November Update

So, it's been awhile...a bit hectic and crazy again...trying to pay off those bills we accrued during the past year with me in school! I've taking a rather good paying position after school for 2 hours M-Th with an elementary after school program! I work with 2nd and 3rd graders helping them with homework. I got my first hug yesterday afternoon from a kid named Elijah! That has been a good change from high school...instead of getting the worst sub award on a daily basis (someone in high school is BOUND to hate you at some point during the day!), I get smiles and hugs. So that has been fun.

We are currently in the process of letting Alana cry it out at night. She's done really well! Last night was her 2nd night sleeping completely through. The night before I actually got up and rocked her for a bit in the living room. Lucas has been in our room (since they share a room...) so that he can sleep through Alana's crying (which only occurs sometimes and not for very long). Before, he would be in his room while she cried and would yell "Stop crying Alana!" On his more understanding days, he might say "It's ok Alana, it's ok...". We should be able to move Lucas back in there this coming weekend.

Other Alana updates...she
-likes climbing on chairs now
-uses chairs/step-stools to get to something higher
-brings books to us to read with her
-will get dressed willingly if she thinks the clothes we have for her are "pretty"
-will run from us if she doesn't want to wear what we've chosen
-will choose pajamas to wear if given two choices
-njoys wearing regular shoes
-sleeps mostly through the night for over 10 hours at a time
-is almost on just one nap per day

Lucas is still working on potty training. He'll keep his underwear dry if he has them on, but as soon as he gets a pull-up on, it's all over and he doesn't go on the potty chair. He still won't poop in his potty chair and comes to us to say "Can you turn the light on in my bedroom so that I can poop?" He says it SO sweetly and it is SO funny when he does! He'll go into his room, shut the door and come out about 30 minutes later...If Alana is in there, he insists on going downstairs for that time alone.

Lucas...
-LOVES reading books!
-can put a 35 piece puzzle together by himself
-can put a 60 piece puzzle together with help (he LOVES puzzles!)
-would eat oatmeal every meal of the day if we let him
-still loves gatorade like nobody's business
-Loves to run and run and run and run and run and run and run...get the picture?
-loves play-doh and legos

Katie is still working away at school. She's in drama this winter again and is excited about the play coming up in December. They've got drama practice pretty much every afternoon, so we barely get to see her except for the weekends! She is really looking forward to Thanksgiving and making pumpkin pie!

I'll put pictures up next time around, as well as 7 strange things about me...I've been tagged by Brianna. I, too, informed by hubby that I was rather normal and he just laughed really loud...so I guess that means I'm not "that" normal. One of my strangenesses I must take a picture of because words cannot explain it very well...so, until next time!

Happy Halloween!

This year Katie was "Lucy" from the Charlie Brown comics, Lucas was a train engineer, and Alana was a pirate. Alana was supposed to have a pirate hat on, but her head was actually TOO big for the hat! We took Lucas and Alana to the UAF Museum where they had different activities for the kids. Lucas was fascinated with the butterfly house that had live butterflies flying around. Alana loved just running everywhere! Katie had two parties to go to. One at Access Alaska where she worked last summer and one at her friend, Lexi's, house in the evening. She had a really good time. No trick-or-treating this year. Since Lucas can't really eat any of the candy and Alana is not old enough, we figured we could save that for the next year.


A picture of Katie and her friend, Lexie.