Spring 2016

 

I have no idea why we don’t have a picture of James here. He will likely grow up to have some “middle child syndrome” from often feeling overlooked. I believe he was enjoying his pizza and didn’t want to stop for a photo.

Baseball was a true highlight of this spring. All three boys wanted to play again. This is a sport that neither Wes nor I get very excited about. The games are slow and long and the boys don’t come home exhausted like they do from other sports. But, like last year, by the end of the season, they excel and enjoy it thoroughly. Baseball gets a lot more serious when they age up next year, so the verdict is still out on their future, but there was a lot to celebrate this year. I was so pleased by how quickly they improved and how they assumed leadership roles on the team. They would make sure their teammates had their gear and were in the right batting order. They are also “smart” players. They have a great awareness of who is on base and where the ball needs to get to for an out. Other players seemed to catch on after witnessing the Barry Boys’ fielding skills. There were also some great double and triple plays involving our own boys that make for some awesome moments of pride as a parent. They certainly get a lot of practice at home.

Their wonderful Coach, Jay, was such a caring and encouraging leader. He gave each player an award for the season. Here is what he recognized in each of our boys:

Thomas: “The Glove.” There weren’t many balls he didn’t catch and he excelled at and loved playing first base. His ability to catch well resulted in a lot of outs for his team. Incidentally, he decided very early on in the season to use his hard-earned money to buy a new glove. He thinks coach was impressed by his actual glove and not simply his catching skills.

James: “All Around.” James is a great ball player. He’s a very strong batter and a reliable thrower and catcher. There wasn’t a position he struggled with nor one that he seemed to love more than others. The sport fits his temperament well.

Jack: “The Vacuum.” As we have seen in other sports, Jack has a defensive mind. He loves to play pitcher, which at their age is not a “pitching” position, but is often the receiver of many balls after they are hit. He rarely misses and he quickly sucks that ball in and goes for the out, either by throwing to a base or chasing the player down. He didn’t initially seem that interested in baseball and he struggled to bat. By the end of the season, he had really developed into a strong player and I have no doubt he enjoyed it.

I would also like to highlight Ellie’s favorite part of spring: ART CLASS. The program she is in is phenomenal. The projects are so detailed and elaborate. And, most of all, she comes home each week with the biggest smile on her face. I haven’t seen this kind of passion in her when it comes to sports, but she shines in the art studio.

What a delightful spring it has been!

 

Read Full Post »

First Family Ski Day

Wes and I have long desired to get the boys on skis. We were slated to go last month, but with thunderstorms in the forecast we postponed. So, a mid-week trip yesterday was on tap. It far surpassed our expectations.

We arrived to snow and wind. While this would normally be a welcome sight to avid skiers, it actually made us nervous that the kids would start complaining with the cold and low visibility. Remarkably, they NEVER once complained about the weather, or about anything else for that matter.

After checking in and getting our rentals, the boys immediately went with an instructor for a 45-minute lesson. I was very impressed by the methodology the instructor used. Then, it was time for us to take over. The boys insisted we immediately leave the lesson area and try the bunny slope.

So, for the next hour, that’s what we did. It was basically a three-minute ride on the magic carpet up to the top of a small hill. It was perfect for what they needed. At first Wes and I tried to figure out which boy we would help and who would be left to fend for themselves. I had visions of chaos, screaming and crying ensuing shortly. But, that never occurred. We simply worked it out. Quickly, Jack, who is rather impatient, figured out that he was better off getting up and down by himself so he could go at his own pace. After a few rounds he had lapped the other two boys. James and Thomas always had a good attitude, but they struggled at times to figure things out.

Jack was very surprising to us in terms of his enjoyment and excitement. He took to it so quickly, which matters to him as he is often not the first of the boys to grasp something new. He often squatted low and leaned forward to increase his speed. He even started cheering himself on and raising his hands high over his head when he got to the bottom without falling. He asked later in the day to ride the chairlift to try a blue. Both Wes and I did that with him a couple of times with the assistance of the CoPilot. Jack reported at the end of the day that he didn’t think it was going to be fun, but it was. Then, he proceeded to thank us for the trip five times on the drive home.

James did fine. He kept trying and I am confident he will improve quickly when given more chances. Because he is a coachable kid, he would listen to our advice, but not always be able to execute it very well. When we told him to lean a little to turn, he would lean WAY over and soon topple over. At one point, Wes decided to GoPro James. Well, James headed straight for Wes and couldn’t turn out of the way, despite his best efforts and Wes’ animated coaching. The next thing I know, James has crashed into Wes and they are both sprawled out on the slope. It was hilarious to me, though not for others. James didn’t complain that he was tired, but he seemed to show it late in the day and just kept falling.

Thomas said he had a fun time and was agreeable, but I think it had to be a frustrating day for him. He couldn’t seem to get his sense of balance or ski position. He often ended up sitting down when he couldn’t turn or stop and he frequently ended up skiing backwards. His experience was what I expected the day to be like for everyone. I’m happy he is eager to try it again.

Ellie was a trooper. Though our attention was on the boys, she would make some short runs on her own, help the boys where she could, and she even found another girl to ski with.

Wes declared this one of his favorite family outings we have ever done. I have to agree. I look forward to another ski adventure.

Read Full Post »

Rookie Coach Pitch

James, Jack, and Thomas completed their second season of baseball this spring. Last year, they did t-ball and this year they got to do Coach Pitch. It was perfect for them because there are no strike outs and they could use the tee if they had trouble batting.

We also tried a new league this year and the coaches and fellow parents were incredible. We had a great team. The rumor is that we were undefeated. 

The boys started the season with limited enthusiasm and mediocre skills, but by the end, all three loved it and improved significantly. Due to rain cancelations early in the season, we had a game nearly every day in the final two weeks and the boys loved every minute. Big sis may have been tired of watching, but the boys thrived.

Here are my highlights:

• Jack going from being unable to hit any pitched ball to scoring a home run. 
• Thomas wearing his uniform as early as possible in the day on game day and celebrating EVERY home run scored.
• James at “pitcher” getting a double play, assisted by Thomas who caught the ball at first to get a runner out.
• Pregame warm ups with the call and response: “What time is it?…Game time!…Louder…” 
• The team keeping a meticulous verbal and hand count of the outs, led in large part by the Barry Boy shouts







Read Full Post »

TaeKwonDo

Jack, James, and Thomas started TaeKwonDo (TKD) in January. I must admit, I wasn’t sure it was going to be worth the hype or expense. However. I’m now convinced. As parents, we put our children in different activities in order to expose them to new things. Though with other team sports we have had good experiences, often the coaches are parents just as busy and overwhelmed as we are trying to contain the chaos. The children might get some good instruction on the fundamentals, but they don’t necessarily get much in the way of character building. And, in our family, character is everything. So, I was delightd to see very early on in TKD that the instructors teach and expect the same core values that we do at home. Integrity, perseverance, self-control, and courtesy (we use the word “respect”) are central tenets of TKD that we have instilled in them at home. They have also built up some strength and worked on coordination.

Today, they had their belt up ceremony. They (and we) were so proud of the skills, Korean words, and courage they have shown. 







Read Full Post »

Thomas, James, & Jack at 5 1/2

One of the major highlights of this year has been the wonderful school experience the boys have had. Their very experienced, energetic, and creative teacher has given us one of our best-ever preschool years.

Their recent teacher conference may be the most indicative of who they are right now (as well as the caliber of teacher they have).

James, as we have seen every year, has a way of charming the teachers. She appreciates his sensitive and sweet side. He is very aware of others’ feelings and tries to keep the peace. The teacher also noted that James struggles to figure out what he wants to do, what his friends want to do, and what will get him in trouble. I appreciate that he is thoughtful in his decision-making even when he doesn’t make the “right” choice. As we see at home, James is not the best at following directions. He is not very motivated to clean up and put away toys. As the teacher stated, this is a maturity issue, not a defiance issue. What I was surprised to learn is how much James excels in math. He often gets a little out-shined by his brothers. The teacher noted a recent time where he figured out he could not only count by 2s and 10s to get to 20, but also by 5s and 4s. James was delighted to learn that she had told me that story and that she thinks he is kind. He has repeated both to me several times, saying, “Wasn’t that good?”

Jack excels in tactile, building projects. The downside to this is that he doesn’t like to share and he gets angry when anybody tries to interfere with his creations. We see this at home. I can empathize with him even if I do wish for the benefit of his social interactions that he was a little less rigid in this area. The teacher has observed that he knows his stuff, but he often rushes through because he’d rather play than do the “work” side of school. He sees no need to flaunt what he knows. She was most impressed by his ability to construct letters using the Geoboard and rubber bands in record time. He has the spatial skills to know how to switch from one letter to another without deconstructing the whole thing. For example, he started with “E,” and figured out to easily make “F,” “L,” and “U” by turning the board or removing only one band. He clearly doesn’t get this skill from me. He is a silly dude who is also very sweet.

Thomas she described as a model student. He learns things quickly and loves to learn. He will also help others as they learn. He loves to find a challenge and bring his friends along with him to solve it, like with puzzles. She was surprised by how much he gravitates toward art, as usually kids with concrete thinking (and strong sports/physical skills) don’t lean toward the arts. He sounds kind of annoying and obnoxious, doesn’t he? That’s what his sister would say!

All three were encouraged to work on upper body strength. As I know from meeting with some OTs, this leads to increased fine motor skills. Hopefully some wheelbarrow races, tree climbing, and baseball this spring will help.

My final thought is to share some favorite moments of the last few months. James has been so sweet and kind and he loves to give me hugs and request hugs. He has also taken an interest in Savannah and likes to make sure she’s fed and petted sufficiently. He has a growing tenderness and sensitivity that really makes me smile. He is also a great sports fan. It has been fun watching football with him and seeing how invested he is in his favored teams (Panthers and Broncos) winning.

Jack has matured in many ways. He’s made some rapid advances with his speech therapy and I can see the confidence it has given him. He also likes to be helpful and shows responsibility. He will usually do what I ask him to do and even comes up with ways to serve the family (like emptying lunchboxes) without being asked. I’m also encouraged that he’s been more expressive and affectionate and also more interested in interacting with his brothers. He still likes his time alone, but it doesn’t feel like he excludes himself in ways he might have before.

Thomas is an incredible ball of energy. He goes ALL day long and then crashes in an instant. His zest for life is most evident these days in his ball playing…usually football. He has quite an arm and will ask any willing person to play catch with him. He even found a girl on the playground who showed a slight interest in football and he patiently taught her the basics. Ask Thomas any of the scores from the Panthers’ games this season and chances are he knows it. Thomas can challenge me because I like things quiet and he is anything but that. He recently narrated an entire game of War while we played. He said ten words to my one. These aren’t bad traits to have, but I need to take mom breaks! Thomas has noticed James and Jack being more intentional about showing and wanting affection from me. So, he has created his own game of getting a hug from me. These boys can even turn hugging into a competition.

I truly love this stage with these three special boys!

Read Full Post »

Jack, James, and Thomas are 5 1/4 years-old

These age breakdowns are sort of arbitrary, but at least it keeps this poor blogger from shutting things down altogether.

The boys have really had a great start to their final year before Kindergarten. I am so grateful we have had this extra time for them and I don’t regret the decision to delay their start of school one bit. They are in a class of six boys (yes, they are half the class). Their teacher is very experienced and seems to be the perfect fit for what they need. I couldn’t ask for more. They seem to be learning a lot, having fun, and just enjoying this season of life.

They also started team soccer in September. They have done an amazing job and they love it. They are almost half of the team (are you seeing a theme here?). Occasionally, the coach will have all three play together up front on offense. It’s a blast to watch. James considers himself the soccer star of the family. He is aggressive, very competitive, has good footwork, and is pretty accurate with his shots. Jack is the defensive specialist. He loves to get right up into his opponent’s space and disrupt plays. He’s also a decent goalie, as he moves quickly. Thomas uses his speed to his advantage as he can get down to stop the opponents very quickly. He also has a strong leg, and he’s been known to punt the ball way down field when he’s in goal. He says he’s an excellent goalie, and he is, but he is also a strong athlete. Because of his speed and eagerness, he often misses the ball or has inaccurate shots. With a bit more time devoted to perfecting his footwork, he should be a great player, too. It has been fun to see each boy excel in unique ways, make improvements, and to see each score some goals! We also appreciate anything that wears them out!

In a more general sense, it’s been fun to see how the boys have built up some stamina. We don’t need to worry about naps, we can do outings that last all day without meltdowns, they can trick or treat in full force, and play nonstop with their friends on the playground. In essence, we are having more fun than ever. That’s not to say we don’t see our fair share of fights and disagreements, but it’s nice to see more fun times emerging.

….And, it only gets more fun as we head into the holidays…

Read Full Post »

5th Birthday Letters

Happy Birthday Day #5, James!

You are such a special boy and we are grateful to celebrate with you today.

You have truly enjoyed this year. School was a highlight for you and you chose to build relationships with some sweet little boys. Sports are also huge for you. You were very coachable in T-ball, as you paid close attention to your coaches’ instructions and strived to take their feedback seriously. You are very competitive and you tend to drop out of races or bend rules so that you don’t have to face losing. This is most noticeable between you and Thomas, who are both eager to play soccer, basketball, football, or any other game you come up with in the driveway.

Your love of sports also carries over to spectating. You watch from the sidelines of any game you can find and you also watch ANY sport on TV, especially with dad. You were an avid fan of World Cup soccer this summer. You didn’t want to miss a game and you’d watch every play.

You are a thoughtful observer in touching ways, too. You are sensitive to the needs of those around you and you often surprise us with subtle “I love yous” and hugs when we least expect them.

Your most distinguishing characteristic is your ability to be direct and determined. You never leave us guessing at what you are thinking or feeling. It’s helpful that you keep us well aware of your needs and we will continue to work with you on how to express them.

This spring, you surprised us and brought us great joy when you discussed with us about how to ask Jesus to be in your heart. You very sincerely made that commitment and you routinely reference your developing relationship to God. Your prayers and awareness of God have seemed more profound in recent months. We are proud of this milestone in your life and we are eager to help you grow and develop in your faith life.

On your boys’ weekend, Daddy taught you three values of being a Barry boy: humility, confidence and perseverance. You also said that you wanted to be brave.  You have shown bravery by talking with visitors at Waypoint, learning to swim, and exploring new things.

You are starting to read some words. It is fun for us to see you work through this process. It’s amazing how much you grow and change at this stage!

Thanks for your energy and your devotion to our family. We love you!

Mom and Dad

******************************************************************

Happy 5^th Birthday, Thomas!

You have been looking forward to your birthday for the past several weeks. We can’t tell exactly what you’re excited about (party, gifts, cake?), but we appreciate your enthusiasm.

Excitement and enthusiasm are central themes in your life. You’re an “all-in” “all-the-time” kind of kid. For the most part, this is endearing and you make friends easily and interact with adults well. It also means your feelings are often hurt and you get disappointed easily. Being a passionate child has its ups and downs.

You have had more conflict with your brothers recently and we sometimes struggle to help you figure out how to handle your emotions. And, as social as you are, you often have moments where you appear quite “shy” and embarrassed. Yet, you recently moved into your own room after sharing with Jack for a year. You seemed to need a little bit more sleep than James and Jack, so this has been a good move for you. We are proud of how well you shared your space with Jack and we love the bond you two formed during the year together.

On your boys’ weekend, Daddy taught you three values of being a Barry boy: humility, confidence and perseverance. You also said that you wanted to be strong. Strength is found not just in muscles but also in self-restraint. This will be a challenge for you as your emotions can drive your decisions but you are beginning to show strength of character.

You’re at a stage where you are excelling at many things. We keep waiting for you to meet a big challenge, but so far you keep pressing through. You do well at and enjoy school and art and you are starting to read fairly well. You take after your big sister in this regard and she likes to encourage you. You are also quite the sportsman these days. Your t-ball coach commented on your natural ability and suggested that you keep playing baseball. You are fast in running races, you have a strong throwing arm (football and baseball), you hit a 100-yd drive while golfing with Papa, you can shoot baskets on a 7ft hoop both forwards and backwards, and you have recently learned to swim and ride your bike. Any wonder you sleep well at night! Our challenge is to figure out how to channel your energy and help you determine what to do with your talents.

In your faith life, you are very good at memorizing scripture, asking important questions, and you seem to have a good understanding of the concepts we are teaching you. We hope that you will continue to grow and develop your own relationship with God.

We are thankful for all of the joy you bring to our home. You, along with daddy, have a very special role in keeping our home fun and goofy. We can’t wait to see all that awaits you this year.

 

Love,

Mom and Dad

 

******************************************************************

Dear Jack,

Happy 5^th Birthday!  What a big milestone.

You have had some major breakthroughs in your development the past few months. We are delighted to see your progress with speech and social skills. You seem to be whining and isolating yourself less and your smiley and light-hearted side has emerged.

On your boys’ weekend, Daddy taught you three values of being a Barry boy: humility, confidence and perseverance. You also said that you wanted to show kindness. You have grown tremendously in kindness as you enjoy playing with others. Most impressive is the shift towards kindness with Ellie as you have worked hard to find more ways to connect. We love to see how the two of you can work as a team to complete projects and use your similarities for good instead of to create conflict.

Thomas has been your roommate for most of your four-year-old year. In May, we switched and James became your new roomie. You handled all of the changes well and it is impressive to see how you have been able to adapt to new personalities and routines.  You’ve built unique and special bonds with both Thomas and James.

You get quickly disinterested with letters, reading, and writing, but you really shine at math. You love when Daddy gives you story problems to work through. You are also extremely passionate about NASCAR. You asked us to print you a chart of all the drivers and their numbers. Dale Earnhardt Jr. (#88) and Jeff Gordon (#24) are your favorite drivers.  You would love to go to a race and you would especially like to be a NASCAR driver one day. Or, if that doesn’t work out, you’d like to be a policeman.

You came to enjoy t-ball, even though at first you weren’t sure. This, summer, you and your brothers got into watching the World Cup soccer. You had convinced yourself that you aren’t a good kicker and would often ask to be goalie when you guys would start to play a game. However, once you tried it you were able to keep up and show some solid skills. It was clear that you are hard on yourself and don’t believe in yourself.  But, with a little encouragement, you were thrilled with your abilities.  Therefore, you showed great perseverance as you learned to enjoy things that at first you didn’t.

Our hope for you this year is that you will continue to make the progress that you are demonstrating. We love seeing the boy you are becoming and we know great things are in store for you. We also hope that your faith life with start to become your own and not simply part of the family ritual.

We are eager to come alongside you this next year as you prepare for Kindergarten. We are excited about all that you will learn and we are grateful for more time to be with you before you take that leap.

With love, bear hugs, and a sweet Jack-style kiss-

Mom and Dad

Read Full Post »

Celebrating 4 1/2 years of Jack, James, and Thomas

4 1/2 is an age I’d like to go back and relive. The development is rapid and fascinating, and life is fun without yet having the routine and pressures of the school years. I’m truly enjoying getting to live life with the boys at this stage.  

That statement alone shows progress in our lives and my mindset. Progress is also not banging my head against the wall when faced with consecutive snow days and realizing it is actually easier to be home than rushing around with the usual routine. Progress in our lives has also come in the form of their growing independence and self-directed play. They don’t look to me to entertain them and they don’t really need me, they just need to know I’m there to settle disputes or provide momentary assistance with a task. This freedom brings me peace.

All three boys are thriving at school. They seem to get a great mix of learning and fun. Without too much consideration to the contrary, we are going to have the boys in a Transitional Kindergarten preschool class next year instead of starting them in Kindergarten (which they will then start the following year—Fall 2015—at Ellie’s school). Academically, they would be fine to start, but the added maturity will serve them well when they start Kindergarten after their 6th birthday. And, I don’t think any of us are ready for the commitment it will be for them to be at school for 8 hours a day.  

I recently learned about four personality types that are loosely based on Myers Briggs types, but define them in terms of animal names and traits. It is helpful, not so much to label people, but to understand how each of us are uniquely designed to bring a set of gifts to our family team. Interestingly, we often hear that our kids have “such different personalities.” In focusing on these animal traits, I learned that it is not just perception, but that they each have distinct characteristics, as I will mention below.  

Jack

Jack appears to be a Beaver, because he is precise, organized, perfectionistic, and cautious in friendships.

Jack continues in speech therapy. He makes progress, but it is amazing the depth of his issues and the challenge speech is for him. It carries over to his letter of the week work at school. He just doesn’t understand how the letters correspond to words. Knowing that his medical and neurological issues are likely the cause helps a little, but it is frustrating for us (and probably for him) to not be able to perform to his level of intelligence. I trust it will come. We are not a patient family.   

The good thing is that Jack is very good with numbers and has found an area where he can be successful. He also loves to build things–especially using Legos and Magformers. He and Thomas share these interests and have sweet time together in their room working on such projects.  

Being the rule-follower that he is, Jack often tells us when his brothers get in trouble at school. Thomas and James hate this, of course, but we appreciate the details while also hoping to diminish tattling.  

James

We believe that James has the traits of a Golden Retriever: loyal (we see this more and more in his affection toward and interaction with us), desires peace, and has lower energy (needs quiet to regroup and needs to nap).

James is starting to recognize some sight words, which I attribute to the time and attention Ellie gives him, especially as they read together in the early mornings. He likes reading and making connections between stories and plots.  

James LOVES football and contact sports. He and Thomas have to have several rounds of tackle football daily to make the day complete. There is some competitive sense apparent in these interactions, but also there seems to be some innate need to tackle and hit. Admittedly, I don’t really understand this, but I accept it as normal and pray for there to be no injuries.

Thomas

I have Thomas’ personality figured out well. He has traits of an Otter. Thomas is very social and gets noticed by other kids more than James and Jack (which will probably be a challenge for them once they realize this). His need to be where the action is can get him in trouble because he will copy what others are doing. His fun-loving personality means he dresses creatively and doesn’t get from point A to B by walking in an orderly fashion. Instead, he will skip, walk backwards, side shuffle, etc. Every family needs a fun character like this, but it poses interesting parenting challenges.

Like James, Thomas is really into letters of the week at school. He likes to come up with hard and thoughtful words that correspond to the letter. It’s really fun for me to be a part of this. Thomas also likes to retell stories and has a good memory of events. He recently retold a story of James falling off his bike last summer. I was surprised that he had a memory of something not about him and that dated back more than six months.  

______________________________

All three boys will start baseball this spring. Jack is not particularly interested, but I admire his practical sense to try it since we all have to be there anyway. It could be interesting.  

As always, I end with a sense of joy and gratitude that seems to overshadow the hard and ugly places that emerge far more often than I’d like to admit. We truly have been given a gift to parent these three special boys.  

 

****For more on the personality types, visit http://smalley.cc/images/Personality-Test1.pdf

Read Full Post »

The 4 1/4 year-olds

Four years-old is turning out to be a sweet spot, as we’d been promised by other parents of multiples. The boys seem a little more secure and independent, and we are having increased moments of fun together. All of the children seem more adaptable, too, so it’s nice to be freed from the feeding, sleeping, and napping schedules that once ruled our lives.

Jack, James, and Thomas are notably more energetic and loud the past few months. I have to force them outside a lot, as our “open” floor plan gives me little peace when they get wound up. They have also taken to wrestling and tackling each other. It seems that every sport has the sole purpose of tackling another person…forget scoring points! Naturally, this increases the bumps, bruises, and hurt feelings.

Speaking of sports, James is most happy when he’s doing anything athletic. This is nothing new, of course, but I see how much we need to channel this enthusiasm for him and how removing the activities as a consequence would be a very powerful disciplinary tool. Thomas also enjoys playing sports, but his passions are broad—art, for another—which make him distinct from James. All three boys are doing Soccer Shots this fall at their school. Being surrounded by their peers has been very fun for them and they have taken to it well, even Jack. When Jack scored a goal, the elation on his face was priceless. He knows he’s not as strong as his brothers in sports (nor as interested, really), so he had great pride in scoring a goal before they did and he definitely wanted to see our approval. It helps all of their soccer skills by sitting on the sidelines for many of Ellie’s games. I think they pick up a lot of the rules and strategy from that.

All three boys are LOVING school this year. This is a huge change for Jack, in particular. I don’t know what the difference is, but it sure gives me peace knowing that they want to be at school more than I need them there. It’s a win-win for sure. They are learning to write their names and enjoying the “Letter of the Week” activities. It’s interesting to see how quickly they learn and grasp concepts that were difficult just weeks ago. The only negative thing from school has been an increase in aggressive and potty-talk behavior, seen most prominently in James and Thomas. A class of nine boys and three girls lends itself to a lot of copycat behavior and silliness. It could be worse, but we are definitely learning, already, how important it is to teach them how to speak respectfully even when those around them don’t. Kindness and respect are big themes around here that we can’t seem to drive home enough.

In the midst of all of this has been Wes’ change in jobs, which means he’s been around a bit more. The boys seem to benefit from this in distinct ways. These are crucial years in their development and having an actively involved father goes a long way. We are thankful for Wes’ heart for his family and for the timing of this season. We are grateful for the place we are in and that we are enjoying the boys so much. For a long while, it was all about survival. Now, we—as a family of six—are thriving. The days and weeks are up and down, but we like the trajectory we are on.

Read Full Post »

4-year-old stats

These cuties had their 4-year well visits this week. Each boy got to go with me on a separate day. It’s amusing to see their differences in handling the experiences. Jack was fairly talkative and active. He was very upset by the shots. Thomas was very quiet and reserved, which is completely out of character for him. He was so set in not being expressive that he didn’t make a peep during the shots…as if to prove a point. James was very sweet and agreeable. He started getting nervous about the shots early on after having heard back reports from the other two and remembering the fateful visit a few months ago when all if them got shots and were screaming. James cried and begged the nurse not to give the shots to him. Once the shots were done, he stopped crying.

Thankfully, all are well and there are no concerns.

Here are their growth stats:
Jack: 39in (25%); 33lb (21%)
Thomas: 40.5in (49%); 37lb (56%)
James: 40.75in (55%); 37lb (56%)

All of these stats and the differences between them are obvious to us. Good to have it confirmed.

Read Full Post »