January

January has been a roller coaster.  A lot of hard things happened but a lot of good things have happened too.  The owner of Culver's, Dave Ward died unexpectedly.  He was my parents neighbor and a good friend.  Other deaths, illnesses, and hard things happened to people around.  My Dad started having double vision and we were all worried about him.  It turned out to just be cataracts and we are so glad.  It has been a warm January.  The kids are doing well.  Trevor has started feeding therapy and has progressed a lot.  He still doesn't sleep through the nigh and is still nursing.  He will drink from a straw and bottle.  He likes to play with socks and carries them all around the house.  He loves balls.  He can say ought ought (No), wow, ball, hi, bye, whew who, ma, dad, and signs more by clapping.  Carter has turned into an engineer.  He likes to invent games that are like machines.  He sets up courses where you push a ball and it causes a chain reaction.  Today he drew a water machine and had Cole help him build it out of straws.  His coloring has gotten so much better.  He knows all the letters in his name (but not the order).  He seems to have had a growth spurt too.  He is very particular about things and gets angry and frustrated easily.  He is also my most loving child and is sensitive to the needs of others.  Lexi is working on reading and the numbers 20-100.  She likes me to teach her songs on the piano and knows quite a few.  She has a little piano and writes her own music.  She also wanted me to teach her how to sew and made a little bag for her Minnie.  She is a fantastic artist and loves nap time because that is when she gets to do her art projects.

Laughs:
The other day Carter told me he wanted to go camping so he could get his knife back. (Cole gave it to him earlier but it didn't work out.)  I asked him why he needed a knife.  He told me in case bad guys came he could kill them.  I told him we don't kill people.  I asked him what he thought daddy did  with knifes.  He told me his daddy kills people.  I laughed so hard.

First Birthday

Trevors birthday was fun.  I tried to think of things to do with him during the day that he likes to do.  That meant taking a bath.  He loves to splash and play in the tub.  The older kids fight over who gets to take a bath with him because they both like to.  We made a funfetti cake later and got balloons.  We had dinner at Smashburger so he could have sweet potato fries.  Later that night everyone came over for a cake party.  He didn't want to open his gifts again so I did it but he loved having all the attention.  He LOVED his cake.  He picked the whole piece up and shoved it in his mouth.  He ate and ate and ate.  None of my other kids have ever enjoyed their cake like he did.  I was really worried it would bother his tummy but he did fine with it.  It was a fun day.

Trevor

Trevor turns one today!  I can't believe it.  He is such a fun boy.  He recently started walking.  He likes to climb up stairs.  He started feeding therapy and we are hopeful we can work out some of his feeding issues and wean him.  He did really well at his first appointment and won over all the therapists hearts with his smile.  He likes to say hi and wave.  He gives five and claps when you say "yeah".  He bites people like crazy.  I can't help but scream when he does it.  He will do it any place on you he can sink his 6 teeth into.  He loves to eat my hair and pull it too.  He does not sleep through the night, thus I'm still exhausted.  He is happy if you are holding him or sitting next to him but if not he will come over to you and cry.  If you don't pick him up watch out.  He will bite you.  Both of the other kids have been bit in the face by him.  He is generally happy though and is really easy going.  He doesn't have to stick to a rigid schedule.  He can nap anytime and does pretty well when he is tired.  He had a section of his hair in front that is longer than the rest.  I sweep it to the side.  I love his hair.  It is the neatest color.  He gives me hugs and likes to play peek a boo.  He does well with strangers.  He loves Lexi.  She likes to try to help him and comfort him.  We love our Trevor!  We took these pictures yesterday.

Christmas Break Fun

We had the best Christmas break.  We went bowling with Eden and Maleah's families.  We also went bowling and played laser tag with my family.  We hosted a game night for my family that was a lot of fun.  It was the first time I've had my family over for an event like that.  We had a fun New Year's eve playing games, eating,  and lighting Chinese lanterns at Grandmas. We went to Trafalga and played games and let the kids try dippin dots.  They all loved them.  Trevor tried them and wanted more and more.  It was so nice to spend so much time together as a family.

Christmas

Christmas was so much fun!  The kids woke up around seven and we called Grandma and she came over.  We had Trevor go out first, then Carter, then Lexi.  Trevor didn't ever want to open any gifts but had fun picking up things he found and exploring them.  Lexi got a lot of Frozen things and a new bed.  Carter got a mini trampoline and some games.  He loves the mousetrap game.  Trevor got a slide that he figured out how to climb up a month later (scared me to death).  Cole got a new drill and I got a piano!  We were looking at them one night and I played this one and couldn't stop smiling.  Cole looked at me and said, "I am buying you that piano."  It was a special moment.  I am so touched he loves me so much and wanted to get me such a nice generous gift.  Lexi wanted to get me a gift.  She asked Cole for weeks before Christmas to take her shopping.  I loved her gift.  She got me a little heart box and a music note necklace charm.  A sweet part of Christmas happened between Carter and Lexi.  At the last minute Carter decided he wanted a snowglobe.  Well, Santas sleigh was already packed.  Lexi had a snowglobe.  I told her it would be nice if she gave it to Carter.  At first she freaked out and said no.  Christmas morning when she woke up she told me she changed her mind and she gave it to him.  I was so proud of her.  After we opened gifts we went to breakfast and Grandma Irene's.  We were the first ones there.  It was delicious.  We spent most of the day switching the kids rooms around.  We put the boys together and Lexi got her own room.  She was in heaven.  It was a wonderful day.