of the best parts is that I always have my camera in my pocket - for photos or videos. SO I wanted to share some of those photos to get a glance into the month of April. (Haven't figured out how to post the videos yet, one step at a time.)

But the biggest news around here has to do with anticipating surgeries upcoming this summer. Our 2014 Strep Throat count is now up to ELEVEN documented cases. And you know, it's April. The big breakthrough was that I finally insisted that they test Luke - the only one of the kids who had never gotten strep throat, and voila! He was raging positive, which means he is a carrier (carries the bacteria and can pass it in close contact, but displays no symptoms.) So I thought that was the end, he took 10 days of super strong antibiotic, the other 3 were on one too because they all had strep for reals, we'd be done. But a follow-up last Friday revealed that Luke is STILL positive. So the next step is that he needs a tonsillectomy (even though he's never been sick! How crazy!). We are still debating whether to take Katy's out or wait and see if this was just one really bad winter with a germy brother in the house. Or....get them both done at once and have a significantly healthier future? Not sure what to do. In addition to those procedures, I am most likely having surgery over the summer to *hopefully* repair some damage with which I have been living since Luke was born almost 4 years ago. The biggest challenge with that is that I will not be able to lift Anna for 6 weeks. Which means I won't be able to home alone with the kids for 6 weeks. Which means I'm working on recruiting help from family.

I think the rest of the month can be summed up in photos...

David happened to have strep throat on the day I got my new phone (no surprise there). Also, I finished decluttering and sold a lot of baby and kid stuff in a local consignment sale. I was happy with the results.

Brian rigged up the tree swing so that 2 kids can swing at once. Anna LOVES it.

Our friends Brandon and Melanie came to visit for a weekend - Melanie is expecting a baby boy in July. We had fun catching up with them and anticipating the new baby.

The weather has finally been beautiful and we are spending tons of time outside. Anna thinks the bike seat is fabulous.

On Arbor Day, Brian was honored with an award at work. He didn't know about it ahead of time, and they called and asked if we'd like to come and be there for it. It was fun to surprise him on the campus oval. We were the last people he was expecting to see that day!

After decluttering their room, I asked her to vacuum, and she used this coping strategy for the noise. The irony is thick because as an infant, this same vacuum was the ONLY thing that would make her stop screaming.

This poor girl. In addition to the scrape on her nose, you'll notice the rash all over her chin and cheeks. It's been there since December, we tried everything the doctor recommended and then he sent us to a dermatologist. FINALLY, it looks better now. Eczema is the curse of the fair skinned child.

He said, "Look, Mom! They are all waiting to pick their kids up from school". That is his life.

Easter!! This is as dressy as we get!

Anna is getting SO big.

I always feel frustrated with filling baskets with crap. So they each got one biggish thing this year. Luke: football, Anna: chalk, David: Star Wars characters, Katy: Frozen.

Egg hunt was over when she discovered the first egg contained jelly beans.

Big boy.

Definitely finds her share.

Loved these mater teeth suckers in their baskets. Our neighbor Lisa tried to get Anna in the shot. :)

Dying eggs!

Luke and his buddy Landon are taking a soccer class together at a local rec center. They think they are hot stuff and it is hilarious to watch. Katy and David are taking gymnastics and Tae Kwon Do, respectively, at the same rec center, all on Saturday mornings. Simple scheduling for the win!

Stats, birthday, illness

We're coming up from another round of hard and fast illness. Sunday evening at the end of spring break, I was completely fine one minute, and 10 minutes after that I was very ill. It happened so suddenly and so completely. And then 10 hours later, same things happened to Brian, so I had to get up and take care of the kids while I was still very sick. I called and begged Mel to take David to the dr to see if he had strep again (he did - this makes 3 this year for him) because I could not fathom leaving the house. It will go down in my memory as one of my most difficult parenting days. Blech. Then the next day (yesterday) Katy came down with strep again as well, which means that the tonsillectomy will likely be this summer. Boo. But knock on wood, we're approaching 72 hours since initial stomach bug, and the kids haven't gotten sick? Another 24 hours and I'll feel clear...I keep stomach flu at a distance, I don't trust it even with 72 hours in the clear...

David and Anna both had well visits last week (I took Anna early for her 15 month because there's a mumps outbreak at Brian's work, even with a confirmed case in his building. She was due for the vaccination in a couple of weeks so we bumped it up). They have both grown like weeds!!

David at 6 years:
50 lbs (75 %'ile)
46.25 in. (70 %'ile)
(he has gained 8 lbs and grown 3 inches in the past year...compared to Katy who has grown an inch and maybe gained 1-2 lbs? And I'd like to point out the significance of one of the children in our family being 70th percentile for height?!?)

Anna at 15 months (14.5):
20 lbs, 14 oz (50 %'ile)
29.75 in (30 %'ile)

David had a great birthday. The evening before his birthday, he had a couple of friends over to eat cake and watch Star Wars Episode 1. They had a blast and were so cute. I got them blow-up lightsabers, and they spent a great deal of time hitting each other with them during the movie, but then a certain scene would catch their attention (pod racing or lightsaber battle) and they'd freeze their eyes to the screen for awhile. Then go back to their own battle. They had a blast.

*side note: my photos have been terrible lately. I've been trying to figure out how to take photos in low light without flash, I looked it up but the setting I'm using don't seem to be right...urgh...anyone let me know if you have advice*

He was soooooo excited.

Siblings hung out for the food but went to Oma's during the movie.

I need to explain...he wanted the red icing, I had never used foil wrappers before and they baked differently. Not my best birthday cake ever, but it worked.

Warming up for battle...

Frank even came in full costume, he looked awesome.

On his birthday, Dad and Sue met us at a big (awesome!) bounce place with laser tag and ball games and just lots of active things to do. The kids had a blast (while each of the grown ups took a turn going next door to buy running shoes...a treat for us as well).  Then we had cake and gifts back at the house. 

He was so excited to get roller blades like the big kids (and a skating helmet!) from Grandpa and Grandma Sue.

Singing happy birthday never gets old at this age.

We got him this over-the-door basketball hoop and it has been a huge hit.

This child LOVES Crocs, begs me to wear them all winter long. I loved these Lego Crocs I found online.

Then Oma's birthday is the day after David's, so we grilled out and had another cake and gift session with them on Saturday. David's birthday is the week that never ends! And he got his beloved Rainbow Loom. Yes, the kindergarten boys are trading bracelets these days. Love him!