Saturday, November 1, 2014

October Updates!

It has been awhile since I have blogged but not because there hasn't been anything to blog about.  On the contrary, the days are full of both wonderful accomplishments and first time events to many challenges.  Speaking of challenges, we think Lena is going through the TERRIBLE TWOS where you cry over everything and can change your entire personality in a nano second.  She is (hopefully) learning to obey and how to interact with others (especially her younger brother and sister).  She came home from Eastwood's K4 program due to just not being ready and needing some "mommy" time at home.  She and I are working through her K4 workbooks so she will be ready next year.  She has learned her colors, shapes, identifies letters and numbers and is working on writing her name.  Her vocabulary is increasing but she can still be quite hard to understand at times.  She loves all things girlie which is a first for me since Beth and Hope have been just the opposite.

Will continues to amaze us in school and how quickly he learns and how eager he is.  He will do worksheet after worksheet and is learning sight words and beginning to read in K.  I can't imagine all that he has had to adjust to but he has taken it all in stride.  He drives me crazy at times with constant questions and sees things so black and white and it is hard to explain some "gray" things to him since we still are dealing with the language barrier to some extent.  However, for the most part, he is fluent in English (in less than six mos.!).  He continues to take guitar and while it is going slowly, he is picking it up.  He has thoroughly enjoyed all things Halloween and fall.  However, when we started talking about getting pumpkins, he would get very worried and say he didn't like them.  Then we figured out that they were fed pumpkins in Moldova and he did not like them.  When we explained that we would decorate them rather than eat them, he was all in.

In regards to his ears, we continue to face battles.  His non-surgery ear stays infected regardless of antibiotics.  The pediatric ENT recently cultured it and hopefully, we will get the results soon and will know how to treat it.  As for his surgery ear, he has fluid built up behind the eardrum and his eustachian tubes are not draining the fluid internally.  The patch over the eardrum is holding but we need the eustachian tubes to work.  Otherwise, we may have to put a tube in the patched eardrum which we want to avoid.  PLEASE pray that his eustachian tubes start to work!!!!

Hope is doing great.  She is reading a lot in and out of school and math is a major subject in first grade. We had her taking a private gymnastics lesson a week since she didn't want to compete but have taken her out completely.  She has no interest at all despite her talent!  This was hard for me, because I see her talent and know she could excel but I had to give it up!  She continues to love animals and nature and just thrives on those subjects.  She recently went to the Planetarium for the first time on a first grade field trip.  She likes telling Lena and Will all about what happens in fall, Halloween, etc.  She keeps losing teeth - I think she is up to six now!

Dow continues to love Auburn and plans to participate in his first half ironman in the spring.  He is studying hard and enjoying as much of nature and being outdoors during these beautiful days as possible.  We said goodbye to Beth on Oct. 31.  We were sad but she was very happy, because she will be in Haiti for the month of November.  She is homeschooling this year which gives her the flexibility to do this.

I am including some pictures from October - hard to choose from so many!!!

Will all dressed up for Rodeo Day at Kindergarten!
Our beautiful Beth!
Getting all the gooey out!
What will it be?
Will approaches everything as a fun adventure!
Lena was excited to have flower stickers
Maybe a Cheetah?!?!  Not bad for his first time at painting a pumpkin!
Wow, she is an old pro!
Our Spiderman, Fairy and Leopard
Cute!
Sweet moment, rare but sweet!
Spiderman, Max and Hope
Hope at First Baptist , Montgomery Fall Festival
Lena
Will
Oh the joys of bubble wrap - kept them busy forever!
Lena's first professional haircut
Hope with Hannah (left) and Mallory (right) at the Planetarium
Halloween night. 
Little spiderman, Big spiderman (Sam Rowell)