Second Week Smooth Sailing

At least thats what I am hoping for. It will be the the second full week of school for the kids, and last week it finally felt like we were getting into the swing of things. Good thing because it looks like I might be starting a new job this week if all goes well.

Philip has settled into school and now runs to the door each time I drop him off instead of clinging to my shirt. It didn't go so smoothly for him at our first Awana club of the year, but that he can take his time settling into. I won't push it too hard. I am glad to see that his confidence is growing and he is finding his way around in the big school. He goes through the lunch line on his own now, it may sound like a little thing, but believe me it's a big milestone. He rides the big, very full, bus home with Sadie, and doesn't even insist on sitting next to her. He has made some friends and seems very happy to be a big kindergarten boy.

Addie and Carter started their very busy schedule of all day school. They attend CTS in the morning with Teacher Kathy who they just love. In the afternoon they catch the bus and head to Sunnyland for the special needs preschool with Teacher Su who is amazing. There are 12 other kids in their morning class and 9 others in their afternoon class. That is 21 new kids for them to get know, and considering how long it takes both of them to warm up to other kids, I think they are doing great. However, it has become more apparent to me and the teachers as to why they are still enrolled in the special needs preschool. Sometimes it feels like they have caught up with other kids and outgrown all their quirks, symptoms and sensory issues, and other times they are so very visable. The past week would be the later. Addie has had no impulse control whatsoever. There have been messes, tantrums and dangerous decisions galore. Carter has been much more timid and fearful, as well as a little obsessive, compulsive and anxious.

Sadie is harder to read. I think she likes her teacher, I know she is glad to be back in class with her friends, but beyond that it's a toss up. She had an embarassing situation happen and that put her in a bit of a slump. Then she had somehow missed the homework papers for the week that the teacher handed out, so this weekend she got to pull a catch up session before going to play. She had a good attitude about it, but she seems a little down and I don't know if itis just start of school stress or something more serious. The teacher told me she has a focusing problem, that she frequently misses the directions and instructions and often looks like she is daydreaming. Nothing I didn't already know, but just confirms that it's time to talk to the doctors about it again.

Anyway all in all it is a great start to the year, but a little tiring adjusting to the new schedule. Transitions are not an easy process for any of my kids, but then again are they for anyone?

Ready, Set, Dunk

He Didn't want to do it. He was scared.

But, she is so cool, and so pretty.

How can he say no?

Got to be brave to win the girl.

So He Was!

Anything for Love!

Fun in the Sun!

It has been so nice and sunny this week that we decided to spend not one but two days at Bloedel. I had a great time swimming with the kids, building sandcastles, having a picnic, and just plain enjoying being a mom. My kids were so great all day long. They played nicely with their friends, the didn't squabble (much) and there were no injuries. Just Fun, Fun, Fun, and lots of sun!

Same Day Therapy

This summer we were able to get the kids all to therapy at Susan's on the same day. Thanks to Tina, the new therapist there who works on Fridays.

Our therapists are so nice they decided to work the scedule out so we only have to drive to Lynden once a week. Yeah for saving on gas!

While Sadie is not in school they are allowing her to join in, which has been a huge blessing because she had felt a little left out. It's also really good for all of them because the dynamics change when you add an older sibling into the mix. I love the communication strategies the therapists come up with.

This first session of everyone in the same time slot was a little hectic... the kids were having a ball... so it was loud. Then we moved outside and it was a little more organized, and the kids didn't feel the need to be quite so loud.

I am just so incredibly thankful for the therapy they recieve and the talents the therapists have. I can't say enough good things about these sweet, caring, and patient woman. Especially having therapy on Fridays when it has already been a long week and everyone is tired. But these great ladies just never seem to run out of patience and always are full of great ideas and new insight to the workings of my children's minds. I don't know how I'd get along without them.

It's Cool Dude!

Another fun day at the splash park in Fairhaven yesterday. It was a pretty exciting day this time. A little girl snuggled against her mom sitting right behind us had seizure. A friend who was with them called the paramedics and her husband who was a doctor. I helped calm her down since I had seen seizures like hers before when Carter used to have them. At the same time a reporter just happened to show up from the herald. After the paramedics arrived he came and asked me what happened. I didn't know much and wanted to respect their privacy so I just said she had some kind of reaction and looked like she would be ok. He was more interested in getting pictures of kids playing in the water anyway. He took lots of pictures of the boys since many of the kids who were there were from a daycare and he didn't have parent permission. So they boys had a cute pic of them in the paper today with a quote from Philip saying It's Cool Dude! referring to the spash park.

Getting Mom

Philip didn't just throw the ball back and forth with Daddy. No he had to secretly plot and plan how he could end up "accidently" hitting Mommy in the head with the ball. How could I get mad when he looked so cute doing it?

Super Philip

This is my little super hero, Philip, who just turned four.

Philip is all boy. He loves super heros, trains, trucks and tools. He loves to take things apart and figure out how they work. Usually he can figure it out, and if not you would never know it by the detailed description he will give you of all the inner workings. Philip has been fascinated by tools since he could crawl. He loves to be his Grandpa's little helper whenever he has a project going on at his house. Lately Philip has been talking about his plans to make a clubhouse. He tells us all the things he will need to build it, plywood, some "regular" wood, nails and screws, two by fours and lots of tools. So daddy got him some real kid sized tools for his birthday, and he got nails in his Christmas stocking. They were as big a hit as the toys.

The many faces of Philip. I'm not sure I can acurately portray in words just how wonderful his many faces are. He has the most expressive eyes and can make the perfect pouty little mouth. When he smiles his eyes just light up and he has a big dimple on his cheek that just makes you want to kiss him. Even when he is mad he looks cute, he can wrinkle his forehead and purse his lips so tight he looks like a grumpy old man. Philip frequently has a very serious look on his face, like he is pondering the ways of the world. But whatever his mood Philip is so intense and yet still so adorable he can make me smile no matter how frustrated I might be.

Philip is a devoted brother who admires his big sister, and shows a good amount of patience towards his younger brother and sister. Whether they are all playing in the sandbox together, building with the train tracks or playing make believe, they all do a pretty good job of playing together cooperatively. Philip makes a great leader (when the others will listen) always coming up with the most creative ideas for super hero gadgets or forts to build and kinds of play food to make. I am constantly in awe of the way his mind works. He is so clever and completely unique.

Despite all of his seriousness, the boy has a great sense of humor. He has clever come backs, and can rattle off one liners from any of his favorite movies or cartoons. His knock knock jokes lack a punch line, but his delivery is so enthusiastic I end up laughing anyway. But it is his infectious giggle that gets me in stitches every time.

Philip is also one of the loviest boys in the world. He loves to snuggle and cuddle. He will smother you in kisses until you want to scream, but who can bear to push away a sweetheart with a dimple and love to share? He always remembers to say I love you mommy before he goes to bed, and when he wakes up in the morning, and whenever he says goodbye, or hello, or if he walks past you in the house, or if he sees you around the corner, or if..... yep he is my lovey little boy, and I wouldn't change him for the world.

I can't believe God has blessed me with such a wonderful son. He is smart and sweet, funny and caring all rolled up into the most adorable brown-eyed, dimple-faced little charmer.

Before I had this little man I wasn't sure how I would be as the mom of a boy. I didn't get the noises boys made and had no interest in mud pies or super heroes. But he has taught me so much, the love of locamotives and all machinery, the powers of each superhero and the importance of believing in them, and most importantly that it isn't our differences, but our similarities that matter.

I thank God for the gift of Philip, my son, my superhero, my boy. He is a treasure and a blessing. I pray God will continue to mold him and shape him into a man of integrity with a love for God and all that is good. I pray he will learn to use his talents and gifts to make the world a better place. I pray he will share his love with others and be a light of Christ's love to all that he meets. I pray God will continue to teach me how to be the best mom I can be, especially to my boys who constantly surprise me.