February '09 Mamas ~ Childhood Chat :) - Page 35

[Thursday Girl]

I too visit old threads in my DDC's. I think I have gotten lucky b/c I still talk to people from  Josie's ddc (dec 06), this one  (feb 09) and from Coraline's (april 12). I have even met some of the people in  the dec 06 and april 12 clubs.

Hawksley update?

so who has letters to santa? Junie wrote one with me and 1 or 2 with her sisters.

Dear Santa,

Thank you for getting us all the toys. Me can do school together with my friend Erin. And halloween is fun. Me can go trick or treating with my family and you. Love forever. Me had a big talk with you and me want a pretend lalaloopsy that can move her hands and talk. and love and love and love forever. a big love.

p.s. me want more leggins and skirt-es.

so I got a new car which is awesome b/c now my 9 year old can sit in the back again, I am feeling much safer about that, plus it gets better gas mileage and it's pretty awesome. Car payments are new and I can't say I like them but I do think it was needed, we couldn't just keep buying crappy cars that only lasted us 3 years.

Christmas stuff- I haven't really started. I am feeling like there is a lot going on right now (researching schools b/c I am pretty positive we are changing the girls school and we have to check out all the different public school options), and okay that's all but for some reason life seems like a lot, it may just be the four kids and husband always working. That seems lame. I need to start making some presents. I am feeling a bit 'um stressed b/c we are off food stamps now but things are still super tight, plus we have a million bills due that we don't usually have so it might all be making me feel just a teensy bit depressed.plus the girls are all having separate birthdays this year b/c 1 and 10 are big deal birthdays in our family so there will be no combined birthday. For the record I am happy and glad we are off food stamps, I hated being on them I just don't like running out of vegetables and I need to restock my pantry/baking stuff. overall I feel like we are making progress and that we are further than we have been in a long time and I know this patch is temporary.

Speech therapy is going well for Juniper, they've only started on 2 letters but between that and me trying to work on her pronunciation quite a few people have mentioned how much more of what she says they can understand.

oh and a family shot of us

[starling&diesel]

Ever ... Interesting love life update!  My gut tells me that there is more with that guy.  The right guy, that is.  Not bus man.  Keep us posted!  

Courtney ... A new school?  Aren't you all in love with their school?  What's going on with that?

I love that we're all still in touch years later too ... how can we make a meet-up happen?  Ideas?  Thoughts?  Impossible?  Let's TRY!

AFM:  H is much better, thanks!  It's more than a week and a half later, and he still sounds like he's drowning sometimes.  My gut tells me that his choking incident in the summer has something to do with his increased chest colds and respiratory stuff.  Not sure how, but that's what my mama guts says.  

Christmas ... We don't do much.  At all.  And we've got a moratorium on having any family over and we're not going anywhere, so it's going to be really low key.  We'll do stockings and a gift each from Santa, and gifts to and from the kids to each other, and one from us.  That's it.  H is getting a broom from E (He ADORES brooms!).  H will give E a pocket knife, if I can find one that's not too sharp.  We're giving her a camera.  And H a wooden toy car.  Santa is bringing E the Madagascar 3 movie, and H some magnetic wooden blocks, if I can find them.  Tomorrow my best friend's parents are coming to town and doing an 'early' Christmas, so the kids will get gifts tomorrow too.  

Hi everyone else!  I have to go to sleep.  Will try to go back and read and do more personals tomorrow. 

xoxoxox

[Vegan Princess]

I love to hear what everyone is doing in the stockings and gifts!

Coutney: I thought you guys loved the school too? Congrats on the car! Very nice! And yay for no more food stamps. I think you have such a beautiful amazing family. And I loved your facebook status last night about when your husband disappears and leaves you with cranky kids and won't answer the phone - mine does that sometimes - you hit the nail on the head so well with the not knowing when relief will come part! Ha!

We're having a very low key holiday too. We are staying home and not going to Indiana. Would be fun since my inlaws also have a new baby but I don't feel up to traveling with Aria yet. My mom has decided not to come up as she likes to do when we stay home. So it'll just be us. We'll go to some extended relatives house on xmas eve, but that's it. I'm sort of looking forward to a quiet day. So far I've bought M a stuffed t-rex (she was very specific about wanting this), a tape dispenser that has 10 rolls of colored tape (she LOVES to tape things these days and can go through entire rolls of scotch or masking tape easily).http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000CBWWHG/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_3

I am pondering a bike and helmet and:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00008BFZH/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_5?ie=UTF8&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

I know DH will want to shop for things that he picks out. So most likely the bike would be for birthday instead. I love the camera idea! I found a nice hearty digital one for kids on amazon for under $30 once you mentioned it.

Not sure about Aria. A teething necklace, a mirror to look in and some stackable cups. 

Gotta run...

[Thursday Girl]

we do love the school BUT it's just not so doable anymore. I am starting school in January and now Chris is probably going to go back to get his BA  because he has Florida prepaid and if he doesn't use it soon it will be gone. he will have to do night school and if he is cleaning the school in the evening that won't work. plus Juniper isn't being offered a spot because we don't have anything else/more time to offer.  Every Sunday is dominated by having to be at the school, if I go with Chris than about an hour in June starts crying that she wants to go home and when her sisters want to go home I can say "well we are here so you can go to school" June has to be there and gets nothing out of it. Plus my oldest's class went on a trip this year to key west, Jewel could not go b/c we didn't have $500. so she watched all her friends go on the trip and trying to make ME feel better she said "well at least I don't have to ride on the bus for 6 hours". next year the plan is for her class to go to Costa Rica, the year after Europe. Those trips are not happening for her. PLUS she is very into performing arts, Josie likes dance, current;y we can not afford to put the girls in those programs. dance we will eventually be able to do. They also want to learn instruments, another thing we can't afford. public schools offer those things. They are intelligent and with motivation they can excel academically anywhere, they can't get those other things at their school or in their life without public school. It's sad to be taking them from an amazing school but the middle school we toured today was great, now we just need to win the spot in the lottery. 2000 kids applying for 200 spots. cross your fingers for us.

Christmas- a lalaloopsy, some action figures, and a mushroom tent for them to share. that's all we have so far. if we can't get anything else it's still decent. I know Junie wants a video camera or camera. I've had bad luck with those cheapy kids ones so I might get a cheapy grown up one. or find one on craigslist used or something.

my kids used that snap set  at a science museum and loved it, i think i want to add it to the wish list

[mckittre]

Courtney - Sounds like a tough choice. But that would be so hard to be the one kid that doesn't get to go on the trips.  Don't they do school fundraisers to help out the kids who can't afford it?  I'll cross my fingers for your lottery.

Starling - Glad H is feeling somewhat better. That did sound terrifying.

Everr - Maybe something will work out with that guy (not bus guy, the other one) eventually. Or maybe he'll just be a good friend and you'll stumble on someone perfect any day now. 

Holidays - haven't even thought about it yet, since I'm still totally caught up in the whirlwind of visiting friends and family in the big city here (Seattle), and won't be home until Monday. But we'll be as low key as DH's family (who live right by us) allow. I've been trying to train grandparents not to give too much junk, my kids don't know about the Santa thing, and we don't really do official presents for the kids (not on holidays anyway - we get them stuff sometimes, of course. L just got a balance bike last week, which she's thrilled with).  I like the tree decorating/craft making/baking parts of Christmas, so we'll probably do some of that. And L's birthday is New Years, so that's kind of all rolled right into the same crazy mess.

I'm also super glad to have had you guys to chat with for all these YEARS.  Amazing! I feel like I know all of you, and the kids, despite never meeting.

[Vegan Princess]

BTW, I have no idea how to make a meetup happen, but that would be amazingly cool!!

[Everrgreen]

I would happily splurge on plane tickets somewhere for a meet up :D  There's some great options for destinations amongst us!  Something in the summer would be nice.  It would be really awesome if we could make this happen.  Would anyone be interested in being the destination spot?  Maybe somewhere we could camp would be fun?  

Courtney - That's too bad about the school but it does make sense.  I think your girls will excel no matter where they are :)  It has been a lot of work going back to school and I know R doesn't get as much of my time/energy that he could, there are sacrifices, that's life.  But, he is happy and doing fine and I know in the end I'm doing what's best for our family and that feels awesome.

Starling - I'm glad H is feeling better :)

RE Christmas:  R is so into it this year, very excited!!  He wants:  A camera and a broom and a watch.  Same list he's had since the summer.  My mom got him a little kids camera, I got him a super cute Swatch watch, and Santa is bringing him a broom as well as a big tool set for his workbench.  His stocking is going to have some dollar store stuff (book, play doh, chocolate), also I might get him an electric toothbrush (he saw them the other day and wanted one, the little kids ones) and some sunglasses if I can find some I like.  I have a couple other small things for under the tree, an avengers puzzle book and this little game I got for $3.  Umm, I think that's it..  

Ok, I just asked him to tell me what to write to Santa in a letter.. I don't think he really get's it, I had to help him.  I asked him what he wants to say to Santa in his letter and he said:  "Merry Christmas!  Have a good trip!"  and then I said he needs to tell Santa what he wants for Christmas, and he said "I want a present"  and then I said what present, and he said "A camera, and a broom, and a watch"  And then I said, you should use your manners, so he said "Please Santa, Thank you."  And then I asked if we could finish with "Love Royce" and he agreed. :P  

AFM - exam today went well, next one is Thursday :D  Can't wait to be done!  I'm actually enjoying being home now, even though I have to study, it's nice just being around more.

[AKislandgirl]

So grateful for the YEARS of love and support from you guys. A meet up would be amazing! Camping sounds awesome!

Fiona is also excited about Christmas this year. Very into the lights, looking forward to getting a tree, doing an advent calendar this year... it's fun! I went overboard on their gifts as usual. Sometimes I really can't help myself. This fall I bought a used doll house which has been hiding out at DH's work. I also got them some really cute dolls to go with it off of etsy. The g-parents bought some doll house furniture. That is a shared gift. F is also getting this rocker board, some art supplies, and little kid snowshoes. Maeve is giving her a plan toys concertina. Maeve is getting this cool piano, a small baby doll, and a wave puzzle. Fiona is giving her a little rolling hedgehog toy. A lot! I've been buying it over the last several months...

Holy cow, that tape dispenser is amamzing!!

Courtney: crossing fingers you get the lotto! I totally get that reason for the change. It will be great to get your weekends back too. Awesome that you guys will be going back to school yourselves! Sounds like a lot but all good changes! Read that a spot opened up for Juniper on the campus too. :)

The kids are doing pretty well. Not sleeping all that much and I'm always tired but they will be in college someday I suppose! I don't even know what it would feel like to sleep 4 straight hours let alone through the night!

Erin: Someone was telling me about some sort of yoga retreat deal in Seldovia? What is this?!

[Nillarilla]

I've also mentioned my internet friends and had people look at me like I'm crazy but I sometimes 'talk' to you ladies about things I never talk about with IRL friends.

News: My dh and ds were in a car accident on Saturday. Both are alive and whole, just very banged up, bruised, whiplashed etc. Em had his feet up on dh's seat so his foot and hips are very sore. He was in a booster so the seatbelt bruised his lower ab muscles and pelvis. Emotionally they are both having a hard time with it. The car is totalled so we are in a terrible rental. I'm still having trouble with it too. The thought of losing them, the sight of the totalled car, the phone call that they were in the ER.... I am taking lots of rescue remedy to say the least. The other guy accepted 100% responsibility (turning left into oncoming traffic from a side road, no light, on the highway, slipped on the gas pedal and punched it). My poor husband keeps crying.... I don't know how to help him. I think it's a bit of PTSD, he's going to the doctor on Thursday. In laws have offered us their old van, which I don't really want but will take and appreciate while we decide on what to do about a vehicle. 

Christmas: I've bought an outfit for each, a lego set for each, binoculars for Em, a headlamp for Dee, a lego head sorter for Em, a video game for each, and Jenga for Dee. Christmas will be big this year as we are supposed to head to Chilliwack and all the siblings are going and none have kids so they all want to buy toys for mine. I saw this post on fb on what the f* not to buy my kids and I wish I had sent out a more politically correct, tactful version. I have not started decorating or baking my house is a bomb.... sigh one parent down makes this part of life hard. 

Croup: Terrible, terrible virus. I've had to resort to coca cola with Em to open the airways one night. We also sleep him under a window open a crack. 

Exams: One more assignment and I am done for the semester. 

Meetup: Tell me when and where and I'll be there. 

[Everrgreen]

Nilla - Oh wow, I can't imagine.  I'm so glad everyone is ok.  Just thinking about it all makes me nauseous.  I remember seeing the totalled car from an accident my ex was in before we got married.  He walked away with just some scratches, but seeing that car... It was horrible.  Try not to 'what if' things too much.  *hugs*

[AKislandgirl]

Oh Nilla! So glad that they are ok! Big hugs Mama!

[Mal85]

Nilla-- How terrifying! I'm so glad they are both okay. I'm sure it will take them a while to process that. I rear-ended a car with my then-2 year old niece in the back seat with me before I had kids. We were both okay, but the car was totalled and we were bruised up pretty good. It took her months to not cry when she was around me. It was really heart-breaking. The bright side, it made me super diligent with car seats now. Hers was a good seat, but we didn't use the latch system, thinking the seatbelt would be enough. Her seatbelt didn't catch, allowing her to come forward and hit the back of the seat in front of her. That's where most of her bruising came from. Important lesson learned! Still today, I get a lot of anxiety if I'm not driving.

Christmas, again... I always go overboard too, Sue! We've been pretty good this year about keeping to our budget, which is always hard for me to do! Owyn is getting the dollhouse from Santa. Greta is getting a little piano from Santa (the Melissa and Doug one). I tried sticking to the 4 gifts rule aside from Santa. 

So Owyn's:

Want-- a flashlight

Need-- a sleeping bag

Play With-- a new doll (the American Girl knock-off one from Target)

Read-- two new books

Greta's:

Want-- a flashlight

Need-- a storage container for bath toys

Play With-- an alligator pull toy

Read-- two new books

They will both also get Christmas PJs and an ornament on Christmas Eve, plus their stocking stuffers (a movie each, crayons, coloring books, playsilks, toothbrush/toothpaste). It still seems to add up to too much stuff! I do it to myself every year...

[justKate]

Hi ladies.  Caught up reading and wanted to check in...I don't know why I've been so absent--no excuse really, I just struggle to get me-time on the computer and I don't really like posting from tapatalk on my phone.  I can FB on my phone more easily, so I end up there....  Anyway!

FIRST: Ever, CONGRATS on being finished with school for a little while!  You deserve the break.  A month off, right?  As for bus guy, probably better to let that go.  Sounds like the other guy is a genuinely good guy, but the whole situation sort of sucks. But then life has a way of surprising us, so who knows what may happen in the future?  

Nilla and Starling, how terrifying about the car accidents!  They are really one of my worst fears. I'm glad everyone is okay.  Nilla, I felt like your husband after my accident years ago, and that was just with my grandmother and dog.  I had flashbacks to that moment of impact for a couple of years.  Thankfully it does fade away.  I hope E is feeling better.  So awful.  But a tough mudder--whoa.  That's impressive.  I love the idea of it but I'm waaay too lazy. I hate overexerting my respiratory system, and that seems like the key to being fit.  Ah well.  I'll accept my limitations for now.

Starling, hope H is staying well. And I'm glad that you're enforcing the moratorium--I think your Christmas will be much more pleasant that way.  I saw E's letter to Santa on FB--very impressive!  She seems so advanced.  I know its not a race, of course, but geez! You may have a little genius on your hands.    I'm still thinking of your dear friend who passed away.  I don't have the right words to say, I know, but I would imagine that the grieving could go on a long time.  When someone has a big place in your heart, her loss is going to leave a big hole, you know?  And adding the other stressors on top....I know you've got the right outlook on it, but I want to give you a big hug anyway.

Sue, I love the idea of an at-home waldorf-y shop.  There is a woman a couple of miles away from me that has a natural parenting home business, and she just got a local business grant from the county to update her website.  All of her sales are either online or out of her home.  Here's her site if you're interested: http://www.formomandkeiki.com/  Not quite the same as what you're thinking, I know, but I think it is very do-able.  How are things going with Fiona's allergies and the OT? 

Courtney, is that the volvo?  I LOVE it.  So many changes for you guys. Too bad there's no way for Chris to transfer his prepaid to you so that there wouldn't be a rush for him to do it.  And as for the girls' school--it will be easier to have them all in one place, and it would be hard to have your big girl missing out on activities.  But seriously, what is there for 10 year olds in Key West?!  Hope Josie isn't too upset about her leg.  Yikes these things happen at the worst times.  What happened?  Glad speech therapy is going well for Junie.  Not so much here--the speech therapist seems to think she has a behavior problem rather than an articulation problem, and that she is just being "willful" and will say the words when she's ready.  It annoys me, but at least she's working with Aubrey anyway.  As far as I can tell the letters sounds she struggles with aren't getting any better, but the rest of her language is improving, so she's becoming easier to understand overall.   I think right now they're working on /k/ and /g/.  And we're only getting 25 min/week, which doesn't seem like enough time to accomplish anything.  Ah well.  I honestly think everything will resolve in its own time, but I was hoping to help her along a little.  Not sure if we're going to continue after the winter break or not.  Aubs really doesn't like going so its a headache getting her there.    I can't believe how mobile Cora is!  Mallory looks like such a slug by comparison. She just sort of scoots around, dragging her big belly and her legs like she's paralyzed or something.  Honestly I don't think she can hold her own weight--she's about 21 lbs. already.

Cindy, you are a rockstar pumping nursing machine. I really hope this third clip does the trick for Aria.  She's so lucky to have a committed mama. 

Need to take a break, will come back for more soon!

[Vegan Princess]

Oh I think I forgot to update you guys on the nursing? I stopped pumping over a week ago and stopped supplementing 2 weeks ago and she has kept on gaining about an ounce/day from nursing alone! So yes, the 3rd tongue tie revision did the trick! That she can nurse normally is such a miracle to me! Now we are dealign with Torticollis. She was asynclitic when she was born and was probably hanging out inside of me with her head turned for quite some time since she dropped about 3 weeks before she was born. Now she always wants to look to the right - and her head is starting to get misshapen a bit. So she starts physical therapy for the neck muscle that is tight next week and we are doing cranial sacral therapy weekly. And Makenna starts PT for her toe walking next week too. Busy busy. Poor Aria has had so much to deal with in her 2 months already. But she is a super happy baby!

[Nillarilla]

Cindy that's so great about the nursing!

Starling - how goes it with selling the VW van? My husband's uncle would LOVE it. But they don't have the funds right now. 

Courtney - I hope things are looking up for you. 

Ever - I hope your last exam went well. I am procrastinating on my last paper. I should just write it and get it over with so I can focus on other things. 

Mal - I like that rule but I could never stick to it lol. Though I have stopped at way less this year than most. Having to pack it up and bring it makes it less appealing. 

Kate - so good to hear from you. The speech therapy really doesn't seem like much time at all but I'm glad to hear she is getting easier to understand. 

Sue - LOVE the gifts your girls are getting! I think I need to get Dee a microphone. She got a toy one the other day that reverberates? Just a cheap plastic thing but she is going around interviewing and singing, she's got enough stuff so maybe for her birthday. 

[Thursday Girl]

Nilla, wow that is scary, I am so glad they are okay!

Kate- it's the chrysler pacifica.

My girls really wanted the lego heartland stable, the stupid thing is$60!! so I got 200 tyco lego rip off blocks off ebay for $15 in the pink/aqua/lime green colors instead.  I'm hoping before Christmas to get each of the girls a video game ( poptropica, a fashion design game and something for Juniper, not sure what yet)and maybe if things turn really lucky a dvd each but i'll probably save it for their birthdays. (avengers, rapunzel, odd life of timothy green) and I haven't got Coraline anything at all. she doesn't need anything besides another diaper cover, I think I want to get her a wool one. I feel like she should have more than one present, but I might just wrap up a box of tissue paper and not get her a stocking so I don't have to buy a bunch of little silly things for a 9 month old. she has all the clothes she could need, bunches of toys, actually she's not walking yet and i thought she would be so a walker would be nice, one that has toys on it or turns into a stroller or something. I don't know. I am totally stressing about Christmas mixed with  ignoring it coming.

mal- we have the boon frog pod and i LOVE that thing!

i want to get my niece a cute little bug onesie from a shop down the street and a wooden iphone5 to gnaw on.

[starling&diesel]

Nilla! THANK GOODNESS they are (mostly) okay! How traumatizing for all of you! And if your in-law wants it, I swear, it's such a good van and we're willing to entertain offers! I just want to be rid of the thing now. Such a stupid move..

That is an awesome nursing update, Cindy! Great to hear that it's going so well! I have waaaaaaaay more milk this time. H is in the 98th percentile, whereas E was in the 3rd percentile.

AFU: I just want to put a shout out to the universe for our healthy children, and say thank you to the powers-that-be! A friend from the Queer Parenting tribe just lost her son at one day old to meningitis. So tragic. So sad.
On a brighter note, e went to look at tent trailers today ... With furnaces so that we can camp all year. I think that'll be the way to go for now. Just have to sell the van. Wish I was sloppier about car seat safety, because it is such an awesome van. But I can unknow what I know, you know?

Xoxox to everyone. Hold your children close ...

[Mal85]

Starling, I think your friend is on another board that I'm on. Either that or that same tragedy has struck two different people in the online world in the last couple of days. So, so sad... no one should have to experience that kind of loss. I haven't been able to get it out of my head. It really makes me realize how incredibly fortunate I am. Holding my babies a little tighter for sure...

Owyn is sick today, which stinks. We had a lot planned for today and it didn't work out. And the poor girl still had to be out and about while feeling like crud. She woke up with a fever in the middle of the night, but went right back to sleep. Woke up this morning, still fever, won't eat, complaining her throat hurts, won't talk much at all. So, we went all over the world today looking for an urgent care to get her into. The poor kid really just wanted to be in her bed. But, she finally got seen... an ear infection and likely strep throat (they didn't test since her ear was obviously infected, said the antibiotics would treat both anyway). Weird, she's never had an ear infection before.

Yesterday, the girls were with a different sitter, a good friend of mine. When I picked them up, my friend said she was concerned about Owyn's hearing and had I ever had her hearing checked. I have actually gone back and forth trying to decide if she has a hearing problem or if she just doesn't pay attention. Lately, though she has been asking for tv or music to be turned up really loud, saying she can't hear it. When I'm talking to her, she has frequently asked me to talk louder, she can't hear me. But a lot of the time, she just seems so wrapped up in what she's doing that she just isn't listening close enough. People in her life have always described her as living in her own little world. I know she can hear, but I have to wonder how well she is hearing. I asked the ped that saw her today what he thought about it. He said based on what I was telling him, he would probably consider referring her to an ENT to get it formally checked out, but since he's not her regular doctor he didn't feel like he could really make that call. What do you ladies think? Should I get her checked out? Is it worth making an appt now or should I just wait until her 4 year check up... I can't decide what to do.

[Everrgreen]

Mal - Poor Owyn!  I hope she recovers quickly.  How is her language?  If it's something you're going to worry about it might be good to make the appointment just to be sure.  I think it would concern me more if it seemed like her hearing was getting worse, I'd want to know why.

Starling - That is so very sad.  I can't even imagine.  My public health studies have made me so paranoid about all these horrible things that can happen (rarely, but they do).  It's heartbreaking hearing of things like this happening.

I hope you get your van sold!  How bad are the carseat issues?  I would probably be willing to ease up on the safety a bit in that case..  Mainly because it's so large that it's not going to have the same level of damage in an accident, right?  Like being on a bus - you don't need seatbelts.  Anyway, I know you said you've explored all the options and it's just not possible, but I was just curious :P  A tent trailer would be awesome, I want to buy one as soon as I can afford it!  Maybe not next summer but the one after.  

Cindy and Starling - Yay for nursing going well!!!  

Kate - Good to hear from you!  That's too bad about the speech therapy.  I would be irked if someone said it was just my child being 'willful'.  Maybe a different teacher would be a better fit?  

And yes I get a MONTH off starting Wednesday at 12pm.  Just 2 exams left Tuesday and Wednesday morning.  Woohoo!

Oh, and Starling, I agree with Kate, I'm SO SO impressed with E's writing!  Wow!  R can sort of write his name, but he needs help with even that (forgets the order of the letters or what the letters look like and it's hard to read it).  He doesn't recognize all the letters in the alphabet and has no clue about phonics (despite many efforts by me, he just doesn't get it).  It's actually very frustrating for me.  I know he's still young, but I just don't get how he can't even recognize the letters!  Like I'll point to a K and say what letter is this and he just guesses, he has no clue.  The only letters he recognizes are the ones in his name.  I'm trying really hard not to become a flash-card mommy... But man I really really want to start doing that just so he can at least recognize letters!  

Not much else new for me.  Just studying as much as I can.  R makes that incredibly difficult, more so than last spring and last winter.  He is so much busier, talks constantly, is always talking to me and asking questions.  Tomorrow he's in daycare so I can hopefully have a really productive day.  Then my mom is keeping him Tuesday night so I can do some final review for my Wednesday morning exam.

[Mal85]

I guess I would say it seems like her hearing is getting worse. It's been in the last 6 months or so that she has started asking for the volume to be turned up or to talk louder. I spoke with my sister a little about it yesterday. My nephew did the same thing at around this age. He's 13 now, so I had totally forgotten about his issues. He always wanted to volume up really loud too, and he spoke really loud. She took him to an ENT for a totally unrelated issue and they discovered lots of fluid built up in his ears. He'd never had an ear infection, but the fluid had apparently been building up over a long period of time. He ended up getting tubes in and his hearing issues got a lot better. Her description of what he was doing sounds so much like Owyn. Her language is okay. I've always felt like it's a little behind her peers, but not too noticeably. I've never had anyone tell me they have problems understanding her, although she does mumble a lot. I asked her teachers at our conference if they have noticed anything with her hearing (it really has been on my mind for a while...) and they just kind of shrugged and said possibly, she definitely seems to live in her own little world. But they also said it could just be normal 3 year old behavior. Ugh, the more I think about it the more I think there's an issue... I think once the holidays are over and she's totally healthy again, we'll see about getting her in to ask about it. Lucky us, she's now throwing up today! Looks like no school or daycare for her tomorrow...

Starling, also totally impressed with the writing! Owyn can write her name pretty well, but that's about it. She has started recognizing quite a few letters and always wants to know what letter everyone's name starts with. She is always very proud to tell everyone "I start with O!" and says that O is her favorite letter. She'll often ask me to write the names of her friends and then she will either trace them or try to copy it on her own. So cool to see them doing such grown up things!

Everr, enjoy your time off!! Will R be out of daycare too? I'm really missing that time off at this time of year!

Things at work are overly busy right now with the holidays coming. The kids are crazy and our schedule is totally thrown off. They are participating in the school-wide Christmas program, so we've been practicing for that a lot. But only two more weeks and I'm off for almost 2 weeks. I'm not even planning much for that last week because I know their focus is going to be totally out the window, plus we have practice everyday that week with the whole school for their program. Our last day is an early out and we'll pretty much only have our Christmas party. Owyn doesn't have school that day, so I'm thinking of taking her to work with me for our party. So much to look forward to!