Josh in November

Dear November


You have been great really. We visited Patterson Farms and had a great time. The weather has been ideal and the colors youake are amazing.

But let's talk about my son Josh for a minute. You see it was Octobers job to potty train him and make him a little calmer. But something didn't stick. Remember how hard of a job October had. It had so much! And now work has spilled over.

Josh put several attachments to a screwdriver set, a measuring spoon, and a home teaching sheet into his favorite juice. In fact the only juice left in the house. He then dumped put all of Abby's candy on his bedroom floor and peed on the stairs while I was in the shower.

Church was no better. Beyond his normal restlessness he decided to parade me around like a Luchadore sprinting and wrestling him to the ground. He dumped crayons, beat up
His sisters and full on screamed during the service.

If this was not enough he really went for it after church. At first he simply flitted from area to area making mess upon mess. He sugared himself up with sugary treats galore (certainly pilfered from his sisters stash) and then quietly slipped himself into the bathroom to "make bubbles" by pour my hand soap down the drain and running water over it.

Relieved by this break I decided to show him how to play with the water without angering his mother. I plugged the sink and filled it half full of water adding just a few squirts of soap and let him splash around. I then left to finish making dinner.

Josh was entranced and for the moment I felt the days "activities" winding down.

Until I noticed water dripping out of the kitchens light fixture.


Adam, downstairs with Abby, heard only my emergent cries and the stampede of his frantic wife up the stairs. I was unplugging the drain and stopping the water. Also I was trying not to be angry with a very confused Josh. He was slightly alarmed and beginning to panic when I found him.

My reaction did not calm him down.

The waterfall in the kitchen however did.

Shall I continue on about how din we and home teaching went? No. You were there witnessing it with me.

Please November show mercy where October didn't.

Sincerely

A Girl Born in November

The return of blOgging

Dear November

Please show mercy everywhere that October did
not.

Sincerely

A Girl Born in November

Josh's Surgery

Josh had surgery a week ago on Monday.  He had his tonsils and adenoids removed.  It was so sad to see him go to surgery.  He fought the whole way!  He refused to wear the hospitals pajamas and socks, preferring to be 'naked'.  The doctor told us it was a really good decision to have them removed because upon physical examination they were much larger than he expected-a 4.  They were blocking about 90% of his airway.  He had a reaction to the anestesia-he turned red like a lobster for about an hour.  Painless (assuming that the morphine wasn't counteracting any pain from the rash) though.  He looked like hell for the day and has been getting better.  Nights are still unbearably rough with him, but it will get better.  We are sure.  His little voice has changed a lot.  It would be nice if he would take medicine without such a fight.  Even when he is shaking from pain he still tries to fight it.  Silly boy.  

more Pictures

Daddy and Isabelle at Joseph Smith's home in Palyra NY

 Patterson Farms October 2010

 Josh in Bucket August 2011

Steers and Sneaky Josh August 2011 

Rocky River Reservation

Squashy Joshy chachi

I was just thinking today about how fat Josh used to be.  This is him almost exactly a year ago!  So cute!  I love this little boy.  Here is a picture of another little boy I love.  I had fun playing with this picture in my editor.  He is holding my favorite little boy at the church's Kirtland site in the saw mill.  So Cute!!!

To a New Beginning

I am so excited for school to start and not because Abby is leaving.  I am excited for the new beginning.  I am excited for the new routine-ahhh blessed routine.  I am excited to enjoy new friendships and rekindle old friendships.  I am excited for a long and healing fall.  I am excited to have some reason to say that we can start over and bring out fresh crayons and fresh perspectives.  I am ready to let go of old weighty things and start floating.  

Abby's Kindergarten Graduation and Isabelle Growing Up

This week we passed two milestones.  Abby graduated from Kindergarten.  I have better pictures that I will post later-we mostly took video of her singing cute kindergarten songs.  She was so sweet.  It is a little weird that she had her ceremony a week before school ends.  I know.  I can't believe that she is so grown up!  I really love who she is becoming.  She is helpful and thoughtful. She is funny and the perfect 5 year old.

Isabelle is 7 months old.  This week she decided that she would be able to go all the way from laying flat to sitting up to standing up on her own.  This has lead to some disastrous, although not discouraging, falls.  Like off the bed.  She can crawl any and all pillow mountains without thought of what might be beyond them.  We are pulling out the crib this week to prevent further falling and give her a safe space to be.  She is eating macaroni and cheese and cookies with her little gums.  No teeth in sight yet!  At the rate she is going I wouldn't be surprised if she walks by 8 months.  : (  I really like this stage but she is already pushing off my lap like she could just walk away.

Josh.  Oh Josh.  He has had a CT scan of his little head to see if he needs any kind of surgery for sinus polyps or adenoids.  I am still debating about scheduling a sleep study although I think he would probably benefit from it.  He woke up 4 times last night.  Which makes cranky parents.  I am kind of waiting to have Abby finish up with school.

Our days are already filling up with bike rides and park days.  It is really nice to be outside so much.