Sunday, August 30, 2009

Ice, Ice, Baby!


Eli is a curious sort. The sort that pushes every button he sees and turns every knob...I'm sure I've mentioned this before. Well, he took his curiosity to a whole new level this week when he...dum, dum, dum...shaved off half of one of his eyebrows with Mommy's razor. We were so glad that he didn't injure himself in the process (although a little painful nick might have been a good deterrant from future experimentation). So here he is in all of his 80's Vanilla Ice glory...should be a cute school picture this year!

So it begins...
















This year Noah is in morning kindergarten, Grace is in 2nd grade and Eli is doing three afternoons of preschool a week. Besides a few minor gliches, they had a great first week of school. Grace is in class with two of her best buddies, Noah LOVES his teacher and the feeling seems to be mutual and Eli gets to follow in his siblings' footsteps and be in the famous DeAnn's class!
I only cried a little bit after I left my second born at his first day of kindergarten. Noah came home the first day a little sad after his first experience with "I'm not going to be your friend anymore!" from a boy in his class after Noah stepped on a spider. But the rest of the week was great for him and the friendship seems to have mended itself though I'm sure Noah will be careful around that friend and spiders from now on. Eli had a great first day especially since his buddies Sam and Owen are in his class this year. And Grace came home with a report that they had THREE RECESSES! and that she got to see Noah outside during the first one. Eli is loving having Mommy all to himself in the mornings and Noah likes having Mommy all to himself three afternoons a week. So...beginning of school success!

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Roughing it!

Putting up the tent...


Playing in the "suck sand" (as the kids called it) and fishing was definitely a highlight!

Steve engineered a contraption to give the dogs more leash but they just kept tangling up anyway.




Steve turned 42 while we were camping. What a fun way to celebrate!




All tuckered out after all of that roughing it!
It was a great camping trip. The highlights for me were Grace saying, "This is so NOT this century!" about the outhouse, watching Steve and Noah fish and listening to the kids giggle in the tent and while they played with the "suck sand." A great time was had by all and we can't wait to go again next summer!

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Selective Hearing?

Eli used to be our best listener...I mean if we said it, he did it. He's a pleaser anyway and he's a really easy kid (for the most part). But lately, like in the last few months, he kind of developed what I thought was selective hearing. Like, I would call his name in the store and he wouldn't turn around or I would tell him to go brush his teeth and he wouldn't move. It was getting a little bit...frustrating.
I don't know if I blogged about this or not but poor Eli had a REALLY nasty ear infection (I'll spare you the details but...yikes!) a few months ago. That combined with having one of his ear tubes fall right out of his ear initiated a visit with his ENT today. I really thought it would be a no-big-deal appointment. Eli's ear has been fine since the infection and, although his hearing has seemed a little selective lately, he seemed to be hearing just fine. And he is, mostly, but after two and a half hours at the ENT we discovered that, due to the hole in his ear drum, he is experiencing mild hearing loss.
Guess maybe he really couldn't hear me some of the time...huh. The ENT says Eli isn't off the hook, though. It's just a mild hearing loss and he can hear my voice but just may not understand what I'm saying sometimes. And he thinks he'll probably make a full recovery and that the hole will heal by itself. So until then, he'll just need to clarify what he doesn't understand.
On another positive note, they were amazed at Eli's speech. They haven't seen him in about a year and couldn't believe his progress. WAY TO GO, Theresa!

Sunday, August 9, 2009

Eli's Head Strikes Again!




Tonight Noah's front tooth, which over the years has required a great amount of maintainance and care, met its doom by crashing into Eli's head. I don't know if you remember but that is exactly how Grace's stubborn front tooth came out. I think Grace and Noah owe Eli a percentage of Tooth Fairy money!


When Noah was a little less than two we were playing at the park and he tripped and fell on the climber. When he stood up all afraid and bleeding, we discovered that 1/2 of his front tooth was gone. The dentist has built and rebuilt and fortified that tooth many times over the years. That tooth has received much care and lots of prayer that it would make it until he didn't need it anymore. And after months and months and months of being loose and just weeks from Noah starting kindergarten, the tooth has made it to the goal!

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

The haps...



Just in case you were wondering, here are the amigo haps for last weekend:

  • two Mulan performances -- when you're dressed like a sassy, fire-breathing dragon or a lucky cricket and get to do your thing in front of an audience...SUPER fun!

  • Wedding...the musical (which, sadly, I missed because someone needed to help the dragon and cricket) at which Steve and Noah got to listen to some amazing musicians and Noah got to entertain the reception with his break-dancing. (see photo) :)
  • BBQ in Cheyenne...so nice to see the fam and especially Susie who was home for a wedding. VERY fun. I love to watch the kids play with their awesome aunts and uncles. Uncle Dave and Eli seem to have an especially special little relationship and love to color and build together. Dave also spent a lot of time teaching Noah how to skateboard. And Aunt Dena always lets Grace play make-over all over her head and face...nothing like using lip gloss for all forms of make-up. How'd it all come off, Dena? Plus Sicken and BlaBla are always good for secrets and giggling. They had a great time playing soccer with Uncle Don...they're all awesome! I don't know about you other moms but I am a BIG fan of anyone who loves my kids!

As for me, I'm a bit tired. I forgot how very exhausting it is to manage kids backstage...and even more so when they have absolutely no reason to listen to you except that you're a grown-up and somebody's mom. Plus my tiny cricket sometimes gets tired or confused and must be searched for. But they are loving it and having so much fun! Deep breath...three more shows this week!