Family Friday: January 21, 2011

I’d like to keep these entries up to date weekly, but this one will include some catch-up from the last couple of months.

Matt: Been working in Atlanta this week, but arrives home this evening. Things are going very well with his business - almost too well. There don’t seem to be enough hours in the day to get everything done. When he’s able to step away from his office or the phone for a little while, he spends his time with us or catching up on his sleep. We miss him a lot, but we’re also very grateful for the way he works so hard for our family and shows his love for us.

Candace: I guess the cat’s out of the bag... or should I say... there’s a bun in the oven. That’s right, we’re expecting baby #6 in August. I had my first doctor’s appointment on Wednesday and then lab-work done yesterday. I’m feeling surprisingly well this pregnancy - a little queasy if I go too long without a meal - but really great compared to my previous pregnancies. I’m just grateful to have the energy to keep the family going. One highlight for the week was the night that the kids and I sat around the kitchen table, listening to Harry Potter on CD, eating popcorn, and painting.  

Lauren: Made it through her second semester of Jr. High - yeah! The transition to middle school has been a big one for Lauren, but she’s really come a long way in stepping up to the added responsibilities. In December, she received the Character Award for Diligence and she also won 3rd place in the School Science Fair. Congratulations Lauren! Highlight #1: was the night she asked to sleep in my room (Matt was out of town.) We turned it into a girls night, and snuggled up and watched a chick-flick on my laptop.  I loved every minute of it! Highlight #2: Making & eating brownies.

Zach: Also won the Character Award for Diligence in December - Awesome! I love that my kids work hard. In fact, I need to take a moment to recognize what a hard worker Zach is. Zach  wakes up on his own and heads straight to the piano for practice at 6:30 each morning - he’s so self-disciplined, he amazes me! He just pays attention to what he’s supposed to do and then does it without being reminded. Such a GREAT kid!  Highlight: He began skiing lessons last Friday at Sundance and he really liked it. There are 4 more lesson over the next couple months, so I’ll have to keep you posted on how those are going. Lowpoint: staying home with the stomach flu this morning and missing out on playing at his buddy's house. :-( 

Gabe: Won the Character Award in January for Respect - Way to go, Gabe! He also started skiing lessons with Zach (they were organized through the PTO for 2nd grade and up.) He also loved the first ski lesson - he just wished they could have skied longer! :D  Highlight #2: Beginning piano lessons last Wednesday. He’s really enjoying it, and doing well. He’s already earned 26 music bucks, and he loves the piano academy and all of his teachers.

Max: Ah, Max. He’s just been going through a tough time lately. He’s finally adjusted to going back to school, but he’s been so short-tempered with his brothers and sister lately that he’s been a real handful at home. He wishes he could join his brothers for skiing lessons so much, he can hardly stand it. He still loves all things "art" - especially painting. Highlight of the Week: Decorating for Valentine’s Day with me as a surprise for the rest of the family, and learning to make snowflakes in conjunction. Snowflake making is his new obsession. I love his interest and the snowflakes he’s making, but we need to reign in the paper scraps that are littering the house and keep the scissors out of Jared’s little paws.

Jared Highlight: Jared LOVED our Harry Potter/Painting night. It’s the first time he’s painted before, and he painted his paper, the table, his hands, his face, his brother, the popcorn and his tongue. (Yes, the paints are non-toxic. Yes, I did redirect him from eating paint.) All said, he had a great time! As I write this entry, I am sitting in the lobby of my dentist’s office and little Jared is unconscious in the exam room. Almost two months ago, he was sitting on a toddler chair and suddenly fell forward, smacking his mouth on the edge of a little wooden table. His mouth bled for a full 30 minutes, and the root of his front tooth died and the tooth eventually turned brown. So, he’s having a pulpotomy to prevent the tooth from having further problems and making it last a few more years before it’s supposed to fall out.  I held him as the anesthesiologist gave him a shot in the arm to knock him out, and I have to say it was a little frightening to have him fall to sleep in my arms in such a quick and unnatural way. 

Jared Update: Jared took a little longer than expected to come out of the anesthesia, but his vital signs are good and everything in the procedure went well - yeah! He's cranky & loopy & can't walk in a straight line, but I've been told that's normal - sigh. Now, I’m rushing home to check on Zach and see if he's feeling any better. Cest La Vie!