Eleven Months

It was hard this month to get him to sit still in this pose. He is very busy now. Trying to walk has become one of his favorite activities lately. And sitting still is definitely not.

These two are glued at the hip. He loves her attention. It is sweet to watch him develop a different relationship with each of his sisters. He lets Avery carry him anywhere and he is usually very happy with her. He likes Tatum because she knows how to make him laugh with her silly faces and noises. Laney is usually content to just sit next to him and give him toys and talk to him. He is a blessed little guy having such attentive sisters who want nothing else but to play with him all day.

This was one of our little science experiments... letting colors from pen marks climb up a piece of coffee filter paper dipped in water. It wasn't the most amazing experiment, but it was fun to do it together. Avery went to one of her friends' Mad Science birthday party a few weeks ago and in the party favor bag was a bunch of fun simple science experiments for kids, so we've been trying them out.

Here's Brian and Avery at Daddy-Daughter Date Night at church last weekend.

Laney got tubes in her ears on Thursday. I was so excited about it that I really didn't feel too nervous. We had it done at a surgery center rather than a hospital, which made it very low-key and easy. We were the only ones there that whole morning... it seemed like they opened up the facility just for us. Laney did really well through the whole thing. She did scream when I handed her to the doctor. I knew that she would not go with the doctor unless he picked her up and took her. It took a little longer than usual because her ears were filled with such thick snot that he had to get two different vacuums to suck it out. Brian met me there and we waited about 20 minutes until the doctor came to get us. As she came off the anesthesia, she was a crazy lady. Squirming, thrashing around, screaming and crying. They told us it was normal, so we just tried to keep her from hurting herself or us. Finally she opened her eyes and started settling down, so we were allowed to take her home. She cried and fought her seat belt the whole way home like it was a snake trying to attack her. It was pretty crazy. I fed her chips & queso with apple juice when we got home and she starting acting more like herself. After we relaxed and read a few books together, she seemed completely back to normal.

We have been watching her closely to see if we can truly tell a difference in her hearing. So far I've noticed two things. I haven't had to repeat myself to her once. And Brian & I both agree... she has a new twinkle in her eye. It's hard to describe, but she is just happier now. And so am I.

So how's homeschooling going?

We now have two days under our belt. I have felt like I was crazy at times, but I have also found myself genuinely thanking God that He has made us a homeschooling family. This was not in our plan, but if I have learned anything about life, I have learned that when my situation becomes uncomfortable and I feel God start to pry away layers of junk around my heart, it always turns out good when I trust Him and obey.
We withdrew Avery from school last Wednesday. It was a very hard day for me. I cried my eyes out several times. I can't really put into words why I was so emotional... I guess it was the finality of admitting our child is different. I had so many mixed emotions going on inside me that day... relief that this decision had been made, thankfulness that all the pieces had fallen into place, fear of the unknown world of homeschooling, sorrow for her missing out on the fun times she would have had at school, but mostly relief that the battles were over.

So last weekend, we re-arranged the furniture in our study and made it into a pretty cool little schoolroom. I bought a few educational posters for the walls. I bought a math curriculum. I bought a lesson planner. Everything else we are borrowing from friends or just making do with what we already have.
So yesterday was Day One. Laney stayed home from preschool because she wasn't feeling good - that's a story I will tell more of later - so my plans for a quiet house quickly disappeared. But we still got everything done we had planned. Math, Reading, writing, history, spelling, phonics and storybooks. Today we added science and Bible. Tomorrow we are planning to add piano and baking. We probably won't do every subject everyday... I plan to do Bible, math & reading everyday for sure, then the rest I will throw in a few days each week.
Today all 4 kids were home all day. I discovered several challenges I hadn't anticipated, but I also discovered the greatest thing about homeschooling ... immediate feedback. In just two days of homeschooling, Avery is already writing her letters and numbers way better just because I have been telling her immediately when she writes something the wrong way.


So onto the story about Laney... Since before she turned two, I have been concerned about her hearing. I would walk into her room when she was still in her crib and she wouldn't turn to look at me and I sometimes had to call her name several times to get her attention. Our pediatrician said it was "selective hearing." He said the fact that she speaks and understands instructions means that she doesn't have a significant problem. Even though I didn't completely agree with him, I didn't think there was anything I could do with her so young.

So fast forward to this year. I knew at her 3-year old check up, I wanted to talk to our pediatrician about her hearing again. This time, since she had a pretty bad ear infection and he knew our history of concerns about her hearing, he referred us to an ENT.
So I took her to the ENT today. First, an audiologist put us in a sound booth and did a hearing test on her. She had headphones on so I don't know all the sounds she was hearing, but there were several times I heard a sound and she didn't respond. So when we came out, the audiologist said she does have significant hearing loss. But the good news is, her ears are filled with fluid so hopefully when that is cleared, her hearing should be fine.
So next we saw the ENT. Right when he walked into the room he said, "So you know you have a deaf child, right?" Oh my, I had no idea it was that bad. He said the fluid in her ears may very well have been there for a whole year! She may have had several ear infections over the past year and I never knew because she didn't run a fever or act like she felt bad. My poor little Laney all this time, we've known something wasn't right, but didn't know it was that bad. She can't hear consonants, so in most of her words, her vowels are right but her consonants are off. I can understand most of what she says, but sometimes I need Tatum to interpret. Tatum always knows what she is saying.

So we are planning to get tubes in her ears, hopefully this week or next. It's immediate and easy. He said the surgery will take a total of 6 minutes. When she wakes up, she will be able to hear! I can't wait to see her little face as she hears things she has never heard before. I am hopeful that her new ability to hear things will help her have the confidence to try new things and reach out instead of clinging. I am excited for her to "get it" the first time rather than the seventh. I am excited to teach her how to say words correctly. I am so excited for her.

Guess who lost her first tooth?

Seems like just yesterday she was just getting all those teeth!

How on earth can she be turning FIVE in just a few months?

Princess Tatum, we love you!

10 months

He doesn't like to sit for too long anymore...

I don't know who gave him the necklace to play with, but I'll admit I put the skirt on him... I just couldn't resist how well the red matched his shirt and his rosy cheeks!
This boy lights up our days and brings us all lots of laughter and joy. He is such a cuddly and sweet boy. I just can't say enough about what a gift from God he is to us.

Laney-Lou is THREE!

Laney turned THREE last week.

We had all the family meet at Chuy's, her favorite restaurant, for lunch. Then everyone came over to our house for cake and ice cream. She was not in the greatest mood. She naturally has a shy, timid personality. I have learned if I rehearse things with her before they happen, she generally does better, but that is not always the case. So she cried when everyone sang happy birthday to her... I think that is mostly because she doesn't like having everyone's attention on her. She would much rather be a wallflower than be the center of attention. She wouldn't blow out the candles, even though I had practiced with her beforehand. But her sissies were happy to help her out with that. She wouldn't open her presents, but again, her sissies were more than happy to tear into them. The theme was Rapunzel and she got her own stuffed Rapunzel and some fun princess things. She also got some new books and a big girl booster seat for the car, which she loves!

When I took her to the doctor for her 3-year old checkup, he found that she has a double ear infection and a lot of fluid in her ears! She never complained that her ears hurt and I never saw any signs of it, except for her less-than-pleasant mood. The doctor said he would expect a child with that bad of an infection to be writhing around in pain... guess she has a pretty high pain tolerance. So we started an antibiotic on Tuesday and I can already tell she is feeling better. She is still in the 95th percentile for height and the 75th for weight at her age.

We had a wonderful Christmas, although it flew by too fast! I can barely believe it's already been almost a month since we celebrated. A few of the highlights were...

Avery's own camera

Tatum's Rapunzel wig

and Laney's Rapunzel dress (and cool shades)

We got to spend some time in San Antonio with all of my family. It was nice to just unpack and relax there for most of a week and visit with childhood friends and my family. We also celebrated in Houston with Brian's family. The kids enjoyed lots of play time with their cousins, Tara and Matthew.

Matty & Bo lookin pretty cute in their coon-skin caps!

They have been getting a lot of enjoyment out of their new John Deere. I am glad to have something fun that they can all ride in together. Don't worry - I walk right next to it when Bodie is in it so I can rescue him if he decides he wants out. He is usually pretty happy to sit back there in someone's lap.

We loaded it up and took it to Bear Creek Park on MLK day... they had so much fun driving like maniacs all over those fields. Lots of wide open space is good when teaching a 3-year old how to steer a vehicle. Avery & Tatum took to it right away, but Laney with her timid personality, was very reluctant to even ride in it at first, much less try to drive it herself. But finally right before we were going to load it up and go home, she slid over to the driver seat and with one hand holding mine and the other hand holding the steering wheel, she stepped on the pedal and started zooming along. After a few minutes of helping her steer, she got the hang of it and loved it.
Bodie loves to swing. His little face lights up and he starts kicking his legs and just giggles the whole time.
This little one is definitely a mama's girl, and I absolutely love that about her. She always wants to be within five feet of me wherever we are.
And this one is getting so tall and strong. She is so smart and such a hard worker. And she is still the sunshine that brightens our day.

I look at these faces and I can't thank God enough for these gifts.

We are making some big decisions right now, particularly about our kids' education. It's funny how God gently leads us small step by small step to places we would never have dreamed about just a few steps before. But when you trust Him for one thing, it becomes easier to trust Him for another and another and so on.

I was a working mom just 8 short months ago... I mean a "working outside the home" mom... because honestly I am more of a "working" mom now than I have ever been. Anyway, God opened the door and led us to step out in faith at just the right time and for me to resign and stay home full time. That was a major leap of faith for us. Amazingly, it has worked. It hasn't been easy... we've had to sacrifice things that we still miss terribly and I feel like I deserve a degree in accounting with all the time I spend tweaking our budget to make it work. But we have had the privilege of watching God come through for us over and over and over. Things have just worked out. That's the only way I know how to say it because on paper it makes no sense.

Anyway, now we are feeling like God may be gently nudging us to take another major leap of faith, something we never truly considered and quite honestly terrified me until just recently... homeschooling. Did i really just type that? It still looks a little intimidating to me. But it also looks like the salve that God just might use to heal some aches and discomforts in our family. And I'm getting pretty excited to begin the journey.

Christmas parties and 9 months for Bo

What a full December we have had! I am thankful that most of my Christmas shopping was done during October and November, so by the time December got here, I was pretty much done with shopping and I could relax and enjoy all the fun events we've been a part of... Christmas parties at the girls' schools, Christmas programs, Craft night, looking at Christmas lights, baking and giving edible gifts to people, collecting donations for the needy in Houston, playing with friends we don't get to see very much, etc.

Tatum & Laney were very excited to celebrate Christmas at their little preschool. Laney's class had made special reindeer shirts with their footprint and two handprints. She looked so precious in her little handmade shirt!

Tatum loved getting to meet Santa. She gave him a big hug and told him what she wanted for Christmas.

Laney was terrified of him. This was about as close as her teacher could get her to Santa. Notice all the kids standing around looking at him and Laney clinging to her teacher for dear life. Her teacher had specifically asked us not to "rescue" our kids if they started crying, but to let the teachers try to calm them down. So I stood there with my camera and tried really hard not to laugh as I watched Mrs. Martin try to pry Laney's fingers off her clothes. In the end, Laney's class did get their picture taken with Santa, but she was sitting in Mrs. Martin's lap, a very safe distance away from Santa.

Tatum did a great job painting her Christmas tree ornament.

Laney calmed down once lunch arrived and enjoyed her pretzels and pizza.

They each got a new book in their party bags as well as gifts from their teachers and art work they had done.

I love this excited look on Laney's face when she pulled out these two presents from her party bag. One was from her to us for Christmas and one was for her from her teachers.
We got this pumpkin costume in one of the boxes of hand-me-downs we just received. Tatum was all over it, even though it was a size 12-24 months, Tatum strapped the whole costume on and wore it most of one day. I don't want to post immodest pictures of my girls, which is why I am only posting the headshot below, but just for humor sake, picture long, bare-legged Tatum with a baby's pumpkin costume strapped on, prancing around the house. This girl knows she is cute and funny, and makes the most of every opportunity to make us laugh.

Avery with the see-saw statue in front of her school

Avery loves Mrs. Van Pelt... she has been such a blessing to Avery and our family. This was at her school Christmas program... she is wearing the beautiful dress my mom made for her two Christmasas ago, which was a little big for her then, but fits her beautifully now. She looked like a Christmas present!
Tatum can entertain herself forever with puzzles, legos, blocks, etc. She came up with this idea of making lots of little Christmas trees with her blocks and she was very proud to show me her beautiful project.
Bodie just couldn't handle playing Groovy Girls any longer, so he passed out right in the middle of the floor amongst them. Poor guy, he is destined to spend much of his childhood surrounded with pink, baby dolls, dress up dolls, and all things princess.
The girls in their head coverings acting out the Christmas story, starring Tatum as Mary, Laney as "Jofis" (as Laney calls him) and Avery as the angel Gabriel.

Yesterday our little man turned 9 months! This first year of his life is flying by too fast! He is still in the 90th percentile for his size, measuring 29.75 inches and 23.5 pounds.
Back when Tatum was a baby, Brian's Grandma Kratky sent us this elf costume from NY... each year, one of the kids is just the right size to wear it, so this year it's Bodie's turn.

I am in love with his new toothy smile... one on the top, two on the bottom and many more all over his mouth seem to be very close to surfacing.

He looks angry, but he's actually laughing really hard here...

Such a precious, funny, cuddly little boy

The boys in the family sure are growing up! Matty (our nephew) turned ONE on Sunday and this was at his birthday party. Bodie is 9 months and Tyson is 8 months. We all just gather around and watch these 3 little boys play together... right now they all just sit (Matthew can crawl, but he is still pretty easy to keep in one place).. but next Christmas will probably be quite different with the three of them running around together.
This week we are enjoying lots of together time, which has also been an opportunity for our sanctification. But we are thankful for the ways God has gently led us and taught us and how even now He is revealing hidden things to us as we seek Him in all the details of our lives.

I've been studying Daniel lately, so I'll close with Daniel's song of worship after God revealed to him King Neb's dream and it's interpretation:

"Blessed be the name of God, forever and ever.
He knows all, does all: He changes the seasons and guides history,
He raises up kings and also brings them down,
He provides both intelligence and discernment,
He opens up the depths, tells secrets,
sees in the dark - light spills out of Him!
God of all my ancestors, all thanks! all praise!
You made me wise and strong.
And now you've shown us what we asked for.
You've solved the king's mystery."

May our Sovereign God reveal hidden things to you this Christmas!

Bodie - 8 (and a half) months

Here's our 8 month old... now already half way to being 9 months!

The adoring sisters are always wanting to entertain him and make him laugh...
he is a blessed little guy, for sure. Laney likes to call him "Bodie Lukey" and he always gives them the biggest smile when they say any form of his name.

At 8.5 months, Bo, you are cutting two bottom teeth and at least one top tooth... I think the other top one is coming very soon too. You are wanting to crawl so bad, but right now you only get up on all fours and rock back & forth, then bellyflop to the ground again. Thankfully you have a pretty long reach and can grab things way farther away than I would expect. You can also roll around to get across the room and you also like to scoot backwards to get places. Your hair is growing longer so it doesn't stick up anymore :( and your eyes have turned into a very pretty shade of blueish-brown. You have become a great sleeper the past few weeks (finally!)... you go to bed around 8 and wake up around 6:30 - 7. You still take a short morning nap, about 1 hour, but you take a LONG afternoon nap, which is wonderful. Yesterday it was 4 hours! But usually it's around 3 hours. You wear 18 month clothes because you are such a tall boy already. Your little face and eyes light up when your daddy gets home from work. You and he already have some deep manly understanding of each other. It's precious. But when you are upset or hungry or tired or just bored, you are so happy to see your mama walk in the room. The crying stops, you get a big grin on your face, and you start to flap your arms like you're trying to fly up to meet me. You have started singing in the car with the rest of the choir... sometimes we all go silent so we can hear your beautiful grunts and ga-gas. You are eating 3 meals a day, although not always with the rest of us. Some of your favorites are carrots, yogurt, applesauce, oatmeal, pears, squash and bananas. You are loving the new-found freedom of finger foods, and we are loving it too. You are a joy to our family and we all think you are the sweetest little boy ever.