March 2011

 Alaina playing Dr.  She likes checking for the baby's heartbeat.

 Over 100,000 people protesting this week

 Ky & Nana display their splints.

 Rob carving his 1st turkey.

 We tried a new look--Ky didn't like it

 A trip to the Rockford Children's museum

 Alaina and the GIANT dollhouse

 Excited to be on tv!

 Ice Cream!

And funny faces!

March was quite an emotional month for me.  With all the government stuff cracking down, it was hard to see the teachers, nurses, and many other government workers be so downtrodden.  When I would sub, I was impressed by how the teachers kept so "upbeat" in the classrooms and yet when in the teacher's lounge for lunch they would be so upset.  It was especially difficult seeing those teachers who rely on one salary (single parents of ones with a stay at home spouse) wonder how they were going to survive paying for their own healthcare. 

I have to say that we are blessed to live in Madison where most of the people fully support the Unions in this.  At the same time it is AMAZING to meet those who are ignorant about what the Unions actually do for the teachers--now I am not saying all their actions are good--however--some things are needed.  For example the Unions have fought to not let building temperatures go below 66 degrees....now remember your kids are going to school here.  Do you have your house at 66 degrees during the winter?  Pretty chilly.  Especially for those that come to school improperly dressed--and yes there are many where their parents cannot afford or just do not take the time to dress their kids properly.

Despite all this, I was most touched when I subbed for a day at a local elementary.  They were releasing me early and I asked if there was anything else I could do.  They told me yes and set me to work on sorting HUNDREDS of donated hats, mittens, coats, shirts, pants, etc...  Many were given by the teachers and some from the community.  They were putting together baskets to help families in their school.  These clothes were NOT just for the school aged child--but also the families.

I think many people lose sight of all the "non job descripted" things that teachers, nurses, and other city workers do.  These people see needs and they meet them--not thinking about whether they should or shouldn't.  I see teachers all the time send kids home with some of their own food just to make sure that kids has something to eat that night or over the weekend.  These needs many do not see on a day to day basis because they don't encounter them.  Think about the bus driver and the same people they see every day.  I find it hard to believe that they do NOT get to know the people and meet needs.  Anyway--I am just horrified by the fact that people in these jobs have been attacked by others.  These jobs are not lucrative--in fact they are some of the hardest jobs out there---dealing with people's needs--and yet we have others attack them and say they are "leeches" on our society and need to pay their fair share, when they really aren't making that much. 

Okay--I should probably stop with my rant.  However, when I have a friend tell me that she can't make things work for her family of 6 on $70 some thousand a year and it isn't fair that they have to pay for their health insurance on top of that--and then tell me it isn't fair that her husband can lose his job, while these union workers are protected.  I am appalled. It isn't about fair (boy-- isn't this what our mother's told us?)  It's about taking care of each other.  I don't understand how she can be upset about her family situation when they are already starting off WAY better than the average teacher.  What about a teacher who has a family of 6 making 40 some thousand a year?  How are they supposed to make it?  Anyway--ultimately I believe that it is our responsibility to take care of each other--not tear each other up or envy what someone else has.

So in March--I joined the "march" around the Capital.  At 8 months pregnant, it was worth it.  I wanted to stand with these people who give so much of themselves and yet were feeling rejected despite what they do.

I also have to say, it made my delivery of Talia shine in a WHOLE new persepctive too.  So many nurses worked with me.  And in the end before my leave when Talia would not nurse--I had one nurse in particular who really put some extra time and effort in working with me and making sure I was okay.  Her job requirement does not state "Have compassion for others" however that is what she did.  What a valuable contributor of society she is! 

Anyway--other March stories...

In February, at our last ultrasound with Talia--a friend of mine watched Ky and Alaina.  I guess at some point, Ky slipped and fell.  She said he didn't cry, but she informed me that he had clutched his arm after the fall.  Well, I looked at it and didn't think much of it.  He was acting fine--I did notice it was a bit swollen, but he was using it and moving everything fine.  A few days later, I pulled him out of the tub by his wrists.  He screamed.  I looked at the wrist and noticed it was still swollen.  That night I took him to urgent care.  I felt like a pretty lousy parent telling the doctor it had happened 3 days ago.  The doctor did make me feel better though and told me that it happens all the time.  Ky had x-rays done without me.  (Since I was pregnant I could not go in there with him.)  Well sure enough he had a buckle fracture.  Ky was in a split for about a month before he was able to get out.  Nana--also at that same time--had surgery on her wrist from a fall she had had.  It was cute seeing them bond over their injuries.  

We had Thanksgiving in March which was fun.  I cooked my second turkey ever and Rob carved his first turkey ever.  We were both quite proud of the job we had done.  And from that turkey,   I made 4 freezer meals preparing for our new little one. 

In February and March I was also blessed with the opportunity to watch 9 month old twins.  I watched them 1-2 times a week.  They were foster children of a friend of mine.  The kids and I really enjoyed watching the babies.  It also gave us much to think about since Rob and I have considered fostering in the future (when our kids are older.)  We had so much fun with the babies--but BOY twins are a handful!  (So thankful I have had my kids one at a time :) )  At the end of March they went to live with their Grandmother.  I continue to pray that God is with them in that situation and that they are raised to know him and follow in his ways. 

Growing up

 ready for school

 rode his scooter to school

 with 2 of his friends-Zachary & Noah

His Locker

 
Getting to work!

Talia 4 months

Alaina's 1st field trip---to the zoo to find animals that start with the letter "o"

Well It is official now! I am a mother of an elementary school boy.

With Ky being my first, I have had many overwhelming emotions the past month. First off-I tried to do EVERYTHING possible with him. I had a "fun" list and we were going to complete it all. I guess it seemed like or last chance to be the 3 amigos (really 4 now with Talia.) I probably overdid it. But--I needed those extra memories with my boy. When his first day did come around, I cried when I packed his lunch, I cried when I took his pictures by the tree. I cried much of the walk there (we walk to school) and I cried when I left him in the classroom. And then I went home and cried. Ky--well he did fine. You could tell he was nervous, but he was SO excited too! He rode his scooter to school. (I think he felt like such a big boy to do that.) He put his stuff in his locker (yes locker--my boy has a locker now!) And he sat down and began writing his name like his teacher asked.

It's really amazing how everything just flashes back. Bringing him home from the hospital, taking him apple picking, introducing him to pigs at the State Fair. And now he is no longer that little kid we tote around. He has a life of his own--one in which I won't be involved in. I won't know what is going on for 7 hours of his day. This is a really big change for a Stay at Home Mom.

And yes--you know the moment I pick him up I try to pry all the juicy details from him. And of coure-him being 5--he "doesn't remember." Or the best he can tell you is what he did at recess.

His first couple of days were hard. In fact, Ky told me he was worried that since his teacher only speaks Spanish, she doesn't understand him. (Ky is in a dual immersion program where he is taught in Spanish.) I was glad that I was able to talk to his teacher and him to straighten that out. He is also concerned that some of his classmates don't understand him (the native spanish speakers). I have informed him that they do--but I think it will take him some time to figure that out. Right now he plays with Noah and Zachary (a couple of kids he alreday knew in our neighborhood) and another boy named Keagan.

It is kind of funny--b/c Ky has not looked the part of an elementary kid until a few days ago. I was waiting for him outside and he came running up to me with a BIG grin on his face and holding the shoulder straps on his backpack. That image will be forever engrained in my head. He just looked bigger. He was confident and happy. He was all grown up.

Ky is starting his second full week of school now and thankfully I can see that he is learning. He can count up to 16 already in Spanish and he told me the other day that his backpack was his "mochillo".

Alaina update-

Alaina--wow--let me tell you--this girl cracks  me up.  She LOVES to shop.  NEVER take her into a shoe store--it is a mess.  She whips off her shoes SO fast and then starts trying on shoe after shoe.  She prefers heels and shoes that "sparkle".  Yes at 2 1/2 this girl could walk in heels better than me.  At department stores, she is ALWAYS keeping an eye out for princesses (aka dresses) and of course purses.  She LOVES purses.  She likes to cram all sorts of random toys in her purse and drag it with her.  She is quite an amusing girl!  She also gravitates towards anything princess, which I find interesting since clearly she did not get these interests from me. 

When Ky was getting ready to start school, I told Alaina that she was going to begin "Mommy's Preschool of Love."  She was ecstatic and told many people that she was going to the "School of Lub".  I have started working with her and have been happy to find that she is an eager student.  She sits well and likes to work with me at the table.  I was a bit concerned that with her personality it might be harder to sit, but so far things appear to be working well.

Talia update--
Shortly before we left on vacation, Talia discovered that she could roll. And roll she does. Back and forth and back and forth. She loves her new found mobility. She can also scoot some too. I will leave her for a moment on the floor and come back to find she has moved 1-2 feet.

At 3.5 months, Talia also discovered she could scream...and I mean a shrill scream. It was horrible. Luckily it was only a month long phase as she has appeared to grown out of it--but it was AWFUL at the time. She would scream when she was happy, scream when she was sad, and scream just to hear herself scream.

Talia is by far our most affectionate child.  She slurps on your face and gives you honest kisses.  Now that she is using her hands more, she will actually grab both of your cheeks and pull you forward to give you a kiss.  From birth we have noticed how giving her kisses just seemed to soothe her.  She ESPECIALLY loves daddy kisses.  I do think Daddy has gotten "his girl" (Alaina being mine). 

Well--I still have not figured out my "picture" predicament--(OH! That's a Ky memory too--how he learned the word predicament when he was 3 and was using it all the time....*Sigh*)  Anyway--I loaded manually on blogger--but it takes FOREVER!  I will figure out something.  In the meantime I want to catch up on my blog, so expect me to start backdating some of my entries since I want to catch up.