Dad in Scotland

He'll be back Thursday just in time for Friday's rehearsal and dinner! I already miss our twice-daily phone calls, but he keeps us updated through email.

SHELLEY & GARY'S WEDDING!

Let the countdown begin! Yes, a week from today, they'll be official newlyweds!!! Yes, it's been a tough road at times working on all of the planning but it's all for a great cause. :) Shelley is super excited and anxious so see all of her hard work in action.

I will be driving with Livvy and Alex on Thursday and Drew will be surprised with his first airplane ride with Grammy & Pop!!! Kenny will drive solo on Friday. We'll all head home on Tuesday.

wow, July?!?

you've got to be kidding! My kind cousin, Sabra, brought up the fact that she checks in here sometimes and hasn't seen any new posts..no joking! I didn't realize I'd been away that long. Off to catch up now!

Lauren and Shelley are entering

a Breast Cancer run in So. Cal in September! Those girlies...I'm very proud of them for working hard on their goal and they look fantastic as well (ugh....maybe I can jump rope in the competition?!) and we're looking forward to continued support from everyone. Love those girls!

On the business front....

Kenny and I are doing really well with our lessons business lately! We're up to 26 students and it's a lot of fun (and work) and we're really excited. We're working on completing our new website which will help things.

Drew's swimming lessons

have ended. He was enrolled for a week only so he could get basic water safety under his belt for when we use the pool at Grammy's house. He LOVED his teacher. Once Bob and Cherie have their pool ready to go (2 wks) we'll all be able to swim and practice more. WOOHOO!

Gymnastics

Drew and Livvy are each taking a gym class and we decided to enroll them another round for August.

Drew's class has 2 or 3 kids besides him and he's really learning how to follow multiple-step instruction and patience while waiting his turn. Teacher Melissa says he's quite flexible and definately strong and has mastered a sommersault and backbend. He enjoys it!

Livvy started out in a class with 2 other kids but quickly got frustrated waiting her turn and required a LOT of demonstrations which took time away from the other kids. The teacher decided to switch her day/time and it ended up being a new class with the Director as a private lesson. She did pretty well the first time and FANTASTIC last week! She does several long obstacle courses, has great balance and can run like a greyhound..phew! She sure does give her teacher a run for her money! The goal is to slowly add a child into the class once she's mastered simple skills so she doesn't feel so overwhelmed/anxious.

Okay..the little engine that could

CAN! That's right..our little boy, Alex, is officially a "walker"!!!!!!! Sure, he still uses his most reliable "wheels" - AKA crawling - when he gets frustrated, but he sure works hard at it! We need to get him some shoes so he doesn't step on anything so we'll see how he takes to the new kicks. He sleeps SO WELL - down by 7:30pm and up by 7am (thanks to big bro, Drew) and eats like a big boy with such variety. He's so calm and loving. He's starting to babble more now and says:

light
book
duck
fish
and "uh gum" which we think is you're welcome!

He wants to run with the big dogs (Drew and Liv) so badly and will one day. For now, he's still our "baby" and he can't grow up - we forbid it!

Shelley & Gary getting hitched!!!!!!!!!!

It's official...they are getting married November 17, 2007 and we're so happy and excited for them!! They are planning away and doing it well, despite our mom not being here to help out. Save-the-Date cards coming soon!

More pictures

Livvy says...

"look at me!" allll the time! I don't know where she got that phrase from, but it's cute nonetheless. She also says, "Come on, guys" and "What's going on?" :)

Interview with Drew

Favorite color: purple

Favorite animal: zebra

Favorite food: apples

Favorite sound: street sweeper

Favorite song: nursery rhyme songs on CD

Favorite thing to do outside: play with the sprinklers

Favorite park: Jack Fischer park

Favorite movie: Conjunction Junction - Grammar Rock

Favorite treat: chocolate cake

Summer activities

Drew: starts swimming lessons at the community center in 2 weeks and is in tumbling once a week for the month of July...also on a waiting list for a day camp. Gotta keep this guy busy - anyone have a car engine to donate that he can take apart?!

Livvy: tumbling once a week for July and will find swimming lessons for her.

Alex: 3rd wheel, baby! he goes where we go...he'll go to a mommy and me class once the kids are in school this fall!

Randomness

Our 13 month old Alex

Still isn't walking yet..he wants to SO badly and loooooves it when we hold his hands and walk with him and gets mad when our backs are breaking! He is such a lovebug and loves to lay his head on you several times a day for some lovins. He is doing well and sleeps better in Drew's room in the crib. He also enjoys his eats and is a good eater. He has around 16 oz of milk a day and is very easy-going. Love this boy!

Summer school ~ Livvy

So Miss Liv started her special summer school on June 27th...she goes Tuesday-Friday from 9-11am. The first day, even when we talked it up that she's going, she didn't make the connection and was fine until I said goodbye and left. They make you bring them to the teacher out front and they bring them to the classroom to avoid the tug-of-war episodes that can linger on and on. She still cries every morning and the teacher, Nancy, says she cries on and off throughout the class. She has a hard time transitioning from activity to activity yet has bonded enough with Nancy to use her as "home base" for comfort during stressful situations. She has improved already with parallel play ( a 2yr old or under skill ) which is great! At least she's tolerant of other kids at times now. ;) She goes for 1 month then starts her fall school session in September with the same teacher, thank goodness. This is good practice and exposure for her and even though it's tough to watch her cry every morning, we know she's in the best place.

Random pictures

Alex's big boy appointment

Don't let his size fool you!
Height: 29.5" (45%)
Weight: 21.13 lbs (25%)

Doctor said he looks great...has a big noggin (brains...it's all brains! - 70%) and had 4 shots. Poor baby! He should be walking within a month I'm guessing...he looooves for you to hold his hands and help him walk while he giggles. He is THE BIGGEST LOVE BUG! He'll crawl around then come up to one of us and lay his head down on us. awwwww! He enjoys being held and gives kisses, claps, and a few times said "dog" and "Mommy"!! He loves his food and we just finished the formula so now it's big boy milk. He so badly wants to keep up with Drew and Livvy.

Tonight, we moved the crib to Drew's room and Alex did very well- no crying, etc. and Drew felt so proud to have his little brother in his room to take care of.

He and Livvy will have a combo party on Saturday, June 16th and I'll update with pics then.

Dustin = 16!?

HUH?
I remember when I met him when he was 7 yrs old and now he's close to 16? Unbelievable! He has his permit now and drove with Kenny this weekend for a bit. He is still getting A's and B's in school and has enjoyed his freshman year. He also is a fantastic drummer without lessons and reminds me of Kenny's innate ability to play an instrument. This weekend, he recorded his first song playing drums, guitar, and bass! He was very proud and so are we. He is a very pleasant young man to be around.

Alex will be 1 soooon!

This Thursday is Alex's 1st birthday...where did the time go???
He is such a good boy; very easygoing, a good eater, and pretty good sleeper. He has 2 top teeth, 2 bottom, and I can see the beginnings of the canine teeth on top. He's crawling everywhere quickly and pulls to stand but hasn't tried letting go just yet. He loves music and enjoys hearing his brother and sister singing. His 1 yr well-baby check up is next Friday and I'll update with stats then.

Livvy's summer and fall school schedule

I had a meeting with the school district who takes over Livvy's services once she turns 3 and they determined she qualifies for summer school (from June-July) 4 days a week for 3 hrs a day. The class is language-based which means she will learn new words in everything she does. The class size is 8-10 kids and she'll blossom there. They also have 1 hr of OT incorporated in the day to work on tactile issues, self-help, and motor skills. Currently, she assessed at a 2.5 yr old level in all areas - cognitively, she's right on with no delays so on paper she looks good...it's applying it that is the area that needs improvement. She doesn't have very good social skills with peers but with adults she flourishes - they'll be working on that in school as well. No doubt the first week or two will be hard for her to get used to all of the kids there, but she'll pick it up quickly. We'll also have her in a gymnastics class since she's a little monkey!
In the Fall, she'll still go to the same schoool 4 days a week for 3 hrs - hopefully the summer class will prepare her for her new class with less anxiety. GOOOO LIVVY!!

Exciting milestone for Drewbie!!!

Big brother Dustin took off Drew's training wheels on his bike for the first time this weekend. We got him a helmet, knee pads, and elbow pads to help with the falls but he did REALLY well! It only took him a few hours to get it down and is working on negotiating turns and braking. We're so proud of him!!

Missing Mom

Since her passing on March 11, 2007, I've been doing pretty well under the circumstances. Of course I think about her several times a day and Drew brings her up in conversation every few days which is a good thing. We're working on putting a scrapbook together of memories that are of her and the kiddos. WE MISS YOU, MOM!!!

Still lovin' school

Drew seems to enjoy school which is a GREAT feeling for all of us. He has several projects (mostly art) that they do every day which is he reallly good at - he's quite creative with art projects in general so this is right up his alley. Last week they had some firefighters visit to tell them about safety and how important it is to know your address and phone number in case of emergency and we're working on that now.

They also had a visit from the Tooth Fairy! hee hee He doesn't understand the concept of how the actual tooth falls out but he'll soon learn! He especially enjoys painting pictures and draws a mean "person" face!

Llllllliiivvvvyyy

is talking sooo much more recently!! Her therapist is AWESOME and Liv responds so well. We are now working on getting her to try new foods without the screaming, head-turning, and all out "NO" which sometimes includes gagging if the food even touches her lips! Her therapist will address this on Friday for the first time with a system she has had success with. I'll update later on how that all goes down.

Launching our new business!!

Kenny and I are starting a business now that he has close to 20 students now- offering drum, guitar, and piano lessons (those are given by me) out of our studio. We just got the license and are working on a website/business cards now....there is a lot of thought and time that goes into this! ;) It's fun and exciting and we'll branch out into recording services in the future as well. I'll post the web link when it's completed!

Livvy's eating us out of the house!

Like a teenage boy would!! These last two days, she's done nothing but stand at the pantry and beg for food- I remind her this isn't the Carter Buffet even though we're thrilled she's wanting to eat now! She's funny.

Andrew's new shoes

his new love! :) We bought him shoes online and when they came he fell in love. There isn't anything special about the shoes but he apparently thinks they're the best thing in the world! When it was nap time, he asked if he could wear them to bed!! When it was bathtime, I got him a towel and he was getting dressed in his room...or so I thought. He parades out in a towel around his body and just his shoes (not even socks) and I was laughing so hard.

Alex ~ self entertained!

When we put him on the floor in the playroom and it's sunny out, he lifts one arm and "waves" with his hand...at first I didn't know what in the world he was doing but quickly found out he's watching his shadow! He'll do that for a good 20 minutes or so daily! Cracks us up!!

Joanna and Neal's new baby!!!!

I understand, per my Dad tonight, they had a baby girl tonight - on Joanna's mom's birthday - via c-section. Her name is Lauren - PRECIOUS! She is a DOLL and so petite!

"dada"

Was that what we heard today? No, couldn't be! I swore at least one of our kids would say mama first but nooooooope! Dada it is....*sigh* What a sweetie he is - he is so happy and proud of himself. He now gets fruit puffs and doesn't gag and he's practicing how to pick them up off of his tray much better in the last week or so. His 9 month appt is the beginning of March...can't WAIT!

Drew's first day of his new school!

Last Friday was his last day at My School - when I dropped him off and told his teacher today was it, she said "ok, thanks for letting me know." ??? Um, no "oh, I'm sorry to see him leave, but he'll do great at the new school" or give Drew a hug since he was standing right there?? Makes our decision to move him that much more clear!

New school is called Clement and it's only a few miles away which is helpful for when Livvy starts her school down the street in the Fall. They have a circular driveway for drop-off and pick-up and you hold up a name tag with his name and they bring him out to the car after school and sign in/out in a binder. WOOHOO!! Now I can drop him off in my pj's and slippers!! His teacher is AWESOME - young, expecting her first baby at the end of June when school is out, and very soft-spoken and warm. There are 10 kids total in her class which is just what Drew needs. Each day, the kids take turns with certain "jobs" of the day: calendar, weather, watering her plants, setting out snacks, line leader, and flag holder for the Pledge of Allegiance. Today, he was the flag holder!

He said goodbye and they made firefighter hats before 4 firemen came to the school to talk about safety and 9-1-1. Each month, Mrs. West (teacher) has a science project and a cooking lesson. He still goes M, W, F from 9am-12pm like at the other school and this one has a program called Lunch Bunch where you can bring your lunch and stay until 2pm doing extra challenges and fun activities for a little extra a month. We'll get him settled in before we pick a few days of the month to incorporate those longer days.

We're so proud of our big boy - this school seems to offer exactly what Drew is looking for. :)

Alex

He's sooo cute! He responds to his name very well, can sit up unassisted for 10 minutes then flops onto his face reaching for a toy, LOVES his bath, 2nd bottom tooth coming through now, eats 2 solid meals a day along w/ 2 bottles of formula and 2 nursing sessions, sleeps pretty well (down around 8pm and eats at 4am, up at 7ish), and is so HAPPY and laughs a lot. He has started "screaming" to make noise and loves it.....he gets on his hands and knees and rocks but still scoots backwards and gets frustrated when I put a toy just out of his reach to get him to go forward. Drew loves to give him his bottle and is a great helper!

Drew - possible preschool observation

for Drew is tomorrow. I'll go in the morning while he's in school and check out this school that seems good for him. I'd like to see it in action, how the teacher interacts, the kids' behavior and dynamics to get a good feel for it. The ratio is 1:10 which is PERFECT for him. Very structured

Update on Livvy

Took her to the G.I. last week for a follow-up and here's the plan:
- Kenny and I will get a sweat chloride test when our doc approves it to see which side of the family it's on or if she has a new mutation.
- She will continue on the stool softener but we're slowly lowering the daily dose so she can have her own normal poopies is the goal.
- Pediasure or Carnation Instant Breakfast still 3 times a day for calories and nutrition until she gains enough weight to hold her own.

She has gained 5 oz in the past 3 wks since starting the supplements which is great! Go Livvy!!

Lab results ~ Liv

Sweet Livvy! She's so cute..ahem...all of her blood work came back great!!! Still waiting on a stool sample (for parasites, etc) but the Cystic Fibrosis screen came back indicating she is at least a carrier of the disease. :( VERY shocking for us as she doesn't exhibit any signs or symptoms of having CF. She goes to Stanford for a sweat test next Tuesday. Here's a little sample of the procedure she'll have done:


A sweat sample is collected using a special sweat stimulation procedure. A tiny amount of a clear, sweat-stimulating liquid is applied to a small patch of skin on the arm or leg. An electrode is then placed over the site and a weak electrical current stimulates the area. This is a painless procedure that may create a tingling or warm sensation. After several minutes, the area is cleaned and sweat is collected for about thirty minutes, either into a plastic coil of tubing or onto a piece of gauze or filter paper. The sweat obtained is then sent to the laboratory for analysis.

We will find out the results the next day. If she is soley a carrier, she is healthy and doesn't have to worry about her health --- except having to do with her own children in the future. If her husband is tested and a carrier, their chances of having a baby with CF is increased. Good for her to know regardless.

School issues

Without going into great detail, Kenny and I aren't too thrilled with the school he's at - mostly the classroom (kids and teachers)...gee, that means everything else is great!!! Oy! He's having a hard time sitting in his chair for academic time and is starting to love tap other kids since he's seen them do it and get away with it. I am in the process of interviewing other schools without mentioning it to him, of course, until it's finalized. Hopefully, we'll get him into a school that is more hands-on which is right up his alley and play-based.

We've got a "rocker"!!

No, not a punk rocker, but Alex is starting to get on his knees and rockin' away getting ready to crawl and, only then, make our family complete with all "mobile" kiddos! EEEEEK! Scary! :) He gobbles up his Stage 2 foods still - averaging a jar and a half at one sitting - while we're working on gettting him to grab foods off his tray and hold a sippy cup. Who does he think he is? A baby or something?! He still has one feeding around 5 or 6am. Other than that, no teeth and he's a happy camper! He *might* have a touch of stranger anxiety as well...but we're not "going there" just yet!

Pictures

More pictures...

Family update with pictures!

Drew is getting so much taller these days...his energy is endless..still! He is very into how things work and why is his fave question. School is going pretty well and we're still working on keeping him in his chair to do his work which is challenging. He is a super big bro; especially with Alex.

Liv is having some tests done with her GI doc and we'll get those results back within a few weeks. She started Occupational Therapy Wednesday and that's once a week for an hour at the clinic with their equipment. She seemed disorganized (which we've already known) but had a good time hangning on the trapeze and "crashing" on bean bags! It'll be interesting to find a program that will work for her that we can continue at home -- which might boost her speech as well.

Alex is halfway to the 8 month mark - wow, time flies! He has found his thumb (where was it these past 6 months when we were playing the paci game at night?!?) so he sleeps much better. Down around 8pm and eats at 5am or so and back down til 8am. I can do that!! He enjoys his 2-meal-a-day solids to bits!! He's a great eater and loves everything offered so far. He's on Stage 2 foods now. No teeth yet and he's working in sitting up independently for longer periods of time.

Kenny's been sick for almost a month straight with bronchitis then the flu....ugh. He spent his entire 2 week "vacation" sick which was a bummer. :( He's feeling a bit better now so hopefully he's on the mend. He's picked up a few more music students (which he loves since it's his passion) and really enjoys that.

Alex - backward scooter!

Mr. Alex...he is on his tummy more now and inches backwards and gets more mad the farther away he gets from us on the floor! He can sit for longer periods of time now and eats like a good boy. He gets some oatmeal and fruit for breakfast and a nice hearty dinner of baby veggies and chicken or turkey...mmmmm mmmm he can't get enough! He's already 7 months old now! Where did the time go??? I bought a shopping cart cover so he goes grocery shopping and sits in there like a big boy now..so cute and happy!

Bob starts chemo

He starts tomorrow and we'll be praying for him through this journey and that he has minimal side effects. He looks great and has a good starting point.

CHRISTMAS!

Christmas Eve was spent here at home, nice and quietly! The kids played and set out a cookie for Santa with milk but we didn't have any carrots for the reindeer :(. Drew was VERY excited since he's "getting" the whole Santa thing more this year. Of course, he wanted dimensions on how Santa could possibly come down the chimney and if he would get stuck and how he would climb back up while Drew was using his flashlight looking up the chimney for a demo!!
We woke up around 7:30am and went to see on Christmas morning! They loved their stocking stuffers and quickly moved to the big presents.
Drew got a plasma ball, lighted koosh ball, a few books, a disc shooter (from Daddy), some bath shaving cream and some magentic vehicles to put together. Liv got some Dora books (which she has to have read at least 40 times every day still!), some magnetic shape tiles from Uncle Scott and Aunt Laura (BIG hit), a potty book from Mommy ;) and some figurines of farm animals. Drew and Livvy's joint gift is a trampoline for kids coming this Wednesday!!
Alex got some teething toys, a bath toy, and a ball popper from Grammy and Pop.

I got Kenny a PALM organizer and a new coffee travel mug and he got me a new cell phone!

Last night, we got together with Grammy and Pop as well as Gigi to open gifts. The kids got some cute, cute things and I got a wonderful surprise! A gold bracelet with opals and diamonds from them! WOW - it's beautiful and so special. It was fun and a nice way to ring in the new year with them here.

I'll update with pics as soon!