Just Us

My friend, Lyndsey, shared a new iPhone app with me that does these awesome layouts so you can share more than one photo at a time. My first photo collage was one of my three favorite people.

Jeff has been working swing shift the last few weeks so I have been spending most nights curled up in our bedroom reading by candlelight. I have finished four books so far and just started the fifth. I love having quiet time to read when the kiddos go to bed. 

We have a sweet woman (coincidentally named Ella) who checks Nicholas's machines every month. On her last visit she brought the kids the two adorable stuffed animals seen in this photograph as well as a "Happy Birthday" balloon for Nicholas. I love people that go above and beyond their jobs to show my kids they care.

Jeff made this name sign for Nicholas the other night at work when he had a bit of free time. It cut it out of metal and spray painted it gray. I think it is beautiful and so thoughtful. We have it displayed in his bedroom window until we can find a permanent place for it.

I snapped this photo of Nicholas before bed last night. I just love the bedtime routine we have created for the kids: books, songs, prayers, kisses, starry ceiling lights and sleep time.

 This is a photo of some of the art Nicholas has been creating at preschool every Friday. I started hanging his artwork on the back of his bedroom door after a friend mentioned that's where she displays her kids art. He loves looking at it and it is nice to keep it away from Ella's curious fingers. 

Ella is our busy, busy girl. She definitely likes to keep busy and to be sure she stays out of mommy and daddy's things, I have been pulling "new" toys out of her toy box every couple of days.



Our days have been pretty routine lately. Jeff started a couple of home projects over Memorial weekend and I have been busy with my job and house chores. Everyone is looking forward to more sunshine so we can spend more time outside.

Nicholas Turns 4!!

 Yesterday at 8:22 a.m. our sweet little boy turned four years-old!!! I can hardly believe he is four already as I can vividly remember his birth, the doctor laying him on my chest, and crying tears of utter joy, like it was only yesterday. The past four years have literally zoomed by and to be able to celebrate another milestone birthday with Nicholas is amazing. 

 His birthday plans changed somewhat as we had rain all morning after a good solid week with nothing but sunshine. Nicholas wanted to go on the boat, but seeing that it was too rainy, we explained that we would have to stay home and would take him on the boat on the next sunny day. Being the good-natured child that he is, he just smiled and said, "Okay." 

 Boy, was he pleased when Jeff brought him a huge bunch of balloons before his party. He kept saying, "I love balloons." We think the balloons made up for the fact that he didn't get to go on the boat. 

 Later in the afternoon we had a small family gathering with cupcakes and ice-cream sundaes and Nicholas even agreed to try a bit of vanilla ice-cream. We sang happy birthday to him and he blew out his 4 candle all by himself. 

 Then it was gift time and Nicholas was very spoiled. He got some new DVDs, lots of adorable clothes for summer, a couple of toy boats, toy cars, a book, some markers, and a rubbery dinosaur. 

 Ella liked helping her brother open his gift from Mason & Bella. 

 Then she became more interested in the neighbor's dog, Fiona. Ella & Fiona are good friends. She loves her and speaks to her in barks and shrieks. 

 She also loves her Auntie Tina

Nicholas has a wonderful day and went to bed yesterday feeling very blessed and very loved. I guess turning four means that Nicholas talks non-stop. All day yesterday and today he has been talking up a storm, only quiet when he is absorbed in one of his favorite cartoons. He says all kinds of things now, including:

"What is that?"

"Where did you go?"

"I love you, Mom (Dada) (Babe)." 

(This melts my heart).

"Thank you, Mom (Dad)." 

(This melts my heart too, there is nothing like a polite child).

"Where are we going?"

"Roll me, Mom!"

"I want to play!"

"I love __________." 

(Balloons, dogs, cars, boat, blanket, bink, friend, school, pretty much anything. He is so full of love).

"Hi. How are you?"

It is really amazing to hear him talk more and realize that perfect strangers understand what he is saying. 

He also has had more movement in the last few months: he can roll himself from his back to his side, and his hand movements have significantly increased. In fact, his OT is thrilled with his hand and finger movement!

Celebrating four years with Nicholas is really quite amazing. We do not take one day for granted and feel abundantly blessed that Nicholas was able to celebrate another year with us!! We love you with all our heart, sweet boy!!

Ella is 20 Months

Our fun-loving toddler is twenty months-old today. Its amazing how quickly she is growing. She is rapidly out-growing all of her shoes so we make trips to get new ones often. Strangers usually think she is two when they meet her because she is so tall-she takes after her daddy in the height department. She continues to love to eat and is not picky about anything-except cheese & meat. She is not crazy about either of those foods but will eat fruit and bread all the livelong day. She is also our little adventurer. You can see in the photo above her scrape on her elbow. She had four scrapes right now-two on each knee, one on her calf, and one on her elbow. She is quite a little monkey and climbs all over everything and is always looking for mischief. 

 She is also just like her daddy in that she loves being on the boat in the water. She could spend all day out there, if only she didn't need to take a nap. We went boating on Saturday in the Columbia River and on Monday we went to Lacamas Lake. The lake was much more warm than the river so Ella didn't mind getting dunked by daddy. 

 She also didn't mind sitting on the boat platform with her legs in the water. 

 She is starting to listen to us and follow directions better than before. She is curious, but is starting to realize what items are off-limits and what activities she cannot do-like jumping off the sofa, climbing out of her high chair, and playing with Nicholas's medical equipment. She likes to use her crib as a trampoline and its not uncommon to find all her blankets and stuffed animals on the floor so she can tumble around in the morning. My favorite part of the day is when it is close to her bedtime and she will sit on my lap and cuddle close to me. We read books, sing, talk, and sometimes watch re-runs of Little House on the Prairie. I love when she is snugly because I spend most of the day chasing her around. 

We love our little munchkin and are so blessed to be her mommy & daddy!

Our Everyday

 This post covers just about everything we did this past week as a family...

 Last Saturday evening we went to our friends, The DeShazers, house for a Cinco de Mayo celebration. The kids enjoyed being outside while mommy & daddy enjoyed some tasty margaritas. 

 All of our plants and flowers are in bloom and the yard is full of vibrant colors. I took this photo of these lovely blooms before Ella decided to pick most of the flowers. 

 Ella gets kind of freaked out about floaters in the bath. Floaters can be anything from food particles to dirt and so I have taken to adding bubble bath in the water which has resolved the crying.

 Our little eater loves everything...even her veggies.

 Lately Ella has taken a liking to staying up with mommy after Nicholas goes to sleep to watch a re-run episode of Little House on the Prairie.

 Nicholas will turn four in eight days! He is growing so quickly and talking so much now.

 I am amazed at how quickly the cilantro is growing. I planted it three weeks ago and it has already doubled in size! Good thing, because I love cilantro on almost everything.

 I bought myself a new necklace this week. It's my favorite word and a reminder to me to show love, kindness, and compassion to everyone I meet. 

Today Nicholas and I spent another day in his preschool classroom. He made this adorable bird nest with feathers and small scraps of paper. He also gave me a Mother's Day gift-a flower sprouting out of soil. He enjoyed another day there and is so blessed to have such wonderful teachers, classmates, and therapists. 

Nicholas's Day at Preschool

Nicholas had such a great day in his preschool classroom on Friday! His therapists, teachers, and I decided that he should be in his classroom once a week this month to try to ease him into attending preschool on a more regular basis next year. He was absolutely thrilled to be there and thoroughly enjoyed the time spent with his classmates. The day started with circle time and then the kids rotated through three centers.

 The first center was making a picture of a little girl by telling Miss Pam which shapes and colors he wanted to use. 

 The second center was blocks. Nicholas loved building tall towers with the help of his friends, Jaidyn & Tristan.

 Then Nicholas went to the painting center where he painted the letters of his name on stamps and then pushed them on paper to make a poster. 

 His classmates were excited to finally meet him after only seeing him on Skype all these months.

 After centers the children had free choice time and Nicholas loved playing cars...

 playing with rice in the sensory table...

 and playing "house" with the baby doll. His classmates were sweet to "cook" Nicholas and his baby A LOT of food to eat.

 Both Nicholas's OT and I were so impressed with how long he held onto this baby bottle-nearly ten minutes!

 After class was over, Nicholas met with Miss Pat (his speech therapist) and learned about all the animals we find on a farm.

It was a wonderful day and we are both excited to go back next week!!