All About the Kids

I figured it had been awhile since I had posted about the kids, so now is a good time to do that. It's so fun to watch the boys together these days. As always with siblings, there's fighting and crying, but there is also a lot of love. They all love each other so much. Chaetun and Xadun play really well together. It's fun to listen to the things they say to each other. In the morning when everyone wakes up, they are all so happy to see each other, asking if they had good naps, hugging, etc. Chaetun is such a good big brother and usually gets Brekan out of bed in the morning. Now remember, he's only 4 and he's getting Brekan out of a crib. It's funny to watch, but he does it. Brekan likes to wrestle with the other two, and they are so good to be soft and let him push them around. They all love to do that. As I am typing Chaetun and Xadun are walking through the house with their arms around each other. So cute!!

Chaetun has just a couple of months left of preschool. It has been so good for him to be in this preschool for the last 2 years. He has not only learned all of his letters, but also their sounds and how to write them. He has pretty much mastered writing his first name and we're starting to work on his last name. We working on sounding things out and reading, but he's pretty good and hearing a word, sounding it out, and figuring out how it's spelled. We've got him on a waiting list to a new charter school in the area. I'm trying to decide if I want to become a founding member and put in the volunteer hours to get him moved up on the waiting list. I really want him to get in, so I may end up doing it.

For Valentine's Day at school, all the kids make general valentine's and sign their name to all of them. Here's Chaetun showing off his writing skills.


Last week at school they had "Dress up like a fairy tale day." Chaetun dressed up like Jack and the Bean stalk. We think it turned out pretty cute. (I'm not sure what's up with the Chandler-ish smiles. He seems to do that now days in pictures.)

Xadun is almost 3 and I'm hoping the 3s are better than the 2s. Xadun has a very stong personality and will push to the very limit. I'd like to get him into a preschool this next year, but I need to find one local. Chaetun's has been great, but it's too far away now that we've moved. Xadun likes to do almost anything his brother does. He loves to color, whether he has paper or not. :S He's also an eater. He is ALWAYS hungry! He's in his second plus year of nursery and still struggles. He was doing well in our old ward and had some friends, but he's gone a little backwards in the new ward. We hope he will readjust soon. We also hope that the potty training thing will kick in soon. He doesn't mind sitting on the potty, but he doesn't necessarily always ask when he has to go, and he never goes when he has to poop, which would really be a benefit to him. Soon, we hope, soon!

Of course, Xadun had to do some valentine's too. He mostly just colored on them. One thing about Xadun, he has some of the funniest faces. He often pulls them when he is in trouble and we have a hard time keeping a straight face.


Playing with one of their favorite toys, balloons.

Brekan is quite a happy little boy. He, too, loves to eat. You wouldn't know it by looking at him, but if you didn't run out of food, he would never stop eating. As most one year olds do, he likes to make messes and is pretty good at it. He's very lovable and has the cutest little smile. He will be 18 months old next week. We've already started taking him to nursery because he just won't sit still in any of my classes. He has done really well and after being in there for a half hour the first week, I left and he has been fine. It's such a relief!! At 18 months he's not talking - at all!! He says "mama" but I'm not sure if that's in reference to me or just babbling. About 6 months ago the NICU called to check up on him because they have some ongoing clinics for children who were in the NICU. At one year old they asked about his motor skills which were fine. They said that they would call back at 2 years to check on their speech and see if anything is needed their. We have an appointment for his well chec next week, though, and I'll talk to his doctor about it. If we need to get him into speech therapy now, we will. Though he doesn't talk, he is very smart. He understand most of the things we say and tell him to do, so I'm not worried about that, he just hasn't started talking yet. We have taught him some signs so he can communicate and it gets us by for the time being.

No words necessary


A new place to sit.

Some of all of them together

Brotherly love


Static cling


Chaetun was so excited when Brekan learned to climb up on HIS bed. That was a litle scary for mom and dad!


A few weeks ago Chris and his parents took Chaetun and Xadun tubing. Apparently Chaetun loved it and Xadun mostly just sat in his tube.


Their first snowman.

And for the exciting new in our house...We're Expecting!! Yes, #4 is on the way. From the moment I told the boys, Chaetun has been calling it a "she" and now all they talk about it their baby sister. I have, in no way, put that in their heads. They did that all on their own. I hope they're not dissappointed. I'm 16 weeks, now. I got to have an early ultrasound as part of a research study I'm participating in. This study is seeing if there is a genetic reason for early deliveries. The doctor said he's never had a patient that delivered 4 babies early, so I'll be a first for him. I'm due Aug 21st, so we're expecting mid July.