Aedan: 75 Months, Week 1
Owen: 32 Months, Week 4
This week continues with our out of town visitors at our house, and the kids were having such a wonderful time with Ema, Papa, and Alaina all at our house at the same time.
Sunday mornings are a little more relaxed since church is at 10:00, but we don't have anywhere to be since we just watch it at home. I was actually able to go out and run and take a shower right before church, so that was nice. Here we are all gathered in the living room to listen to/sing along with the music at the beginning before the adults moved to the kitchen to watch the sermon while the kids watched the next episode of Superbooks on Right Now Media. They enjoy watching these shows based on different Bible stories. With all the news of protests and racial discrimination and segregation that still occurs in the United States today, Pastor Tim decided to preach the first of two sermons on race, and he did an excellent job challenging the church and leaving us in a uncomfortable place where we were encouraged to examine ourselves as a preface to being called to action next week.
I love how much Owen loves Papa, and he curled right up on his lap before church that morning. Each kid had their own "person:" Owen with Papa, Aedan with Ema, and Samantha with Alaina. Ben and I were irrelevant with these visitors who are much more fun than us.
Ben and I have been thinking over and fine-tuning our plans for our "Tour of the Midwest" as we are calling it. We are excited to visit many of the places we lived with the kids, and we are excited to be able to see family and friends that we haven't seen in awhile. We were disappointed that our other trips were cancelled this year because of the virus, so we can't go to the Smoky Mountains with Ben's family, and we can't go to the lake house in Michigan with Ben's college friends. However, we thought doing a trip like this might make up for it because we will still be going places, seeing people, and doing fun things, but we won't be spending a lot of money, and we will still be largely spending time in people's houses or with smaller groups of people, rather than going to public places with lots of people. We want to travel and have fun, but we also want to make smart, safe decisions as well.
Every couple of days I like to go out and check on the baby robins, and it's amazing to see how much they grow. They are starting to sprout feathers, are getting bigger, and you can see where their eyes are under their skin.
That afternoon while Ben was mowing the lawn, I put Owen down for his nap. I know I take a lot of pictures of him sleeping, but he is just so cute and sweet, that it's hard to resist. Plus, I feel like he looks just a little bit younger when he's sleeping, and I'm in a little bit of denial over the fact that my little guy is growing up so fast and looking bigger and bigger every day. So I will cherish this time with him while he sleeps and linger just a moment longer so I can take a picture and lock these moments in my memory for years to come.
That afternoon Samantha and Alaina were having a hard time sharing and getting along. They each kept talking about the other one not being nice, and we weren't in the room when they were playing, so we honestly didn't know what was going on or what the real truth was. Samantha was just acting in a funk that day, and we didn't know why. We wondered if she was maybe just tired from all three of them sleeping in the same room, or if maybe she just needed some time by herself or something, but it was frustrating that Samantha has been begging for so long to have Alaina come to play and then she wasn't taking advantage of the time to be with her, play with her, and be a good friend to her. I don't know what it is, but it's this afternoon time that is the hardest lately. Ben and I try to take advantage of afternoons while Owen is napping to get work done around the house, to do work outside, for Ben to get grading and work done for his online class, or for me to get some school work done, but that is difficult to do when the kids aren't getting along or playing well together.
Anyways, the day turned better once we spent more time playing outside, eating dinner, and having a fire where we roasted marshmallows and had s'mores. The girls even decided it would be fun for their dolls to participate in the fire as well. It was fun to see them playing with their dolls so much together because I haven't seen Samantha play with her dolls this much in a long time, I think mostly because Aedan is never too interested in playing with them with her, so it was fun for Samantha to have another girl to play with.
On Monday morning Samantha and Owen had their well child visits at the clinic down in Forty Fort, but their appointment was earlier, so we had to leave around 8:00 to get there on time. It was really nice how it worked out because pairing up Samantha and Owen was the best option; she is so good with him, and she helped to entertain him while we waited for the doctor. Frustratingly, the office still had not received the kids' shot records, even though I had called the previous office and they had called them as well. I know Samantha is up to date on all vaccines, but they didn't have any records for her. Owen had already been seen for a well-child visit, so they had information on him.
Samantha weighed 81 pounds and was in the 87th percentile. She was 4 feet 7.3 inches tall which was also in the 87th percentile. Her BMI was 18.62 which put her in the 81st percentile. I honestly cannot believe how tall she is getting! Less than a foot and she will be taller than me! The doctor checked out her infection on her knee and said it was looking good, but just to continue putting antibiotic cream and covering it when playing outside so it doesn't get torn up or dirty. The doctor mentioned to me that Samantha is in the beginning stages of puberty, which I already had noticed changes taking place in her body. The doctor asked if we have talked about how her body will change in the coming years, to which Samantha confidently answered yes, and that we have a book we are reading together. Even though Samantha is in a good range for her height and weight, the doctor mentioned the importance of encouraging eating healthy food and making sure she is active and exercising for at least one hour per day. She said when children start going through puberty they gain a little bit more, and that she will likely go through a grown spurt in the next year or two. But Samantha checked out just great!
Owen was 32 pounds, 12.8 ounces which was in the 74th percentile for weight. He was 3 feet 1. 4 inches tall which was in the 71st percentile. His BMI was 16.48 which was in the 60th percentile, and his head circumference was 20 inches which was the 81st percentile. He was very shy with the doctor and didn't answer any of her questions, even though she was trying gauge how well he could talk. I promised her that he talks quite a bit at home, but is nervous around new people. Owen had to get a small bit of blood drawn from a finger prick, and he did a great job being brave. He didn't even cry, and he thought it was pretty cool getting a band-aid on his finger. We did a developmental screening for him, and he was right on track to where he needed to be. The doctor did mention toilet training with him, which is definitely something we will begin this summer now that the school year is coming to a close. Owen checked out great as well!
When we got back home from the appointment, we got everyone ready and drove out to Frances Slocum State Park to hike in the woods and go down to the lake to let the kids explore in the water. They found tons of tiny little tadpoles swimming right by the rocky shore, and Samantha and Aedan had a great time looking at them, and scooping them up to observe them more closely. Samantha was begging to let her bring some back home, to which we said no, but we think it's great how much she enjoys this kind of stuff. Really, both her and Aedan could have spent a long time just wading around in the water and playing with the tadpoles. Owen spent most of his time throwing rocks in the water, and Alaina even got interested in the tadpoles after awhile. They all had a great time, and it was fun to just watch them have fun exploring nature. Here are some pictures and videos of our time there that morning.
We decided to be a little crazy that afternoon and stop at Hillside Farms on our way back from Frances Slocum to eat some ice cream before going back home for leftovers for lunch. The kids enjoyed eating their ice cream in the pavilion and then we walked around the farm to see all the animals, which is often our kids' favorite parts anyways. We had a great morning out together.
Because of our morning out and being active, Owen went down for his nap later than usual. In fact, I'm pretty sure I had to wake him up so that it wouldn't get too late for him to still go to sleep at a normal time. Oftentimes when he has to be woken up, it takes him awhile to fully wake up, and he likes to cuddle up with me for quite awhile. Monday was definitely a day like that. He just sat on the couch next to me with his head resting on my chest while we watched Mickey Mouse Clubhouse together. I love this little boy so much, and I hope he will always want to cuddle up into me, even as he grows up to be a big boy. But for now, I will soak up all these moments with my "baby" boy who is growing up much too fast.
Tuesday was a sad day in our house because Ema, Papa, and Alaina left to go back home. Samantha and Alaina kept talking about trying to finagle a way for Alaina to stay longer, but we were really happy it worked out for them to all come and stay with us for a few days. We had a great time together.
Later that morning, Samantha had her last Zoom meeting with both third grade classes combined, and both third grade teachers. Samantha was definitely sad to see the year end this way, and I think she was sad that the regularity of our online schooling was coming to an end. This week she often kept saying, "I just wish I could be back in school right now." I think this whole thing has been much harder for her, especially with just moving here because starting a new school is hard, and she had some rough times feeling left out and getting to know people at the beginning of the year. I feel like she was finally making some friends when the stay-at-home order began, and since we are new here, we don't have any way to connect with any of their school friends. I'm just afraid that when they go back next fall (and I'm so praying that they will), it will almost be like starting all over again and getting to know people all over again.
Here is a really sweet video that Lehman-Jackson posted to say good-bye to all their students. We put it up the TV so we could all watch it together, and I think the kids enjoyed seeing all their teachers. However, it made me tear up a little bit because I was sad that the year was ending this way, and that the last three months were something we never expected to happen.
The rest of the day we didn't do too much, just hung around the house, got things cleaned up and put away from our guests, and Ben and I worked together to get the portable air conditioners set up for the kids. It was going to get hot later in the week, so we wanted to have them ready to be used.
I know I have posted a lot of videos of the baby robins, but here's an update from Tuesday. I couldn't believe how much they had grown in just a couple of days! They went from pink and almost hairless, to becoming more black with their yellow beaks all facing upwards so they were ready to eat when their mom and dad came back to the nest.
Wednesday morning Aedan had his last Zoom meeting with his class and teacher. She played a really cute slideshow for the kids of pictures from the school year, and it was really cute to watch. (I have included it split into six different videos below.) It was a little sad to think that this was how we were going to be ending the school year, and that his kindergarten year was to atypical. He didn't get to go on any of his fun end of the year field trips, or participate in field day, or do kindergarten graduation like Samantha did. We were glad that the year was wrapping up, but especially with the kids just starting at Lehman-Jackson this year after moving to Pennsylvania last summer, it was hard for them to be taken out of their classrooms and away from their teachers and the friends that they were just beginning to get to know.
It was going to be a hot and humid day, and the kids were excited because we had plans to go swimming at the Gaugler's house. So after Aedan's Zoom meeting was over, we drove down to their house, got dressed in our swimsuits, and went in their back yard to go swimming. Samantha and Aedan were eager to get in and start swimming with Sam and Lydia. Owen, on the other hand, wasn't so sure, and as soon as I lowered him down into the water he started crying and wanted to come out. Instead of swimming, he chose to jump on the trampoline and play in the dirt with a truck. I put him on the edge of the pool a couple times so his feet were hanging in the water, but he never showed any more interest in getting in. Samantha and Aedan had a blast swimming and playing games with their friends. It was fun to see how well they all got along, as we hadn't seen them in a few months at church/small group. I was able to talk with Trisha for awhile, and it was really good to actually be talking to someone in person. The kids swam until about 1:20, when I told them it was time to get out so we could get home and put Owen down for a nap. They did not want to leave because they were having so much fun. However, since Owen didn't really go in the pool, I believe that if we went back again, I would just bring Samantha and Aedan in the afternoon while Ben stayed home while Owen napped or something like that. This was a great way to start off our summer! There is nothing better than swimming on a hot day!
Thursday morning ended up being a busier day than I had planned on because Owen hit his lip on the window in his bedroom as I opened it, and it cut his frenulum, that little piece of skin that connects between your gums and lip between your front teeth. He started crying and there was a lot of blood, so I scooped him up and took him to the bathroom to put a tissue on it and stop the bleeding. He actually laid really still for me, and once I got a better look at it, I understood what had happened. This same thing happened to Samantha back when she was 3 1/2, so I wasn't too worried about it, but I did end up calling our dentist to see if he should be looked at. He was complaining about it for a bit after having this happen. When he would move his mouth in a certain way, he would say, "Ow!"
Thursday morning ended up being a busier day than I had planned on because Owen hit his lip on the window in his bedroom as I opened it, and it cut his frenulum, that little piece of skin that connects between your gums and lip between your front teeth. He started crying and there was a lot of blood, so I scooped him up and took him to the bathroom to put a tissue on it and stop the bleeding. He actually laid really still for me, and once I got a better look at it, I understood what had happened. This same thing happened to Samantha back when she was 3 1/2, so I wasn't too worried about it, but I did end up calling our dentist to see if he should be looked at. He was complaining about it for a bit after having this happen. When he would move his mouth in a certain way, he would say, "Ow!"
As a way to say good-bye, the teachers at Lehman-Jackson had what they called "The Final Wave." We were able to drive through the parking lot, see all the teachers, and wave good-bye from our cars. The kids made cards for their teachers, and we also made cookies to hand out as a thank you for all their hard work. The night before I had also sent emails to all their teachers thanking them and telling them what we appreciated about them in our first year at a new school The kids loved being able to lean out the car window, see their teachers and talk to them for awhile. Mrs. Wallace, Samantha's Gifted teacher, commented about how much work Samantha did over our time doing distance learning. She said Samantha did more than any other student she had, and she was not just saying that. It was a great compliment to Samantha's strong work ethic. As we drove away from the school, Aedan sat back in his seat and looked really sad. I asked why he was sad, and he said he just really missed being with Mrs. Weaver. He has such big feelings and really gets attached to people. I believe Mrs. Weaver will always have a soft place in his heart, and I'm sad that that this was the best good-bye the kids could get.
Ben started his grading for Government AP Exams on Thursday. He did it last year too, but he flew out to Salt Lake City to do the grading. Well this year they moved everything online, but he decided it would be best for him to go work on campus so he could focus more on his grading and not be distracted by the kids and being at home. Campus opened up for people to come and work in their offices at the beginning of that week. For the first time in 3 months, Ben was back to working on campus, and I have to admit that it was weird not having him home. Even though he was still working from home over the past 3 months, he was working at a desk in our bedroom so I could see him often, we ate lunch all together every day, and we could help each other out when needed. I honestly don't know how I would have survived the last 3 months without him at home to help me every once in awhile, to take over a morning of doing online school, or the vast array of other ways he supported me as our life got turned upside down and we were expected to finish 3rd grade material for Samantha, Kindergarten material for Aedan, and try to keep Owen happy and occupied while we worked in the kitchen for most of the mornings during the week.
And here's another update on the robins. Wow! They are getting so much bigger and fluffier! I was always glad to see that all four of them were still alive and well when I checked on their nest.
Thursday afternoon, once Owen woke up from his nap, I piled the kids in the car with snacks and drove out to Tunkhannock to pick up our grocery order from Walmart. We decided this would be the best way to do it this week since Ben was busy working, and there was no way I was going to bring all three kids into Walmart to go shopping with me.
I have been trying to wake up before the kids to spend time reading the Bible and writing in my prayer journal. On Friday morning I took a little video of the sounds of the birds that I get to hear as I sit in the house while the kids are still in bed. It's such a peaceful time of day, and it starts my day off so much better when I have this time with God in the morning.
The morning did not start off great with the kids, and then I found out from Owen that the glass cracked in Samantha's and Aedan's room. I told him to show me what he was talking about, and he showed me this crack in the glass on their sliding closet door. I called both Samantha and Aedan upstairs and they didn't tell me the truth right away, but I finally discovered that Aedan picked up a rock from Samantha's collection that he found on the floor. She wanted it back, but he didn't give it to her, so she chased Aedan around the room and then he decided to throw it at the mirrored closet door instead of just giving it back to her. I was pretty upset with them because they have just been doing careless things like this lately, not realizing the damage that they could do or that breaking things for silly reasons costs us money. I made them both lay down for awhile after that. Ben and I have just been frustrated by them not thinking about anyone but themselves and not thinking about the consequences of their actions. I know mistakes happen, but they have just been careless and reckless. Ben and I have been trying to think about what we can do to teach them more about this and for them to take more responsibility for things.
The kids got their final report cards on Friday as well. Samantha got 100% in everything because she completed all the work that was assigned at home. Aedan's skills were not scored since he wasn't in school to be assessed by Mrs. Weaver, but he also successfully met the requirements to move on to 1st grade! So that's a wrap!
Samantha had been asking us for awhile if she could have a fire with just Ben and me while her brothers go to bed at a normal time, so we decided Friday night would be a good night for that. We did the bedtime routine like normal, and then she came outside with us. Here she is sitting by the fire, and it was really fun to have this time to spend with just her. It's not very often that both of us get to be with just her, and it was great just talking, answering her questions, hearing what her thoughts about school and summer are, as well as sharing sweet and funny memories of her when she was younger and the days when it was just the three of us for awhile. She stayed out with us until close to 9:00, and then we sent her in to go to bed. It was a fun opportunity to spend one-on-one time with our girl, and it's something we will definitely have to do again sometime.
Samantha's tennis shoes have been falling apart for quite some time now, so now that stores are opening up where you can actually go in and look at things, I figured it would be good for Samantha and I to go shoe shopping. So on Saturday, Ben stayed home with the boys, while Samantha and I went out. She found tennis shoes and "church shoes," which were just nicer looking sandals, and I found tennis shoes for myself as well. After that we stopped at Wegmans to pick up a few groceries, and Samantha went in with me. As we walked in, she commented, "This is the first time I have been in a store in a long time!" Wow, it's definitely the little things these days when we have been so used to just staying home more and not taking the kids with us when we go to run errands. We also stopped at Target to get her flip flops and sunglasses, as well as a couple more water guns for us to use in water fights in the back yard. We were out over lunch but decided we would rather eat ravioli at home, so I bought her a vanilla creme frappucino from Starbucks to let her try something fancy to tide her over. It was fun going on these errands with Samantha. She really is getting more grown up and better able to handle things like that, not complain about them, and actually enjoy them. I enjoyed my time with just her, even though she did bring a book to read all the way down and back from Wilkes-Barre.
While we were gone, Ben took the boys to play baseball and he said Aedan is actually pretty good at baseball. He was fielding and throwing really well. He was hitting and catching balls in the air where he should be at his age. I was glad that he was able to take the boys to do something fun.
While we were gone, Ben took the boys to play baseball and he said Aedan is actually pretty good at baseball. He was fielding and throwing really well. He was hitting and catching balls in the air where he should be at his age. I was glad that he was able to take the boys to do something fun.
That evening before dinner we met our friend Nicole and her two kids, Javied and Noor, to go on a walk on the trail in Dallas. We brought the wagon for Owen to ride in in case he got tired, but he loved just running along with all the other kids. I love how passionately he pumps his little arms back and forth when he runs, trying so hard to keep up with everyone. Samantha also did a great job running with Javied. She is so good interacting with little kids.
Noor seemed to really connect with Aedan, and he was so sweet here, sitting next to her on the gravel, playing with the rocks with her. He has grown up so much in these last few months in his ability to relate to younger children, even connecting and playing more with Owen. It's sweet to see him embracing this new role.
(Blog about June 7-13, 2020)
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