First Day(s) of School

Lauren's first day of school.  1st Grade.  The whole family walked her to school.  She and Rissie held hands most of the way.  At one point, I overheard Lauren say, "I'm going to miss you, Rissie."  Then in her sweet little voice, Rissie replies, "I'm going to miss you."  They are only 18 months apart and are always together.  Anna had a rough morning knowing that she wasn't going to school.  So on the way home, I whispered to Rissie that it was a sad day for Anna and asked if she could be special friends with Anna.  Rissie took Anna by the hand and walked her the rest of the way home.  So sweet.  They played together the rest of the day and have had a chance to become friends while Lauren is in school.

Rissie kindergarten class started a week after Lauren.  It was fun seeing her be so confident and eager.  Sending Lauren off a week earlier didn't make it any easier for me though as I drove away with my heart in my throat.  They both love their teachers.  After the open house Lauren told us, "My teacher is so pretty it makes me want to obey her."  Then just a couple of days ago, Rissie asked me if I thought her teacher loves her.  Of course!!  Who couldn't?

This collage is strictly for my benefit.  This is what I would have put them in on the first day if it had been MY choice, but of course it wasn't.  I couldn't resist the camera as they left for school on these days.  I even had to make a deal with Rissie, as you can tell from some of her expressions, she doesn't exactly approve of the shirt I picked for her.  Lauren on the hand loves her outfit, in case you couldn't already tell. ;)

Grandma Duncan's 90th Birthday

Grandma Duncan's 90th Birthday Book of all her posterity.  

This was our contribution.

These aren't in the right order, but I couldn't adjust it the right way without spending more than the time I was willing to allot to this project.

Park Valley/Lauren loses her first tooth!

 You'd think it was Christmas with all her excitement.  She noticed it was loose just earlier that morning.  Then by the end of the night it was OUT!  Grandpa kept teasing her that he was going to yank it out for her and I think she was more excited about it than threatened.  He started to pull to see how loose it was then just kept going.  It was all she could talk about that night and ever since.

 Jon's Mom's family is from Park Valley, a little town in the middle of nowhere in northwestern Utah.  The kids had a great time playing with their cousins.  We got Braden and Mikell, but by the time we remembered we had our camera Kelten was already napping.  Uncle Jared was usually off riding something...I think that's why he is missing from the pictures too.  Grandma Jane, Aunt Missy, Aunt Andrea, Mikell and Lauren are standing in front of the main house which is now lovingly referred to as "the jail".

The family's property is a little oasis in the middle of miles of nothing.  It's beautiful, but their is a lot of work always needing to be done.  It brings me back to childhood playing in the sticks trying to make wilderness pretty and homelike.  Rissie and Braden are chillin' in Jared's monster-powered golf cart, Jon's showing me his sunburn/muscles, I'm taking Kade and Anna for a little ride, and Mikell and Lauren are coming down from what used to be a bigger pond.  Rissie and I took a similar walk around the pond that still exists behind the house.  She called it our "eventure" and that I shouldn't be worried because the bouquet of flowers I was holding from Lauren would "betect" us.

Kade and Rissie get shots

 On Monday, Kade and Rissie went to the hospital lab to get their blood drawn.  Lauren, knowing how bad it would be, gave Rissie a little pep talk before she left.  All the while they were gone she made a little "I love you" card.  Super sweet.  Then today, Jon took both Rissie and Kade to the doctors office and came home with a very unhappy daughter.  Apparently, when Rissie found out she was getting a shot and the nurse was out preparing them, she cried to Jon, "I don't want you to be my dad anymore.  You just want to hurt me." (Our parenting was obviously slacking with the explanations of the what's and why's the past few days).  There was also something in there like, "Mom isn't going to be very happy with you."  Unfortunately for her, none of these got her out of the dreaded shots.
Later tonight as the aches in her thigh muscles worsened and before the Tylenol kicked in we had a little talk about why good moms and dads let their kids get shots because they love them, etc. even though they hurt.  Then about an hour later, as I was lying next to her to say goodnight she said, "Mom, I am glad you are my mom and I'm glad Dad is the dad." Then she paused for a second and asked, "When is he going to learn how to cook?!"

***

The doctor told Jon that Rissie is anemic and not gaining enough weight.  It's no wonder, that girl is such a picky eater and it's a battle every meal just to get her to eat a few bites.  Ugh!  I am frustrated about it.  Not only does it make me feel like I have failed her in this as her mother, which bothers me the most, but I am also a dietitian (now my personal pride is damaged too!)  SO, based on my expensive education I am not going to be a short order cook for her, BUT I will make more options available at each meal.  Sigh.  Sorry, Sweetie.

***

On a happier note I'll share one last funny of Rissie's.  During this same good-night conversation, Rissie tells me, as I am running my fingers along her back, "Scwatching backs makes humans fall asleep."

Rissie's present for me

Rissie is my little hugger...and sweet kisser.  On Sunday afternoon she woke up from a nap and, knowing I love her hugs, showed up to me with a smile on her face that said, "Hi Mom, I am a present for you."  She said, "I have a present for you upstairs. (The girls room is the upstairs.)"
"You do?!"  I asked.
"It's one of my dolls."  She said her smile still big enough to squint her eyes.  I knew this was pure love for this girl to give me one of her precious dolls.
"One of your dolls?!"  I exclaimed my eyes popping in surprise.
Then she gave me an even bigger smile her arms wrapped around my neck as she prepped me for the climax.  She lingered on that smile for a while her sweet blue eyes sending love right to my soul.  Then she whispered in my ear, "It's me."

Dinner at the Big Toy

On our drive home Wednesday, we stopped in Laramie, WY for dinner.  Jon found a big toy for the kids to get out and stretch at Burger King.  As we pulled in there were three cop cars in the lot.  "This could be a bad sign."  I said.  "Nah," Jon argued, "It just means we'll be extra safe."  So after I rushed the girls to bathroom I come out to see the officers talking to a smoke-skinny man with stringy hair down to his waste at the booth around the corner from us.  "The big toy is closed."  Jon said with a smirk. "There is some kind of family dispute going on."  Sure enough, I looked into the kid room where several more cops were talking to a group of people.  Then as we were eating, for a reason I don't understand, part of the group moved out and cops talked to a teary red faced women and a couple of others just a few feet from where we were sitting.  The girls wouldn't eat, they were glued to the drama.  I kept telling them to turn away.  "It's not polite to watch people for a long time."  I'd say.  Whatever, they were not listening.  "Anna, don't look, honey." I whispered.  Then she turned to me and without whispering told me, "I like looking at peoples."  ...A few minutes later the teary women was cuffed and taken to the car.  Just in time to let the girls play before the next 15 hours or so of driving.

How embarrassing - (Too much info warning)
Before we loaded the car we noticed Kade needed to be changed.  "We better let him "walk" (teeter) around a little to help things move along."  We discussed.  So Jon took him over to the play toy padding and let him roam a little, while the girls continued to race down the slides.  Kade was leaning against part of the toy when Jon noticed that his pants were wet.  He had leaked.  Then out of the corner of his eye, Jon saw...two little Kade droppings that had fallen out of his diaper (thanks Huggies!)  Eewww!  I was in the other room waiting for some food when Jon came rushing Kade into me in a superman hold.  Then Jon hurried to clean it up trying not to draw attention - yeah right...the girls came storming around asking all kinds of questions as to what he was doing.  So much for being inconspicuous.  How embarrassing.

The Blizzard of 2011 - Chicago

I've been told that this storm is the third biggest to hit Chicago.  It was pretty amazing.  The wind was whistling against the house hard enough that we could sometimes feel it sway.  There was even LIGHTENING!  I didn't know snowstorms had lightening.  This one did.  Very cool.

Notice the buried cars?  Chicago was basically closed for two days.

This is Jon finding the street.  (See those awful apartments across from us.  We live in a darling neighborhood in the historic district of Blue Island, and THIS is our view.  I won't complain any further, the view from my kitchen window is picturesque.)

Notice her hat and scarf? She loves them.  Her sweet mother made them for her. ;)

Jon and I spent our energy yesterday on the driveway and sidewalk.  Then Jon made a path in the back (so we could still get our garbage to the street before it turned to ice).  Unfortunately for him the snow drift was the thickest right were he needed the path.  But, it worked out rather nicely for the girls.  Have a look: (things to watch for: Lauren's "food storage" is Anna's "candy" she'll even tell you about her cookie. ;) and Rissie won't go in until Daddy makes it a little bigger - she gets that from me.)  

I love this picture!

Anna was crying to come in.  I think she'd had too many cookies!

Kade wasn't in on all of the action, but he enjoyed watching it. (The pink chair reminds me of Robots when Rodney has to where his cousin Veronica's hand me down parts.  Poor Kade. ...we have 3!  one is even blue, but this one doesn't fit under the table so it works better for him as a high chair.)

Fun, fun, fun.  I love exciting weather, especially when I get to relive my childhood through my kids.  I also like weather when it imposes a small potential of danger - and then doesn't. (That's the extent of my thrill seeking.)

Kaders and Cakes

Because most of you who view this blog, don't see us very often, I thought you may want to see how little Kaders is growing.  When he's just out of the tub his curls are intact, (or when Anna thinks he needs lotion in his hair).  This one of him in the white shows a little curl on top.  And as you can see he is generously loved by his sweet sisters.  He has broken a couple of teeth this past month, crawling all over and yesterday even climbed his first stair.  These nine months have flown by much too fast.  He is a sweetie and very good natured.  We all just adore him.

Lauren has been loving the cake decorating videos on YouTube.  Little did she know that Aunt Jenny recently sent her a cake pan for four princess dresses.  So we had a little fun.