This and That!

Will, Hope and I were talking about Moldova recently.  Will said "me no go to Moldova."  Hope piped up and said, "Well I'm sure glad I am not there any more.  I am thankful that I have a loving…….dog." Yes, I was expecting her to say family also!

Hope and her loving dog, Max!

On the way home from the lake recently, there was a big boat in front of us.  From Will's position he could only see the boat.  He wanted to know who was driving the boat on the road.  We tried to explain to him that it was being pulled by a truck but he just didn't get it until the truck and boat turned to the left.  Then it made sense to him.  Even though this was funny, it  was also a reminder of how much I take for granted that they just "know"  but really have no idea about so many things.

Lena and Hope with their new glasses.

Will had his first guitar lesson!

Lena learned how to swing by herself!

Andy putting the kids to work!

Will's Sleep Odyssey!

Will is full of personality and it doesn't take long to discover it.  Even in his sleeping (or not sleeping) it comes shining through.  When we first brought him home, I slept in the room with Will, Lena and Hope for two months.  The first couple of weeks, he woke up around 5 - 5:15 am everyday talking non stop!  For those of you who know me, I have never been a morning person and never will be!  Also, remember he talks very loudly due to his hearing impairment.  I would move to the couch, turn the tv on but he never watched tv.  He was ready to start his day!

Then we started putting the iPad by his bed and told him to play it in the closet (cushions, lights on, etc)  but he was waking me up to tell me he was getting the iPad.  Then he started waking up in the middle of the night telling me he was getting the iPad.  He thought it was morning and he was ready to go.

Then Andy went on a trip where he had to fly.  During this time, I would wake up a couple of times a night with Will standing in my face and saying Mom, Mom.  Then he would go back to sleep.  We had our friend Dora (from Romania) come over and talk to Will.  This happy go lucky boy (we thought) was worried that since Andy was gone that I would get in an airplane and leave too.  He remembered me leaving him in Moldova.  He couldn't see me from his bed and wanted to make sure I was there. Talk about surprised!  I had no idea anything was bothering him.  Dora suggested that he just get up and look at me and not call my name because I needed my rest.  He said he understood and that took care of that problem.

When I moved back in my bedroom, Will began waking me up by walking in the room talking a mile a minute.  We came up with a plan.  We got a digital clock and taped over the minutes.  We explained to Will that he could not get out of bed until he saw a "6" unless it was to go to the bathroom.  At "6" he could get his iPad and headphones and go to the closet and stay there until 7 unless we got him earlier.  We just had to remember to make sure Lena had not pushed buttons during the day and turned the alarm on which happened the first two nights at midnight!

This worked great most mornings.  By the time school started, you guessed it, he was sleeping past six and now most mornings, I have to wake him up.  However, he still wakes up quickly and is talking in 60 seconds or less!

Playing on his iPad in the closet

Rigged up clock

Sleep position I have found Will in often!

First Day of School!

We made it!  I picked all three up at 12:30 and Will and Hope were chatter boxes.  Lena kept saying "I'm tired."  She really was tired, because she did not eat lunch and went straight for her nap!  Thank goodness she only goes three mornings per week!

Hope said it was even more fun than she thought it would be!  Will loved looking for the gingerbread man and wanted to know how many more sleeps until he could go back.

Will - Kindergarten

Hope - First Grade

Lena - K4

Will, Lena, and Hope

End of Summer!

Well, it is here like it or not.  We have had such an eventful summer just at home and getting adjusted.  Much has been accomplished and Lena and Will and all of us have come a long way!  Our summer has ended with Beth getting home from a six week trip to Haiti and watching Dow prepare to leave for his Sophomore year at college.

I also found myself at Dr. Trumbull's Monday morning watching him pull out half an inch of bright orange ear putty from Will's ear.  Will has almost no eardrums, so we were putting this in his ears when he swam.  He had the piece stuck in there since Saturday but we had no idea that it was so large.  Will kept telling me that "I pushed, pushed, it in his ear and it was ouch!"  Needless to say I felt terrible when I saw what had been in his ear for two days!  We will not be using the ear putty anymore!

I also scheduled eye exams this past week for all three kids thinking it was just routine for Will and Lena and I would get Hope's checked since I was taking the other two.  Well, it was quickly apparent that Hope would need glasses and so would Lena.  Lena not only has poor vision but a rather significant astigmatism.  Will escaped this but he has enough to deal with regarding his ears!

We have also been getting uniforms, supplies, shoes, backpacks, and meeting teachers.  We are so blessed to have three children attend Eastwood Christian School.  Beth will homeschool again this year and Dow will return to Auburn!

All dilated and looking cool!

She's back!

He's leaving!