Happy New Year

We rung it in a little early with a countdown on the porch and horn blowing. The horns were a big hit but were quickly moved indoors as the temperature was quite cold outside. Even The Belle could get her horn going. Not bad for premature lungs.

Hope you had an equally fun and possibly more adventurous New Year's Eve!

Brushing Therapy

We are on week two of Adeline's brushing program. This is a program designed for kids that are sensory defensive. That is Adeline in a nutshell. She doesn't like to hold hands, touch paint or (for the moment) get wet. It goes far beyond what I just mentioned but unless you are in my house everyday, there is really no way to get a handle on her sensory needs.

I have put the brushing program off until now because I knew I could never follow through on it when by myself. It involves stripping clothes off, brushing Adeline's back, arms, hands, legs and feet. We use the brushes in the picture above and apply quite a bit of pressure. The brushing is followed by joint compressions working from the shoulders down to the toes. This is her least favorite part. This kicker is that we have to do this five times a day. Yes, Occupational Therapists will tell you that it should only take five minutes but that does not include the dressing and redressing. The other complicating factor is that we are rarely home during the times that Adeline needs brushing.

Thankfully, daddy is home for these two weeks and we are on holiday which places us at home with an extra set of hands. Most days we get five brushes in. Adeline doesn't like it and I can't say that her defensiveness had decreased. We are half way through the two week program. Hopefully, I will be singing a different tune when it is over. I feel that Miss Belle puts up with a lot and being brushed five times a day is certainly not a walk in the park for any of us.

Christmas Morning

Christmas morning couldn't have fulfilled me more. All of the hiding, closet wrapping and running from store to store paid off when I saw the delight in my girls' eyes. This video pretty much sums up my girls. . .

Savannah - So very sweet! You will hear her call for her sister because she isn't only excited for her gifts but for her sisters' as well. She also states in the clip, "Santa is so sweet," and, "I'm going to write him a thank you note." Write she did. Somehow she slipped away, wrote a card, addressed it and stamped it before 9:00 a.m. that morning.

Lila - Over the top excited about everything. You will hear her scream "Ernie," over and over again. Forget the the trampoline, she is stuck on the Ernie coloring book.

Adeline - My quiet observer. She stood back, observed the room and identified which gift she was going to get into first. Of course it was Lila's trampoline and not her garage full of cars. The trampoline is really for her physical development any way but we all know that Miss Grace is our jumping bean.

I must also note that this was the anniversary of Adeline's homecoming. Never in a million years would have I guess two years later she would be healthy, happy and jumping on a trampoline!

Christmas Philly Style

I had the pleasure (I really do mean pleasure) of accompanying Savannah with many classmates from her preschool into Philadelphia. The agenda, light show and more light shows. It seems that Philly has a new building peaking out of the skyline and it has a phenomenal light show. We also went to the classic light show at what used to be Wanamakers. It was Savannah's third time seeing it. Fortunate for us, a Dicken's Village was in the same building which afforded us the opportunity to wander through.

We ended up taking the train from Thorndale into Philly which was very exciting for the kiddos. From there, we hoofed it around the city. Although the kids were are only five, they did an excellent job of keeping up. Not one complaint from any of them!



Through the eyes of a child. . .


My favorite picture taken in the court yard of city hall. Check out the reflection in the ornament!

Savannah's Christmas Program

I had the pleasure of watching Savannah perform in her Christmas program. This will be her last program at the Brandywine School because next year she will be in Kindergarten! It amazes me how much she has grown since she started preschool. Her first Christmas program seems so long ago as I remember her barely moving her lips to the words and looking as though she just wanted it all to be over. This year was quite different. Of course, she is still the student that has her eyes on the teacher the entire time and worries if waving to me will get her in trouble. However, I saw some hints of enjoyment as she sang every song and did all of the motions. The program was very very nice. My favorite part was how the class entered the sancturay with battery operated tea light candles and singing a very soft Christmas song. I give their music teacher credit to have so many young children performing so nicely.

Gingerbread House

We broke out the annual gingerbread house last weekend. This a "must do when daddy is home," activity. I was shocked when it went smoothly. Mainly because this was Savannah's house and all three girls ended up participating. I have purchased the girls a different one to do at a different time.

Savannah and I started in on the house when two seconds later Lila is at the island saying, "Up, up." Savannah surprised me when she didn't want Daddy to take Lila away. She allowed Lila up and eventually Adeline too. Even more crazy is she gave up her seat and stood on a chair so the girls could be more comfortable and safe.

The girls crowded, spilled and even smooshed some of Savannah's art but our big girl hung in there and enjoyed the activity. Lila was surprisingly gentle and tried very hard to put the candy on without getting frosting on her hand. She, of course, tried to taste each piece before it went on. Adeline really struggled with the activity because she still has very poor fine motor skills. She couldn't manipulate the tiny candy with her finger tips but she tried awfully hard.

I walked away from cleaning up the kitchen thinking, how patient and giving Savannah was to her sisters. I also was grateful for Lila and Adeline and their willingness to listen and be careful when I assumed they would "crash" the party.

Oh, I must mention that Lila Grace prefers her clothes off during the evening hours. Clearly she is a third child because I would have never photographed Savannah decorating a gingerbread house without a shirt!!

A Visit with Santa

Let's just say that the first item on my Christmas list is "my old kids back." Yes, unfortunately the girls are way out of their usual range of behavior. Lila and Adeline have been suffering from congestion and ear infections. Lila won't take her binki and is suddenly a tough sleeper. Adeline has become allergic to water - no joke. Honestly, when we humans are mostly water, how can a kid scream in the tub and come out with a red rash up to the water line? (no changes in soaps etc. if you were wondering)

That said, I still enjoyed our trip to see Santa. These fussy kids may still seem unfamiliar to me but excitement and happiness was very apparent when sitting with Santa. I just wish it was apparent in every day life. We waited in a substantial line to see the guy in red. Savannah was very patient while Daddy and Papa entertained the twins. Once it was our turn, Lila and Savannah walked right up to Santa while Adeline was placed in his lap. Santa was a smart one as he told the photographer, "This is going to have to be a quick one." Are we out-growing his lap already? All three girls looked at the camera and were in no rush to get down. We took the twins down and let Savannah have some special time.

Savannah had spent the last month working on a gift for Santa. She figured that no one buys Santa a gift and so off we went to the high class Dollar Store. Savannah chose to buy Santa candy cane decorations for his tree. She told Santa, "You probably don't have time to buy decorations for your tree so I got you these." She had taken home the coloring book Santa gives out from an previous impromptu visit in November and colored every picture for Santa. She gave it to him with a card that read, "I hope you have a nice summer." She understands that this is his busy time of year.

I stood on the sidelines with tears in my eyes as I watched my daughter give Santa his gifts. They were incredibly heartfelt and her biggest priority. Her own "list" was very secondary to what she had brought to give Santa. Savannah looked at Santa with such innocent faith. She doesn't question is existence or what he stands for. While waiting in line she told me, "God gave us Santa to learn how to give and care." Really, what child associates that with Santa. This Santa experience was one of the moments I will always remember. It helped outline what Christmas should be through the eyes of a child. Toys really can be secondary . . . even to a child!

Waiting ever so patiently


Walking the mall when she should be taking a nap

Can you believe that all three girls sat so happily?










Don't think about giving Savannah a hat and not me!!


We followed up the long wait with ice cream (for Savannah and Lila) and fries (for the Belle).

Who are These Kids?

It was not even 24 hours ago I was begging my husband to leave his conference early and come home. My girls are a mess. The aren't pleased by anything for more than two minutes, have taken to fighting sleep and are in general, contrary. When nothing I do is right and everything they do is wrong I want to throw my arms up and say, "How did I get here?"

Well I know how I got here and no matter how bad my kids are, I am lucky to be here. Unfortunately, my head is far from heart. I am burned out, frustrated beyond belief and once again feel as though I am drowning. Is two this terrible? Or, a much scarier thought, are my girls always going to be difficult and contrary? I wish I knew! For some reason, when things get really bad, I always try to figure out what it means for the future. Instead, I should concentrate on the fact that both girls have been sick (pulmonary issues, vomiting, diarrhea and ear infections) and that they are off their schedules. Grammy and Papa have recently arrived which allows me to leave them home much more. Not a good idea. My girls are accustomed to a very tight schedule that involves therapy, the YMCA and running to and from preschool.

This to shall pass or so they say. Let's hope that it passes soon. This is not a good way to enter into the holiday season.

Signs of happier times



POP!

34 & 38 Can it Be?

Alex and I just finished up celebrating our back to back birthdays. You know you are knee-deep in parenthood when you get a cake just to amuse the kids. This year we went with an ice cream cake thinking daddy might actually eat a bite or two. He did!

The best gift of all. . . The hug from my oldest accompanied by a whispered, "I hope you have the best birthday ever. I knew you were going to be my mommy even before you had me and I was so happy that I got this mommy!" She proceeded to draw a heart on my chest and write XOXO inside it.

Not so flattering but neither is getting older! (taken by our oldest after she independently thought to pose and photograph her parents)

Singing Happy Birthday


Don't know why the camera decided to focus on Miss Grace in the zone