January 2013

Happy New Year!  We hope this year finds you all happy, healthy and wise(er).

I must inform you all of my new year resolution.  It may very well help to explain this, and future, posts.  :-)  I am attempting to go digital.  What does that mean?  Well, I have given up buying a planner and writing in it.  It is my goal to keep track of everything with the calendar on my phone and iPad.  Further translation...I am currently storing most details in my head because I forget to get them in my phone or iPad.  Since I am primarily relying on my brain to remember important dates and times, this blog may be awfully short most months.

First, we have to wish (Great) Grandma Irene, (Aunt) Michelle, Easton, (Great) Grandma Louise and Dad (Grandpa) a happy birthday!  What a fun birthday month in our family.  (Great) Grandma Louise turned 101 on the 12th.  What an accomplishment!  Her short term memory is not great, but she can take a phone call and carry on a decent conversation.  If only we could all be that lucky to see 101 and remember faces, voices and memories from over a century.

Easton had his last speech therapy visit with Miss Theresa at the start of the month.  She will be missed.  We took some pictures and had some fun playing new games.  Although Easton is not putting together as many three and four-word sentences as she'd like to hear, she feels he will be all caught up and on track by the time he starts school.  We still haven't decided what the next step will be for him.  Children's hour-long speech therapy sessions cost four arms and two legs, so it may make sense to hire someone to work with him in the home again.  Per Miss Theresa's request though, we are going to see what kind of progress he makes on his own over the next month or so and then decide what is the best way to move ahead.

Easton's third birthday fell on a Monday this year.  Since Kyla had school and swimming lessons in the evening, we had to cram a lot of birthday fun into a couple of hours.  Easton wanted to go play games at Chuck E. Cheese, so we met Daddy there for an hour or so of fun.  He loves ripping tickets off, even before the game spits them all out.  Half the time he rips them in half, he is so excited.  Kyla's favorite thing to do is turn her tickets in for a toy.  They each picked a snake and one other "treat."

After games, Easton wanted mac-n-cheese for dinner.  Because Kyla had to get to her swim lessons, we decided to pick a place on the way towards swimming so we could have more time to celebrate.  That being said, we ended up at Chili's.

As soon as Kyla got home, we had birthday cupcakes and opened presents.  Easton's big gift was a balance bike.  He loved everything.  We couldn't get presents out of the packaging fast enough for him. 

It's hard to believe our little man is three already.  He can be cute and cuddly one minute and be wearing an evil grin on his face the next.  He loves to play with and copy most anything his big sister does.  He still lashes out when is he is mad or upset.  On top of hitting, he know likes to fling stuff off of tables and around the room when he doesn't get his way.  Hopefully it is just because he does not have the words to explain how he feels.  We can definitely say he has a flair for the dramatic!  He is our Easee-Man and we love him dearly and unconditionally.

Easton was supposed to have a birthday party with some friends on the 12th at a place called the Little Gym, but an hour before the party, we were down to only three friends coming to join us.  Many kids couldn't come because the Bronco's were in the play-offs or because they had gotten sick, so we hoped to reschedule for another Saturday.  However, that did not work out as planned.  The gym wouldn't allow us to switch without paying even more money.  So, we decided to have his friends meet us at McDonald's one morning to play and enjoy a happy meal on us.

Kyla officially became a Daisy this month.  Her troop had what is called an investiture ceremony to celebrate the occasion.  The girls got their smocks, said the pledge and enjoyed some yummy cupcakes.  Now they are working on selling cookies to earn money for their troop.  If anyone reading this wants any cookies, please let us know.  ;)

Kyla has her first loose tooth.  It is just wiggly enough to move ever so slightly, which is very interesting because her other tooth has already poked through.  Grandma made things even more exciting for Kyla by making her a pillow to put her teeth in when they do fall out.  She plays with the tooth every day hoping it will come loose.   She cannot wait to see what the tooth fairy brings her.  Since the tooth fairy actually comes into her room (whereas Santa only goes downstairs), she is hoping to catch a glimpse of her so she can tell all her friends what she looks like. 

Now that the Christmas holiday and birthday are behind us, we are looking forward to celebrating Valentine's Day with our friends and family.  We barely get past one before Kyla is ready to decorate and celebrate the next.  Bless her little heart, she loves every holiday!  She sure makes them more fun and exciting than they used to be.

Take care and enjoy every day.  We love and miss you.  God Bless.