Nathan is Five and is just finishing up Pre-K at Driggers elementary. He absolutely loves going to school. He also loves FHE and gets upset if we move it from Sunday to Monday night depending on the week. I can't believe is growing up so fast. Nathan amazes me with how sweet he is. He brings me pictures and "presents" that he has colored at school and sometimes even wraps with construction paper. Today he came home with a "wrapped" present for his friends' (from church) birthday this Saturday. He says it is a picture of his family.  So cute! At FHE this last week, I showed a video of President Monson talking about being thankful and then asked everyone to think of the number thing they were thankful for. Nathan said he was thankful that he could help people because it makes them feel good and happy. I told my mom that he put us (Michael and I) all to shame! He really is a good helper though. He actually tells me he wants to help me do the dishes and cook. I guess I should enjoy it while it lasts.

 

Zen (3) has really helped me get good at my goal to not yell at my children as he is very stubborn and refuses to do anything that he doesn't see as a good idea. His latest favorite phrase is "I not going anywhere!" Sometimes my favorite time of day with him is quiet time when he gets to take a "nap" in his room.  Zenny got to so to school this year as well.... well at least twice a week for speech therapy. He loved to "go my beech". Everytime we drive by the school he gets excited and says "Hey! that my beech!" Zenny has also learned to blame everything on Nathan, which can be hard sometimes when Nathan is blaming the same thing on Zenny. One of Zenny's (and my) favorite things to do is watch "funny beedeos" on Youtube. Zen really likes to watch the videos of the garbage trucks emptying dumpsters, although I don't really know what is so funny about it?.)

 

Rand (8 mo.)- WOW! There is good news and bad news with him. The good is that the Kidney reflux and dilation that he has had since before birth has completely gone away on it's own and so we won't have to do anymore antibiotics or dr. appts, tests, or ultrasounds. Yeah!!! However, the bad is that is isn't gaining weight. He has only gained 13 oz over the last 2 months despite us stuffing tons of food and formula in him. He weighs 14.13 lbs. So now we get to do tests and dr. appts for that. It's a little scary but he is the happiest kid I've had. He is so smiley and calm and loves to crawl around and laugh at his brothers (who love to entertain him).

 

I absolutely love my boys!!!

Christmas at Nana's

Kids find funny places to sleep!

 

 

 

 Santa was generous this year.

 

We forgot to bring our stockings but Santa had it covered!

 

 Rand

 Zenny's embarrassed look.

 Nathan

 

 

Christmas was good this year. So much fun!

Texas

In August we moved to San Antonio, Texas. Here are a few things we've done since we got there:

 

The birth of Rand Isaac

 

 

 

Michael's 31st birthday

 

 

Halloween

Superman, Iron Man, and Thomas the Tank Engine

 

 

 Zenny at the school carnival

Nathan's Preschool Graduation!

This was played at Nathan's Preschool graduation. More pictures to follow.

Choo choo

This is how Zenny eats breakfastmost mornings. He is watching for choo choos. There is a track that runs by our house and any train or airplane that goes by he goes running to watch it.

We are always hearing about:
"Choo choo out."
"Choo choo op (stop)."
"Choo choo bye-bye."

Cute boy!

Deaf Child?

Well, We took zenny in for his hearing screening and he came out perfect! He was so cute . I was trying not to laugh while we were in the both. They had little toys that would light up and move when he turned his head toward the noise ( sounded like white noise like on the radio). He figured out real quick that she was doing one side and then the other, so he would look at the side that he heard make sound and then immediatley turn to look at the other side. So, of course she started to change it up. But I was just crackin up. Sometimes it was loud enough that he thought there was someone or something behind us so he would turn around to look. He started laughing everytime the toy and light went off. It was cute.
Anyways, they tested him for fluid and he didn't have any. So, this means he can hear and that his speech delay is a neuron delay in the brain, mostlikely. This is fairly common with young kids. Sometimes the neurons between the hearing (I believe) and the outward expressio parts of the brain are not traveling between each other like they are supposed to and so until that develops farther the child has a hard time speaking. But he is picking up on signing very well and the yelling tantrums have cut down alot. On the other hand, we now know that he is just ignoring us when he doesn't come.

Early Intervention

About two weeks ago we had Zen tested for Speech and Language intervention. As part of the testing, they test all aspects of development-physical, emotional, cognitive, etc. He tested right at two years for everything but expressive communication (meaning talking) at which he tested at 11 Mo. So we have started him into the early intervention program here. Yesterday we had the speech therapist and a nurse come to our home to start teaching us how to help Zen. The nurse did a hearing test on Zen and he failed on both ears. They recommended that we have him tested further to see if he has chronic fluid in his ears since he does speak ome words but not consistantly and some days not at all. If it is fluid, it would make since as fluid levels can go up and down and not necessarily cause an ear infection. It also makes sense to me as I have noticed that he responds better to Michael's low voice over mine or Nana's. He also responds better if your right at his level. So we'll see. We are working on replacing screaming and pointing with Signs. He doesn't like it but they warned us that he would have a tantrum at first. But what's new a tantrum over signing or a tantrum for us not understanding what he wants? So this is our adventure for the new year!