Boys

In comparison to girls...little boys must just pee a lot!!!

Thursday I started serious potty training with Sully. We tried when he turned 3 in February and it was a complete flop. complete flop. 

He's been showing more signs over the past month and I always make him go after diaper changes and before and after bed etc. 

And he starts preschool in the fall and he's almost 3 and 1/2 now AND I cannot change 2 kids diapers any longer. 

So, we're doing it. We've vowed to never put a diaper back on him unless its nap time or bed time. 

AND...

He's doing GREAT!!!

He has a different mindset this time. He is excited about it and doesn't want to wear diapers. Its true, its pointless to try until THEY are ready. 

Yesterday he was dry all day until 7 pm. But we had Kirkpatrick's over and they were playing hide and seek outside and eating ice cream. A few too many distractions. 

This morning when I went in to get him up he said, "I'm holding it! I need to go!" He RAN into the bathroom and went forever. And his diaper was DRY!

We are definitely making serious, serious progress. I think we'll actually be ok never putting him in a diaper again...as long as I've got an extra change of clothes with us for awhile! 

But back to my original topic, really, are all little boys like this? I swear he goes like every 10 minutes?!

Weird. 

Weird

It's Iowa.

In mid-July.

Today's high is 67.

Tomorrow's is 69.

WHAT?!?!?!

Tess's college visit.

Like her older sister before her, Tess has made the wise choice to become a Hawkeye when she goes to college. So after her appt. today I took her on a college visit. 

We love that Hawkeye!

Doing a little reading up on the school...

She's so advanced and so in love - she can already write! 

Ha, ha, Daddy!!! We love playing jokes on you! 

Just cant wait to get in for my first game! 

Beautiful little Hawkeye girl...

And we're home

Tess and I are back from our trip to Iowa City. 

The trip was quick and basically pointless. Everything we did, could have been done over the phone. 

The office did not receive the CD with Tess's VCUG test and ultrasound on it so she couldn't look at the tests. She read the dr.'s written notes and from that is saying that there is a 1% chance Tess will need surgery for her reflux. 

The CD has NOW been mailed and should arrive next week...the dr. will review it and call me either way after that. I'm expecting to hear from her in 2 weeks. 

Frustrated? Yes, I called on Monday to ensure that they had everything they needed and the our Dr.'s office said it had all been sent. Well I guess not.

Anyway, frustrations aside I am blessed. Tess isn't going to need surgery. We will go back in June of 2010 to redo the VCUG test and see if she is outgrowing the reflux like they suspect. The dr. is confident she will be at that time. 

It is impossible to visit the U of I Children's Specialty Clinic and not leave feeling like you are blessed beyond measure. I have 4 children. None of which have any serious health issues. When you are at the U of I that makes you a minority. It is heart breaking. Truly heart breaking. 

Want to feel blessed? Sit in that waiting room for about 3 1/2 minutes. 

Thank you Lord for blessing me with my four complete miracles. 

THANK YOU!

Dont you just love my new header?!

And don't I just have the most creative, talented bff?!

Thanks Melanie...

Felix Grundy 2009

for ME!

How would my life change if I woke up each day with this verse on my heart and in my mind?

"...By this I will know that God is for me." Psalm 56:9b



(Thanks Courtney)

Old

So Sunday night we had a friendly kick-ball game with the Kirkpatrick's.

I believe it was the first time I've run in a full out sprint in years.

I also believe there are 3 or 4 important ligaments and tendons in my thigh and hamstring that will never, ever be the same.

Sad.

Truly sad.

Oh, and the girls won.

And Jason threw the ball directly at my head, so maybe it wasn't all that friendly. Or possibly the adults playing were a little too competitive about it.

Did I mention the girls won?

And Dopey

Somehow sweet Adele got stuck being Dopey. But oh my the cuteness! 

These two babies stole the show. As we went down the street people would say, Oh they all look so great, what a great idea for a float. Then they'd see the babies...it was all over from there. The gushing just didn't stop. Yes, they really were just that cute! 

These two are so fun together. They get excited to see each other! They kind of grab for each other's faces and steal toys from one another and tonight when Adele would lean over in the wagon to pick something up, Contessa would steal her hat off her head. So cute. 

And yes, someday they are all going to want to murder us for doing this to them! 

And that, is half the fun! 

Sleepy

Are you even kidding me with this ADORABLE Sleepy?!? Try to tell me there is something cuter, come on, try! 

She totally looks like a real dwarf in this picture. Love it. 

I still cant believe she never messed with the beard or hat! 

Bashful

Bashful was, well bashful. Alexa is not really one for crowds, people staring at her, or the unknown. So this was not really her cup of tea. But she was very cute and once the parade started she needed a new name...Future Homecoming Queen. Suddenly she turned it on as we walked down the street. She was waving at everyone and saying 'hi'. VERY cute. 

Grumpy

This smiley boy CHOSE to be Grumpy. 

He thought this was a 'grumpy' look. He never really looked grumpy, more fiesty and crazy!

Sneezy

Sneezy REALLY wanted to be Snow White and had some trouble understanding what we were really doing. Of course in her mind, "Why would you be a dwarf when you could be the princess?"

Happy

Doc

 

Kiddie Parade

So one of our favorite parts of Felix Grundy Days is always the Kiddie Parade which kind of kicks things off on Friday night. It starts right at our house and only goes for 3 blocks but the kids LOVE it. Grandma Cindy normally comes up with something really clever for the kids and they all get into it. 

This year was EXTRA special because Grandma Cindy was selected as the Grand Marshall - celebrating her 34 years of being a kindergarten teacher and retiring this year. 

We needed something really special to go along with Grandma being the Grand Marshall...so Jordan said, Well there are 7 grandkids, they can be the seven dwarfs. 

Cindy ran with it and we had our cutest appearance to date! I wish I could remember all the comments that people made, the kids were definetly a hit! 

This was the sign that Lauren carried. 

Lining up before the parade...

Grandma Cindy!!! 

And we were off...

That rope worked like a charm keeping them in line, and they actually kept their beards and HOT hats on, even Contessa!

What fun! 

More Medical Updates

Dont I have the most exciting posts...ha. Sorry, I just dont want to forget going through some of this, although I'm not really sure why...

SULLY

a. Sully and I went to his sweat test today. 

This test is actually looking for Cystic Fibrosis. When I was told that I about freaked. WHY!??!?!?! Well I guess they have to test for this before a pediatric GI specialist will look at him. Unexplained, chronic diareah is ONE symptom of CF, and so they have to test for it before going to the specialist. So ok, no big deal. He has no other symptoms. Im not worried. 

Anyway, the test was a disaster. The tech was totally inept. I'm not normally that cruel but she was. And she didn't leave the patch on long enough so the test was a dud! We were there for 2 hours, for nothing. We have to go back. And this time the patch will have to stay on at least one hour - possibly 1.5. Which means next time we'll be there at least 3 hours. I am not pleased and they better not even attempt to bill me twice for this...ok, I'm done. Sorry, I just dont want to put Sully through that again! 

b.  Beyond that, we go to the pediatric GI in Iowa City on August 20th. 

c.  At the beginning of this week I couldnt take his exzema anymore so I took him to the dr. We started a new regimine of allergy med and he is SO much better! You wouldn't believe his legs could look one way last weekend and this way this weekend. It is GREAT! 

d.  He does not have Celiac's Disease but based on some advice we received, we are trying it for 2 weeks. We are through week 1 and not noticing a difference in the diareaha...so likely we will abandon this at the end of next week. 

TESS:

a.  Tess's appoint with the Urologist in Iowa City was scheduled for Aug. 31. They called yesterday and asked to move it up to next Thursday! I am trying not to freak out and tell myself that its because her situation is worse than we thought...Im just saying we lucked out and are getting in early!

So we'll be in IC:

July 17 - Tess's consultation

Aug. 9 - Lauren's surgery

Aug. 20 - Sully's consultation

And with that fun post we are off to a weekend of fun at Felix Grundy Days! Just wait till you see the kids' costumes for the Kiddie Parade tonight! 

Future Hawkeye

This was the funnest part of our day. 

Lauren loves to do 'pranks', especially on her dad. 

Believe me, these pictures are just going to eat him alive! If you don't know, he bleeds a little bit more cardinal and gold than black and gold! 

There she is...that small purple dot. 

What a natural Hawkeye girl!

 

The fun continued at the mall! 

The whole time we took these pictures she was giggling, it was truly so fun. 

Two Birds, One Stone

You all know how I love lists...and crossing things off of them. 

Today I got to accomplish 2 things...yeah!

Lauren and I traveled to Iowa City this morning for her appointment with the ENT Doctor. That was #1. 

I also got a start on my desire to have Jordan and I each spend more one on one time with the kids. And Lauren and I had a blast. 

First the appointment. That wasn't a blast but it did go well. The doctor we saw was amazing. SO great with kids, and parents.  He examined her ears and did some more tests. He used tuning forks in different spots on her face, head and in her mouth and had her tell him different things about what and how she was hearing. Very interesting to watch. 

They had all this high tech equipment including an ear microscope connected to a camera and then projected to a screen so I could watch what they were seeing and doing. Pretty cool. Although gross. 

He also asked her questions that no one has asked before, like, hey, Lauren, do you have any ringing in your left ear? She answered yes, that its always ringing. What!?!? 

So, the dr. said he was surprised to see how great Lauren's hearing loss was because the hole isn't very large. He said he expected it to be bigger. He said this concerned him that there was perhaps something wrong with the bones in her ear. 

He said the first step is still to patch the hole in the ear drum with a very simple procedure. We will do this on Friday, August 7th. He just said that he cannot promise that in a couple years we wont be back looking into doing something about the bones. He HOPES her hearing gets back up to a level where nothing more is needed, but he cant promise it. There is also quite a lot of scar tissue from all her ear infections as a toddler. There is nothing that can be done about that and it is likely contributing to the hearing loss. 

The other procedure that would work on the bones involves an incision behind her ear that sounded way too much like the movie Face Off for me to even listen to. I am praying that we never have to consider that.

Unfortunately the dr. also said that Lauren's hearing loss in that left ear is not mild, it is significant and well, just bad for her. He said he cannot promise that she wont need an assistive device in that ear at some point if these other measures don't work...

So tonight I am praying that this simple patching of the ear drum will be all that is needed. That when we go back in September for a recheck, her hearing will be MUCH improved. Really I feel very calm about this. I am trusting that the hearing will come back up. 

Lauren says she is fine with having surgery again. She said she wants to hear right when school starts. She just doesn't want any stitches. (Which she will have...they take some cartilage from her outer ear to fill the hole...and so she'll have stitches...but hopefully she wont be able to see them.) 

And then Lauren and I went to lunch...just us. And we did a little shopping. I love this kid and she is so grown-up. I need to hold on especially tight right now because before long she is not going to have any 'little' left in her. 

 

She even got to ride the carousel, and I bet she thanked me 19 times. at least. 

Pictures

My kids were not cooperative for my Patriotic photo shoot. I think it had something to do with the huge jump pit in the yard. 

Well, that, and the sugar. 

This was the best I got...

And how do the girls look so old when just last year they looked like this?

 

These two cooperated much better for the picture! 

And here were the friends at Avery's first friend party...she was SO excited. 

Lainy, Jasmine, Avery, Ella and Connor - 

What poor Avery doesn't realize is that all these cuties will be leaving her behind and heading to Kindergarten next year while she has another year of preschool and mom...