Our Kids

Okay so really it is just the battery on my camera. What does that have to do with blogging?? Not much really but I am using it as my excuse for not blogging this last week or so.

Actually it was probably my laryngitis and Piper’s bronchitis that kept us busy but hey we all know that I was just being lazy cuz that is how I roll, lol. We started off the week with a day off, woot, then Tuesday we headed to the pediatrician. Seems like the girls were coughing for weeks and I wanted to get it checked out. Piper had an ear infection and fluid in her lungs but the rest checked out okay. So we took care of that last week and everyone seems to be better these days.

Still some runny noses and some coughing but mostly recovered. Thankfully no one is missing school because that is a drama, glad they love school and all but sheesh.

I have been back at my 6 days a week working out but this time at 615A in the morning. This makes getting everyone ready and out the door in the mornings a little challenging but it is waaaay better than working out at 5AM.

Anyway, all is well, I am charging my camera battery so I will take some shots of the girls soon. They got their hair cut and I think everyone has grown since Christmas but otherwise they look pretty much the same:)

We have a little of this and a little of that around here. Lela has had a nagging asthmatic cough for about 3 weeks, Piper picked up a dry hacking cough, Landis picked up a fever and a runny nose with flu like symptoms. Phoebe is turning two and lord knows what is up with her. Now Piper has picked up an ear infection and a phlegmy cough on top of her dry hacking cough. Yikes, pneumonia here we come. On top of that we have been exposed repeatedly to Pertussis (whooping cough). Can I get a woot woot??

Anyhoo, Piper stayed home today to visit with the pediatrician and we have a plan of action. Lela went with us to the ped against her wishes but made it to school in time for handwork (thank the maker). Piper should be back at school tomorrow and we are back at the doctor next week to see who wins the booby prize and gets sick next. Oh pick me pick me.

Lela’s outbursts have gotten more regular and a bit intense. So much so that I decided to talk to her pediatrician and her teacher. Today was the teacher. It was very insightful, a little depressing and at the same time encouraging.

Have you heard of the four temperaments? Sanguine, Choleric, Melancholic, Phlegmatic

Well supposedly we have all four in each of us but one may become dominant. It seems that right now as Lela is changing from a toddling youth to a young girl her dominant personality type is coming out and it is Choleric. Now I am not in to labels at all but I do want to make sure that I am helping her in the right way during her growing pains. Listening to your child scream at how they don’t like you is hard but listening to your child scream how no one likes her and how she doesn’t fit in is downright unbearable, so much so that I am happy to cling to a label to help me get where I need to be to help her.

So what is a choleric? Here is the wiki answer:
Choleric
The choleric temperament is fundamentally ambitious and leader-like. They have a lot of aggression, energy, and/or passion, and try to instill it in others. They can dominate people of other temperaments, especially phlegmatic types. Many great charismatic military and political figures were choleric. They like to be in charge of everything. However, cholerics also tend to be either highly disorganized or highly organized. They do not have in-between setups, only one extreme to another. As well as being leader-like and assertive, cholerics also fall into deep and sudden depression. Essentially, they are very much prone to mood swings.

What does this mean for me and for Lela? Well it means that she is trying to control me while she views me as trying to control her. Basically she and I are in a power struggle, a struggle because I too am a Choleric. Say what???? Yes it’s true which means as my child rails against herself in fits of rage I also know that deep down she is a very strong child, strong enough to build herself back up and start over as I have had to do many times. I love her so much it is painful, I am drawn to tears just thinking of my little Lela and this struggle she is in to become herself. I can only stand by, set boundaries for her, guide her and carry her when she needs it.

I love you Lela and I am here with you and for you. Always remember how much you mean to Daddy and I. We are so grateful that you fought so hard for this life with us, you have made us so proud and you are only 7! Life has great things planned for you so keep working to uncover your true self.

There was a LOT of good stuff this holiday season and I don’t want to be all ba-humbug so let me share some of my favorite things.

This year the girls all bought each other gifts that they picked out. They shopped at the medieval market at the girls school and they were so proud of their gifts. I think I am going to take a page from a friends book and have the kids exchange gifts on Christmas Eve, that way each child can take a moment to see what their sister had picked especially for them. I might also have them draw names and earn their own money for the gifts but that might wait a year or two.

Anyway, it was very sweet to watch them shop for their sisters. Landis got a pair of knitted slippers and a fairy wand. Piper got a stuffed sock monster and a scarf. Lela got a scarf and a knitted purse. Phoebe got a soft wool doll. I really liked that all the stuff was handmade and that the girls stopped and really looked to find something they thought their sisters would like. Very sweet. The girls also picked up a couple things for their grandparents. I love to see them start to understand the joy of giving and not just receiving.

Another special moment this holiday season was that I got up early to make monkey bread to nosh on before heading to the Haslups Christmas morning. I could hear some little noises coming from Piper and Lela’s room. So I snuck down the hall and listened. It was cute to hear them talking in the dark with their excitement building, Lela was urging Piper to get up, Lela was very excited.

I had some of my own special moments over the holiday. I love tamale night at the Haslups and I love that we are starting some of our own holiday traditions at home. I got a lot of great things, books I wanted, a cool ladle and new measuring cups, Jason adopted an olive tree in Italy and we get its olive oil for the year and I got the funniest picture of Jason blown up to awesome size:)

I didn’t get out our holiday cards, the days didn’t go as I planned, I didn’t have all my shopping done by Christmas Eve and a whole host of other didn’t dos but all in all it was pretty awesome.

Yes I said it, I am glad that Christmas is behind us. We are back to school tomorrow and I am sad about that but it all has to come to an end I suppose. We had a good weekend unwinding from our trip up north.

Yesterday the girls had a birthday party to go to and I went up to Jason’s folks to meet them for dinner with JJ, Phoebe and Landis. Then I picked the girls back up and we headed home. Getting back in to our bedtime routine is a bit rough but should be better today since Phoebe didn’t nap at all!

This morning Piper and I went to take care of the animals at school and we had a good time with the baby goats. We did a little goat herding and even some turkey herding. It was fun to spend time with the animals on a stress free morning. Then we headed over to the chickens, we collected 16 eggs! We took them over to Farmer Tony and he was busy planting trees. So in a sieze the day kind of way I went home and collected the rest of the family and we went back to the school and helped plant 8 trees.

Jason got the hard work and I cut up stuff to prepare the holes and did some watering. The girls had a grand time running about on the campus, digging holes, swinging and enjoying the weather. Now its time for football, laundry and getting ready for school tomorrow.

The girls, my folks and I just spent 4 days in Pinetop Arizona. It was so nice. We had a great 3 bedroom cabin with a fireplace and a kitchen that was right next to a sled hill. There was plenty of snow for the girls and not too much snow. So the roads were clear but there was plenty of snow for sledding, playing and snowman building.

My dad and the girls built a snowman right outside the cabin complete with hat, scarf and mittens. I missed out on the activity because Phoebe and I were driving around in search of snow suits. I have gone to the snow a few times and never seem to get soaking wet but alas I had not gone with a couple of 7 year olds. So after day one and the girls coats, shoes and pants being soaked with water I decided we needed proper attire.

Phoebe and I succeeded and that made the rest of our trip a dream. We went to a huge sled hill and had fun going up and down. We all made the trip even Phoebe. Of course I was unpopular with Piper for making them wear their helmets but c’est la vie safety first:)

Each night my dad would make a fire (or attempt to make a fire, ha ha) and the girls had a good time warming up with hot cocoa and running around the cabin. It was such a nice trip and the girls did great. The snow had started to melt as we came down the mountain so I was really glad that we got our act together and went to the snow over break.

Phoebe is not going to be a why baby. No asking why this and why that or just saying why because she can. She is sooooo a whAT baby. She emphasizes the AT and says whAT for everything.

Do you want some milk? whAT
Are you hungry? whAT
Do you love Daddy? whAT

It is so funny and I am sure the fact that we all laugh at her when she says it just increases the amount of time she uses the word. It is so funny and oddly frustrating at the same time. Better than temper tantrums though:)

Well I took the girls out of dance class. We had our recital photo shoot and after sitting through that “jon benetesque” morning I had a chat with the girls. Landis wanted to go back to her old class at the community center and the girls were okay with ditching dance all together. Lela wants to stick to pottery and horseback riding and Piper just wants to do whatever Lela wants to do, climb trees and jump on her pogo stick.

Sheesh, what a serious waste of a ton of money in such a short period of time. At least the girls have all the ballet dress up they can stand and cute dance bags too. Oh and tap shoes, ballet shoes, tights and even recital costumes. Lesson learned (I hope).