Sunday, November 14, 2010

Pneumonia, pink eye--oh my!

Well this past week has been crazy. A week ago Saturday, Charlotte woke up with a fever but after getting some Tylenol in her, she was fine. And off we went to the Ward Breakfast and then to the JJ Cole's warehouse sale (which SADLY is no longer happening in Logan Utah. It was their last one because they were bought out and are moving to Iowa. Sniff).

But a few days later, Charlotte started a cough. But it was only once in awhile I heard it. Sometimes you just cough randomly, you know? The next day, I sent Charlotte to school and Nicole told me she was coughing but not very much. Hmmmm. So on Wednesday, we kept Charlotte home from school. She would've only been able to go for a couple hours anyway because we were heading to Salt Lake for Wade to be sworn in as an US citizen!! ( I will do a post as soon as I have pictures). But on Thursday, her cough was worse. But just a cough. Well, you could hear her rattle even time she breathed. But she was okay.

But Jack had GOOPY eyes. I HATE conjuctivitis/pink eye (they are the same thing...I looked it up! Just in case I start saying conjuctivitis and no one has a clue to what i was saying. he he) plus had a fever...Anywho, we called the dr. Got an appt for the next day at 9:40. Well, during the night, Charlotte was hacking up a lung and had a fever. Her breathing was pretty fast and I was so worried.

We were able to get her in at the same time for the dr to see her. He checked her out and said she's got pneumonia. BUT we caught it early. I started to freak. He said we aren't at the scary stage yet so this is good. Charlotte's on antibiotics and Jack has drops for his eyes plus he got a script written in case he needs it for pneumonia. Well, Charlotte caught pink eye off of Jack. I swear I was trying to make sure they didn't cross contaminate each other but I wasn't good enough. It's not too bad though. But this morning, Kate's nose has been runny. And she has a tiny bit of goop too. I pray nothing happens to her but she had a horrible night sleep. I got up about 6 times with her (she usually wakes up once or twice.) Poor girl.

They are all fine, in their energy and appearance, but they are definitely sick. Charlotte's missing her Primary Presentation today. She was GUTTED last week when someone in our ward removed her from primary to bring her to his lesson in High Priests (which had, apparently, really nothing to do with the lesson. Besides the fact she was only 5 and was asking for primary the whole time). She was so distraught after church. That's another story so I thought today would be terrible plus she knew she was saying a prayer in primary too. But it hasn't affected/phased her-yet. But it's alright. She didn't have a speaking part...her whole class was reciting the 4th article of faith together. So maybe this was a blessing...

So here I am, Kate and Jack are having naps and Charlotte's watching Elf and playing with Jack's toys. ha ha. So I thought I'd do a little update about Charlotte and Jack. I just did one about Kate so thought I'd share what the others are up to!


CHARLOTTE:

This kids loves anything to do with coloring, writing and glue. She's awesome.

Loves to sing. It's so cute. She will sing "Jesus wants me for a sunbeep" to Kate when she's upset. She sings it a lot when Kate is crying in her car seat.

Ugh, this is terrible but apparently she has heard me say this but she says "oh gosh!" when she's busy doing something. It can be when she's made a mistake in drawing or messed up her playdough sculpture. It's funny though. ha ha. She'll say it more often "as a matter of fact" rather than in anger too. Which makes it funnier.

A long time ago, I told Charlotte my name. And she was like, uh no, you're mommy. And a little bit after that, she realized me and Jessie on Toy Story have the same name. So she would randomly call me Jessie. BUT lately, she will yell for "Wade". WADE!! if he needs to come do something quick or for me she'll say "JEH-KUH!" and explain in her cute chatter that something is just wrong. Today, she yelled for me to come and explained that Kate threw up on her mouth, hands and the floor. I actually really love it. She calls me mommy 95% of the time of course. It's just really cute how she says my name!

She loves to make Jack go to therapy. And does all the same stuff she does in therapy. And she carries around a paper and pencil. Does the Lyng 6 sounds (the 6 sounds that cover all frequencies of speech) and chases after him when he doesn't want to do it anymore.

She and Jack have been getting along SO much better. It's all in the secret bribery of charts. I can't tell you how much our lives have turned around. It's not 100% but it's amazing. And I love it. Plus with a parenting meeting for our Relief Society...I learned so much. It's been a real blessing.

Her speech has soared lately. Talks about things using "very very" or uses the, under, ing's
appropriately!

She is in Hula. And is SO cute!!! There's a video on my Facebook profile of a little part of the dance they learned. It's so good for her balance and she just has a fun time.

Is crazy about school and the school bus and church. And of course all other things that are part of her routine. Are we surprised? I think not! So I'm actually quite shocked she's been okay about missing school and church. That's a blessing because sometimes she's just so upset when she doesn't get to do things she really looks forward to.

Thought this picture was so cute. She's in my boots writing things down.

This little random pig in Colorado. She loved it!

Charlotte and her bike. This summer, she finally reached the pedals AND could push herself around the sidewalk and driveway!

On a swing at the Apple Orchard!


JACK!
He's really quite the character!

He loves his tools. And I'm not kidding. He knows all the names of them : tape, saw, hammer, pliers, wrench, square, drill. Plus drill bit and screw. And if he doesn't know it, he asks what it is. He's SO interested in all things regarding building. He thinks his water gun is a drill. Well, any gun he sees. He will watch you do anything. He'll just sit and watch Wade fix the drain or the furnace filter or whatever happens in the garage. He loves to be outside with Wade when he's working in the yard and tries to help and do those things. He loves to take his hammer and fix the wall and bang on it (no damage yet...)

He loves to say "I do it." Which is good. And really frustrating at the same time.

When he hears Wade comes home for the first time after work or opens the door and sees him, he always says, "hey Dad!" So funny.

Discovered his crib gives off shadows. He is deathly frightened of them. No matter how many times we explain it (like a 2 year old would ever understand ha ha) and say it's okay, not a big deal he just is so scared. I got the novel idea to reorient his crib so it wouldn't give off shadows. It has helped a lot. Plus we put a blanket on the side of the crib that gives off the shadows. But he has to sleep with the door opened "just a little bit" (he says it all the time. so cute) and sometimes with the light on. But he's woken up in the night, just terrorized. So sad. But he's getting better.

He loves anything with cars or trucks. Loves his big truck book and has to be read it all the time.

Loves saying his prayers.

Asks all the time if dad is at work, church meetings, church and that he's the bishop.

Is on a huge Toy Story kick.

If he's hurt he'll come up to me but scream Daddy. Sigh. I'm pretty neat, Jack.

LOVES hamburgers and fries. And every time we pass the McDonald's he yells out "hamburger and fries!" Not that he is saying to go get it but just because he knows that's where they are.

This kid just makes me smile. His facial expressions crack me up. I just love him!


Fell asleep with his Happy Meal on our Colorado trip (I will post about that. SOMEDAY! ha ha)

Loves to chase this stupid cat around. It's our next door neighbors. But he'll start to pet it and push down on it and won't let it move. Poor thing. I have to watch out for it every time Jack is around it.

Loves water and loved this sculpture in Colorado with water coming down.
He loves tomatoes! This is one from our garden that he wanted to eat. Ate it just like an apple!

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Thank you!

Today is Veteran's day. I am always so overwhelmed with patriotism and love for all who have served our country and all the soldiers around the world who sacrificed for all of our freedoms. I get upset when I hear the tragic stories of soldiers dying for the freedoms we have today and I rejoice when they come back. I am SO thankful for ALL of them. Both of my grandfather's are veterans and my brother, Dave, is too. He served in Iraq from Feb 2007-August 2007. He was a doctor helping the soldiers and Iraqi people. His military career was from when he started in 1997 (I think that's when you started medical school...) until this past May 2010 when he left the military/Walter Reed Medical Center and decided to join civilian life as an anesthesiologist in North Carolina. Oh I just can't tell you HOW proud I am of him and his sacrifice he has made. Especially for his own family. I love my brother and his family so much and am so grateful he is around today. Dave, you rock. I love you! I'm so proud of you. :)

Homecoming!



Dave receiving the Bronze Star Medal, Ibn Sina - 28th Combat Support Hospital, Baghdad, Iraq

Monday, November 8, 2010

Kater is 6 months old (well...she's now 6 1/2)

Miss Kate turned 6 months old the day before Charlotte's birthday. I just can't believe it!! She's a nugget and I love it. I love changing her diaper and seeing the chunky legs. But she's not a chunky girl overall...she doesn't really look it. But she's tall too. I didn't realize how tall she was until she was measure at the dr last week!!! I was FLOORED! ha ha

She weighs 17 lbs 4 oz and is the 72% for her weight.
She is 28 1/4 inches long and is in the 99 PERCENTILE!!! Can you believe it?! The typical height for her age (on the paper it said) is 26 inches long. She's 2 inches longer than other 6 months old. CRAZY!!! ha ha.

This picture just CRACKS me up!!! ha ha. She gives this face a lot. ha ha ha ha.

Yes, I know. The flower is usually on the SIDE of the head. ha ha.

A lot of exersaucer pics but what can I say, she's stinkin' cute :) Doesn't she just make you wanna smile?!

She's just so cute. She's getting SO much better. Still a fussy girl but not quite as much. She really really enjoys Charlotte and Jack. And since Jack is at home all day, he entertains her. When he walks into a room and bobs his head or whatever she cracks up laughing. I love hearing her laugh. And it's a lot :)

She isn't too keen on baby food. We give it to her but she isn't crazy about it. I'm sure one day she'll be like, yeah, I like it! But she loves milk a lot. :)

She has been sleepomg AWFUL these last few weeks. She's generally a good sleeper but lately she's awake a few times a night and sometimes she'll wake up and start cooing and laughing. What's up Kate?! seriously!!

I think she's going to start crawling (more like army crawl) very very soon. She rolls around everywhere and likes to put anything in her mouth. So we have to be extra clean on the floor. She can sit but you have to be behind her cause she likes to fall back still. It's amazing how fast she's becoming mobile. I thought Jack was fast but I had him compared to little Charlotte. But he doesn't compare! sheesh!

She's REALLY good at ripping apart your face. If you enjoy this, I'll let you hold her. ha ha. She gets the BIGGEST smile on her face. And smiles so much. And she loves to say ma-ma and da da. I know these are sounds but I think it's a bit early to say it...at least to me. Especially since she's been doing it a while. I don't know. Maybe my audiologist friends and SLP's can tell me :) But I swear she'll turn to Wade and say "hi dadadadada" ha ha. I know it's just sounds but I like to pretend, okay? okay.

Kate has been so much fun. And I love to hold her and squeeze her and give her kisses. She's so happy when you hold her. Not when you leave the room :( but her eyes just light up when she looks at you. I love it. Makes me feel good. I still can't believe she'll be 7 months in a couple of weeks!!

Thursday, November 4, 2010

Pumpkin picking fun :)

Every year we go to the same Pumpkin guy for our pumpkins. Just off the Highway to the west of Ted's gas station. The kids love picking out their pumpkins! It's quick and easy and CHEAP.

Wade loves picking out his perfect pumpkin :)

And Jack had found his!

Charlotte couldn't decide but finally found one. And she wanted to carry it. It probably weighed more than her.

Here's Kate trapped again. I know she enjoyed picking out her pumpkin. Well, maybe it was me...

Came home and I made a batch of pumpkin chocolate chip cookes. This is the best recipe ever and it's from my Sister-in-law Stacy! SERIOUSLY YUMMY. No cake mix either.

Had to have a fun treat after the pumpkins. So drank nice hot apple cider and our pumpkin cookies.

I think the cider made Wade want to chunder later. Just can't take the goodness I guess.

Awww. Cutie Kate! Enjoying the pumpkin day too.

How to have a perfect Halloween Week(end)

1. Head over to the Pumpkin Patch/Corn field Maze for a class fieldtrip!

2. Pick out a pumpkin!

3. Have fun in the cornfield!




4. Look so adorable and cute for mommy while being trapped!!

5. Head off to the Pumpkin Walk with the class. Oh, and only take the traditional pictures. ha ha. (it was an extremely cute one this year!! All about animation.)
6. Wait until after Charlotte's birthday party to head out to the Pumpkin Patch again (the next day) with good friends and crazy, freezing, rainy weather (uh, it snowed the following week...)



Where's Jack? Uh, he fell asleep in the car and Wade stayed in there with him. I don't think Wade minded at all. :)

7. Have Charlotte's Birthday.
8. Carve pumpkins the few days before Halloween!

This is Jack. He's good at carving! ;)

9. Charlotte carving too. She was so into it! She designed her own but Dad cut it out. So did Jack...sort of...he he. But Charlotte wanted to eat the seeds (i'm sure she learned that at school!) and wanted to make pumpkin pie out of all the pumpkins. Yeah, sorry Charlotte. Not too into that one. he he.

10. Align the pumpkins for a perfect picture!

Jack, Charlotte, Kate, Wade's then mine.

11. Get all dressed up for the school party on the 29th!

Obviously, Charlotte's a pirate and Jack's just a builder...but based off of Bob. He doesn't know Bob very well. ha ha. But he'll talk up a storm about his tools. Seriously. He's a hoot.
And here's Kate in her ghost costume. This is the same one Charlotte wore for her 1st (well, technically 2nd) Halloween! SO so so cute :)

12. Be silly!

13. Get redressed that night for the Ward Fall Festival! Fall Festival is a lot of fun. Full of carnival style games for the kids, cupcake walk, photo booth and a chili/soup cook off!

14. Light pumpkins for Halloween (which was celebrated on the 30th)

15. Eat a spooky dessert after trick-or-treating!

16. Let mom take another picture of all the loot! Yep, Kate's is there too...:)

17. Watch Wallace and Gromit- Curse of the Were-rabbit!
18. Halloween day, just relax at home but at least have a fun dinner!
Jack-o-Lantern and Mummy french bread pizzas with Bone Breadsticks! Yummers! Yikes!


We had a wonderful weekend full of fun! Lack of pictures of course, but it was great. We went trick or treating with Daxton and his family (they dressed up as Scooby Doo characters. SO CUTE!). Wade and Kate came along on our street then when we got back to our end of the street, he took her home and gave out candy for trick-or-treaters. We lasted 45 minutes til it decided to DOWNPOUR on all of us. ha ha. So we called it a night. Had dinner, watched a movie and sent the kids to bed.

It was so awesome to see Charlotte's face light up. Jack was into it too but it was awesome that Charlotte really got into it this year. She would yell TRICK OR TREAT even before the doors opened. And then shouted THANK YOU when we would leave. ha ha. And Jack even would say his cute way of Trick or Treat!! This makes me look forward to all the upcoming holidays more and more.

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Charlotte's 5th Birthday!

Well, as you all know from previous post, Charlotte had a fabulous first birthday party on Saturday. So her actual birthday was quite simple but special. First of all, I decided to celebrate by being sick! Food poisoning is my suspicion so I couldn't do anything the night before to prepare and was really disappointed. Wade was amazing and stayed home to take care of the kids so I could regain my energy. Charlotte was sent off to school that morning, which is her favorite thing to do, and Wade went and got donuts and apple juice for the party at her school. Jack was able to go too! He ended up chundering at school. We are convinced he just gagged on his donut (go figure!) and wasn't really sick. Poor Wade! ha ha. Charlotte had the time of her life with Dad and Jack there. She really did feel special.

When she came home from school, presents were opened and played with! We gave her a dvd, shirt, playdough toy, Tinkerbell Plate and a few other things! Ma and Grandpa sent her things (listed under the picture below) and Grandma and Grandpa Chandler gave her a sweater for Christmas and two hats!

Then we made a roast dinner (which was supposed to be sunday's dinner) for Charlotte and then had cake and ice cream. She loved having the Happy Birthday song sung to her. She thinks it's the best thing EVER. And then we watched her new Tinkerbell movie that night. So that's all we did but it was awesome.


Walked in the door and noticed her presents instantly!

She was SO funny! She immediately grabbed the shopping cart, went about 5 feet, turned around and started opening presents.

She would open presents, look at what she got, smile and say something, dump the present on the table and went for the next one. SO cute!

Presents from Ma and Grandpa: Money (she still has to spend it!), stickers and a book.

Reading about the Pukeko :)

I was sick as a dog but wanted Charlotte to have a birthday cake on her birthday. It's really not that great looking but don't look close. I would have done better had I the energy and desire. But Charlotte liked it too!! So that's what mattered. I did my best under the circumstances :)


They love it when someone blows out candles and when they sing Happy Birthday.