Month: September 2015

Someone has a new trick.

These three cuties were ready for the rainy bus stop.

Evidently Teague was teaching Kaitlyn about stickers….

We found a new playground today.

It’s crazy to think it’s been three years since we met Teague for the first time. I can’t imagine life without him! We are embracing life in a bigger city and instead of cooking a Korean dinner we decided to go out to eat at a Korean restaurant. Everyone loved the experience – but actually preferred the Bee-Bim Bop recipe I make at home (go Mom). Some of the other dishes we had at the restaurant were fantastic and we can’t wait to go back again.

Then I dug out the hanboks for a photo. I hadn’t realized how much the boys had grown. This is the last year they’ll be able to squeeze into them. The sleeves come to their elbows when they are standing up straight!

I thought this was going to be another picture of Kaitlyn getting into the dishwasher. When I started taking pictures she was climbing into the dishwasher and then pulling out silverware. I didn’t about our knives having brightly colored handles – very attractive to little ones. Oops. There goes my Mom Of The Year Award. (This is probably also the last time I’ll take pictures instead of immediately taking her out of the dishwasher!)

As I was going through the pictures I took today, I got to this picture and just stopped. I looked at Teague’s eyes and thought how amazing they look! On a regular basis I don’t even think about all the patching (four years for him) and surgeries (six total) that he’s been through. He tends to squint his eyes quite a bit in direct sunlight – whether due to his Korean heritage or his particular condition, I’m not sure. I rarely get a good photograph of his eyes when we are in good light. But this picture captures them beautifully!

I was determined to go back and find an old picture for comparison. The picture below was taken almost exactly two years ago – prior to any surgeries. It shows his typical head position (tilted back), with his mouth open, eyelids drooping (ptosis) and his eyes in their fixed positions turned inwards in the lower corners.

I just love the giggles that come from these two when they play by themselves. (And the fact that no refereeing is necessary!)

Today was too nice not to sneak out to the beach. It’s officially closed (meaning no lifeguard), but we went for a few hour after Kaitlyn’s nap and before Alex got home from school. (I’m already thinking how wonderful next summer will be!)

Kaitlyn wakes up about 6. I get her up and we go to the playroom for an hour before the boys get up. She has her first cup of milk and then plays or snuggles – depending on the day.

Then we all get ready and put Alex on the bus and say goodbye to Teague (our neighbor takes him to preschool where her daughter goes to kindergarten). Kaitlyn and I walk back to the house and she takes her morning nap – usually about an hour. Sometimes we play a little more, but often we run an errand or two and then pick Teague up from school. Then it’s lunch time!

Kaitlyn always takes a nap after lunch and Teague almost always does. (And a lot of days I do too!) They tend to wake up around 2 (and Teague often sleeps till almost 3). We play around the house until it’s time to meet Alex’s bus at 4. Then we have the craziness of homework and cooking dinner. Kaitlyn sometimes joins us for our dinner and sometimes she doesn’t quite make it that long. She is often in bed by 6 pm.

My Mom has been visiting the past few days and helping me with the house. Today she took a quick look at the yard and headed out with some garden scissors. The boys wanted their own pair and she gave them some clippers. Before I knew it, she had helped Alex create his own special “Alex Cave.” When I left to take Mom to the airport, the boys were happily cutting away in the woods creating Alex’s cave.

The problem arose when I came home to find the neighbor had joined the boys. The three of them were outside with not only garden scissors but large clippers, unsupervised, and having the time of their lives. I explained it might be best to only use the cutters when an adult was present – especially when a friend was visiting.

Buying milk at our house has become a challenge. We have five people that require four different kinds of milk – whole milk for Kaitlyn, 2% for the boys, skim for me, and lactose free for Wade (he made a mistake and bought himself whole instead of a more normal kind). I used to keep an extra gallon on hand for myself and the boys, but there is no longer room in the fridge for that. Thankfully we live closer to a grocery store than we did in Missouri and my plans are for everyone but Wade to move to the same milk as soon as possible!

Homework is a real challenge some nights. Thankfully Gram is here for a few days and provides a fresh face and perspective. Alex is also star student next week and couldn’t wait to start on his poster.

I must have mentioned having a “long soak” in the bathtub recently, because Alex has been begging for one. The only bathtub in the house is in the master bathroom and over the last two years we have rarely given the boys baths. It is so much faster (and less messy) to pop them in the shower. Tonight I finally let Alex have his long soak. He loved every bit of it. (Although his soak is more of a splashing.)

Teague was so excited to be star student today at his preschool.