February Catch Up

Stephen 3 months, Julia 4

Big brother, baby brother

Giant snowman made by Dad

The snowhill in our cul-de-sac

Saturday morning cartoons

Isaac helping Dad in the basement rec room

Isaac's field trip where this chemistry student drew Newton's laws and the elements that make up water

Dance party to old DC Talk "Jesus Freak" CD

Weird dance move they made up- they look like squirrels

Stephen will be 4 months old next week!  He has been fighting the bottle, but we are being persistent.  He hasn't been sleeping well lately.  He wakes up consistently 45 minutes into his nap.  After asking friends for advice I am putting him down earlier for his naps.  It works really well in the morning, not as well in the afternoon.  Last night he woke up often and letting him cry it out lasts for 30 minutes before we're all ready for me to just feed him so he'll go back to sleep! He was very congested so maybe he's not feeling well. I took him to the allergist to get advice about milk allergy stuff.  She said his symptoms sound like a milk intolerance and not life threatening like a milk allergy so she wasn't worried about an epi-pen or testing him at this point.  She said when I wean him we can do allergy testing before giving him milk.  She said I should keep all dairy and soy out of my diet til he is weaned.  His 1st birthday seems a long ways away, ha! He was weighed at the appointment and he was 17 lbs, he gained 4 lbs in a month! At the beginning of March he consistently rolled from his front to back.  He sometimes forgets how to do it now.  When we put him on his back slightly propped he can roll onto his stomach.  He likes to sit in the high chair in the kitchen so he can watch us.  He can bat at toys and bring them to his mouth and of course he makes adorable noises and giggles.   

Nate has been renovating the rec room in the basement.  It was water damaged before we moved in so he had to rip everything out and start over.  It will be nice to have a space in the basement for the kids to play, we miss that from our old house.  We've had someone look at our old house twice now, just waiting for an offer!  It has been nice to have renters who keep the house clean for showings, too bad they aren't interested in buying the house.  We had a pest guy come because of a carpenter ant problem. Supposedly it will take care of the wasp problem we also had inside our house this past fall. 

Isaac's class went on a field trip at Hope College.  I think they are trying to indoctrinate them young!  The first half was looking at/touching animals which was great.  The second half was with a chemistry student and it was supposed to be doing cool stuff with liquid nitrogen.  Apparently this girl had never interacted with 5 year olds because the material she was teaching was high school level.  She referenced the periodic table and asked what elements make up water and their percentage.  She taught them about Isaac Newton and his laws, you know for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.  The parents were all shaking our heads in disbelief, the poor girl had no clue she was talking over the kids.  The kids were so well behaved and polite though, it was awesome.  Yesterday was Isaac's 100th Day of school.  He was complaining of a stomach ache and seemed off, but convinced me he was ok for the party.  Before I even left the building the secretary found me and said I needed to take Isaac home because he threw up!  However, he has been fine since then, weird.  Tonight is Family Fun Night at school so he is relieved he won't have to miss it.  He still loves going to the enrichment class on Tuesday afternoons and is sad he won't get to stay at school all day after this month. 

Julia ended up having strep throat over her birthday.  She felt much better after the antibiotics started.  Right now I am watching Isaac, Julia and our neighbor kid basically roll around in the mud outside.  I foresee laundry in my future.  I'm glad spring is coming, but this property is one big mud puddle in the spring.  Caleb has joined Cadets at our church.  They just finished making their cars for the Pinewood Derby next week.  He can write his name in cursive now, it looks good.  On the Saturdays in February he participated in a basketball camp, it was just one hour each Saturday.  They worked on drills and scrimmaged.  It was low key and he enjoyed it.  Little League will start at the end of April. 

I've been getting more involved in orphan ministry stuff.  I am now on the board of the West Michigan Orphan Ministry Alliance.  The purpose of the Alliance is to encourage local churches as they care for orphans in various ways.  It's not a huge time commitment, we have 4 meetings a year but this is something I'm passionate about.  I also help out occasionally with events for a local orphan care ministry called Mosaic.  This week Bethany asked me to be on an "experienced foster/adoptive parent" panel to answer questions from families newly licensed.  I felt funny being on the panel because I don't consider us experienced. We've been licensed for 6 years and had only 1 foster care placement.  But, I reminded the families that this is a journey and don't ever feel like your contribution isn't enough.  And since we have also adopted and I know alot of resources for foster/adoptive families I guess that makes me a little more knowledgeable.  Bethany asked me to be on a committee to help plan these twice a year meetings.  I was flattered they asked.  I appreciate having outside "work" to do and it can't hurt to keep my face around Bethany in case I want to work there someday!