As my friend Nicole says, "we're raisin' 'em right!!"
Friday, March 1, 2013
Oden's Homework
At the beginning of this past week, Oden was sent home with a project. The instructions informed us that his preschool class was talking about transportation. We were to discuss somewhere he'd like to visit then "pack" his cut-out, paper suitcase with items that he'd need on his trip. When it came time for us to sit down and do his homework, he knew exactly where he wanted to go. Before I could even complete the question, he instantly responded with, "to go see Grandma Mary on the lake!" I couldn't help but smile from ear to ear. I asked him why that was the place he wanted to go, he replied with, "because I love family." We then recalled our vacations in Missouri. It was very refreshing to listen to him be so excited about something other than Mario Brothers. I pulled out our photo albums and we looked through our Missouri pictures together. We agreed that we have had a lot of fun in Missouri and shared our love for everything that makes Duroc Bay so special. The most important things being Great Grandma Mary and Grandpa Frank. We completed his project by cutting out items from sales ads to pack. The 5 items were: toothbrushes, clothes, an iPod, strawberries and one Monopoly dollar. We then added a printed picture of the state of Missouri to the front of his "suitcase". When his work was nearly done, Oden asked if he could add one thing to his homework; a picture from Missouri. I let him choose and he selected the four generation picture from his very first trip there. The one with both of his grandma Mary's, Jess, and him as a baby on the white bench swing. I wanted to share this with all of you because I think it will melt your heart, as it did mine. Teaching our children the value of family is priceless. Words cannot express how proud I am. Oden is awesome.
As my friend Nicole says, "we're raisin' 'em right!!"
As my friend Nicole says, "we're raisin' 'em right!!"
Friday, November 30, 2012
Yearly Blog?!
So, I see it has been a year since my last blog. Oooops! So much has happened in the passed year that I hardly know how to begin this update.
I think I will start with Oden. Seniority first, right? He will be 5 years old in a month. I cannot believe it. He is in a preschool in downtown Plainfield that he LOVES. There are only 11 other children in his class and there are 2 teachers. I really feel like he's learning at a faster rate because of the amount of individual attention he's getting. His teachers say that he's always very good and well mannered. I was able to have Gramma Dee Dee watch the little boys so I could help with the Thanksgiving feast on the Tuesday before thanksgiving. It was awesome! Another Mom and I cooked for the 4 year old classrooms. I was only able to interact with Oden for a few minutes but it was great to get a feel for his school environment. He's in a great place and that makes us very happy. Oden's Thomas the train obsession has taken a back seat to his new favorite, Mario. Anything and everything Mario. We've even started to play Mariocart with him on our Wii. He's really good. We're trying to teach him good sportsmanship because he tends to gloat when he wins. He will most definitely be a "gamer". When he's not playing some type of Mario he likes to play Memory games. Oden has quite an attitude. I think it's a product of being a very spoiled first child/grandchild. We work on it daily and are grateful that, for the most part, he behaves in front of other people.
Then there's Ramsey, the loner. I call him my Goobey. I'm not sure how that came about, but it has stuck. He prefers to be by himself, he does not prefer sharing. He is a tiny guy. For his two year doctor appointment the doctor was concerned because his weight percentile was in the bottom 3% amongst 2 year olds. I attribute his loss in weight to our Missouri trip this year. We saw the doctor the Monday after our return. He barely ate in MO, he was just too busy/distracted/excited. We were asked to return the next month and he had gained 3lbs, so he was in the clear. But still, he's little. Everyone says he's a mini Jess. He even carries some of Jess's mannerisms. It's bizarre sometimes. Ramsey is now 2 1/2 and has no interest in potty training. We're not pushing the issue either. We have to change baby diapers anyways so it's really no big rush (and he's just not ready). Ramsey has started to talk a lot more, and he has the cutest little boy voice I've ever heard. He still carries his blue blanket around and often has a binky in his mouth. He is our Cars guy. He loves the Cars movies and characters. Anything with wheels will catch his attention.
On to my baby, Lenix. My little buddy. He is a momma's boy, and I love it. I'm holding on to every single baby moment I can, knowing he will be my last baby. He is the sweetest antagonizer you will ever know. He's 15 months old and has mastered his bullying technique. He can make Ramsey cry in an instant. Since a little before his 1st birthday, you could tell he is advanced in his communicating and vocalization. He can say and nod yes and no, in correct context. It's awesome. I can just ask him if he has poop in his diaper, and he responds accurately. Ramsey still refuses to tell us when he goes (frustrating!). Lenny just loves to play. He doesn't have any specific favorites yet, besides his blanket and binky. Yes, he too, is a blankey/binky boy. It so cute though. Oden and Lenix maintain their special connection as big brother, baby brother. Oden always makes sure Lenix is ok. Ramsey has taken a fondness to Lenix recently too. He often rubs his head and tells him not to cry when he's upset. It's amazing watching their interactions, especially with Lenix. The big boys really take on the big brother roles with pride. Lenix is almost the same size as Ramsey, which remember, is not big at all. They wear the same size diapers. When it's time to update wardrobes for season changes, I basically just move Ramsey's clothes into Lenix's drawers. It's a pretty good deal, for me :) As I type, Lenix has ahold of Ramsey's shirt (who is sitting beside me) and is just yanking it for no reason causing Ramsey to whine and whine. My days are very long because of these types of things. My title in this house should be eternal referee. Anyhow, back to Lenix. I believe he is my baby genius. He also has a sporty side to him! He loves to play with sports balls of all varieties. And, he has a cannon of an arm! It's very exciting for the men in the family.
As for Jess and I, we are managing things the best we can. Three kids can surely put a damper on many things, but mainly finances. Being stressed over money is our biggest hurdle. These kids are expensive!! Also, it's difficult to spend time together. We can't afford a babysitter and majority of the time we can't even afford for both of us to do anything anyways. If anyone is looking to give us a really awesome Christmas gift, offer babysitting services!! LOL! I know it's stressful but it would be greatly appreciated!! I may be getting a job, come mid-December at a local restaurant. Keep your fingers crossed for me! A little extra income would help us tremendously.
Even with the stresses of daily life, we know how lucky we are. Having our awesome family under the roof of this awesome house truly is a blessing. I am thankful to be able to stay at home and watch my boys grow. It's a luxury that not everyone can afford. I'm grateful that Jess works so hard to make it possible. I am also thankful for our helpful families. All gestures of help mean the world to us!
This is my first blog from my phone, so I apologize in advance for type-o's. I hope that this works!!! Maybe it means more blogging in my future?! All I know for sure is that I can definitely smell a poopy diaper. Back to my boys I go!
I think I will start with Oden. Seniority first, right? He will be 5 years old in a month. I cannot believe it. He is in a preschool in downtown Plainfield that he LOVES. There are only 11 other children in his class and there are 2 teachers. I really feel like he's learning at a faster rate because of the amount of individual attention he's getting. His teachers say that he's always very good and well mannered. I was able to have Gramma Dee Dee watch the little boys so I could help with the Thanksgiving feast on the Tuesday before thanksgiving. It was awesome! Another Mom and I cooked for the 4 year old classrooms. I was only able to interact with Oden for a few minutes but it was great to get a feel for his school environment. He's in a great place and that makes us very happy. Oden's Thomas the train obsession has taken a back seat to his new favorite, Mario. Anything and everything Mario. We've even started to play Mariocart with him on our Wii. He's really good. We're trying to teach him good sportsmanship because he tends to gloat when he wins. He will most definitely be a "gamer". When he's not playing some type of Mario he likes to play Memory games. Oden has quite an attitude. I think it's a product of being a very spoiled first child/grandchild. We work on it daily and are grateful that, for the most part, he behaves in front of other people.
Then there's Ramsey, the loner. I call him my Goobey. I'm not sure how that came about, but it has stuck. He prefers to be by himself, he does not prefer sharing. He is a tiny guy. For his two year doctor appointment the doctor was concerned because his weight percentile was in the bottom 3% amongst 2 year olds. I attribute his loss in weight to our Missouri trip this year. We saw the doctor the Monday after our return. He barely ate in MO, he was just too busy/distracted/excited. We were asked to return the next month and he had gained 3lbs, so he was in the clear. But still, he's little. Everyone says he's a mini Jess. He even carries some of Jess's mannerisms. It's bizarre sometimes. Ramsey is now 2 1/2 and has no interest in potty training. We're not pushing the issue either. We have to change baby diapers anyways so it's really no big rush (and he's just not ready). Ramsey has started to talk a lot more, and he has the cutest little boy voice I've ever heard. He still carries his blue blanket around and often has a binky in his mouth. He is our Cars guy. He loves the Cars movies and characters. Anything with wheels will catch his attention.
On to my baby, Lenix. My little buddy. He is a momma's boy, and I love it. I'm holding on to every single baby moment I can, knowing he will be my last baby. He is the sweetest antagonizer you will ever know. He's 15 months old and has mastered his bullying technique. He can make Ramsey cry in an instant. Since a little before his 1st birthday, you could tell he is advanced in his communicating and vocalization. He can say and nod yes and no, in correct context. It's awesome. I can just ask him if he has poop in his diaper, and he responds accurately. Ramsey still refuses to tell us when he goes (frustrating!). Lenny just loves to play. He doesn't have any specific favorites yet, besides his blanket and binky. Yes, he too, is a blankey/binky boy. It so cute though. Oden and Lenix maintain their special connection as big brother, baby brother. Oden always makes sure Lenix is ok. Ramsey has taken a fondness to Lenix recently too. He often rubs his head and tells him not to cry when he's upset. It's amazing watching their interactions, especially with Lenix. The big boys really take on the big brother roles with pride. Lenix is almost the same size as Ramsey, which remember, is not big at all. They wear the same size diapers. When it's time to update wardrobes for season changes, I basically just move Ramsey's clothes into Lenix's drawers. It's a pretty good deal, for me :) As I type, Lenix has ahold of Ramsey's shirt (who is sitting beside me) and is just yanking it for no reason causing Ramsey to whine and whine. My days are very long because of these types of things. My title in this house should be eternal referee. Anyhow, back to Lenix. I believe he is my baby genius. He also has a sporty side to him! He loves to play with sports balls of all varieties. And, he has a cannon of an arm! It's very exciting for the men in the family.
As for Jess and I, we are managing things the best we can. Three kids can surely put a damper on many things, but mainly finances. Being stressed over money is our biggest hurdle. These kids are expensive!! Also, it's difficult to spend time together. We can't afford a babysitter and majority of the time we can't even afford for both of us to do anything anyways. If anyone is looking to give us a really awesome Christmas gift, offer babysitting services!! LOL! I know it's stressful but it would be greatly appreciated!! I may be getting a job, come mid-December at a local restaurant. Keep your fingers crossed for me! A little extra income would help us tremendously.
Even with the stresses of daily life, we know how lucky we are. Having our awesome family under the roof of this awesome house truly is a blessing. I am thankful to be able to stay at home and watch my boys grow. It's a luxury that not everyone can afford. I'm grateful that Jess works so hard to make it possible. I am also thankful for our helpful families. All gestures of help mean the world to us!
This is my first blog from my phone, so I apologize in advance for type-o's. I hope that this works!!! Maybe it means more blogging in my future?! All I know for sure is that I can definitely smell a poopy diaper. Back to my boys I go!
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Updates Galore
It would be a complete understatement to say that we have been busy the last few months. We went from Ramsey's 1st birthday to getting a new house to having baby Lenix, and now I would say that things are finally starting to settle down.
The new house is absolutely amazing and perfect. Jess really did a great job. Not only by finding it, but by repairing and updating it too. A big thanks to all of our family members and friends that helped us, yet again, make a home for our family. We owe everyone big time! We are so blessed and thankful. This house has a fenced yard and a basement for the boys! We are all loving the extra room. Being able to wrestle and run around all day long really does wonders for all of us! Not only do we love our new house but we love the neighborhood and our neighbors. Just next door there's an awesome family, their kids range from 9-17 years old, and they love our boys. Whenever Oden sees them he says he wants to go out and play with 'the neighborhood'. He has especially grown partial to the girls, Britney and Christina. We are very fortunate to have good neighbors!
As of right now, Oden is going to be 4 in December and is not yet in preschool. I was under the impression that they couldn't go until they were 4, I didn't realize that he could go if he was under 4. I hope to get him into a preschool starting in January. He is so smart. We think that he would really excel in a structured school setting. He loves books, puzzles, building blocks, and of course trains. His obsession with Thomas the train has calmed slightly, but that's only because he now likes ALL trains. He will tell you on any day that he loves his brother Lenix a lot, but that he only loves Ramsey a little bit. I think he really just doesn't like sharing all of his toys with Ramsey. I can tell that they will be best friends when Ramsey gets a little bit older. Oden says the funniest things and he definitely has a personality that's all his own. He is just awesome.
Ramsey is almost 18 months old. He is getting so big, but we have to remind ourselves often that he is still a baby. Anyone will tell you that his smile lights up any room. But when he's not in a good mood, every one knows it! We have had to deal with a few illnesses over the last 2 months and when he gets sick, he really gets sick. At one point, he had a double ear infection, sinus infection, and upper respiratory infection, all at the same time. It was heart breaking. Add all of that to the fact that he is also sprouting new teeth all of the time. All I can do is continue to clean and sanitize and hope that we are past our share of sicknesses for the year. We call refer to Ramsey as Linus a lot, because he carries his blanket with his EVERYWHERE! It's his security, for sure! He just had a doctors appointment, he was 31.3 inches and a little over 23lbs. That's 40-50 percentile in height and about 15 percentile in weight. He's just a little guy but he sure has a big heart!
Lenix is amazing. He also had a doctors appointment about a week ago and he was a little over 10 lbs and was 23 inches long. He was about the same percentiles as Ramsey. He's a little guy too! He is a typical newborn, in every way. He really only cries when he needs something. He smiles a lot, he is a very happy child. He is already very responsive to people and coos all the time. His head control is improving but just like Ramsey, we often have to remind ourselves of exactly how old he is. He up every 3-4 hours throughout the night. I am hoping that he starts sleeping longer soon. The boys rarely nap together during the day so Mom is really sleep deprived. But again, they are all worth it.
All in all, things are very good for us right now. Even on our bad days we just keep our faith and pray that everything is part of our master plan. Blogging is so hard right now but I hope that it will get easier to do. I really want everyone to be able to see these boys grow. TTFN!
Ramsey imitating Dad
Oden being a great big brother
Taking a walk in our neighborhood with the neighbor girls
Lenix's handsome smile
The new house is absolutely amazing and perfect. Jess really did a great job. Not only by finding it, but by repairing and updating it too. A big thanks to all of our family members and friends that helped us, yet again, make a home for our family. We owe everyone big time! We are so blessed and thankful. This house has a fenced yard and a basement for the boys! We are all loving the extra room. Being able to wrestle and run around all day long really does wonders for all of us! Not only do we love our new house but we love the neighborhood and our neighbors. Just next door there's an awesome family, their kids range from 9-17 years old, and they love our boys. Whenever Oden sees them he says he wants to go out and play with 'the neighborhood'. He has especially grown partial to the girls, Britney and Christina. We are very fortunate to have good neighbors!
As of right now, Oden is going to be 4 in December and is not yet in preschool. I was under the impression that they couldn't go until they were 4, I didn't realize that he could go if he was under 4. I hope to get him into a preschool starting in January. He is so smart. We think that he would really excel in a structured school setting. He loves books, puzzles, building blocks, and of course trains. His obsession with Thomas the train has calmed slightly, but that's only because he now likes ALL trains. He will tell you on any day that he loves his brother Lenix a lot, but that he only loves Ramsey a little bit. I think he really just doesn't like sharing all of his toys with Ramsey. I can tell that they will be best friends when Ramsey gets a little bit older. Oden says the funniest things and he definitely has a personality that's all his own. He is just awesome.
Ramsey is almost 18 months old. He is getting so big, but we have to remind ourselves often that he is still a baby. Anyone will tell you that his smile lights up any room. But when he's not in a good mood, every one knows it! We have had to deal with a few illnesses over the last 2 months and when he gets sick, he really gets sick. At one point, he had a double ear infection, sinus infection, and upper respiratory infection, all at the same time. It was heart breaking. Add all of that to the fact that he is also sprouting new teeth all of the time. All I can do is continue to clean and sanitize and hope that we are past our share of sicknesses for the year. We call refer to Ramsey as Linus a lot, because he carries his blanket with his EVERYWHERE! It's his security, for sure! He just had a doctors appointment, he was 31.3 inches and a little over 23lbs. That's 40-50 percentile in height and about 15 percentile in weight. He's just a little guy but he sure has a big heart!
Lenix is amazing. He also had a doctors appointment about a week ago and he was a little over 10 lbs and was 23 inches long. He was about the same percentiles as Ramsey. He's a little guy too! He is a typical newborn, in every way. He really only cries when he needs something. He smiles a lot, he is a very happy child. He is already very responsive to people and coos all the time. His head control is improving but just like Ramsey, we often have to remind ourselves of exactly how old he is. He up every 3-4 hours throughout the night. I am hoping that he starts sleeping longer soon. The boys rarely nap together during the day so Mom is really sleep deprived. But again, they are all worth it.
All in all, things are very good for us right now. Even on our bad days we just keep our faith and pray that everything is part of our master plan. Blogging is so hard right now but I hope that it will get easier to do. I really want everyone to be able to see these boys grow. TTFN!
All of the boys and me, a few days after coming home from the hospital.
Ramsey imitating Dad
Oden being a great big brother
Taking a walk in our neighborhood with the neighbor girls
Lenix's handsome smile
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