Cooped Up!

It has been so cold here...and so we haven't really gotten outside much. I almost always take K out at least once a day for a half an hour or so. He has been asking, and wanting to play in the snow, but I haven't wanted to brave the cold weather. Thankfully, it is supposed to warm up a bit this week! Anyway, this morning I decided to bring snow inside to him...I put it on his roller-coaster (which is a toy our neighbors have let us borrow, it is awesome...there is a cart you sit on and zoom down the two hills ...K LOVES it!). Anyways, he really enjoyed eating clean, white snow off the coaster!

I feel so cooped up , I can't imagine how K feels...so I am trying to do anything to make his days a bit more exciting! Do any of you have ideas for activities in the home (for a busy toddler!) during this long winter?

Yummy Snow!

MMMMM....

Check Out the roller-coaster...now imagine K on a cart thing and zooming down!! FUN!

Speech

Some of you may know that K has been evaluated twice for speech...at first, I was extremely concerned about him and his speech. I just knew he was behind. Anyways, both times, he didn't qualify for services....he tested behind, but not behind enough. Plus, he wasn't behind in any other area. He was tested by a Special Educator as well as a Speech Pathologist. They said that he either had to show major delays in speech or be behind in other areas, such as gross or fine motor skills, social skills and I can't remember what else they tested him in...and of course he didn't test behind, he did everything they asked! It was nerve racking, having other people critique his every move! Although, they were so great and after a few minutes put me right at ease. Anyways, saying all that, I can't believe how much K has learned in the last few weeks. He still struggles getting speech out, but he has such an understanding of language. Plus, he is trying so much more to talk which is awesome.
This week alone he all of a sudden says and recognizes several colors..."geen", "blue", "purple", "led"(red), "lellow", "ornge". (He already knew a few of those before this week, I guess). He has also shown great interest in letters...I think due to watching "Word World" on PBS. He recognizes and says "A, B, C, E, J, T, U, O". Because it has taken him so long to talk, I have often wondered how much he knew or understood...well, now I am learning and I am so excited. He has also started saying a few two word sentences...which is a big improvement for him. He says "shut door", "more please", "hi mommy" and many more combinations...my favorite thing that he says is "more olives please"! I know he is still a little behind, but I am so encouraged that he is making progress every day! God is good.
We have had a lot to figure out with K...in fact I went to his two year old well check and my pediatrician (who I love, by the way) said, "Congratulations, you made it through the infant and baby stages!". She knows what a challenge it has been at times..with allergies, asthma and eczema...oh and the lack of sleep for 1 and a half years! She also said that we were great parents and hopes we will be able to adopt again...as she loves to see children in good homes. That was nice to hear too! Sometimes, I think we all wonder how well we are actually doing as parents! She also said that he was the perfect size which is great because his diet is so limited. He basically lives off of fruit! And, she said in her opinion he will catch up in speech in no time. She thinks he is quite advanced in his gross and fine motor skills and that those things have developed first, before speech. So, again, God is so good. I am so thankful for his help along the way! Oh, and she was extremely happy we didn't do all those hearing tests ( I don't know if you rember when we thought he had hearing loss?). She says if he does have hearing loss that it is most likely minimal and he can test without being sedated in another year. So we are trusting we won't even have to do it!.
Anyways, just a little update on K!

Workin' Man

Cheese

Continued Success

A few people have asked me how K has been doing in his big boy bed, and I have to say he is doing quite well. He has not gotten out of his bed since the first night. Although, last night he did fall out of bed...M and I ran upstairs to find a completely stunned little boy, I think he thought he was going to be in trouble! We just laughed and said "Oh, you fell out of your big boy bed, be careful!", and put him back. It was actually quite hilarious. He does, however, take like an hour to get to sleep...he just lays and talks and looks at a book and every once in a while says "Mommy gone" in a really pathetic, sweet kind of way. Last night is the first night with the new bed that he slept totally through the night. The other nights he has called for me, without getting out of bed though! So, I think we made a good choice...he really loves his bed!
On a side note, I have to brag on K again. I am so proud of him. We had to go to the doctors today to have his MMR challenge done (3 and a half hour appointment, with lots of poking and prodding). He was supposed to get it at 15 months, but due to his egg allergy we put it off. So, they had to do skin testing first...just like what they did for his flu shot. He does so well...I mean, don't get me wrong he fights it and gets upset, but during the waiting time he was happy as could be, saying "Hi" and "Bye" to all the nurses checking on him! At one point they let us walk all around the offices...he was marching and following one of the nurses (I thought it was so sweet of her to play follow the leader with him!) and saying "Hi" to everyone. They all thought he was so cute, and he was. He is already learning life lessons...today being that you often have to do things that aren't fun in life...but, you have to do them anyways, and make the most of it...which is exactly what he did today. Go K!!!
The last thing I have to say is that....WE ARE FINISHED WITH IMMUNIZATIONS TILL HE IS 5 or 6...(except the flu shot every year....but that is it!) PRAISE THE LORD!!!!

Yummy Cake!

We celebrated my mom's bday today and I made her a Black Forest cake from scratch....I have always wanted to make a Black Forest cake and so I finally had a good reason to! It turned out pretty good. A little sloppy with the heavy cream frosting, but it tasted great!

Happy Birthday Grammy, we LOVE you.

First success

K did a great job in his big boy bed last night! It took him FOREVER to fall asleep (I think about an hour and a half...8:30-10ish), but I think it was mainly due to the excitement of something new. He only got out 3 times during that falling asleep phase...which, I think is pretty good. Then he got up once in the night...but never left his bed. He just called for me. I went in and got him settled and left. I then heard, "Mommy, gone", but he still remained in his bed till 8:45 this morning. He woke up and just sat in his bed till I came in! The first thing out of his mouth this morning was "baby" as he pointed to the crib! Hopefully we made the right choice about moving him to a toddler bed and that this is one successful night of many to come.

Growing Up

New Toddler Bed!

Well, we broke down and bought a toddler bed this morning for K. He has been giving us a horrible time at bed time....he has been jumping up and down in his crib screaming and yelling for "Mommy" and then after a while "Dada"....he often does it for an hour at a time(can we say strong willed!)! Then last night he started getting out of his crib. He wouldn't just put his leg over the crib and climb out safely, he would just flip himself over head first....VERY dangerous. M had to sit in his room until he fell asleep to make sure he was safe. So, we talked and prayed for awhile last night and first thought we should just get one of those crib tents, but I read mixed reviews about them and plus I think it would freak K out...being zipped up in his crib. So, we decided to get a toddler bed and do battle if we had to! He was so excited about his "Big Boy" bed, he now looks at the crib and says "baby" (it is still in his room, just in case)! There are a few positives about having a toddler bed....instead of the crib tent. It is good he can't jump up and down anymore, because that just riled him and made it almost impossible for him to fall asleep. Plus we are able to set clear boundaries...he can not get out of his bed. It is also nice I can just sit on the floor and rub his back until he gets groggy, and then leave and know he is safe. The true test will be night time though...we are hopefully ready for whatever happens and happy he can't hurt himself getting out of the toddler bed.

It is sad to see him in a bed....he is getting too big, too fast!

Sweet Dreams, we HOPE!

K loves his room!

And new bed!

Daddy Time

New Year...Open Doors.

(Handsome Boy in Handsome Jacket!)

We had a wonderfully quiet and peaceful New Year's Eve. We have always been kind of low key people and so it was nice to do something low key on New Year's..plus it was low key because we just had our parents here. We are so blessed to have them both live right near us. They joined us and we had a quiet evening together (except when K was crying in his crib "Mommy", "Mommy", which lasted over a half an hour!!). We also had good food. I made my Grandma O's potato soup recipe and it was delicious. We also had an amazing spinach salad, cheese and crackers...and a few other snacks. We played a few games too (Apples to Apples and Catch Phrase).

The best part of the night was spent in reflection of what the Lord has done for us this year. Of course, we all had things to share. I personally, am thankful for his strength as motherhood is difficult and yet he gives me strength everyday. I am also thankful for his grace, as I need that everyday too. M is thankful for the Lord's faithfulness when we are faithless....I too, am thankful for this. My parents and mom-in-law had things to share as well. It was so nice to end a year in thanking the Lord and begin a new one the same way. It is always nice to start a new year...new things...new beginnings. M and I have a lot to pray about this year, and we trust the Lord with everything. One thing on our hearts for this year, is adopting again. We are at the beginning phases of research again...but we are there again. Which is totally the Lord...as I have felt too overwhelmed in the past to even have the heart to pursue/research anything. Another total God thing is that M is on the same page as me...last time I brought up adoption, before K, it took months for the Lord to work on M's heart! And it was so encouraging that when I brought up the fact that I was doing some research, M said "Good, you are good at that!", and basically he said I am ready to be researching again too!! However, mostly what we want this year is to know Jesus better...for that is what it is all about!

My mom-in-law also shared that 2008 is to be a year of open doors and new beginnings...amen to that!

I hope you all had a blessed night, and were able to reflect on the Lord's goodness as well!