A much overdue post

I’ve wanted to post this for a while, but… I haven’t had the minute!!

An update on the kids!!

Emma is doing great.  She is just about WALKING with just a hand-held assist.  My right hand, her left… and she almost looks like I could let go and have her walk along on her own.  Of course… that doesn’t work.  But it almost looks like it could :).  She’s being defiant in school.  Not listening to the teacher, not wanting to participate.  I think some of that is that she doesn’t understand everything that’s going on or what’s being asked of her.  She’s catching on, though… and hopefully she’ll start figuring out the new teacher and new routine.  They’re using Handwriting Without Tears, which I love!  But even the basics of “big line” is beyond what Emma’s ready for right now.

Kristopher lost a tooth!  He wanted to lose one SO BADLY, then, had no idea it was even really loose until it was gone.  He swallowed it with his sandwich at school ;).  What a big boy… goodness…  He’s doing great in school, reading well, doing great in math, and doing well with his Busy Bee reading program too!  Right now he’s attending our children’s church on Wednesday night but not doing any other activities outside of school.  We’ll consider something in the winter, but for right now we’re focusing on the school routine and just family time.  He’s enjoying school and keeping busy at home, and all around being a good sweet kid :)

Brianna has adjusted in to the school routine really well!  She loves her teacher and enjoys going to school.  She’s had her defiant days as well, but for the most part she’s doing well.  Brianna is just about toilet trained, only having accidents when she’s not reminded, but she’ll say yes or no that she needs to go or not, and will go consistently when she is trying.  When she’s home she can wear underwear but we haven’t ventured that direction for school yet.  Brianna is enjoying being the ‘leader’ with James and Micah and helping to show them the ropes of new adventures both at home and at school.  She also thinks she’s big stuff… and loves to pretend wrestle with Lynae and be bossy to pretty much everyone in the house :).

James is doing great walking!  I just had his IEP meeting yesterday and I’ll do a separate post about it, but he is doing well at school and beginning to show his true colors and his skills in the school environment.  He has become much more social with the other kids at home as well.  James is back to eating regularly and has healed up well from his stomach illnesses.  He’s eating purees and working toward more textures and such, but it’s great that he has his appetite back!  He has become more affectionate to all of us and has adjusted great to our home.  After I was gone for a week he wasn’t sure he was happy with me for about a day, but after that he was right back to his true self.

Micah is having most of his BMs on the toilet!  That’s a big thing around here :).  He’s learning well and doing new things.  Especially boundaries and expectations.  He is waiting by the kitchen gate nicely before going to the table, and is walking in and out of the house to the car independently and listening in other ways as well.  Micah is doing well at school and since his tonsils surgery as well as getting an aide in the classroom he has been SO MUCH healthier!  Micah has a new aide this year and things are still being worked through as far as the ways that he’s dealt with or how his behaviors are managed.  But he is in general doing well!  And it’s great to see him maturing and learning new skills :)

Lynae is just a peanut and so happy all the time.  Unless, of course, you put her down :).  She’s definitely the baby of the family!  Lyane is starting to walk, mostly still cruising and walking with push toys or with a finger right now.  She’s starting to get interested in the idea of walking by herself, though, and I think that will turn into independent walking pretty quickly.  It’s hard to believe she’s already a year old!!  She is eating great- everything we put in front of her- but is still such a tiny little thing!  Lynae loves to laugh, to play, and to follow the other kids around and make trouble.  She only barely hesitated when I got home about me being back.  The next morning she didn’t want me to put her down but only a day of that and she’s back to her usual self.

Though it already feels like we’ve missed a kid in that rundown (I guess maybe I’ve started counting to 7 already…), we are all doing great!