Christmas 2009

Since I'm up and haven't gotten around to writing about our Christmas I guess I'll do it now :). We had a great Christmas. The kids as always got tons of toys and spent the whole day playing with them! This year we realized that M's opening style is way different than N's. She opens a present then looks it over enjoying the new toy for a few moments(usually just by looking at it and the pictures on the box) then she'll move on to the next one and repeat. N he ripes off wrapping paper like no ones business(M is also much more "gentle" with the removing of the wrapping) then he'll get excited about he new toy and move on. They had the same number of presents, but N was done and M still had 4 left! N finally asked her if he could help her(at this point she was getting a little tired of opening, which I thought was funny) He pretty much opened the rest of her presents as she looked on riping off piece here and there it was really cute!

N showing me the bakugan that came with this awesome display case
M opening her DS, she didn't really know what it was till I took it out of the box then she was all over it lol!
N and his DS he got a Transformer cover for it too!
This is the point that M was getting tired of opening and just wanted to play see the presents still behind her?!
N helping M unwrap the rest of her presents
N as BumbleBee!
The kids playing their DS' for the first time! Daddy was very excited lol
M really getting into the game.

Lacking in Posts

I've been lacking in the posting again, I know. Really I think about it when I'm just about to fall asleep, some days it's fun stuff, but the last week it hasn't been. Every Christmas since my mom passed I get a little depressed around the Holidays, usually it's around Thanksgiving, and lasts a few weeks, by the time Christmas is close I've got a handle on it. This year has been a good year, I even made it through July pretty good. The last 4 days, have been rough, it's not a terrible depression(I've had it worse before), but I feel it. I'm so excited for Christmas, but so very sad inside too! I miss my mom, I miss my family! I really wish my brother and Sarah could make it down here. Really I wish I could spend one holiday with my brother, I don't even remember the last holiday I got to spend with him was! I'm really glad I got all my Christmas shopping done early, cuz I really don't want to go out.
That's pretty much been life around here. Last week was crazy! M had her normal speech therapy, then we added a new group speech/OT class, plus her OT eval, and the school eval to see where she may be "placed" in April. To top it off we had two birthday parties! It was a good week, but CRAZY!! I know you are wondering...OT eval was good, they want her to go twice a week to work on the small skills she's still behind it, though over all she's pretty much on target. The school eval was good, I was very afraid they would want to place her the next week, but they don't(wipe brow). Unfortunately she's still on the fence about where she'll be placed, it depends on how she test on her over all skills, if her OT "issues" affect her learning then she'll be placed in a full time school('s class, which she already knows the teachers and her brother is there), if not then she'll be in part time school(two or three days a week for a few hrs) I'm still on the fence about which one I feel better about, but it comes down to which will be better for her over all, and how she scores. She'll have that test in Feb some time.

Is school in the future?

I guess at some point M will be going to school right? I'm just not so sure about now! Why am I talking about this you ask? Cuz tomorrow morning we have an appointment to meet with the school district program about where to place M. Right now she's in the Early Steps program, but when she turns 3 the school program takes over. She is over 2.5 now so we have an appointment to see how to transition her into the new program.
I am so beyond nervous, I don't know what you would call it. I half want to cry, half want to curl up in a ball and forget this is about to happen. Why? I'm not 100% sure. I guess you could say cuz I have know clue what they will say, then add in my own fears for her, and what I feel she needs, top that off with not knowing if they can fill what I would love for her to have. N's eval wasn't this bad, I sort of know he would go to a school(the whole 5 full days was a shocker), but I also know that would be best for him and he would love it. Which he does! M, 1yr ago, I though she would be ok with school at 2.5yrs old. Now I'm not so sure, I don't think she'd do good without me for that long. Trust me I think she needs some time away from me and with other kids more, but I don't think she could handle being without me for that long. I know that sounds crazy, but she depends on me for so much, help get her dressed, calm her down.....I just don't know. Then add in that she finally got OT back, how are they going to work that? She really needs it. I'm just so nervous I guess we will see how it goes.

Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I hope everyone had a great day, we did. We stayed at home enjoyed our wonderful, beautiful children, had turkey and stuffing(that grandpa made for us), mashed potatoes, and sweet potatoes(that you just reheat in the microwave), rolls, and I did make green bean casserole. Yes it was a very very laid back Thanksgiving, but I'm still so thankful for so much even with my scary(ok it was for me) surgery, and the scary(that turned out to be "ok") heart issue!
I'm thankful for
My wonderful husband that help me heal from the surgery, was my rock when I didn't know what was wrong, and been so supportive in starting my business.
My cute and silly N. Even though the boy knows just how to push my buttons, he also knows how to make me laugh. Everyday he puts me in aw on how much he cares for others, and how smart he is.
My adorable princess M. I'm so so grateful that she's finally talking, and saying the easy words. She still has a ways to go, but I'm just happy she's made it this far.
My little brother, who I love so very much. I'm so happy he's found his love.
My family who I don't get to see half as much as I wish I could.
My best friend, and sister, who is there when I need to talk and always there to help encourage the kids even from far away.
My wonderful in laws, nieces, and nephews for being a wonderful family.
My new sister in law(and her family) you are the best thing for my brother, and I'm so grateful you have all taken him in like you have!
T who understands me so much, and helps us out so we can have date nights. And her kids, without them my kids wouldn't have best friends!
All my friends that let me just vent about stupid stuff and are there for me when I just need to get out of the house and walk around the mall.
N's teachers, who have helped N's speech so, so much, and helped him not be quite so shy, and really made sure not to hold him back with his smarts and wanting to help others.
M's speech teacher, who gave her a test that other's may not have cuz she's so young, but cuz of it, she was able to really help M learn.
My dr who, sent me to the heart dr went there was only one little thing pointing to my heart. Many other drs would have(and did), just dismiss my symptoms. If he hadn't I may still be drained and miserable.
Thank you for everyone in my life you all are so special to me and I'm so thankful for everyone of you!

What a Week!

This last week has been fast, but not very much going on. We all have been sick with head colds. It started with M last weekend, she was fussy, had a runny nose, and just wanted to be held. By Monday N and I both were sick with the same thing(well I could feel the head cold part, hence knowing we had head colds lol). Tuesday I made it out of the house for a bit thanks to grandpa who watched the kids who were still sick. I was too, but I had to get ribbon for a bow order, a card for my niece(which of course I forgot the gift card so it was useless), and some food for the house. The rest of the week was the same sit around the house trying not let the kids run around to much cuz then they would just start coughing and the noses would start running really bad again. Poor N ended up with the worse cold sore he's ever had, it's like three in one, it covers most of the area between his nose and mouth. Thankfully we still have his meds of it, but it's been a heck of one.
Some very good positives of the week, M started getting potty trained. She did really well, but the whole thing didn't go so well. It would have been much smoother and been done by now if a)we weren't all sick and b)her brother wasn't here. The "problem" with N being here was that he would get her to run around the whole house were when it's just her and me I can get here to stay in the living room(which I had covered in vinyl tablecloths) so I could watch her better and she would also focus a little better on it. So it was just one day of that, the rest of the days we haven't for gone it, there just isn't any undies involved or me asking if she has to go all the time, she just tells me if she has to go. The funny thing is last week I wanted to start on Monday, but then we got sick so I was going to put it off. Well Monday M had different ideas she keep taking off her diaper, at one point she ran to the potty had her diaper off and end up going on the floor (she couldn't get herself up on to the big potty :)!That is when I decided we would full out try it and we got out the undies and everything. She did great had 2 accidents, and then went 2 times by herself and her undies were dry both times! Then she wanted a diaper, I'm not fighting this time, I'm just going with the flow, maybe nugging a little if I see she needs it, but other then that I'm not stressing. After everything with Nathan(UGH) I'm letting God do the timing!
Another good thing, I watched Twilight on Monday(after having it sitting here for two weeks). I really didn't think I was going to like it. I'm not really into the vampire stuff, but all my friends keep telling me to watch it and read it, hubby had put it on our Netflix list, I was in no rush to watch it really, I figured some day I'll watch it. I saw it and I LOVED IT. It is not anything I was excepting. There really isn't any(ok that much) normal vampire stuff, it's much more of a romance then anything else. I feel so connected to the main characters and their relationship, cuz it "feels" like mine and hubby's in so many ways. Anyways, I liked it so much, I wanted it again Tuesday and when I was at the store, I picked up the first two books in the series. Yesterday I had to run out and get the third one(I couldn't find the fourth in paperback so I have to wait to get that one). I'm already on Eclipse and about 1/3 of the way through it. I'm still amazed at how much I liked it.
That's about from here, I can't wait till next weekend, I can finally put up our tree! Which I'm so excited about cuz we have a big own now. Last year we managed to get a 7ft tree on clearance for $20! I really wanted the one with the lights predone, but hubby said no, but the deal was he has string the light on the tree then. I didn't really care that much(well I'm not going to string a 7ft tree) as long as I had a big tree. I've been wanting one for so long. I can't wait to get it up. I think I'm going to have to get some more lights(all ours are 100strings and different). I also picked up a few(3) new ornaments for the tree, since I really don't know if all our ornaments will fill a big tree. I don't want it full full(cuz we will always be adding at lest 4new ornaments a yr) but I want it to look like it's got ornaments, know what I mean!?
That's it from here I'm off to read!

Another Milestone

Today M had another milestone! For me it was an extra bittersweet one. Like daddy I loved her long hair and the cute little ringlets she had, but it was so long every morning was becoming a struggle trying to get it brushed. The ends were just knotting up really bad, so I know deep down we had to get it cut at lest a few inches to get it manageable again. But unlike daddy, there was an extra bitter sweetness for me. See, my mom cut my hair(I'm sure even did my first hair cut though I'm not 100%), up until about 9 months before she passed away. At that point she was just to sick to do it anymore so I went to a family friend who was the only person I truly trust to cut my hair(though since moving so far I've had to let others do it never really has happy as if it was her). As a child I always dreamed that she would give my kids their first hair cuts, but of course that dream has died. And with both N and M I wanted to have our family friend do it, but the kids hair always seems to get unmanageable before we are able to make it back to Chicago. I think it's God telling me it's ok to let go and trust others, even if it is scary...but anyways, back to today! For the last month I've been saying I have to cut M's hair, but 1)I wanted daddy there for the special occasion, and 2)the whole bitter sweetness was getting to me. We decided to try this hair place that we've seen in the mall they have cute little cars for the kids to sit in and they can watch TV's, it's really cute.

Here's her in the Barbie Jeep seat right after the first snip!

M did sooo good, she fussed a little, more just girlie wining(as daddy calls it lol), I think more cuz she wasn't 100% sure what was going on. There was no tears, unlike her brother who cried and still cries and throws a huge fit when he has to get his hair cut. I'm sooo happy on how it came out too. She had about 3 inches cut off, so when it's wet it's about an inch below her shoulder, but dry it sort of curls up and bounces right about her shoulder.

M right after she was all done

This is in the car waiting for N to get out of school

You can see the length a little better

Halloween 09

The kids had a great Halloween this year! N was Iron Man and M was Tinkerbell. It took me all day to get a picture of them together, but finally I got one!!

Tinkerbell and Iron Man

First we had a first birthday party to go to. N went in his costume I had planed to have M in hers too, but it was bugging her(I think the seam for the tulle was itching), so I changed her into a dress. That was after I put her in tights to try and help the problem which only helped for about 5mins. The party was fun, M had two little boys chasing her around...I swear she was enjoying the attention, which means we'll be in big trouble as she get older lol!

M and her boys

N fell asleep in the car(I swear he's like his Uncle T and falls asleep in the car everything it's over 20mins of a drive). So once we got there he was took extra long to get comfortable with all the new people(he's still my shy one). He sat and ate pizza for a good 30mins before he decided to join his sister running around.

N and his pizza

We had first planed on staying and Trick or Treating with our friends, but it was muggy out and the kids were already really red from the heat. Plus, I wasn't feel to hot so we decide it was best to just pack up and Trick or Treat at the mall were it would be cooler and easier on me. N LOVED it like normal. Every time he got something he would look in the bag either tell us what he got, or say "I'm getting so much Candy!!" it was really cute. M sat in the stroller for most of the walk, which is very odd for her she's usually the one walking, but I think the running around for an hr outside was catching up with her. She did finally get out of the stroller, and she loved saying hi to everyone and having people say how pretty she looked!

Waving at people

N showing off his costume

Towards the end I took N for a potty stop well N was going M was dancing around the room it was so funny I had to take a picture of it...

M Dancing

Once we got home we had dinner, checked out the loot.....

And watched some TV.

The funny thing M didn't want to take her costume off till I finally had to take it off for bedtime, after she was making such a fuss about it before we left....such a silly girl!!

And here's a picture of our pumpkins this year they came out really cute!!