On This Rainy Day

Well, my dad has been home since Saturday afternoon and he’s doing really well.  Last week was so difficult for all of us and I think all everyone needs now is rest.  I was able to have a nap twice this weekend, which is a rarity.  It felt so good though.

Even though the weather is pretty yucky, we've been having some good days here at home.  Evan and Nicholas carved our pumpkin last night.  They were using a printout, which didn't turn out quite like they wanted.  Neither is pleased with the outcome this year, but I think it grows on you the more you look at it. ;)

Nicholas was helping Evan pose.

It looks a little like Lightning McQueen, right?

Our attorney came by this afternoon to have us sign the final paperwork, and then he headed off to the courthouse to file it.  He thinks we should know our court date within the next week.  We’re hoping it will be before the end of the year.  They don’t move as fast as we would like them to move. We'll let you know when we find out.

Daniel has been doing some more sitting up for longer periods of time.  He gets excited and usually knocks himself over, so we have to surround him by pillows or be in a position to catch him.  It is amazing how quickly he develops new skills.  We all get excited and cheer him on, including Nicholas.

Speaking of Nicholas, he finished his last swimming lesson on Saturday.  He is going to remain in Level 2.  I really miss his lessons in the preschool class.  There were fewer kids, so it almost felt like a private lesson.  Now that he is older, the lesson is 20 minutes longer, but he spends a lot of time waiting his turn.  He enjoyed it though.  We just have to take a break for a little bit since we have some things coming up on Saturday mornings.

Diving boards are not scary anymore!

Nicholas is also on his last area of speech therapy.  I’m not sure how long it will last, but they started working on the “r” sound today.  This letter is found in so many words.  I think that once he masters it, he will sound so much clearer.

Well, we're just staying in the rest of the day and keeping warm.  Nicholas and Evan have a science experiment to do, but we've made sure to get our rest.

Naps don't last too long around here though.  We make time for other things too, such as making our Christmas lists.

Finally, I want to leave you with a cute little photo comparison.  It seems like both of our boys at one time have been fascinated with Evan's goatee.  So cute!

Nicholas at 13 months old.

And, Daniel today!

Something They Have In Common

Disclaimer:  Details are as I remember them.  It was a very emotional and physically draining week.  

We had a very eventful week – not in the way we wanted, but thankfully, everything worked out well in the end.  My dad has had some shortness of breath and some chest pains for the last couple of months.  He had gone to the doctor who kept prescribing him with allergy medicine.  Finally, this past Monday he went again.  This time she decided to look into any heart-related issues.  He had an EKG and I think a chest x-ray.  Then he was to have a stress test this coming Monday.  Well, on Wednesday the chest pains had increased and he didn't feel well, so my mom called 9-1-1.  By the end of Wednesday, he was in his own room at the hospital with some more tests scheduled for the morning.

However, early Thursday morning I received a call from my mom saying that they had moved my dad to ICU during the night.  She was going to have him transferred to another hospital that was better equipped to deal with a possible heart surgery.  They knew he had at least 1 blockage. 

Moments after he was transferred to the new hospital he was headed into the cath lab.  It turns out that he had 95% blockage in one artery (the others looked okay).  A heart attack would have been right around the corner if this was not taken care of.  So, now he has a stent and will be on some medications.

Yesterday he ate two meals while I was there and was sitting up.  In fact, his doctor put in the stent through his wrist.  I thought that was really interesting how far medical technology has come.  The plan is for him to move to the step-down unit today.  He’ll probably go home tomorrow.

We’re so thankful that he got the stent in time.  It has been such a roller coaster of emotions this week.  We’re so grateful to many of you that bathed our family in prayer.  I know I felt a lot of peace during this time, even at times with a lot of unknowns.

I am also glad we live near one of the best heart hospitals in the world.  My dad now has his own cardiologist just like Nicholas.  I am happy that if Nicholas needs any more work done on his heart down the road that the surgeries are becoming less invasive.  And, when I told Nicholas that I saw Poppy have an EKG, he knew just what that was.  It is not exactly what you want a grandfather to have in common with a grandson, but it is what it is.  We’re just so thankful that both are/will be monitored.

So, we’re hoping that my dad will be feeling so much better.  We’re hoping for less eventful months ahead.

I’ll leave you with the last picture I took of my dad and Nicholas.  A little ironic for a heart patient, but in his defense, we were celebrating his birthday:

October is Winding Down

Our October has been chock full of activities.  I can’t wait for our adoption finalization for many reasons, but a big reason is that our calendar will be a little lighter. 

Nicholas ended soccer on a high note.  Each week was not about just learning how to play soccer.  It was about learning to listen to coaches, not throw grass, and to keep one’s hands to one’s self.  Evan said that Nicholas got an A+ on the last day.  Nicholas said that he didn't score any goals during the game, but he was happy for his friends that did.  There’s progress.

This past week I got to do one of the science experiments with Nicholas.  Because our Mondays have been so full, we couldn't fit it in this time for Evan to help.  Nicholas and I used butter, flour, and a small bowl to simulate a volcano erupting and creating lava.  It started out as molten rock inside the volcano, but came out as a liquid (the lava) and hardened into rock again.  I can’t tell you how much I am enjoying Astronomy.  It is just so fascinating.  Nicholas seems to be gleaning information too.  He was spouting some of it off to my parents last week.

Violin is going really well.  We've met our one year commitment and we’re going to continue.  I think he is doing very well for his age.  He also doesn't mind practicing that much, which is a big improvement.

Aren't you a little big for that violin?

Much better

Nicholas’ art class looks like it is going to be really great.  Not only will he be doing different mediums of art each week, but he will also be learning about many different artists as well.  They have a nice café where Daniel and I can hang out while we wait.  I may just have to test out their hot chocolate in the coming months.  Most of Nicholas’ class is boys, so I’m hoping he can make a friend or two.  Hopefully, I will get to know some of the moms too.

We dedicated Daniel yesterday at church.  I made sure to dress him in the outfit that his birth family gave us a few months ago.  I knew that they would be happy about his dedication.  Since they couldn't be there in person, I wanted to honor them by having him wearing the outfit. 

Finally, we met with our social worker and attorney today (at two different times).  Things are really winding down.  We are hoping that our court date will be the last week of November, or the first week of December at the latest.  We should know more soon.  Most of our paperwork is done.  We just have one thing to fill out on our end.  We can't wait until the court date is finally set!  

Watch Me Grow: 5 Months Old

Daniel has one current goal right now and that is to get moving.  He loves to flip over to his tummy, but hates that he can’t go anywhere.  I often find him grunting or in tears because he can’t crawl yet.  This baby has some great determination.  I wouldn't be surprised if he started crawling on the earlier side rather than later.  He just doesn't quit.

Daniel can also sit up – for about two seconds.  I’m sure that’s another skill he’ll be working on in the coming weeks.

He’s been babbling a lot and tries to mimic some of our sounds.  Evan and I were having fun a week or so ago having him say “hi” (at least that’s what it sounded like).  He’s genuinely a happy baby unless he’s tired.  Then everyone is going to hear about it. 

Daniel also grabs anything he can get his hands on:  my hair, necklace, paper, etc.  He’s also into swatting, which feels a lot like hitting sometimes. 

Daniel is almost in 9-month clothing.  We have more fall-type clothing in that size than 6-month, so he may be moving into it sooner than later.  We've weighed him on our bathroom scale and he is at least 16 lbs.  We’re also almost out of size 2 diapers, so he’ll probably be in size 3 in the next week.

Onto today’s photo shoot . . . It is getting harder to pose him and take his picture in that rocking chair.  For one, he’s getting really good at thrusting himself forward.  So, that means I have to be really quick to take each picture.  Then, he decided he didn't want to really look at me.  I got some decent shots in, but he really didn't feel like giving me a close-up. 

Time for the close-up . . .

A little too serious

This is boring . . .

Good luck getting your shot!

Enough!

Finally, it is my dad’s birthday today, so the boys wanted to send him a special message:

We're looking forward to a very busy weekend.  There will be lots to share.

How is Homeschooling Going?

I still run into people that seem overly interested in how homeschooling is going.  I don’t know if they are skeptical or amazed that we do it.  It is still going well and we are still enjoying it.  We usually start between 8 and 8:30 each morning.  That way Daniel plays before his first micro-nap (still trying to push it past 40 minutes) while Nicholas works independently.  Once Daniel goes down for his nap I can focus on just Nicholas.  It is nice because we don’t have to worry about other students not understanding the material.  We move through each subject at his pace.  I know if Nicholas is getting it or not.

Making a model of Mercury with Evan for science.

Of course, we have good days and we have bad days.  Some days, I hate to admit it, but the bad days can be my fault.  And, sometimes they are not.  But, he is learning and continues to show me throughout the day how much he knows.  I heard him reading his Bible the other day and I was really impressed by which words he was sounding out. 

And, Math is another subject in which he seems to really do well.  Evan was asking him some math questions the other night (Nicholas likes to be quizzed) and threw in one for fun.  “What’s 1000 minus one?” he asked Nicholas.  I told Evan that I didn't think he can count that high to figure it out. 
Nicholas thought for a minute and answered, “Nine hundred . . . and . . . ninety-nine.” 

I was blown away.  I didn't teach him that yet, but through what he’s been learning he taught himself.  He just enjoys school, which makes my job so much easier.

We had our church's Fall Family Fun Day last Sunday.  It was a little chilly, but a lot of fun.  Nicholas even won 3rd place in the Scavenger Hunt.  We're trying to teach him that 3rd place is okay because he really wanted 1st.

Daniel slept for most of the event.  He did pretty well for the most part, but we made sure to bundle him up.  He's not a fan of being contained in one place - my lap wrapped in blankets - so he complained a little.   We've since picked up some better winter gear, so hopefully, he won't be constrained so much in the future.

I'm not as miserable as I look.

Nicholas also loves Wednesday nights at church.  This past week was a theme night and it was “Crazy Hat Night”.  I looked around the house and didn't find anything crazy, so I had to improvise last minute.  This is what we came up with:

I guess his teacher liked it a lot.  After some convincing, Nicholas thought it was a good idea too.

Nicholas’ last soccer game is tomorrow.  We only have two swimming lessons left as well.  But, he’s starting his art class this Wednesday, so we’re still keeping busy. 

And, Daniel continues to grow and change, but his big update of the month is coming later in the week.    So, I’ll leave you with a few pictures until then.

Nicholas is still a great big brother and helper!

Aunt Amy gives the best presents - giant animal pillows!

Rockin' the winter hat

Nicholas’ Wish Come True

Last week I looked at my calendar for the week and noticed we had an appointment on there that I had made over six months ago.  I didn't think much about it.  In fact, I even thought about cancelling it.  But, Nicholas was excited to go.  He couldn't wait.  But, could I trust him to be honest with the doctor?

It turns out that the appointment for a prescription check was necessary.  Nicholas left a very happy boy.

My baby wears glasses now.  He’s been telling us that he wants them for a while.  Then he made it clear to the eye doctor that he wanted them too.  They were able to do enough tests on him that they found that his eyes have worsened enough that he needs glasses.

Nicholas picked out his own pair and announced, “I want these.  How much do they cost?”

Then, he proceeded to say, “My mom will pay.  She has money.” 

He’s such a funny guy.  Thankfully, we have excellent vision insurance which knocked over a hundred dollars off the glasses.  I’m just praying that since his “wish” came true that he does his best to take care of his glasses.  An active 5 ½ year old and glasses are a scary combination. 

The eye doctor’s office told me that kids these days want glasses.  I remember crying when I found out that I needed them in elementary school.  I hope the excitement doesn't wane too much.  The eye doctor is going to do his best to keep Nicholas’ eyes from getting any worse.  

But, I guess if you wish long enough then your dreams really do come true.

What’s Going On

Daniel’s adoption finalization paperwork is all coming together.  Evan and I were fingerprinted early last week and our agency has the results.  Mine were lost for a brief time, but we’re all good now.  Our attorney is coming over to meet us in the middle of the month.  Hopefully, we’ll have a better idea when court will be.

Evan has had a week of low overtime.  It has been much needed for all of us.  He gets more time with the boys, and I get a little bit of a break.  We know that the low weeks are often followed by some heavier weeks, so we’ll enjoy it while we can.

Daniel has slept all the way through the night on more than one occasion this past week.  We were waking him up for an 11:00 small feeding, but Evan is trying to get him to drop this bottle. 

Nicholas and Evan did some fun astronomy experiments this week.  They made a solar eclipse using an inflatable globe.  They also made a pinhole viewing box to safely look at the sun.  This coming Monday they’ll be doing some science experiments to better understand about Mercury.  It really is so interesting what Nicholas is learning. 

The other subjects are going well too.  We also started the Book It Program with Pizza Hut.  I did this program as a little girl and really enjoyed it.  Nicholas likes the fact that he can earn his own personal pan pizza each month!

Finally, Nicholas is going to want to make an announcement very soon – probably Monday or Tuesday.  He’s pretty excited!

These two really love each other..

This is what I found when someone
was supposed to be taking a nap.

This is what happens when Evan is home early.

He loves his tummy!