Cutie Kye

Can she already be three months old? It seems like time is just going by so fast yet it's hard to remember what it was like not to have Kaya in our family. She is such a joy and everyday I just marvel that she's really mine. I have been that way with all of my children and it's true what they say that the love just mulitiplies. Lynnsey came up with the little nickname of "Cutie Kye" and it seems to be sticking. I thought it was a fun play on words.

I always take my kids to get portraits done in their blessing outfits around the time they are three months old, so I did the same with Kaya. You'd never guess how uncooperative she was, since we got some really cute shots, but it was a long session. I was trying so hard to get a picture of her sort of propped up on her tummy because I have one of each of the other four kids in that same position on display, but everytime we tried her tummy, she'd get SO furious. Finally I gave up and we just did some other poses that turned out mighty cute too. These are a bit grainy. They purposely give low resolution pictures so that they can still make money when we buy the real portraits. But you can get the idea anyway. It's pretty cool what they can do with digital stuff now. I just thought this one was so sweet.

She's such a little smiler now. I can get her to giggle sometimes but mostly she's just content and happy--at least usually. She definitely has her moments. Like right now when she should be sleeping but gets mad everytime I put her in bed. As soon as I hold her though, she's out like a light. Being the optimist that I am however, I just take this to mean extra snuggle time.

Festival Fun

Every year our town hosts a big festival called "The Festival of the Forks". It has nothing to do with utensils. It actually refers to the Kalamzoo River which forks right in the middle of town. The festival is held every year to celebrate the diversity and unity of the community. They have a big street fair where people sell anything you can imagine. There are also booths from different community organizations to share information about themselves. The missionaries even had a table this year and passed out lots of pamphlets and Books of Mormon. In addition to all that there is a parade and different musicians and dance groups and kids programs and crafts set up at different areas all over downtown. This year we especially enjoyed the Hispanic Heritage section with the Folklorico dancing and as usual we couldn't resist the southern BBQ chicken and the elephant ears.

Taylor marched in the parade with the combined high school and middle school bands. They sounded pretty good! Kendall and Lynnsey also marched with their elementary schools. They were all at the beginning of the parade so they were able to join us for the last part of it. Spencer especially liked the fire engines and the stilt man who was at least 12 or 13 feet tall and who not only could walk on those things but could juggle while he did it!

This year Laura the Elephant came to visit and give rides. I have conflicting feelings about the whole thing. On the one hand I think poor elephant! but on the other hand, what an opportunity for the kids to see and ride a real live elephant. At any rate, they had a ball!

At the Kid's Corner they had a group called "Drummunity" where they had a whole bunch of different percussion instruments and so anyone who wanted to could pick a drum and join in the music. It actually sounded really cool and Lynnsey had a fun time adding her own noise to the mix.

Scary World

I like to think that if I ever found myself in a situation that would require me to knock on someone's door in the middle of the night, that the door would be opened and I'd be able to get the help I needed. Unfortunately, we live in a world now where if I needed help I can pretty much expect not to get it. That is thanks in large part to people like the ones who paid a "visit" to my mom and brother the other night.

To keep a very long story short, basically a girl showed up at around eleven at night and knocked on the door. Timothy, being the kind of person who believes that people are inherently good, answered it. The girl had a seemingly plausible reason for showing up and managed to be let into the house. However, she was followed by two guys who had not been in view before and it soon became apparent that opening the door had been a big mistake. They proceeded to take some items and when Timothy resisted, he was dragged out the door and beaten beyond recognition. Mom quickly called the police but of course they got there too late to catch the criminals. Timothy was taken to the hospital and thankfully is okay--no broken bones or internal injuries but he'll be sore and swollen for some time to come. I get sick everytime I think about it.

They haven't found the people yet--I think they could have but that's a whole other blog entry on the unfortunate problems with our justice system which I don't care to get into right now. It just makes me so angry that there are so many truly wicked people in this world who've made the rest of us so distrustful of one another. If my car breaks down on the side of the road, do I want someone to stop and help me? No way! I'll wait for the police thank you. Would I dare to stop and help someone else? Uh-uh. What if it was all a set up? It's just a sad statement on the society in which we live. I just hope that someday people like those the other night wake up and look at themselves in the mirror and realize how despicable they truly are.

It can only get better from here...Right???

Just a few days ago, I congratulated myself on the smooth transition we seem to have made with a new baby, new school year, and new babysitting schedule. Kaya was sleeping through the night allowing me to sleep through the night and even get my shower BEFORE she woke up in the morning. I was getting the kids up and moving and dressed and breakfasted and out the door to their three respective schools all aided by Kalen who has been able to be here first thing in the morning to drive Taylor to school and occasionally walk Lynnsey to the bus stop before he heads out to work. (That has never happened before. Normally he's gone by 6 a.m.) I am back to babysitting the same little boy, Aksel, as last year and a new little one year old girl, Lily. I thought it would be a huge adjustment. It wasn't. Things just seemed to be flowing right along.

Then, the stomach trouble that Lynnsey had last week turned out not to be nervousness after all. Instead the WORST possible stomach bug to hit our family in years has been rapidly taking out members of our family. And the awful part about it is just when you think you are done with it, it gets you again only worse than you can even imagine. Spencer got it the day after Lynnsey did. Kendall got sent home last Thursday and spent a few miserable hours before he seemed over it. By that night I had it. The next morning I was bettter. I was relieved that whatever this thing was, at least it was done and over with quickly. Then Taylor got sent home from school on Friday with it and Kalen came down with it at work the same time. Theirs seemed to last longer and Saturday morning they were still fighting it. By that afternoon, they were better. So we were all done right? Everyone but Kaya had it, but we've been vigilant at trying to guard her from it. Then Sunday night Kalen said he felt sick again and I mentioned I was feeling a little queasy too. Monday morning we were in absolute misery. I managed to get the kids to school and called the parents of the kids I babysit to tell them that we were sick again. And then we crashed. Spencer spent an entire day in front of the TV. My Mom came that afternoon and took Kaya to her place (by then Spencer was napping) so that I could try to get some sleep in between trips to the bathroom. It was really awful. We spent a terrible night but by the next morning felt a lot better. Not completely but the worst was over. We could at least function again in between bouts of cramping and nausea that would sneak in every so often. (I didn't babysit that day either). But by yesterday, we were all better and back to work and babysitting and the smooth schedule we'd established. Then today happened.

This morning, Kaya woke up before the alarm needing to be fed. So I took her downstairs and fed her which meant I had to shower after Kalen instead of before. That was okay though. I still had time. Kalen had to leave right after taking Taylor to school since he lost two whole days while he was out sick. I got out of the shower and woke up Lynnsey and told her to get dressed while I got dressed and then I'd meet her downstairs for breakfast. Well, this nearly 6- year -old kid who changes outfits a dozen times a day on her own, becomes utterly helpless in the morning and insists she can't do it all by herself. So I was trying to get her into her clothes while she was whining that she was "freezing to death" (can't wait for winter!), Kaya was screaming in her bed, Spencer woke up in one of his moods and was yelling that he "needed me right now", I was trying to figure out how embarrassing it would be for me to take Lynnsey over to the bus in my bathrobe, and then I heard an all too familiar noise coming from the bathroom. Kendall was awake...and vomiting. Here we go again.

I told Lynnsey to at least get her socks on and I'd help her with her shoes when I got downstairs. I ran and threw on some clothes, sent Kendall back to bed, rescued Kaya from her bed, ran downstairs to gather Lynnsey's backpack and papers, called to tell the school that Kendall wouldn't be coming today and to tell Aksel's mom that I couldn't babysit..again, put Kaya down crying again while I put Lynnsey's shoes and jacket on her, and got Spencer's shoes on him. Then Spencer had a major meltdown because he was still in his p.j.'s and demanded that I get him dressed. At that moment, I heard the bus across the street and I knew we had to make a run for it. Lynnsey still hadn't gotten her hair brushed or brushed her teeth and Spencer was screaming that he wasn't going in pajamas. So I told him he'd have to stay with Kendall but that got him madder so he decided pajamas were better. So I yelled to Kendall that I'd be back in a minute and to keep an eye on Kaya, who had finally just decided to make the best of things in her swing (yeah, I know I should get the mother of the year award for leaving my sick 8-year-old in charge of my newborn. It was just across the street though and as it turns out we didn't even make it that far and were gone for was maybe 30 seconds). I ran out the door with Spencer in my arms, dragging Lynnsey behind me and made it to the end of the sidewalk in time to see the bus pulling away.

So, we turned around and went back in the house where I took a few seconds to gather my sanity and actually brush my daughter's hair and put some clothes on Spencer. Then we loaded Kaya in her seat and drove Lynnsey to school. I parked at what I thought was the closest entrance to her classroom but it turns out that door was locked so we had to hike around to the front entrance. We took a shortcut across the grass because the thought of hauling an 85 pound car seat all the way around the school on the sidewalk was unappealing and that's when I realized Lynnsey had never gotten her socks on (no I didn't notice that when I put her shoes on earlier) because she started complaining about all the dew from the grass getting in her shoes. Oh well. I was not about to go home for socks. We all squished and sloshed our way down the hall to the classroom where I discovered we were...early! The teacher was just going to collect the kids from the gym where they line up. So I had another minute to gather my wits again before getting Lynnsey into her classroom and heading back home.

Now things have settled down a bit. Kaya is napping, Spencer is sitting with me begging to see pictures of himself and his cousin Bentley again, Kendall is miserable but hasn't thrown up for about half an hour. But I am left wondering what's next? Will we get another phone call from the schools? Will I ever babysit again? Will they stop believing me when I call everyday and tell them I can't babysit? Will this virus just keep cycling around our family until the end of time? It's times like this that I just have to remind myself that this is the life I dreamed of. And I guess in spite of it all, it still is even with all the craziness. Just minus the vomit please.

Back to School

Well, it's here once again. The first day of school. I think it went well. At least I handled it okay and that is what's really important. Actually I wondered how the kids would do too. At dinner last night Lynnsey started complaining of a tummy ache. Dinner took longer than expected too so bath was late and bedtime was even later. By the time teeth were brushed and we'd had prayer, it was almost 10:00. Yikes! Then Lynnsey threw up and I wondered if she'd even get to have her first day of school. At midnight I had to get up with her again. I had given her a bowl just in case. She missed it by a mile so I had to change her pj's and bedding. But after that she slept well and kept everything down. It's possible it was just nerves I guess.

The kid's were actually easy to wake up this morning since I think they were actually excited/nervous about the day. I had told the kids that there were no tears allowed today except for me. Not only will I be sending off another one to Kindergarten, but I've just really enjoyed having everyone home this summer. And Taylor has been an enormous help with Spencer and Kaya, I'm sure I'll be lost without him for all those hours of the day.

Taylor went first at a little after 7 a.m. He goes to Washington Gardner Middle School and is in 7th grade this year. He says he actually thinks his schedule this year is pretty decent. He has Advisory (which is basically home room), Science, Algebra, Band, Social Studies, Explorers class (this term he has Exploring the Human Body; future classes include Exploring Computers, Exploring Careers, and Exploring Creative Writing), and English. He is thrilled not to have gym this year. He says he thinks he'll like most of his teachers and one of his best friends shares several of his classes.

Kalen took Kendall across the street to his school. They changed the school this year from a Pre-K through 2nd Grade school and it now has 1st through 4th grades, so Kendall gets to spend a couple of extra years at Harrington Elementary. His teacher this year is Ms. Ellenwood and he seems really excited about her. Plus, he has several of his good friends in class too including a neighbor girl that he plays with lots and "The Twins", two little girls who are so much fun. I think he'll really have a great year.

I drove Lynnsey up to her school. She goes to Caldwell Elementary which is an early childhood school that houses preschool, Early 5's, kindergarten, head start, and an early childhood class for developmentally disabled children. Her teacher is Mrs. Geyer and I think she will have so much fun with her. I was pleasantly surprised to see how large her classroom is and how few children are in the class. They're trying to keep class sizes to less than 17 kids which I think is great. I expected tears from my little shy girl, but she did great. Once we found her name tag and her seat at her table, she opened a jar of playdough and gave me a hug goodbye. I had planned to stay a bit longer but I figured I'd better take advantage of an easy exit. She seemed to have a great day and says she's excited for tomorrow.

Even though he's not old enough for school yet, Spencer didn't want to be left out of this post so we took his picture wearing the shirt that the kids said he needed to wear today since he still has "no school". I think he really missed the kids today, but I'm sure he'll quickly get used to having more of my attention. Plus tomorrow his little friend Aksel will start coming a few mornings per week again and he's SO excited about that. Here's a somewhat scary and sad thought though(at least to me): Next year Spencer will be having a first day of school photo when he's off to preschool!