Going Plural: January 2018

Monday, January 22, 2018

Kyla's 4th Birthday

         Jan, 16 2018 marks 4 years since we got to meet our darling 2nd daughter. It is also the date that we had to try to say goodbye. It was excruciating to leave that hospital without her and I wish I could hold her again. We all love Kyla and think of her often and how our life changed that January. I think about how I should be enrolling her into preschool right now for the fall. What would her favorite food be? Would she be taller than Riley?

       I have 4 kids and I am heartbroken that I cannot give Kyla a kiss at night or teach her the alphabet, like I get to with the others. Just writing this is killing me but it is also a way that I get to be her voice because I don't want her to be forgotten. I like talking and sharing about all of my kids.

    Each year we release balloons as a way of celebrating and remembering her. This year August picked 2 and Riley picked 2. I inflated them and Riley, August and Nora were really excited. We released them on a weekend so we could all be there. Nora is sick so she was napping during the pictures.

             We Love you Kyla

I have heard Riley talking to August and I think that she thinks that Kyla really gets the balloons.



    This past week Keenan and I also learned we have influenza A so it was an exhausting one. I came down with it late Monday afternoon in the forms of chills and Keenan the next day. I couldn't figure out why I just wanted to sit down when I was supposed to be making dinner. On Wednesday morning I made an appointment and Keenan and I went together, yup, Influenza A. Great. I was worried about the kids getting it. They had all received their flu shots but could still get it. Thursday evening Nora had a cough and a high fever by Friday afternoon so I took her to the Dr. and started her on Tamiflu. She does not approve of the medicine but is doing better. Yesterday, Sunday, she didn't have a fever so I am just keeping an eye on her to make sure she doesn't get any of those scary secondary infections everyone is talking about. She is so exhausted and has been taking an extra nap lately.
    For the most part Keenan and I are feeling better but the fatigue that comes with the flu could last for a month. I realize that every time I have to mop or cook dinner. I am not running at full speed yet.

Friday, January 12, 2018

Snow Day: January 11

Snow days are for snuggling on the couch, reading, watching movies, playing in the snow, and not going anywhere. After a leisurely breakfast we watched, "Lilo and Stitch" and I made a second cup of coffee. Pretty great morning!

This is how a lot of pictures turn out now that Nora walks pretty fast!


Riley was playing dress up with her doll Molly

The kids had a lot of fun running around and playing dress up and yet again having another dance party. It has been really helpful to have a CD player that Riley can reach and use all on her own. I think Nora looks a bit like a broccoli floret in that shirt, maybe that will help her on a subconscious level to be a healthy eater. Right now she will eat pretty much anything.


This was something special for Keenan when he got home

The day went pretty well until after nap time...we have been having a pantry theft problem and I maybe caught Riley and August behind the couch eating gummy worms. I was downstairs sewing some pillowcases and they were down there playing. I guess I know the real reason they went upstairs. Lets just say it didn't go over well and I hope that problem is over. At least the pillow cases turned out really cute!

Thursday, January 11, 2018

August is 3!

August's 3rd Birthday Party- Jan, 6 2018

I know I say it every year, but wow. 3 really. He is still my baby so I am sure this isn't right.

    While August still lets me hold him like a baby sometimes and gives the best hugs, I guess he is growing up. If I were to put him in that basket now I am sure that it would break! I love all of my kids and I love the uniqueness in each personality. August is so warm and snugly but he is also not a morning guy. He takes a while to wake up in the morning and if you try to rush him, he just ends up crying. In the morning or after nap, instead of greeting him then immediately telling him to go to the bathroom or issuing what I need him to do, I ask for a hug and tell him I love him. Then after a minute or so of snuggling he is much more happy to start the day, he just needs more time.
    I enjoy listening to August play, when he does not know that I am there. He can role play with his toys for hours, it is fun to listen to the elaborate story lines that he invents. He loves his little people, his cars, stuffed animals, and can make a fun world with any of them. He also loves to sing and read. I cannot typically get him to sing with me in the car, but again, when he is just playing I hear him sing all the time, so I know he is listening. He will also sit down with a book and read as many parts that he can remember and make up the rest!
   August has such a sweet tooth and loves any treats. His favorites are Kit Kats but he has been loving having leftover birthday cupcakes around. Although yesterday I went outside to check on Quinn (Outdoor cat) and he was under the kitchen table eating one. Oops. I was trying to check things off my list and probably shouldn't have left the room during lunch. Guess he didn't think I would find him in that hiding place or notice that he didn't actually finish his soup. "Sighs", oh August.
    Oh, after sledding at Grandma and Papas at Christmas August learned a new word, amazing. He is still telling me, " Mommy, sledding was amazing". After he came inside that day he said it over and over! He was over the moon about going sledding. We didn't really get much snow last year and he was a baby before that. He has also been requesting that I put the Christmas tree back up and doesn't seem to understand why I am so stuck on waiting until next December.
I am sure that there are many other stories that I cannot think of right now but I love this boy so much and can't wait to see what he is going to come up with next! May this next year slow down a bit.

Riley's Art Corner

The first 2 were something that Riley made as a Christmas gift to Aunt Stacy! I thought it was so sweet. I was painting a new decoration that looked like a wreath for Stacy and Riley put her own spin on it and used more colors because that's how she would have made it.

Riley was also helping to make Christmas decorations for the house! She made a few cupcake ornaments too but those may have gotten ripped up by the baby.

The next two pages were stapled together. It is a storyline she brought home in her backpack. It Says" I wint to Grama and Papas Haos". The next page is a picture of the haos( house). The bottom picture is of the back of the house, the deck on top is all of the vertical line and the sliding door on the bottom. She has been sounding out words and writing daily. It is fun to see the progress!

This one is of Grandma Nancy's house. The left window has a table and chairs like you can see through her big kitchen window and the right window is a drawing of a couch. Cute!