Cailey's progress

I am so proud of my girl. We had parent-teacher conferences tonight and Cailey has made amazing progress this semester.  The conference was "student led" ~ which was kind of strange ~ but Cailey did a great job presenting her various school assignments and showing us around her classroom and showing us what she has accomplished in the first semester. But, the meat of the conference was with Cailey's teacher to go over the MAP test scores (evaluation tests). The kids take the tests three times per school year. Cailey's fall scores were very weird and did not reflect her skills we see at home and what her teacher sees at school. We suspect that Cailey was not "focused" when she took the fall tests ~ an ongoing issue with Cailey ~ because she took an unreasonable amount of time to complete the tests and still didn't score well. So, we were anxious to see how she scored on the winter tests after we explained that it was important for her to focus when she takes these tests.  So, drum roll please...

In Mathematics: Cailey's score improved 10% and her percentile increased 26% to a wonderful 94 percentile (percentile equals the percentage of students in the study that had a score less than or equal to Cailey's score). Cailey scored in the HIGH range for Math

In Reading: Cailey's score increased 26% and her percentile increased 331% to an amazing 95 percentile. Cailey score in the HIGH range for Reading!!!!! We are very excited about this one because she has shown little interest in reading ~ it's more of a chore than a pleasure for her.

In Language Usage: Cailey's score increased 12% and her percentile increased 85% to a 78 percentile. Cailey scored in the AVG-HIGH range for Language Usage.

We know not to put too much stock in these tests, but we can't help but feel some relief when the scores improve so drastically. Cailey still needs to work on her focus issues and "staying on task" ~ she has a very short attention span and tends to day dream when she should be doing her school work. Dance seems to be the only thing she really focuses on ~ and she is very serious about dance :o) As many know, we were very unhappy with Cailey's first grade teacher and I am convinced that Cailey's self confidence was compromised when she did not click with that teacher. We are very happy with her second grade teacher ~ this teacher just seems to "get" Cailey and can really get Cailey motivated for school. We are so proud of the work Cailey has put in and she is really growing up so fast. She is a full fledge reader! She says math is her favorite subject and she enjoys going to school (well, most days a least!)

House Guests

We have two special house guests for the next two weeks. Mom and Rich went to Hawaii for two weeks - on his company ~ he is working an account in Hawaii (poor thing :o)!  So, we worked out a deal. We would watch their dog and cat in exchange for having Mom watch our kids over Valentine's Day weekend. I think she might have gotten the better end of that deal :o) :o) The dog (KoKo) is a bit nervous, but the cat (Mary ~ Cailey named her when Mom and Rich got her a year ago) is wonderful. In fact, we may keep the cat for good :o) She is really sweet and , in very un-cat like behavior, loves to be around people. She is always where the action is and will jump up in our laps whenever we sit down.  I am home all day, so both have taken to me and will follow at my heels all over the house. I have lost even the little privacy I might have thought I had before. Yesterday, when I had to go to the bathroom I tried to shut the door for a minute of privacy, but Ben wanted the door open so he could see me. Then, Cailey came in to use the mirror. And, as I mentioned, the dog and cat are at my heels most of the day. So, while I peed, the cat jumped into my lap, the dog laid down on the bathroom floor, Ben was standing at the door talking to me, and Cailey was using the mirror...geesh! I could only laugh because, apparently, I am loved and privacy is a word my family doesn't understand!  Even this morning, as I exited the shower, the dog and cat were standing there staring up at me, waiting for me to finish my shower. Not even a second to myself!

As mentioned, Scott and I are finally taking a trip together, just the two of us, over Valentine's Day! We are going to go play in New York and visit Amy!!!! She offered to let us stay with her while she is there and we took her up on her offer ~ she'll learn to be careful what she offers (HEE HEE :o) :o) We are so excited and can't wait to hang out in New York City! I haven't been to New York since I was a junior in high school. I am really looking forward to seeing and enjoying the city as an adult. I am also trying to work out a schedule to see Nisha (see lives in Baltimore ~ three hour train ride). That would be really great if we could make it work. I am even looking forward to a kid free plane ride! I can't believe I will actually get to read a book on the plane! 

HOORAY!!

Baby Dane is all well!! The CAT scan came back normal and his head is just catching up with the rest of his body. We are so happy that he is well!! We know from experience how heart wrenching it can be to wait for the results of such tests. Cailey was tested for Leukemia several years ago and it was the worst several days of our lives. The tests for Leukemia were negative, but she did end up having Osteomyelitis (a bone infection) and was admitted to the hospital for a week. These are the times when we are thankful for the little things.  Even the uneventful, mundane days feel blissful when faced with a life changing event like a child's serious illness. The waiting makes you prepare for the worst ~ when it's good news, it makes everyone realize how precious every day (every minute) is with family and friends. To say the least, we are over the moon to hear the happy news and can't wait to see Dane and Lily soon!

A prayer for Dane

Heavenly Father, watch with us over your child Dane, and grant that he may be restored to that perfect health which it is yours alone to give; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Our baby nephew, Dane, has to have a CAT Scan on Thursday. It's precautionary ~ his head circumference has increased at a rate that makes his pediatrician a little worried. They are confident that everything is fine, but it's better to be safe than sorry.

Stock Show 2008

We went to the Stock Show a few days ago. Ben is now too big for the backpack and we definitely felt that "growing pain" :o) There are several places you can't take strollers (particularly where they hold the cattle and horses...that seems dumb...I would think you would want the small children confined to a stroller around massive beasts like cattle!), so that was hard to keep Ben holding hands. I suddenly find myself thinking that child leashes may be a good idea :o) Ben is just too curious and too active for most parts of the Stock Show and it wears us out quickly. But, we still spent about 4 hours there ~ so it was obviously manageable. I love to watch anything that has to do with horses. This year we got to watch some of the Horse Reining competition ~ that was a lot of fun. Ben enjoyed the petting zoo a lot and wasn't afraid of the animals at all. Cailey likes the petting zoo, although not as much as Ben. Cailey doesn't like to touch the animals and she is a little afraid to feed them for fear that they will bite her. We did get to see a two day old goat! He was so small and soooo cute. Scott humored me and didn't complain (much) when we walked around to the majority of the trade booths ~ I love looking at all that junk! Ben enjoyed saying hello to every cowboy...that was anyone wearing a cowboy hat..."Hello, Cowboy" he would say. Most of the men seemed tickled that they were being recognized as a "cowboy" ~ it was very cute. Ben also frequently asks to have a drink of whatever I happen to be drinking. I usually tell him, "No, you won't like this, it's icky." But, at the Stock Show, while I was holding a beer, Ben looked at me and says, "Ben drink please? I wike it, Mommy!" Sadly, I think he knew it was beer and he really does wike it :o) And Cailey...oh, my Cailey-girl...we can always count on Cailey to make us laugh and smile. This was our morning conversation as we got dressed:

Cailey:

Mom, I am wearing jeans to the Stock Show.

Me:

Great! Sounds good.

Cailey (holding up a shirt different than the one she was wearing):

I am going to change my shirt because this one isn't really cowgirl-ish. Do you think this shirt looks cowgirl-ish?

Me:

That's fine if you want to change your shirt. Yeah, that one will work.

Cailey:

Well, it's a little tight, but I think it looks cowgirl-ish...and when I go somewhere with a theme, I like to dress up in that theme.

Me (unable to control my giggles):

A theme, huh.

Cailey:

OH, YEAH!

Cailey in her theme cowgirl outfit:

Ben watching the horse riders compete:

Sweet Cailey-girl:

Don't be fooled. Ben only sat there long enough for me to take the picture and then he was off playing in the other seats:

Learning to rope:

Cailey loved this rabbit (yes, it's a rabbit under all that fur!):

Petting zoo:

Happy Birthday, PaPop!!!

Happy Birthday, PaPop Rich! 

A little video for you:

Oh, isn't that sweet?  They are so cute and cooperative. 

Okay, truthfully, that was the edited version.  We thought the unedited version was worth posting because they were being such little stinkers ~ these are the times that try men's souls. Take special note of Ben's reaction to our pseudo threats and bribes. But, you can see how great editing tools are in creating a different perspective.  If only we could use these editing tools in every day life... oh, how good life could be. Imagine the possibilities! :o)  So, have a little laugh watching this version... we sure have!

V-Day

It's official. No more babies for us. Scott got a vasectomy today ~ V-Day. So we are officially done having babies. I am a little sad ~ I would have more babies, but I don't think my body handles the pregnancies very well and I don't want to risk another pregnancy. Also, I figure it's a sign from God that we have one boy and one girl, one blue eyed and one brown eyed...the list goes on.  Cailey and Ben are so different so we feel like we are experiencing the full spectrum of personalities ~ God gave us all we needed in the two children that we have and we couldn't ask for anything more. So, it's with some sadness that we made the decision to not have another baby. Cailey is mad at us ~ she wanted a sister :o/ But, now she will forever and always be our best girl and Ben will be our best boy. Also, we are kinda getting used to the freedom that comes with older kids ~ the amount of stuff we have to travel with diminishes with each passing year! :o) Poor Scott is sitting here with a bag of frozen corn between his legs and looking pretty silly ~ of course I took a picture :o) But, after two C-sections for me, it was his turn :o) :o) Scott is going to take some of the good pain killers the doc gave him and then go to bed ~ I am going to take a hot bath and maybe shed a couple tears (happy & sad) over the idea that this part of our lives has ended ~ we will open the next chapter.

A milestone of sorts

Tonight, Cailey did her first load of dishes.  Yep ~ it's official. She can now be trusted to load and unload the dishwasher. Those middle-of-the-night feedings we suffered through when she was an infant are starting to pay off big time!!! I knew we had kids for a reason :o) :o) We took pictures AND video ~ for our entertainment more than for marking the milestone :o) :o) HA HA HA!

No, the truth is this is what we can get her to do when she really wants something. She is trying to earn check-marks on her chore chart so she can get Webkinz time on the computer. We have decided that she can have 30 minutes each day to play on the computer on the Webkinz site if she earns all her check marks from the previous week. She has to earn 25 check marks each week by doing things like homework, brushing her teeth, feeding Abby, cleaning her room, etc.  Now, we can add dishes to the list! She did complain the whole time and did gagging noises when she had to rinse the dinner dishes. She even took her shirt off because she was afraid the gross stuff would get on her shirt! OH, THE DRAMA! Doesn't matter how we get there ~ it just matters that we moved to another milestone. While I was tucking her into bed, she told me that she has to do everything around the house!  Please! Do I have some stories for her. Wait till I tell her she has to vacuum and clean toilets! Hey, I think I can really get into this "teaching her to do chores" thing!

Growing up

Well, it happened. After much pressure from Cailey and after talking to several other moms, we have finally given in to letting Cailey get online. There is a new fad among the kids called WebKinz. You buy (yes, I know) a plush toy that comes with a secret code. Then, you use the secret code to get access to the online virtual WebKinz world. It's a safe and educational site for kids ~ I checked it out first and I have talked to several of the other moms... they all say it's fun and safe. I can restrict the online chat room if I am still unsure ~ which I plan on doing because Cailey doesn't even know the chat rooms exist. Although, on WebKinz there is no free-form writing in the chat room ~ the kids can only choose from pre-selected words ~ but, I don't want to get chat rooms started, yet. Also, she has to earn "money" (called Kinzcash) by playing games and answering questions (all educational and fun), then she can use the money to take care of her virtual pet. We have an extra old computer that we may let her use to access the Internet. I still have to do some research because I have to find out how to restrict ALL other sites :o) I am really, really nervous about this venture into the tweenage (not teenage, yet!) years. The picture is of Cailey with her new WebKinz that she named Ming-Ming.

Ben got a haircut today. He doesn't like to have his haircut, he tries to pull away every time the clippers or scissors come anywhere near his head. Our friend, Beth, usually cuts his hair, but we have procrastinated and now we needed it done quickly ~ so we just went to Cost Cutters. He's so handsome! Cailey is in need of a haircut, too, but we will wait to take Cailey to Beth because everyone else we have taken her to seems to butcher her hair.

Tooty Toot Toot

Mom bought me (at my request) the new Deceptively Delicious cookbook by Jessica Seinfeld.  I LOVE it and have made several of the recipes. As most who know us can attest to, my kids (specifically Cailey) are "picky eaters".  Meal time has been such a pain and is exhausting trying to get my family to eat vegetables ~ I have bribed, begged, withheld privileges, yelled, threatened, and even pouted...EVERYTHING! So, I am thrilled with the concept of hiding fruits and vegetables in the foods that my kids already enjoy ~ pureed carrots in mac & cheese, pureed sweet potatoes in turkey burgers, pureed beets in pancakes, pureed carrots in spaghetti sauce...the list goes on and on. I have hidden broccoli, sweet potatoes, carrots, cauliflower, squash! The best part is Cailey has NO idea that it's in there and she has been gobbling up the food!!!!  Ben likes almost everything anyway but he was beginning to follow Cailey's lead about pushing the veggies away. But the really funny side effect of all these vegetables is demonstrated in the following conversation from a few days ago: 

Cailey: 

Gee, Mom I have been really tooting a lot lately!

Me (secretly smiling to myself): 

Really!? That's weird! 

Cailey: 

Yeah and it smells like broccoli! 

Me:

Hhhmmm, I wonder why?

Cailey:

I don't know but I better not eat broccoli or my toots will REALLY smell!

I did a little secret victory dance that my dirty little secret is working so great!  Unfortunately, she saw a program with Jessica Seinfeld making brownies and hiding spinach in them and Cailey knows I have the Jessica Seinfeld cookbook. I am just hoping that it takes awhile before she figures the whole sneaky scheme out!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Happy New Year 2008!

Can't believe it's already 2008!

Richie got Scott the movie Running Man (with Arnold Schwarzenegger) for Christmas ~ if you haven't seen it or don't remember here's the link to the imdb site http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093894/. I was browsing the plot summary on the back of the DVD case and noticed that the movie is set in the year 2019! It was made in 1987 and, apparently, that is what movie makers felt our society would be like in the year 2019! Now, we are only 11 years from that date and it seems hardly likely that we would be that lost as a society. But, then I think of all the ridiculous reality shows that are coming out and the stupid things people will do for money...and then I wonder, is Running Man really all that far off? I shudder to think we might actually let something like that on television (sic!)

On another note, Cailey will be turning 19 in the year 2019 and it's fun to think what the next 11 years might bring: she will have graduated from high school (starting college? I hope!..maybe taking a year off to travel to foreign countries :o) Ben will be turning 14, in eighth grade, oh my!

But, alas, it's 2008 and we have this year to explore and hope for another fun year and more adventures! Happy New Year to all our friends and family!