The HAPPS Around Here

Preston.

I have SO much to say about this kid!!

In true toddler fashion, running is his main mode of transportation. Love it!

He named our humidifier Windy. He was devastated when Windy had to start sleeping in Brooklyn's room (instead of his) out of necessity.

He is currently training for his career with the circus. Or to be a gymnast in the 2024 Olympics. At any rate, he loves performing this "trick" by standing on Matt's push-up bars.He's mastered the art of pushing the chairs from the kitchen table up to the countertops so that he may reach whatever his heart desires. This morning he was after the cough drops. Eek!He has been requesting to "Sit on potty." We've obliged a few times and have been surprised with the results- 2 pees, 1 poop. Oooooh boy. I'm so not ready for this!He puts himself in time out. And cries and cries. Then comes to me and says, "Sorry Mom." Then goes along his merry little way! (I still can't get over the fact that my toddler simply calls me "Mom.")He drags around his "blankie doggie" (two separate items) with him everywhere, the doggie being the one he got when he was hospitalized with RSV at 3 weeks old, the one I belovingly dubbed his "watchdog." They come OUT of the crib with him in the morning, must be IN the crib for naptime and nighttime. He thinks they need to be with him in the car, at the store, etc. Sometimes I oblige....
Gavin.

He's always been good at playing alone or keeping himself entertained for long periods of time. I think it's part of his coping mechanisms. He treasures quiet time to himself without older siblings telling him what to do or a younger one crashing his Legos. I capitalize on this, especially while Preston is down for a nap, taking quiet time to myself to eat lunch, Facebook, blog-stalk, read a book, etc. But yesterday, I realized that time is running short before Gav will be going off to kindergarten and I need to get back to utilizing that quiet time WITH him. I got out Guess Who and we played a few rounds before we had to pick up the twins from school.

He won this one!Then we made silly faces for the camera (flattering, I know)

Last week, the house that preschool was at is just down the street from us. So I hitched up the bike trailer and rode Gavin and Preston down there for drop-off and pick-up. Gavin thought that was so cool to be transported by bike! Sometimes I wish there was someone standing by with a camera to catch moments like that.

Blake.

Oh, sweet child of mine. We're having a few rough spots these days. Homework is a DAILY struggle. Tantrums up the ying-yang. It's not that he doesn't comprehend the work, he simply has a hard time focusing his attention for more than 30 seconds without being distracted. Something that honestly could take less than 30 minutes turns into a 2 hour battle and leaves both him and I upset with each other. Timed tests are a nightmare. He has to do x amount of subtraction problems in x amount of time and although he KNOWS these simple math facts and can rattle them off left and right, he hardly gets any finished under the time pressure. Consequently, his grades are slipping and this is SO hard for me to see because he is SUCH a smart kid!! With these issues combined with a few others, we're moving forward with having him officially evaluated for ADHD. I have the referral, I just need to call and set up an appointment.

But not all is gloom and doom with Blakey. :) He is still doing very well in karate. The routines that he has to do are getting more and more complicated, to the point that even *I* can't remember them once we get home! So in order to help him practice, I bring in a clipboard and write down each move with it's corresponding arm/leg so we can keep everything straight.
Brooklyn.

I don't think I ever mentioned that we added another dance class to her lineup, so that means we're at the studio twice a week now. Jazz on Monday, ballet on Friday. I'm getting to the point where I prefer just dropping her off rather than wrangle three {loud} boys in the small {crowded} waiting area for 45 minutes, but coming back home really only allows for 20 or so minutes before we have to turn around to go pick her up.She has a great imagination and writes the cutest little stories. I found one in her folder this week that made me remember a story I had written back when I was young (not sure what grade) about the same subject, riding horses. She told me a couple weeks back that she wants to take horse-riding lessons. I told her that there are SO many things that I want her to be able to do- dance, soccer, piano, swimming, base/softball, even horse-rising lessons, but we can't do everything at once.

The school just had auditions for the spring musical and she wanted to try out for a main part, but I kind of downplayed the whole thing, reminding her that there is only one female main character and suggested she just be part of the chorus this year. With all our other commitments (and having just registered for baseball), I don't want anything to conflict and we've been lucky thus far. I kinda felt like a bad mom for squashing her desires and I really DO wish we could participate in EVERYthing, but it's just not possible. I need my sanity!! I know both Brooklyn and Blake will be starting activity days & cub scouts after they turn 8 next week and I'm so excited that they will get to interact more with girls and boys from church, but that's just one. more. thing.

Me.

Half-marathon tomorrow. Is there even anything else???? I'm currently sporting an awesome black toenail, a characteristic I've heard has graced other long distance runners. How on Earth could I be so lucky????! Right now I'm trying to figure out exactly WHAT I'm going to carb-load on tonight for dinner. I've gotta pick up my race packet this afternoon, which will really make this all sink in. I need to lay out all my clothing and gear (making my mental list right now.... fuelbelt with 3 waters 1 gatorade, shot bloks, metronome, advil, chapstick....) so I'm ready to go first thing tomorrow morning. A little bit of anxiety is creeping in, but I'm mostly excited. Excited to put the months of training to a cause. Amazingly I've manage to stay completely healthy, through 3 sick kids breathing and coughing and sneezing on me. Until now. How convenient that two days before the race, I can feel it coming on. I've been downing oranges and mass amounts of water and just praying that it doesn't hit hard until I'm done. ::crossfing::

Matt.

Work is good. At least from this end of things!! ;) haha! Last weekend, Matt participated in the first half of Woodbadge, which is a Scout leadership training program. We survived the three days he was gone and I'm prepping myself for the same again in a week. He's been singing silly little songs that get stuck in my head all the live long day!

All in all, life is good. I don't have a lot to complain about. Brooklyn and Blake are getting baptized in two weeks, I can hardly believe it!! I'm really looking forward to getting away, just Matt and I (plus friends), for a couple of days without the kids at the end of next month. And taking our annual trip to the cabin at Spring Break! I need to work on being better about planning for meals instead of waiting until 5:00pm to open the fridge and pantry to see what I can throw together. My family deserves better than that. I really would like to get back into the habit of regularly attending the temple. As well as volunteering in the kids' classrooms. I think that's it for now! :)