Riordan and Teagan's Christmas Program

Riordan was having a most rough day yesterday. Lots of congestion and he got sick at school. They called me to come get him and once I was there, his teacher goes, I'm so sorry, but I don't think he's sick! I explained to her that his SPD cause him to have gag issues and with coughing and congestion and on top of it all, the anxiety of the performance in the evening, he just really didn't stand a chance.

So he and I stayed, watched his class practice and then Teagan's class practice and then got Teagan and came home. I really was trying to get him all excited for it, but even when he got there he said how sick he was and he wasn't going to do it. Then his other teacher Ms. Marty, who really gets him and can get him to do ANYTHING!, got him and excited and then it was a non issue!

It was a long night, as we had two performance times to do with Teagan in the first and Riordan in the second, but they both were adorable and did great. All their classmates infact! It was a wonderful night that ended with a visit from Santa and NO tears from anyone! Aislinn was hesitant at first but after 30 seconds she quickly warmed up.

Make sure you see them all ;-)

I made four postings today to catch up!

Girls Holiday Recital

The girls had their holiday dance recital this past Wednesday. Mike and I got to see both performances!

Teagan's was to Frosty the Snowman, she had no voice and a break in fever, and was fabulous!!

Aislinn's was to Wiggles Christmas and she was overwhelmed with all of us in the room and cried at first. Then when the music played she did a few movements but really just wanted me to hold her.

It was so fun to watch them both and they seemed to have a lot of fun as well. I have video and trying to figure out how to upload it since Youtube changes the quality...

RIordan's 5th birthday Pictures

Enjoying his big day!

He plays hard, it shows ;-)

Where the Birthday Prince sits!

Blowing out his candles with his dear friend Matthew right by his side!

His school party, he got a Birthday crown and pick from the treasure box.. he picked gold money ;-)

AND MORE PICS!

A few from the Polar Express

So excited! Notice out this window and the rail with the red lights and then the second to last picture with snow, pretty neat on the transformation!

Time to go to the North Pole!

So much fun on the train!

Snow!!

Matching outfits from Grammy and Papa ;-)

AND MORE PICS

Riordan turned 5 on December 8th but wait!

It has been nothing but sickness and utter inner chaos for me for 3 weeks :(

First! We had Riordan's birthday party on Dec 5th! So much fun!! His friends were so wonderful helping him celebrate such a momentous occasion and he was genuinely overjoyed the entire day. So happy for him!

So, I have had vertigo for 2 weeks exactly today, my SI Dysfunction struck up this past Thursday when Mike left town. The kids, except for Caden, were all sick with fevers, croup, ER visits, 2 am steam showers, throwing up, Tylenol chewables, missing school and pj's all week long.

And Riordan turned 5! Thankfully he wasn't sick yet, but did the very next day...

The week before, Thanksgiving week, I came home from Atlanta, sick. Fighting a sinus infection, I got to go out with a dear friend, Rebecca who was in town the night before Turkey day. Thankfully, Mike and I agreed getting AJ's to cater our dinner would be most wise. The food was fabulous but it was too much, in quantity. And the kids didn't really eat it. So from now on, no turkey.. Just going to grill steaks! I will make my potatoes and asparagus and there will be no food thrown away!

So back to Thanksgiving. That night, while sitting on the couch, I lean over to pick up Teagan and because of the way I was sitting, I torqued my back!! I couldn't move and was in the most scariest kind of pain. Not like my SI back pain, but ' I think I just did something that requires surgery' pain. We have Polar Express on that Saturday to go with our zoo and Uncle John, Aunt Amy, and Maddy!! This can't be happening!!!

Mike calls my PT and gets me in on Friday afternoon. Thankfully by the time my appointment had come around I finally could move, still with pain, but not excruciating.

But it's gets 'even better'.

Friday night Caden has his very first sleep over with his friend Michael. They both have been looking forward to it for weeks

Then Mike came down with the flu Friday night. We are still going!! I decided he can just sleep while I drive the whole way there and back, with my back in pain and a sinus infection.

We go to Polar Express and it was SO MUCH FUN! It was fantastic as much as Mike and I felt so horrible! We even got snow as we came off our trip to the North Pole. So much that the next morning there was plenty to play in!! It was sooooo cold, but the children absolutely loved it and I was so thankfully I thought ahead to bring gloves, snow jackets and hats!

As we were driving home and coming off the mountain, that's when the vertigo began for me. All the change of pressure I'm sure and the infection taking me down. Bad bad week for me. I put my life on complete hold and it's still on semi-hold. How can this work during the busiest time of the year not only for the Holidays but because my boys have their birthdays?!

But, I have amazing girls in my life both friends and helpers that I have relied on so much for the first time in my life, asking for help AND accepting it when offered. And that is how it has worked.

Yesterday was our much anticipated Boot Camp Babes Holiday Fundraiser: Babes for Babies. We raised money for Maggie's Place and had an adult evening in sophisticated attire and elegant dining with the girls and their hubbies. It was a night to remember and we raised a lot of money for a wonderful organization!! So proud of the entire affair!

This week will get busy so to begin at the beginning ;-)

Monday, Mike has a dinner meeting so I will be on my own all day with the zoo.

Tuesday we will celebrate Caden's birthday at school, a week early due to events and Holiday things all week at his school.

Tuesday evening, Riordan and Teagan have their Christmas Celebration at school where they will sing Christmas Carole's. So excited for this!

Wednesday Caden has Polar Express day at school! All day! PJ's, the book, hot chocolate, cookies and the movie in the afternoon! So fun! That night Mike has yet another dinner meeting.

Thursday, the last day of school before Christmas break, Mike and I are making Gingerbread houses with Riordan and Teagan at their school and then heading to Caden's school for their Holiday party/presentation of songs. And a much over due date night that evening for us.

Friday we take a breath.

Saturday is Caden's birthday party with his friends and then Saturday night is a birthday celebration for a friend's 40th birthday!!

Sunday, YES it's not over! I have BCB's Holiday Ornament and cookie exchange in the evening

Monday: CADEN turns 7! Weeeee!!

So the latest and greatest with the children:

Caden: They won the Superbowl for his football team and this past Saturday they had a SUPREMACY bowl. Both winning SE Chandler leagues played against each other and Caden's team won!! They got trophy's and medals and of course bragging rights. ;-) Caden and his friend Dominick move up in age groups so it will probably be challenging for them! It will be nice I think.

Riordan: Still trying to find a niche' for him.. He did not do piano after all and we even tried a general music class but he was too anxious about it :( He is a builder, loves to do Legos, and he loves to play the Wii. He is pretty good for just turning 5 if I do say myself. So not sure what to do with him now. I feel bad he doesn't have an activity. He is however, very happy these days, and I love love watching him at school because he is nothing but one big smile and lots of laughter. Just joy!

Teagan: She has just blossomed both at school and at dance. She is registered to do cheerleading while Caden plays football but she is now saying she doesn't want to do it! Of course ;-) She cracks me up lately she has become quite the little comedian. AND she is finally into her hair! She let's me blow it dry and she requests brushing and pretties now! YAY!! Today is the first time she request a dress for church, but I don't know what's happened, I don't have any! LOL Time to go shopping I guess! She is such a good big sister and is very thoughtful of everyone in our family. She is still the boss too!

Aislinn: Has been calling Naked, 'Caden' for about a month now. And Ju Ju, Julie and Jo Jo, Josie. She literally woke up one day and it was as if she had always been doing it. Caden of course was thrilled. Her foot is very healed too! On Thanksgiving day she walked, and without her boot, after two weeks from her fall! It was like a Christmas Miracle, ha! It was painful for her and to watch, but she was so proud and exclaimed, Me walking! Me Walking! Today, she is back to running and no hint of pain in her foot. So thankful for great care and insight from my friend and her doctor!

So I lay in bed, now for a few hours, praying for complete healing in my back and for the vertigo to go away. I got really down in the dumps with everything, but I am thankful for the roof over my house and food on my table. I know I will heal and I know life will get back on track ;-)

It's been a week

Since Aislinn fell from the step stool and really hurt her foot.. I was certain it was a bad sprain, but kept thinking of my friend Tracy's little girl some time ago, and how she got hurt and they never thought she had broken her leg. But she had, and in two places!

So another friend of mine works for a Foot Surgeon and had us come in Friday for x-rays, it's been 24 hrs now and she won't bear any weight on her foot, and sent us to be fitted for a boot and to return on Monday to speak with the doctor.

She does not have a visible break on the x-rays, but it was discovered that she has cysts in her heel bone, read here about them, which is a weakness to begin with and can hairline fracture as well as her growth plate where her ankle and leg come together. She has the typical bruising of a sprained ankle and swelling to go with it so it's quite possible.

Our course of action: She should be walking in 1 to 2 weeks in her boot, which she's to stay in at all time, and then walking without it in about 3. Now at week 1, she has no desire to still walk or put her foot down for that matter.

IF she does not walk in 3 weeks, she will be sent in for a CT scan and then hard casted most likely. He does not think her needs will be surgical at this point.

Now when she's 14 we will be doing an x-ray to be sure the cysts in her heel have dissolved. If not she will require surgery so she won't break her heel playing sports. We would have never known she had this unless she got injured! Crazy!

Also, what an amazing girl she is! She crawls everywhere dragging her boot with her! She can vault up on the couch or a chair on her good leg with never putting weight on her booted leg! She did dance class today and never once felt left out or complained she couldn't do what her friends were doing. Let me tell you how eye opening this lesson was for me today and my stress fracture issues! She's determined to still live life with her injury and not letting it get her down. AND when she needs help to get around, she simply ask for it, unless she's tired and then the crabby crabs come in ;-) She has been so easy about this though and I am immensely impressed! Praying she can start walking on the boot soon and not have to go any further with treatment....

Pictures

Here are a few pictures of the zoo lately and a link to the rest!!

Lots to update on! This is a long one!

I am able to take the time to update this past month because Riordan has sweet friends from school over and the girls are enthralled with all the boys! Also Mike is home for just today before he goes back out on the road tomorrow morning. One more week of travel and we will have him home for the rest of the year! Hooray!!

Yesterday:

We had dentist appointments for the three olders and I took them by myself! It was by far the best experience ever! I was very organized with the dental tecs and made sure that Teagan went first, then Riordan and Caden at the same time. Riordan and Teagan did EVERYTHING asked of them and didn't cry AND had fun! I was almost in tears I was so proud and felt we had a huge breakthrough for Riordan!! OT is still paying off and so glad we did it! Results:

Caden's first adult molars are in and we had no idea! They came in the last 6 months and he never noticed! He has a cavity in a baby molar and will be getting sealants on the new adult teeth.

Teagan has her first two cavity's in her back upper molars. Pretty deep, but we are going to attempt nitrous for the visit since she did SO well for this one. Dr. Welch is fast and great, so we trust his recommendations.

Riordan is completely cavity free! So awesome!

Needless to say, I was so impressed with them all that we went to Target and got new Wii games AND they were buy two get one free! Score for everyone!

Halloween:

Aislinn got the croup the day before and was feeling pretty bad. So Mike took Caden to Football and I stayed home with the three olders.. We had to miss Trunk or Treat at R and T's school in order to save up energy for Trick or Treating. They had such a great time! We hit the same houses as last year and then sat out on our porch handing out candy. This year was the first time the weather was so incredible that I think it brought more people out! I couldn't believe how many people we saw! We had to start rationing candy because we would have run out at the rate we were giving it out.

The day before Halloween:

Mike and I took everyone to the zoo. He flew in that morning and I kept Caden out of school. We have all been missing him badly with his constant travel schedule and took the time to have a family day during the week. Mike had never been to the zoo before, so it was fun to do things with him, like get TWO double strollers so no one complained, and do the hiking trails. A lot of construction going on at the zoo, so some things we couldn't see. We are so excited for the Komodo dragon exhibit to open, in the next week if I remember! Then we went to Oregano's for dinner, so yummy and came home and played the Wii. They love that so much!

Aislinn had a very rough night that night. I felt so bad for her, but boy do showers work with croup and she had a cold so she was snooky too! So not humid out here, so that didn't help. She still has a croupy cough today.

Last week was full of play dates and normal crazy busy stuff. We got to spend time with our dear friends, the St. Geme's and Riordan got to go to his buddy Matthew's house after school on Wednesday.

Caden has been excelling in football scoring touch downs, interceptions, safety's, flag pulls galore. We are broke ;-)

Teagan and Aislinn absolutely love their dance lessons and are doing great and improving each week with their skills, so impressive!

Riordan is taking his first piano lesson on Saturday and we are so excited! Hoping that he enjoys it so he can do it every week ;-)

What else... Caden had his Fall Festival a couple of Saturday's ago and it was an awesome turn out. The moms did an amazing job organizing with great items to raffle for and all the vendors were fun for the kids! Dunk the Teacher was the best I think ;)

Medical update:

Aislinn had her first skin test for her allergies and passed with soaring colors! However, dust mites and dog came up for the first time. We had to get her blood drawn to do the second phase of clearance and we are waiting on those results. She was a perfect patient getting that done, so impressed! She sat still and did everything she was told to do. I'm just impressed with the children all the time lately!

I had my DXA scan, which is a bone density test and I came out great results as well. So my recurrence of stress fractures are simply not enough healing time! YAY! 7 more months to go LOL, oh well...

And the next posting under this is about my San Fran trip with the girls which was an amazing time. I have been writing it for a couple of weeks now and still not done.. but soon, soon I will be!

Pics from Michael's visit

Mario Kart Racing all weekend

Michael going for it

His love, rocket launching. His first ever, dirt devils!

They even got hit by one! He loved every minute of it!

Nice shot by Marco ;-)

Camel Riding!

At the Zebra's

The only picture Riordan would take :(

Michael showing the turtles and fish in the lake

My 'first' boys ;-)

Pics from Ailsinn's birthday party

Birthday Princess, she is just so yummy!

Yo Gabba Gabba Cake

She's been practicing blowing her candle for weeks and she did it in one shot!

First time I have ever seen her like cake!

Sweet Marcie made this tu tu for her

Cousin's

and more pics here

SO much!

To update on!

We had a wonderful visit with my nephew Michael this past weekend. He was truly such a joy to have and I am just amazed at his intelligence and what a wonderful young man he is turning into! How neat it was to have him without his siblings and how wonderful it was to see him smiling and laughing all day long.

He's so into astronomy, following satellites and the planets, and taught us so much and how to see them in the sky! He got to do all but one of his rocket launches. We think he was afraid to do the last one because there were a few casualties on some. One was Nicolas's rocket and it exploded ;-)

We took him to the zoo where he and Caden rode a camel for the first time ever! They were so cute. Caden really was Michael's shadow, just so interested in everything he did. I'm sure quite a change from his siblings who as we know, siblings fight more than adore each other ;-)

We were so sad to see him go and can not wait till we see each other again.

So updates:

I think I'm at peace to go on the SF trip and watch everyone run a race that once again I am not able to run. Thankfully my friend Kristi will be there with me and we have decided that it would be to hard for me to be at the finish line so we will wait for everyone back at the hotel or around the start line. I don't think my heart can take watching a 5th race in a year that I couldn't run in due to my legs. I am planning on hopefully the week I'm back to renting a bike so I can see if it's something I want to do.

So Kristi and I will eat and shop ;-) I can't wait!

Mike is working so hard and so much and will be out of town the next two weeks in Colorado. Thankfully Jo Jo's schedule will change to our favor so I will have a lot more help around the house and sanity breaks! And we have Ju Ju on nights for a bit until she gets a new job! Boy have we missed her! I am covered and can use that time to either work or work out on the elliptical.

Caden only one slightly lose tooth. He is growing his hair out to be cool like all the boys with the longer do's. We will see how long we can put up with it. We have been on Fall break, in week two now, and I think we are all bored and ready to get back to routine.

Riordan is really into play Lego.com games. He just loves to build legos and is infatuated with anything related to it lately. Our latest need is to find his Christmas outfit, because he got upset with me for getting the girls dresses and not him. He's so sensitive or ungrateful maybe? ;-) to this kind of thing. So being frustrated with them all yelling at me one night, saying I NEVER get them anything and I'm a mean mom, I taught them about the starving people in Africa. I told them a lot, how they are starving, have no homes, no Wii, no milk, no icecream, etc. How bad people kicked them out of their homes and how their country isn't taking care of them. How Missionaries have gone to help them. I even showed them pictures. Boy did they change their tunes in a HEARTBEAT! Caden immediately want to ship them all his clothes that don't fit anymore so they don't have to be naked and they all prayed so hard for them. Teagan wanted to know their names! So now anytime anyone utters ungratefulness, I simply say the children of Africa. It has worked!

Teagan is officially out of pull ups for a week now! She was so proud of herself! We took her on an ice cream date to celebrate it! She is missing her school and classmates so much on this break and demands to do homework everyday. We did get back to dance yesterday and she was awesome. Just so adorable!

Aislinn had a poop break through and now is completely potty trained! What a delight and SHE is so proud of herself! I went and bought her a big My Little Pony as a reward and she treasured it! Just turned 2 and we are just amazed by her. She is such a big kid ;-)

I'm off to pack for my trip and clean up the house. Pedicure later this afternoon and pick up essentials!

Hanging up the running shoes

It has been the hardest year I have ever had for my physical health and after a visit with my doctor yesterday, I will be hanging up my running shoes for some time after the Nike Women's 1/2 marathon.

After doing more research and talking with him, tibial stress fractures actually take up to a year to heal. He recommends no running for 9 months and to take up biking and swimming (I am so not a strong swimmer).

I am trying to handle this all very well.

I don't like being told I can't do something, but my body didn't get the proper time to heal and I'm frustrated that my initial doctor told me differently and sent me on my way.

I have just been able to start using the elliptical with no pain this week and just for 30 mins at a time every other day. Sigh..

This is very difficult, although I am taking it better this time around, but I still hate not being able to get out and just run! It's so mind-freeing and stress-relieving for me.

I am going in for a bone density scan, as soon as we get our insurance cards, and doing a blood draw as well to look for calcium and Vitamin D deficiencies. I am lactose intolerant so I don't get in the calcium I know I should be getting so he wants to gauge exactly how low they may be, although Vit D should be fine since we live in the Valley of the Sun. I am thankful that Dr. T is running all these tests to rule out everything other than not enough healing time.

AND The fall I endured with Teagan, the day after my stress fractures showed back up, caused permanent tissue damage in my thigh muscle. Basically, I have a dent in my leg from the injury and it will never fill back in again because the trauma was so intense it compressed my muscle and permanently. WILD! So now there goes my career as a thigh model.

On a completely other note, we had school conferences for all three olders this week and I was SO impressed and here I brag by my own right ;-)

Teagan: Is the only one who can write a letter of her name on the first day and is considered very mature for her age even with her high anxiety of being away from me. She is engaging in the classroom with her peers and having finally talking to her teachers! Her academic skills are considered to be above level for her age and already will have no issues graduating to Pre-K next year! Her teacher, Mrs. Karin, is just so amazing and rather cool really. I love her teaching style, her mannerism with the children, and her look on life! She's a mom and just really gets it and this is truly her gift to teach children. Teagan LOVEs to do homework and is so proud to turn it in for a sticker ;-)

Riordan: Is doing really well academically in class and is finally engaging as well with his peers and 'sharing' feelings and thoughts in circle time! They exclaimed how much he has grown since August and love having him in their classroom! When I asked about his speech and understanding him, they were quick to say they can't understand him when he's excited and that I should talk to our doctor if he needs more speech therapy. That to me screams a yes, so as soon as we get our cards, we will set up a re-eval for him. He has only had one bad day at school with his anxiety and I am so proud of him! He loves loves to do homework and is so detail oriented with every aspect of school from taking out his folder to coloring in the lines.

Caden: Got a soaring report and words we have heard before. He is every one's friend, a leader, but not in a bossy kind of way, but in a peace keeping kind of a way. He is extremely helpful in the classroom with his teacher and his friends and always accepts challenges that come his way. He is at second grade level for reading, in the advance reading group for his room, and is on target for math, science, and writing skills. He does get tired and can be inconsistent in his work, so that is an area we are working on. Also, his misbehavior in class has been rectified, which was when he engaged in classroom talks he was very loud and silly, so we have had no more issues since those two weeks.

Mike and I got to do Teagan and Riordan's assessments together, which was neat, because he's never been for any. We are both so proud of our children and feel like as much as rearing children can be hard, tiring, taxing, difficult and frustrating at times, we are enlightened that we are doing a great job as parents to be raising well rounded children! It was a fun day to hear everything and see their work in progress!

Aislinn is 2!

As of this past Tuesday she turned two!

We had a fun filled day with just breakfast for her and I at Mimi's Cafe, a shopping trip to Nordstrom Rack and then dinner that night at Fire Fire, aka Hon Machi, with the whole family!

She was so adorable and just so fun to spend such great quality time with!

Every where we went friends were telling her Happy Birthday!

Picture this!

Sunday:

We are driving home from church and asking Aislinn what noises certain animals make. Of course all the zoo members feel they must chime in. When we get to "What does a duck say" we here a lot of 'quacks' but one very loud "AFLAC!" from Riordan! It was hilarious! Now of course to get him to do it again is embarrassing for him ;-)

Sunday as well:

Aislinn all of sudden remembers what Miss Kerrie Lee taught her in dance class last week. Two thumbs up and a "I liiiikkkkeeeee iiittttttt" It's so adorable! And she also adds "Miss Kerrie Lee says 'Jump, Jump, Jump!" and she jumps! I have got to get all this on video!

Monday:

Caden woke up with a fever, major congestion and cough and just plain ole icky. So he stayed home. Mike was still around to drive Riordan to school and Teagan, Aislinn, and I went on a play date to her new friend Ella's house! It was so much fun! They have a lot of the same toys ;-) So funny to hear them talk about it. Ella's mom is so wonderful and we just all had a great time! Decorating cookies was a huge bonus!

Mike left about 5 for his flight to Denver for the next day. Aislinn did not want to sleep and kept going potty. She eventually ended up with me at midnight and was a wiggle worm all night. Since she got the new bed, she's very into sleeping with us now. I have to say, I'm not over it yet, she's pretty yummy! Well about 4:30 Caden wakes up, because he has lost his tooth!

His fifth one, and boy does he look adorable! I have a picture to upload. We then have a discussion that the tooth fairy won't come til the next night, which he had a hard time processing since I was sending him back to bed. Then Riordan woke up and was wet from an accident. Miraculously it was just him and not his bed! I still don't know how he does that.

Tuesday:

Jo Jo comes to take care of us, Caden is still ill, and I take R and T to school so I can catch up on emails at Paradise Bakery ;-) Get a call from Mike and find out that Grammy is in town as a special favor to John and Amy and would we like a guest to stay with us a couple of days? Oh and by the way, it's his birthday today!! Happy Birthday baby! He was in Denver for most of it...

I don't tell the zoo about her being here and when we get R and T from school I tell them we have to go to AJ's for a special delivery to pick up for Daddy's Birthday! Riordan was amazing to watch. He just watched Grammy from the parking lot, registering what was going on. He couldn't move! Then he broke out his ridiculously handsome grin and ran to her for a big hug. Loved it! And then each of the kids followed suit ;-) We have had a GREAT day and SO thrilled she is here! I have to say, I have a great family!

Mike got in tonite about 7 ish and is gone again tomorrow late morning. Grammy gets to see the girls at dance and the 'twins' school! So glad we got time with her, because Teagan had been demanding to see her ;-)

Another Aislinn

Today is the first day she ever said to me " Mommy!" it's usually 'momma'

I loved to hear it upon walking in the door after taking Riordan to a birthday party.

She does, however, still call Caden 'Naked' and it drives him absolutely nuts, because we all call him Naked too ;-)

What a week!

It has been a very rough one for me and next week should be the same.

Mike was gone Saturday-Tuesday. I was busy with work (which is about 100 different tasks), throwing a baby shower, organizing shirts for our trip to San Fran, bringing a meal to a friend who just had a baby and went back into the hospital, creating fliers for Caden's Oct 24th festival at school, creating a contact list for Caden's class room, taking Caden to his first day of Karate, taking apart A's crib AND putting a Big Girl bed together,and then the normal everyday things of taking and picking up from school, dance class, homework every night, and much much more.

I seriously was ready to crack. I was in tears on Tuesday and on Thursday. I had to cancel going to see my friend on Thursday who was in the hospital, because how could I support someone in need when I was in need of support myself and probably would have just cried with her situation which just isn't supportive ;-)

AND to top it all off, my formal announcement: I have a stress fracture, yet again in at least my right leg. Happened 3 weeks ago after my long run. It throbbed for 3 nights at night and it still hurts to this day. I had no prior injury. I was being really careful in changing up my workouts. I stretched, warmed up and cooled down. I'm frustrated and perplexed. We have NO insurance so I haven't even been able to go in and be assessed, so I've just been doing my recovery from prior experience. We never got the paperwork for Cobra to tide us over and by the time of the 45 days of Mike's old company has to get it to us, we will be on his new one Oct 1st.

My emotional well being depends on being able to work out my stress and I haven't been able to, so it has built up for 3 weeks and I'm like an emotional volcano this week. Being able to share it, is definitely helping right now.

I want to get a bone density scan to see what the heck is going on, because I was told this would never happen again, that my bones would be stronger than ever. Now I think: osteoporosis? I'm only 36 and have always been athletic, involved in all kinds of physical activities, of course except when I'm pregnant.

And great, now another race that I have been looking forward to, I can't do? I hope not, my healing will land me at 7 weeks, which is very doable in healing a stress fracture. I only plan to jog and walk it in San Fran. I missed PF Changs in January, Ragnar, Pat Tillman! I will not miss another one, I don't think I can emotionally take it!

I was on the right road again with health and was back into my clothes as of this past February before the dark cloud of depression took me in with both stress fractures. I won't let it take me again!

So to update on the Zoo, we've been having a lot of fun in the meantime.

We have a new addition: a personal assistant, as she likes to be called ;-), Josie! Very much deserved title too, because if she sees something that needs to be done, she just does it! Such a huge help in our lives! Both my sitters left us in the same week as Mike started his new job. One got a full time job and the other moved back home to NJ. Still need a night time sitter for date nights, thinking of posting that on FB ;-)

The Zoo loves her! She's finished a week with us and she is just so filled with God's Light and a joy to have in our home. We are so honored she took us on!

Caden: Is about to lose yet another tooth. It gives me the willies to look at it because it's hanging to the side it's so ready! He tried karate this week and I promised him no sparring, because I was told that! Well the first thing he was told is he would spar on Monday's and he was already anxious! Then he had to hold a pad and another kid kicked it. That was it for him, he lost his cookies. I saw it happening and ran fast enough into the room and took him to the bathroom. He does not want to go back, and we are okay with that. I love Karate! I took it and got so much joy out of it. School is going great for him! We had a play date with a family over here this past Tuesday and had tons of fun! He is doing well, doing his work and getting great progress reports! I love his love for school! Next week he is the star student and we made his poster today and he filled out his questionnaire for his interview, so cute!

Riordan: Was star student this week in class and it was SO tough on him and his anxiety. He cried for the first time ever, for school, on Tuesday and I had to leave him. It broke my heart! Then I went to try and do the elliptical, but I was consumed with guilt AND it hurt within the first 2 mins, so I went back. He was doing what he used to do in school and that was not engage or look at anyone. His teacher came out and said he was fine to let him do the day but if he started crying again she would call me to come get him. He had a great rest of the day and came back to the boy we know. Relief! He had a great rest of the week with Star Student of the week!

Teagan: Still crying when I drop her off at school. She has only NOT cried two days. But she really really enjoys it once she is over her anxiety of me leaving her, which is what she loves to point out is that she misses me. Kill me now please! She has a friend she just adores in her classroom, Ella, and on Tuesday her mom and I got to witness them holding hands, on their own, while singing a song! It was such a sweet moment and just warmed both our hearts! And everywhere we go she recognizes Ella's "E" in words with such excitement! She is still crying when I take her to dance as well, but again once she is over me leaving her she just shines. It is so great to watch her on the monitor. She can be so silly at times, really breaking out of her shyness and cracks me up a lot lately I find. She loves to play tons of games and really loves to read to Aislinn, it is adorable! We got the kids a Dell to share, finally since our dinosaur crashed again last year, and her favorites to play are MyNoggin and Nick Jr.

Aislinn: The baby, but really is she? She wants to be a big kid like her siblings. Her vocabulary is astounding lately. Sentences! She adores Miss Kerri Lee, her dance teacher and is always acting out what she does in dance class. She got her big girl bed this week and she has been doing great in it, minus the multiple times she gets up in the middle of the night to go potty, BUT she doesn't wake Teagan up anymore with crying, big bonus! We are a bit sleep deprived here lately though. While Caden was at Karate, she was playing with dinosaurs and all of a sudden we hear this deep roaring coming out of her! Didn't even know she knew the two went together. She loves loves loves to play with her babies, dress up with her siblings, read books, put her own shoes on all times of the day, get her hair done when everyone else does (it's filling in!) her favorite food is fruit snacks which to her are simply 'snack!', and she is seriously independent and just 'gets it' at such a young young age! Her Yo Gabba Gabba birthday party is in a couple of weeks! She is so excited for it!

We have a lot of birthday's to celebrate in the next couple of weeks for some really great friends and we are so looking forward to celebrating! Mike is gone again Mon-Friday this time, just a little be here late nite on his birthday Tuesday and gone Wednesday afternoon... It's going to be another hard week. Josie can only come on Tues/Thurs for a couple of hours, but I will take it!

It is official!

My almost 2 year old is completely potty trained!

We have been testing it out this week with no pull ups on outings and we have had NO accidents!

She went out on Sunday to church in her underpants and used the potty 3 times!

THEN we went out today to the Children's Museum of Phoenix, long 30 min drive there and back by the way, and she used the potty about 4 times and NO accidents!

We are FREE of diapers, well we have been for a month now really, so free of day time pull-ups!

It's rather sad really, finally I get to enjoy a baby with not another one behind them and she just wants to be a big kid like her siblings!

We are so impressed and proud of you Aislinn! You are truly a blessing and a delight! Never wake up grouchy, so amazing still to me today, and love to laugh and enjoy life! Can't wait to see what this next year holds for you!

A lazy Saturday

We woke up to a rainy morning and then a thunderstorm! It has stayed overcast all day and the sun has only peeked out a few times. We have had PJ day all day! So fun!

Put together a bookcase and toy bin for the girls room. Looks a little more organized in there!

Aislinn's bed is supposed to ship sometime next week, it's been on back order for a month.

The girls took separate naps on the couch today and were quite adorable! Aislinn wanted to pounce on Teagan, where Teagan just wanted to Mommy Aislinn and kiss her and cover her up.

Riordan got in some good computer time and we are on our second movie of the day!

I love family days!