Wow! Life has been busy and needless to say, my blog has suffered just a little bit in the last year! I am just 3 days short of not blogging for a whole year. Ugh.
Well, it's not that nothing has happened in the last year. Here are some highlights:
Baby Gray turned 1 on Dec 23rd and he is now toddling! He started walking about 1 month ago and the chase is officially on. On the rare occasions that we forget to put the gate up on the stairs (going upstairs) he somehow makes it to the top and into the farthest bedroom in 5 seconds! Then I am yelling for him to try and figure out where he is and he doesn't make a peep! Reminds me so much of Ethan when he was little when he would sneak chocolate (of any kind) and go hide and eat it. He goes to daycare at the same place Carly goes to preschool. He has 5 little friends that he loves to play with every day. He also loves Ms Anna and Ms Jess (his teachers). He is a very picky eater! I was really hoping that he would be easy going with food. But he lets you know if he does not like something (head tossing to the side and mouth clenched shut)!
Brynna started high school this year (10th grade). She finished up Drivers Ed last Fall and is eagerly awaiting her 16th birthday this summer! It's trying at times to have a teen in the house that is trying to figure out who she is. She is a great young lady, with the same spunk that her mom had at that age (only she's a bit nicer and less sarcastic). Trying to cherish these moments because the dread of her moving out to go to college has already set in for me. :(
Ethan is in 6th grade this year. He still excels at school. It's sad to say that he has already surpassed his mom in his Math abilities. I wish I would have received that gene! Luckily he got that one from his dad! He is still playing his guitar, although his lessons will be ending soon. He has had an awesome teacher (one of the musicians from our church band) instructing him for the last 2 1/2 years. We are trying to figure out which direction to go with him next. He most likely could teach himself, but the structure and the encouragement he got from lessons was vital. We will have to see what happens!
Ella Grace is a reading machine! She has been reading her Bible with Brian every night. They have already finished the Beginner Bible and are moving on to the next one! That has been a special time for her and Brian each night. She loves chapter books too! She has lost 6 teeth already and has several more loose ones. It already appears that she will be embarking on an orthodontic journey just as her older siblings have done! She started piano last summer and is doing awesome! She has an ear for music (again, I am not sure where that one came from as neither Brian or I have music talent). She has had a couple of recitals and he just gets up there and plays without being nervous at all.
Carly Elizabeth turned 4 on Christmas Day! She still loves all of the birthday lights that everyone in our neighborhood hangs up for her birthday! She goes to preschool everyday and has learned all of her letters and can count to 20 (only missing 14-17)! She loves to sing, dance, wear her swimsuits around the house and her canasta suits (translation: gymnastic suits)--lol! She is still our spunkiest child by far and tests limits daily! She got sick in October (ear infection) which led to a nasty throat infection and she stopped eating and drinking (and taking her meds) so she ended up in the hospital. That was really scary for me! It was minor on the scale of what some families are dealing with, but none of our kids have been in the hospital before. She then had to get tubes in her ears (2nd time) and her adenoids out in January. Hopefully this will help with her ear infections.
We are all ready for the snow to melt so we can get outside again! The snow has been fun this winter, but we would like to be able to play at the park again!
I went part-time at work in October. I work 9-2 everyday. This has been a good transition for me. Gives me some adult time, but more time to be with the kids too.
Brian made it through his first year of residency (June 2009). Started his 2nd year (July 2009). The first 6 months of his 2nd year were not fun. Probably more of what a resident's schedule really looks like. He amazes me though. He almost always finds the balance of family and work. He loves what he is doing and loves to be home with his family! He got to start moonlighting in some local emergency rooms too starting in July. He enjoys that adrenaline rush! He has begun the search for his 'real job'. We are not moving again (he promised) so he is looking right in the Cedar Falls/Waterloo area. There seem to be several good opportunities so now I just have to be patient for all of the negotiations. Patience is not my strong suit, so hopefully the process will not be too painfully long!
Brian also turned 40 this past year! :)
Hoping to post smaller doses of our life in 2010!
Alana
Hope everyone had a good weekend!
