Samantha's Storybook Adventure

Samantha wanted to share her class' "Share" of The Retired Kid.  They did a wonderful job.  She really enjoyed camp this week.

Samantha is such a toe head that the light on the video is really pretty bad (maybe because of the black background)...But you get the idea. Enjoy.

I think I can, I think I can

I think I can find time to update you all on the kids.

Samantha finished her school year.  Her teacher described her as a "contentious student" and a "very good reader".  She was just a few books shy of 500, but read them the day after school ended just so she could say she did it.  That's my girl!  She told me the other day that the kids at school call her "Mother Nature" sometimes because she loves nature so much.  She couldn't wait to see the rock I brought from the beach in Barcelona. While we were away in Barcelona, she made a list of things to tell me from "You are the best mommy in the World" to "We found AJ's Spiderman under the couch cushion".   

It was sad to say goodbye to her babysitter.  They were a cute pair of Samanthas.  I am sure they will see each other again, but that daily connection won't ever be the same.  This week she is enjoying theater camp.  She'll also attend "Shipwrecked" camp for several weeks learning about new locations/cultures and with many field trips and swim trips.  But, she is anticipating our trip to the beach as the highlight of her summer!  

New nickname = MoNa (short for Mother Nature). She hated (with a passion) Crash anyway.

AJ is constantly talking right now (ok, honestly he has been constantly talking since age 2). It almost makes my brain hurt.  He remembers everything and wants to share everything.  Every word of every book read to him.  Every moment and detail of every movie or TV show he has seen.  Every pixel of every drawing he did at school.  I cannot help but wonder what he is going to do with this energy and his life.  Today he told me he is going to design a car with just one seat...not a motorcycle but a car.  He is going to work on math and handwriting EVERYDAY so he gets really smart so he can design this car.  Yesterday, he was going to be a singer. Oh, and don't judge me, but this kid knows all the words to all the Mumford and Sons songs. Its sort of scary.  

Matthew is really developing into quite the personality.  Just a few weeks ago we visited the doctor for his 18 mo appointment.  He is a peanut just like the other two.  Tipping the scale at about 21 lbs (not sure the height).  Basically 25% in height and only 10th in weight.  He has the WHITEST hair.  Complete strangers find it blinding and tell me so.  "He is the most toe-headed child I have ever seen"  "You really have quite the Aryan child!"  He is extremely non-verbal.  So much so that the doctor wants me to send her an email in a few weeks to let her know if his vocabulary is expanding. I love his doc, but I am not worried.  The kid follows instruction better than his siblings, so he understands language.  He is just not ready to use it.  His caretaker said, "He is a silent force".  She doesn't find his non verbal communication a hindrance at all.  Of course, since that visit two weeks ago, he is starting to say more and even give some instructions. He told me to "read it" this morning. (totally not necessary, because if he brings me a book and sits on my lap I know what he wants...who needs words?)  Oh, he is so pale (and putting sunscreen on him makes it worse).  He sleeps under his blanket and will sometimes hide under it when we come to get him in the morning that we've started calling him "Casper".

It happens.

What I live for...these kids are awesome.

I love them so.

Christ is Risen!

Algood accomplishments

Its been a busy month.  What have we accomplished? 

I survived influenza.  David survived influenza and the kids avoided it (so far at least).  Yes, we were all vaccinated and I suppose that is why I delayed my trip to the doctor. As a result of getting on Tamiflu so late, it was a very slow recovery for me.  David got on the anti-influenza drug right away and was only down for about 2 days. I was down for 5 days and really groggy and wiped out for 2 more.  So, get vaccinated every year people.  The vaccine isn't 100% but I'll take any chance of reducing my risk of getting influenza again. I submitted a grant to the NIH (R21), and while I think the project is fantastic and I am really happy with the final proposal, the road to funding in this economic crisis isn't very good. My lab group had a paper accepted for publication and I was co-author on two other manuscripts which were resubmitted the last week of February. We are hoping to submit 2 more publications in the next few months.

Samantha has read 300 books! She loves to read.  She is going crazy reading all of the Magic Tree House books. She still loves picture books. Who can blame her?  She likes that they are funny, so please help me find some funny chapter books for her.  Since she is reading chapter books, we aren't sure she quite get to her goal of 400 books by the end of the year, but she might.  She is at about 340 and she has 3 months to go. If she reads 400 she gets a special trip to the zoo and to Sweet Cece's with a friend. Last week she turned in a "Dr. Seuss" float on The Lorax.  It's super cute, but was quite a bit of work! We are also very proud of her improvement on her timed math tests. She can answer almost twice as many problems in 2 minutes as just 1 month ago. It was probably the first time she had to 'work' to see improvement and I think she is also very excited. She is starting 'Run Club'. The group will run at school a couple times a week! They will track their mileage. She wants to be faster than her friend "A", but that boy is fast!  

Andrew is ready for kindergarten. He will definitely answer every question they throw at him- counting to 120; counting by 10s; all his letters; his address; his parents names; basic addition to 10. He loves to build new lego creations and drew his first blueprints. He loves to sing and dance. He and Samantha are back in swim lessons. We aren't giving up until they can independently swim. They are both really close, but we want them to not only be able to do it but to do it with confidence which they don't really have yet. AJ will also start some tennis lessons in April!  No soccer for either of them this spring, so we'll have some time for these other activities.

Matthew is a grunting maniac right now. His big accomplishment is communication without words.  Unfortunately, we aren't talking sign language. Sometimes this stage drives me crazy. He knows he can get what he wants by grunting, so he makes no attempts to talk. Seriously, he is a great toddler. For the most part he only fusses when hungry or tired. He goes to bed and to nap very easily.  He is navigating the stairs well and we might not get gates after all!

David has been home ALL month.  Thank God.  With everything that was going on and someone sick every weekend it was a good thing. He took care of the kids two weekends in a row when 1. I was sick 2 when I was teaching with WAVU (Weekend Academy at Vanderbilt). His team is launching several new products this month and his travels will pick up again.  The product launch will be official later this week at the International Seating Symposium which happens to be held here in Nashville.

I haven't been taking very many pictures, but I will try to post some another time.  (Even this quick update took me over a week to finish.)

Winter ... oh, winter

I have a love - hate relationship with winter in Middle TN!

I love that if its below freezing it lasts about 48 hours MAX.
I hate that we don't get enough snow to actually engage in winter activities- sledding would be so fun in our yard.
I hate that I feel like I need a coat and a jacket at the same time.

I love that the sun shines most days.
I hate that when it does rain everyone acts like its 8 inches of snow.  There was a 2 hour delay last week because of the risk of ice but there was no ice.  There was an early dismissal the week before that due to the risk of rain turning to ice- it did not.  That was an interesting day because I freaked out because I wasn't sure where Samantha goes when school lets out early.  Typically she goes home to a sitter, but I didn't want her sitter to have to navigate our driveway if it was going to ice, so I had to call the school and send her to aftercare.  Despite that, the school system is AWESOME!

I love that the a little bit of snow is like magic around here.  How cool is it that everyone goes sledding even when you get a dusting and can still see the grass?

Yes, I admit it. I took a picture before I went to wipe him off. Bad momma.

I hate that everyone is defensive about being afraid to drive in it! I get it. You know the roads might be bad and we don't have the proper equipment, but if the roads aren't that bad where I live I am expected to be at work and I'd like my kid to go to school...if you don't want to risk it stay  home.  Don't judge me for getting out there and I won't judge you for staying home.

 

Grandma came to visit to help out when David was in Sweden.

Winter for David has been a little different. He has been to Barcelona and to Sweden this month.  He loved Espana. He was very busy there but was able to catch a Barcelona futbol game!  He also enjoyed all the fresh food.  The weather was mild and he really enjoyed some of the tourist activities he was able to participate in. I hope we plan a trip there in the next 2 years- maybe for our 10 year anniversary!  Sweden is always dark and COLD, and he was over there in Dec and earlier this month. So, after two trips this month he is suffering from jet lag, but so glad to be home.  The kids are thrilled to have him home too. 


Matthew after a rough day- split his chin on the fireplace!

Having ice cream for dessert- brain freeze!

The kids are growing like weeds.  Both Samantha and AJ need new clothes- thats great, but I need to find some time to do some shopping!  They have been really enjoying all their new toys and crafts.  Matthew is a trip right now.  He is babbling like crazy, but seems to say less now than a month ago, but there is more grunting and squealing - usually in protest or because he wants the food off my plate. But he is blowing kisses...love that! He wants to play with the kids Legos. This is driving me crazy because I am so afraid he is going to eat all those little pieces.  Its hard to occupy him while they are so focused on building.  Puzzles only go so far for a 14 month old!

Hope you all are staying warm and dry.  Love to you all.

Turtle power!

Andrew has always had a love for turtles.  You may remember that almost 2 years ago before we moved, he was constantly talking about the turtle who lived outside his window.  Then the turtle moved in under his bed.  Turtle even became invasive and was in AJ's belly while I was pregnant!  Sometimes at 8pm (lights out) Turtle was suddenly hungry or thirsty....you get the picture.

While "Turtle" eventually moved to Nashville, AJ continued to learn about and develop a love for turtles.  Loogerhead, Snapper, Painted, you name it. If it was a turtle, AJ wanted to know about it.  Then he hit 4 and well, four year olds tend to really love superheros and ninja's.  A few months ago (in a moment of weakness or potential ignorance), I introduced my AJ to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.  I wouldn't say a monster emerged because my son is generally a very sweet child, but he has become interested in obsessed with all things TMNT!

So the 'birthday' theme emerged (bye-bye hope of a Lego party).  He as almost all the TMNT figures now (He does have the 4 turtles, but still needs Splinter).  McDonald's toys are actually TMNT right now, so it made a great venue for a playdate on his birthday with one of his best friends.  TMNT cupcakes, handcut fleece mask for his classmates, a "Thank you for making my birthday 'shell-tastic'" printable designed by Truly Your Events (Her Pinterest boards are pretty awesome if you are into that), and a few 'green' accessories and a small celebration at school was complete.  It was a great birthday weekend.  We had one happy 5 year old in the house!

We love our turtle lover!

 

Because you have to write it down or else....

Samantha, "why do you moms talk so much?"
Me, "Are you asking way Ms. Layla and I were talking to each other over lunch?"
Samantha, "Yes, I mean is it because you have had so much life."
Me, "We do have really full lives."
Samantha, "No, I mean,is it because you've lived so long?"

Matthew is like both kids in someways.  Sunday he demonstrated another way he is like Samantha.  This is not a good one. He bites only when he is tired.  At church he bit my cheek so hard I had to pry him off my face...yowzher!

AJ, "Why do I keep cleaning my room up?  Everyone else comes in here and messes it up! UGH!"