Our little man is 5 today!

Its hard to believe but Logan turned 5 today! It hardly seems like yesterday I joined him and Daddy in Sioux Falls and here we are, 5 years later, enjoying every minute with our amazing, energetic, fun-loving, thoughtful little man! 

For his birthday, for the first time ever, he did not want a tractor or combine on his cake...instead he requested either Optimus Prime or Bumble Bee (both transformers) and who was I to disappoint the birthday boy? So here's my attempt at a Bumble Bee cake...rather than make it 3D I took the easy way out :) and did it like this! Here's hoping he'll still like it! :)

Because Logan had preschool this morning, and because I didn't get to spend the day with him after he was born, we've decided we're going to spend the afternoon cuddling :) so that's all I have to write for now...I've got a buddy to spend time with! 

We're back...wow has it been a while...

Its been a LONG, LONG, LONG time...let me even think where to begin?

I'll see what I can do to give a quick update on our lives, as they are now, how we got here, and where we hope we're heading, Lord willing. :)

Let's see, my last post was on September 10, 2013. I had, at that time, a 5 year old daughter, an almost 3 year old son, and a 6 month old baby girl. Wow, that seems like forever ago! I was, back then, a stay-at-home mom full time and I was loving it. I got on my soap box and used my blog to spill my thoughts to anyone who ventured past. :) My husband, Micah, worked for Trans Ova and our daughter Alexa had just begun her first year at SCCS as a Kindergartner. 

Now lets see, where we are now? 
Well, Alexa is now 7, but some days seems as though she's going on 18. She is very brilliant 2nd grader, and despite being the youngest in her class, she continues to excel in reading and does very well in her other subjects as well. She's an all girl, emotional darling who happens to have her Dad's sense of humor and many qualities from her mother (me) that I shall not name. :) She is our inquisitive girl, always having to know everything about anything, listening in on all conversations whether she should or not. She's like a sponge, soaking up information when you don't even realize it and she retains it, only to inquire about it later on. She's also my mother hen. She LOVES to tell people how to do things, when to do it, and be the boss. I have NO IDEA where she gets that from...note the sarcasm. 

Logan is now only 1 week away from his 5th birthday, Lord willing. He LOVES everything boy. I could speak my mind on the gender debates happening in our world right now for hours based on my experience with my children, but trust me when I say he is ALL BOY and it is not a learned behavior but absolutely natural for him. He would spend hours, days, even likely weeks in a tractor, combine or on a gator without a real complaint ever coming from him. He is my child who will run outside if he has to use the bathroom; will burp and laugh about it, and loves to announce to the world if he lets out a toot. If he can find anyone to play ball of any sort with him, he's thrilled and beware, he won't ever want to stop. Due to our tax dollars being used to pay for 4 year old preschool, we decided to enroll him in the local preschool program to get some use out of the money we're spending there. HE LOVES IT. He could not get enough of it. Granted, at his age, his sister held the same enthusiasm for school, however she, being a June birthday, was able to start Kindergarten. Logan, being an October birthday, missed the deadline. So that may factor into his love for "going to school" at the preschool. He loves that he can write his name, sing silly songs, meet and play with new kids and spend time away from mom. He thinks its super cool to use his words to have teachers. :) He melts our hearts on a daily basis with his tender heart, his kindness and generosity. He can be tough and rumble, get mad and want to hit and stomp around, he's always too loud and he goes at about a million miles a minute; yet we love him like crazy and wouldn't trade him for the world. He is mini-Micah to a T. Looks, personality, everything. People have no doubt that they are two peas in a pod. 

Katelyn. How do I describe her? My spit-fire? My spoiled, opinionated, bossy, not pushed around angel? I have to admit, she is a LOT like me in personality and yes, it scares me. She is 2 1/2...going on at least 10. She is quick as a whip and not afraid to let us know it. She picks up on everything little thing. She has always been an observer; and she still is, but she finally knows how to vocalize it. We can drive past Wal-mart and she'll say "Mom, aren't we going to Wal-mart?" - Now note, I have not mentioned the word all day, told anyone I was going there, yet despite making several other stops around town, she knows that we just drove by Wal-mart and did not stop. Its scary to me, as did I mention, she's 2? 2 years old. She can not read. How in the world did she know that's where we were? Its not like we were in front of the store. We were on the highway, where if you wanted to, you could pick the perfect spot, stop, and maybe catch a glimpse of the store. Yet she can't read. So if that was her method, how did she know where we were? Its odd. Maybe its totally normal, but my other 2 were not like that. Did I mention she is the definition of strong willed? According to her, the world should always be the way she wants it. I mean, really people, do what she wants okay? Nope sorry darling, not happening around here! She, like her older siblings, learned my OCD tendencies. She also, thankfully, did not learn her sisters dislike of hair stuff and having her hair done. In fact, she LOVES it. Mom, I need pretties in my hair is something I hear daily. Too bad she, like her sister, has yet to grow much hair :( I'm afraid. But, I have hope that it too shall come one day, hopefully she doesn't outgrow her love of having her hair done by then! She is very loving, spunky, and sensitive. Although its easiest to get her to comply by telling her NOT to do what you want her to do; she does stop when you say stop and listens better than most. The problem typically comes with the fact that although she listens, she is quite picky about when, how, or who she shall acknowledge, respond to, or obey. But make no mistake, she hears and she absorbs it all!

Micah & I. Well, that's easier. I'm back in the working outside the home world, but only 3 days a week. I LOVE my job. I work on the HR team at Trans Ova and I get to spend those days dealing with numbers, data, forms, excel spreadsheets, and calculations. I could not be happier! :) I love the team I work with and I am very blessed to get to do what I do. I also have the luxury and privilege of being home with the children the rest of the week. Its always interesting, sometimes trying and constantly changing! Now that school is in session, Kate and I spend our time together in a variety of ways; whereas Logan loves our afternoons alone while Lexi's in school and Kate's napping. All three keep me on my toes but we have fun together too! Its a humbling journey day by day this calling to motherhood! 

Micah is still at Trans Ova and still enjoying it although his role has changed over the years. He's now the Facility Manager at the GAC (Genetic Advancement Center) and has a great team he gets to work with. He also has been working hard as the chair of our church's building committee during a phase 1 remodeling project and has put to use many of his jack-of-all-trades talents in that area. He loves farming with his Dad on a small piece of land they bought together as well as helping out a number of local farmers and chicken and dairy farmers with their harvests and chores from time to time. 

Life seems to be constantly busy and shows no signs of slowing down. And to top that off we're taking on a few home projects that should keep us busy as well. We take each day at a time and hope we're doing our best! I'll see what I can do to update this more often that I had been (so my goal is before another 2 years is passed) :)

Please don’t force me, I don’t force you…

Our town is having a vote today. And I’m probably in the minority because I’m voting No. For weeks we have read in the paper, seen on the news, and heard by word of mouth all over our community how wonderful this project will be, how amazing and necessary and important it is. Our local “Christian” College supports it. Our schools seem in favor of it. Yet I’m not. Here’s my thoughts:

I understand preschool can be beneficial and important. It’s a great resource and option for working parents without a doubt. Its even helpful for stay-at-home mom’s when they have a child who might come out of their shell a bit more in a preschool environment, or when their child listens better to others than to them. (I know this as I have at least 1 of my 3 children who struggles to listen & behave for me but does much better for others.) I like that our community has options for preschool and that if I would CHOOSE to send my child its there for me to do so.

However, by voting yes, you’re all taking that choice away from me. You are forcing me to PAY for preschool, despite the fact that I do not send my children to preschool. I stay at home. Yes I admit, I have that luxury. And Yes I LOVE it. But I do sacrifice and make sacrifices in order to do so. I won’t go in to the many ways we live “cheaply” in order to afford me the luxury of staying home with my kids, but there are MANY ways! Yet this vote will force us to live even cheaper in order to afford the right and luxury to stay home with my children. Does that sound great to you? To me it angers me. I am not FORCING YOU to choose how to live. Why are you trying to force me?

So many in favor of this vote say the following reasons why its so beneficial. Here’s my responses:

1 - Its FREE preschool for 4 year olds.
- No it is not! Our tax dollars will be paying for it. You do realize that nothing but the grace of God is free right? Everything is paid for in one way or another. In order to pay for this preschool we will have our taxes increased. Everyone will - whether or not they have a child in the preschool. So not only are you paying in your tax dollars, but now all those who aren’t using the preschool are as well. Does that seem right to you? Isn’t it enough that we already pay for a public school education we choose not to use? Now we have to pay at the preschool level too?

2 - It is supported, staffed, and will be run/influenced by the Christian community, college, and churches. Despite being government funded, it will NOT loose its Christianity.
- Really? Do you not realize how the slippery slope works? One person complains that there’s prayer in the school & its gone. One person says lets celebrate Halloween (something that is founded and rooted in demons & evil sorcery) and its no longer Reformation Day - its Halloween. Really? We want our kids to learn that if people won’t give them a TREAT its okay to play a TRICK on them? I don’t think so. This already happens so often in our churches - one tiny issue comes up, and we think or say “well its so minor, lets just concede on this since its not a big deal” and pretty soon that tiny thing becomes the norm and when the next tiny issue comes up we think less & less of it…until we’re so far off the basis of what our Faith really is we hardly recognize it anymore!

3 - Research & studies show how beneficial preschool is & how important it is for our children to attend so that they do so much better in school & are much better prepared for kindergarten.
- My daughter did not “GO” to preschool. I took the time at home to teach her on my own. I happen to know several of my friends whose child was taught at home as well. Guess what? They entered school just as prepared if not better prepared than the rest of the children. In our specific case - my daughter happens to be one of the YOUNGEST in her class - in her immediate section of kindergarten she is the absolute youngest - and people have told me repeatedly “why are you sending her” or “maybe you should put her in TK” yet she scored very high on the round-up placement assessment. She already knows how to read -- not tiny little books but our devotional for mealtime, her devotional for bed-time, any and everything she finds. She reads quite well actually -- and she’s was doing this before she ever stepped a foot into school. As I’ve said before - yes preschool can be beneficial and it is a great tool that truly helps some children. I totally acknowledge that maybe my daughter is blessed with being bright and is an exception to the norm. Maybe its not a product of her learning at home vs. learning in a preschool and is simply her God-given talents at work. Maybe my son will benefit so much more from attending a formal preschool. But isn’t that our choice as parents? Why do you have the right to take that choice from us and force us to pay for preschool each year in our taxes even when we’re not sending a child there. It is not necessary for all children to go to a formal preschool. Yet this vote is saying it is.

I know I could go on for a long time on these issues. If someone would like to give me their reasons for the preschool I would love to have a one on one discussion of my thoughts vs. theirs. I RESPECT others opinions. I LOVE that we all have the right to our own opinions. I am NOT against preschools. I am not against building a new preschool that combines them all together, though I am concerned about the ability of it staying true to its Christian beliefs. I am against this vote though as it takes away our freedom to choose by forcing us to pay for another school whether we will use it or not. I would much rather be given the freedom to choose whether or not to pay for a child’s education than be forced to simply do so.

Just my 2 cents.

Introducing Katelyn Jean :)

I realize I haven’t put anything on here about Katelyn! So here goes the recap of how this family of 4 became a family of 5 …

Throughout February my home blood pressure (BP) readings (I have a BP cuff machine) started getting higher & higher despite my efforts to take it easy & rest as often as possible. I went in on March 8th for my regular appointment (35 weeks) & while at the clinic my reading was also elevated (using the clinic’s BP machine) and I was showing slightly elevated levels of protein. So I was sent home on bed rest with a 24hr protein test. Thankfully the protein test came back in the safe/normal range yet so I was told to remain on bed rest taking it as easy as possible but given special permission to go to a few special events. At my 37 week appointment then nurse manually (no machine) took my BP and it had significantly dropped (the lowest reading I’ve ever had, pregnant or not) which was sort of amazing but I was still registering protein again. So I had to go home & take another 24hr protein test :( (not fun) but at least it appeared that the bed rest was helping my BP! That test also came back within the safe range. Now all I had was to get through my 38 week appointment and I’d be home free to make it to my scheduled c-section date!

This whole time I was still taking my pressure readings at home and even while laying down constantly they were still going up…and I was starting to feel worse & worse. I went in for my 38 weeks appointment early on Thursday morning. I was so nauseous I couldn’t stop throwing up, I had a massive headache and was slightly dizzy. I felt like the place was incredibly hot despite not having a fever. However, my BP reading done manually by the nurse was still in the safe range - and this time I was only showing a trace of protein, so I thankfully didn’t have another protein test. They did my blood work and sent me home, telling me that my doctor would call me to check in the next morning.

Well the next morning came & I still wasn’t feeling any better. When my Doctor called she said that she’d ordered a non-stress test for me & that I need to go into the hospital that morning to have it done, but unlike ones I’d had before, she was going to require at least 6 BP readings each a half hour apart. That meant I’d be at the hospital for at least 3 hours. My mother-in-law had already kindly picked the kids up that morning as she had multiple times that week and had taken them back to her house to play for the day. So I changed my clothes, set out all our pre-packed stuff (I’d packed the kids essentials & my stuff weeks ago knowing bed rest and early issues were distinct possibilities, as well as hoping that by doing so I’d be able to make it to my scheduled date) and then I headed to the hospital.

I spent the next 3 hours laying on my left side, watching TV, and trying to crochet a hat for Kate (which is not easy laying on one’s left side while a BP cuff goes on & off on the other arm!) My readings were high. Similar to and even higher than they were at home and definitely much higher than the readings at the clinic ever were. By 2 pm I was almost done. They had me have additional blood work again and told me to lay there until they got ahold of the doctor who after looking at my results and my blood tests would let me know if I could leave or what would happen next. When after almost another hour the nurse came back in and told me that my doctor had talked to her & was going to come in and talk to me in just a bit I knew I wasn’t going to go home. 

I called Micah & asked him to come so we could decide how to go forward together. (I hate making decisions on my own & if faced with a here or there, today or later type choice I wanted his opinion) By 3:30 we were all in the OB room together and my doctor was explaining that although we had the option of admitting me for hospitalized bed rest, she thought it would be best for me and safe for the baby to go ahead and take the her out that night. I was already further along than I had been with both Alexa & Logan, and we knew this baby was a girl so she would hopefully be strong enough to not need a trip to the NICU. So we decided that if I had to be in the hospital anyway, we would be best off going ahead with the c-section.

So after 3 weeks on bed rest and all that happened that day, on Friday night, March 29th at 5:29pm Katelyn Jean was born! She weighed 6lbs, 4oz (same as Logan) and was perfect in every way. She had strong lungs from the get-go and was doing great! I went off to recovery and Micah took her upstairs to get weighed and checked out. All in all it was a great way to spend Good Friday and the rest of Easter Weekend - cuddling with our new bundle of joy! We couldn’t be happier!

Here’s a few pictures (after my wordy recap of that long experience!)

Thank you - just doesn’t seem enough…

I started trying to write thank you’s tonight, and I struggled, BIG TIME! How is it that those 2 little words supposedly encompass so many thoughts, feelings, and emotions? They just don’t seem enough. My mind races with the enormous amount of words and ways I want to express have incredibly grateful I am and my family is for the love, care, generosity, selflessness, kindness, consideration and thoughtfulness of our families, friends, church family and friends, neighbors, and mere acquaintances who we have only recently met or still have yet to get to really know that have blessed our family over the past month and even throughout the length of my pregnancy with Katelyn. It never ceases to surprise and amaze me how many wonderful people have touched our lives!

For example, my mother-in-law has been so amazing and mere words can’t express how much we’ve appreciated her help in general and especially over the last 4 weeks. There were days where she simply came over, took the kids (which required getting them dressed, fed, and ready to go outside (in winter weather) walked them back to her house and spent the morning entertaining them, giving them play time outside (something THEY BEG & LOVE but I was unable to do late in this pregnancy and especially once on bed rest) and keeping them through lunch before bringing them back and getting them put down for naps. I can’t begin to describe how amazing it is to have them given a taste of normal life with a touch of special (being with Oma) throughout a time when life was anything but normal. This was just one small way she helped us out in addition to making us countless meals and such!

I have so many people who say to me “bed rest” what’s so bad about that, could be worse!?! To that I challenge them to give it a try. I used to be one of those people. I still remember how stupidly unaware I was when I was pregnant with Alexa and my boss at that time was put on bed rest towards the end of her pregnancy. I thought to myself, “wow that sounds fabulous!” Note: around that time I was starting to swell making all forms of movement uncomfortable as well as being exhausted with the normal side effects of pregnancy. How foolish I was! Even with Alexa (my first pregnancy) bed rest was anything but pleasant and relaxing. Its uncomfortable, its hard, and its anything but easy knowing if you think of something that needs to be done you have to rely COMPLETELY on those around you to get things done. From everything as simply as getting something to drink to eat to everything else you need, you are completely relying on others. Then add in other children and it’s a hard pill to swallow. Especially if you’re anything like me who happens to prefer to do things herself in a particular way…it makes it difficult to even let others help much less having to ask for help and allow others to do things for you! One of the harder moments of my marriage was entrusting my husband to do the laundry during my bedrest..and that was just the washing and drying parts as he thankfully brought it to me to fold yet! (yes I know I’m strange but laundry is MY thing)

As hard as it is to ask for help and to let others help, it is amazing to see the willingness, love, and consideration in the family, friends, and people in our lives who so generously stepped up and helped us out during my bed rest, hospital stay for surgery and even now as we recover and adjust to life at home, longing for the days when it will return to normal (aka being able to lift Logan up to comfort him would be great as he doesn’t seem to understand that Mommy can’t lift him)

For all of those of you who have prayed for us, brought us meals, snacks, and gifts, visited us, spent time with us, helped out with our kids, done what seems like small things for us, and helped us in other various ways -- THANK YOU -- as inadequate as those words seem and feel to me, they’re unfortunately all I have to give at this point -- and I truly mean them! We could not have made it through the past month without all of you and we will forever be grateful to each and every one of you!

Catch up in pictures

Now that I’m stuck on bedrest I thought I’d use the opportunity to update the blog:

The other day it was a sunny beautiful day (still a tad bit chilly but manageable) and the kids convinced us to take them on a walk to the farm. We piled on our coats, hats, and boots and headed out to see the baby lambs, calves, goats and other animals at Papa’s farm.



I finally broke down and bought the toddler size pattern for the boots (the website was having a sale)
Here are Alexa’s boots, including her modeling them:

Here are Logan’s and then a picture of Alexa’s, Logan’s and baby’s all lined up:


The kids being goofy & loving:


For Valentine’s day we decided not to really spend any money so we made Daddy homemade sugar cookies and chocolate candies, some with strawberry flavoring, some with mint, and some with chocolate chips:


Logan being his typical silly self:

I finally decided to get my hair cut & colored…although its not too easy to tell from the pictures here’s the before & after:


Here’s a few more of my crochet projects: 
Newborn baby hat & boots for a baby boy


Baby blanket for this baby girl who will soon join our home:

Newborn infant hat and boots for a baby girl:

And another set for a newborn baby boy with a slightly different pattern:


I’ve been working on flower clips to put on headbands so that the colors can be switched or the flowers can be worn in Alexa’s hair on their own - here’s 3 for Alexa & 2 for baby so far as well as their new white headbands:


A local 2nd-hand store had a 10 items for $10 sale on its clearance stuff so I checked it out & got Logan some new clothes for Sunday for only $3 :) !!! Micah did his hair all spikey again and we kept telling him that he looked handsome to which he would reply “No I not handsome, I LOGAN!!!!” :)

Random

Logan is growing up way too fast. Its sad that I think this already, afterall in only 5+ weeks he is going to seem a WHOLE lot older when I’m holding baby in my arms! He took his sweet time deciding to do most things in life…roll, crawl, walk, talk, etc. When he finally took off with talking (I’m pretty sure this was when he finally realized by talking his sister had to stop) he has increased his vocab by leaps and bounds. It never ceases to amaze me what comes out of his mouth these days! Not only will he repeat anything & everything but he comes to us with the funniest statements and comments seemingly out of the blue. He is very big into playing basketball and constantly uses it as a tactic to avoid nap time and bed time. He LOVES to sing & dance & he will do both anytime he hears music of any kind (even just the music in his head.) He is a struggle to keep quiet and still and he LOVES to go, go, go. I think of him these days as my future weight loss program (for after baby is born.) :)

Alexa had kindergarten round-up last week. Where has the time gone? I remember anxiously waiting her arrival and thinking she’d never get here, let alone be almost 5 years old!!! While I am mentally and physically ready for her to go to school, and while she is BEYOND ready to go…its going to be weird. She is by BIG helper, literally - she does so much for her brother, especially early in the morning and with this pregnancy and all. It’s a good thing I have all summer with her yet so she can help out the first few months baby is home! She was beyond excited to go and had been counting down the sleeps until the day came. That Wednesday Daddy asked her several times how she felt about going to round-up and her answer would come in this simple not much emotion showing way saying “I’m excited but a little bit nervous too!” It was quite cute. As I dropped her off, she had to get her name tag on and have her picture taken -- and the look on her face became more and more alarmed that I would be leaving her. I know she doesn’t like mom leaving anyway (she bawls for me to go to bible study at nights when she’s home with Dad but waves happily when he goes anywhere) so I had told her in advance that I wasn’t allowed to stay & that if she didn’t cry or throw any fits I’d take her out on a doughnut date afterwards. That part thankfully worked but as I said goodbye to her the look she shot me could have killed me! It was this deer in headlights type of a look that seemed to cry out as if I had just led my little lamb to the slaughter house! I was scared to return and pick her up…but alas, as I stood outside the classroom and she came out to find me she was a different girl entirely! She was bouncing and happy and incredibly excited! The buzz/high she had from going there lasted throughout the rest of the day/afternoon/night! She was still ecstatic as she was going to bed that night!

Needless to say both kids keep me on my toes constantly and are full of excitement and energy. Although they are similar in many ways its amazing to see how different they truly can be!