Been too long

Since I posted. Some quick updates:

Ian is home with me today. He has strep and I am enjoying it. I dont have meetings today. He came with me to have my blood drawn and now I am working while he watches a movie with me on the couch. It is just so perfect that I keep holding back from telling him we will have to have a play hooky day once a month.

Daron scored three goals in soccer yesterday. Supposedly all the kids were hugging and cheering him on. I wasnt there:( Ian scored a goal yesterday too. Was a good day for the end of the soccer season.

Rory is a spitfire. She is all personality. She makes us laugh every day yet she snuggles. Sometimes she gives the teachers a hard time - when she wants something or doesnt want something - that's all there is to it. She went to the dentist yesterday too- wasnt having it but once she was out of the purple chair she was all cool and cocky.

Recently Daron did something I was not happy with. When I asked why he told me "My brain made me do it."

My Brain Made Me Do It

When Daron does something we get upset about or doesnt do something we ask him to do, he tells me that it wasn't him... his brain made him do it.

According to Daron, ear wax doesnt taste so good...

Apparently it seems he learned that gum is made of bee's wax and thought he'd see what his own wax tastes like. Yuck!

Rory takes her pigs everywhere she goes. She has a small one now.

Ian's coach calls him Road Runner cause hes so speedy. He;s doing ok with school. We've been talking about the power of positive thinking:)

Language Explosion and a Purple Pig

Rory has suddenly become quite conversational. Yes, she always talked alot but Mike and I just agreed she is putting together sentances in a whole new way and we can really have a conversation. So funny.

Grandma and pappa came back from Hilton Head with a purple piggly wiggly shirt. Need I say more? She wore it all day, then that night - oh and the next day. A few temper tantrums later we got it in the laundry.

Ian is a bum- he is a great lazy guy. Between camp and school I simply love hanging out with him at home. He is so pleasant, happy to do whatever I put on the schedule.

Daron gets a bit more than bored but I love having them home. Today the boys and I went out to lunch for sushi. Daron ate a huge fish stick and fries (otherwise known as fish and chips) and Ian loved tamenagi maki and more.

Really nice to have a date with my boys.

Splinter

Rory calls Ian and Daron lots of things including
"My boys"
"Ibidibi"
"Ian and Deean"


The other day Ian had a teeny tiny splinter that had him sweating screaming and in true panic as I tweezed it out of his foot. He then hopped on one foot, wouldnt fall asleep and was convinced he couldnt walk for the next 24 hours. I love him - this made me laugh but it was very real in his mind. I promised him that I would always be honest with him and tell him if something was serious or not since he is going to panic one way or another.

Did i mention Daron is toothless? Someone said with his orange hair and scattered mouth that he looks like a jack-o-lantern.

I went to visit Ellie in the ICU this week. Very difficult to leave the family. Even tougher to be there with her - some images wont leave my mind forever I guess. But glad I went. Was somehow good to see her even struggling to mouth words to us through swollen lips.

Rory sings in the morning, sings on the toilet, sings to garbage cans. The boys find her funny.

Ian reads a ton, i just ordered Never Ending story for him. So so fortunate to be so blessed and to enjoy my children so much.

Daron tonight

Mommy can I have gum because usually I always chew the couch when I am near it – I don’t even realize

"No, I'm just happy"

Daron was dancing around the other night in the boys room and I asked "Do you need to make doody Daron" - he looked up at me and said "No, I'm just happy."

In another Daron moment - we were talking about food - about who ate what. I must have been relaying the fact that Rory had eaten this and that and the other thing. Matter of fact D said "That's why she's so fat" - good thing she's not a teen!

Ian seems to be really ejoying camp. Daron - not sure. he told me today that earlier in the summer the boys threw crackers at him. Seems he may be being picked on. the other boys are largely YNJ boys and a rough and tumble crowd. Poor D.

Ian's eigth birthday party was really cool. Cyberrobotics- they made robots, programmed them and then fought with them. Very cool. But thank you Hashem for gentle, kind hearted boys. Wow - a room of 8 year old boys is scary. Rory spent the first 1/2 hour saying "no like the boys, they too loud!"

Another?

Since I keep this record for myself? for our family? I should make mention of the topic that has obsessed me for 2 years and about 6 months. Felt such a strong pull to try to bring another soul into the world for so long. May be waning now? But every minute of every day I feel blessed beyond belief.

Daron is toofless!

Wow - for a while Daron has been telling us that his tooth was loose. It wasn't until late last week that i realized he was serious. I thought he would be saying that for a year or two. But I was wrong!

Now Daron has an adorable, big gap and a toothless grin that keeps me smiling all day just thinking about it.

The toothfairy visited for the first time last night and brought baseball cards.

Actually - the boys are together in a bunk bed now! they had requested to share a room and we tested it for a while on weekends. We had them help us make the decision, weighing the pros and cons and they have been really great about it.

We sold Ian's red race car bed, next up is selling Daron's furniture. The house is an ogoing project but i like somethign about that- there is always something to do next but it is not possible to do it all because of time and money. When we finish one thing the first thing we did is ready for repair. It is a cycle and there is somehow something comforting about that.

Rory has a new word "but" - it is very funny to hear her use contractions. She generally uses them correctly but still cracks me up. "I tired but I going upstairs".

Ian goes on a class trip today and this is Daron last day of PreK. We couldnt be more proud of Ian this year -he did exceptionally well in second grade and is eagerly awaiting summer!

Brave Mommy with a Skunk...

As I was putting Rory to bed last night, Daron came into the room to tell me that I was very brave when everyone went inside and I stayed outside to clean up at Robyn and Josh's house when a skunk came to visit.

It was mother's day. Day started with Ian's baseball game - we all went. I had to leave in the middle to find a bathroom at Starbucks - funny thing was that Rory was fine - she didnt need to go!

We then went to Grannie Annie's house with Dapper Poppoand Eleanor. Then to Omi and Allen to play with Jordyn. Next home briefly to make a salad and then to the Hartmans where Bailey was funny as usual.

A skunk hung out closely in the backyard for a long time. We went inside and i eventually called animal control. Turns out the skunk was blind. But according to Daron, his Mommy was very brave.

My mother's day card from him also said that I look very pretty when I put them to sleep.

Ian made me a great card and a watercolor i taped to my laptop. Daron made me an apron and a great card. Rory a maccaroni frame. Mike got me pajamas and a book about doing nothing!

Oh and I finished unit 1 of my Personal Trainer course. Have to still take the online quiz after finishing 2 more units.

Mother's Day Bravery

We were at Robyn and Josh's for an afternoon BBQ (on the porch of course) when a skunk started hanging around. After a few minute - we went inside.
But I stayed out - not afraid of the cute but old skunk - passing food and supplies into the house for the garbage. The skunk wouldnt bother me if I didnt bother it. Plus- it seemed to be a strange but harmless skunk.

Once we were all inside we continued to watch the skunk as it zig zagged through the backyard. The kids looked for it out front and in back and for a while we werent share whether there were two.

I called animal control - something didnt seem right. It was light out and the skunk seemed to be walking in circles.

After we left, Robyn called to say that animal control had come and the skunk was blind. I asked if they had brought an eye chart - but turns out his eyes were goopy.

Later that night I was putting Rory to sleep when Daron came into her room. He said "What you did today was very brave."

"What I did? With the skunk you mean"

"Yes, everyone else was afraid and went inside and you were clearing the table and all the food."

It was a wonderful moment for me. To feel that my son thinks I am brave. And that I can protect him. That was a very proud and very happy Mother's Day moment.

Midnight Music

This is now the third time. And while it is not funny while it happens, by morning I can't help laugh. Rory wakes up usually around 2 am and sings, top of her lungs - for an hour or two. Will she really be a singer? I wonder - it is just too funny.
Last night - endless serenade of B-I-N-G-O and Bingo was his name.

Sometimes she would say "Start again" or "from the begining" - really it is too funny. Somehow the boys didn't hhear her.

It is peach and the boys have been having an extended sleepover in Ian's room. They love it. I love how close they are.

Today I ask Rory who is her best friend "My brothers" she said. Twice today.

Chess Tournaments

The boys have learned chess. Really learned to play chess. And we have competitive tournaments (where they often beat me before moving on to each other and then Daddy.) The pride I feel when I look into the play room and see the boys playing chess is amazing. Especially when other boys fight with each other so often - I hope that for the rest of their lives these two enjoy challenging each other with respect.

Rory has been dealing with some colds but is as funny as ever. She is totally potty trained besides naps and nights (mostly because I am not ready)

Soem funny things:
When she bumps into something she says “Sorry” automatically.

When she sings Old MacDonald, she sings "Old Mc Honald" and does it often - she sings everything often and loudly- rarely stops speaking!

Heart Broken...

Daron had a rough two days. He gets pretty angry sometimes. I think this was a hard two days - Rory demands a lot of attention and that makes him mad - especially since we give in to her. He was getting frustrated with Ian on a few things and to make matters worse, Ian had a sleepover tonight which makes Daron feel sad. We had some nice Mommy Daron time tonight over the Triops.

But midday when I thought he needed to hear it- I said "Do you know how much I love you D?"

He had a food full of chicken nugget so I thought I heard him wrong when he said "Heart broken" I said "What?" He said it again.
I had him come closer to me and I said what does that mean. He said "love me so much your heart is so big it could break" - or something like that. I couldnt believe it.

So why do you still have them?

Was hanging with D the other day and he stuck his hand down my shirt- just innocently like he sometimes hugs me or pulls my hair. He was surprised to find clevage (I was wearing a sports bra) and jumped back and said "what's that?" Before i could answer he said "Is that where the milk comes from?"
"Yes"
"Do you still make milk"
"No, Dorothy is bigger now"
"So why do you still have those?"

At Woodloch

We are at Woodloch with Grannie Annie and Saba Josh, Kiva and Samara and Zack and Melissa and Jordyn.

Ian asked the best question in the world today. Apparently during Innaguartion of Obama - during which the whole family was moved- Grannie Annie took a moment to hone in on racism of the past etc. Among the things she said was that black people used to have to sit on the back of the bus and white people in the front and Ian looked at her seriously and asked which she was then. People really have to stop teaching and let kids figure some things out on their own.

Daron is having a BIG moment - I bought him the first BOB book series and he has read 4 of the books and the pride is oozing out of his ears. Now, in a bed next to Ian who is reading, Daron is sounding out words and finishing one book after another. I am just as proud as he is- especially Daron the middle child - the one who doesnt always get as much of our unrequested attention. Thankfully we are blessed with a middle child who knows how to demand attention.

Dorothy and Jordyn are adorable together- somehow really enjoying each other and playing together so cutely. And today, even sleeping in the same room - comfortable and loving the company of a peer for them. There are no words- it is like Ian and Daron and so great for her to have a relative friend.

Feel very blessed to have this trip. We miss Omi and Alan very much. But all things for a reason.

"No, it's a rock"

First time she peed and pooped in the toilet she insisted it was a rock. There was nothing I coudl do to change her mind. But she has now done it twice and I am pretty excited since she seems to hate wearing a diaper these days.

Two year birthday was fantastic - she had three - first mike's family at our house then at her school and then at Grannie Annie house with that fam. She sang herself Happy Birthday hundreds of times, it is her favorite song and just enjoyed it all.

She has to have tubes put back in - that part stinks.

The boys are great.They are lego masters. Both had fantastic report cards (despite the fact that we hear Ian is very shy in class.) We are emensly proud. Very blessed.

Mike just told me that tonight, past bedtime Ian came into our room and told Mike that he really wanted to read another chapter of his book but knows that he can't/ Mike gave him the go ahead for one more and I couldnt be happier that he wants to sneak in more reading.

Daron is a star in school - still we are told he is so mature. And tonight!!! He ate a hotdog!!!!