Baby Boy Good

On Monday, March 21, Shawn & I had a date night scheduled. We went to Barnes & Nobles, ate dinner there, and went through stacks and stacks of Baby Name books. This is the second time that we've done this for this specific child, let alone countless hours of discussing names. And, we're still not completely sure what our little love will be named yet. I've kept the lists that we've discussed, and some day I'll post different options that didn't make the cut. But, until we're 100% certain about them, I don't want to say they won't be his name and us end up falling in love with one or another.

Joshua was going to be "Benjamin" for a long time. But, we realized that Benjamin was the younger brother in the Bible, and we knew that our Joshua would have to be strong and courageous with his lung issues, so we felt that Joshua was a better fit. We had discussed the possibility of naming Caleb "Mark" but then I finally said that I wasn't sure that I wanted another 'fiery' son (the meaning of Mark), and we ultimately decided on Caleb. We had lists for both of our older boys as well, though. What we do is each take a baby name book and write down any names that we come across and like. I also write down the meaning of the name since that's important to me, whereas Shawn usually skips the meaning and wants the name to sound okay with our last name Good. He writes his own list, I write mine, and then we go through them. If he hates any of the ones I've written, I cross it off my list; if I hate any of his, he crosses it off his. Then we see if we have any in common on our lists. Then we say it a bunch of times, talk about the meaning, and usually we end up with our heads spinning and agree to discuss it more later.

We hope you LOVE your name, my little son, because we've put a lot of thought and prayer into it. My hope is that God reveals His thoughts to us on it in the coming weeks.

On Wednesday, March 23, I had my third trimester ultrasound with Dr. Bayliss at Maternal Fetal Medicine. Unfortunately, I didn't have the tech that I like (we got the same one that we got last time vs. the one we've had at all the rest of our visits). This gal didn't explain what she was looking at at all, which drives me crazy. I like the other woman who would say, 'I'm looking at your son's kidneys, spine, brain, etc.' But, when she turned on the 3D option, we were AMAZED at what our son looks like and what you can see. These pictures truly don't do it justice (I'm guessing their printer is no where near the quality of their screens, let alone my scanning of the images and re-posting them). The above picture was the favorite one I got. I just loved his little nose and cheeks! His image reminded me of Caleb when he was a newborn.

Even though I wasn't impressed with the tech, I was thankful to see Dr. Bayliss once again. He told us that everything looks in tact with this pregnancy. So, this would be our last ultrasound unless I would experience any problems. He said that regular follow-up visits with the OB should detect if there would be any signs of any issue, in which case he would gladly bring me back for another ultrasound. But, with our history of having one child problem-free, all signs indicate that this pregnancy should follow suit. I was sad at the thought that we'd never see Dr. Bayliss again. I'll never have another ultrasound where we get to see a beautiful child in my womb. They are SO exciting! And, we are always so impressed with the info that Dr. Bayliss gives us. For example, I asked him about pain I've been experiencing on my right side, which keeps me awake at night. He said there are good chances it's just stretching and pushing as my uterus grows. But, with that, he said that it's fine to sleep on my back or any other position that's comfortable and to say otherwise is an old wives' tale. It is true that some positions can cause less blood flow, but when that happens, it will wake you up and your body will force you to move. He said he even told his own daughter to sleep on her back if she was more comfortable that way. He also said that you can experience the same feeling (lack of blood flow=weak knees=cold sweat or dizziness) when standing in the same position for too long. Some women can even experience it standing in line at the grocery store. I have felt a little off at times, and changing position does help. So, it was good to know.

Anyway, all that said, I've enjoyed my experiences with Maternal Fetal Medicine and am sad to see them come to an end. As I think about this being my last pregnancy, it truly makes me feel severely old. Such is life! I'm glad that our little guy is healthy and growing steadily. I couldn't ask for more! My next appointment with the doctor is this coming Friday or April Fool's Day. :) :) :)

Here is his growth over the last couple weeks:
Week 29
Fetal Development:

The baby's head is in proportion to the rest of the body. Fat continues to accumulate under the skin. The brain can control primitive breathing and body temperature control, and the eyes can move in the sockets. The baby is becoming sensitive to light, sound, taste and smell. Now, I wonder how experts know a baby can smell in utero?

Week 30
Fetal Development:

Our little one is nearly three pounds already and growing like a weed. The early lanugo is disappearing, the eyelids open and close, and the toenails are growing. The bone marrow is now responsible for red blood cell production.

Kitchen Kettle Village

Like I had mentioned before, Friday, March 18, was an extraordinarily beautiful day for our area. Mamaw & Papaw were in town from FL for a couple days because Papaw had a business meeting in OH so they drove over our way to visit before heading home. We received a call Friday just before lunch time to see if we'd like to meet them at Kitchen Kettle Village. I don't remember having been there before, and I quickly agreed. We jumped in the minivan, both boys excited for our adventure even though they were both coughing. Mamaw had also gotten the flu while she was in OH, but thankfully I feel fine and Papaw also seemed to be feeling well.

When we got there, we waited for Aunt Missy to arrive. We saw two horses hitched to an Amish buggy that sold rides. Knowing that the Amish do not like pictures of themselves, I refrained from snapping a photo of the boys with the horses, whose names were Mary and Martha. Martha was the one the boys petted, and the man told them that she was expecting a colt! Next, the boys continued to walk and stopped to smell the beautiful flower arrangements. Next they were put in the wagon above, and I took this picture of the grandparents with them, which I thought turned out nicely. The boys played and played at this area while we waited for Missy to come - over the bridge, on top of the rocks, running to hide in the gazebo and back again.

Once Missy arrived, we headed to the shops, stopping to take a picture of the picture. Unfortunately, little Caleb Luke was not quite tall enough to clear the frame. :) Both boys wanted to hold Papaw's hand, and he led us first into a toy store and then into the Fudge Kitchen, where we sampled some chocolate.

That wasn't the only store where we sampled yummies. Of course we tasted a few things in the canning store, and Papaw generously bought us some cookies and a sample of different types of jellies. He also bought the kids each a gingerbread cookie, and Mamaw helped the boys decorate them with the icing provided while I took pictures.

Caleb told her which colors he wanted on his cookie, and Joshua eventually got the idea and decorated his own.

Joshua's looked a little "hot dog"-esque to me as he put on the yellow that matched his shirt followed by the red, which looked like ketchup and mustard.

Caleb tried to lick the icing, and he got a red mustache that made us smile.

When we left the store, the boys stopped to wash their hands from the sticky icing and then we sat at a little table for them to enjoy their treats. Thanks so much!

We continued looking in the various shops there, enjoying the outdoors with the refreshing breeze and beautiful sunshine as we walked. We saw candle shops and kitchen stores with aprons that had funny sayings on them like "I'm not a slow cook, I'm a half-fast cook." Haaa!!! The one store was of Christmas decorations, and there were so many breakables that I decided to take Caleb Luke outside. There was a big dog named 'Grace' sitting out there, and she was VERY friendly toward our little guy, as was her owner. He gave Caleb a little treat to feed Grace, and the dog was very obedient, sitting, barking and doing what she was asked to do. Caleb LOVED her, even though she was big. He warmed up to the idea of petting her in a shorter amount of time than most dogs, but I think she was pretty gentle.

When Joshua came out of the store, he was also able to give the doggy a treat, which he thought was cool. From there, we ventured to lunch at a little cafe. Neither boy ate much of their lunch, but I thought the chicken salad sandwich I ordered was heavenly. When we got up, Caleb told me he was VERY tired. So, that was our cue to head to the minivan, where both boys passed out before I even exited the parking lot. We had had fun, though!

When I got home, Caleb had a belly ache, and I think it kept him from napping more. I tried for an hour to get both boys to lay down to no avail. Finally, after changing three pull-ups from the little Bluke, I decided to let them get up and play outside some more. We went for a walk and then stayed on the driveway to enjoy the beautiful weather. When Daddy got home, we moved the back yard, sliding and kicking balls, etc. Mamaw & Papaw joined us that evening, and we all drove to Freeze & Frizz to grab some ice cream before calling it a night. It had been a beautiful day.

Happy 4 and a half year birthday, Joshua!

 

It's been four and a half years since we met Joshua for the first time, and our lives have never been the same. He was the first little guy to take us from a couple to a family. :) There are so many things I appreciate about Joshua, but lately it's been the fact that I can trust him when it comes to listening and obeying. I'm not saying that he's perfect in this area, but, for example, as we're walking, I know I don't have to hold his hand tightly because he will walk next to me and stop if I ask him to. I know that if he goes to get something in a different room than I'm in, he's not going to get into something he knows he shouldn't. He has certainly grown from the toddler stage into the little man stage. And while his "spunk" sometimes drives me crazy, Daddy always reminds me that some day when he has more self-control, having some fire and personality will truly serve him well.

The morning of March 18, 2011, we went to the Picture People to get his photos taken. I have to say that it will most definitely be my last time of going there. After I made my purchase of the above picture, I was informed that they are no longer putting the pictures that they've taken online. So Shawn won't get to see all the rest of the ones taken of him, his brother or the two of them together. I wish they would have told me that when I made the appointment because I would have gone somewhere else to begin with. Picture People is more than twice the price of anywhere else, but I chose there because I don't have to run back in to the mall to grab the pictures and they always put them online. Since they've stopped, I will definitely go to just about any other studio who allows viewing the images after the day they are taken. There were so many cute ones! What a rip off.

When we got home, the boys changed out of their sweaters and into t-shirts because they were hot. It was 79 degrees that day, matching a record that was set back in the 80s for warm weather this time of year. It was GORGEOUS! We got a call from Mamaw & Papaw asking if we'd like to meet them at Kitchen Kettle Village, which I will post about separately. It was a beautiful day all around. What a precious gift from God to celebrate Joshua's new age-milestone!

Joshua has been staying dry overnight now for a long time, so I told him he could start wearing big boy undies to bed. He's thrilled! I've noticed that some of his 4T things are starting to look short, so I'm beginning to hand them down to Caleb. Shirts especially are getting too short even though 5T often seems wide on his thin body. As I hand down any pants, I have to let out a few buttons for his younger brother as I have them cinched in the whole way for Joshua. He's still wearing a 10.5 shoe, though. And he's starting to zip his own coats and hooded sweatshirts. I think he's known how for a long time, but he still gets frustrated if it doesn't quite work the first time. Most times, though, he does just fine.

He can also buckle his own seat belt in his big boy booster seat, which is important to me since soon enough he'll be in the far back of our van. We've been talking up how big kids sit in the far back of a minivan (just like his cousins) and he's excited for the transition, which is great. I'll miss having him in the middle since he's my helper with reaching things like drinks for him and his brother, but I'm glad that he wants to move back and doesn't feel slighted.

On a different note, Joshua is writing all of his letters and they're recognizable (for the most part). I still have to remind him on occasion, though, that we start on the left and write toward the right. Being a lefty, he always wants to start on the right and write backward. In addition to writing letters, he's starting to sound out words. Today he said, "Go is spelled G-O. Off is spelled O-F-F. Dad is spelled D-A-D." He gets many words right, but English is a difficult language with so many things that sound like each other. There are times that a 'C' or 'K' will get mixed up, and often he things the 'ch' sound is a 'j.' But, I'm excited for him to be thinking about how words sound and what they look like.

Joshua's swimming lessons are over, and unfortunately he missed the last one. I asked him how he was feeling and gave him the option of whether or not he wanted to go. He said that his throat was far too ouchy for swimming, and he was coughing so bad that we agreed it was a wiser choice to keep him home. I hated to see him miss the last one, especially when he seemed to enjoy them, but I also didn't want to get other kids sick or make him feel even worse. I know he'll have to take Level 1 over again. He does NOT want to get his head wet. He's hated it since he was a baby and still dreads when we wash his hair. Hopefully he outgrows it, but only time will tell. He seems to like being in the pool, and my main goal for him is that he can swim well enough to not drown.

Joshua still likes to snuggle - giving hugs and kisses and 'lovins.' The other day we were walking as a family, and he was holding Shawn's hand. Caleb said "I want Daddy's hand!" and ran to catch up with his free hand. Joshua looked back at me and said "Then I hold your hand! You're my Momma Bean!" I loved it. So precious, that little one. He likes to cuddle as we tuck him in at night, and while he normally enjoys silly songs, he even told us this week that he was too sick for silly songs. Instead, we just held him. I tell him how much I love him, how happy I am that he's in our lives, and how he's a great big brother and oldest son. He is truly a wonderful kid. He told me that we're friends, and I often call him my little "friend" now, in addition to being my son. :)

Joshua has a really good memory (or at least I think so!). For example, we were drinking sparkling grape juice in wine glasses the other week, and he said "hey, those are from the movie Ratatouille." Indeed, the movie did have a scene with a fancy restaurant where folks were drinking from wine glasses. It's a good reminder that he soaks in much of what he hears and sees. My prayer is that he keeps the good and lets go of the bad.

Joshua also likes playing with Papaw's iPhone. He told me that he'd like to have one. I just laughed... while he thinks it's a toy (with some apps that Papaw has of games), I told him that it will be a LONG time until he gets one (like 14 more years!). By then it won't even exist and it will be some new technology.

There are more things I could write about Joshua - like how he's learning to ride his new big boy bike, how he's starting to be able to "serve" a volleyball and catch bouncing balls, how he's catching onto new games, etc. But, it's time to run. So this will suffice as his growth/progress for now. Happy 4 /12 year birthday, my big boy Bean!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

We celebrated St. Patrick's Day by wearing our festive green (really the only green shirts the boys have, I think). We were supposed to have lunch with friends, but by Thursday both boys were really schnarky - coughing and not feeling well. One benefit of being sick this week is that they adjusted to Daylight Savings Time with no issues since they were both so tired!

Since it was a beautiful day out, we did go for a walk around the neighborhood and play in our driveway. Joshua wrote all sorts of things and also drew an airplane, a flower, etc. They also enjoyed their cozy coupe cars, and I realized that it won't be long until Joshua completely outgrows this fun toy. They always ask me what I want and then run off to get the "snacks." I asked for watermelon, and both boys always open their gas tanks in the cars to give me what they've bought at the grocery store. It cracks me up!

I'm not a fan of mint in ice cream, so I decided to skip Shamrock shakes this year. Instead, I made myself a glass of green milk and asked the boys if they would like to try some. Caleb thought this was the coolest thing ever, but he wanted to keep drinking it from my cup. Joshua said no at first, but by the afternoon, he was ready for his own cup of green milk. I let them watch as I poured the milk into their cups, added the drop of food coloring and stirred. Both boys were in awe! The next day, Joshua asked me for some blue milk. Haaaa!!! I'm not even sure why we celebrate St. Patrick's Day, but this was the extent of our celebrations. Go green!

Surgery Postponed

Joshua was supposed to have a physical on Tuesday, March 15, to give him the "all clear" for surgery on March 21. I had spoken with the surgery center about his condition, and they told me to keep the appointment and then call to tell them what was said. But, when the dentist office called me to give me the exact time to go in and heard he had had a fever over the weekend, the gal told me that the anesthesiologist would require that he be fever free for two weeks prior to surgery. So, she said to go ahead and reschedule the physical closer to the next available date for surgery, which is Monday, May 2. I called the pediatrician's office and rescheduled the appointment for the end of April. So, no surgery this month for our little guy! Hopefully he's healthy for the next appointment. I'd like him to have the surgery before the baby comes (not only for our convenience but also for his comfort). Keep him in your prayers!

Silliness, Sickness & Spring Break

Last Friday (3/11), when Chris & Lisa came over, they brought us a pair of Joshua's sunglasses he had left at their house awhile ago. The next day when we were driving, Caleb put them on. Then he promptly asked Daddy, "Is it night time?" We both laughed and laughed. Daddy answered "No, it's not night time, it's your sunglasses that make it seem dark." Haaa!!!! Silly boy!

That afternoon, Mamaw came over and we took the boys shopping so Daddy could work on some paperwork and paying the bills, etc. We went to a couple clothing stores at Rockvale Square Outlets, but I didn't see anything for the little guys that I couldn't live without (I was hoping to find some sales on clothes since Caleb has now grown into a 4T, which Joshua is still wearing!). While we were in Carter's, Joshua asked to go potty. As we were exiting the restroom, an older lady was waiting to come in. Without hesitation, he said "Hey, there, big lady!" I was horrified! She wasn't obese, but she was by no means thin. She poked his bum with her cane and said "Hey back, little kid!" He laughed and laughed and laughed. I was glad she had a sense of humor (even though I wasn't too sure about her poking him). The last store we went to was the Disney Store, which had its movie figurines on sale for $10 each. Mamaw bought the boys each one; Joshua picked Toy Story and Caleb picked Cars (thanks so much!). They came home and played and played with them.

That night we asked the boys, "What do you want to do?" Joshua answered first and said "let's drive a bus through the woods!" Daddy & I looked at each other and said, "WHAT?!?!?!" We howled! Then Caleb responded, "Let's drive our minivan to FL!" Once again, we giggled. I was thinking more "would you rather play a game or read a book" etc. But, they had silly plans in mind!

Overnight, Joshua had a high fever. It reached 102.1 on our thermometer, which usually runs low. While he seemed okay to us, we knew something was brewing. So, Shawn offered to stay home with him on Sunday while I took Caleb to church by myself. Caleb LOVES his class, and I enjoy getting out as well. Shawn &  Joshua played Wii and had fun while we were gone. I called my mom to ask how she felt about watching Joshua for us. We were supposed to have life group where all the kids come and be watched by a sitter, but he still wasn't 24 hours fever-free, so we thought it was better to be safe than sorry. She agreed to keep him, so we dropped him off and took Caleb with us to life group. It was a fun night at the Buckwalter's! Karisten made a hot homemade donut bar (YUM!) and we talked about the Five Love Languages.

Joshua's sickness was still brewing, unfortunately, and soon we noticed that he developed a barking cough even though his fever had passed. Overnight Monday into Tuesday, he coughed so hard that it made him vomit in his bed, so we changed his sheets in the middle of the night. This past week was Joshua's Spring Break from preschool, so we had made plans with different friends to catch up. Unfortunately, we didn't make it to a single one. From play dates to lunches out, we canceled everything and stayed at home the entire week until I was about stir crazy. Caleb started to cough later that week, too, and both boys now have runny noses to go along with their schnarkiness. At least Joshua didn't miss any school for being sick. But, we're praying that he (and all of us, really) are healthy from now on!

A Fantastic Friday with Friends

Friday, March 11, I had invited the gals from our life group to come over and play, knowing that most of them work full time but wanting everyone to feel welcome. My friend Karisten came with her son Kyler, who's right in between Joshua & Caleb age-wise and is in the Bean's class at church. They always have fun together. She also brought along Sophi, who just turned one a couple months ago. She still wants to be with her mom rather than the boys, but I don't think it will be too long until she's joining them in the action!

I also invited my friend Renee and her three kids to come as well. I knew Renee from MOPS and she goes to the city church (so she'd at least seen Karisten before even if they didn't know each other). Renee's son Nathan is five, her daughter Lila is three and her other daughter Reese just turned nine months old. It's funny that her kids are almost exactly one year apart from mine, down to the very month and day they were born (September, July and May). Joshua also had a blast playing with Nathan that morning, who he called the "new" Nathan (since he has a friend from preschool named Nathan as well). I'm sure Caleb had a great time as well; he's just not as vocal about it. Lila played with the older boys and seemed to have a good time.

The day before, the boys had helped me go through our toys to see which ones needed new batteries, etc. We rearranged some of the toys to put some fresh ones in the toy box downstairs while organizing a few upstairs in our playroom as well. I also bought snacks and baked a coffee cake for the moms and kids to enjoy. I thought everything turned out well - the kids and moms all seemed to get along and enjoy the company. It was great!

That evening, we had our friends Chris & Lisa and their daughter Isabella over for dinner. Shawn suggested that we just get pizza for everyone, and I had baked cookies for dessert (besides healthy and non-healthy sides to go with it). The kids once again had fun playing with their friend and we enjoyed catching up with ours. It was a great Friday all around! Too bad I didn't snap a single picture of any of the kids playing, etc. But I enjoyed my time and so did the kids, so I guess that's what's most important.

Third Trimester, Third Son

So, I haven't posted about baby in a few weeks. Last Wednesday (3/2), Mamaw watched Caleb at Jen's house with my niece and nephews so that I could go and get my glucose test done. In this test, you choke down syrup (it almost reminds me of what soda would be like if they didn't add the carbonated water to it) and then wait an hour in the office until they draw your blood. It is absolutely disgusting, and I kept reminding myself that I could not bring it back up. Thankfully it stayed down, and I got the results back the following Wednesday at my doctor's appointment that everything looks good. Woohoo! Three pregnancies, no problems in that area.

At my doctor's appointment, she said the heartbeat sounded good, answered all my questions, and also took measurements. She said I'm measuring roughly three weeks ahead of schedule, which they'll keep an eye on. All that means really is that this could be a big baby. BUT, it doesn't really matter since I'm having a schedule c-section anyway. My hope is that maybe our baby will make his debut a week early (the last week of May vs. first week of June). The only issue would be childcare since I'm working out a plan for the boys for my scheduled date. But, I think we could make something work, hopefully. My prayer is that this baby is healthy!

Crazy to think that I'll see the doctor three times next month, and I have another ultrasound scheduled at the end of this month. We're getting close now! Here are the last few weeks of growth:
  Week 25
Fetal Development:

The structures of the spine - 33 rings, 150 joints and 1000 ligaments - begin to form. The blood vessels of the lungs are developing and the nostrils begin to open. Busy week!

Maternal Changes:

You may be feeling like a "Soccer Mom" now that your uterus is the size of a soccer ball. Your growing uterus places pressure on your back and pelvis and may cause periodic shooting pains in your lower back and legs. When you experience this, rest, change your position, take a warm bath or apply ice to the sore area.

Week 26

Your baby could weigh about two pounds now and be around 9 inches long (crown of the head to the rump). As the blood vessels in the lungs began last week, the air sacs in the lungs begin this week. The lungs begin to secrete surfactant which covers the inner lining of the air sacs which then allows the lungs to expand normally during breathing. Besides the active lung growth, the brain kicks in with brain wave activity for the visual and auditory systems.

Week 27

Fetal Development:

During this week, the brain continues its rapid growth, and the lungs continue to grow. Eyelids begin to open, and the retinas begin to form. The baby will grow over 1/2 inch this week and will be about 1 1/3 feet long (from crown of head to the toes or 9.6 inches from crown to rump)!

Maternal Changes:

You may be experiencing some shortness of breath. Your uterus is close to your rib cage now, and your lungs may not be able to fully expand. Don't worry though. Your baby isn't lacking oxygen and your circulatory system is actually working more efficiently thanks to those pregnancy hormones that have caused you so much discomfort.

Ideas for Dad: It's 2 am, and you're blissfully dreaming about winning the Indy 500 in record-breaking time. Suddenly, you're awakened by a pregnant woman who is shaking the buttons off your pajamas. You come to your senses (or at least you think you do), sit straight up in bed and ask her if she's sure it's time. "No, of course it's not time. But I HAVE to have some cold mooshy McDonald's french fries NOW or I'll just DIE. Hurry, PALEEEEEEZE." Nope, it's not labor . . . it's cravings! She's craving weird things, and you just want to sleep. She's insistent and you know there'll be no sleep until you go. What's a dad to do? Sound remotely familiar? Think of this as preparation for being awakened in the middle of the night by the baby - and you won't have to go to McDonald's for him. Try your best to suggest healthy snacks for Mom but realize at this point, your suggestions may not carry a lot of weight. If all else fails, keep your slippers by the front door and your car keys handy! Week 28  Fetal Development: Our little miracle is growing and developing at an astonishing rate! Eyebrows and eyelashes are now present, and the hair on the head is growing. The eyelids open, and the eyes are completely formed. The body is getting plumper and rounder (weighs about 2 pounds) and is composed of around 2 to 3% body fat. Muscle tone is gradually improving. The lungs are capable of breathing air but if the baby is born now, it would struggle to properly breathe. Be sure to talk to your baby a lot because s/he can recognize your voice now!   Maternal Changes: Welcome to the third trimester ~ the period of leg cramps, hemorrhoids, varicose veins, itchy skin, aches and pains, swelling, heartburn, indigestion and . . . your baby's arrival! Your uterus is around 3 inches above your navel; average weight gain is between 17 and 24 pounds at this point. If you haven't had a glucose tolerance test yet to test for gestational diabetes, your care provider may order one this week. Third Trimester Careprovider Appointments: In routine pregnancies, your health-care provider appointments may be every two weeks from week 28 to 36, with weekly appointments from week 36 until delivery. During these appointments, your doctor/midwife will check the size and height of your uterus to be certain your baby is growing appropriately. Your weight and blood pressure will be checked as well as your urine for signs of infection, sugar, and protein. As the due date approaches, the baby's position is checked and vaginal exams are performed to check for cervical dilatation. If any high risk conditions are noted (pre-eclampsia, PIH - Pregnancy-Induced Hypertension, gestational diabetes, placenta previa), care provider visits will be more frequent and more tests may be advised.Be sure to take a list of questions and concerns to your appointments. It's normal to have questions and worries about labor this trimester so don't be shy! Ask! Ask! Ask!

Happy 32-month birthday, Caleb Luke!

Caleb Luke turned 32-months old on Fastnacht (or Fausnaught) Day, which we called "Fat Tuesday" (much easier to spell and remember!). The boys both wished Daddy a "Happy Fat Tuesday" when he came home from work, as I had tried to explain to them the meaning of the holiday - where people try to use up their yeast and lard and bad things before Lent. We celebrate Lent (as God commanded the Israelites to commemorate the time they left Egypt and eat nothing with yeast, which represented sin, as a memorial to honor Him) before Easter when Jesus, our passover lamb died for our sins. I'm not sure how much of the lesson they understood, but they both LOVED the donuts (I didn't get real fastnachts as they aren't as yummy as all the calories they have in them).

Tuesday morning, we dropped Joshua off at his preschool class and then Caleb at his class for Bible study. The lady who helps in that room told me that Caleb is the best behaved child she has and then caught herself and said "one of the best" so as not to offend anyone else. She laughed at how he bats his eyelashes and grins at the teachers and asks if he gives us the same look. I replied that he knows how to look sweet to get out of trouble. Then I smiled, gave him a kiss and told him to be a good boy and have fun. Joshua's preschool teachers from last year are right across the hallway and they asked me if I had signed up Caleb to come next year. I found out that he will have Mrs. Hilton, the aide, this fall in his class. We're very excited!

Caleb has been growing like a weed lately! It's almost hard to keep up. I moved him into the next size of big boy undies and really, he's grown into a 4T almost overnight. His 3T things are short and tight now. Joshua's still wearing many of his 4T things, but we've handed a few down to Caleb. My little buddy is also in a size 10 sneaker already and still growing quickly! I knew that someday he would outgrow Joshua, but I didn't realize he'd catch up so quickly. They're two years apart, after all!

Caleb knows his older brother's full name, Daddy's full name and my full name (even though he says my middle name as "'anise" instead of "Denise"). But, when I told him that his name is Caleb Good, he said "NO! My name is Tay-leb BLUKE!" Haaaa!!! He still thinks his middle name is 'Bluke and the thought that he's a "Good" boy still hasn't hit him.

Caleb also knows his address, or at least most of it. Since you repeat the first number when you say it, he skips the first one and says the rest. But, he gets the street, town and state right and most of the number, so he'd at least get to our neighborhood if anything were to ever happen to him. And since our street isn't all that long, I think most of our neighbors would know us. My prayer is that NOTHING ever happens to him and this is just information for his little mind. In addition, he's memorized his birthday. :) :) :)

The above picture is of Caleb washing his hands in our family bathroom. Some days he does well with potty training, other days not so much. But, I realize that this is how it goes. I think he knows when he has to go, and if we remind him, he'll stay dry the whole day. But, he still waits us out to do the other in his pull-ups or diapers at nap time or bedtime. When he makes up his mind that he wants to go potty, I don't think it will take long to finish the process.

Caleb knows all his letters and their sounds, as I mentioned before. We're starting to help him sound out words. He & his big brother stumbled across the show "Super Y" (which I like MUCH better than dinosaur train, so they watch it now instead in the mornings as I get ready for the day). When they ask the kids to interact, Caleb always shouts out the answer. The show will start with "say your name" and Caleb always says his name and the Bean's as the "super helpers." The show also works on reading and spelling, so I don't think a half hour of educational TV in the morning as I get a shower and dry my hair is all that bad.

Caleb also loves to read books, either looking at the pictures himself or being read to. He LOVES look-and-find books where you try to find a small picture within the larger one off a key on the side (similar to 'where's Waldo'). We have two or three, and he already knows where all the pictures are from every page, so it's no longer a challenge for him.

He is also doing extremely well with the game of Memory, as I mentioned before. It actually surprises me when he knows where the matches are as we play with Joshua. The Bean is doing well, too, but Caleb is only two (or 32-months!) and gets his fair share of matches in the game.

My favorite thing that Caleb does is singing. He knows the words to many songs, but he has his favorites. I love his sweet little voice singing out as loud as he can. Shawn & I both say how much we enjoy it. He loves to sing goodnight to everyone, and then he'll say his memorized prayers. He is becoming more of a snuggle buggle as he gets older, and he enjoys times that we sit and rock or we tuck him in bed and snuggle. He doesn't want Daddy to leave (I start with him and Daddy starts with Joshua and then we switch at night). He always asks for one of us to come back to his bed to snuggle some more. When we're finally finished, he cries for "Daddy, don't go yet! Come back!" and finally he'll fall asleep. He'll ask me to carry him in the hallways at preschool and pick him up or give him a "little huggy." I love it. I can't always accommodate holding him depending on what else I'm carrying, but I enjoy my time with my precious little guy!

Happy 32-month birthday, Caleb Luke!

And the Week Ends

Friday afternoon, Jen dropped off my nephews Daniel & John for me to watch while she went into Emma's kindergarten class to make green eggs and ham for Dr. Seuss week. The boys all enjoyed building new train tracks with Caleb's two plastic sets he got for Christmas. Then they went downstairs and played with the wood set on our train table and had fun searching for toys in the toy box. They were only here about an hour, and Joshua was sad that they didn't get to watch the Cars movie together. Maybe next time!

We had been planning on going to the Manheim Township Library's Dr. Seuss event that Saturday morning, but it was already booked full before I registered us. Whoops! Such is life! Joshua was upset that we had to return his beloved dinosaur book to the library. He loves to take books out and read them, but he hates to return them. We go through the same routine every week with his preschool library. He's devastated that the book has to go back. This last week he got a little Bible book and another one on Easter. They were super cute!

We had a semi-productive weekend as Daddy finished and filed our taxes. We also went Saturday morning to the Universal Fitness Club Open House. I had wanted to check it out as it's right down the street from us, so this was a good opportunity. The kids had a fantastic time in the play area with the slides and ball pit - they climbed and jumped and had a blast! In the meantime, we checked out the various classes going on, the swimming pool, the indoor track, weights and cardio equipment, etc. Membership is extremely expensive, but you seem to get a decent value (if there is such a thing). If we could afford it, I think we might join. But, it wouldn't make sense to even think about it until after the baby arrives and can take part in the childcare area; so, we'll possibly reconsider this coming fall. In general, most times I can work out for free going for a run when the weather is nice or doing exercise videos when it's too cold to go outside for my liking. BUT, I can see the value of having the kids getting some exercise while Daddy & I try to get in shape after our last child is born. While we were there, we ran into one of Shawn's co-workers who teaches martial arts. He encouraged us to watch the belting ceremony that was about to start, as it was for 4-5 year-olds. It was SO cute! The little ones get to participate for free with membership, and many of them seemed so tiny as they did the moves. We enjoyed watching.

Saturday night, we took the kids out for pizza. We were debating on going to church that night, even though Caleb had spilled a little red juice on his white shirt, but Joshua said that he wanted to see his friends in his class. So, we agreed to wait and go the following day at our normal time. Once again my favorite pastor was speaking, and we also celebrated the first birthday of the Lancaster City campus of LCBC. They served warm donuts from the Fractured Prune that were absolutely delicious! (We had heard of them but never tried them before.) They also had volunteers who went around taking pictures in the kids' classrooms and put them on facebook, where I 'borrowed' the ones taken of our kids.

Caleb told us as we were leaving that his favorite friend at church is Mr. Jack - the man who helps in his classroom (pictured above). His wife also helps, and I'm thinking it might be his daughter who's in the room as well. They always do crafts, and this week they were also playing with bubbles when I picked him up. He LOVES it! I'm so thankful for the volunteers who serve our kids each week in this capacity. They are helping us to teach our kids about Christ!

Joshua also enjoys his room as his friends Veda and Kyler are in there (who are around his age and whose parents are in our life group). As the boys are enjoying their classrooms, we enjoy the time to just sit together and worship and listen to the message. Our youngest child (still in the womb) is either a big fan of the music or hates it. I can't tell which. I will admit that it is LOUD. And although I love worship and to praise the Lord in song, it's even a bit loud for me...and I don't consider myself to be all that old. [No comments needed! Ha!] As my sternum shakes, the baby awakes. And he kicks and rolls and moves to where I can hardly stand it. If I look down, I can actually see my belly moving with his kicks (or head butts or elbows, etc). He's either going to be a dancer, or he's trying to tell me that I'm disrupting his peace and quiet. I asked the OBGYN if it's safe for him to be in a louder environment, and she thought that he should be fine because no studies say that loud noises hurt a baby's ears since they are protected by the placenta, my skin, etc. I thought the same thing but was relieved to hear the doctor confirm what I thought. My other two boys love music and when I play the piano or we sing all together, so I'm hoping this little guy does, too. :) :) :)

That afternoon, we enjoyed play time as a family and used the day to rest and relax. And thus ended our first weekend of March!

Our Legacy

At Study 'n Share, we're reading through the Bible again. Our goal is to read 15 pages a day straight through. I love how you can read the Word over and over again, and new things strike you each time. One thing that has really impressed upon me this time as I'm reading is how one generation can really know God and the next one completely forsake Him. For example, Judges 2:10 says: "After that whole generation had been gathered to their ancestors, another generation grew up who knew neither the LORD nor what he had done for Israel."

Can you imagine? I really thought about what that meant. God had set His people free from bondage in Egypt, and the Israelites watched all the plagues of frogs, gnats, blood, locusts, boils, hail, darkness, etc. up through the firstborn of every animal and person being killed as they plundered the Egyptians and left. They saw the parting of the Red Sea as they crossed on dry ground, they witnessed water from the rock and manna from heaven. Over and over again, they saw how God provided for them. They even saw the fire by night and cloud by day that lead them to the Promised Land. The next generation would have seen the Promised Land and witnessed the many battles that God won for them. They would have been lead by Moses and then Joshua, whom God spoke with and gave great victory to. Then, when they all died, we see in the above verse that the next generation "knew neither the Lord nor what he had done for Israel." WHAT!?!?!

I remember reading before this passage in Deuteronomy 6:6-8 "These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads." Again we see in Deuteronomy 11:18-20 how God told them to teach His words to their children, specifically "Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Write them on the door frames of your houses and on your gates..." In Exodus 12, God told His people to observe the Passover and tell their children why they do it.

So, we see God reminding His people to teach their children about Him. Yet, we see how short-lived it is. Israel goes through an extremely rough time. We see the period of Judges (or leaders) where a judge would be raised up to save Israel, but the people would go on doing evil in the Lord's sight and be handed over to their enemies. Then God would deliver them again with a new leader. Eventually the people asked for a king, and God raised up David "a man after His own heart" (after Saul). But after David came his son Solomon, who started out doing God's will and eventually married wives he wasn't supposed to and worshiped their gods, provoking the Lord to anger. Then Solomon's son rejected God completely, and the kingdom of Israel was divided in two - Judah stayed with a king in David's line due to God's promise to him while the other 10 tribes went to yet another evil king (if you're wondering where the 12th tribe is, Levites were considered priests and didn't have their own territory but lived among the other tribes).

As we continue reading about the kings in the Bible, some would start serving God but their sons would do evil in God's sight. Eventually God gives them all over to destruction and lets Babylon carry them off into exile. He warns them first, but they don't stop idol worship or begin to serve Him wholeheartedly.

As I read these passages, I again am reminded of the awesome responsibility we have in teaching our children about God and to worship and serve Him only. We as parents need to "Know Him to Show Him" as we were taught yesterday. Do my kids know why we go to church? Will they grow to read the Bible and apply it to their lives? Will they seek the Lord wholeheartedly? My prayer is that they will always know Him and walk in His ways, that they will bind His word on their hearts, that they will have a relationship with the Lord similar to the ones of the men they were named after...or even better! May this be my legacy to them. Help me, oh God, to teach my children Your Word.

We also watched this song clip yesterday, and I've liked the song since I first heard it, so I thought I would share it here. Enjoy!

March!

March is said to come in like a lion, and I'm not sure if that means growling and ravenous or that it sneaks up on you like the devil crouching at your door. Either way, I can't believe we're already in the second week!

Last Thursday, Joshua had an extended day at preschool. He was also "star helper of the day" that day, and his show & tell was supposed to be about things that start with the letter "U." I was struggling to think of things at first, but eventually I found a baseball card with part of an "umpire" on it, I found a picture of Joshua as a baby when he was crying in the NICU at the newborn picture taker and labeled it "upset/unhappy," I printed a picture of our extended family and labeled it "uncles," and I let him take in his new teddy bear with its fireman "uniform" and "underwear" on Bearemy. He also took in snack that day, which was cheese cubes and wheat thin crackers. I packed his little lunch, and he was so excited for preschool that day! [He enjoys it everyday, but he loves the opportunity to be 'star helper' and 'line leader.'] I've noticed that he talks more to the children in the hallway and says 'hi' to his friends and interacts than he used to. He's really coming out of his shell!

That day, Caleb & I met Nonie, Aunt Missy, Aunt Gayle, Grant & Jenavieve at Garfield's for lunch. We enjoyed visiting, and Caleb scarfed down his grilled cheese but left the seasoned fries behind. He did, however, highly enjoy the chocolate ice cream that came with his children's meal. He loves to pull on Aunt Missy's finger as she pretends that it 'hurts.' He laughs and laughs! The night before when Grandma Good was here, Daddy had given the boys some coins to put in their piggy banks. Caleb had picked up Joshua's an accidentally dropped it. It wasn't far from the counter top where the boys were sitting (at our breakfast bar) but it smashed, and Joshua was devastated. We cleaned up the mess and organized all the coins into their different piles of pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters. That day, somehow Caleb swindled 'monies' from Aunt Missy. Not sure exactly how it happened, but he was proudly holding onto some coins that he said he had received from his Aunt and grinning ear-to-ear.

Friday morning, we woke up and were having a really good day. The boys were giggling and having fun, and we read books and played catch the ball (either gently bouncing or rolling it back and forth) and even did some crafts. Then I asked them (since they were in good moods) if they would like to go shoe shopping. I called Grandma to see if she'd like to join us and she agreed. We went to Badorf Shoe Outlet in Rothsville and both boys stood nicely to get their feet measured. Joshua's hadn't grown at all in the last six months, so he stayed in his size 10.5 sneakers. Nice! Caleb, on the other hand, was measuring at a size 10!!! Yowza! For being two years younger, he's already almost the same shoe size. We have one pair of size 10 that are getting a little snug, but the 10.5 were just a little big on him. They didn't have any close-outs, unfortunately, in his size, and I hate to spend the retail prices on shoes that I know he won't wear for long. I bought a pair out of the used shoe bin (well, Grandma did, honestly) that were only $3 and looked all but brand new. They are washable and the same brand that Joshua's sneakers are (normally $40-$50 shoes). I brought them home and washed them and Caleb is now wearing them. Soon enough he'll be in a 10.5 anyway (the gal said probably within the next couple months). You can see Caleb's new shoes in the picture above - the boys wore matching outfits over the weekend. They are so close to the same size already!

Meals Not on Wheels

Monday, February 28, was the dentist appointment that I already posted about. Tuesday was our anniversary. That morning I had Bible study and thoroughly enjoyed my time out with other moms. That evening Miranda our babysitter came and stayed with the boys while Shawn took me out to dinner at Red Lobster where we had a gift card. He also gave me beautiful yellow tulips (I love yellow!). We had a wonderful evening together celebrating our love and life.

Wednesday night, Shawn's Grandma Good came over for dinner. I made spaghetti with salad and garlic bread and bought a delicious apple creme cake from Giant to go with it. She came bearing gifts of fruit snacks (which our boys call "treats") for both boys and an anniversary card and gift for us, which was really sweet (thanks so much!). Shawn helped her download the song "Beautiful Things" by Gungor onto her iPod while she was here, and she played Memory with the boys at Caleb's request. Joshua was frustrated that other people were getting his matches - in fact, Caleb gives him a run for his money these days with the game! We had a nice time visiting with Grandma Good. The pictures on this post are of a thank you card Joshua helped make for her. He wrote the words "thank you" (above) all by himself (I, of course, helped with the spelling but he wrote the letters) and he drew the pictures below of him (purple) & Caleb (blue) eating their treats (green). He then signed his name below the picture.

On Thursday, I made a new recipe that I thought sounded like something the boys would enjoy. It was a type of shepherd's pie, and I made it with mixed veggies since the boys love green beans, peas, carrots, corn, etc. I put it in the oven before we left since it needed an hour and told Daddy to keep an eye on it while he was playing with Caleb Luke. Joshua told me he was "SO hungry" after swim lessons that night, and we got home right as it was about finished. He didn't want to eat it, though. I told him that he wasn't going to have snacks unless he ate his dinner. So, he cleaned most of his plate. But, afterward he asked me "Mommy, can we have something yummy instead tomorrow night?" Shawn & I both howled. I would definitely make some changes to the recipe if I make it again. It wasn't terrible, but it wasn't "WOW" either. I still crack up at his innocent face asking me for something delicious the next night for supper. You win some, you lose some. Haaa!!!

Smiles & Trials

 

When we were at Dr. Miller's office for Joshua's follow-up appointment for his teeth after his fall, Dr. Aaron Miller (the son) told us that he can see two spots in Joshua's mouth that are starting to decay. We had been warned since the time we first visited the dentist that Joshua had teeth that didn't form in the womb, and they didn't have the last coat of enamel or calcium or something. There's a name for it, but it's escaping me right now. Those teeth were a little brown, and you could see that they were different just by looking in his mouth. We were also told that they would be very susceptible to decay but up to this point, they were doing okay. The dentist also had noted that things like reflux and asthma and prematurity all lead to soft teeth and tooth decay. So, this wasn't a huge surprise to us by any means. They scheduled him to have the teeth fixed in March, giving him a month to get over his fear of the dentist (this time round he was TERRIFIED due to his recent fall and teeth being pulled). 

We have two insurances for Joshua, and the primary insurance only covers 50% of dental work. So, I called to make a special request of the secondary insurance to pay for work done at the Miller's office (who is not on their list of providers). I had gotten a letter and a phone call saying the request was denied because there are other pediatric dentists close to our house that are on their list of approved providers. 

So, we went to Children's Dental Health Associates just down the street on the Tuesday that Shawn left for his business trip (2/22). And we had a terrible experience. We waited in the waiting room for over an hour to be seen, and unlike any pediatric office I had ever been to before, they didn't have a single toy to play with. Joshua and I played games like "think of a word that starts with the letter..." but soon even those were not fun anymore. Eventually they took us back, and they took Joshua in a separate room to xray his teeth. The ladies were very short with him as they told him that he MUST stay still. Once again, he was scared to even be there, so I thought their rudeness was completely uncalled for. The dentist came in and told us that Joshua has several problem areas and based on his response to them that day, he would recommend surgery. Then he left, without me having asked my questions. We scheduled the surgery for their first available appointment which was mid-July. Joshua got a little prize for being there, but I was SO upset the entire way home. (Thankfully we made it back to pick up Caleb before my sister had to leave.) I wasn't thrilled at having surgery; I wasn't happy that it would be after the baby came; I thought it was awful that if he was having serious problems he had to wait that long to get them fixed; and I didn't like the office staff in general.

I talked to Shawn about it when he came home, and he agreed that this dentist was not an option if we weren't comfortable with it. We either needed to get a second opinion or just pay for the dental work at the Miller's, where Joshua enjoys going. There was one other pediatric dentist that the insurance would pay for, so I called to confirm that they would indeed pay for a second opinion. They agreed, and informed me that I needed to call it a "second opinion" for billing purposes. I was hesitant to go for a second opinion, feeling like the Bean had been through enough, BUT I also knew that dental work could get extremely expensive and hoped that maybe we could find somewhere that he was comfortable with and took the insurance we had.

I called Parkside Dentistry, which is located the whole way in Elizabethtown (about a half an hour drive from our house, or maybe a bit more). They told us that they had a cancellation for that afternoon if we could come in. Mamaw agreed to watch Caleb, and I went to work calling the other pediatric dentist to get them to release the x-rays and email them to the new dentist. It took a good part of the morning, but we finally were squared away.

Joshua & I arrived a bit early for the appointment and I filled out all the paperwork once again. This time, though, there were plenty of toys and books to play with as we waited. When we went back, he once again bawled. But, the hygienists seemed to care that he was scared this time. They gave him sunglasses so the lights didn't hurt his eyes (see the picture above). The dentist took me into her office and showed me the emailed x-rays on her computer screen since they wouldn't print out. She did a better job at explaining to me what was going on. Joshua had significant decay on the teeth that weren't formed in the womb. The one would need a baby root canal and a cap put on it so that it wouldn't hit the root of the tooth. 

There were also other areas where the teeth were starting to show 'dents' (for lack of a better word). Sometimes, she noted, these areas re-calcify and sometimes they can turn into cavities. If she was working in his mouth anyway, she could get a better look and determine if she should fix those areas at the same time or leave them alone if they were healing on their own. She showed me what she meant as we looked at the x-rays. These spots are between his teeth so they affect two teeth at once. Due to that fact and how terrified he is, she would also recommend surgery where they would sedate him and put him the whole way under so that he wouldn't really be aware of what was happening.

The dentist seemed very nice and made sense to me, and she was also kind as she looked at Joshua's mouth. They gave him a pillow pet to hold onto, and she looked inside. We talked about flossing and brushing, and they gave him stickers and a token to go get a prize out of the machine, which was a silly band. He played some more in the waiting room while I scheduled the surgery there. They were able to get him in the first Monday in May, and they also told me that they would call if they had other cancellations.

I received a phone call this morning that they have an opening for Monday, March 21. I called the pediatrician to see if we could schedule a physical exam before then (which is required for surgery) and they also had a cancellation the week before, so it seems like it's all working out. I'm still sad that we can't see Dr. Miller where the Bean loves to go, but we'll take Caleb there since he only has our primary insurance. If this other office works out okay, we'll continue to take Joshua so he can get used to them. I am thankful, though, that the insurance will pay for this dental work. God continues to provide for our needs. I'm glad that this place was much nicer, and even though we have to drive further, it seems worth it to us.

So, please keep Joshua in your prayers as we head to surgery on March 21. He's doing great at brushing with his electric toothbrush and now flossing (which I always do for him after he's done to make sure we got everything), and I'm hoping he doesn't get discouraged with needing more work done in his mouth. Please pray that his teeth heal and there are no permanent issues with his adult teeth! He also prays every night that his two missing front teeth will grow back soon. I know God can work miracles and make his teeth come in earlier than we expect. We also pray that Joshua is done with medical or dental issues after this - ENOUGH is ENOUGH!

Back from FL

Getting back to the last week of February, Thursday morning Joshua went to preschool and when Caleb & I went to pick him up, he was so used to having plans that he said "So, where are we going today for lunch?" I smiled and responded "home!" That evening Grandpa Georgia and his girlfriend came over (who Joshua thinks is his sister) and stayed with Caleb so that I could take the Bean to his swim lessons. He was so proud of himself for jumping in the water when it was his turn! He also loved when they put life jackets on them and they could swim around freely for a short period of time. He still refuses to get his head wet, though. When we got home, Dad & Robyn left right away and I made dinner for the boys and me. After they were finished and we played for a little bit, I gave them a bath and got them ready for bed. They were both tired! I stayed up until Daddy got home, which was long after 10 pm that night. I was excited to see him, though!

On Friday morning, Daddy went to work and Mamaw & Papaw swung by to say hello. They had also arrived into town the day before. They brought flash cards for the kids (thanks so much!) and a large card that plays music, which the boys have danced and danced to. They didn't stay too long that morning, but we saw them again later when we met the entire family for dinner at Bird-in-Hand Family Restaurant. We saw them both Saturday and Sunday as well, which was nice. The boys always enjoy their time with their grandparents. In the first picture, Joshua is "cutting" Papaw's hair, and in the picture below, Caleb is wearing Papaw's hat as he sits with Mamaw. It was a nice weekend.

Happy Anniversary!

Happy anniversary to my amazing husband! Crazy to think that this time last year we were tan and enjoying vacation and this year we're anxiously awaiting the arrival of our third son. But, anniversaries are a time where we do reflect on the years that have past (and we have so many great memories! For example, I remember on our anniversary in 2006 that we found out we were expecting our first little one...) and look forward to the many years ahead. I am blessed to be the wife of Mr. Shawn Good, and I'm thankful that God brought us together. Happy anniversary to us!

Progress at Preschool

 

Wednesday morning I met with Joshua's preschool teacher, Mrs. Dearborn, to go over Joshua's progress this year. She gave me a packet of information and showed me some examples of things they were working on to show me how he was doing. She started by saying that Joshua is kind, considerate, sweet and gentle. He plays well with the other children, and even if something happens to him, he responds well. She gave the example of how the kids were all getting silly in the rice, and he got a cup of it dumped over his head. She said he simply shook it off and said something to the extent of "I'm going to play somewhere else if that's how you're playing with the rice." She praised and praised him for how sweet he is, noting she'd love to just scoop him up and put him in her pocket (an expression that made me smile). He relates well to the other children, interacts well and even initiates obedience by saying things like "Come on, guys, let's all work together to clean up!" She said we can be very proud as parents. Once again, I smiled. I tend to think of pride as a sneaky little sin that comes into our lives. Well, I am proud of Joshua, I'm not proud because I think I deserve any credit. Instead, I'm so thankful that he's doing well and I attribute his successes to God's work in his heart and life. Mrs. Dearborn commented that she already sees the character that Joshua has and is developing, and those things are far more important than numbers and letters when it comes to living this life. What a blessing! I praise God for His leading Joshua already at this young age.

Next she showed me the paperwork and gave me things he's doing well by saying "everything with a '1' next to it" are things that he has mastered. As I scanned the page, they were pretty much all "1's." He interacts well with children and adults, knows his address, can write his name and recognizes letters and numbers (she said that she didn't test the entire class on lowercase letters but did with him because he knew the capitals and he got most of the lowercase correct as well). [With the numbers, he did miss 15 in the numbers, calling it "five-teen" and then saying he knew that wasn't right but couldn't think of it, and called twenty "two-teen" even though he said the rest of his 20s right up through 30. Silly boy! He knows them, but may have struggled to think of it that day. He still got a "1" for the category as they only have to get a certain percentage correct.] He can run, jump, catch a ball, hop on one foot, toss a ball, etc. He follows directions, listens, obeys, plays independently and in a group, listens at story time and can retell the story or his understanding of it, etc. I don't remember everything that was on the sheet, but 99.9% of it, he was doing really well with. 

The couple of things we needed to work on were: using scissors (since he's a lefty, he really struggles with holding them the right way and cutting), drawing pictures that someone else can recognize (they're asked a question and he has to draw a picture to represent his answer), alternating his feet on stairs every time he goes up and down them, and zipping his own jacket (which, in his defense, the zipper gets stuck a lot so I always ask him just to let me do it to save time, not realizing that I was hindering him in doing so!). She also said that Daddy should work with him on using a urinal in the fact that he doesn't need to completely undress to use the potty since he's a boy. I laughed and thanked her for bringing it to my attention, since I would have NEVER thought about it otherwise.

She said he was ready to move on, but then she asked when his birthday is. I said that he just barely misses the cutoff with his September birthday. She smiled and said that she thinks it's great that he'll have another year at home/preschool. Waiting a year gives him all sorts of advantages, especially being a boy. He'll be taller, he'll be older, he'll drive before his classmates, etc. She said that you never regret waiting to send your child to kindergarten. I'm glad that the school district has the cutoff age because hearing that he's ready makes me think that we may have sent him otherwise. We got our answer, though. So, I'm grateful he's doing well and I'm grateful to have him home with me another year. :) He'll go back to preschool three days next year as well, and hopefully that reinforces the concepts we're working on, it will help him in his drawing (although neither his daddy nor I are artists by any stretch of the imagination!), and hopefully he will get more Bible lessons in that time.

Way to go, Joshua! I am blessed to have you for a son! May God continue to work in your life, in your heart and in your mind. May you grow to be like Him!