At my school's Halloween Carnival:
Carving pumpkins:
He drew the nose himself. :)
Sunday, October 31, 2010
trick-or-treat
He wore the costume! (most of it, anyway. and it had to be over his regular clothes, but I'll take it!!)
He drew the nose himself. :)
He drew the nose himself. :)
Saturday, October 30, 2010
iep
Had a meeting at preschool on Tuesday afternoon to put Brecken on an IEP. He'll be on it for two things- speech (to fix his K's, hard C's, and G's- letters that use the back of the tongue) and for a sensory processing disorder. It was a super intereting meeting, an hour and a half long (and B did great playing the whole time!) and soooo many things are falling into place and making sense now! (like how he hates socks, hated footed pj's, the pickiness in clothing, etc.)
Basically, he has the texture sensory issue I had already suspected, but he also has an auditory processing disorder. We didn't see that at home because we don't have a lot of chaos and noise going on. But they are noticing at school that when things get crazy, as preschool tends to do, he shuts down and won't do anything. If anything new happens, he shuts down because it's not in his routine. The OT had a heck of a time getting him tested for motor skills because she had to pull him outside and he wouldn't do anything because that's not what was "supposed" to happen. They said he has a hard time getting his work done because he's always looking around at what's happening in the classroom. They were quick to assure us he wasn't doing it to be naughty (and it's NOT ADD), it's just him self-preserving and being extremely guarded- if he knows what's going on, he won't be surprised- that's why he is making sure everything is "ok" while he's supposed to be working. He is always observing to make sure things will be alright and he won't be surprised.
I asked him last night if he likes it when it's noisy in his class and he said, "No. I can't think!!"
They also said that if it gets too crazy at recess, he leaves the kids and plays with the teachers, because he knows the teachers are safe and there won't be noise and anything unexpected. He just gets very overwhelmed with noise and chaos because his body can't process it right. He also has trouble doing anything that might be uncomfortable to him- like new activities, etc. One day they did an experiment with the class on tastes- salty, sour, sweet, etc. He wouldn't let them put anything on his plate because he was afraid of what it was!
So the OT (who is incredible) is going to do some pull-out work with him on how to deal with new situations, how to deal with noise, things he might think are scary, teaching him how to judge if things are safe, ans working on textures. The speech pathologist is going to work with him on letters. Each of those things will happen twice a week.
It really is making sense though. Since the people that moved in across the street have been there, he refuses to be in his room by himself. That's around the time he said he heard something bad outside. They have loud trucks and loud parties, so we think he heard one of those and his brain then told him it's unsafe. He will literally poop in his pull-up at night, from crying so hard when we try to make him sleep in there. It breaks my heart, and he's not doing it on purpose since he doesn't have a clue it happened. So now we know why- he knows mom an dad's bedroom is safe since we are there, and he thinks his isn't.
And why he won't try new food- he's afraid to try new things.
And why when we go to someone else's house, it takes him a long time to warm up- they said it's him making sure it's safe first.
And why he won't wear socks, or anything that e hasn't tried on and has deemed comfortable first.
It's fascinating to me!! Maybe if the OT can get some good results, B will be willing to go into his room. And he'll branch out on food, even though I think he'll always be a small eater. And hopefully he can deal with noises better! (Poor kid, the teachers said sometimes he stops and covers his ears and cries for his mom. :( )
They ALSO said, which is even more fascinating to me, that there have been studies recently linking kids that have sensory disorders to being in the NICU when they were born! The special ed director for the preschool has a grandson that was born at 30 weeks and was in the NICU for a long time, and his auditory sensory disorder has been linked to his NICU stay. So interesting!
They did say he LOVES shaving cream day where they get to play with the shaving cream on the tables. He loves that at home, too. :) And his teacher from last year that still works with him this year said he is the most kind and caring kid she has had, and is one of her favorite kids she's taught. That made my heart swell a little bit. (OK, a lot. :) )
So there you go- I'll keep you updated as things happen!!
Basically, he has the texture sensory issue I had already suspected, but he also has an auditory processing disorder. We didn't see that at home because we don't have a lot of chaos and noise going on. But they are noticing at school that when things get crazy, as preschool tends to do, he shuts down and won't do anything. If anything new happens, he shuts down because it's not in his routine. The OT had a heck of a time getting him tested for motor skills because she had to pull him outside and he wouldn't do anything because that's not what was "supposed" to happen. They said he has a hard time getting his work done because he's always looking around at what's happening in the classroom. They were quick to assure us he wasn't doing it to be naughty (and it's NOT ADD), it's just him self-preserving and being extremely guarded- if he knows what's going on, he won't be surprised- that's why he is making sure everything is "ok" while he's supposed to be working. He is always observing to make sure things will be alright and he won't be surprised.
I asked him last night if he likes it when it's noisy in his class and he said, "No. I can't think!!"
They also said that if it gets too crazy at recess, he leaves the kids and plays with the teachers, because he knows the teachers are safe and there won't be noise and anything unexpected. He just gets very overwhelmed with noise and chaos because his body can't process it right. He also has trouble doing anything that might be uncomfortable to him- like new activities, etc. One day they did an experiment with the class on tastes- salty, sour, sweet, etc. He wouldn't let them put anything on his plate because he was afraid of what it was!
So the OT (who is incredible) is going to do some pull-out work with him on how to deal with new situations, how to deal with noise, things he might think are scary, teaching him how to judge if things are safe, ans working on textures. The speech pathologist is going to work with him on letters. Each of those things will happen twice a week.
It really is making sense though. Since the people that moved in across the street have been there, he refuses to be in his room by himself. That's around the time he said he heard something bad outside. They have loud trucks and loud parties, so we think he heard one of those and his brain then told him it's unsafe. He will literally poop in his pull-up at night, from crying so hard when we try to make him sleep in there. It breaks my heart, and he's not doing it on purpose since he doesn't have a clue it happened. So now we know why- he knows mom an dad's bedroom is safe since we are there, and he thinks his isn't.
And why he won't try new food- he's afraid to try new things.
And why when we go to someone else's house, it takes him a long time to warm up- they said it's him making sure it's safe first.
And why he won't wear socks, or anything that e hasn't tried on and has deemed comfortable first.
It's fascinating to me!! Maybe if the OT can get some good results, B will be willing to go into his room. And he'll branch out on food, even though I think he'll always be a small eater. And hopefully he can deal with noises better! (Poor kid, the teachers said sometimes he stops and covers his ears and cries for his mom. :( )
They ALSO said, which is even more fascinating to me, that there have been studies recently linking kids that have sensory disorders to being in the NICU when they were born! The special ed director for the preschool has a grandson that was born at 30 weeks and was in the NICU for a long time, and his auditory sensory disorder has been linked to his NICU stay. So interesting!
They did say he LOVES shaving cream day where they get to play with the shaving cream on the tables. He loves that at home, too. :) And his teacher from last year that still works with him this year said he is the most kind and caring kid she has had, and is one of her favorite kids she's taught. That made my heart swell a little bit. (OK, a lot. :) )
So there you go- I'll keep you updated as things happen!!
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
internet
I have a whole lot to say, but this weekend our internet went down and we just TODAY got it fixed! We had to get a new modem from the internet company. And with super hectic schedules all around this week, we were just finally able to meet up with him today. *sigh*. The good news is, our internet works again. The bad news is, my email won't work and emails are being bounced back to their senders. I sat on hold for 10 minutes tonight with the company (who knew they'd be so busy at 9 at night?!) and finally gave up. I'll try again tomorrow.
Anyway, lots of news to share regarding a meeting we had with Brecken's preschool last night, but since it's late at night and I 1)forget things at night and 2)type all sorts of typos at night, I'll leave that post for tomorrow. :)
Until then...
Anyway, lots of news to share regarding a meeting we had with Brecken's preschool last night, but since it's late at night and I 1)forget things at night and 2)type all sorts of typos at night, I'll leave that post for tomorrow. :)
Until then...
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
grandma
RITA LOUISE GLEASON
Rita Louise Gleason, 92, an active member of the Chicago Community. Member of the Peace Corps and a Red Cross Volunteer her entire adult life. Beloved wife of the late Walter R. Gleason; loving mother of Rita (Dwight) Stiehl, Ginger (Rich) White, Rich (Karen, nee Smith) and the late Walter (Roberta, nee Blackwell) and Patrick (Sandra, nee Hinzman); dear grandmother of 11; and great-grandmother of seven. Memorial Services at a later date. Info: Nelson Funeral Home, 773-561-5147 or http://www.nelsonfunerals.com/.
Published in Chicago Tribune on October 14, 2010
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
another angel
My grandma passed away today. I'll write more about it later, but wanted to share something a friend told me this evening that made me tear up again.
"I like to think of grandparents as guardian angels. Now you have one more person working to get Brecken a brother or sister."
I think she's right. Gram, pick us out a great one!
"I like to think of grandparents as guardian angels. Now you have one more person working to get Brecken a brother or sister."
I think she's right. Gram, pick us out a great one!
Saturday, October 09, 2010
aunt dorothy
Dorothy Louise Yorges
January 5, 1942 – October 6, 2010
Funeral services for Dorothy Louise Yorges, 68, will be held at 10 a.m on Monday, Oct. 11, 2010 at the First Wyoming United Presbyterian Church with the Rev. Curtis Hill officiating. Burial will follow in the Valley View Cemetery. Dorothy died Oct. 6, 2010 surrounded by her loving family at home after a long and courageous battle with ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease). Memorials may be directed to the South Goshen Presbyterian Church. Visitation will be Sunday from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the funeral home and the casket will be closed at the service. Arrangements are under the direction of the Colyer Funeral Home and friends may send condolences to the family at www.colyerfuneralhome.com.
Dorothy was born Jan. 5, 1942 in Torrington the daughter of Harley and Lydia (Jenkins) Babbitt. She was raised around the LaGrange and Yoder area. She lived a short time in Oregon while she was recovering from severe burns as a child. While she was in high school she met Earl Yorges at a Yoder dance where he danced her off her feet and into his heart. They were married on April 25, 1959 at the Presbyterian Church in Yoder. They lived for five years in the Veteran, Wyoming area and then moved to a farm ten miles west of Yoder where they farmed and ranched until they moved to Torrington in 1986. Dorothy helped run the farm with Earl and they raised four children. She enjoyed raising her family, gardening, sewing, and every aspect of farm and ranch life. She especially loved springtime when all the baby calves were being born, the birds were singing, and the refreshing sight of new life that springtime brings. She also loved late summer when the smell of wheat harvest was in the air and the golden wheat fields were abundant. She devoted her life to God and was active in every aspect of the church and also made it a mission in her life to volunteer at the nursing home until her health denied her that privilege. She filled many pulpits as a lay minister in Wyoming and was a long-time member of the South Goshen Presbyterian Church.
Dorothy is survived by her devoted and loving husband Earl; her children, Marty Yorges, Becky (Richard) Reyes, Lori (Rod) Weyrich, and Vicky (Ed) Stovall; seven grandchildren, Colin (Emily) Yorges and Haley Yorges, Alisa Reyes, Jenna and Shelby Weyrich, and Paige and Bailey Stovall; her brothers Kenneth, Raymond, Leonard, and Harold Babbitt; her sisters Myrtle Brewster and Rosie Dillman; and other family members that loved her very much. She was preceded in death by her parents Harley and Lydia Babbitt; brother Merle Babbitt; an infant brother; and a nephew Jiggs Babbitt.
so i don't forget this conversation...
Brecken to Daddy: Mommy is a princess, so treat her like one.
Daddy: Well tell Mommy that I am the king then.
Brecken: No, I am the king! And Mommy is a princess.
Daddy: So what am I then?
Brecken: The horse. You are the horse.
I had tears, I was laughing so hard!
Daddy: Well tell Mommy that I am the king then.
Brecken: No, I am the king! And Mommy is a princess.
Daddy: So what am I then?
Brecken: The horse. You are the horse.
I had tears, I was laughing so hard!
Sunday, October 03, 2010
my 4-year-old
I don't think I've been very good at actually documenting my child as he grows. In talking with my sister-in-law this weekend, I was wondering what size shoe my little guy was wearing when he was my niece's age, and I'm not sure I ever wrote that down! So I stole this from a friend (Thanks, Amy! LOL!) so I can document.
Wearing: 3T. Sometimes the waists are a bit big, but the length is about right. I thought we'd never get into 3T. :) He still wears some 2T shirts that he loves. He is very picky about what he wears- he will only wear sweatpants and basketball shorts (and he has to pick them out) and only has a few certain shirts he will wear. Picky, picky! He wears size 10 shoes, we think- hard to tell when he loves his Crocs so much. :) He's in size 10-11 for those. We are going to need new tennis shoes for this winter.
Eating: Favorite foods are pizza, chips, apples, yogurt, hot dogs, carrots, french fries, goldfish, and pasta. He won't eat meat unless it's a chicken nugget or a hot dog, which let's face it- those two really can't be considered meat. :) He's recently discovered chicken drumsticks though, and those are getting a thumbs up. He loves dipping things in ranch or ketchup. He has always been an eater that eats teeny tiny amounts, but since turning four, his appetite has grown enough to notice. Maybe we're in for a growth spurt??
Wearing: 3T. Sometimes the waists are a bit big, but the length is about right. I thought we'd never get into 3T. :) He still wears some 2T shirts that he loves. He is very picky about what he wears- he will only wear sweatpants and basketball shorts (and he has to pick them out) and only has a few certain shirts he will wear. Picky, picky! He wears size 10 shoes, we think- hard to tell when he loves his Crocs so much. :) He's in size 10-11 for those. We are going to need new tennis shoes for this winter.
Eating: Favorite foods are pizza, chips, apples, yogurt, hot dogs, carrots, french fries, goldfish, and pasta. He won't eat meat unless it's a chicken nugget or a hot dog, which let's face it- those two really can't be considered meat. :) He's recently discovered chicken drumsticks though, and those are getting a thumbs up. He loves dipping things in ranch or ketchup. He has always been an eater that eats teeny tiny amounts, but since turning four, his appetite has grown enough to notice. Maybe we're in for a growth spurt??
Speaking of grown spurt: He is currently about 39 inches tall and 31 pounds.
Random Stuff: He loves playing games on the iPad or iPods, and can beat Josh sometimes in Golf on the Wii. He could play real golf every day all day- along with football and basketball. He practices and practices throwing and kicking and gets so excited when he gets better from practicing. He no longer wants to ride in his stroller to the park- he'd much rather get on his bike helmet and ride his bike (with training wheels) instead. *sniff, sniff*, my baby is no longer a baby. :(
Random Stuff: He loves playing games on the iPad or iPods, and can beat Josh sometimes in Golf on the Wii. He could play real golf every day all day- along with football and basketball. He practices and practices throwing and kicking and gets so excited when he gets better from practicing. He no longer wants to ride in his stroller to the park- he'd much rather get on his bike helmet and ride his bike (with training wheels) instead. *sniff, sniff*, my baby is no longer a baby. :(
Four years old is proving (so far! knock on wood!) to be much easier than three years old. We never had the "Terrible Two's"- it was more like the "Terrible Three's"! Three was rough. So far, however, things have mellowed out a bit since he has turned four. Hopefully it continues. :)
He truly is the love of our lives. I couldn't ask for a better kid.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
a vacation
My friend Karin (who I went to visit in July) asked me about 6 weeks ago if she could come visit. I thought she meant just sometime in the future- but she meant right now!! So she booked her tickets and came to see us this past weekend.
What fun we had!
She got here Friday evening. She was more than happy to come with us to the head football coach's house for dinner that night- and she fit right in!! After that, Josh stayed home with Brecken so Karin and I could have girl time in the hot pools under the stars. Girl time is not something I get a lot of, so it was so nice!
Saturday Josh, B and I decided to show Karin the mountains. We stopped at my school first to show her around, and had lunch while we were in town. Then we made our way up to Aspen Alley. I was so excited as we got up there- the trees were absolutely gorgeous and bright yellow. We've never been able to get to Aspen Alley in all it's glory; it's either been green, or the leaves are gone already. So I was pretty sure we were going to hit it at the right time, after seeing all these great trees! However, we got there and the Alley was GREEN! It was still beautiful though, and the weather could not have been any better, so we had a wonderful time walking around.
That afternoon we relaxed, hit a few stores downtown, and played at the park. After a delicious dinner, Karin and I took Brecken swimming.
Sunday, we all went to Cheyenne so Stacey could take B's 4-year old pictures. I'm always amazed at what she gets! I posted the link below. Karin got to see her first oil wells, the smallest town in Wyoming, and the state capitol all in the same trip! :)
Karin, we had a great time with you. Thanks so much for everything you brought. The lamp is burning every night! :) Brecken is in love with you. COME BACK SOON! We miss you already!!
What fun we had!
She got here Friday evening. She was more than happy to come with us to the head football coach's house for dinner that night- and she fit right in!! After that, Josh stayed home with Brecken so Karin and I could have girl time in the hot pools under the stars. Girl time is not something I get a lot of, so it was so nice!
Saturday Josh, B and I decided to show Karin the mountains. We stopped at my school first to show her around, and had lunch while we were in town. Then we made our way up to Aspen Alley. I was so excited as we got up there- the trees were absolutely gorgeous and bright yellow. We've never been able to get to Aspen Alley in all it's glory; it's either been green, or the leaves are gone already. So I was pretty sure we were going to hit it at the right time, after seeing all these great trees! However, we got there and the Alley was GREEN! It was still beautiful though, and the weather could not have been any better, so we had a wonderful time walking around.
That afternoon we relaxed, hit a few stores downtown, and played at the park. After a delicious dinner, Karin and I took Brecken swimming.
Sunday, we all went to Cheyenne so Stacey could take B's 4-year old pictures. I'm always amazed at what she gets! I posted the link below. Karin got to see her first oil wells, the smallest town in Wyoming, and the state capitol all in the same trip! :)
Karin, we had a great time with you. Thanks so much for everything you brought. The lamp is burning every night! :) Brecken is in love with you. COME BACK SOON! We miss you already!!
this year's pictures!
Stacey, as always, did a great job! Here is the sneak peek- can't wait to see the rest!
http://staceyjphotog.blogspot.com/2010/09/socks.html
http://staceyjphotog.blogspot.com/2010/09/socks.html
Sunday, September 19, 2010
crabapple jelly
I have a million crabapples on my tree out in the front yard. I usually just let them run their course, fall of the tree, let the deer eat them. I felt creative this fall, however, and since one afternoon I found myself home a whole hour early, I decided to make jelly. Brecken helped every step of the way!Crabapple Jelly:
10 cups prepared crabapples
5 cups water
5 cups crabapple juice extracted from apples
5 cups sugar
1 box pectin
Wash picked apples by placing them in a large bowl of water. Let soak for 10 minutes. Any worms in the apples will float to the top.
Halve the apples. It's easier to pull the stems out after you cut the apple in half.
Put the 10 cups of apples in 5 cups of water and boil for 15 minutes. Stir, but do not mash the apples! After 15 minutes, strain the juice from the apples. You can add 1/2 cup of water if you need it to make the full 5 cups of juice. If you need more than 1/2 cup of water, put the apples back in the pot with as much water as you need to get 5 cups of juice, plus 1 extra cup to account for evaporation. Strain again, until you have your 5 cups.
Add pectin to juice and dissolve. Bring to a hard boil for 3 minutes.
Add all the sugar at one time. Stir to dissolve and bring to a hard boil for 2 minutes.
Remove from heat. Your mixture will be like syrup but should coat the spoon.
Pour mixture into canning jars, 1/4" from the top. Add lids and rings. Put in a big pot of boiling water to seal the jars. I boiled the jars for 20 minutes. Take jars out of boiling water. Let sit for 12-24 hours without moving them. Check jars to make sure they sealed by pushing the little button on the top. Refrigerate and use any unsealed ones within 3 weeks.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
dinnertime conversations
Josh to Kara: Got any plans this weekend?
Kara: Nope, you?
Josh: Nope.
Brecken: I DO! We can go to Disney World, ride the rides, and then go shopping at store after store! Then we can come home!
and then later...
Brecken: Mommy, when will I get hair in my armpits?
Me (while trying not to choke): When you're big.
Brecken: But I am! I'm already FOUR!
Kara: Nope, you?
Josh: Nope.
Brecken: I DO! We can go to Disney World, ride the rides, and then go shopping at store after store! Then we can come home!
and then later...
Brecken: Mommy, when will I get hair in my armpits?
Me (while trying not to choke): When you're big.
Brecken: But I am! I'm already FOUR!
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Monday, September 06, 2010
party, party, party!
We spent the weekend in Lingle for Josh's annual golf tournament with his dad. We had a great weekend, even though we didn't get to see much of Josh! Lennie and I spent Saturday morning shopping in Scottsbluff, and the afternoon at Annie's house, playing with the kids.
That afternoon, Brecken was really antsy for his birthday party that was Sunday evening. So Lennie and I took him out to a farm to pick some vegetables for us to take home. There's nothing better than fresh sweet corn!!
FINALLY it was time for the birthday party, and he didn't have to ask anymore, "Please, can I just have a teeny tiny peek in one present??" :) We had a great time with our family and friends that were able to come! Brecken got a lot of great presents, including a TAG reading system from Josh and I and lots of books to go with it from other people- he's been reading it ALL DAY today and letting us know how fun it is!! He also got the dolphin pillow pet that he's been begging for for months, from Pee Wee, a TAG interactive U.S. map, a play-doh spaghetti factory, some new shirts and flip flops, a new movie, lots of great stuff!
It was a great weekend!!
After the tournament was done for the day, we went out to the club and had dinner with Josh and Craig. After dinner, Josh, B and I went to Pee Wee's to hang out for a while. We left when Brecken announced he was ready for bed and headed to the door. :)
Sunday, Lennie, B, and I went out to lunch with Pee Wee and Aunt Mae. Then we headed over to Pee Wee's for a little while. It was good to be able to spend time with her!
That afternoon, Brecken was really antsy for his birthday party that was Sunday evening. So Lennie and I took him out to a farm to pick some vegetables for us to take home. There's nothing better than fresh sweet corn!!
FINALLY it was time for the birthday party, and he didn't have to ask anymore, "Please, can I just have a teeny tiny peek in one present??" :) We had a great time with our family and friends that were able to come! Brecken got a lot of great presents, including a TAG reading system from Josh and I and lots of books to go with it from other people- he's been reading it ALL DAY today and letting us know how fun it is!! He also got the dolphin pillow pet that he's been begging for for months, from Pee Wee, a TAG interactive U.S. map, a play-doh spaghetti factory, some new shirts and flip flops, a new movie, lots of great stuff!
It was a great weekend!!
Monday, August 30, 2010
shopping spree
My son hates new clothes. He hates picking them out for himself, he hates anything anyone else picks out for him, he just hates new clothes. He was happy as a lark wearing the same clothes this summer as he did last summer. Which would be fine, if he wasn't growing so much... but that didn't bother him. So he wore shirts that were a bit too short and shorts that luckily don't look too short, since they're shorts. His pants on the other hand, are a little bit like capris.
He's also a boy of comfort. Don't try to get him into anything besides basketball shorts and sweatpants. He won't wear them. It's a texture thing for him- he has said that anything else is not soft and it itches his legs. He has to have the right texture on his skin at all times.
He is also the PICKIEST child I've ever met. He has two pair of red basketball shorts, but he won't wear one of them because the INSIDE of the waistband has blue in it. He can't stand that.
So this weekend, we took him to Casper and told him to shop 'til he dropped. Josh and I are desperate for him to have new clothes- clothes that fit a little better. Clothes for when it gets cold (which it will any day now) that will keep him warm and aren't capri-length sweatpants.
We looked at every single shirt in Target and JC Penney. EVERY. SINGLE. SHIRT. At Target, he'd hold up a shirt and say, "HEY! Look at this one!" We'd say, "Do you like it?" "Nope." would always be the answer and back on the rack it would go. The only thing he found was two pairs of new sweatpants. Both grey. Totally identical. They had navy blue, black, and brown sitting there too, but no. He wanted two pairs of exactly the same thing. Grey. I guess that means they'll always match his shirts. :) He tried on the basketball pants that were right next to the sweatpants, but they didn't feel good on his legs. So back they went.
At JC Penney, we did the game again. EVERY. SINGLE. PIECE OF CLOTHING. He found some sweatpants that might look ok, but then he had to put them back after he saw that there were stripes running down the outside of the leg. I really wanted him to get the shirt that said "Daddy knows a lot but Mommy knows everything". He wasn't interested. :) Finally, my mom found some glow-in-the-dark shirts. YES! That excited him!! He picked out two. Yes, two. For him, that's hitting the jackpot. :)
(I should mention that we found some snowpants while there, and B needs new snowpants for this winter. I thought that was going to be a struggle, but it wasn't! He wanted to try them on, so on they went, and he promptly laid down in the middle of the floor in the store, on his back, to make sure they would move enough to make a snow angel. They did, so he was happy and announced that he loved them.)
So we now have two outfits for the fall/winter. Two glowing long sleeved t-shirts that will be worn with the two pair of grey sweatpants. When you see us and wonder, "Didn't he wear that outfit the other day?" The answer will be yes. Yes, he did. Josh and I will be doing a lot of laundry.
But hey- at least they fit. :)
He's also a boy of comfort. Don't try to get him into anything besides basketball shorts and sweatpants. He won't wear them. It's a texture thing for him- he has said that anything else is not soft and it itches his legs. He has to have the right texture on his skin at all times.
He is also the PICKIEST child I've ever met. He has two pair of red basketball shorts, but he won't wear one of them because the INSIDE of the waistband has blue in it. He can't stand that.
So this weekend, we took him to Casper and told him to shop 'til he dropped. Josh and I are desperate for him to have new clothes- clothes that fit a little better. Clothes for when it gets cold (which it will any day now) that will keep him warm and aren't capri-length sweatpants.
We looked at every single shirt in Target and JC Penney. EVERY. SINGLE. SHIRT. At Target, he'd hold up a shirt and say, "HEY! Look at this one!" We'd say, "Do you like it?" "Nope." would always be the answer and back on the rack it would go. The only thing he found was two pairs of new sweatpants. Both grey. Totally identical. They had navy blue, black, and brown sitting there too, but no. He wanted two pairs of exactly the same thing. Grey. I guess that means they'll always match his shirts. :) He tried on the basketball pants that were right next to the sweatpants, but they didn't feel good on his legs. So back they went.
At JC Penney, we did the game again. EVERY. SINGLE. PIECE OF CLOTHING. He found some sweatpants that might look ok, but then he had to put them back after he saw that there were stripes running down the outside of the leg. I really wanted him to get the shirt that said "Daddy knows a lot but Mommy knows everything". He wasn't interested. :) Finally, my mom found some glow-in-the-dark shirts. YES! That excited him!! He picked out two. Yes, two. For him, that's hitting the jackpot. :)
(I should mention that we found some snowpants while there, and B needs new snowpants for this winter. I thought that was going to be a struggle, but it wasn't! He wanted to try them on, so on they went, and he promptly laid down in the middle of the floor in the store, on his back, to make sure they would move enough to make a snow angel. They did, so he was happy and announced that he loved them.)
So we now have two outfits for the fall/winter. Two glowing long sleeved t-shirts that will be worn with the two pair of grey sweatpants. When you see us and wonder, "Didn't he wear that outfit the other day?" The answer will be yes. Yes, he did. Josh and I will be doing a lot of laundry.
But hey- at least they fit. :)
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
first day of school!
For all of us!! Brecken has talked non-stop about school since we got home. They have a song for snacktime that he learned today, and has sung it to me over and over! It goes like this:
(to the tune of "Where is Thumbkin")
Where is Brecken,
Where is Brecken,
Here I am!
Here I am!
How are you today sir,
Very well I thank you,
Let's eat snack,
Let's eat snack!
It's pretty cute!
I took his obligatory "1st Day Of School" picture this afternoon and I can't belive how much he's changed since the first day last year. WOW. Here's the comparison:
Saturday, August 21, 2010
another day, another dollar
Here we go again! Josh and I stared teacher days on Wednesday, meaning Brecken started back to daycare. Never fails- I get tears on that first day of dropping him off. :( He likes Val's house though. He has fun playing and coloring and they even have a basketball hoop in their living room now, so he spends his day shootin' hoops. :)
However, he will not eat!! I don't know why he is afraid to eat Val's food! We told him it's OK to eat her lunch, but he doesn't want to. So Thursday and Friday this week, he brought his own lunch. Hey- whatever works!! It's a little weird to be packing my 3-year-old's lunch though. HA!
Two more days of teacher work days on Monday and Tuesday next week. Kids start school on Wednesday. I originally thought 5 days of in-service was a bit much, and now I'm wishing we had more! My classroom got new carpet this summer, and everything I own (which is a LOT! I have the biggest classroom in the school!!) was just left in the middle of my room. *sigh*. I've been putting things away and haven't gotten any time to plan the first week of school yet. Or print out any of my back-to-school stuff, because our server at school went down this summer and they had to replace it- but none of us have access to our home folders where all of our documents are stored. *another sigh*.
Brecken starts school on Wednesday as well. This year, he will be going from 12:00-3:15 Monday-Thursday. He's pretty excited to go!!
Monday, August 16, 2010
i spy, with my little eye...
I took Brecken to his preschool developmental screening today. He had to do all sorts of stuff this year, as someone turning 4. He had to:
*identify colors (easy)
*identify letters (easy)
*look at a picture of a triangle, a plus sign, a "b", a circle, etc. and draw them himself (he did pretty good!!)
*watch his teacher stack blocks in different ways and then he had to stack his blocks in the same way (he thought that was awesome that he did it right!)
*he had to catch a bean bag from a couple feet away, with both hands and then with just one hand (piece of cake)
*hop on one foot (which last I knew, he couldn't do yet, but he wouldn't try today)
*WRITE HIS NAME! AND HE DID IT!! (only, the K turned out a lot like an H. But heck! Oh well- he has a hard name!)
*take a block and put it beside a big block, under the big block, around the big block, on the big block, etc... (easy)
*identify sounds letters make when shown the letter (which he got most of them...)
*identify pictures of things like a hanger, a clock, a pencil, etc... and then had to tell what each one does (he didn't know it was called thermometer, but when asked which one of the pictures tells how hot it is, he pointed right to it.)
*count
*say his ABC's (he sang the whole song! :) )
*move 3 blocks from one pile to the other side of the table, and then seven... (got the 3, didn't get the 7 for some reason)
*twiddle his thumbs (wouldn't try this one either)
*and then the last thing- play "I Spy". He LOVES this game, but it was hard today! He was shown a picture of a child's bedroom with lots of stuff in it. His teacher said, "I spy something that starts with the b sound." (She actually did the b sound.) He had to find something like a ball or a book. He had to do that with the D sound and the SH sound too. I guess we'll be working on that at home, as he pointed to a chair for the B sound, a ball for the D sound, and my favorite- the roll of tape for the SH sound. HA! Guess we have a homework project to do when we play I Spy now. :)
I'm sure there are other things, but I can't remember right now.
Brecken was sooo excited to see his teachers. I think he'll be glad school is starting again. Can't believe he's about to be 4!!!
*identify colors (easy)
*identify letters (easy)
*look at a picture of a triangle, a plus sign, a "b", a circle, etc. and draw them himself (he did pretty good!!)
*watch his teacher stack blocks in different ways and then he had to stack his blocks in the same way (he thought that was awesome that he did it right!)
*he had to catch a bean bag from a couple feet away, with both hands and then with just one hand (piece of cake)
*hop on one foot (which last I knew, he couldn't do yet, but he wouldn't try today)
*WRITE HIS NAME! AND HE DID IT!! (only, the K turned out a lot like an H. But heck! Oh well- he has a hard name!)
*take a block and put it beside a big block, under the big block, around the big block, on the big block, etc... (easy)
*identify sounds letters make when shown the letter (which he got most of them...)
*identify pictures of things like a hanger, a clock, a pencil, etc... and then had to tell what each one does (he didn't know it was called thermometer, but when asked which one of the pictures tells how hot it is, he pointed right to it.)
*count
*say his ABC's (he sang the whole song! :) )
*move 3 blocks from one pile to the other side of the table, and then seven... (got the 3, didn't get the 7 for some reason)
*twiddle his thumbs (wouldn't try this one either)
*and then the last thing- play "I Spy". He LOVES this game, but it was hard today! He was shown a picture of a child's bedroom with lots of stuff in it. His teacher said, "I spy something that starts with the b sound." (She actually did the b sound.) He had to find something like a ball or a book. He had to do that with the D sound and the SH sound too. I guess we'll be working on that at home, as he pointed to a chair for the B sound, a ball for the D sound, and my favorite- the roll of tape for the SH sound. HA! Guess we have a homework project to do when we play I Spy now. :)
I'm sure there are other things, but I can't remember right now.
Brecken was sooo excited to see his teachers. I think he'll be glad school is starting again. Can't believe he's about to be 4!!!
Sunday, August 15, 2010
winding down
Summer is coming to an end. Football starts tomorrow, and teachers go back to school on Wednesday. *sigh* I LOVE my job, but sometimes I wish we were rich so both Josh and I could stay home all the time and have fun!
We went to some friends' house last night for a BBQ with most of the other coaches from Josh's school. We had so much fun. And I realized just how much Brecken has come out of his shy shell this summer. He was running around with the other kids, paying no attention to Josh and I. He was even picking on one of Josh's fellow football coaches, stealing his bean bag from the game the adults were playing, and saying, "Come get me!" He has NEVER initiated play from another adult before (besides Grandmas and Grandpas) so this was quite new. Josh and I watched in amazement. One of the other basketball coaches told us that he noticed how much more social Brecken is now. It was pretty fun to watch. However, by the time 9:30 hit, I told Brecken we'd probably get ready to go pretty soon and he stopped playing, came right over to me, and said, "I just want to go now, Mom." He was so tired from running with the kids- and man, did he sleep good last night!! :)
We went to some friends' house last night for a BBQ with most of the other coaches from Josh's school. We had so much fun. And I realized just how much Brecken has come out of his shy shell this summer. He was running around with the other kids, paying no attention to Josh and I. He was even picking on one of Josh's fellow football coaches, stealing his bean bag from the game the adults were playing, and saying, "Come get me!" He has NEVER initiated play from another adult before (besides Grandmas and Grandpas) so this was quite new. Josh and I watched in amazement. One of the other basketball coaches told us that he noticed how much more social Brecken is now. It was pretty fun to watch. However, by the time 9:30 hit, I told Brecken we'd probably get ready to go pretty soon and he stopped playing, came right over to me, and said, "I just want to go now, Mom." He was so tired from running with the kids- and man, did he sleep good last night!! :)
Thursday, August 05, 2010
minnesota, don'tcha know?
We had a great trip to see my sister last week. The trip started on Sunday, with a drive across South Dakota after spending the night with my parents. Of course, no trip across South Dakota is complete without a stop at Wall Drug:
We stopped in Sioux Falls for the night. Brecken was a SUPER car-rider, but we had all had enough of sitting in the car. We got out at the mall, walked around and got some leg energy out, then went to a hotel for the night. They had a super-cool pool area for Brecken to get the rest of his energy out in!
Monday, we got back in the car and continued on. We got to my sister's house shortly after lunch, so it wasn't too much of a drive. Brecken was so excited to see Ryan and play in his new back yard!!
Tuesday was a great day! We got to see our dear friend Amy and her son Dylan, who is Brecken's best buddy ever! He talks about Dylan ALL.THE.TIME and misses him soooo much. (They moved to MN last October.) Amy's other sons, Harrison and Cooper, came along too. We met at Chuck E. Cheese's and the boys played and played and played, and we got to catch up with Amy. It was SOOO good to see them. I wish they didn't have to move, but it sounds like it was for the best- they are doing great out there! Brecken was so sad when it was time to go, but hopefully we will see them again soon! (In the picture below, Dylan is in the long sleeves- he is about 6 months older than Brecken but you wouldn't know it! The other little boy in red is Cooper. He's two. And huge.)
L-R- Dylan, Brecken, Cooper, Harrison. Harrison was so good at helping the little boys play all the games!
Outside on the deck:
Brecken and Ryan were pretty sure they saw a whale. In the river. :)
We stopped in Sioux Falls for the night. Brecken was a SUPER car-rider, but we had all had enough of sitting in the car. We got out at the mall, walked around and got some leg energy out, then went to a hotel for the night. They had a super-cool pool area for Brecken to get the rest of his energy out in!
Monday, we got back in the car and continued on. We got to my sister's house shortly after lunch, so it wasn't too much of a drive. Brecken was so excited to see Ryan and play in his new back yard!!
Tuesday was a great day! We got to see our dear friend Amy and her son Dylan, who is Brecken's best buddy ever! He talks about Dylan ALL.THE.TIME and misses him soooo much. (They moved to MN last October.) Amy's other sons, Harrison and Cooper, came along too. We met at Chuck E. Cheese's and the boys played and played and played, and we got to catch up with Amy. It was SOOO good to see them. I wish they didn't have to move, but it sounds like it was for the best- they are doing great out there! Brecken was so sad when it was time to go, but hopefully we will see them again soon! (In the picture below, Dylan is in the long sleeves- he is about 6 months older than Brecken but you wouldn't know it! The other little boy in red is Cooper. He's two. And huge.)
L-R- Dylan, Brecken, Cooper, Harrison. Harrison was so good at helping the little boys play all the games!
Tuesday night, we went on a dinner cruise on the St. Croix river with my sister and her family. Brecken was sooo excited to eat dinner on a boat! It was a lot of fun. On the way back to the dock, we headed right into a storm. I was ever so thankful we had 4 adults for the 4 children- we each grabbed one and made a run for it in the absolute downpour and lightning to get to the cars. It got a bit scary!
Getting ready to eat:
Outside on the deck:
Brecken and Ryan were pretty sure they saw a whale. In the river. :) 
Wednesday, we got to play at the school playground in Kristen's town. And then we headed to the Como Zoo. It was the PERFECT weather to do the zoo- not too muggy, not to hot... worked out great!
Thursday- what a fun, fun day! My niece Brooke turned 2 on this day. We spent the day at the Mall of America (or, Mall of Kamaria as Brecken called it) at the Nickelodeon Universe. WHAT A FUN PLACE!!! They have a ton of rides that are small-child friendly and we got the all day wristbands and let the kids go to town! We got there about 10:45 am and finally had to give the "pick one more ride" at 7:00 that night! The kids could have stayed all night long! We broke for lunch, but otherwise it was go, go, go! They have a Blue's Clues ride, a child-friendly roller coaster, all sorts of fun stuff. Brecken LOVED it. His favorite ride was the bumper cars- he rode it four times. :)
Friday was Brooke's birthday party. We went to The Giggle Factory, an indoor playground, with some of David and Kristen's friends to play in the morning. We all went back to David and Kristen's house for lunch and birthday cake and presents!
Saturday was our last full day in Minnesota. We spent it at Lake Elmo. My son, the fish, loved every single minute of it. He played so hard that he fell asleep in the car when we left. Josh and I took that opportunity to drive around exploring the area while he got some rest. :) We had a great day there and the weather, once again, was perfect! It was even overcast most of the day so we didn't all get sunburned!
Sunday was the day we had to leave. :( It was a LONG trip south through Minnesota and Iowa and into Nebraska. We stopped in Grand Island, NE for the night and got home on Monday afternoon. It was a really long two days, especially since Brecken sported a fever and wasn't feeling the greatest. :(
Thursday- what a fun, fun day! My niece Brooke turned 2 on this day. We spent the day at the Mall of America (or, Mall of Kamaria as Brecken called it) at the Nickelodeon Universe. WHAT A FUN PLACE!!! They have a ton of rides that are small-child friendly and we got the all day wristbands and let the kids go to town! We got there about 10:45 am and finally had to give the "pick one more ride" at 7:00 that night! The kids could have stayed all night long! We broke for lunch, but otherwise it was go, go, go! They have a Blue's Clues ride, a child-friendly roller coaster, all sorts of fun stuff. Brecken LOVED it. His favorite ride was the bumper cars- he rode it four times. :)
Friday was Brooke's birthday party. We went to The Giggle Factory, an indoor playground, with some of David and Kristen's friends to play in the morning. We all went back to David and Kristen's house for lunch and birthday cake and presents!
Saturday was our last full day in Minnesota. We spent it at Lake Elmo. My son, the fish, loved every single minute of it. He played so hard that he fell asleep in the car when we left. Josh and I took that opportunity to drive around exploring the area while he got some rest. :) We had a great day there and the weather, once again, was perfect! It was even overcast most of the day so we didn't all get sunburned!
Sunday was the day we had to leave. :( It was a LONG trip south through Minnesota and Iowa and into Nebraska. We stopped in Grand Island, NE for the night and got home on Monday afternoon. It was a really long two days, especially since Brecken sported a fever and wasn't feeling the greatest. :( All in all, it was an awesome trip! We can't wait to go back!
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