iPod Reed

I found some cute pics of Reed on the iPod and since I haven't been taking near enough photos of him lately, I thought I'd post them.  He seems "big" all of a sudden - doing "big baby" things like rolling over and gurgling nonstop and playing with toys. I'm enjoying him immensely and it's going too fast!

We weaned Reed from his heart medicine about three weeks ago to see if he's outgrown the SVT.  The cardiologist said he'd have a couple of days where he was more sensitive to adrenaline as he came off the beta blocker.  It was kind of funny (and a tiny bit nerve wracking) for the days when he was high strung (really fidgety) but still happy as can be.  We still check his heart twice a day and he seems to be doing great!  It's crazy to think that something that was such a big challenge in utero has just "disappeared."

It's also strange to think that this cute little critter will one day catch up to his siblings in size!

 Reed made a new friend!

Please ignore my cheesy baby voice.  And the canny music Gracen loves to turn on every time he gets in his swing!  The point of this video is: cute baby. :)

The things I love about Reed right now:

• He laughs when I come to his crib when he wakes up from a nap.
• He laughs when anybody laughs.
• How he kicks his legs wildly in anticipation.
• His high pitched squealing all day long.
• How he chews on his hands, even through a blanket.
• He sleeps long naps.
• He's starting to enjoy toys.
• How he can't seem to stay on his back, always rolling onto his belly and getting stuck there.

P.S. Right before Eli left for kindergarten today, I told him he looked very handsome.  He asked me if I wanted to take a picture and I told him, "Absolutely yes!" Love him!

Last Swim of the Year

I took some videos of our last swim of the season.  Our neighborhood pool here doesn't have a lot of bells and whistles and I actually think that helped the kids become better swimmers this year!

Here's Gracen swimming:

And Eli:

And Alden:

We are sure going to miss the pool over the winter!



P.S.  This is how Reed gets wet:

Back to School

I'll be honest, between my own classes and having a new baby, I was excited for back to school this year.  I love that summer gives me time with the kids that I don't have during the school year.  I love going places and doing things with them and all the oh-so-wonderful pool time that we get.  But my kids got bored with summer this year and we got way too lax and crazy with our schedule.  We all were excited for back to school.

I can NOT get my boys to smile a natural smile! But aren't they handsome little critters?!

 2nd grade!!

 Kindergarten!!

 Back to school left a little more time for Gracen and me to have fun...

 ...until she started her first school outside the house!  

I was too late to join the joy school group in our ward at church so I signed her up for a Montessori preschool that is less than a mile from our home.  Without her brothers home, she needs the interaction and stimulation.  I'm also looking forward to some daytime studying hours as I start my (supposed to be challenging) capstone course this fall.

 "It's too bright to look at you, Mommy!"  

So, so cute. (And yes, we put shoes on before we actually headed to school!)

 I hate, hate, hate that I take blurry pictures!!

Fishing with Dad

I'm working a little behind here but a few weeks before school started we decided to try our hand at getting some crawfish.  We bought a crawfish trap on our anniversary date (Romantic, aren't we?! Ten years - it's gone so fast!!).

It was a super hot day and, I'll admit, I wasn't a very good sport.  It didn't take long before I was frustrated to be there with whiney kids and a cranky baby who just couldn't sleep in the heat.  It was tough to be trying to keep Reed out of the sun in a spot where there was virtually no shade.  Maneuvering our little garage sale blow-up boat was no picnic and it was just. so. hot!  To top it all off, we didn't catch a single fish or crawfish.

Jaron wanted to go fishing a week or so after this and I said, 

"No offense, but I don't want to come this time." 

And he said,

"No offense, but I don't want you to come this time."

Haha.

All in all, I think the kids did have fun (we only lasted about 3 hours before bailing for home).  I enjoyed fishing when we'd go with Jaman and Brigetta all the time before we had kids but I think my new rule is only 5 years+ gets to go fishing. :)

 And we have been harvesting from our mini garden!  It's made up of four pots (cherry tomatoes, lettuce, cucumbers, and watermelon) and a bunch of tomato plants grown in milk jugs.  The garden almost didn't survive us traveling this summer, even though we had neighbors watering it for us, but it has made quite a comeback!  The kids (and I as well) love the idea of growing our own food!

 And I thought this was too cute.  Gracen drew this picture for Aunt Cassy.  It's of our family.  Except Alden and Eli aren't in it.  And that big bug lookin' thing?  That's Reed, swaddled in his blanket. :)

P.S. The above two pictures were taken on two different days but this atrocious purple "princess dress" is Gracen's most usual form of dress around the house. :)

Chemo Kits

We have great friends from Saba named Dick and Sally.

Sally was the leader of the SOS (Significant Others') group on the island and we became great friends through our SOS activities.

  Sally made Gracen a beautiful silk blessing dress, an adorable little bonnet, and then the cutest dress for her first birthday. 

Dick (Dr. Shivers) was one of Jaron's professors at school and was a great mentor for him.  They have since retired and moved home to Ontario, Canada.  When Sally and Dr. Shivers came to Kansas to visit family last year, they made time to see us and took us out to dinner.

We found out a few weeks ago that Dr. Shivers is battling lung cancer.

So when I was perusing Pinterest and saw a pin for "chemo kits," I pinned it with the plan to make one and mail it to Dr. Shivers.  Unfortunately, Sally saw my pin and also pinned it to make one for her husband.  I laughed and messaged her that we would make him a kit but Sally and Dr. Shivers decided they would rather we make one for a cancer patient here instead of spending the money to ship one to Canada.

We took the money we would have spent on a kit and shipping and made four kits for chemo patients.  We included things like water (chemo patients can get dehydrated), a journal, lemon drops (supposed to help with the metal aftertaste), plastic utensils (again, the metal aftertaste), hand sanitizer (to stay germ-free), and "Hugs and Kisses" candy.

The kids had a lot of fun assembling the kits, decorating the boxes and then delivering them to the oncology building.  When we delivered them, a social worker came out and talked to the kids about how much their donations would mean to the patients.

Dr. Shivers, we wish you health and happiness in the years to come!  You are in our family's thoughts and prayers!

Gracie's haircut

Gracen has always had this thin, scraggly hair that she refused to let me do anything to.

Finally one morning she said she wanted to cut it and I jumped at the opportunity.  She said she wanted it to be "as short as Alden's" but I stopped at her chin.

It looks soooo much better and she loves it!

P.S. I love this pink swishy skirt of hers.  I always suggest she wear it and she ALWAYS says no.  So I stopped suggesting it and, wouldn't you know, it's her new favorite skirt.  Hahaha. GIRLS. :)