Ready for {Home}School!

It's been a busy few weeks around here as we've been getting ready to start school!  I was planning on just sticking with our letter of the week activities for a while but over the last month, Matthew's interest in learning to read and beginning math has really taken off.  So I decided to move forward and get him started now!

Our school room was all set up but just needed a few changes - the table was too small for three kids, and thankfully some friends gave us another small table (we already had two).  Now everyone has their own space!

This cube organizer is just so awesome because I can change it around to fit our needs.  Now it is holding our curriculum and all our items for school.  Each cubbie holds a subject, plus a couple for general books.

For curriculum this year we are keeping it pretty basic:

• Handwriting Without Tears (Matthew is doing the Kindergarten Level and Nathan is doing the Pre-K workbook)
• Math-U-See (Matthew is starting with Primer)
• All About Reading (Matthew is doing Level 1 and I will do the Pre-Reading Curriculum with both of the boys to introduce Nathan to letters and sounds)

I am so super excited about what we ended up choosing and feel like it is a really good fit for us (we made a switch from what I initially thought we would be doing this year).

We have started with handwriting and the pre-reading activities this week and so far it's going great.  Next week we will add math and reading for Matthew (I have some preschool workbooks for Nathan during this time).  

So far I love the handwriting - it comes with wood pieces that can make all of the capital letters and the boys just love these!  Nathan was so proud of himself for making an "S" the other day!

It has been a little challenging keeping Hannah happy during this time but for the most part she's doing great.  Usually she wants to be on my lap for calendar time and then as we move on she heads off and does her own thing.  If the boys are at their desks she loves to join in and color or write on a whiteboard.  We are having so much fun and I can't wait to see all that the boys will learn this year!

Family Catch-Up

I can't believe it's been almost six months since this little cutie joined our family!

She couldn't sit up, crawl, stand, walk...she was assessed to be at a 6-9 month old level for her gross motor skills.  Today the physical therapist said with a big smile that Hannah almost doesn't qualify for physical therapy anymore and that she is now at a 21 month old level for gross motor (with some skills over the 24 month level!!).  Way to rock it, little one!

This boy...he is so great.  He's been home over 2 years now and I still see signs of him trusting us more and feeling more and more settled.  I can't blame him for taking his time - four homes in the first 18 months of life is bound to have an effect.  I'm so thankful to know that he really does believe that this is it.  Home forever :)

Oh Matthew, you sure do keep me laughing!  I've never met a kid who is so snuggly!  He loves to eat, has started riding a big boy bike (with training wheels) and just looks so BIG to me these days!  He is starting to read, loves math (just like his mama!), and is pretty much hilarious.  Four is a fabulous age!

We are so blessed that the kids have four wonderful grandparents.  Hannah has come to adore them all and I love seeing her getting to know them more.

She is just so full of joy...except when she's having a temper tantrum of course :)  She's spunky, happy, loving, sweet, opinionated, strong-willed....an absolutely perfect fit for our family.

We don't take family pictures very often, but when we do...I'm amazed all over again at how good the Lord has been to us!

A Trip and A Special Picnic

Our weekend away was a big, exhausting success!

A few weeks ago, we learned that there would be a picnic in Chicago for families who have children with Microtia/Atresia (this is the ear condition that Hannah and Nathan both have).  It was a bit of a drive and we haven't really taken any long trips (especially any overnight ones) since Hannah joined our family, so we decided to wait until next year to attend.  Then last week I got an email from a very prominent surgeon who does ear reconstruction (we have begun to research our options which is why he had our email) saying that he was going to be at the picnic!  We soon realized that several well-known surgeons would be attending and that this would be an amazing opportunity to meet in person with surgeons from all over the country.  We just couldn't pass that up, so we booked a hotel and decided to go! 

Let me just say, I am so thankful that we did!  

The kids had a blast.  They absolutely loved the hotel and we even slept reasonably well, which was shocking.  We did have one little event with Nathan waking up screaming and trying to escape the hotel room (thank goodness it was bolted!) but other than that it was fine :)  Never a dull moment with these three!

The next morning we took our time getting ready and then went to a nearby hotel to meet with Dr. Reinisch, a surgeon from California who only does ear reconstruction.  He has been doing this for a long time and had lots of valuable information to pass along to us (including some info about Nathan's speech that we didn't realize - more on that another time).  We were very grateful to be able to meet with him and to get some of our questions answered.

Next it was off to the picnic!  It was great to meet with other families on the same journey as us, trying to make difficult decisions for their children about reconstruction.  There are many opinions about this and to be honest it is a very hard decision for a lot of reasons.  The more we pray and seek opinions and learn and discuss it the more we are leaning towards a type of ear reconstruction called Medpor.  We are looking at 6-8 surgeries all together for the two kids and that is overwhelming, but we feel more and more confident that we are choosing what is best for our family.

The picnic was fun but tiring - trying to talk with people and keep track of these busy little ones was a difficult job!

The best moment of the day was when Hannah got to hear for the first time using a bone anchored hearing aid!  This is the type of hearing aid she will wear (it has been ordered but has not come in yet) and it was absolutely amazing to see the way she froze, her eyes got huge, and she just stayed still listening to my voice!  I couldn't stop telling her that I love her!  It was a very special moment I will always remember.

We met with another doctor named Dr. Lewin who also works in California and does Medpor ear reconstruction.  We loved talking with her and are looking forward to getting more information about the financial side of things.  It's such a huge thing and we continue to seek the Lord for guidance and direction every step of the way.

Little Changes Making a Big Difference

With three little ones (or with any little ones, really), keeping the house any level of clean is a challenge.  I hear a lot of times to not worry about it, that I should just spend time with my kids as they grow up so quickly, that I have a good reason to have a messy house, etc.  

But over the last few years, my attitude about our home and keeping it clean has changed so much.  I used to loathe housework.  I mean, truly hated it.  And mostly didn't do it.  When I did do it, I resented it.  Somewhere along the way though, my perspective changed.  I began to see the value and blessing of having a clean home.  I could tell that when the home was clean (not spotless, don't get me wrong) there was more of a sense of peace and rest in our family.  I realized it was nice, I enjoyed it.

But as more and more little mess-makers arrived, I found it hard to keep up.  I had just found my groove of keeping it clean with one child, and then Nathan (and mono!) arrived.  It took me a lot longer to find my groove with two kids, but I found it...right before Hannah arrived!  We are now five months in and I feel like I can finally relax and say, "Ah, things feel (a little bit) under control!"

A friend recently gave me some tips that have helped me immensely in staying on top of housework, so I thought I'd share them in case it is helpful for anyone else.  Please hear me saying this loud and clear: there is NO WAY I actually do everything on this list every day.  At all.  But it has given me a good starting point and I'm making good progress in the right direction and cutting myself slack for the rest :) 

Having a list of daily chores that I work through at certain times of the day has changed things so much for me.  Before, there were always dishes to do, laundry was piling up, I felt like I followed around behind the kids all day cleaning up (and making them clean up!) and I found it stressful.  I was always cleaning but the house was never clean!  Please don't think I expect my house to be spotless with three little kids learning, playing, exploring and creating every day.  But I don't want chaos, and I want to not clean all the time.

My solution:

In the morning, I work on cleaning for less than an hour (it would be much less without my three little helpers!).  I hate putting away laundry, hate it, but when I didn't just fold it and when it's just one basket I don't mind it too much (Nathan helps with the kids clothes). I empty the dishwasher (Matthew's job is to unload the silverware) and load it throughout the day.  I also do one of my weekly chores (clean the bathroom, vacuum, etc) at this time.  And I start a load of laundry.

The best part - then I'm free for the day from thinking about cleaning!  I play with my kids, run errands, go for walks...whatever!  And I don't give cleaning another thought (except to put laundry in the dryer in the afternoon).

As soon as the kids are in bed, I sit down in front of the tv to decompress and I fold one load of laundry.  That's it - done with laundry for the day and it sits waiting to be put away in the morning.  We try to clean up the kitchen right after dinner (often Brad does this while I give the kids a bath) so I usually just have to clean the counters and sweep and it's good!

We do several small clean-ups throughout the day (me and the kids) before lunch, before dinner, and before bed, or if we go out so that the dog doesn't chew up any toys.  This helps me too because I don't worry if there are toys everywhere, I know they'll be picked up later on and it won't take long.

I love when the kids are in bed and the house is cleaned up and I can just sit with Brad and chat or watch tv or do whatever I want without that feeling of "I should be doing something,,,,"

I'm so thankful for our little house and I am grateful to God for blessing us with such a lovely home.  I enjoy taking care of it and trying to make it a place that feels peaceful and calm and cosy.  I'm thankful to have found what works for our family!

We'll Try Again Tomorrow

It was a long day around here.  It started out rough, with Nathan waking up very early.  I struggle with him when he wakes up super early because he finds it very difficult to stay in his room and play quietly (our rule is they can't come out until 7am) and without his hearing aids in, he has to speak loudly and I have to speak loudly to him.  When I speak loudly to him, I find my anger boiling to the surface.  I am quickly frustrated and things just go downhill from there.  Lets just say it was a morning that started off badly and it was hard to recover.  Big Mommy fail.

Some days I feel a little jealous of the freedoms that come with being a little kid.  The freedom to lie down and sleep wherever and whenever you feel like it.

I mean, can you imagine?!?  Just taking a nap when you're tired?!?  Oh yes, I remember those days well, but they feel so far away.  I smiled when I came upon this little one who fell asleep waiting for me to clean up the kitchen after lunch today.  So sweet!

Being tired is not an excuse for being unkind or short-tempered.  I know that, I believe that, but some days I just struggle to live it out.  Still, tomorrow is a new day and I am looking forward to it starting out much better than today did!

Summer Fun {At the Cottage}

We are very blessed that my parents have a cottage on a lake about 20 minutes from our house.  This is great because it means that we get to see them lots, and we also have a fun place for little getaways. Last year we tried canoeing and taking the boys out in a boat, and they loved it!  We couldn't wait to try again this summer.

Both boys were very excited to go on a little canoe trip with Brad and my Dad.  They looked so cute in their little life jackets!

Can you tell Nathan was a little nervous?  He was super quiet and sat so still during the ride (quite un-Nathan like, let me tell you!).  He wasn't too sure about it this year but I think after a few more trips he will love it.

And of course, anything that big brothers are doing a certain Little Miss has to do as well!  Brad, my Dad and I took her out for a little trip after the boys came back and she absolutely loved it!  Every time my Dad turned around to look at her she just beamed at him with the biggest smile ever.  It was such a fun day!