This has been the "worst" month yet! See below...
1) FOOD: Over by $200
2) Entertainment: Under by $40
3) Fixed: Under by $185
4) Household/Extra: Over by $900!
Total Saved??
-120
What happened??
1- Car registration!
We registered Victor's car in Maryland. This cost us $360! I had budgeted about $180 for this but it was double the expected cost. Thankfully, we only have to do this every 2 years. Unfortunately, we have to register my car in July (when the WI plates expire).
2- MEDICAL!
I was SO certain our health care costs would be lower this month. We happened to catch the virus from hell though so we had 10 doctor's visits this month. The generic form of Erik's breathing treatment (Pulmicort) is not available (manufacturing issue I think). I tried to hold off of filling the prescription but then he caught a second virus and NEEDED it so there goes another $140. Errr!! Thankfully, the doctor wrote the prescription for way more than we use in a normal month so we should be okay for about 6 months on that drug. Hopefully, the generic will be available again then!
Total health care costs this month was $385!
3- GAS:
Victor did some traveling this month. Our gas expense was $325. Normally, we spend about $200 a month on gas.
4- LOWER SALARY:
This is temporary but Victor's salary was about $80 lower than normal because we adjusted the way we are putting money into his 401k. We have to pay $15,000 into the federal pension system in order for Victor to be "credited" the 12 years of active navy duty towards a federal pension. The taxes are different for that contribution versus the 401K contribution which altered his take home pay. We readjusted the pension contribution so our take home should be back to what it had been before.
5- ICE CREAM!
I was pretty sick for about 2 weeks. Victor was helpful and did some of the grocery shopping. His shopping habits are a bit different then mine. Somehow he ended up with 5, yes five, boxes of ice cream in his cart this month along with a few other nonessential items. Ha!
How are we feeling??
I think it is stressful to be in charge of finances, or maybe it is stressful to be in a position where tracking our daily expenses is necessary. That being said, even though we went over this month I feel pretty good about how we have done so far this year. We have been able to live off of Victor's base salary (2 paychecks a month) and have completely saved/invested all the tax returns, one of the April paychecks, all Navy pay (from reserve weekends), and any money we received as gifts. Although our income is significantly lower I think we may actually be saving more than we had in the past.
I am HOPING that maybe in June we will reach that $500 savings goal again. We'll see.
Next month I will do a 6 month review - totaling our food, gas, and health care costs for the year so far.
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Memorial Day 2011/Our little "princess"
Grandma Sandy came to visit us and meet Carson this weekend. She gave Lainey her birthday gifts while she was here. The girl was happy!!
Everybody, including Carson, had their hair and makeup done by Lainey!
Grandma got to meet our happy boy!
Lainey playing "cut the rope" on Grandma's Ipad
Reading books
It is HOT here (upper 90's). We went to the pool twice this weekend,
took Grandma Sandy to church, and went to a friends Memorial Day party.
Very fun and just the right amount of busy.
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Summertime Fun!
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| The pool on the deck is a big hit! |
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| A late night frog hunt! |
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| Lots of frogs were found! |
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Erik and his balance bike!
Erik loves his balance bike! He can ride it for 2-3 miles and is fast! I often have to run to keep up with him. Pretty impressive for a 3 year old! I think the balance bike and Schwinn trike are some of the best purchases we have made for Erik. They are used daily, he loves them, and it provides a great source of exercise.
Here are a couple videos of Erik on his balance bike....
NOW
THEN (on his 3rd birthday when he first got the bike)!
Here are a couple videos of Erik on his balance bike....
NOW
THEN (on his 3rd birthday when he first got the bike)!
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Mr. Wonderful
Carson is the easiest baby ever. He is such a happy, laid back little guy. He even sleeps well, often only getting up once at night (last night he slept from 9:30 to 4:30, ate quickly and went back to sleep until 7:30 AM). He makes having a newborn a lot of fun. It's such a treat to be his mom. Here are a few more photos of the happy little guy.
 | |
| Happy AND Cute! |
Carson has started cooing at us now too which is wonderful!
He cooed and smiled throughout the entire church service this weekend.
A tad distracting but those around us didn't seem to mind.
We are so grateful for our little boy!
Health Update
We are all slowly returning to normal. Erik and Lainey are probably 100%. I am back to about 80% normal. I still have a residual cough when I exercise or am too active and have very painful ribs from coughing but am feeling fine.
Poor Carson is still struggling. He is getting Albuterol via the nebulizer 4x a day. He is still wheezing due to the bronchiolitis though. He was having a lot of trouble with his feedings and this has improved some in the past couple days. We have another appointment with the pediatrician this Friday. He didn't gain any weight during the past 10 days which is unusual for a newborn but it was because of all the coughing/gagging/vomiting he was doing during feedings. I expect by the next appointment his weight will have increased as his feeding are getting better. He is still the happiest baby I have ever met. Such a sweet boy!
Poor Carson is still struggling. He is getting Albuterol via the nebulizer 4x a day. He is still wheezing due to the bronchiolitis though. He was having a lot of trouble with his feedings and this has improved some in the past couple days. We have another appointment with the pediatrician this Friday. He didn't gain any weight during the past 10 days which is unusual for a newborn but it was because of all the coughing/gagging/vomiting he was doing during feedings. I expect by the next appointment his weight will have increased as his feeding are getting better. He is still the happiest baby I have ever met. Such a sweet boy!
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| Breathing treatments aren't so bad! |
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Elaina - 23 Months
This is the last monthly update for Lainey since she is almost 2 years old! Amazing!
It was obvious from the start that Erik and Lainey have very different personalities. This is becoming more apparent as Lainey gets older. Here are a few positive and negative traits that have become more apparent recently...
1) Funny as can be!
Lainey has a wonderful sense of humor. She loves to "tell jokes" and do silly things for a laugh. She makes us laugh a lot.
2) Confident but polite...
Lainey is more bold and self assured both at home and in a social scene then Erik was at this age. She doesn't cling to me or hang out on my lap like Erik used to do. That being said she does tend to be observant of others for a while before warming up completely. She is good at sharing and is kind to other kids when in a social setting.
3) Devious/Sassy....
Lainey is one of the busiest kids I know. She is always doing something and it's not always good. Here are 3 examples of sassy behavior from today...
a) She knows she can't climb on the counters. After the 2nd or 3rd time I found her on the counters this morning I took her off and gave her bottom a gentle swat reminding her once again that she can't climb on the counters. She didn't seem upset but about a minute later I saw her glare at me, then working as hard as she could peed on the chair she was standing on (she had just gone to the bathroom 5 minutes before so this took effort). I just shook my head at her.
b) She is sneaky and proud of it. I was working with raw chicken this morning. Lainey must have noticed I was busy so she took off upstairs. I saw her and followed her a couple of minutes later. She is always after two things upstairs; either our toothpaste or my cough drops. This morning I found her upstairs sitting in my bed with 6, yes six, cough drops shoved in her mouth. She knows without a doubt they are off limits.
c) Erik was in time out on the steps this afternoon because he had knocked a glass of water off of the counter while fighting with Lainey about a bowl. Lainey kept yelling out to him, "Erik you dropped water. The floor is wet!!" After 2-3 similar comments from her I reminded her that Erik was in time out and we don't talk to people while they are in time out. She was quiet for a minute but then shouted loudly, "Erik, you dropped the glass. Floor is wet. " She then turned to me and with a smirk on her face said, " I talk to Erik mama!"
Oh my!! I can promise you there will be stories to be told about this girl during the next 20 years. I just hope and pray her sass/spunk is directed towards positive things. I also hope I can figure out a way to help correct her behavior when inappropriate, praise her spunk when used for good things, all the while maintaining a close and intimate relationship with my precious daughter. It is a somewhat scary challenge. She is a sweet, spunky girl that we love to pieces!
It was obvious from the start that Erik and Lainey have very different personalities. This is becoming more apparent as Lainey gets older. Here are a few positive and negative traits that have become more apparent recently...
1) Funny as can be!
Lainey has a wonderful sense of humor. She loves to "tell jokes" and do silly things for a laugh. She makes us laugh a lot.
 |
| Nursing my cabbage patch doll |
2) Confident but polite...
Lainey is more bold and self assured both at home and in a social scene then Erik was at this age. She doesn't cling to me or hang out on my lap like Erik used to do. That being said she does tend to be observant of others for a while before warming up completely. She is good at sharing and is kind to other kids when in a social setting.
3) Devious/Sassy....
Lainey is one of the busiest kids I know. She is always doing something and it's not always good. Here are 3 examples of sassy behavior from today...
a) She knows she can't climb on the counters. After the 2nd or 3rd time I found her on the counters this morning I took her off and gave her bottom a gentle swat reminding her once again that she can't climb on the counters. She didn't seem upset but about a minute later I saw her glare at me, then working as hard as she could peed on the chair she was standing on (she had just gone to the bathroom 5 minutes before so this took effort). I just shook my head at her.
b) She is sneaky and proud of it. I was working with raw chicken this morning. Lainey must have noticed I was busy so she took off upstairs. I saw her and followed her a couple of minutes later. She is always after two things upstairs; either our toothpaste or my cough drops. This morning I found her upstairs sitting in my bed with 6, yes six, cough drops shoved in her mouth. She knows without a doubt they are off limits.
c) Erik was in time out on the steps this afternoon because he had knocked a glass of water off of the counter while fighting with Lainey about a bowl. Lainey kept yelling out to him, "Erik you dropped water. The floor is wet!!" After 2-3 similar comments from her I reminded her that Erik was in time out and we don't talk to people while they are in time out. She was quiet for a minute but then shouted loudly, "Erik, you dropped the glass. Floor is wet. " She then turned to me and with a smirk on her face said, " I talk to Erik mama!"
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| Beautiful "baby" |
Oh my!! I can promise you there will be stories to be told about this girl during the next 20 years. I just hope and pray her sass/spunk is directed towards positive things. I also hope I can figure out a way to help correct her behavior when inappropriate, praise her spunk when used for good things, all the while maintaining a close and intimate relationship with my precious daughter. It is a somewhat scary challenge. She is a sweet, spunky girl that we love to pieces!
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Erik sings to Carson
I promised Erik part of a chocolate chip bagel if he would keep singing after I turned on the camera. I was shocked that it actually worked!
Enjoy!
Erik Sings
Enjoy!
Erik Sings
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Roll Carson Roll
Carson and I are still sick. I took Carson back to the doctor today because he was struggling through his feedings. Coughing, gagging, and vomiting during and after them. He had a chest xray, lab work, and was screened for RSV. All were normal thankfully. He is wheezing on exam though.
The doctor switched him from Albuterol syrup to Albuterol nebulizer. Hopefully this will make a difference. We will follow up on Wednesday.
Friday, May 13, 2011
Videos of the Kids for Grandma Sandy (and others too of course)!
Carson's Hospital Video - Introducing him to Erik and Lainey
Carson at 8 weeks -- this is just before the virus from hell struck our house
Silly, silly Lainey
Enjoy!
Carson at 8 weeks -- this is just before the virus from hell struck our house
Silly, silly Lainey
Enjoy!
Notable Quotes - Erik (a little x-rated)
2) Erik has always been fairly obsessed with his penis. I know this is fairly common for little boys (and men) but it makes me a little uncomfortable. He knows his penis is private. Today, before getting dressed he was laying on the couch naked and went to grab his penis. I gently reminded him that that is private and the living room is not a private place. He looked up at me and said, "But mom, I like to bend my penis up to keep it off of my penis. . . .tank!" I laughed out loud. He got dressed and went about his day. Boys! I wonder how soon that topic will make him blush?! Clearly he is not at bashful at this point.
Carson - 2 months old
Well, it's hard to believe that I have to stop counting my baby's age by weeks. How did he get to be 2 months old already?!
Carson continues to be the easiest, most wonderful baby. He is a such a joy to be around. He is happy all the time. I am pretty sure this is going to continue since he has been pretty sick for the past week and still isn't crabby at all. I have really, really enjoyed having a new baby.
What's he up to??
1) Eating:
He is a good nurser. I have always nursed on demand and with 3 kids I don't track it very closely. He usually eats every 3 hours or so. If he takes a bottle he usually drinks 3 ounces. He does like to nurse for 30 seconds, take a break, then nurse again. I am not sure if it is because he is overwhelmed by my large supply or if that is just his style.
2) Sleep:
He is turning out to be a great sleeper. This is somewhat surprising because his first 2 weeks of life he was up a lot. He usually nurses for the last time about 9 PM. It is not uncommon for him to sleep until 3 AM eat and go back to bed until 8 AM or so. Since he has been sick he hasn't been quite as reliable but still is getting up 2x at the most.
3) Personality:
He is so laid back and lovely. He has started giving us smiles and tracking with his eyes. He still spends a lot of him life sleeping but has started to have a pretty consistent awake time in the morning for 1-2 hours and then again in the evening for 3-4 hours. He does like to be held and talked to so when he is awake I almost always am holding him or carrying him in the Ergo.
4) How's the family adjusted?
Erik and Lainey both love Carson. Erik gets excited to see him and often exclaims, " Mommy, isn't my baby brother Carson SO cute!" Lainey like to hold him. She also likes to try to help. She seems to think he should have the "plug" all the time and tries to cram it in him mouth whether awake or asleep. I don't ever leave Carson unattended with her. She wants to help but is 23 months old doesn't quite know how to help. :)
Victor of course loves his sweet baby boy. I think he has found this transition a little challenging. He often does the bath and part of bedtime routine while I am at the gym. When I get home it is not uncommon for him to be a little overwhelmed and grumpy. I do LOVE that he lets me get out of the house to workout and feel bad leaving him alone during a busy part of the day. Once Carson is a little bigger I will try to work up the courage to leave him (and the other two ) in the gym daycare during the morning so Victor doesn't have so much work in the evenings.
5) How's the mom?
This post-partum period has been the best for me. I am so in love with my new baby boy. I don't have the same anxiety as a first time mom and don't feel guilty about having another baby like I did when I had Lainey. Carson has also helped the transition by being so laid back. I have enjoyed every bit of having a third child.
Looking back, I really wonder if I had some mild postpartum depression or baby blues with Lainey. I wasn't crying or anything but for 6-9 months I really did feel pretty overwhelmed. I didn't enjoy the first year of her life as much as I would have liked too and feel bad about that. I think I thought it was normal to feel the way I was since I had more than one kid to take care of and that is more challenging than taking care of one kid. However, I now have 3 kids to take care of and don't feel that way at all so I don't think it was completely normal.
I have been back in a normal exercise routine since about 4 weeks post-partum. I walked within a day or two of giving birth but didn't add my full gym routine back completely until he was 4 weeks old. I have about 2 pounds left to lose to get back to my pre-pregnancy weight (4 to get back to what I was pre-Lainey). It has come off the slowest this time but I have been lifting weights 3x a week and think that my body is in better shape now than it was when I was 9 weeks postpartum with Lainey. I still need to lose the rest though (and WILL) because only about half of my shorts fit well.
5) Carson's 2 month Stats:
Weight: 12 pounds 12 ounces (71%) - as of 5/12/11
Length: 24.5 inches (91%) - done at home
He is such a long baby and really needs to be in 3-6 month clothes already!
Carson continues to be the easiest, most wonderful baby. He is a such a joy to be around. He is happy all the time. I am pretty sure this is going to continue since he has been pretty sick for the past week and still isn't crabby at all. I have really, really enjoyed having a new baby.
 | ||
| 2 months |
 |
| One week |
What's he up to??
1) Eating:
He is a good nurser. I have always nursed on demand and with 3 kids I don't track it very closely. He usually eats every 3 hours or so. If he takes a bottle he usually drinks 3 ounces. He does like to nurse for 30 seconds, take a break, then nurse again. I am not sure if it is because he is overwhelmed by my large supply or if that is just his style.
2) Sleep:
He is turning out to be a great sleeper. This is somewhat surprising because his first 2 weeks of life he was up a lot. He usually nurses for the last time about 9 PM. It is not uncommon for him to sleep until 3 AM eat and go back to bed until 8 AM or so. Since he has been sick he hasn't been quite as reliable but still is getting up 2x at the most.
3) Personality:
He is so laid back and lovely. He has started giving us smiles and tracking with his eyes. He still spends a lot of him life sleeping but has started to have a pretty consistent awake time in the morning for 1-2 hours and then again in the evening for 3-4 hours. He does like to be held and talked to so when he is awake I almost always am holding him or carrying him in the Ergo.
4) How's the family adjusted?
Erik and Lainey both love Carson. Erik gets excited to see him and often exclaims, " Mommy, isn't my baby brother Carson SO cute!" Lainey like to hold him. She also likes to try to help. She seems to think he should have the "plug" all the time and tries to cram it in him mouth whether awake or asleep. I don't ever leave Carson unattended with her. She wants to help but is 23 months old doesn't quite know how to help. :)
Victor of course loves his sweet baby boy. I think he has found this transition a little challenging. He often does the bath and part of bedtime routine while I am at the gym. When I get home it is not uncommon for him to be a little overwhelmed and grumpy. I do LOVE that he lets me get out of the house to workout and feel bad leaving him alone during a busy part of the day. Once Carson is a little bigger I will try to work up the courage to leave him (and the other two ) in the gym daycare during the morning so Victor doesn't have so much work in the evenings.
5) How's the mom?
This post-partum period has been the best for me. I am so in love with my new baby boy. I don't have the same anxiety as a first time mom and don't feel guilty about having another baby like I did when I had Lainey. Carson has also helped the transition by being so laid back. I have enjoyed every bit of having a third child.
Looking back, I really wonder if I had some mild postpartum depression or baby blues with Lainey. I wasn't crying or anything but for 6-9 months I really did feel pretty overwhelmed. I didn't enjoy the first year of her life as much as I would have liked too and feel bad about that. I think I thought it was normal to feel the way I was since I had more than one kid to take care of and that is more challenging than taking care of one kid. However, I now have 3 kids to take care of and don't feel that way at all so I don't think it was completely normal.
I have been back in a normal exercise routine since about 4 weeks post-partum. I walked within a day or two of giving birth but didn't add my full gym routine back completely until he was 4 weeks old. I have about 2 pounds left to lose to get back to my pre-pregnancy weight (4 to get back to what I was pre-Lainey). It has come off the slowest this time but I have been lifting weights 3x a week and think that my body is in better shape now than it was when I was 9 weeks postpartum with Lainey. I still need to lose the rest though (and WILL) because only about half of my shorts fit well.
5) Carson's 2 month Stats:
Weight: 12 pounds 12 ounces (71%) - as of 5/12/11
Length: 24.5 inches (91%) - done at home
He is such a long baby and really needs to be in 3-6 month clothes already!
Preschool Report Card - very wordy!
We had parent teacher conferences last week for Erik. Victor came too for the first of many years of conferences!
Erik started at Creative Beginnings preschool in December. He LOVES school and is always excited when it is a school day. He talks about his friend Joshua constantly. :)
He is in a class of 20 kids with 2 teachers. His "primary" teacher is Mrs. Robinson. They spend most of the day doing everything together but they are officially divided into two groups. I love both of the teachers. They are really kind women who seem to love what they do.
Mrs. Robinson reminds me of our family friend Nancy Hanlon. She is energetic, fit, and fun. She also teaches at the local college (beginners tennis!). I get the impression that she teaches because she loves it not because it is financially necessary. Last year she was diagnosed with breast cancer. It is in remission now but she is such a dedicated teacher that she missed almost no school last year despite undergoing surgery and radiation.
Mrs. Klem is the other teacher. She is so kind and gentle. Always has a smile on her face. She seems like someone who would go out of her way to help a stranger. I really like her.
The two teachers have co-taught for 5-6 years. They also seem to genuinely care for and like each other. I am really happy with the decision we made regarding Erik's school. The only downside to this school originally was that it is not at all faith based but I think it has been such a good fit for Erik that we will have to find other ways to enrich Erik's faith outside of school (which is what we will do once he enters public school anyway).
His conference was with Mrs. Robinson since she is his "primary" teacher. This is what she had to say about Erik.....
1) Socially... She said this is a strong area for him. He has two really good friends (Joshua and Brent) but all the kids like him and he interacts with all the kids. He is also not at all afraid to function independently. If there is something he wants to do he goes for it even if his main buddies are doing something else. She said she would have no concerns with him making new friends when he is with a new group of kids next year.
2) Communication.... He is a little quiet. Responds when the teachers or kids talk to him but doesn't always initiate conversation. One thing she mentioned is that he doesn't really "tell stories" like other kids do. She wasn't concerned about it but mentioned it.
3) Academic.... This years focus is really not academic. There curriculum is heavily play based. Erik loves this learning style now and has done well. She said his skills at this point are appropriate for a 3.5 year old (how old he was when evaluated).
4) Other....
a)She mentioned the drooling. Erik still drools. I know it isn't normal for a 3.5 year old to drool. I am not sure what, if anything, to do about it. I was concerned that kids will make fun of him and the teacher said not to worry about that - the kids don't notice. We had him in OT briefly last year (about 6 months) and it is definitely better than it was a year ago but still not gone. I haven't decided if we should recontact OT, work more aggressively with him at home, or just wait and see if he outgrows it in another 6 months or so.
b) We are planning to put Erik back in the 3 year old program next fall since those will be his eventual classmates in school. She thought that would be best as well as the 4 year old program involved more structured learning (sitting) and she thought he would enjoy an extra year of playing. I agree. Who wouldn't want an extra year to play?!
The school cut off in Maryland is September 1st. Erik misses it by 10 days and we have no intention to work around the system. He will go to kindergarten when he is 5 turning 6. The cut off in DC/VA is October 1st. I would have still sent Erik to kindergarten when he was 5 turning 6. (You can work the system by sending your kid to a private school kindergarten and then enrolling them in public school for first grade.)
Anyway, Mrs. Robinson had an interesting point about the school cut off date. She said that parents often complain that their kid "misses the cut off" by a week or two and do everything they can to figure out how to get their kids into school a year earlier (4 turning 5). She said in reality you aren't missing the cut off by a week. Your kid is really missing the cut off by a year and a week and to put your 4 year old into a situation where they are "competing" against kids 12-15 months older than them rarely works out well. She almost always tries to convince parents of kids with late birthdays to wait. I thought that was interesting and not always true of the "east coast" way of thinking.
Mrs. Robinson said that Erik is a sweet, cute boy and that she loves him!
It was a nice conference. We are glad that Erik loves school so much and look forward to watching him grow!
Erik started at Creative Beginnings preschool in December. He LOVES school and is always excited when it is a school day. He talks about his friend Joshua constantly. :)
He is in a class of 20 kids with 2 teachers. His "primary" teacher is Mrs. Robinson. They spend most of the day doing everything together but they are officially divided into two groups. I love both of the teachers. They are really kind women who seem to love what they do.
Mrs. Robinson reminds me of our family friend Nancy Hanlon. She is energetic, fit, and fun. She also teaches at the local college (beginners tennis!). I get the impression that she teaches because she loves it not because it is financially necessary. Last year she was diagnosed with breast cancer. It is in remission now but she is such a dedicated teacher that she missed almost no school last year despite undergoing surgery and radiation.
Mrs. Klem is the other teacher. She is so kind and gentle. Always has a smile on her face. She seems like someone who would go out of her way to help a stranger. I really like her.
The two teachers have co-taught for 5-6 years. They also seem to genuinely care for and like each other. I am really happy with the decision we made regarding Erik's school. The only downside to this school originally was that it is not at all faith based but I think it has been such a good fit for Erik that we will have to find other ways to enrich Erik's faith outside of school (which is what we will do once he enters public school anyway).
His conference was with Mrs. Robinson since she is his "primary" teacher. This is what she had to say about Erik.....
1) Socially... She said this is a strong area for him. He has two really good friends (Joshua and Brent) but all the kids like him and he interacts with all the kids. He is also not at all afraid to function independently. If there is something he wants to do he goes for it even if his main buddies are doing something else. She said she would have no concerns with him making new friends when he is with a new group of kids next year.
2) Communication.... He is a little quiet. Responds when the teachers or kids talk to him but doesn't always initiate conversation. One thing she mentioned is that he doesn't really "tell stories" like other kids do. She wasn't concerned about it but mentioned it.
3) Academic.... This years focus is really not academic. There curriculum is heavily play based. Erik loves this learning style now and has done well. She said his skills at this point are appropriate for a 3.5 year old (how old he was when evaluated).
4) Other....
a)She mentioned the drooling. Erik still drools. I know it isn't normal for a 3.5 year old to drool. I am not sure what, if anything, to do about it. I was concerned that kids will make fun of him and the teacher said not to worry about that - the kids don't notice. We had him in OT briefly last year (about 6 months) and it is definitely better than it was a year ago but still not gone. I haven't decided if we should recontact OT, work more aggressively with him at home, or just wait and see if he outgrows it in another 6 months or so.
b) We are planning to put Erik back in the 3 year old program next fall since those will be his eventual classmates in school. She thought that would be best as well as the 4 year old program involved more structured learning (sitting) and she thought he would enjoy an extra year of playing. I agree. Who wouldn't want an extra year to play?!
The school cut off in Maryland is September 1st. Erik misses it by 10 days and we have no intention to work around the system. He will go to kindergarten when he is 5 turning 6. The cut off in DC/VA is October 1st. I would have still sent Erik to kindergarten when he was 5 turning 6. (You can work the system by sending your kid to a private school kindergarten and then enrolling them in public school for first grade.)
Anyway, Mrs. Robinson had an interesting point about the school cut off date. She said that parents often complain that their kid "misses the cut off" by a week or two and do everything they can to figure out how to get their kids into school a year earlier (4 turning 5). She said in reality you aren't missing the cut off by a week. Your kid is really missing the cut off by a year and a week and to put your 4 year old into a situation where they are "competing" against kids 12-15 months older than them rarely works out well. She almost always tries to convince parents of kids with late birthdays to wait. I thought that was interesting and not always true of the "east coast" way of thinking.
Mrs. Robinson said that Erik is a sweet, cute boy and that she loves him!
It was a nice conference. We are glad that Erik loves school so much and look forward to watching him grow!
Welcome to the Infirmary
Well, I wrote a long post yesterday about the sickly state of our house and then blogger decided to shut down temporarily and ate my entire post. Annoying.
So here is the brief version...
The kids and I have all been sick for over a week. Erik and Lainey are doing pretty well just have residual coughs/runny noses. Lainey had gunk out of her left ear again. Neither of them are acting ill though. Victor brought them in to the doctor yesterday and he made a couple of changes (increase the frequency of Erik's nebulizer and Lainey's ear drops) but nothing else.
Carson is still pretty sick. He has a terrible cough. Poor baby. He hasn't had any fevers and doesn't complain about it (sweetest, most laid back baby ever) but his cough is big. He has been to the doctor twice this week and is on Albuterol syrup 3x a day and an antihistamine. His reflux has also been getting worse so the doctor switched him from Zantac to Prevacid.
I am the sickest of everyone. I have felt like crap for 8 days now, the last 4 days I have had a fever up to 102 degrees. I haven't slept for a week because my cough keeps me up all night. I have been into the doctor twice this week too. Yesterday they started me on Azithromycin (Z-pack) for bronchitis/early pneumonia. They also gave me Tessalon perls for the cough. I have decided this prescription med is fairly worthless and wish they would have taken pity on me and given me the real stuff (cough syrup with codeine!). I don't feel much better yet but am hopeful to turn the corner in the next 24-48 hours. I can't remember being this sick since I was a kid.
Victor of course has managed to stay healthy. I am jealous of his superhuman immune system. He took 1.5 days off of work this week to help since I was useless so he has been a little extra stressed since he has been in charge of all 3 kids and feels work pressure hanging over him.
I am surely hoping that next week is better and praying that I turn the corner soon as Victor is about to go out of town. I can't imagine handling all 3 on my own with a 102 degree fever!
So here is the brief version...
The kids and I have all been sick for over a week. Erik and Lainey are doing pretty well just have residual coughs/runny noses. Lainey had gunk out of her left ear again. Neither of them are acting ill though. Victor brought them in to the doctor yesterday and he made a couple of changes (increase the frequency of Erik's nebulizer and Lainey's ear drops) but nothing else.
Carson is still pretty sick. He has a terrible cough. Poor baby. He hasn't had any fevers and doesn't complain about it (sweetest, most laid back baby ever) but his cough is big. He has been to the doctor twice this week and is on Albuterol syrup 3x a day and an antihistamine. His reflux has also been getting worse so the doctor switched him from Zantac to Prevacid.
I am the sickest of everyone. I have felt like crap for 8 days now, the last 4 days I have had a fever up to 102 degrees. I haven't slept for a week because my cough keeps me up all night. I have been into the doctor twice this week too. Yesterday they started me on Azithromycin (Z-pack) for bronchitis/early pneumonia. They also gave me Tessalon perls for the cough. I have decided this prescription med is fairly worthless and wish they would have taken pity on me and given me the real stuff (cough syrup with codeine!). I don't feel much better yet but am hopeful to turn the corner in the next 24-48 hours. I can't remember being this sick since I was a kid.
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| All the meds the 4 of us have been taking to survive this week |
I am surely hoping that next week is better and praying that I turn the corner soon as Victor is about to go out of town. I can't imagine handling all 3 on my own with a 102 degree fever!
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Happy Mother's Day!
We are all sick with runny noses, coughs (Erik puked all over his bed last night from coughing), gunky eyes, and sore throats (so painful I debate whether or not I should swallow or just drool!). Even little Carson is sick. Victor is still feeling well but I'm not sure how long that will last (he should be counting down the minutes until he gets to leave the germ house for work!).
Despite the sickness I am having a great Mother's Day. Victor and the kids made chocolate chip pancakes and let me sleep in today. The kids drew me pictures for a gift.
I have always longed to be a mommy. When I was in college applying for PA school I remember telling my mom that I really hoped to get into school but really what I wanted more than anything was to be a stay-at-home mom someday (I was single at the time). So, if I didn't get in I would be okay.
I am so thankful that both "dreams/goals" were fulfilled.
That being said, it is sometimes easy to forget how big of blessing these little kids are. Lots of days are filled with crying, tantrums, fighting, wiping butts, puke, etc. Kids cost lots of money which requires sacrifice (less new clothes, vacation, eating out, etc.). Time alone with your spouse is limited and it is not at all unusual to have to cancel date night due to a sick kid.
During the past 3-4 years of being a mom I have kind of approached Mother's Day as a "I am the queen day!" By that I mean I had a list in my head of ideas that would make the day special and if they weren't met I spent the day feeling sad and disappointed, probably a little grouchy too. I don't think it is wrong to what a day "off" once in a while but my attitude/expectations were a little off.
This year I have been reminded how truly blessed I am to be a mom. There are SO many people who want to be a mom and can't (or haven't had it happen yet), have sick kids, or even worse their kids are no longer living. Those who read this blog know that Terri and Austin lost their baby boy Jake a few minutes after he was born. I have learned so much about life from them. Despite their terrible loss they still manage to approach life with hope and a thankful heart. I think about them and baby Jake constantly. It has made me a more grateful person and patient mom. Terri, I wish more than anything you could be cuddling Jake in your arms today, but please know I have learned so much about life and being a mom from you this year. Thank you for being such a beautiful example of grace and strength.
So, on this Mother's Day the "list in my head of expectations" has been torn up (hear Victor cheering) and I am just taking an extra moment to say a prayer of thanks for my kids and family!
I hope you all have a wonderful Mother's Day!
Despite the sickness I am having a great Mother's Day. Victor and the kids made chocolate chip pancakes and let me sleep in today. The kids drew me pictures for a gift.
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| Erik cut my pancakes, Lainey poured the syrup |
I have always longed to be a mommy. When I was in college applying for PA school I remember telling my mom that I really hoped to get into school but really what I wanted more than anything was to be a stay-at-home mom someday (I was single at the time). So, if I didn't get in I would be okay.
I am so thankful that both "dreams/goals" were fulfilled.
 | |
| Picture of me drawn by Erik (3.5 years old) |
That being said, it is sometimes easy to forget how big of blessing these little kids are. Lots of days are filled with crying, tantrums, fighting, wiping butts, puke, etc. Kids cost lots of money which requires sacrifice (less new clothes, vacation, eating out, etc.). Time alone with your spouse is limited and it is not at all unusual to have to cancel date night due to a sick kid.
During the past 3-4 years of being a mom I have kind of approached Mother's Day as a "I am the queen day!" By that I mean I had a list in my head of ideas that would make the day special and if they weren't met I spent the day feeling sad and disappointed, probably a little grouchy too. I don't think it is wrong to what a day "off" once in a while but my attitude/expectations were a little off.
This year I have been reminded how truly blessed I am to be a mom. There are SO many people who want to be a mom and can't (or haven't had it happen yet), have sick kids, or even worse their kids are no longer living. Those who read this blog know that Terri and Austin lost their baby boy Jake a few minutes after he was born. I have learned so much about life from them. Despite their terrible loss they still manage to approach life with hope and a thankful heart. I think about them and baby Jake constantly. It has made me a more grateful person and patient mom. Terri, I wish more than anything you could be cuddling Jake in your arms today, but please know I have learned so much about life and being a mom from you this year. Thank you for being such a beautiful example of grace and strength.
So, on this Mother's Day the "list in my head of expectations" has been torn up (hear Victor cheering) and I am just taking an extra moment to say a prayer of thanks for my kids and family!
I hope you all have a wonderful Mother's Day!
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Landscaping!
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| Rhododendron |
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| Marigolds |
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| Lillies and Celosia |
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| I love our house! |
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| Some of the "builder-grade" plants we transplanted |
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| Really, really disorganized vegetable garden |
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Sweet Sleepy Sons
Erik still takes a two hour nap most days.
Today he wondered downstairs about 45-60 minutes after I put him down for his nap.
I was sitting on the couch nursing Carson.
Erik didn't say anything. He just crawled up next to me and fell back asleep.
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| Erik is not faking - he is fast asleep! |
Carson fell asleep after he ate so I set him down next to Erik.
They slept like that for quite a while, although eventually I moved Carson into his swing
so I could go outside and mow before Erik and Lainey woke up.
I do love my sweet little boys!
(And girl of course!)
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