January 2017

Happy New Year!!  January meant back to school on the 5th for Kalum and Samara.  They really enjoyed their time off and having more "stay at home days" as they call them, but back to reality!  I coordinated with Jeff's parents for an overnight stay for the kiddos at their house and surprised Jeff with a dinner and stay downtown for his 35th Birthday!  The kids weren't even in the loop until the last second, as their suitcases and sleeping bags were hidden in the back of the van.  I had snuck our suitcase into the car on the way out the door.  As my going away gift last year, Omaha NARI had given me a gift card for dinner and a hotel stay, so I decided to finally cash it in.  We ate at Sullivan's Steakhouse and stayed at the Hyatt.  In the morning we fit in the Star Wars Rogue One movie, too. We finished off the mini staycation with Jeff's parents for lunch and brought the kids back home after cake at their house.  It was some much needed time together and re-charging time for Jeff, as he's been going non-stop!

We didn't get to have our Winter Birthday celebration at Mom and Dad's in full fashion, as an impending ice storm was threatening.  Instead on the 15th we just had at our house a quick soup lunch with cake and a few gifts, then everyone headed home.  We opted for safety sake, to have a delayed gathering with Grandma and Poppy when the winter weather cleared.  And the roads did get icy, as promised!  Jeff was unsure at first on Monday morning about heading to work, but after calling in it sounded like everyone made it with no issues, so off he went (admittedly slightly reluctantly, as he had mentally planned for working from home).  Samara had Monday off of school and then both kids were off Tuesday and they welcomed the extra play time!  

Memphis update would be - inspections were passed by mid-month and it was just a matter of wrapping up all the final punch-list and cleaning items!  We had two weekends that were packed with final things, including one Saturday where the kids went to Derbys for the afternoon and one where I brought the kids out for an indoor picnic lunch with Daddy then put them to work vacuuming and tidying.  :)  Our final night there was Monday 1/23 where we did the final clean and took photos.  Since we signed the contract with the buyers, we just had to sign payoff papers on 24th and then they closed on the 26th.  They sent us a really nice message about feeling like they were meant to live there and being so pleased with all of the hard work that went into the renovation.  There was a slight blip on the easy transition when the day of closing the new homeowners couldn't get the heater to work.  Jeff made a quick, frantic trip out there to make sure there wasn't a major problem.  It turns out the propane tank was empty, so some space heaters were placed and the propane was filled the next day (goodbye $1000) - but still, whew!  In the end, another DRG home to an appreciative homeowner!

We have had a healthy winter thus far (which says a lot considering we have kids collecting germs in three different places - Kindergarten, Preschool. MOPS childcare and Sunday School).  But, we did finally get one stomach bug in the house - Wesson first, then Kalum, then Samara, Mommy and Daddy had stomach issues soon after as well.  It was short lived at least and all bounced back quickly!  

I started a six week Foundations of Parenting class at church at the end of January.  I'm really excited after just one class about the topics that will be covered and the perspective on parenting that will be taught.  It is Tuesday mornings during Kalum's preschool and had childcare, so it is a great fit in our schedule.  I'm hopeful to have some practical concepts that we can bring into our home and apply in parenting our kids.  It will take discipline on our parts upfront, but the payoff so rewarding as they grow up and mature.

Samara's Moments for the Month:

• Was not really thrilled to go back to school after break.  She enjoyed the more relaxed mornings and just having extra time to play at home.
• She has a front tooth that is super loose, but she really wants it to fall out at school.  They give you a plastic treasure chest to put the tooth into until you get home, and she really wants that to happen!  (Truth be told, I remember other kids getting a plastic treasure box to hold their newly pulled tooth, and I wanted one.  I never had a tooth fall out at school...sigh)

Kalum's Moments for the Month:

• He has been having trouble with his listening ears for mommy.  He seems to be doing well at school and Sunday school and he knows all the stories from the morning, so we know his ears work!  But, getting him out the door or doing as I say is sometimes ridiculous.
• He can take off his long-sleeve shirts himself!  Not sure when he got that figured out, but just realized he hasn't been asking me to do it when getting ready for bed anymore.
• One night getting ready for bed I said something about hoping Wesson would sleep all night since he'd been not feeling well.  Kalum says, "You should get pampers so he'll sleep sound all night."  Oh, who says that?, I ask.  "That's what they said on the TV."  Lol - Thank you pampers commercials on PBS for making my four year old all-knowing on babies sleeping all night!

Wesson's Moments for the Month:

• Beginning of month, says cracker rather than "dardar" now, shakes head yes or no aggressively and tries to repeat parts of Old McDonald song.
• He smacked mouth on edge of living room end table.  He bled a ton and cried a lot.  Holding ice on it was not working, as he wanted nothing to do with that.  Eventually stopped bleeding with a pop-ice popsicle just to confirm there was no need to head to the ER at 8pm with 3 kids in their jammies.  Whew!  He might get a nasty bruise and swollen lip from it.  Samara was a mess too during the whole ordeal because she was closest when it happened, so thought it was all her fault.  So, I have a writhing, bloody-mouthed baby and sobbing hysterical six-year-old while Kalum is in the living room putting stickers on a new game while I specifically told him to wait until I could help.  Ack!  Of course this stuff always happens when Daddy isn't home...
• He will wave but actually said "bye bye" when Jeff left.  He still won't say mama.  He loves his Daddy!  He gets a huge smile and goes running towards the door when I say he's home (or he hears the garage), saying "Dada!  Dada!" excitedly.
• Mid-month when it's bed or nap time he says his of the word "caterpillar" and gets the book out of the basket, then sits down on your lap to have it read.  He knows the order of the book and giggles at the same points each time.
• Figured out how to eat one cereal at a time out of his snack cup. Previous to this, he would hold the flaps covering the top back and shake out as much cereal as possible.  I much prefer this new method!
• Can hold a banana in the peel and eat it by himself.  Just needs help pulling down the peel sometimes.
• By the end of the month, he has added the O to E-I-E-I-O in Old McDonald.  It is very pronounced and super cute!  He also started doing this fake haha laugh with squinty eyes when he knows something should be funny or it others laugh at something.

Link to Photos for January is below - enjoy (lots of Memphis house pics since it was the last month in our possession!)

January Photos

December 2016

Well if November was full, you know how December looked!  Programs-Samara had an afternoon event to build a gingerbread house and each class got to sing a Christmas song for the parents attending.  Kalum got to sing at his program with his classmates and family had cookies after.  We attended a Tis the Season event at church with family Christmas games, singing and treats.  The kids and Jeff also got to make a wooden manger to bring home.  That room was as loud as you'd imagine, packed with dads hammering and kids excitedly "helping".  We had one Christmas party to attend this year, NIFCO, in Lincoln.  It was a nice evening with good food, a hypnotist for entertainment (neither Jeff nor I were part of the show!) and a chance to meet the new company ownership as we ended up at a table with them.  We were able to celebrate with both of our families for a full day, which was so nice.  Christmas Eve-Eve we attended our church with the kids and Courtney, Nick and Noah were there as well before heading to Iowa the next day.  Christmas Eve we had both of our parents over for a soup dinner and just stayed at home.  Christmas morning we were up to stocking gifts at our house, then out to Pennells for muffins and cinnamon rolls before opening stockings and other gifts.  We had the usual Czech meal of pork roast, sauerkraut and dumplings and the kids are coming around to all but the kraut!  It wasn't a white Christmas (my kids wore T-shirts) but that made all things travel easier for sure.  We celebrated with Derbys the day after Christmas since that was when all the family would be in town and available.  So, another day of good food, family and no one going home empty handed.  We are so thankful to have family that all get along and everyone can enjoy each other's company!  New Year's Eve was another Christmas celebration with Pennell extended family!  Then once kids were to bed, we relaxed at home and we didn't even make it to midnight.  Not that some neighbors fireworks didn't remind us it was time to celebrate then...

Memphis update - Jeff's goal was DONE by Christmas, but there are just always more things to do! We had a couple who was interested in the house from the beginning that approached us and wanted to make a contract through their realtor to sell the house to them after completion for full asking price.  So, we completed that initial paperwork to close on January 26th!  Now it's four weeks to get it move-in-ready.

Samara's Moments for the Month:

• Dec 5th - first sick day from school (made it to December, not bad, considering all the germs going around out there).  She had a phlegmy cough, sore back and just didn't feel well.  I called her in sick in case it turned into more, but after resting up, she was better, just a cough at nighttime.
• Very questioning of all things magic about Christmas.  Yet, if Kalum asks a question, she answers very matter of factly, as in, of course this is how it is.  She is such a realist about so many things, but enjoys they mystery and magic for sure, too.
• She learned to dribble a basketball in PE class.  Said she loved PE today when she got in the car, "we bounced basketballs and I was so good at it!"  I told her that if she is going to be tall, basketball skills could be a good thing.
• Dec 17th - 4th tooth out - once again at bedtime and she decided she was going to yank it out!  When she got it out she was crying because there was blood on the tooth.  It wasn't the sight of blood that upset her, but that her tooth was dirty.  Once I washed it off (being so careful not to drop the tiny thing down the drain), she was thrilled and prepared for the tooth fairy to come.  Two quarters there in the morning and two holes on her bottom row of teeth now.

Kalum's Moments for the Month:

• Had his first overnight vomiting experience at 2AM.  Yuck!  He was okay the next day, just a little lackluster and he didn't want mandarin oranges or egg noodles for a while after that - can't blame him!  
• We had a little shepherd that came to visit for the month of December.  Much like the Elf on the Shelf that you hear about, but this Shepherd teaches them to see the true meaning of Christmas a little bit each day.  On December 1st when he arrived, I asked what we should name him.  Kalum immediately said, "Samuel!"  And miraculously Samara agreed!  They were both so excited to see where he moved to and what message he had each morning. Kalum hoped each day that Samuel would bring treats for them like he did the one day about the story of the candy cane.)
• One day he was having issues with his "listening ears".  I suggested maybe he go upstairs and rest because his listening ears weren't on.  He said that he didn't need to do that, he always  wears them, he just turns them on after he goes to sleep. Ha!
• He had gone upstairs when we got home from a dinner out.  It was very quiet so I called up to ask if he was ok.  He said "I went up to go potty, but something happened."  Sigh... He apparently held it way too long and he peed a literal lake on the bathroom floor in front of the toilet.  After I stripped him down and lugged him by the armpits to the shower , I asked why he didn't just open the lid and pee in rather than just standing there?  Sobbing he said, "I can't because I'm not a big man!!"
• He called Frosted Mini Wheats cereal, "Minion Wheats".  I don't even correct him, it's just too cute!
• Had his first preschool Christmas program and sang the songs with actions-well, intermittently on those.  He was visibly annoyed by a girl behind him singing really loudly (ok, yelling the songs out!).  He even turned around and shushed her once mid-song.  LOL!  We went round and round about what he was going to wear from the clothes he had in his closet.  He decided on a red sweater with a moose on it over the button-up shirt I had selected.  Layering-he learned a new fashion concept tonight and was so proud of himself.What a handsome little guy!
• I helped the two bigger kids make an ornament for the other.  Kalum was so proud to choose the design, help press and wrap the gift for his sister.  He wanted her to open it the second she got home from school.  I talked him (numerous times) into waiting until Christmas Eve.  Samara also wanted Kalum to open hers after she got to stay up late helping me make it while the boys were in bed.

Wesson's Milestones/Moments for the Month:

• Started nodding yes.  He really puts his whole body into it! So cute.
• Started turning and going downstairs on his tummy. I actually prefer this method as he doesn't look like he's going to tip over and tumble.  Plus he's very quick on his tummy and he knows it!
• Due to major diaper rash issues, I started setting him on the kid potty before bath, etc. just to see if he'd show even a glimmer of hope for early potty training (no, I'm not trying to potty train a 14 month old, just testing the waters a bit).  He actually went #2 - maybe just purposefully well-timed, but he enjoyed a sucker nonetheless.  Within the same week he went pee on the kid potty twice as well.  He looked down and then looked at me in disbelief,  Pretty sure my face looked the same.  I praised a lot, but we're not holding our breath, but maybe a sign that potty training will go well when it's time?!
• He will sit at the kitchen table with his booster seat strapped in.  No longer wants the tray attached (that's for babies, you know) so he can have his plate on the table like the big kids.  Growing up so fast!
• He silently wandered away after the Christmas Eve Eve service, despite all of us there!  He was GONE and panic had set in before I happened to see a man bending down to talk to a toddler in a red shirt, and kind of looking around, like who do you belong to?  He went all the way around the hallway into the Sunday school area where they have colored floor tiles-must have been enticing.  He wasn't worried in the least when I arrived, but we had been scouring the atrium to every entrance and I'd even gone into the nursery asking them to use the walkie-talkie that he was missing.  That gets SO scary SO fast!  We now are even more aware that a quiet Wesson is a mischievous (or wandering) one!

So, December is over - Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!  2017 here we come!

Here's the photos from December, click the link below to view them.  Once the page of pictures opens, click on one of them and you can see them as a manual slideshow with comments at the right.

December photos

November 2016

Looking back at the calendar for this month, it has something written on nearly every day - kindergarten reminders, preschool events, dr's appointments, MOPS events, Sunday school, dance class, Husker games (not that we actually got to see them all), and Thanksgiving celebrations!  I didn't record all of Jeff's daily tasks out in Memphis, but in an effort to get the house done prior to Christmas (the revised goal) he has been spending plenty of time there.  It is coming along for sure and at the point of starting to make final punch lists, but realizing there is still a lot to get done.  We were able to celebrate Thanksgiving with both families again this year - Pennell's on Thursday and with Derby's on Saturday (along with our nephew Caleb's baptism, niece Elizabeth's 1st birthday lunch and lasagna dinner - a FULL day!)  Take a look at the moments and pictures below to see everything we packed into this month.  Happy Thanksgiving!  So many blessings for which to be thankful!

Samara's Moments for the Month:

• She said she did the monkey bars ten times at recess.  She was so excited that she mastered them that she told me right when she got off the bus.
• She can read Happy Halloween Mittens on her own and she is so proud.  Tells everyone she can read a whole book by herself.  She could read more than that book and does really well sounding things out.  Yay phonics!  She loves to write as well and you can figure out what she's written if you think very phonetically.  She still likes school, has friends, enjoys many parts of school-specials, writers workshop, letter show and tell, says she doesn't like math as much (hmm...can memorize spelling words but math's not her favorite, taking after mom maybe?)
• She gets super goofy to get a laugh out of people she's comfortable with.  I've seen it at dance class, with playmates, siblings.  Please say not the class clown, totally cannot relate! ;)
• Nov 19th - yanked out her 3rd very loose tooth before bed!  She was determined to get it out before going to sleep, even if bedtime was way past.

Kalum's Moments for the Month:

• Four year checkup - 41 lbs (85%), 42.25" (88%)  He is healthy, developmentally on target and was rewarded with FOUR shots!  Poor kid, I held his arms and upper body while two nurses each took a leg.  He was yelling and crying, "They're poking me! Stop poking me!" SO sad for Mom and Kalum!  He got a sucker and they had a blue dinosaur in the toy box on the way out, so he kind of moved on.  Kalum was pretty subdued the day of the shots, but by the next day, back to normal
• Then started complaining of a sore throat and canker sores in his mouth.  Upon peering in his mouth the next morning, I opted for taking him to the doctor in case of strep or something else that would have medicine to help.  It was a virus, so no meds, just ride it out.  We kept him away from other kids for a few days and it cleared up.  He was not my normal Kalum, didn't want to eat and was really quiet, because it hurt to even open his mouth, let alone talk or swallow.  Pop-Ice were his go-to.  He would perk up and be himself while his mouth and throat were cold, then back to vegging on the couch watching shows.  He was so excited to eat normal food when the sores went away!
• Basically daily he says how he used to do something "when I was three".  So funny.
• After going to his cousins' baptism, he asked on the way home, "When was I BATH-tized?"  I explained how our church does baby dedications and BAPtisms when you're able to make the decision on your own.
• Had his Noah's Ark party at school on Nov 2nd.  He was a zebra and got to bring the treats since it was close to his birthday.  Preschool phone conferences that same day: doing great, playing well with others, knows colors/letters/numbers/name.  He's at or above where he should be on everything.  Best buddy is Nathan, but they aren't quite as attached at the hip as they were at the beginning of the year.

Wesson's Milestones/Moments for the Month:

• Wesson had his one year checkup - 23 lns 11 oz (53%), 31.5" (84%) and head circumference 47cm (60%)  He is also healthy and developmentally on target - FOUR shots for him as well!  He stood on the floor crying while Kalum got his shots, then we had to repeat the same thing for him, me holding and two nurses giving shots.  Once I scooped him up and he put his finger in his mouth, he kind of moved on as well.  He had a low fever for a few days after the shot, but then it went away.
• Then got higher fever again...apparently caught something at his well check - ugh!
• LOVES being outside and walking up and down the sidewalk.  Early in the month he tried out sitting on the trike and I pushed him on Samara's scooter, which he loved.  He signed "more" anytime I stopped.
• Mid-month - starting to add more animal sounds to his repertoire: horse, cow, kitty cat, owl.  Still does monkey and fish.  When he hears a dog bark he always gets excited and makes noise.  Taught him the sign for "help", "outside" and "music".  It's amazing how much they understand and can actually act on with sign language.  He saw Jeff with his hat on and took off down the steps on his tummy and got his hat from the living room.  He'll go to another room or downstairs to get a book he wants.  I say, "Let's go get Samara" and he's headed for the garage.  Say bath and he's climbing upstairs.  Will now hold my hand when he wants help getting where he wants to go (used to think I was taking his hand only to deter him or something and would pull his hand away and squawk).
• End of month: bubbles in bath - says "buh-booooo" and likes to pop them with his finger, running now for brief stints, imitates siblings and starting to laugh and play beside them.  Figuring out how to do things - open dishwasher, put play money in piggy bank, signs "help" when wants assistance-stairs, reaching things, opening something.  Actually got on riding horse toy on his own for first time.  Plays well by himself for a while now.  Says "brrrr" when you say it's cold.  Slowly phasing out of two naps during the day.  Often naps et interrupted due to school pickup, etc. but has done well with just on and sleeping from 7/7:30PM to about 7AM.  

Here's the photos from November, click the link below to view them.  Once the page of pictures opens, click on one of them and you can see them as a manual slideshow with comments at the right.

November 2016 photos