Christmas

This will be short, I promise. Our Christmas went really well. We opened our family presents on Christmas Eve, opened Santa presents Christmas morning, and went to Shane's Mom's (Nanna) for Christmas day. The kids had a wonderful time and were really happy with their presents. Bryndan especially liked his "Pirate Ship" and his Leapster Game. Kaitlyn really enjoys her new baby, cradle and stroller. We really had a low key time and basically ate all day. I hope everyone had a blessed time as we did.

New Room Pics

Here are a few pics of the kids' new rooms. They both have adjusted well and seem to be quite happy.

Big Boy Bed

Well after a few days of struggle and pain, I now have Bryndan and Kaitlyn in separate rooms. Bryndan has moved up to a twin bed instead of the toddler bed. He was so excited. He liked his new sheets, (Cars of course) and was happy to see where his dresser and racetrack were. He has done really well all three nights in there alone. He goes to bed really happy and wakes up and says "I slept in my big boy bed!"
Kaitlyn had a little trouble the first night. She wanted Bryndan. We told her he was in his new room and that it was ok. She finally settled down but you could tell she wasn't happy about it. She is still sleeping in the crib. We put new butterfly sheets for her on the toddler bed. She will sit on it and say "butterfly, butterfly", but she does not want to sleep there yet. We won't push her but tell her each night she can sleep there if she wants to. Other than this change this has been a relatively calm week. (so far)
Bryndan's class is going to the mall to see Santa Claus today. I can't wait to hear how it went. He talked about it yesterday and showed me the story they wrote about it so they would know the schedule. It should be really fun.

Thanksgiving

Well, the last few days have been very busy to say the least. The week started with a leak under our kitchen sink. This continued on for a few days until the "flood". We were finally able to get it fixed late Wed. afternoon and are continuing to dry out the kitchen floor as I type. I was very blessed by the prayers and help from some friends at church. It was wonderful to know that someone was praying for my situation besides me. It was also wonderful to receive a few groceries and some milk, since I couldn't leave the house. (I had to empty buckets every 13 minutes at the end).

We celebrated Thanksgiving at Shane's Mom's house. We ate all day, watched football, and played with the kids. It was pretty low key, but after the kitchen fiasco, I was ready for a break. Bryndan and Kaitlyn helped their Nanna put up her tree and lights after dinner. Bryndan is really excited for Christmas this year. He helped me decorate our house yesterday and keeps saying "Merry Christmas". He knows there are presents, and he is really looking forward to opening them. This will be the first time he really understands what's going on. Kaitlyn is just excited because he is. She keeps taking ornaments off the tree and bringing them to me and saying "pretty". The next few weeks should be very interesting.

Halloween - kids - life

This is a hodgepodge type blog. A little bit of everything.

Halloween came and went with little trouble at our house. Bryndan could have dressed up for his school party, but he chose not to. He did wear a generic "Incredibles" t-shirt at school though, instead of his usual plain stripes. He went trick or treating with his class to the high school and then to a special lunch at Long John Silver's. According to his teacher, he did very well and made new friends. He was also the only kid in his class big enough to get his own drink at the fountain. Being the son of a coke man, he was able to correctly identify all of the choices. He helped everyone get what they wanted. We have not really celebrated Halloween in the past because Bryndan just doesn't do well going places he doesn't know and he really doesn't like candy (the one exception is reese's peanut butter cups). This year we decided that he could give out candy at OUR door. To our dismay, we had NO trick or treaters. We had the lights on, door open, blinds up, you name it...no takers. Oh well, now Shane has all the candy he could want to put in his lunches.

My mom has been here off and on for a few weeks and the kids have got to spend some time with her. Bryndan is getting over his lack of communication and engages with her much more than he used to. Kaitlyn is just the social girl that she is and has had fun with Grandmom too.

We have just been enjoying the fall weather and getting ready for the next big holidays. It seems like this year has just flown by. I don't know yet what we are doing for Thanksgiving, but I know that this year we will definitely have to decorate for Christmas. Bryndan is already watching his VeggieTales Christmas movies and is talking about a Christmas tree and presents. I think he will really enjoy helping me put on the ornaments.

All for now...

Fall Allergies - Cont'd

Ok...so the allergies that wouldn't stop have now turned into sinus infections...both kids...yup. I feel so bad for them. I know how much their heads have to hurt. I don't like not being able to breathe either. It seems so much worse at night too. Of course, that means neither of them are getting restfull and healing sleep. I took them to the Dr. yesterday and he started them on some pretty strong antibiotics. Hopefully, this will clear them up fast. Bryndan missed yesterday and today at school. He doesn't do so well emotionally when he isn't keeping his schedule. Tomorrow he should be well enough to return. (He can't have had a fever within 24 hours.)

We are just hanging in there and praying this ickyness ends soon. On a lighter note, the spots on Bryndan were just more mosquito bites and NOT chicken pox. Praise the Lord!!!

Fall Allergies

Well it seems like fall is finally here. If my kids noses are any indication, this fall is full of every allergen in the book. Now both of them have coughs because of all the drainage...poor babies. To top it all off, the allergy medicine that works for their noses and throats give them upset tummies. You can't win.

Other than that here, not much happening. Cowboys lost...dorks. Jazz won...yippee. Shane is doing well and I guess I am ok. My mom comes to visit next week. Don't know what we'll be doing while she is here, but I am sure some yardwork will be expected.

Veggie Tales Live

Last night we went to the Veggie Tales Live Concert. It was an amazing event for the kids. I tried to explain to Bryndan ahead of time that it was not a DVD or movie but a live play. He kind of never got it, but he kept saying that real people and friends would be there and I told him yes. He wanted to see the Pirates who don't do anything very badly and waited the whole show for them but they didn't show up. Oh well, he really had a great time and understood the plot. He was participating correctly and loved the bubbles during the carwash song. He told me on the way home that he had fun and that he liked the songs and the dancing. He also said thank you for his Larry Boy hat. He had asked so nicely for one and waited until after the show to go get it. I thought he did so well for a 3 year old.

Kaitlyn liked the part when they sang and danced to songs she knew, but did not really like all of the dialogue and in between parts. Her biggest problem is that she wanted me to let her down so she could go up on stage and touch the veggies. She was very frustrated in my lap at times. But overall, I think she had a good time too. When I went to go get Bryndan his hat, she pointed at the Bob hat and told me she wanted it, so that is the souvenir that she got. The show lasted until 9 pm so it was a little after their bedtime. We were all tired when we got home but we had a really good time!!!!

Hmmmmm

Ok so nothing really new is going on, I just feel the need to blog...

Bryndan is continuing to do well in school. Yesterday was his teacher home visit, so his teacher and aides came by the house to talk about his progress/goals. I thought it went well. He is communicating so much better that a lot of the discipline problems are gone. Now he just has the typical male 3yr old attitude. Oh well, that I think I can handle most of the time. He is growing and his new pants that I bought for school are already too tight. I can't believe that.

Kaitlyn has been dealing with allergies, but we haven't had a breathing (or lack thereof) scare like we did in March. I have her meds and the nebulizer ready if she needs them. I don't want to be panicky, but I so don't want another hospital stay. She seems to be enjoying PDO again and gets really excited about going.

Shane switched routes at work so now he leaves earlier in the morning. This of course is supposed to lead to him coming home earlier...he is still working on that. He now drives to the warehouse, gets in a company truck and drives to Lamesa and Post stores. Then he drives back to the warehouse, turns in the truck of the day and brings his car home. This saves some wear and tear on his car, but the gas compensation in his paycheck no longer exists. We will see if we come up even.

Other than that not much happening here. I am dealing with allergies too I guess, but I hate meds so I am fighting it with sheer will power...so far I think I am winning.

Yea Bryndan!

So I have to brag about my boy. I talked to his teacher on the phone yesterday and she said he is amazing. They are going to integrate him into the regular Head Start for TWO subjects!!! He is just doing so well! I am so proud of him. He is starting to read and is really just going through the roof with his communication skills. He helped another boy yesterday find his cubby by taking him by the hand and spelling out his name for him. All without the prompting of a teacher. It is just so amazing how far he has come in less than a year. I remember how nervous I was about school and here he is just changing so much. I am so happy for him. He is so excited about all that he knows, because now he can show that to us. The Lord has blessed us so much!!!

Yea Bryndan!!

Back to School

So, yesterday was Bryndan's 1st day back to school. When I went into his room to wake him up, he popped right up and said, "get up, get dressed, ride the bus, go to school, see Ms. Wheat, play with friends!!". He was so Happy!!! His teacher called after school and let me know he had a wonderful day. She said he really hated his lunch(spaghetti), but kept eating it so that the kids would clap for him. He would take a bite and kind of gag and then swallow it and say "I did it. I ate spaghetti." He tried the pears too, but wouldn't eat them. She said he remembered all of the rules, was very helpful to others and was talking up a storm. After all the worries I had about putting him in school so early, I am so glad I did. The rewards have been tremendous and I am so PROUD of his progress.

Kaitlyn and I went up to the church to meet her PDO teachers today. She will have one new one and one old one so I think she will be fine. She didn't want to leave and I had to carry her out. So, I think when the time comes next week she will be really happy to be there. I have also come to a decision when it comes to her clothes. I went through her drawers yesterday and saw several cute outfits that are now too small and that she never or rarely wore. I have a habit of saving the cutest or best clothes for a "special" occasion or a time when I know she won't get dirty. This of course is ridiculous because then she never wears them. I have decided she will wear the cute clothes on any day regardless of the activity, because of course they are meant to be WORN. (Hopefully I can stick to this)

Hopefully Bryndan will continue to have a great week at school. This new schedule should be great for everyone. Kaitlyn has a Dr.'s appt tomorrow and so we will be going for that but other than that I think I have an easy rest of the week.

Yea School!

Here's to the end of summer!!

Ok so here I am trying the blog thing again...last time it got deleted before it saved so this time i am writing it elsewhere and pasting it in...anyway, here goes.
The summer has gone by really quickly, which in my opinion was a good thing. The 1st week in June, all of us went up to see my folks in Utah. It was a good trip considering the drive and the weather was wonderful, since back in TX they had a week of 100 or more. The kids got to do some new things and had a great time with their grandparents. Sadly, on the way home we got the news that our house had been broken into. We really got off easy...just the back door to replace and about 25 DVD's stolen. The police think it was kids. I hope so since the thought of a creepy man in my house freaks me out. Bryndan had three weeks of half-day summer school when we got back and he really enjoyed that. After that, I was on my own....
Bryndan started gymnastics once a week, which he LOVES! He already is doing front and back rolls, and has no fear on the trampoline. He will continue lessons as the year goes on because he really is doing well. Since he is so big for his age it is good for him to really start learning to control his body.
Kaitlyn continued PDO once a week and she really had fun. It gives her a chance to interact with kids her own age, and gives me a little time off. She will continue that for the rest of the year. So, on Thursday mornings, I hope to be able to get back in the pool. Kaitlyn is really growing too and isn't showing any of the delay signs that Bryndan did. She already says quite a few words and also uses some sign language. She loves playing with her brother and pretty much well thinks he hung the moon. But I think that's the way it should be at this point. :)
I am doing well, I guess. I have been looking forward to school starting again so I can take a little time for myself. I need to get in the pool and I really just need some down time. It seems like I hardly ever get a chance to sit and relax anymore. I know that is usual with young kids, but it seems to be getting to me lately. Shane has been working extra days and hours all summer and it seems like he only comes home to eat and sleep. I think we just need a weekend away, but I don't know when that will ever happen...anyway we are still doing well and that is a good thing.
So, with summer ending and school starting, I am looking forward to a good next couple of months. Hopefully, I will take some time for myself and will be a better mother and wife for it.