Our Family Elf Dance

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

My Brother's College Graduation

This past weekend, Aubrey and I attended my brother, Justin's graduation from UW La Crosse. I am hoping he ends up working somewhere close to us so we can see him as much as possible in future. He is a great uncle to my kids! We have missed him.

Here we are on top of Grandads Bluff. Justin is standing on the edge and the college is just to the left of his shoulder down below. You can't see it in the picture, but the sun was shining light just onto the campus when we took the picture. It was an awesome view!

Myself, Justin and our Mom.Justin and Aubrey. She smiled at him more than I've seen her smile at anyone! She was glad to see him.

DSFN Playdate

Happy 19 Months Logan!
Today, we met some of our DSFN friends for our monthly playdate. Logan had a great time and it was fun to watch the kids all playing together. They are all mobile now and I can't wait to see what they are like when they can all walk and run around together!

Ruby
Aaron, Ruby and Logan. It is so exciting to see them all standing and cruising around the table!! They are growing up so fast! Ruby and Logan are almost exactly the same age (4 days apart) and Aaron is 4 months younger.
Lilja is going to be 3 in January.

Aaron, Ruby and Logan.Aaron is SO smiley and has been since he was much younger. So adorable!

Aubrey Update to Update

I forgot to mention in my last post that Aubrey was diagnosed with reflux and has been put on Zantac. It was clear to the doctor that Aubrey has an issue with spitting up, because she spit up 4 times just while we were talking with him. She even spit up 3 times in front of the nurse before he came in. This doctor was not her pediatrician. Her regular pediatrician was out sick and when I had told her about Aubrey spitting up since the day she was born (at her last appointment), she felt it was not something to be concerned about. I knew it was not typical, so I am glad we got another opinion and hopefully she will be less fussy and make less of a mess everywhere. If we don't see a big difference within the next two weeks, we need to go back to try something different.

Aubrey Update

Yesterday, Aubrey had her last (hopefully) ultrasound done on her hips. The doctor said he expects them to be normal, but he will do measurements and we should hear back in about a week. She also had her 2 month check-up. She now weighs 13 lbs 12 oz and is 22.5 inches. She's in the 98th percentile for her weight!..no big surprise. She is taking after her brothers. Check out those rolls!

Wordless Wednesday

Still feeding himself like a champ! Even trying a spoon!

Christmas Picture Adventure

Yesterday, I took the kids to get their picture taken for our Christmas card. (I gave up trying to take it myself) I didn't have big expectations for the picture, because I knew just what was going to happen, and I was right. Logan didn't like strange people telling him to smile so he looked mad and crawled away. Devin wouldn't sit still and was more concerned about how everything worked. Aubrey cried when I put her down. I held out hope for a miracle picture, but we did leave with Christmas cards and that's all I wanted. At one point, the photographer had me get in the picture and the kids did a little better but I didn't want to be on the Christmas card without Dale. Here are a couple of the pictures. I will share the Christmas card later. We never did get a picture of the three of them together, but we put a couple of pictures together to make the card.
(I didn't order any prints yet, so these are taken from their website, that's why they have the logo over them)

"Are we done yet?" He's a little frazzled from us pulling him back into the shot, can you tell??

I love this Logie expression!! I don't remember this, but they caught him.

Wow! We were all looking at the camera! I would like to cut my head off this one and then it would be the only one we got of the three of them.

Santa Celebration

The Fox Valley Sibling Support Network held a wonderful event yesterday for children with disabilities, their siblings and families. The kids got to spend time with Santa and enjoy many fun activities with Santa's elves while Dale and I could relax and enjoy some food and Christmas music. We had a great time and Devin is already talking about next year! Visit the FVSSN website to view a story about them that aired on ABC World News Night.

Logan enjoyed a little coloring with Mom.
Hanging out in the stroller.

Devin eating his snowman made out of marshmallows! He also enjoyed making gifts and decorating cookies.
Logan and Dad

What the kiddos have been up to...

Logan has started to become very interested in Aubrey. When she is in reach, he wants to touch her by patting her softly. He also likes to take off her socks and pull of her blankets. Devin is still in LOVE with the high school band and all of the instruments, but his favorite is the tuba. He is always coming up with ways to build his own. This was his latest creation. He blows me away with his creativity. He still wants a trombone for Christmas (because I told him he has to grow a lot more to hold a tuba), which was what he wanted last year. I think we are going to come through for him this year. (If you are wondering, he made it out of my clarinet and one of those velcro ball game paddles)

Aubrey loves Daddy. Most of the time he is the only one who can soothe her when she is having a bad crying session.

Aubrey and Logan side by side...she is not looking so tiny anymore.

This is why I have stopped attempting to take pictures of the three of them together. One is trying to get away, crying or irritating another. No luck with a Christmas card picture yet.

Double Frustration

We have multiple frustration levels rising around here. First, Devin did fairly well when Aubrey was born. He seemed to adjust well and I didn't see a lot of jealousy or acting out, but that has all changed. He's now looking for attention anyway he can get it. He especially has a hard time during Logan's therapy sessions. He often interferes and when he is told to stop, he gets very angry and out of control. (like screaming and throwing things, which is not like him)

The other little man showing frustration around here is Logan. This is a brand new thing for him. Until now, he has been our easy going one. Besides showing his stubborn side every now and then, he has been very agreeable. But now, he has been yelling, throwing his head back and banging things with his hands when he disagrees with what is happening to him or around him. For example, when he's sitting in his high chair waiting to eat and I don't get out the food he wants, he throws his head back against his chair, wines and bangs his fists on the tray. So now, I am scrambling to learn more signs and other ways to lower his frustration level before it gets worse. One good thing is he is signing during some of his frustrating moments. I know that he knows several signs, but like he has done in the past, he is not going to do them unless it is absolutely necessary. That is his stubborn side coming out. Just like him not feeding himself, or taking a bottle until he finally gave in. Logan is still extremely easy going, but these little episodes are very different for him. As frustrating as these moments can be for me, I love it at the same time. Logan is showing me that he has preferences and that he wants to communicate. Now we just need to find ways to communicate. I am currently taking pictures of foods so that I can create a picture board where he can point to what he wants. We started watching Baby Signing Time and I hope that he starts to use signs regularly.

We need a break from frustration around here....I could also mention Aubrey's major spitting up issues and colic. Thankfully she seems to have gotten over the worst of the colic and she should only get better from here. It's hard to deal with Logan and Devin when she cries all of the time.