Now We are Six

This past year has been one of incredible growth for H. He learned to read, finished his first year of "real" school, started taking real responsibility around the house (with plenty of encouragement), built his first full Lego set alone, learned to ride a bike without training wheels, and has grown in so many ways.




H is my most generous kid, my child most likely not only to share, but to give of his resources. This became evident one day when he said he wanted to order pizza for dinner instead of having leftovers, as I had planned. I responded with my usual, "Are you paying?" This always gets the other kids. H, however, decided that it was, indeed, worth his money to order pizza. What blew me away was that he ordered enough for everyone, not only himself. He bought dinner for the whole family.

This year, I have also realized how much H is like me. When the kids attended VBS this summer, the leaders handed out a CD with the music they were using in the program. H and I ranked our top three exactly the same.

H looks a lot like I did at his age. 

H also loves beauty in all forms. We recently finished reading The Trumpet of the Swan, and now his goal is to play "Beautiful Dreamer" on the trumpet some day. He wanted me to find a trumpet version to download on my phone so he could listen to it whenever he wanted to. The only version I could find plays it as a waltz, and he loves listening to that.

All this took me by surprise since he also loves robots, Minecraft and Star Wars. In fact, one of his favorite outside games to play is "Minecraft Earth," in which he pretends to gather materials and build in real life, as opposed to on a tablet.

I am so happy to have H in our family. He really adds a unique dynamic to our household, and when he is sick, I miss that. I can't wait to see what the next year brings. I know that he has already started moving away from the little boy phase, and, while I will miss that part of his life, I am excited to see what God has in store for him as he grows.

Learning New Things

This post is really for me, so I will remember these things. Otherwise, I know the memories will fade as my children grow.

H
This week, H learned to ride his bike without training wheels. I knew he was capable if he just had someone working with him. I just had not taken the time to help him. K was attending a ballet intensive, so our school days were very basic. This left a lot more time for learning in other areas.

K had taken one of H's training wheels off, but I could see that all that was doing was training him to lean to one side, so I removed the other training wheel and practiced with him. The first day, he didn't get it. Old habits die hard, and I could feel him leaning mostly to one side as I held his seat to balance him. On the second day, I decided to use a different approach, I leaned over and put my hands over his, holding onto the handle bars with him. This worked much better, and before long, he was able to ride short distances on his own. After building some confidence, he was riding all over the driveway on his own. The only difficulty he had now was starting, but once I showed him the trick to that, he was able to slowly master it and be on his way.

H still needs some practice before we go on long bike rides, but I am so pleased with him and the effort he put into learning this.

Little A

A recently figured out how to nod her head. This was a fun accomplishment, but it meant saying goodbye to her old way, which was just too cute.
When she figured out how to shake her head to say no, she soon learned that she needed to start doing something to say yes. Her solution was to do kind of a whole body up and down movement. It is difficult to describe, but we all enjoyed watching her communicate in her own way.
She also has started to use her signs a lot more frequently. I love when she signs "please" because she says the "s" sound with it. Actually, it is probably more like "pssss".  I am really enjoying this phase of her life with all the cuteness.

Little A Turns One

 I honestly don't know how this happened. Somehow my baby girl is already a year old. You would think that I would be able to see this coming. After all, I had a whole year to prepare for it. It seems like yesterday that I was lamenting over being overdue and uncomfortable. Alas, I was blindsided once more.

In my defense, I think it happens faster the more kids you have. With just one child, the days were not so busy and full of, well, life.

So here we are, celebrating my special little girl and the joy she brings to our lives.

Little A has always been a mover and shaker. She was very active in the womb, and she continued that activity after birth. She rolled over when just two days old (although that was probably a fluke), and regularly rolled over when she was 2 1/2 months. She could reach anything in a room when she was four months, crawled a real crawl just after turning 5 months, and took her first several steps in a row when she was 8.5 months. I know that some kids reach these milestones earlier, but she impressed me with her activity.

Miss A also loves to be outside. She stands by the door, longingly gazing outside until someone lets her out (and goes out with her). Sometimes, she finishes her dinner and immediately walks to the door to be let outside. Then, she cries when it is not possible to grant her request.

Little A is also very social. Her first real word was "hi." She said this around four months, but she didn't say Mama until she was 11 months. I guess she didn't think she needed to since I was always there. In fact, the first time she said the "ma" sound, it went something like "Ma ma ma ma babababa."

A is such a joy to have in our family. I have thoroughly enjoyed this past year. Having an infant is intense, but it is so worth it. I look forward to what her second year will bring.

Spring Break 2015

A beautiful heliconia

This year we actually took a Spring Break from school. It ended up being closer to two weeks than one, but we did do some school on several days, so I guess it all evens out.

We decided to visit my parents in Costa Rica since my mom called and invited us down. Our co-op took a Spring Break, so we left the day after co-op, took the following week off, and returned home the day before the next co-op classes. We were determined to make the most of our time off.

I flew down by myself with the kiddos, a fact which was not ideal, but I was given a great measure of grace. The United Club had a family room, which we shared with another little boy. The kids played happily together, unaware that our second flight had been delayed. They ate snacks, finished puzzles, played with Legos, and used the cleaner facilities when necessary. This was such a blessing and well worth the cost. Thankfully, the extra time out of the plane made the longer flight more bearable. I broke down and payed for the older three to watch a movie while A slept and S played on the iPad and slept, too.

Reading with Grandma on our first day there

We arrived a bit weary, but in overall good spirits, to meet my mom and sister at the airport. Going through immigration, the man called me "muy valiente," and a lady in the bathroom said I deserved a medal. I don't know about that, but seeing my family's beautiful faces after our long journey was reward enough for me.

For the most part, our days were pretty laid back. We did visit the jungle with my sister and her family, a trip which thrilled me as I was able to experience areas of the country which are part of my sister's everyday life. The first day, we drove out to see their property and to picnic by the river. Then we visited my dad's farm, where they are building a restaurant to employ some of the ladies of the community. After that, we got to see their cabin, which has the most amazing view. Our final stop before stopping was to a friend's house, where we enjoyed coffee, food, and fellowship. It reminded me of Swedish fika. The kids found toys and balls and played with the boy who lived there as well as a neighbor girl. It was fun to see them interacting with kids from another culture, and it made me realize what a bubble my kids live in.

Down by the river

One of the many beautiful views

One of my dad's pineapple plants

My kids loved seeing how bananas grow

Picking coffee at Grandpa's farm

The photos really don't do it justice

Pink bananas

A playing at my sister's friend's house

Playing with the neighborhood kids

Two beautiful ladies -- inside and out

Down by the Pacuare River

We also had the opportunity to visit with some old friends, a pleasant surprise as I had not planned on seeing anyone other than my family. My sister hosted a dinner one night, and another friend took the time to come out to my parents' place to visit for an afternoon.

Playing Quirkle with Grandma

Most days we just completed a little school work, walked through the breathtaking gardens, played with Legos or played games with Grandma, and went swimming in the afternoon. The kids also played with their cousin and watched movies at Grandma and Grandpa's in the evenings.

Kicking the soccer ball around Grandpa

My crew in a gazebo out in the gardens

I did take K and A to the open market on our last day there. I wanted K to witness the stalls and possibly taste some new food. If we had been their longer, I would have purchased more at the market for the kids to taste, but we didn't have a lot of time to eat what we bought. I did buy an "agua de pipa," which failed to impress K but refreshed me.

They were already starting to take down the stalls when we arrived.

K with the Agua de Pipa

On the trip back, I was to take two days traveling home. I wasn't thrilled about it, but I figured I had to do what I had to do. When we finally cleared customs in Houston, I saw a strangely familiar figure. Timo had surprised me by flying to Houston just to help me on the final leg of the journey. I was so overwhelmed with joy that I had tears in my eyes. It was such a romantic thing for him to do for me. As it turned out, the final flight was the most difficult of all of them. I was so thankful for his help.

Overall, this trip was outstanding. I would have liked to experience it with Timo, but that simply was not possible with his work schedule. I realized that I can travel with five kids by myself (even if it is not ideal), and that is a rather liberating and empowering feeling. I look forward to our next trip, but I hope that we can travel as an entire family instead of a fragmented one.

S Turns Three

My energetic, go-getter toddler turned three. How did that happen? Where did the past three years

go? I guess the two moves and new baby really sped up the time.

After having three kids, I thought I had this whole parenting thing figured out. Enter S. He threw a curve-ball into so much of what I had learned. I guess each of my kids have done that in their own way, but S stands out. It is not necessarily a bad thing. He has qualities that will make him an amazing adult, but they also make him a challenging toddler. S does not give up. To call him strong-willed does not really accurately describe him. I have tried the "strong-will" strategies on him, and they don't work. They say give the child options so they feel like they have some control. I give him two options in the boundaries I have set. He goes to a third option. Sometimes, it is in the boundaries, sometimes it is not. But he consistently chooses a third option. Once he sets his mind on something, it is almost impossible to change his mind. I can see him setting goals as an adult and reaching great heights, but as a toddler, his goals are not always healthy or practical. He is starting to learn that he has to follow certain rules, but he is not easily deterred. I am daunted by the task of teaching him how to know when to keep pursuing those goals and when to accept the authority God has put over him and lay aside his selfish desires. It's not easy.

Despite the difficulties, S makes me smile every day. Each morning, he greets me as if I have been away for months. I guess all of my kids do that to an extent, but his enthusiasm makes his morning "Mama!!!" that much more special. I am not naturally a morning person, so this is a big deal. He loves to be read to, he is learning to read himself, and loves doing his "writing," which consists of a tracing book with simple mazes.

Being the fourth isn't a problem for him since either makes his needs known or solves his own problems. It is not unusual for me to find him helping himself to a snack from the fridge or pantry (even if he has to use a bar stool to reach those chocolate chips on the high shelf). I appreciate his problem-solving mindset, but it does not always manifest itself in the healthiest of ways.

S is also learning to recognize love in difficult situations. When I have had to correct his behavior, he may scream and throw a fit at first, but many times, he will ultimately put his arms up for a reassuring hug. I am always there to hold him and let him know that I still love him even if I don't love his behavior. I do have to give him credit where it is due. He is always quick to say, "I'm sorry," and "I won't do it again." He also tells me "I want to be nice."

S also has a way of overpowering a room. His loud voice combined with his go-getter personality means he naturally draws a lot of attention to himself. I can see him as a compelling speaker or preacher. It will be interesting to see what God has in store for my little guy.

Oh, S, I love you so dearly. I know God made you the way you are for a purpose, and I would not change you for that very reason. When you look up at me with that sweet smile and those big, blue eyes, my heart melts. I love cuddling with you, baking with you, reading to you, teaching you, and being your Mama. You add so much our family. Life just wouldn't be the same without you.

Double Digits

K turned 10 this year. I can't believe that I have been a mother that long. In some ways it seems longer. In others, it has flown by.

K is an amazing girl. She is smart and talented, but, more importantly, she is helpful and sweet, jumping up to help me should I even mention needing something. She loves her baby sister, and she shares her dolls, snuggles, plays with, and dresses her. K also has incredible leadership abilities. She can find ways to motivate her brothers when I have failed. I am so excited to see what God has in store for her, but I am going to enjoy the years I still have with her before she enters the big, wide world.

This year, K wanted to host her birthday party at home. I was not sure what to do with a houseful of preteen girls, so we decided to bake cookies. I made the dough ahead of time, wrapped it up in individual balls, and put it in the fridge for the girls to use when the party started. The girls each received a piece of parchment paper and a ball of cookie dough, and I laid out dozens of cookie cutters and a variety of sprinkles for them to use as well.

Rolling out cookies

Having fun

Sprinkles make it better

One of her sweet friends

Cutting out the cookies

Since we were already baking cookies, K agreed to have a cookie cake instead of a traditional birthday cake for her party. When the girls finished rolling out and cutting their cookies, they worked together to create a "cake" for K. It was fun to see what they came up with.

The unbaked "cake". They kind of went overboard on the sprinkles

 The cookie-baking process took longer than I anticipated, and we had to rush to open presents at the end. The cookie cake finished baking while she opened her presents, and the girls sang a quick "Happy Birthday" before departing with their plates of cookies.

Opening presents

Watching her open presents

Overall, I would say the party went well. I think the girls had fun, and I know that K did. If the birthday girl is happy, I count that as a success.

A Busy and Surreal Day

My hubby took the two older boys to a ranch for the weekend. That left me home with my daughters and toddler. I was not planning on doing anything special or unusual. In fact, housework was really the only item on my to-do list. Despite that fact, today provided some rather unexpected events.

I decided to go to the library this morning to return some books and videos and pick up a couple of books I had on hold. While there, I noticed people setting up for an event. After some investigation, I discovered that our library would be hosting a Culture Fest, with tables from various countries around the world. They were just setting up at that time, and I was not going to hang out for an hour with a baby and toddler. I chose to go home instead. I did, however, return after picking up K from ballet. We visited the various tables to try the delicious food of the various countries. Some of the countries represented included Russia (I tried borsch), Peru (I tried some pudding-like dessert and chicken in a sauce over potatoes), Ecuador (They were serving hominy and pork, but they ran out of the pork. The hominy had good flavor, though.), Nepal (They were serving a coleslaw-type salad), Egypt, Costa Rica, El Salvador, and Mexico (I tasted their chicken with molé). I told K that we should host a Sweden table next year.

After visiting the tables, we watched a short program with Mexican dancers, it was fun to see them swirling their skirts around, and S seemed to enjoy the music. He sat through the three or four dances without any issues. Little A watched intently as well.

On the way home, we stopped at a craft fair that a church was hosting. We perused the stalls, and K picked out a Broncos apron for Christmas. S chose a wooden helicopter that I am hoping will withstand the abuse of a two-year-old.

We finally arrived home for an early dinner. Then I was able to finish some housework before bedtime. While nursing A, I sat down to watch House Hunters International, and lo and behold, there was one of my teachers from high school. I thought she looked familiar, and I finally placed her. When I heard her last name, it confirmed my strong suspicion that I knew this lady, even after 20 years. It was so bizarre.

After a full day, I am ready for bed. I wonder what tomorrow will bring.