Dylan Update

I am Singing JINGLE BELLS!

2011-12-24T22:31:00.000-08:00

Mommy caught me singing on the 'guitar' (aka Wii Guitar) and immediately whipped out her camera. Here is me singing "Jingle Bells" for you.

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Trick Or Treat 2011

2011-10-31T22:27:00.000-07:00

Seahawk Football Fan/Construction Worker
Can you say, "CHEESE?"
Packer Cheese, that is.

Grandma walking Jo Jo while Trick-or-Treating.

Here is Jonah, JoJo, and Victoria on their first-ever true Trick-or-Treat experience. Who knew that total strangers will give you candy. In their eyes? AWESOME.

What was I doing? Helping Auntie Jen hand out candy as I wasn't all that interested in going door-to-door. But while I was helping Auntie Jen, I learned that whole GROUPS of girls will come to me! Teenage Girls. Auntie Jen says I am a very good flirt.

I had the best job of the night! Hey Ladies....

Buddy Walk 2011

2011-10-31T22:15:00.000-07:00

What can be more exciting than a Buddy Walk?

Well...playing with the band at the Buddy Walk.

Does that mean that we had a good time?
YES, YES, YES!

Oh, Jonah was totally into it as well.

He loved being part of the show.
Showing the moves center stage.

There were other fun activities to: Bubbles, People, Bubbles, Friends, Bubbles, Band, Bubbles, Lots of Girls, Bubbles...and Girls PLAYING Bubbles. Oh yeah.

And..back to the band.

We can't say enough how much the Buddy Walk means to us. Thank you Arc of Whatcom County for the support and genuine advocacy you perform.

You are true heroes. - Love Dylan and Fam.

Jonah's First Day of School

2011-10-31T22:07:00.000-07:00

Jonah after dressing up for his first day of school.

Doesn't he look handsome?
He was SUPER excited about his lunch box.
Super Mario Brothers.

Showing off the back pack!

At school...on the first day!
Yipee!

But before we start class, a little play first.
Jonah is getting to be so big.
We are so proud of him.

We LOVE Grandma!

2011-10-22T09:29:00.000-07:00

Thank You Grandma and Grandpa

2011-08-18T21:17:00.000-07:00

We just wanted to say Thank You to Grandma and Grandpa for coming up on Wednesday for Jonah's birthday party. We sure love you and appreciate you.

Jonah's Birthday Party

2011-08-18T13:05:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was my brother's Birthday. Happy Birthday Jonah! To celebrate, we went to Chuck E Cheese's and it was our first time ever going. We got to eat pizza, play lots of games, dance with Chuck E and (my favorite) be on the big tv screens at Studio C. Here are some pictures of the party. Can't believe Jonah is 5 years old already. Seems like just yesterday he made me a big brother. How time flies.

Jonah and I are dancing with Chuck E and our wonderful hostess. I gave Chuck E lots of hugs and Jonah got that awesome crown. The Studio C. Here I am on the big screen and I LOVED IT!!!! I'm a star.
Here you can see me acting in front of the blue screen which then shows up on the tv. Pretty sweet, huh? Don't I look good?!?

Jonah is showing off all his tickets he won. He also got that cool crown and a pretty sweet medallion which you can see around his neck.

Daddy got in the Ticket Blaster trying to score Jonah even more tickets for his prizes. Jonah went in with him for a second but decided Dad would do better all by himself. Here Jonah and I are cheering him on. Go Daddy Go!

Posing with the Chuck, himself. We make him look pretty good.

Jonah showing his surprise during Chuck E's show. Mom loves this picture.

All of us at the table eating pizza and having a good time with our mousy friend.

Silly Emily.

CHEESE! Cheese Pizza, that is.

The Birthday Boy.

Jonah got a cool balloon from the party.

Daddy helping me watch Chuck E's show.

After the party, we went home for some quiet time. Then while Jo Jo, Victoria, and I played in our swimming pool, Daddy took Jonah out for some ice cream and man-time. Mommy went to play a soccer game. Jonah and Daddy went for a walk at the beach, had races, and talked. What a great way to spend the rest of a birthday. Boy, Daddy is prety awesome and Jonah had a wonderful party and then some even more wonderful Daddy-time. Happy 5th Birthday, Jonah. We love you.

Jonah Quotes

2011-08-11T11:37:00.000-07:00

Jonah is a very smart brother and lately he's taken to stating some of his observations in a very quirky manner. Here is a list of Jonah's Top Quotes from recent:

-- While giving Mommy a spontaneous 'chest bump', Jonah stops and states to her, "Mommy, your chest bumps are bouncier."

-- While pinching me, Mommy yelled at Jonah to stop pinching. He turned to her and says, "Mom. I'm not pinching. I'm just squishing really, really hard."

-- While at the Woodland Park Zoo, Jonah was watching the penguins eat fish. They would eat and then dive which caused bubbles to appear from the back end. Jonah sees the bubbles and states, "LOOK! Fish farts!"

-- While at an indoor soccer game with Mommy, Jonah wanted some money for a candy machine. When she said she didn't have any on her, Jonah turns to one of her team mates (and a complete stranger) and asks, "Well, do you have any money?"

-- While climbing into the bath, Jonah tactfully observes, "Mom. I smell like poop."

-- Mommy was peeved at Jonah for talking back to her one day. So she told him so. His response, " (*SIGH*) Mom. I am not talking backwards. I'm talking English."

-- "Hey. The dinner plate stays on the table. NOT on your head."

-- Running out of the bathroom, Jonah yells, "MOOOMMMMM! It's big so I need to scare it small again!" (Oh yes. We're talking the 'down there' big.) Poor Mommy.

Precious Moment

2011-08-09T15:15:00.000-07:00

Daddy saw Jonah and I playing so sweetly, he grabbed the camera.

Daddy the Sailor

2011-08-09T15:04:00.000-07:00

As we've stated before, Daddy is in the Navy and he recently had to wear a very special uniform for an event. We decided that when he got home, he looked so handsome it must be time for a photo-op!

Catching Up (3): Fourth of July

2011-08-09T14:36:00.001-07:00

Our 4th of July was a fun and quiet time with some of our closest friends. We had a BBQ at our house with the 4x4 and a pool for entertainment. We had a good time and we love our friends. Welcome back, L family. They had moved away and are back. So excited that they are close to us once again.

There were six of us kiddos here to celebrate the 4th. Five of us pig-piled onto Daddy while he was trying to relax on the hammock. Relax? PULEESE! He's an adult after all. Leave the relaxing to us kids.
I love my daddy. Here I am climbing on and loading him with kisses.
This is Hunter. Isn't he CUTE?!? Doug and Jayna. So glad you are home.

Baby Hunter! Can we see your ID? Don't think you're 21 yet, buddy.

Vroom!

Doug enjoying the moment.

With an adult beverage.

Doug riding the 4x4.

POOL PARTY!!!

Even Kirby enjoyed the pool party we kiddos had.

I had a great time on the 4th.

J enjoying some water action.

Kacy and Jonah.

Close friends that were so excited to play together.

Catching Up (2): Camping at Deception Pass

2011-08-09T14:27:00.001-07:00

Earlier this summer we went camping at Deception Pass. It's a beautiful park and we highly recommend that you check out the Deception Pass bridge if you are ever in Washington State to visit. We had a generally okay time. We got to hang out with Grandma and Grandpa which is always awesome but there were a few icky moments. For example, J and V are new to the whole camping experience so sleeping in our camper was difficult. Mommy spent the nights in the van with V so she could sleep and let the rest of us sleep. It also rained the majority of the trip. But overall, it was a good trip and fun to be with our Grand Parents.

We love them so much.

Jonah, the mighty forest explorer.
J and me playing with the toys. ALL the toys.
The campsite.

Jonah is starting to learn how to ride the bike. He started to get the hang of it during this camping trip.

Catching Up (1): Max's Birthday Party

2011-08-09T14:00:00.000-07:00

We have been very busy this summer. So while we haven't been posting, we have been having fun. Now we are just catching up on the events of the past little while. First up: Max's Birthday Party.

Max's Mom is AMAZING! She put together a super fun party for us which included homemade cupcakes, a scavenger hunt, prizes, cake decorating, and more.

The party was a jungle themed scavenger hunt party. Here I am being a monkey.
Do you think Jonah enjoyed decorating his own cake?
This is Mommy's favorite picture of Jonah from this summer.
Seriously! Look at these cupcakes! Max's Mommy made them! MADE THEM!

This is Eva. Mommy loves her and secretly hopes I'll marry her someday.
Look at this drink! Yummy.
This is Tommy. We have missed seeing the M family and were so happy that they were at the party. Mommy got to catch up briefly with Tommy's Mom (also a wonder woman!) but Mommy says she needs more time with her. This truly is one amazing family and we are so blessed to have the M family as friends.

This is Max's Mom (aka Amy). She put together this amazing party and as you can see, I love her. Lots.

Check out this huge MONKEY that Max had for his party. Is this thing just not the coolest?

The Birthday Boy

We love you, Max.

xoxo

Summers A'Comin!

2011-06-12T14:02:00.000-07:00

Thursday marks the last day of school and the start of summer vacation for Mommy and us kiddos. We are super excited and to kick it off, it looks like camping is in our near future. While Daddy is working, the plans are already in the works for Mommy to take us kids camping at Birch Bay or Deception Pass with Grandma and Grandpa. In July, Mommy has reservations for camping at Fort Flagler.

Other plans include getting some things done around the house. The gardens been planted but has been slightly neglected. The storage building is to be painted, the driveway to be re-graveled, etc etc.

Mommy is also hoping to get Jonah, JoJo, and I signed up for swimming lessons. She is working on that right now.

Busy plans and we are getting very excited. Hurry up Thursday! We can't wait!

Funny Story!! Frisbee vs. Daddy and Uncle Don

2011-06-06T22:44:00.001-07:00

So here is the scoop: While we were at Pacific Beach, WA over Memorial Weekend, one of our beloved Pete's (aka Auntie Jen and Uncle Don's puppy) toy frisbees landed on the roof of our rental beach house. So what, do you ask, did Daddy and Uncle Don do? Got a vacuum cleaner, a plunger, and a broom to try and solve the problem. Are they MacGuyver?!? ABSOLUTELY NOT but it was pretty funny to watch two grown men (one a Comcast computer tech whiz and the other a Navy Chief) try to get this one right. But in the end, what do you think happened? These same grown men agreed that Auntie Jen's original suggestion of climbing on to the roof was the way to go.

Do you think Uncle Don and Daddy got the message that the MOMMY is always right? Well..

Pacific Beach Pt 2

2011-06-06T22:37:00.000-07:00

More Pacific Beach Pictures from Memorial Weekend:

I loved playing in the sand. For a while. Then....I AM DONE.

Daddy had a great time.

For no particular reason, Mommy loves this picture of Auntie Jen and their awesome wonder-dog, Pete.

Ever hear that Wiggles song, "Rolling Down the Sand Dune"? NO? WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?!? Well, here is Jonah rolling down the grass hill and loving it.

Grass rolling at its finest. Oh yeah.

Pacific Beach Pics Pt 1

2011-06-06T22:29:00.001-07:00

Over Memorial Weekend, we went to Pacific Beach with Mommy and Daddy's bestest friends ever (aka Auntie Jen and Uncle Don). We had a good time on the beach and hanging with Auntie Jen and her wonderful family. We love you guys so much. Here are some pics:

This is what happens when Auntie Jen wakes up before Mommy and steals away Baby Victoria. Do you think they had a good time or what?!?

Oh yeah. Hair do of the year for sure.

Here I am playing with Jo Jo. I love my new brother.

Here is Daddy with Jonah and I on the beach.

Mommy loves this picture.

Despite Jonah's facial expression in this photo, we can testify that he had a blast. He just decided that sand in the mouth isn't as cool as in between the toes.

Jim Creek

2011-06-06T22:18:00.000-07:00

We know it has been a while since we posted but we really do have a good reason. We haven't been home. Every weekend has been spent away until now. Our first outing was to Jim Creek campgrounds in Arlington, WA. It is a Navy camping facility that we went to for Daddy's work. We rented a cabin and although it rained (we do live in WASHINGTON), we still had a great time. Only downer was the last day when Jo Jo came down with the stomach flu. Mom thought it was kind of funnywhen he threw up on Daddy but wasn't as impressed when he had diahrrea the next morning and we evacuated the cabin in record time. Enjoy the photos:

Chillin' in the cabin.

The cabin. Pretty, huh?

Baby Victoria playing on the porch.

Here is Daddy braving the elements to start a fire.

Good Luck with that one, Dad. It's Raining.

Easter 2011

2011-04-24T21:02:00.000-07:00

This is our friend Jaime. He was here with Uncle Joe and his Mommy H (we love her). Jaime learned all about our family's obession with black olives. Here is just one reason why. Fingers!
Jonah showing the craziness of the black olives.

We also went to Uncle Reed and Auntie Jodel's house for an Easter Egg Hunt. But I think the Warrior Princess Quad stole the show.

Here is Uncle Joe with his girlfriend, Heidi. Aah.

Uncle Joe and Jonah deep in conversation.

Here is Grandma meeting Baby V for the first time.

QUAD! Go Jonah!

Jaime scores on the egg hunt!

Mommy loves this picture. It's little J catching up with his Daddy.

Uncle Joe. Nuf said.

Uncle Joe and Heidi again.

((Deep Sigh))

I bailed on that little basket. Now I'm good to go. Load 'r up!

Jonah doing some serious egg hunting. He missed the one right next to him.

I got distracted. I'm a cool bike rider and had to take a break from the egg hunt. The magnetic pull of the awesome bike was just too much for me and I had to get on.

Jaime found some eggs. He liked the egg hunt and we liked having him to play with.

Max's Easter Egg Hunt

2011-04-17T22:13:00.000-07:00

Have we told you lately how AWESOME our friend Max is? Not only that but his Mommy is AMAZING. They put on an annual Easter Egg Hunt every year. Today, we went to this fantastic, fun-filled event and not only did they have over 800 eggs hidden all over the neighborhood park, but Amy took this great picture of Jonah. It's fantastic and shows just how silly Jonah can be. He obviously had a great time. So did I. I found 4 or 5 eggs and then decided it was more fun giving everyone in the crowd hugs. I loves seeing my friends.

Thanks so much Amy and Max. We love you and miss you.

The Easter Egg Hunt was a blast and Mommy thinks you two are so wonderful.

Hugs.

**Note about the picture: Yes that is Mommy in the background holding Victoria and Jo Jo is the one in the yellow coat beside her. This picture is great because you can't see their faces making it possible to post but still gives you a glimpse of our newest family members. Thanks again, Amy.

A Family of 6

2011-04-17T21:45:00.000-07:00

Our family is expanding. Many of you know that Mommy and Daddy became foster parents so that we could watch a particular little boy that they met through church. We have known this little guy since birth and Mommy fell absolutely in love with his one dimple and big brown eyes. Sadly, his biological parents suffer from severe addiction issues as well as have some troubles with the law. Despite many attempts to get help and meet the goal requirements established by the State Child Protection Services, these two individuals were unable to follow through with their necessary things in order to regain custody of this awesome little boy. But while attempting to make things right, the parents had a little fun and VOILA! this little boy we love so much became a big brother to a little girl who shares his beautiful brown eyes and smile. So what became a passion for one little kiddo grew into two. While we are dissappointed and sad that their natural parents continue to suffer from their addictions, we are excited as well. WHY? You ask? Well.... because we are now their permanent family. Yep. The courts have decided that since these kiddos have been in foster care for two years and no progress has been made by the parents, they decided that they needed a permanent home. Last Wednesday, we became that home. We welcome little Victoria (age 1) and little Jo Jo (age 2) into our family and hopefully in a year or two we will have adoption paperwork that makes it a little more official. It is a long process for parental rights termination which is why there is a delay in the beginning of our adoption process, but regardless, the courts have named us Jo Jo and Victoria's permanent home. Can we tell you just how excited we are? First, Jonah is now a big brother and he is AWESOME at it. Helping Mama with the diapers (yeah, there is three of us in diapers) and makes sure we all hold hands while in the parking lots. I am a big brother again and Jo Jo shares my passion for big cars, trucks, trains, and especially motorcycles. Mommy loves having a girl in the house and Victoria is officially the best dressed pre-walker there is in town. We're talking hair bows, dresses, and pink galore. Having our family double like this is causing some transitional issues but that is to be expected. We are busy and if you plan on talking to anyone on the phone at our house, plan for many interruptions and to shout so you can be heard over all the ruckus. Mommy's very organized skills are coming into play in a major way. She plans all the meals ahead of time, lays all our clothes out before bed, has the coffee pot programmed (very important) and keeps the calendar open at all times. Daddy is great at helping during meal times and cleans up the mess after dinner while Mommy does all the baths. Hooray for us! We are so excited to have our new siblings. We can't post pictures online yet because they are still technically foster children for a little while longer. But if you want to send us an email, we'll be happy to email you back with a snapshot to family and friends. Be patient, it might take a while for Mommy to get back to you (especially if you call) but she'll get there. Eventually. Yep. 4 small kids to blame for that one.

A Birthday Party for Daddy and I

2011-03-15T16:06:00.000-07:00

We celebrated my birthday this past Sunday. Okay...Daddy's too. In fact, Daddy had a milestone birthday. The big 4-0. That is a lot of candles, isn't it? I turn six on Friday and since Daddy's birthday is exactly a week before mine, we had a joint party with family. Thank you so much to all who came. We love you.

Happy Birthday Daddy. Happy Birthday to ME!Grandma and I
Daddy and Jonah picking over the cake. Check it out. Daddy has 3 pieces of carrot cake in front of him. Good thing Mommy made him share.

Daddy and I got PRESENTS!
Mommy read us a story. Jonah was shouting for joy...not that you can tell by this picture.

Joe and Heidi. Ooooh! Kissy Kissy Uncle Joe.

Twitterpated. Most definitely.

Grandpa laughing at a story. Look at the awesome card my new friend, Jaime made me. Pretty cool, huh?

Birthday Boy Dylan! That's ME!

Mommy putting on the candles.

The 40 year-old.

Lighting the candles took FOREVER. Dad's fault. Not mine.

Mom! You're not doing it right.

We need more candles for Daddy.

40 is A LOT! Plus Dylan's 6! That makes 46.

Being Home Sick Has Its Advantages

2011-03-01T15:27:00.000-08:00

Today, I got to stay home with Mommy. I've had a bad cold but today it was coupled with a high fever and a cough. Mommy still had Jonah go to 'play school' and our foster-friend went to his school for the day as well. That left Mommy all to me. I might be sick but I'll tell ya, being sick has its advantages.

First, Mommy took me through the Starbucks drive thru when we dropped the other two kiddos off. I got to have my very own Strawberries N' Cream Smoothie. I gulped it down which made Mommy happy because a) I loved it; and b) I used a big boy cup in the car and didn't spill a drop. That's sayin' something!

Second, my Larry Mobile had broken. So Mommy took advantage of our time together to get me a new one before we returned home. I was so excited about getting the Larry Mobile back that we didn't even get to the cash register before I had that baby open and making noises!

Thirdly, the best part of being home sick and having Mommy all to myself was all the cuddles. She even took a nap with me. Seriously, I had my grips on Mom all day. All to myself.

See, I might feel awful but being sick can have its high points!

Funny and So True

2011-03-01T15:25:00.000-08:00

This one is for Uncle Joe and Grandpa.

Beethoven Trio Concert (Variations for 2 Oboes and English Horn)

2011-02-17T21:21:00.000-08:00

Mommy has been pretty busy lately and here is one of the reasons why. On top of working, being a mom, and housekeeper..cook....laundry mat...taxi... She also plays the oboe. Grandpma and Grandpa haven't seen her play for a while so here is a copy of a concert she did last weekend. Thanks Ken for the opportunity and to Jen for being awesome. As always. My Mommy sure does love playing with you two in symphony.

Visit by Santa

2011-01-01T21:56:00.000-08:00

We met Santa! Yep. Two days before Christmas he came to our Uncle and Aunties House while we were visiting. How about that! Here are some pictures of our time with him.

We are starting with blackmail pictures of Santa with my parent. Something just ain't right about this picture...
Here I am running into his arms. I just HAD to give him a big hug.
Look at Jonah giving him the picture perfect moment. Aah.

Mommy loves this picture. See how excited Jonah was and how I was just loving the extra cuddles with Santa. By the way, thanks Uncle Ronny for making the arrangements with Santa to have the early visit. It really was very special.

Christmas Morning

2010-12-25T09:59:00.000-08:00

The pictures say it all but we wanted to share how much fun and joy we've had this Christmas morning. It started last night when we placed our stocking, cookies & milk, and climbed into bed. Mommy and Daddy rearranged some couches to make room for presents and then off to bed we all went. St. Nick came by and left us a treeful! We loved it! Here is a picture story of how it all went down.

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Here's Daddy and Kirby after they rearranged the furniture. We had our stocking laid out and it was bedtime!
Look what happened while we were sleeping! St. Nick placed presents under our tree! We even woke up to full stockings. They had Wiggle and VeggieTale coloring books. I got a VeggieTale T-shirt in my stocking! Can you believe it?!?
Jonah got a Wiggle T-shirt in his stocking! I bet you can guess what we are wearing this afternoon.
Coloring Books! Yee Haw~

Then the present opening commenced after Mommy & Daddy got their coffees (very important).

Jonah and I are a little Wiggle obsessed.So you can imagine our joy when Jonah opened a present that is Just Dance for Wii Kids. It has Wiggles Hot Potato on it. Now we can dance along with the Wiggles on our Wii.

I opened my Larry Mobile and it was LOVE at first sight.

More presents! Look at the concentration.

Look at how much I love my Daddy. Here we are sharing looking at something and I just had to give him a big hug.

Larry Mobile. Sigh.

Jonah loves his new building blocks. He also got a guitar. A REAL guitar.

Mommy made these from scratch. Silly thing to take pictures of but we're talking...from SCRATCH. The yeast, the rolling, the dough rising...FROM SCRATCH. Yummy.

Silly Mommy.

Out of the Mouths of Babes

2010-12-19T21:25:00.001-08:00

Lights of Christmas at Warm Beach

2010-12-19T21:25:00.000-08:00

Last night was so much fun and we have definitely started a family tradition! We went to Warm Beach's (www.warmbeach.com) Christmas of Lights Festival. According to their website, they claim to have over a million lights on display and before we went, Mommy was a little doubtful. But we can verify! There are most definitely over a million lights. In addition, there were Carolers, a couple of stages with live music (Jonah loved this), story tellers, hot apple cider, live animals, horse rides, a talk spruce called Bruce the Spruce, and so much more! It was such a great time together as the family and Jonah has already proclaimed we are going back.

This is Bruce the Spruce. He loved talking with Jonah, Daddy, and I. He even got Jonah to dance and sing for him.
There were lights a plenty. Here is a snowman display that was by far not as impressive as most displays but Mommy really liked it.

Now here is what I'm talking about! Check out this snowman accompaning our family portrait!

There were horse rides too! Here is Jonah on his white stallion. Prince Jonah.

Here I am on my sweet chestnut. I did awesome and Daddy got to walk with me! An extra bonus for me!

Daddy gave me the camera so Mommy posed for the picture. Obviously, I'm a little shorter than her. But, MAN! Am I a great photographer or what?

Mommy took this picture (she's not as talented as me in the photo department) and although its blurry, it gives you an idea of the millions of Christmas lights. Really, over a million lights!

The reason for the Season!

Daddy, Jonah, and I! Mommy loves this picture!

Check out this scenic picture drawn in lights. It's also HUGE!

Our Weekend Plans

2010-12-16T20:00:00.000-08:00

We are SO excited because we are heading to an AMAZING Christmas display this Saturday. It's Warm Beach's Lights of Christmas and let us tell you, it looks so exciting. We are starting with an exhilarating trip Saturday afternoon to McDonald's for our gourmet meal and then we will fill up on hot cocoa. Following an hour drive filled with Christmas carols, we will be in to see a Christmas light display featuring over a million Christmas lights, a talking tree, hot and fresh donuts, 5 different stages, and more.

You bet there will be pictures to follow.

An Awesome Blog

2010-12-09T18:39:00.000-08:00

http://confessionsofthechromosomallyenhanced.blogspot.com/

Want to have a good read? Check out this blog and I can guarantee you'll be hooked.

The Adventure of Missing Daddy

2010-11-25T13:39:00.000-08:00

Daddy's deployment has prolonged for a while. We miss him a lot and it has been an especially difficult time with him away. Normally, we do really well despite Daddy's absence. But this time has been difficult...very, very difficult.

We'll start with the weather. First, we got very cold and strong un-seasonal weather. We're talking strong winds and single digit temperatures. Two days ago, we had 2 degrees weather with 40-60 mile an hour winds. It blew parts of the roofing off and the pipes froze. Three trees are down too. It was so bad, Mommy had to call for help. Fortunately, Uncle Reed and Uncle David came to the rescue. While Uncle David patched the roof, Uncle Reed put a big heater under the house which unfroze the pipes. Fortunately, no pipes broke and Mommy was near tears in being grateful for their help.

In addition, it snowed really hard the other night and when Mommy let the dogs in from a trip outside to go potty, she quickly discovered that they had been sprayed by a skunk. Unfortunately, she discovered too late to catch them from coming into the house and rubbing their faces into the carpet which made the house smell like skunk. Three baths and a trip to the doggy salon later, the dogs smelled better but the house was another matter. Mommy has had a heck of a time trying to get the smell out but it seems that every time she comes home from work, there is still a hint of skunk in the air when she opens the door. Yuck.

Also, with Daddy's absence, there has been the issue of the dogs/cats and their presents that they leave. They like to catch birds or mice for Mommy which she doesn't really appreciate all that much. Well, the other day, it was a big..BIG...rat. Eew. But the worst was when they caught a squirrel but they didn't kill it. But they did hurt it bad enough that Mommy had to put it out of its misery. It was terrible and Mommy couldn't find the bullets to the gun so she did the deed with a shovel. Ugh.

But despite all this adventure, we have discovered two really good things about Daddy being away. First, I LOVE to talk to Daddy on the phone and I am getting really good at using my voice and words while talking with him. It is really motivating to me to talk when its Daddy on the line. Second, its Mommy and Daddy's bed. We love cuddling with Mommy while Daddy is away but most importantly, Mommy get the bed all to herself. She loves sleeping in the middle and while she misses cuddling with Daddy, she is enjoying stretching out at night and getting all the covers/pillows without having to share.

Daddy will be home soon. But until then, we miss him lots. LOTS. We cant' wait until your back, Dad. Especially Mommy...she says you can come home anytime now. Really. Okay. We'll wait but I think when you get back, after you recover from Jet Lag, Mommy is going to need some Mommy-time. Serious Mommy-time.

Happy Thanksgiving Daddy

2010-11-25T13:36:00.000-08:00

Today we are in Seattle having turkey with Grandma, Grandpa, and Uncle Joe. But before we dig in to the good food Grandma has made, we wanted to wish Daddy a Happy Thanksgiving. We miss you Daddy and hope you have good food to eat over in Japan. Mommy says we are going to have another turkey dinner specially made for you when you get home. We miss you. Thank you for your sacrifice in serving our country. Love you. Big hugs, kisses, and eyebrows.

Mommy, Jonah, and Dylan

New Pics with the New Camera

2010-11-10T20:41:00.000-08:00

We are having fun with the new camera. Here are some of the funny pictures we took while messing around. You'll notice Jonah' doing some dance and for whatever reason that he thought was funny, pulling his pants up over his belly. He thought that was hilarious. Silly brother. Then there are some group pictures and some some of me. I wasn't as cooperative as my brother (aka Photo Hog Jonah). But it was fun all the same. Enjoy Daddy. We miss you lots.

Hi Daddy

2010-11-07T15:37:00.000-08:00

Hi Daddy. We are having a good week despite a set-back this weekend. I got the stomach flu and Jonah had it on Friday. According to the daycare, they said it's going around and that it lasts typically 24 hours. Yep. That's about right. Except it was BAD timing. Mommy was watching two kiddos for some foster-parent friends so they could have a night off. For the first time ever, Mommy had to call them to come get them. I started throwing up and the shop vac that Mommy pulled out to clean it up with (love throw-up on carpet) kind of freaked them out. They both have autistic characteristics and so all the drama and loud noises for a new place was just not a good combo. We'll try again maybe one of these upcoming weekends.

We have a surprise. Actually, Mommy says she loves, loves, loves you soooooo much. I mean she really, really loves you....loves, you times infinity! How come? Well, first because she misses you and thinks you're hot (eww). Second, she splurged today. She spent $100 and bought a used camera from a professional photographer who upgraded his camera. It's super nice. Just like you, Daddy. You're not mad that Mommy did that, are you? Come on! Look at our sweet faces.

We really do love you, Daddy. Kidding aside, we've missed you a lot this past week. Only 2 1/2 weeks until you're home. It can't come fast enough. To give you an update, Jonah is having a blast at his new 'school' (aka Daycare) and I am doing well in school. I lost yet another pair of glasses so Mommy ordered a new pair for me and the puppies are behaving for the most part. Mommy is still LOVING her job. She really does enjoy working with the students and is having a blast working with her new friends.

Kisses to you. We love you lots.

Our week in review

2010-10-29T22:22:00.000-07:00

The verdict is in. We loved the Great Wolf Lodge. We went last weekend before Daddy headed off for a month to Japan. We stayed two nights and loved every minute of it. Every day since, Jonah has asked when we can go back. He also has been asking to see Grandma and Grandpa Paulie again since they provided us with two spectacular days of movies, corn mazes, and (drum roll please) UNCLE JOE! We really did have a great time as a family.

Now that we are back from our trip, we have settled into our groove. Daddy left on Monday for Navy stuff. He'll be back on Thanksgiving day (or so) and until that time, Mommy has gotten us pretty well scheduled and well-adjusted to his absence. Mommy started working a couple of weeks ago for the Bellingham School district in one of the middle schools. She LOVES it. Seriously...she LOVES LOVE LOVES it. She takes me to my bus first thing in the morning and then takes Jonah to his new "play school" (its actually a daycare but he calls it school). Jonah has adjusted well to going to daycare and is even behaving better at home now (what does this mean?). I go to school and then spend a couple of hours at "play school" with him until Mommy comes and gets us at 3:30. Then, we have Mommy's undivided attention. We love it. Lately, we've been playing a lot of games, especially on the Wii. Yep, Mommy is making sure we know she loves us. Lots.

As for Daddy, his trip seems to be going well. We finally got to talk to him today and he said that there is a typhoon in Japan right now. Lots of wind and rain...pretty much like what we had when he left home. He said that he is doing well and starts lots of classes next week for some extra training. He seems to be well and even caught a movie the other day so he's not too busy.

We miss him though. Especially when incidents like this afternoon. Mommy got pretty mad at him today when he wasn't home to help with the squirrel the dogs caught this afternoon. She tried to save it (a mistake) but the squirrel was pretty hurt so she had to put it down. She couldn't find the bullets for the gun so she had to do it with a shovel....not a great way to start a weekend. Come home, put screaming kid into time-out, kill a squirrel, put darn dogs in time-out, put screaming child back into time-out, let out dogs, make dinner, and then clean up squirrel remains after those darn dogs found where Mommy thought would be its final resting place. Yep. She was MAD at Daddy. Bet he's thankful he's halfway around the world right now if he's reading this. Good thing she has until Thanksgiving to recover. Huh, Daddy?

All right. Time for bed. We love you Daddy. Hugs, kisses, and eyebrows.

Hi Auntie Mary

2010-10-08T18:15:00.001-07:00

Mommy got word that her Aunt Mary reads my blog. A little birdie told her. Okay, it was Grandpa, but we wanted to send a little note telling her hello. We love you lots, Auntie Mary.

We're HERE!

2010-10-05T12:56:00.001-07:00

We are alive and well! Really. We've just been super-duper busy. It's been a really long time since a post so here is the super-short version of our summer.

Daddy worked. A lot! He went to Japan for a month and has been clocking 12-14 hour days at the Navy Base.
Mommy had two extra kids for the majority of the summer. A 11 month-old and his 4 year-old brother. Both kids had developmental delays but Mommy had to spend a lot of time with the 4 year-old. His delays were more extreme than originally thought and is currently undergoing diagnosis for his delays. They are now at a more permanent placement now but their time with us, while very precious, was extremely busy. Not too mention me and my brother or the fact that the 11 month-old had constant ear infections until his ear surgery. We then had a 6 month old and 20 month-old (together - and yes, this was Jack! - loved it!). We now have a teething 8 month old who is cute and getting ready for his forever home with another family. We are just helping with transitions.
I went to summer school and while I certainly appreciated my fun time there, Mommy has mixed feelings about it. It was fun but was very unorganized which made Mommy very nervous.
I started Kindergarten which I love, love, love! I have a great new teacher and the school is fantastic. It's a new school to our district and just a beautiful campus.
Mommy got a job. She's starting next week working for the Bellingham School District as a para educator at one of the Middle Schools. She is going to be in the Special Education department.

Now for the goods: we are going on vacation next week! YEP! Mommy starts her new job, works for a couple of days, and then we head south to the Great Wolf Lodge (pictured above) for a family outing. Daddy planned it and we are so happy to be able to spend time with him. He really has been working so hard and is going away for a month again later in October so this is a much needed family time event. The Great Wolf Lodge is a family-oriented resort that has a ton of indoor water features. It includes a big water slide, a smaller kid play area, story time at the great clock, and more. We are so excited.

Mommy and Daddy are particularly excited about our outing because before we go to the resort, Jonah and I are going to stay at Grandma and Grandpa's for a couple of days. We will get super spoiled (they are already planning lots of fun things to do) and Mommy gets Daddy all to herself for 2 whole days. She is planning on seriously sleeping in, having breakfast in a restaurant, and more. Daddy is looking forward to having Mommy all to himself for a while. He says we take up a lot of her time....what is he talking about?!?

Phew. We promise to try and not go so long without an update. It really has been a while.

A Reason To Foster

2010-07-29T11:45:00.000-07:00

So we wanted to share that Mommy became interested in Foster care because of one particular child that we have come to know through church. We have known him from birth and Mommy pushed to get licensed so we could become respite providers for this little guy. Of course, Mommy soon discovered that if she was going to dive into becoming a licensed foster care provider, it wouldn't be for just one child. There are so many out there, including the two cuties we have sharing our home with us right now, that need love and support while their families have time to work their issues out.

We now have two reasons to celebrate becoming a Foster family. First, the two kiddos we had living with us for six months (J and M) will soon be reunited with their Mommy. We are proud of how hard this Mommy has worked. She is learning new parenting skills through classes and is truly becoming a better parent who genuinely wants to provide her kids that safe and affectionate home they deserve. All of this is now coming to fruition. We are excited to hear that J and M will hopefully be in their home soon. Possibly in the next three to four weeks. Congrats and we love these kiddos immensely. They were our first long-term placement and it is so great to know that all is working out.

But back to the little guy who started it all. Things are not working out with his Mommy. So that means that the state has begun terminating parental rights for his biological Mommy and Daddy. While it is sad that these parents were unable to recover fully from their drug addictions (something to pray about), it does mean that this little boy is looking for his "forever" home. That is where this post comes in. We want to be that home. Really, really, REALLY want it. Mommy just tears up at the idea of having him here.

So can you please pray? We obviously cannot share details, but we are beginning this process with our little hopeful. We cannot name him, share his picture, or give details about his family background. What we can tell you is that we will call him Jack for internet purposes (not his real name) and that Jack is 18-months old. He is Native American so while we hope to be his forever family, it will be a permanent guardianship rather than an adoption. We would adopt him in a heartbeat but his tribe will not allow that kind of permanent placement.

Here are some things I can share with you about Jack. He is SO cute, loves anything with a motor and this includes sleeping with a motorcycle, and eats blueberries like you wouldn't believe. He has a 6-month old baby sister (not part of the process at this time). He keeps you on your toes.

There you go. Pray. Pray. Pray. Thank you.

Updates, Updates, Updates

2010-07-25T22:52:00.000-07:00

We've been busy. First, Daddy is home and we are very excited about that. He is working so hard and some pretty long hours but we've had some cuddle time with him, particularly out in the warm weather while laying in the hammock together.

We have two new foster kids living with us now. We have a 3 year old boy (J) who is only 6 days older than Jonah! Then there is J's little brother, 9 month-old D, who is a "BABY CUTE" as I like to put it. J, Jonah, and I get along fantastically for the most part. Being so close in age has made J an insta-buddy for us and besides the occasional spat over who gets what toy, we do pretty well. Particularly if Mommy makes us play outside. Then we do very well. Indoors, not so much, but we're working on that.

Mommy is loving having a baby in the house. D is a very good baby which makes things nice and sleeps pretty well. He's had some ear infections and is going to need ear tubes very soon. In addition, he is currently popping four teeth all at once. That has put a cramp in his normal giggly style but that will pass soon.

I am in summer school right now and LOVING it. We play outside, sing a very cool welcome song, and I get to ride the bus. Mommy says I am pretty worn out afterwards but pssht! What does she know! Who needs naps anyway? I got two other fun toddlers in the house to play with so laying down is not on my agenda.

One bummer for the summer has been our teething puppy. She ate another pair of my glasses so Mommy has ordered me more. That is one expensive chew toy. But besides Kirby's tendency to eat my glasses, she is a very good dog. She is so well behaved and is getting really big. She and Elsa (our other dog) have really bonded. She's even got Elsa playing with her which is great for Elsa who is almost 11 years old and has some arthritis. Kirby also loves to play ball with me. She and I play catch a lot.

Jonah is growing like a linebacker. Seriously! The kid is HUGE! No one ever guesses that he is just three (almost four). He has outgrown me by quite a bit now and is so incredibly smart. Not only can he spell and read, but now he is even teaching himself basic math! Just this morning, he had Mommy count six rocks with him. Then he took away three and observed that there were only three left. He did that all by himself. Its freaking Mommy out a little bit.

We had some sad news. Our great Grandpa (Daddy's Grandpa) passed away on Friday. Daddy is heading over to Eastern Washington to go to his funeral later this week. Daddy is pretty sad but we are very happy that great Grandpa is now with his beautiful wife. Mommy can't remember a single time that she spoke with great-Grandpa and he didn't mention how much he loved his wife. Very sweet and inspiring.

There are many more updates to share but I have to go to bed. I have school early in the morning. We'll catch up more soon!

Belated Fathers Day

2010-06-27T12:57:00.000-07:00

Guess What?!? Daddy is coming home! He called Mommy late last night to say he was starting his journey from Japan to head home. He will be home sometime today so we are just hanging at home waiting for his call. Then we'll fly into the car and go pick him up! Its a great way to start our belated Fathers Day!

While waiting, Mommy has steaks marinating, rolls rising, and home-made potato salad at the ready for a true 'Welcome Home' dinner. Hooray for Daddy! We can't wait to see you.

Happy Fathers Day

2010-06-20T13:47:00.000-07:00

To Grandpa and Grandad, Daddy, and all our Fantastic Uncles Reed, Joe G, and Casey:

HAPPY FATHERS DAY!

We miss you Daddy and wanted to wish you a special day. We have a day all planned out for you when you get back. Until then, we love you lots!

Pre-School Graduation

2010-06-20T12:07:00.001-07:00

Can you believe I am going to be a kindergartner next year? To celebrate, my preschool teacher had a graduation party for me and my wonderful friends. We love our teacher, Mrs. I. She is so wonderful and so are the fantastic therapists I got to work with for the past two years. We will miss you all. Here are some pictures:

Yep, it was YUMMY!
I gave Mommy a flower for appreciation.
Check this out! Mrs. I even got us graduation caps! My friend Max wouldn't take his off.

Foster Kids

2010-06-11T11:33:00.000-07:00

Mommy is a little sad today. She is packing up the two wonderful foster kids that have lived with us for 6 months. We are to have them moved to another home due to an issue involving biting. M, a 4 year-old girl, had a brilliant idea. Her Mommy got in trouble and so she had to move to a new home (aka our house). So, why not get foster-mom in trouble and maybe get to move back? Makes sense to a 4 year-old. Fortunately, Mommy found out and NO, she is not in trouble. Here is what happened:

M is a very smart little girl and is very determined to move back to her Mommy. Unfortunately, her above plan comprised of coaxing me to bite her. I already have a problem with biting and Mommy has been working very hard to make sure I have this behavior under control. Over the last two weeks, M has been bitten by me several times and at first, Mommy placed all the blame on me. Then this last weekend, she found M sticking her hand in my mouth so I would bite her. It turns out that M was also biting herself. So, for her safety and to not encourage any more biting from me, Mommy had to ask that she be removed.

Mommy is pretty sad. She loves these little kids and is even more upset that M felt she had to hurt herself or encourage me to hurt her so she could go back to her Mommy. But our experience with our first long-term placement with Foster care was challenging - but very rewarding. We witnessed some dramatic changes with J and M which included in school, at home, eating, over-all health, behavioral, and much more. We look forward to opening our home to another child very soon. But sniff, sniff. We'll miss you J and M.

How We Are Doing

2010-06-03T09:56:00.000-07:00

So we miss our Daddy. I've been looking for him and Mommy found me a couple of time in the back bedroom walking around looking for Daddy. In fact, she saw me pull back a shower curtain and to see if he was there. Mommy says that Daddy is doing well in Japan but has a nasty cold. We wish him a big kiss and lots of kleenex to help him get better.

We made pizzas last night. Mommy got us all our own pizza crust and then we put our very own toppings on them. J and M really enjoyed this activity. I claimed my pizza right away by licking my crust. Just like that VW commercial where the guy likes a car, sees another person coming to look at it, so he licks the door handle to claim it. That was me. Just with the pizza. Very cute.

Jonah had some quality Mommy time yesterday. The state gave Mommy some daycare for M who has been quite a handful. To help her out, M goes to daycare 3 days a week so Mommy can get stuff done and take me to my therapies. Jonah has been enjoying the daycare for M because that means he gets Mommy all to himself. Yesterday it was rainy and Mommy had errands to run. So Jonah got to go to the mall with Mommy (don't worry, only spent $15 Daddy). He loved running through the halls and helping Mommy pick up some things that she needs.

J and M are doing well for the most part. M is a little girl with some serious behavior issues. She was abused and neglected but mostly, she was never parented. She struggles with following directions, staying focused on tasks, and has some pretty big outbursts. She put a hole in our door a while back and the state had to buy Mommy a new one. The behavior was getting better but then their bio-mom canceled their last parental visit because she was sick. So M has been very difficult the last few days and Mommy is struggling to remain patient.

On the other hand, J is a little boy and is fantastic. He does have some issues but mostly it was because he was the parent role for 8 other kids. He gets really bossy and Mommy has to curb that. She is constantly reminding him who the adult is. But other than that, he does really well and is making huge leaps in school work and in social skills. To the bio-mom's credit, she is really working hard to regain custody of her kids and has been doing some fantastic things from what my Mommy has seen. This includes following court orders, taking parent classes, etc. Hopefully, J and M will start reunification this summer.

I am doing okay. My biting, spitting, and pinching is not subsiding so we have been recommended by therapists to get a psychiatric consultation done. Mommy is cautious about this step but she has tried everything to fix these habitual and impulse behaviors. You might ask why she's cautious? Well, it seems that Mommy is getting the impression that there is more to these behaviors that meet the eye. Perhaps another diagnosis might be coming. We don't know. Hopefully, after our consultation, we will have better tools to curb my impulses. Sigh.

Okay. Off to do errands with Mom. We love you, Daddy. Get better soon.

2010-06-01T11:17:00.000-07:00

This is so cute and Mommy loved it.
Thanks Grandpa for sharing this one.
Mommy needed this today.
Enjoy everyone

Note to Daddy

2010-05-31T20:41:00.001-07:00

Hi Daddy.

We are just leaving you this little note wishing you a happy Memorial day. We already miss you and hope your travels are going well. Here are some things that we wanted to share with you while you are gone:

Jonah is wearing his big-boy underwear and didn't have a single accident all weekend! Pretty good considering we weren't even at home.

Jonah and I really liked the ocean even though it rained the whole time we were there. We got really close to the water and just had to show everyone how puddles are really to be played with. We had so much sand and water in our pants! Jonah's rain boots were so full that when he stepped down, water went shooting up out of them! Really! Mommy laughed really hard on that one. I won the 'most sand in my pants' contest.

Mommy told everyone your "pick-n-flick" idea for Jonah and his nose picking. Hands-down they all agree with Mommy. Not a good idea. You'll have to come up with another idea to stop him from eating those boogers.

There you go. We love you. Let us know when you arrive safely and we are very proud of you.

Hugs and Kisses!

Dylan, Jonah, Mommy, Elsa, and Kirby

Memorial Day Weekend

2010-05-31T20:36:00.000-07:00

Pretty huh? Well, this is the fabulous place we stayed at this weekend. Its Pacific Beach, Washington and we had a good time with our Auntie Jen and Uncle Don. We went there on Friday and got to see the ocean, and play with new friends. We also had some quality Mommy time since Daddy is away for the month and J/M (foster friends) went to play with a respite provider. We really did enjoy our time alone with Mommy and she took us to Ocean Shores, to see the ocean, for long drives by the Forks, WA area, and lots of cuddle time. Thanks so much M family. We had so much fun and thank you for making us feel like a part of the family!

My First Special Olympics Event!

2010-05-25T16:38:00.000-07:00

This past Monday, I got to participate in my very first Special Olympics event. It was a one-day introduction for younger individuals with developmental disabilities and it was held at my school. My friends Kaden, Cooper, Eva, and Max were there too! We all had fun after some initial hesitations and one of Mommy's favorite parts was to watch Ms. Eva dance with scarfs. She is TOO cute and Mommy wants me to marry her someday.

The other great thing about this Special Olympics event was that Daddy got to come too. He took the day off so he could join Mommy and me.

We loved the Special Olympics event and can't wait to participate again next year. I also love my gold medal. We all got one and boy did we deserve it! We worked hard at all those events which included soccer, balance, scarf tossing, football, and tennis. I was TIRED afterwards but very happy. Thanks Special Olympics. You are appreciated.

Here is Daddy and me playing the abbreviated version of 'football'.
I love my Daddy and thanks Mrs. I (my teacher) for passing along this picture.

Puppy Teeth

2010-05-19T22:09:00.000-07:00

Our Puppy is AWESOME! With the exception of one tiny detail. She's teething. We have been doing really well in helping her out by providing teething bars and balls for her to chew on so that our stuff has been relatively safe. But last night, someone forgot to check the floor before bed to make sure everything was absolutely cleaned up off the floor. Our first casualty, you ask?

BOTH sets of my glasses.

Mommy taught us new words this morning when she found them. What a potty mouth.

Family Fun

2010-05-19T22:06:00.000-07:00

We'll admit it. We're nerds at our house and we love to play our Wii together. We have lots of fun, especially when you watch Jonah and I play! Here is a couple of pictures from my Uncle Joe that definitely give you an idea of why Mommy and Daddy love to watch us play.

Is it my turn?
GO! GO! GO! GO!!!!

Bed Buddies

2010-05-03T20:32:00.000-07:00

How cute is this? Me and my kitty, Rex, snuggling up for a nap.
Yep. We are two very cute bed buddies.

Meet Kirby!

2010-05-02T16:27:00.000-07:00

Meet Kirby!

This is our newest addition! She's a 9 week old cutie that is just warming our hearts. Mommy had been looking for a few weeks at puppies and Daddy really wanted another lab. Ends up pure bred labs are hard to come by and they are very expensive. Then, Mommy stumbled across an ad for a litter of black labs that were from a breeder who raises companion dogs. (In fact, one of Kirby's brothers was going to a Vietnam vet that had lost his legs.) Kirby was so cute and cuddly that Mommy took her home for us. She couldn't resist especially after meeting Kirby's Mommy and Daddy. These two awesome dogs were so kind and gentle, especially with me! In addition, since the Mommy dog was a Black Lab and the Daddy a Chocolate Lab, the breeders were not able to give us AKC paperwork. Then they met me and since I am so cute and unabashed to flirting, they gave Kirby to us with shots and de-wormer for their costs. They said that they knew this special puppy was going to a great home! Brought tears to Mommy's eyes.

So there you go! Kirby is a cutie and going to be keeping us busy for a while.
We're looking forward to the fun.

Mariners Game - Opening Day

2010-04-19T13:43:00.001-07:00

Mommy and Daddy got to get away last week all by themselves. They went to the Mariner's Opening Game last Monday with Grandma, Grandpa, and Uncle Joe. They had a blast and thank you to Auntie Jodel and Uncle Reed for watching us boys. Also, thanks to A for watching J and M. You are the BEST respite provider ever! The Mariner's lost miserably but Mommy/Daddy got to sit an enjoy a wonderful time with family. Thanks Uncle Joe! We love you.

Here are pictures courtesy of Uncle Joe.
Enjoy.

Doesn't Daddy's smile say it all?

Grandma, Grandpa, Daddy and Mommy getting all geared up for the game!

Mommy actually smiling for the camera.

Here is her usual pose. Gotta love it.

Camping

2010-04-19T10:08:00.000-07:00

We have a new family addition. A camper! We upgraded our old camper on Friday so this weekend, we took advantage of our new addition and went camping with some friends from church. Let's just say, we had a BLAST! Bonfires, a little rain, and best of all: LOTS OF FUN IN THE MUD! Mommy has a lot of laundry to do even though we were only gone a couple of days. Sheesh! We were messy.

All six of us went and we had a good time. J (Foster Brother) got to play with walkie talkies with a girl his age while M (Foster Sister) got to ride in a tractor pull. Jonah made a very special friend whom he was unseparable with and I had so many new girl friends it was ridiculous. Mommy and Daddy enjoyed hanging out with their friends A and M (and their wonderful family). We just think these friends are so special and great people. It was fun to watch Mommy and Daddy hang by the huge campfire and relax with these wonderful families. They are foster parents also and there was another family there that had lots of foster kids! SIX in fact. That family is AMAZING! Phew. Mommy thought she was busy with four kids but now she is inspired by these fantastic Mommies. Talk about organized, loving, and devoted! Did I mention organized? Makes Mommy look like chump-change.

So there you go. Great time camping and loving the outdoor life. Can't wait to go again very, very soon!

Grandma and Grandpa: the camper is great! We absolutely love, love, love it. We can't wait for you to come give it a whirl. It has an electric up and down mechanism, it's comfy beds, and although there is some wear n' tear because it is used, it is in EXCEPTIONAL condition. You'll be amazed at the room. Mommy is already planning another trip here very soon. Maybe in a couple of weeks?

GO Jayna!

2010-03-16T21:17:00.000-07:00

We have a wonderful friend that has made a HUGE accomplishment!
Please see Ms. Jayna walking independently.

We are so proud. So happy. Maybe a little tearful (joyfully).

Love you lots Jayna, Sunshine, and Ryen. Wow.

http://jaynabean.blogspot.com/

IEP

2010-03-12T12:39:00.000-08:00

This week I had my IEP. This means that Mommy sat down with all my teachers and therapists from school and we developed a plan for my next school year. Can we say, 'kindergarten'? Yep. I'm heading to big, big boy school.

Mommy will be the first to admit she was actually sick to her stomach thinking about this IEP and the couple of months leading up to the meeting, she went through quite the thought process. Originally she was ticked to consider that I may be placed in a secluded class rather than an inclusive environment. Mommy really, really, REALLY wanted me to be in an inclusive setting. But that was her dream. It took a while, but Mommy soon figured out that what she wanted wasn't exactly what I needed. See, I've been acting up in class. I've been biting, spitting, and pinching my teachers and therapists. If I was to be placed into an inclusive environment, most likely I would be a distraction and possibly a danger to other kids. So Mommy had to recognize that I needed a more controlled environment. So, to the secluded classroom I go.

IEP's are also where Mommy learns how much growth I've made in my development, and just as she suspected, my growth has been nominal. In fact, I only completed one goal from my IEP that was established last year. That was the ability to jump forward and consecutively.

But at the IEP, despite Mommy's fears and disappointments at my lack of progress, we had a HUGE celebration. Yep. My Physical Therapist at school pulled out the tricycle and put me on it. Then I started pedaling all around the class completely unassisted (I've never done this at home) and then made a quick escape. The classroom door to the hallway was open so I took off and started shouting at the top of my lungs. Lots of the elementary kids in the wing of that hallway came out to see what all the fun was about. It was great. Mommy was so proud she had tears in her eyes.

The IEP did come with some other great things too. I am going to the school Mommy and Daddy wanted. I get to go to summer school this year. I am also keeping all of my therapies. I get to ride the bus again (a favorite part of my day). I get to go 5 days a week for 3 hours. In consideration of my poor eyesight, I will always be placed in front of the class and in the line of sight of all demonstrations and displays. Overall, a good IEP. Mommy can breathe again now.

The Saga Continues

2010-03-01T17:31:00.000-08:00

We had a rough week last week but apparently that wasn't enough. Wouldn't ya know, I had to get sick too. Yep. Pneumonia and and ear infection to be exact. Mommy ended up taking me to the hospital last night to get help controlling a big fever that caused a rash all over my body. They did x-rays and got me antibiotics to get me on track to better health.

So we are taking the week off. Literally! Mommy canceled school and all therapy appointments for the entire week. Only J and M have their appointments. The rest of us will just lie low at home. It will be good quality family time.

Uh Oh. Gotta go. Jonah is playing with the dryer and Mommy's not happy about it!

Our Puppy Jack

2010-02-25T11:52:00.000-08:00

Jack

This week has been very rough. We had to say goodbye to our puppy, Jack. He'd been sick for a couple of months but the last few weeks had seen a dramatic turn in his health. He was not able to breathe well and according to our vet, the cancer that had spread through his body was the cause. We said our sad goodbyes on Tuesday with many tears and lots of great memories.

We love you Jack.

IT'S AN UPDATE! Can you believe it?

2010-02-18T23:30:00.000-08:00

The computer broke. Actually, its working fine but it just won't take that stupid sim card that is required to download pictures. So, tax return time means maybe a new computer (hint, hint, Daddy). The computer and the lack of time gives all the reasons for no posts recently. Now you also know why Mommy can't post those really awesome pictures she took recently. Ugh.

It's been a while so we thought we'd do a brief update. Here we go:

First, WE ARE ALIVE! Yep. Everyone is well and we still have an additional two kiddos to our humble family. Having 4 kids in the house is many things but what is surprising Mommy the most is the noise. It's loud. Really loud. Give us a call sometime and see if you can carry a conversation. It is seriously that loud. In fact, Mommy went away a couple of weekends ago with one of her bestest friends ever and how did she spend the evening in Seattle? LOCKED UP IN HER HOTEL ROOM! Why? It was quiet. She could take a shower uninterrupted. And she could read for as long as she wanted. They even went to the home and garden show with NO screaming kids. Just what Mommy needed. Thanks Auntie Jen.

But seriously, we really are well. We've had a couple of minor colds but we have been relatively healthy. The biggest challenge has been adjusting to the larger family size. The kids (J - a boy and M - a girl) are super sweet but have definitely provided for some entertaining moments and some heartbreaking moments. J is a fantastic 8 year-old who is just all around a good boy. Mommy's biggest complaint is that he whines when he doesn't get something but what 8 year-old doesn't? He and Mommy play soccer outside together and J is normally the one to start a Wii bowling competition or a Wii swordfight.

M has been more challenging. She is 4 and understandably, she doesn't 'get' what is going on sometimes. Recently, it hit her that her stay with us and away from her Mommy is going to be a long-term situation. This upset her but since no one has properly taught her to cope, she has lashed out in some very traumatic ways. Since she is a caring little girl, all her rebellion has been somehow self-inflicted which is heartwrenching to see. We are starting to see some resolve to her pain but the last few weeks have been difficult. Despite this difficulty, we love having her in our home and she plays really well with Jonah and I. Daddy isn't too big a fan that she has managed to convince Jonah he's a pretty Princess (complete with wearing tutus and wanting his fingernails painted) but Mommy loves the dress-up playtime they share and giggle over.

Jonah is getting big. Hard to believe he is only three when you look at him - that kind of BIG. Mommy is thinking she's gonna have to get a good sports manager for this kid if he keeps this up and joins football. He is also SUPER smart. Can you believe that Jonah can read?!? No, really! HE CAN READ!! Amazing little man and is Mommy's definite cuddle-bug.

I'm getting big too. With my upcoming 5th birthday, we get to go to school for my IEP which places me in kindergarten. Mommy's going to be pretty frank. She was really, reallly, reallllly not looking forward to this IEP. It's because she is now having to accept that I will not be placed in a 'regular' kindergarten class but one that is a supported-kindergarten program (aka Life Skills...an ugly term). Mommy really wanted me to be in an integrated classroom but I'm just not ready and after some pretty deep soul-searching, Mommy and Daddy have decided that the supported program is best for me. There are many reasons: 1 the school will not provide me a one-on-one aide which would help with some of my behavior issues I have when I get frustrated; 2 the class sizes in the 'regular' classes are 20-30 kids per classroom with only 1-2 adults; and 3 Mommy really wanted to have me in the 'regular' class for her needs or wants...not mine. That is really what it comes down to. Accepting reality and letting go of certain dreams is a difficult task. Phew.

But despite Mommy's challenges, I really am doing pretty darn fantastic. The biggest accomplishment is my voice. I found it. I can't form things well but it's there and I'm starting to use it. I am learning to talk and I can say all my classmates names. I can also repeat the entire alphabet (if you say it first letter by letter). I also like to 'sing' to some of my favorite VeggieTale songs! Mommy loves that! Another thing...I'm fast. SUPER FAST. Yep. I love to run now and good thing Mommy plays soccer cause she needs it to stay up with me!

Daddy is doing well. He is working some very long hours with the Navy but we are so proud of his accomplishments. His squadron really seem to appreciate all the effort he is putting in and although it gives him even more work, they have given him more responsibility which says just how impressed they are with him. He seems to like what he is doing and like we stated earlier, we love Daddy and are so proud of him. Go Daddy GO!

So there you have it. An update. We'll try to keep things more updated but now you know we've been pretty overwhelmed the last few weeks. We apologize for the delay. Pictures? Some time soon. We Hope.

Worm of Honor

2010-01-31T21:05:00.000-08:00

Yes. We are alive. Just with 4 kids in the house and a hubby that is working some pretty insane hours, it doesn't leave much to guess as to why we haven't posted in a while. But we'll start with this...a bit of food for thought:

Mommy had a epiphany today. She is truly a mom of boys. It hit her as she was driving 4 smelly boys (and one girl with a tiara) down the interstate after hours of outdoor play. We were dropping off C (our foster-brother's twin) to his foster house for a pizza party. The radio was playing VeggieTales and in her cup holder? What else than a plastic cup full of dirt for C's worm pet. Yes. Mommy was transporting 5 kids and one worm pet. In a place of honor, none-the-less! That is where her coffee normally goes!

So. As you can guess, she was wearing a sweatshirt, might have had a shower, she had on a baseball cap, and her teeth felt fuzzy. But we were all happy AND the other foster parent even got some of the cookies us kiddos 'HELPED' Mommy make. Peanut butter and oatmeal. Yum.

On the to-do list for tomorrow is laundry. Who would have guessed? Maybe she should take that shower now? Um...yes. Us boys aren't the only smelly ones.

Still Here! Just VERY Busy

2010-01-20T22:28:00.000-08:00

We are still alive but have been very busy. When we mean busy....we mean BUSY! Can you guess why? Well, Mommy and Daddy are now officially a foster parents and last Tuesday, we got a call to help a 4 year-old girl. When Mommy went to pick her up, she was extremely distressed (and rightfully so). This little girl, M, has 4 siblings and one particular brother was the only one to be able to calm her. So can you guess what happened? Yep! J joined us too!

So we now have two extra kids in the house and its been challenging, rewarding, trying, weird, and..lots of fun! We have a little girl, M, who is just as cute as can be (although still hard to separate from her brothers side) and Mr J, who turns 8 tomorrow (Happy Birthday J!). He's a good kid and very helpful with his sister.

So there you have it. Mommy will give more details later but that is why the big delay for an update. But as you can guess..its bedtime. Update to come soon following some seriously needed zzz's.

Parenting Class

2010-01-11T13:27:00.001-08:00

Hi it's Mommy (aka Kristy). I recently went out with a group of friends for a Mommy's night out. All these Mommy's are pretty fantastic, motivated, and just really great people. It's a pretty eclectic group of women with various backgrounds and beliefs but we have one common bond that makes our group fun and unique. We are parents of children with special needs. At this last Mommy's night out, one of the mothers asked for a list of terms that really bother us when people refer to our children. Often, people will unknowingly make comments without intent to harm. This mother is part of a parenting class and has been asked to share her experiences parenting a child with special needs and how other parents can be supportive. So this awesome Mommy is choosing to show other mothers how these comments, while intended to be supportive, really aren't. Here is the email I sent and the terms or actions that just really get me going.

Terms I HATE:

1. "Angel Baby"

2. "Kids with Downs are so sweet and always so HAPPY!"

3. "That Downs Kid"

4. Term: Retard or Retarded

5. "Does he act 'normal'?"

6. "God gives parents only what they can handle."

(To clarify: Yes, I'm a Christian and most certainly believe in God...but please don't tell me this. I know everyone in our Mommy's group has different beliefs but this statement particularly bothers me. Don't tell me what God does or does not do. There's a book for that.)

Examples:

1. (Last Week)

I took our dog to the vet the other day and she asked if our dogs treated Dylan any differently because he had 'Downs'. When I asked what she meant, she said that because he was 'different', the dogs must be just so gentle with him compared to 'normal' kids.

2. (All the time but most recently last week)

"Oh! You are so lucky. He has Downs and they are just the happiest kids. Every time I see them, they are just smiling and so loving."

**(By the way, this happened last week at the grocery store and as this gal was saying all this, Dylan was literally throwing all the magazines off the racks - screaming- because he didn't want to be in the grocery seat while waiting in the check-out line. Go figure).

3. Openly touching or hugging my kid without permission because you think my kid is 'special'. That's like rubbing a strangers pregnant belly without asking AND my kid has health concerns. Thanks for sharing your germs.

My best example: a lady picking up the blanket covering Dylan's car seat two days after we got out of Children's Hospital and were getting ready for heart surgery. She literally saw that Dylan had Down syndrome, called him an "angel baby" and then kissed him on the lips before I could start screaming. (Okay. I was a little too stunned to scream but I did a lot of screaming when I got home). I did not know this lady and again, we were at the grocery store.

Jack

2010-01-10T13:02:00.000-08:00

We have had a nice quiet weekend at home. It has been surprisingly warm so Saturday, Jonah and I spent lots of time outdoors (making mud pies...or something akin to them) while Mommy sorted through our rooms. Our toys are now somewhat organized and my room is a little less smelly. One of our puppies had an accident last weekend and that included pooping on a heater vent in the bathroom that shares a wall next to mine. The vent also heats my room and so the mess spread all through out the heating vents and chamber. While this mess has been cleaned up several times, the smell keeps resurfacing after the heat comes back on. So Mommy was laying on the floor with her arm stuck down the heating vent trying to scrub, scrub, scrub. Ugh.

We can't complain too much though. Our puppy is very sick and it looks like he won't be around too much longer. We love our puppy, Jack. In October, he started to have what appeared to be an eye infection. After two rounds of antibiotics and vet visits, there wasn't any improvement. So Mommy took him in again last week and had some tests run. Jack was diagnosed with Horners Syndrome which seems to be a secondary reaction to what we have now discovered is most likely thyroid or throat cancer. This explains many things including his new cough and harder breathing. It also explains the drooping eye and facial structure. We will make him comfortable but eventually it will be time. Mommy, Daddy, and Uncle Don (who LOVES Jack) are pretty sad so Jack is getting lots of love. Lots and lots.

Today will be all about the football games. Then Daddy will be home who was gone this weekend. So all that is left to say is this..."GO GREEN BAY!"

Where's my Cheesehead?

A Note From My Teacher

2010-01-07T21:28:00.000-08:00

Today, Mommy got this email from my teacher which she thought she'd share. I've been working on this little task a long time...so YEA for ME!

I just need to share another celebration. Today during work time, I had D working on screwing on/off nuts and bolts (the large plastic ones). He did it!! He unscrewed a large nut from the large bolt, holding the bolt in his left hand and unscrewing the nut with his right…all by himself!! WAHOO!!

Signed by my fabulous teacher, C

Happy New Year??? AACHOOO!

2010-01-02T18:11:00.000-08:00

We started out 2010 with what else? Colds. Jonah is particularly crabby and Daddy has a headache. The headache is NOT from New Year's celebrations either.

So today has been a very quiet day at home. Or an attempt to be quiet but Jonah has been livening up things with his constant screaming and whining.

Ugh. That's all Mommy has to say.

Double Ugh.

Happy New Years!

2009-12-30T11:01:00.000-08:00

We start our 2010 New Years Celebrations today. Grandma and Grandpa (Paulie) are coming up to play with us. Then tomorrow our friends will come over for games, food, and fun!

Happy New Year Everyone!

Playing with our Friends

2009-12-30T10:34:00.000-08:00

Last week, we went to the Fun Zone. It is one of our favorite places in the whole wide world! Its a warehouse that has tons of big slides and jumping areas which equals lots and lots of FUN! We met our friend Mighty Max there and we played together. In fact, we were on the move so much, our pictures turned out blurry. Oh well. That's the price you pay for having a rootin' good time!

I love this slide!

Here I am JUMPING with my friend C. She is so sweet and has stayed with us occasionally. We love this little girl who is moving with her family to G next week. We'll miss you very cute, sweet, and huggable friend.
Here is Max. He brought three of his favorite buddies...Elmo, Big Mickey Mouse, and Little Mickey Mouse. He also showed us his new dance moves which is a long time coming. Congrats Friend! We are very excited for this new accomplishment!
Jonah taking a small break to eat.But then he was right back on the slides. Here he is at the very top getting ready to come down.
Here is me sliding down. Always on the move!
Jonah giving Max's Awesome Mommy a hug and kiss.
She's showing me how to take pictures. Thanks so much for the lesson and the really good time. We sure love having you and Max as friends!

And Every Knee Shall Bow

2009-12-23T15:30:00.000-08:00

We had a funny day yesterday. So funny that Mommy was in hysterics with laughter. We're talking can't talk, can't breathe, watery eyes kind of hysterical laughter. Two separate incidents but both certainly noteworthy.

The first incident is funny but Mommy had to hold it together at first. You see, my brother Jonah is going potty like a big boy (still working on the poopy part). Yesterday, he went to go potty like a good boy and went to stand at the toilet. He had his socks on and wouldn't ya know it, he slipped. Yep. My brother did a face plant right into the toilet. He is fine and cried for a few seconds. He also has a small bruise on the forehead but all is well.

Then Mommy got a call from Grandpa. He called to announce that the cat had stolen Jesus. Yep. Jesus from their Nativity scene was catnapped. The cat culprit hid Jesus and my parents were literally on their hands and knees looking for Jesus. My uncle Joe got involved in the search and was lifting up the couches and furniture. Sure enough, Jesus was found. But not before the cat took off with the Angel.

Mommy thought this second incident was hilarious. She kept thinking that what if the cat had swallowed Jesus? How would you explain that to the vet? ...."Um, hello Mr. Vet. Can you help us save Jesus?"...or...."Mr. Vet, will the cat pass Jesus?" She kept thinking over all the different scenarios and potential discussions that would happen with the vet if the cat had eaten the small statuette and it just made her giggle. A lot.

But what was even funnier was her friend Karin's comment (thus the title of this post)
about the search for the catnapped Jesus:
God has an awesome sense of humor!
brings to mind the verse "and every knee shall bow..."

Thanks Karin. We love you!

December Pictures

2009-12-18T19:51:00.000-08:00

Here are some pictures from what we have been doing this past month. So sorry for the delay. But as you'll see, we've been pretty busy. So busy that Mommy hasn't had time to download photos so here it all is...in one BIG post.

It never fails. Daddy is about to head out of town, so something has to break. "What a sexy plumber"...Mommy says! (I say, "eeeeww!")
Clogging anyone? I love walking around in Mommy's garden clogs.
Blurry but very cute picture of Jonah dancing (DANCING!) in the Santa hat.
I'm so cute. Mommy just loves me so!

The best photo of the season for Jonah!
This is NOT my best photo of the season.
Kitties have found their Christmas spirit too. Right under the tree!
Our tree is definitely designed for toddlers. No fantastic designs this year. Just very PRACTICAL!
Jonah hamming it up for Mommy.
Jonah loves animals. It's not uncommon to find him curled up with the puppies or kitties.
He likes to cover them up like babies for 'night-night' and then sings to them. SO cute!
We also love to climb into Mommy and Daddy's bed.
It's extra comfy. Especially when we kick them OUT!
This is the boxes that Mommy filled with cookies and other goodies for my teachers and bus drivers. Yummy. Our house smelled REALLY good for a couple of days.
Grandma B gave us the idea for a Reindeer mix for my fellow classmates. It has oats and red sparkles in it to help Rudolph find their houses.

Jonah and I have really gotten into wrestling/rough play. Mommy has to monitor pretty closely.
But then Daddy gets involved. As you can see, we where very happy to have him home tonight.
Add in some puppies and its chaos. Thus, the blurry picture.

WELCOME HOME DADDY

2009-12-18T12:12:00.000-08:00

Daddy is here, Daddy is here,
Daddy is HERE!!!!

All went well for his deployment start that sent him to California for seminars, training, physical, and lots of paperwork. Daddy is officially full-time Navy for the next 400 days and he heads out to Whidbey on Monday. Phew. Glad all went well this time.

Welcome HOME Daddy!
We love you and are very proud of you.

Toddler's Creed

2009-12-18T10:43:00.001-08:00

Toddler's Creed

The "Toddler's Creed" appeared in the syndicated weekly newspaper article "Families Today" by T. Berry Brazelton. It is a nice reminder of the stresses we feel with normal behavior of toddlers. Enjoy.

If I want it, it's mine.
If I give it to you and change my mind later, it's mine.
If I can take it away from you, it's mine.
If I had it a little while ago, it's mine.
If it's mine, it will never belong to anybody else, no matter what.
If we are building something together, all the pieces are mine.
If it looks just like mine, it is mine.

Daddy is Off.

2009-12-15T10:43:00.000-08:00

Daddy took off yesterday and is gone for the week. He'll be home Friday (or possibly Saturday) but is reading his email, facebook, and this blog. He called last night and his trip to California was uneventful and with long lay-overs. But he made it safely.

We've been keeping Mommy busy today. I don't have school because the roads are FROZEN here. WE had freezing rain last night which has left everything covered in ice. The house and cars each have a 1/2 inch of ice covering them. So Jonah and I are doing our best to play nicely but we've had a few moments today that have involved some Mommy intervention. She has been busy baking and washing laundry today. The cookies smell YUMMY but they are for my teachers. Hmm. We are trying our best to sneak one past her when she has her back turned.

Mommy is hoping for a nap after a very difficult night. Both Jonah and I ended up in bed with Mommy (uninvited) so she is a little sore and tired from sharing a bed with us boys. We are a little grumpy too so a nap will do us all some good.

We love and miss you Daddy. We'll write you another note very, very soon.

And the Navy says...

2009-12-13T22:09:00.000-08:00

Daddy was ordered to go to a doctors appointment on Friday. While he was there, he was going to put in whole day of work and then return to his job as a Corrections Deputy on Saturday. This was the plan as we have been waiting for a paper work mix-up that has delayed Daddy's year-long deployment that was supposed to start last month.

Daddy showed up to the base on Friday as ordered for the medical appointment and what does he learn...that his orders came through, paperwork is cleared, and he is flying out ASAP. So much for the warning, huh? So Daddy is flying out to California tomorrow and this marks the official start to his 400 day deployment. He will return on Friday and then goes to work for the Navy full-time on Monday. He will be stationed at his regular base which is a bit of a commute but we can deal with that.

So there you go....Daddy, have a good (if not slightly hurried) trip. We love you. Thank you Corrections Department about being SO SO SO completely understanding about the very limited notice.

Picture of the Day!

2009-12-06T20:53:00.000-08:00

Just one question...
HOW CUTE IS THIS?!?

Mommy loves when brother and I get along so well. She actually took this picture a while ago but forgot to post it. She was looking through pictures and found it so better late than never, huh?

More Idaho Pictures

2009-11-29T18:04:00.001-08:00

Here are more pictures from Idaho. Enjoy! Here I am getting ready to go on the plane!
Jonah wasn't cooperating before his first plane trip so here is Mommy giving him loves.
But on the plane trip over to Idaho, you can see he was very excited!

Here I am with Uncle Joe. As you can guess, this is also from our trip to Idaho. There were NO pictures taken on the way back. Did Mommy mention the plane trip back was NOT as peaceful as this?
IDAHO! In the van and all strapped in! Cousins here we are!
Jonah, Me and Cousin Shiloh going to their house!
HEY! Did you know they have McDonalds in Idaho?!?
Woo HOO!

Oh! Mommy forgot to mention that I got yet ANOTHER ear infection while in Boise (which also explained some of my behavior on the trip). Fortunately, we have such a long standing history with our doctors office in Washington State, that when Mommy called, they took her word for it and faxed over a prescription to a local pharmacy in Idaho. Normally, doctors won't do that because they want to see you but since they know me and Mommy...I guess there are some advantages to being a frequent visitor to a particular medical office. Ear infection is better but Mommy's gonna have to call Childrens to get me scheduled to see my doctors down there. Looks like that second set of tubes is going to come fairly soon.

Our New Cousin

2009-11-28T10:37:00.000-08:00

So first, before we start to describe our trip to Idaho, Mommy needs to make an apology. Mommy had promised her friend, Sarah, that she would call while in Idaho so we could arrange a visit. Unfortunately, things were really hectic and us kiddos were NOT on our best behavior (to be explained a little further below) so Mommy did not make the call. We love you Sarah and family. We really do apologize for not calling.

So our trip was an adventure. We were very excited to see our Uncle Casey, Uncle Joe, Auntie Kelly, Cousin Shiloh, and brand new cousin Colton. It was Jonah's very first plane trip and our trip to Idaho was actually pretty good. We sat quietly on the plane while we made the trip from Seattle to Idaho and displayed what would be exemplary behavior. Getting to and from the plane...well, that's another story. Yep. While we may have been perfect little gentlemen on the plane, in the airport security lines, the waiting areas, the corridors, and anywhere else we had to move through, we were total terrors. Mommy started calling us 'little monsters on four legs' because we were awful. But then we finally got to Idaho and locked into Auntie Kelly and Uncle Casey's van so that we finished our journey with great effort, but much excitement, since we were now in Idaho and got to meet baby Colton and see our family. Phew.

Baby Colton is an amazing little baby. He is a very healthy little eater and loves to be held. He also showed us up by sleeping for 4-5 hours at a time through the night. We boys...not so much. In fact, Mommy averaged about 4 hours of sleep a night while in Idaho because us boys would simply not cooperate. Thank goodness Uncle Joe is AWESOME and would sometimes help Mommy out in the morning so she could sleep a little before she got moving. The sleep deprivation along with what culminated to be our worst behavior...EVER....really challenged Mommy. Again. THANK YOU Uncle Joe. You are simply the coolest Uncle to walk the face of the planet. Mommy (and us boys) love you lots.

So although Mommy seems to be complaining lots, the trip overall was nice. We got to see our family who we miss so much. Jonah and I loved playing with our cousin Shiloh and all the adults had to monitor me pretty closely when I was around baby Colton. I love him so much, I kept kissing, and kissing, and kissing him....and kissing, and kissing, and kissing....yep, I love my cousin Colton.

The trip home was sad for Mommy because she loved seeing her sister and was sad to leave her. It was made worse by what had to have been one of the more trying parenting experiences Mommy has ever had with us boys despite some of the most spectacular travel pre-planning a parent can ever perform for a plane trip. Uncle Joe was with us on the plane and he can attest that we were terrible. TERRIBLE! You know its pretty bad when the stewardesses are giving you extra special attention, you are pre-warned of turbulance so you have extra time to strap your kid down, AND you are apologizing to EVERY person on the plane for the screaming, kicking, and items thrown at random heads. Not only are you apologizing, but so are the stewardesses on your behalf. Fortunately, these stewardesses really were spectacular and understanding which really did help. We also had a couple of people that sat behind us that were very encouraging to Mommy. That is something to be grateful for.

Thanks again Auntie Kelly, Cousin Shiloh, Uncle Joe, Uncle Casey and Cousin Colton. We loved seeing you despite some very challenging behavior. You are awesome. Here are some pictures from our trip:

This is Cousin Shiloh. She loves to pose for the camera. We can't believe how big she is getting!
Here is the blow-up bed that Jonah and I slept on. Oh...yes that is me trying to climb into the crip. Ugh!
How cute is this?!? Uncle Casey with his brand new son, Colton (aka Cole).
The little man. Colton (Cole) John is a beautiful baby!

Mommy trying desperately to keep us kids entertained so Auntie Kelly and Uncle Casey could get some much needed rest. Auntie Kelly was so great...she had surgery and was just an amazing patient!
Here is Uncle Joe. Awesome Uncle Joe.
Cousin Shiloh loves dress-up! She and Mommy also made cool flower barrets for her classmates hair. It was lots of fun!
Here is one last picture of baby Cole. Aaah.

Hi Friends!

2009-11-09T22:31:00.000-08:00

So we have some friends up in Canada that are so great. We love them lots (and miss them too -Mommy REALLY needs to get her passport). Their names are Joey Jr, or Jojo for short, and his brother Josh. They are some cool dudes.

We wanted to give JoJo and Josh this special message to let them know we love them.
Have a great weekend friends.
Congrats on your Steelers. That was a tight game tonight!

Meet Colton 'Cole' John H.

2009-11-09T14:12:00.001-08:00

This is my new cousin. Isn't he adorable??? We are leaving tomorrow night to go meet him. Not only that, but we get to take a plane to see him! I've already flown before but this will be a new experience for my brother, Jonah. He is getting excited. Mommy keeps talking about the plane trip, seeing the baby, playing with cousin Shiloh, and hanging with my Auntie and Uncles.

We sure are excited to see you cousins Cole and Shiloh.
See you soon!

2009-11-06T08:59:00.000-08:00

CONGRATULATIONS
AUNTIE KELLY, UNCLE CASEY
and BIG SISTER SHILOH!

They welcome baby Colton "Cole" John into the world this morning and all went well! We are so excited and can't wait to meet our newest little cousin next week when we travel to Idaho to visit.

Colton "Cole" John Hineman
8lbs. 9 oz.
11/6/2009

We love you!

Hmm...Halloween Repeat?

2009-11-01T21:46:00.000-08:00

Can we have a do-over? Yep. Our Halloween was not so sweet. Mommy was SO excited to take us with our friends to the Parks and Rec Trick or Treat festival that was going on for little kids. It had games, prizes, and was to start us off on our first real Trick-or-Treat adventure. We made it to the Parks Dept. Festival and then headed straight home. Jonah decided his Halloween theme wouldn't be his lion costume. It would be his attitude. Not a very nice trick if you ask me (and Mommy...she was pretty mad).

Sigh. Guess there is always next year.

BIG BOY pants

2009-10-30T09:59:00.001-07:00

Jonah is going potty like a big boy. He has been very successful so far. Even a little set back like the swine flu can't stop this big boy! He is now wearing big boy undies. Check it out!

Great job, Jonah! We are so proud.

See his big boy undies? There cars!
See! RIGHT THERE!

Carving Pumpkins

2009-10-30T09:55:00.000-07:00

We are starting to feel better and so last night, we decided to carve our pumpkins! It was gooey, messy, and lots of fun. Daddy and Mommy helped a little bit. We made a ghost and a cat for our pumpkins. Here are some pictures of the fun!

Flu Update

2009-10-27T22:27:00.000-07:00

Mommy called our pediatrician/doctors office today to discuss what was going on with our illness and they said we seem to be symptomatic of the swine flu. BUT we are outside of the 24 hour period that is required to start a Tamiflu prescription (for me). That was the bad news. The good news is that we are weathering this bug just fine. In fact, if it weren't for the doctors office discussion and the way the fever has been for us kids (see below), Mommy would have thought that it was a cold and not the swine flu. So, for all you local folk..here are our symptoms so you can be on the lookout:

Chills. Just so you know, Mommy slept with a sweatshirt, a scarf, and sweatpants on last night. UNDER covers.

Headache. Enough said.

Fever that runs VERY high then goes away. Then the fever returns. This fever can even wait 24 hours to return. Yep. The yo-yo affect for fevers. Here it is...there it goes....here it is...there it goes. This yo-yo fever affect is definitely more dramatic in us kiddos and not so much for Mommy.

Achy, Achy, Achy.... and NO ENERGY!!!!! Wanna know how fatiguing? Mommy hasn't cleaned the house. For those out there who really know Mommy, that's big. She's always picking up, cleaning, or doing something. She doesn't do 'SIT' well so she is always on the move. The end result is always a clean house. So to not have cleaned is a statement.

Mommy says her lungs hurt and that if she were to diagnose it, she'd say she has a very bad cold that has settled in her lungs. Her lungs kind of burn and the cough comes from the lungs and not a tickle in the throat.

Congestion (Check); Runny Nose (Check); and Nasty Cough (CHECK)

Diarrhea. (good times - Check - but not everyone experiences this)

Jonah has been the only one to vomit and Mommy is convinced that this is because she gave him milk right before he spiked his first big fever. But it happened. The rest of us have not had the pleasure.

So there is our symptoms. Fun, Fun, Fun. Like I said, Mommy would have guessed this to be a very bad cold and that is why we listed our symptoms. It's not your usual flu which is why I guess the media has made such a big deal. We are doing just fine but this information is good to know for all my friends with lung issues. Mommy also says that the yo-yo fever is a very strong characteristic of the swine flu for kids according to one of the triage nurses she spoke with. Same with the cough. But for Mommy, her fever does not pitch as dramatically as it does with Jonah and I.

Our cold/flu time has become family fun time. We have had a lot of family videos, book reading, and couch cuddling the last couple of days. So while we may feel lazy and coughy, we are spending some serious quality time together. It's been nice. Okay. Maybe it would be better without illness, but its been nice all the same.

Daddy has also been a very supportive hubby and when he heard Mommy was sick, he came home from work with magazines for Mommy to read yesterday. Then Daddy stayed home from work today to tend to us patients. How nice is that?!? We love our Daddy. Score one for the man of the house! He even got more tylenol, tissues, and juice. Yes, indeedy. He's a keeper.

We got lots of calls yesterday from many concerned friends. Thank you so much to everyone. You are all very sweet. It's nice to know we are so loved. Thanks to H for the soup she brought today. It was YUMMY! And thanks to A who called offering chili and as always, is a wonderful friend. The P family offered to pick up groceries or whatever. Uncle Don brought Mommy and Daddy a movie. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

And So On

2009-10-26T16:21:00.000-07:00

The illness continues in our house. Daddy is much better and was most likely just worn down from working a lot. He got some (although not nearly enough) much deserved rest over the last couple of days and caught up on some football games and reading. Jonah seems to be much better as well although does seem to pop a temperature every once in a while. So while he is on the mend, he's not quite over this bug.

I on the other hand am a completely different story. Mommy is worried. I woke up from my nap today hotter than ever and seem in and out of it. I'm laying on the couch under lots of covers and Mommy can't get me to eat or drink. I also have developed a junky cough. She thinks we'll be heading in to the doc later today or early tomorrow. Problem is, Mommy is sick too (she woke up with a fever and cough this morning). Since this seems to be a definite flu-like illness, Daddy will most likely have to take me in since the hospital and medical offices are taking precautions about spreading the flu around.

This is a very nasty, nasty bug. Ugh. Seems like movies, reading books, juice, tylenol, and lots of cuddles on the couch shall continue.

One more update is that Daddy is back to work at the Corrections department until the Navy gets the paperwork situated. They told us it will be at least 2 weeks until they can get everything in order. Not wanting to wait around doing nothing, Daddy went back to work at the jail for a little bit so he wasn't out of work while waiting for his orders to be resubmitted.

Home Sick and other Updates

2009-10-21T12:26:00.000-07:00

Mommy kept me home from school today. I woke up with a high fever and was pretty lethargic. After some asprin I seem to be in better spirits but still a little warm. As for Jonah, he's fine and a WILD boy today. Mommy seems to have her hands full.

Jonah is also potty training (again). We tried over the summer but it wasn't happening but Mommy thinks its time for Jonah to have another go at big boy potty pants and the big boy toilet. So far, we've had both successes and some failures. But it seems like overall, this time will be a success. She's resorted to bribery. Who knew a single skittle would be so exciting? For every time Jonah has a success, he gets a piece. He is so excited about the skittle that he carries it around for an hour before he eats it. Silly brother.

Daddy is at the base today. He is still trying to get the medical paperwork situated so that by the end of the week or early next week, he'll be back on duty. It's been a little frustrating considering that half the time Daddy needs some paperwork from someone, they are out of their office or its being sent from somewhere...like California. But progress is being made and so we hope everything will be fixed by next week. We'll let you know.

Mommy is loving having a camera. Watch out! she's got lots of pictures to post.

Daddy's On His Way!

2009-10-17T00:09:00.000-07:00

So we've got good news...and very frustrating news.

Good news: Daddy is coming home tonight. Okay...technically he'll be home at 3am on Saturday morning and Mommy is getting us kids up to drive us to Mt. Vernon to pick him up...but the point is, that Daddy is coming home! At first, we were told Friday. Then, Daddy was to come home Monday. But today at 4pm, Mommy got a call that he was on his way. Good Grief! The Navy can be SO indecisive sometimes.

Frustrating news: Daddy had to come home because there was a paperwork snaffoo (sp?) with regards to his back injury that Daddy had last summer. If you remember, Daddy herniated a disc in his back. It's better now but the paperwork trail that was supposed to take place is that when Daddy returned to work, the original diagnosing doctor was to write a letter clearing him to be able to return to duty. What happened in actuallity, is that the Navy base doctors (who did not diagnose Daddys back injury) gave him clearance to return to work. So...long story short: Daddy is coming home to see our family doctor (the diagnosing doctor) who will then write the note that Daddy can resume work in the Navy. Then Daddy flies back to California where he gets his activation duties reinstated. Unfortunately, a note by email, or phone, or anything else will not suffice so that is why Daddy is having to come back to Washington State from California. Daddy has to see the diagnosing doctor in person. Ugh!

Does this make any sense? Mommy is a little confused also. But in the grand scheme of things, its just a small hiccup in Daddy's military duty plan for the year. In a few weeks, all will be well again.

Good News

2009-10-17T00:03:00.000-07:00

Good News!

Mommy got a camera working.
So..let the camera mania resume!

2009 Buddy Walk

2009-10-12T18:59:00.001-07:00

We had great weather for this year's Buddy Walk of Whatcom County. How fantastic? Jonah decided to get up in the middle of the speeches for an impromptu dance session with the Emcee. What a goof ball. As you can see, they were really getting down.
Here is Mommy, her awesome friend Jen, Cooper, and me watching before the walk.

Thank you to all that organized this years Buddy Walk of Whatcom County. You did fabulous and WOW! Did you know how to order up awesome weather or what?!? Congrats!

Awesome Basketball Story

2009-10-10T20:45:00.001-07:00

Daddy's Big Day

2009-10-09T11:30:00.000-07:00

Today is Daddy's big day. He reports for his first day of duty with the Navy. His orders are to serve full-time for 400 days. We actually went with him this morning (EARLY - 5AM!) to get paperwork done but in true military fashion, the girl who was supposed to take care of the rest of our paperwork was out sick so we have to go back...again. So, we kissed Daddy a good first day and then off he went to work. We drove home.

Daddy is home for the weekend with family friends over to visit. Then on Monday, we take Daddy to the airport where he will go down to Pt. Magoo in California. He'll be there a week.

We are very proud of Daddy. He looked very good this morning in his Navy uniform and while on base, all the Navy personnel were very polite and calling Daddy, "Chief". Thank you Daddy for all that you do. We love you.

A Day on Whidbey

2009-10-04T20:32:00.000-07:00

Mommy, Daddy, Jonah and I are heading to the Navy base tomorrow on Whidbey Island. We have to get paperwork completed, new ID's, grocery shop, and car tabs for the van. It's going to be a long day but we plan on taking trip to the beach to play and have McDonalds for lunch! Yummy. Then we get home and after Mommy makes dinner she says she's planting herself on the couch to watch Monday Night Football! GO GREEN BAY!!!

Phew! What a Week! and Weekend Plans

2009-10-02T12:00:00.001-07:00

Mommy would love to say that she had a good week but that is just not true. We certainly had our good moments but overall this week was challenging.

First, Mommy's stitches got infected. It cleaned up nicely with lots of neosporin and was no big deal except that it was gross. Yuck. Then after Mommy painted a bathroom, she tried to take a shower. She started the water to take the shower and as she was getting undressed, the hot water handle literally exploded from the tap spraying water straight out. Water went everywhere and it took Mommy a good 20-30 minutes to figure out how to get the water turned off so she could stop the flooding. Actually, she called Daddy who had her run out to the pump house where she turned the water off to our house (and our neighbors - oops). Daddy had to tear a hole in my bedroom wall to get to the pipes and replace the whole faucet! Thank you Grandpa, Uncle Don, Auntie Jen, and Mr. Sam for helping Daddy. We love you all.

To make matters worse, Mommy and Jonah got my cold. Mommy is handling it well but Jonah is three and stuck in the middle of Temper Tantrum City. Add a little snot to his trip and phew...he's had more time outs for his safety from Mommy than for his behavior. He's apparently found a few of her 'buttons'. I'm still looking but haven't found any yet.

But like I said, our week hasn't been a complete wash. I have been making HUGE strides in my talking. I am now starting to say hello to my friends and calling them by name. Yesterday in class, I said "Hi Carter" who is one of my school buddies. I am also starting to play-talk or do the baby babble thing. My favorite is to pretend I'm talking on the phone. Mostly I laugh but as you'll see on the video we've posted below, I'm also pretending to talk. Each day it seems like I'm making big progress.

We also had our first home visit for Foster Care. We have to change a few things and do a small amount of paperwork still but then it looks like we're all clear to start Foster Care. Mommy says we are getting licensed from ages birth to 5. We have to get another twin bed to put into Jonah's room and the crib that we have set up will also work perfectly for the younger kiddos. Yahoo! Progress.

Daddy is away this weekend for Navy. He took off this morning so we are alone for the weekend. Mommy's got concerts this weekend and we have a little friend coming to stay with us for the night which will be super fun. Hopefully tomorrow we will be able to make it to the Buddy Walk. Pray for sunny skies from 11 to 2pm on Saturday! We know Sandi, Allyson, and more of our friends have put in a lot of effort to make this years Buddy Walk special. Thank you for all that you do.

Here's my video. Me talking on the phone. Enjoy and have a good weekend.

First Cold of the School Year

2009-09-28T10:49:00.000-07:00

It's official. I came down with my first cold of the school year. Low grade fever, runny nose, and a sore throat. Jonah's got it too. Mommy has one word for this cold....CRABBY!!! Oh boy! Are we in a funk. Not only are the runny noses giving her grief but the attitude is way out of control. We've had more time-outs and cool-down times this morning unlike any other on record. Phew.

Hopefully, we feel better tomorrow. I'm supposed to go to school but most likely, I'll be home for the day to recover. Yikes. Hopefully, Mommy can make it through the day in one piece!

Oyster Run 2009

2009-09-28T10:42:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, Mommy and Daddy went on a hot date. They went on the Oyster Run 2009 which is an all day event. It's where thousands (literally...THOUSANDS) of motorcyclists converge on the little town of Anacortes, Washington to display their motorcycles, go for rides with large groups, and eat oysters. It is huge and it was the first time Mommy and Daddy joined in. They went with friends and co-workers so in all, their group consisted of about 13 motorcyclists.

It was fun and Daddy was super happy that Mommy went with him. There were so many motorcycles filling the streets, sidewalks, and side streets of Anacortes. It was great that the weather was perfect...not too hot, yet not too cold. They saw some custom bikes that ranged from down right scary to very (ultra) cool. The bikers were pretty cool too. We're talking a range of serious biker dudes and dudettes to people like Mom and Dad (you're average Joe's). Mommy was interested in the wide range of tattoo art that was available to see also. Wow. Talk about some serious body art! Thanks J for watching us boys so Mommy and Daddy could ride.

Here is the website to the Oyster Run. Again, no pictures but there are plenty on this website. Enjoy. http://www.oysterrun.org/

Very Special Touchdown

2009-09-22T09:05:00.000-07:00

Want to see something VERY special and awesome...got to this link: http://www.kansascity.com/105/story/1452971.html?story_link=email_msg.

Then watch this...forewarning: you might want tissue!

Also available at:
http://videos.kansascity.com/vmix_hosted_apps/p/media?id=6217426

THANK YOU HEATHER FOR SHARING THIS! LOVE IT!

Puyallup Trip - UPDATED

2009-09-21T19:11:00.000-07:00

Mommy has mixed emotions about our trip to the Puyallup fair this weekend. It is the largest fair in the state of Washington and we were pretty excited to go see. It was a first time for all that went. Mommy was even more excited to spend time with our Auntie Michelle who is visiting from Boston along with cousins Jake and Tessa who invited us. We loved spending time with them BUT Mommy and Auntie Michelle were out-manned. 4 kiddos under the age of 5 requires more than 2 adults. They managed (THANK YOU AUNTIE MICHELLE - YOU ARE A SAINT!!!) but not without some 'complications'.

First, I got too much stimulation which made me freak out. I started biting, hitting, crying, and throwing some major fits. Mommy has a couple of bruises on her arm from a couple of bites. Jonah got some scratches. I have had some freak-outs like this before. For example, a couple of times at the grocery store, once at my graduation from my birth to 3 program, an easter egg hunt, and some other excursions. Loud noises, lots of people crowding around me, and too many smells are just too much for me sometimes.

This freak out wasn't as bad as it could have been but it certainly wasn't helped along with my brother and his temper. Yep. Jonah was not very excited about the fair. He didn't want to listen, he kept running off, if put in the stroller, he screamed (or I attacked him - literally), and there was a lot of crying involved. Thank you so much Auntie for your understanding and patience. We appreciate it.

There were definitely some high points to our trip. First, Jonah and I rode our very first carnival rides. This included a kids roller coaster and a bike spinny thing. Yes, that is the technical term. It is a ride that has motorcyles on it and then you look like your riding around in circles (thus the picture above courtesy of my Auntie and her very cool camera). We also rode our very first carousel. Overall, it was a trip with both extremes. Some very difficult times and some great new experiences. Thanks again Auntie Michelle, Jake and Tessa. We love you.

Mommy's Owie

2009-09-21T19:00:00.000-07:00

Mommy has a message for everyone:

Just so you hear it from me (aka Mommy): Yes, it's true. I ran my foot over with the rototiller today and yes...I'm on crutches for a few days. Fortunately, it is not that bad. Three stitches and a bone contusion. The worst part is that all of this would have been highly preventable if I hadn't been wearing sandals when I decided to pull out the rototiller...

Thunk! That is Mommy smacking her forehead.

Oh, by the way. Get better soon Uncle Joe. He most certainly won the award for most drama today. Mommy's owie has no comparison to the fact that he got hit by a car today while riding his bike. He's okay...the bike not so much. He will be sore but it sounds like he was very lucky. We love you lots Uncle Joe. Jeez. Hit by a car? Good one.

Heading South

2009-09-18T20:11:00.000-07:00

My Uncle Joe and Auntie Michelle are in town (along with my very awesome cousin, Jake). They flew in from Boston and we are going to visit with them tomorrow....at the Puyallup Fair! We've never been there and so it will be an experience. Mommy is borrowing a double stroller and has loaded up the van with movies, gas, and drinks.

It will be very fun and I'm sure a great story. Here we come, Puyallup!

First Day of School

2009-09-14T20:28:00.000-07:00

Today was my first day of school and thanks to Mighty Max's awesome Mommy, we can share a picture with you (Thanks Amy!). Mommy had been talking for a few days about how I was going to go to school but truthfully, I just didn't quite get the concept. But when the bus pulled up to our driveway this morning I got very excited! Mommy could see it on my face...'oh! That is what she meant!' The smile on my face in this picture tells you just how happy I was to see all my friends again! Thanks again Amy for the pictures. We appreciate it.