Plugging Along (revised)

We're still working through the season of winter.  Our weather has been back and forth, with frigid cold for awhile to near-record warmth to snow to rain and everything in between.  The kids haven't had much opportunity to play outside recently and it shows.  Not only are we sporting our pale winter skin, but certain members of the family have bundles of energy by the end of the day.

We try and get them outside when we can, but are again extraordinarily thankful that we have an awesome basement set-up to get out some of that winter energy.

Last week was a four day week (again!) due to the end of the quarter.  We were thankful (again) for the extra weekend day since all of the kids were dealing with mild colds throughout the week, and we had an extra busy day on Thursday.

Thursday, Ethan and I picked Anna up a little earlier than normal so she could still have her full therapy appointments before the three of us headed to our family doctor for Ethan's 5 year check-up and Anna's pre-op physical.

I'm not sure that I've mentioned how much we have grown to love Anna's Thursday afternoon therapy crew this year.  Originally, we had hoped for a Monday morning therapy time slot since Anna is much fresher and energized at the start of the week.  But, schedules didn't work out that way and we opted for Thursday afternoons.

Anna is definitely more fatigued by that point of the week, but the community of physical therapists and other patients bring much joy and laughter to the otherwise challenging time slot.
 

More often than not, the adults outnumber the kids on those days.  There are usually three or four PTs, sometimes with a couple of OTs thrown into the mix.  The adults are also getting a little tired, and therefore goofy, by the end of the work week.  Anna's therapy buddy this school year has been a 6th grade girl who also has motor challenges (although not the same as Anna's), but who is cognitively on par with her peers.

After the therapists had planned different games and activities for the girls do to together in the fall, they took things up a notch this past week.  First, the kids did a relay race around the upstairs of the clinic, having each of their laps timed.  Not only did Anna and her friend participate, but Ethan joined in the fun, too.  He worked about as hard as the girls.

After the upstairs challenge, the therapists informed the kids they were going to do a therapy bootcamp in the downstairs gym.  The three kids were to work together to flip one of the therapy tools across the room, with more challenges added as they met different goals.  Fun times.
 

After this rousing (and tiring) afternoon, we ended up at the doctor's office for check-ups.  Although Ethan was in the midst of a cold, and had actually woken up in the middle of the night on Wednesday night complaining about severe ear pain, he didn't have an ear infection.  This boy's streak of zero antibiotics continues.  (update - Ethan came home from preschool on Monday with a terrible earache.  God was on our side that afternoon and we were able to get Ethan his first dose of antibiotics by 3:30 without an additional trip to the doctor's office.  Although Monday afternoon and evening were really rough for this kid, he was feeling much, much better on Tuesday morning.)

Here's Ethan's stats: height - 43" (50%), weight - 47.5 lbs. (85%).  Ethan's process of stretching out is taking longer than his sisters did.  But at least his weight percentile continues to creep slowly closer to his height percentile :)

Ethan also received his last round of vaccinations.  Hooray!  We have finally graduated from the phase of our life during which the kids need periodic shots.  However, between Ethan's cold and the immunizations, he slept HARD on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights ... averaging about 13 hours a night!  But now his body has the tools it needs to fight off many nasty illnesses.


After the business of the afternoon, we met up with Matt and Kate at a local church on Thursday evening since the 4H club was sponsoring one of the church's weekly community meals.  On Wednesday night, Kate made some brownies for the meal, with me only in the kitchen to supervise.  Way to go, Kate!  Not only has she found her confidence with this kind of baking, but she can read my cursive writing on the recipes :)

Friday was our day off.  The kids lounged in the morning and Kate had a friend over in the afternoon.  Earlier in the month, I knew it may end up being along weekend if we didn't do something out of the house, so the kids and I went to a library program on Saturday afternoon during which we dissected owl pellets.  I wish I would have brought a camera!

Kate really enjoyed herself, and at least Ethan and Anna were able to experience something new.

Sunday afternoon Kate and I participated in an open sewing afternoon at church.  Both girls had tried this with me last summer, but we learned it was too challenging for Anna at this point.  Kate, on the other hand, worked very hard with me to (almost) finish the top of a baby quilt that will get donated to our church's quilting ministry.

It took us a long time, and we had to rip out several seams ... but ... we stuck with it and learned a lot.  It was a good experience for the two of us.

And I'll finish up this post with a fun picture of two of the boys in our home.  Ethan loves his buddy.