Just another week with pictures!!

Time does fly by, especially when you don’t have a computer. It took 3 weeks but our computer came back to us. It’s working great, faster then ever! I hope I don’t have to deal with this again for a long, long time.

Amidst all the chaos, my blog is officially one years old. It’s amazing how that time goes by. I started my blog in hopes to keep everyone (mostly my family) up to date on the things we were doing and how Nate was progressing. I never knew that I would find a new family in all the wonderful bloggers out there. I look forward to meeting some of you this summer in Nashville.

We also had parent/teacher conferences at Audrey’s school. This time around she got to show us all she was learning. It was wonderful to see her come so far. She sat down and read us a book. She is so proud of being able to read. She loves school. Her writing is also improving. Audrey gets so excited that she tends to work to fast. I think she is afraid of not having enough time to do everything. We are working with her to slow down. Quality over quantity! The teacher did reveal that Audrey is a “mother hen,” meaning she is a tattle-tail in order to keep everyone in line. That is also something we need to work on. Although she is showing “leadership skills,” it needs to be done in a more productive way.

Over the weekend I attended my friends baby shower. Aleksander J was born on 3/3/10 seven weeks early due to preclamsia. He did very well, never had to be put on oxygen and came home 2 weeks later. Because of all that happening she was 45 minutes late to the shower. I was happy when she came. I’ll have to remember to eat a little something before hand. I was starving since it had been 7 hours since breakfast. Now I just wait until the baby can have visitors.

Once again, the kids are sick. Audrey started it with a sinus and double ear infection. After 5 days of cold symptoms with Nate not getting better, I took him to the doctor. Nate’s ears were heading toward being infected again and he was put on antibiotics. Somewhere he must have gotten the idea that running and hiding from mom would ensure no medicine. Wrong! Even if I catch up to him, he thinks it is funny to raspberry them to my face. Not funny! Nate cries then laughs. I only have to do this twice a day for 10 days!

 

This was suppose to be a brief update!

I first have to start off with my frustration with computers. With our computer dead, they had to replace the motherboard and the hard drives. Because I didn't back things up, I lost everything on my computer. I had to order recovery discs and was to have Best Buy install them on Monday. I should be back in business except for the fact that there is an issue with the new motherboard that they installed and has to go back to the service warehouse. I wish they would just buy me a new computer and be done with it. I hope that once it's home i don't get any problems but I'm leery.

Other then that things have been going good. Spring sort of showed up, at least for a week. There has been 60 degree weather and sunshine. It's been nice to get out of the house and take some walks. I wish the scenery was better. Lots of construction. I have to dodge dirt, mud, broken sidewalks, huge holes and cars! Yes, cars because without sidewalks we are forced into the streets. I've been able to crack a window for some fresh air in the house. That has been so nice.

Nathan and Audrey had their yearly check-up at the doctors. I love my pediatrician. She comes in and sits down and talks to us about everything. This past time was such a good conversation and I realized how similar our lives are. She has a daughter that's a year or two older than Audrey and goes through the same things with her daughter. Audrey is not your typical 6 year old. She's a foot taller than kids her age and probably 30 pounds heavier. The doctor told me at this rate of growth she will be 6 foot tall. Nathan had a good check-up also. Plotted on the growth charts for Achons he is right at the mean. At 2 years his
Height: 29 inches
Weight: 23 lbs. 10 oz.
Head : 21 1/4.
His head size did increase this time. I was hoping for it to stay steady but it's still in the range. We are now working to adjust his wardrobe. Since Nate can still wear smaller sizes (Shirt 12-18 month and pants 9-12 month), I need to make sure that he looks like a 2 year old and not a baby. I have been foregoing the one piece outfits. I really feel that overalls need to be limited because it may make him look to babyish. I still get the comments from everyone that he's a cute baby. I hope that "baby" will be heard less and less but I don't know. He definitely doesn't want to be carried around anymore and persists on walking now. Hard for me to adjust because I'm such a fast moving person. Easier to scoop him up and go go go! But I know the importance of him walking and have not worry if I'm running late. Nate is doing well with steps too. He is more aware of them and waits for help if he needs it. At our house we have 2 steps down and am considering putting in a railing. I really don't want one but I have to make sure that he is independent as possible. In the near future I will be installing a lower stair rail for him, getting an adaption for light switches and converting one of the lower cabinets in the kitchen to his. The next big task is potty training. He is already coming to tell me that he made a "poo-poo" in his diaper and likes to help wipe when he pees. He even tried an assist on his mom which I politely declined.

Nate loves to help around the house. He opens and closes all kinds of doors. He insists on me lifting him up to open the door to let the dog in. OMG as I'm typing he's trying to plunge the toilet! LOL!! He likes to help with the laundry. I ball up the socks and open the drawer. He stands on the bed and throws them in. He loves to clean and organize. I hope this stays with him through life.

Audrey has been doing well in school. She has progressed really quickly with reading. She doesn't need too much help from me anymore. She is also becoming quite and artist. If see can sit still and focus long enough she does amazing art work. Hopefully I can showcase one of her drawings when I get my computer back. Audrey also loves the water. She has been swimming since she was 6 months old and is learning the different strokes at age 6. I'm signing her up for classes next month to get some more instruction. At the moment she swims twice a week at the fitness center her grandma goes to. I can't wait for spring and then summer. Four months till Nationals. I can't wait to meet everyone and see the kids all together. I'm so excited for Nate to meet and play with LP's his age and size.

I also had my first run in with someone who recognized Nate as a dwarf. I was picking up pizza one night when a lady asked how old Nate was (I do get the age question a lot now). I responded with his age and then she asked if he was a dwarf. I responded yes. She explained that she knew "Lexi" a 5th grader at her daughters school. I know OF Lexi but haven't formally met and from what I heard the family is not involved with LPA. I remember once seeing Lexi and her family at my work some 5 years ago (I had thought she looked little) but knew nothing about them. About 2 years ago I was at her school and also saw her and how happy and full of energy she was. The irony being that I was pregnant with Nate and had no idea that he was a dwarf. I guess it was a "soft" opening to what God had in store for me. Since then I have met several LP's and their families but still feel that awkwardness of belonging. I sometimes don't know what to talk about. I don't want to be nosey and am always afraid that I'm going to offend someone. So I'm quiet and I hang back. I'm really hoping that I can break out of that shell. Am I rambling? I think I'll end the post here. Happy Spring Everyone!!

Audrey's Birthday

We finally had the wind-down and it ended with Audrey's birthday party. In all she had 9 kids come so it was a great turn out. I was disappointed that only 3 girls from her class came. We celebrated at a bounce house. The kids got to get their bottled up energy out and enjoy some pizza and cake. It was fun watching them bounce and then scamble when it was time to do the pinata. Audrey got a lot of great stuff from her friends and should be all set with Littlest Pet Shop for awhile. I even got Nate into one of the jumpers (he actually did it on his own) and enjoyed it so much I had to get Audrey to get him out.

Next to come was Valentine's Day. It's actually my least favorite holiday so I'm happy when it's over. Audrey had a nice party at school and came home with a big bag of candy. After that it's been quiet except for our weather. We had a couple good snowfalls in February one resulting in a snowday for Audrey. I think the other should have been a snowday too.

Audrey has been doing well in Daisies and her Cookie Sales. They just finished their last sales in a grocery store near us and will soon learn of the final count. Besides cookies their is another event that Girl Scouts across America participate in-SWAPS ( Special Whatchamacalits Affectionately Placed Somewhere). For this event we are to make 100 items that can be pinned. For all of those that are crafty ladies this would be a dream. I consider myself "somewhat crafty" and therefore struggled with something cute, creative and cheaply made (yes, cheaply made is the main idea here). I decided to do a FIMO clay daisy with a spakle glue center and a pin on the back. The time involved in this was grossly underestimated but I only have 30 more to go. I have until the 27th.

We have some upcoming events this March

1. Yearly check-ups
2. Parent/Teacher Conferences
3. Baby Shower
4. A Concert!!!!!
5. Girl Scout Swaps
6. A very special birthday!!
7. One Year Anniversery of my Blog!!

Some of you FB friends have heard about my sad computer. The motherboard went and it is out for repairs for 3 weeks. So there will be no pictures just some quick thoughts put down. I'm 2 weeks behind on all my other blogs. I've missed so much stuff. I also can't wait for winter to be over. I'm feeling the winter blues. I miss the sun, I need sun. I want to open my house and have the fresh breeze come through. I want to fire-up the grill and throw some chicken on. I miss going fo walks and the kids playing outside. Nate is showing signs of cabin fever. Soon, soon there will be the first signs of life again. Come on birds, come on flowers, let me know that there is hope.