Baby Brain Addle

Christi all week has suffered from baby brain addle, forgetting, losing, and just plain being confused. Then you add her first five day work week in a month. A Friday night training for girl scouts and a committee meeting all Saturday morning and a board of review for advancement for cub scouts. It not as if she didn't make commitments, she just had a hard time talking, got places without needed paperwork, and forgot important facts. It's only temporary, it's only temporary.

Nick tagged along with Christi most the week trying his best to keep her from completely losing it physically, mentally, or emotionally. Thanks Babe!

Donna is nesting worse than Christi.

Ahonora continue to grow and moves constantly. Give your mom back some of her brain.

Naya has decided this week she is grown-up. She goes to "work" at her babysitters. She has informed all of us of this, not that she stops working when she comes home. Here she takes care four to six babies at a time, maybe she will follow in her mom's foot steps. She was also heart broken on Saturday. She received money for Christmas with which she bought a beautiful snow globe with an angel and play silver bells. Well she was holding it,three year old hands can have a hard time holding heavy things. She dropped it, shattering the globe. The angel is intact and the music box still plays. She has taken very tender care of it all day Sunday taking it with her everywhere.

Fionna has her first loose tooth. She has also been very clingy laying on an adult as much as possible. On Friday she stood up for herself to Dreigan as a result he knocked her down and busted her in the nose. Thankfully it wasn't broken but it did swell and bruise some. Poor Baby!

Dreigan brought home a good report card this weekend. He met all the goals that we set last quarter. After a rough start and forgetting to take meds we were able to get a handle on things. He loves his new to him bunk bed that Ken and Jacelyn Wilson gave him. It has given him more room in his room and encouraged him to clean-up and rearrange his room. We are finally seeing an example of nurture verse nature, he has spent all weekend building with Legos, just like Nick. Granted its not that hard when he himself has decent collection, plus Nick's. He also start his religious award classes this week for cub scouts. If your wondering about his schedule part of his therapy is to keep him around other children as much as possible, giving him as many opportunities as possible to socialize and learn social rules.

I think we are in trouble

The kids this week reminded us what amazing, unique people they each are. We are also reminded that the ultimate goal (for us the adults) is to prepare the kids (to the best of our ability) to be self-sufficient, productive member of society in their adult years. Sometimes I think we are doing a great job and others I wonder. Then I remember that no matter what I will send my kid to therapy, I will screw them up some where some how. I just have accept my best as my best.

Naya-This week we had to have our stove replaced. In the process "a long lost" toy was found. A little people toy that teaches counting. Well the kids found it and of course now they have to play with the noisy thing. Well Naya was playing with it counting 1,2,3,4,5 she said 6 but the toy only counts to five she became very angry at Fireman Joe when he didn't count to 6, she threw the toy because he wouldn't count to 6. She has since forgiven him.

Fionna brought home another perfect report card. Her teacher said she would pass her on to the 1st grade now with little to no concern.

Dreigan had a week of ups and downs. His class has started learning cursive. This has made him very anxious about going to school, which participates a melt down every morning. In the afternoon though he has been excellent about doing his chores, homework, practicing his trumpet, and reminding the adults what his current restrictions are if we forget. He started his new fine art program this week in which we were informed he has a beautiful voice, a great ear and plays his trumpet well for only having it for a few weeks. We are so thankful to find something Dreigan seems able to excel at.Dreigan decided in a melt down to give himself a haircut. What do you think?

Nick and Christi went back to work this week.

Christi did have in-service training on Friday. The training was on FAS and was pretty good. It would have been better if one of the presenters had had less of an accent or had dumbed down his presentation. I'm sure it was the same one he presents to pediatrician and general practitioners on FAS. The only problem Head Start teachers are not doctors, many of Christi's co-workers barley have GEDs much well college degrees. This made it very hard for most them to follow or understand. Christi was asked later if she understood it, and when she said most it they seemed relieved. It just took a lot of concentration which is not easy when your warm, sleepy, hungry and uncomfortable.

Nick is trying to decide if it is better to not sleep now and get used to exhaustion or sleep now as much as possible in preparation.

We also finished taking down our decrorations. The girls had a blast helping.

A whole new year

Well today marks the start of a new year, which will hold some expected events and I'm sure many unexpected to come. Bring it on!

For one we are down to the last 60 days (or so) until we welcome Ahonora. At that point I think we will have officially crossed into the large family status, since we will be twice the national average for family size. We will have even filled all our seats in the minivans with car seats. That's right four of them in the state of New Mexico a child is required to ride in a car seat until 4ft 9in or 70 pounds, Dreigan and Fionna will reach the height long before the weight, Naya waits to be seen.The kids are really enjoying learning how to play Wii. In this picture the girls are dancing along with Hannah Montana

Naya is no longer a chunky monkey. We noticed this week that she has preschooler body and is showing her ribs. She is also wearing panties and staying dry most of the time. She still need some reminders but is doing very well.
Naya was so tired when we got home from Cathy and Steve's Christmas day we couldn't even wake her when we changed her clothes
I hope this is good sign for the near future.


Dreigan is starting a new instrument this month, the trumpet. FUMB has received a grant and has started a fine arts enrichment program. It included choir, band, and drama. Dreigan is very excited and practices three to four hours a day. He can not wait to learn a song. He also spent four days with his Bio-Dad and family.
Man he finds visits with his Dad exhausting. He slept 14 hours the day after he got home.

Fionna has grown very bored with winter break and is ready to go back to school. She is enjoying all the projects she was given this Christmas.Like I said she loves all her project especially her book. I know it will be a keep sake forever.

Nick is completely weirded out by all this extra time off. His job at CED is the first he has ever had where they don't work holidays. He now has had two four day weekends (paid) in row and three in six weeks. Poor guy I think he can learn to enjoy it. He also learned he has a birthday holiday he needs to take.

Christi was happy to go work this week after last week and all the snow that kept her class closed. It is an understatement to say the kids were completely off after all the time from school. It was fun to stay home with Dreigan, Fionna, and Naya. They were able to make a gingerbread house, sugar cookies, popcorn ball, fudge, divinity, gingerbread, and a full Christmas dinner, not to mention get all the decorations up, and clean the house. Do you think Christi is nesting a little?

Donna is home as well, but not by her choice. She is on paid administrative leave while a small glitched is straightened out. It's quite stupid and makes no sense at all, but it did help with child care issues during winter break. All the adults are ready for next week and the kids going back to school.

In addition to all that this last two week has had Jim's 81st birthday, in which we went and spent a little time him on his birthday and gave him his present. We also spent New Years Eve with him, Susie, Paul and Teresa. The kids love to get to stay up to so late, they always seem so disappointed that nothing really happens when midnight comes, except other people's fireworks..