Summer Update

Gage playing in the mud!

Ohhh Summer... Oh hot and dry Summer!  We have been a lot busier than I had anticipated this Summer of 2012.  Actually we haven't but maybe it feels that way because in reality, we are busy staying out of the heat.  Bo and Cote are STILL heat and sun sensitive and Gage, who even thrived in the Missouri heat, is even struggling a bit this year.  So between the Summer events, we have basically been hiding out recouping from this last year and gearing up for the upcoming one.  Lot's of sprinkler time, pool time and playtime! 


 Gage and I have been working very hard on getting him caught up with Learning Readiness stuff so we can start homeschooling this Fall.  Each day that we sit down to review more, it is confirmed that homeschooling is the best route for us.  Gage has had the Summer off from therapies and we will have to set up a new evaluation soon to see if he should be continuing on.  He has had a lot of struggles this Summer with all of the commotion at our farm, but it is something we are working on as a family unit.  I can now cut his hair without him vomiting or screaming.  He will now touch mud.  He has incredible patience for his siblings and is now their biggest defender!  I am so proud of this child.  It is starting to finally sink in for him that his brother and sister are Special Needs and he has had not one single negative thing to say about it.  When I very gingerly brought up the conversation a few weeks ago, Gage listened attentively and made the simple statement, "They are perfect the way they are, Mom!"  My soul soared at that moment.

Bo, over tired and over heated, at the Fair!

Bo and Cote have had therapies and teacher visits at our farm throughout these last two months.  It has been awesome for me and a colossal help!  Bo is officially all over everything!!!  He can climb furniture, and he can climb it super fast!  I am talking the couch, the rocker, the end tables AND he can climb into the toy box!!!  He figured out how to wiggle his hand under the baby gate to take it down, grab ahold of the toy box to stand up and then turn the door knob or kick open the door to the bathroom!!!  He has figured out that if he stands on the couch or end table, he can mess with my wall arrangements!  He is figuring out how to throw little hissy's and can shake his head "no" when he doesn't want something... which is usually food, lol.  Also, he has been playing nice with Cote as well as climbing onto the couch to cuddle Gage.

Cote checking out the County Fair.

Cote is army-crawling with a little bit of speed finally.  She can very quickly get from sitting to laying and vice versa.  We have figured out that she hates animals... even kittens, lol.  She hates dolls.  She hates Barbies.  She loves loves loves trucks and cars!!!!!  She loves V-Tech toys!  She is giving kisses now and the BEST hugs!  She is smiling at people now (including me)!


ALL of my children are huge!!!!  Gage is currently comfortably in an 8, and Bo and Cote are in a 5T/childrens 4/5 and going into 6/7.


Keith is now on 3rd shift, which is great great great for the kids, but I miss snuggling with him terribly.  After that last deployment I figured I would never sleep alone again.  Then when we moved back to MN and the kids and I stayed to do our DRing in the big city and Keith moved up north to work, we were apart for almost 11 months once again.  Now we are FINALLY all under the same roof again, but the left side of the bed is empty.  Sacrifices must always be made in our world though and at least we get to have family time once again!!!  This Labor Day will mark our 1 year mark under the same roof and if we make it to Christmas without any catastrophes it will be our longest period of time living together!!!  Five years of marriage and between the military, medical issues and work, we have yet to make it over a year!  It is a family based on love that can pull that off!


So basically, all in all we are doing pretty good.  I see at least 10 more Harry Potter movie marathons in the near future, at least 30 slumber parties and lots of cuddles and air conditioning before the end of August!!!!!

Gage, Bo and Cote with their cousin Matty at the Fair.