Our Amazing Kids

My favorite days are the ones where we have nothing on the calendar. No dance, no violin, no therapies or appointments, just school then home. Today is one of those days and I finally have a second to sit down and take a minute to brag about my two incredible kids.

I've mentioned how Kamryn is very shy, quiet, and such a great girl. She has a close group of close friends that are loyal and they all get along well. She was having a hard time breaking out of her "shell" and opening up to other girls at dance and school. It extends beyond her peers and she would never raise her hand and ask a question of the teacher in front of class. Gasp. That would never happen.

Yesterday, I picked her up from school and she was in an exceptionally great mood. She cracked a joke in home room and everyone laughed. That must have really made her feel great because she signed up for the talent show! I am so proud of her!! If that weren't enough for one day, when I picked her up from dance, she was chatting with all the girls and having a great time. I must have told her how proud I was a million times yesterday. She was so excited that she took a leap of faith and stepped out of her comfort zone.

At violin lessons, she talked to her teacher about the talent show and just like that she learned an entirely new song and after just a few hours of practice has it completely memorized. AMAZING!!

We had an appointment with Dr McOmber (GI) yesterday and mister Owen has gained a whole pound since we left Stanford. He is up to 33.5lbs and 39" tall!!! Everything looks great! A little story about his new GI doc.. so he lives in our neighborhood and we go to the same LDS church. He came over the night and Owen was watching football. Anyone that has the pleasure of witnessing Owen watch football knows how crazy this boy is about the sport. When the game is on, you might as well not exist, because Owen is zoned in on the game and just goes nuts!! As soon as a commercial comes on, he gets up and you are suddenly important again. The game comes back on and he zones into the game. At Owen's appointment yesterday, Dr M said he will never be able to watch football again without thinking of mister Owen. It was very sweet.

While we were leaving the office, Owen pointed to the restroom and said he had to go potty. Weird. He has never even sat on the potty before. I decided it couldn't hurt so we went to the restroom and he totally just did this thing! Then we flushed, washed our hands and we were both so excited!! He continued this trend all night and into today. He just says "I need to go potty" and he goes! I don't think it gets any easier than that! :) There have been times that he says "I have to go" and he doesn't make it and goes in his diaper. We still finish up like he were going and he is so proud of himself. It's so great!!!

Another amazingly, huge milestone that Owen has conquered is with eating! For the past two years, Owen will put food in his mouth, chew it up and stuff it in his cheek. I then have to go into his cheek with my finger and scoop out all the food and he just couldn't/wouldn't swallow. I have felt like this was never going to end. Guess what?

One week. No scooping.

He has totally been swallowing his food!! I can't even begin to explain how huge this is!! It's so hard to explain how difficult it is to have a child that is not an oral eater. It is just a skill that we all take for granite and we all do it. Too much of it in my case. Now that Owen is swallowing, with more practice, he'll be able to eat much more larger boluses of food! Way to go Owen!!!

Now for a story that cracked me up this morning...

We had just dropped Kamryn off at school and Owen starts the following conversation.

Owen: "I want to go to my echo"
Me: Right now? Silly guy.
Owen: "The echo where they put the mask on my face"
Me: Oh.. you want to be under anesthesia with the mask and have a cath?
Owen: "Yes.. right now.. let's go!"
Me: Oh Owen.. you are so great!!

I love that despite everything, he just loves his doctors and the procedures obviously don't leave him feeling negative.

Our kids are so great!! We are such lucky parents!!

Videos and Weekend Updates!

We have been so busy lately, I am totally neglecting my blog. I have been trying to find a balance between school, the kids' activities, and keeping up with the chores. It always takes me a couple weeks to find my groove after our long, relaxing summer. I'm getting there.

I suppose the most exciting news of the last few days is that I got an email from Owen's wish granter. His wish manager has been busy, and while the trip is not booked yet, the dates are solid. We are all excited for our 10 days of magic in early December! I'm pretty sure we have no idea what is about to come and how amazing this trip is going to be.. Make A Wish makes everything magical from what I hear. 

As I was tentatively planning our trip this morning and making some dining reservations, Owen was giving me input on what rides he is just definitely going to ride. Ha. He pointed at the Incredible Hulk Roller coaster at Islands of Adventure and said "I'm totally riding that!!" When I crushed his dreams by telling him he is about 14" too short and that they probably won't let an oxygen tank aboard he said "They will too let me.. just let me.. I'm Owen!" Umm.. I think we're going to be in trouble. He is such a little daredevil!

Owen did great at Gymnastics on Friday! I have an appointment on Sept 13th to get him fitted for foot orthotics. It can't come soon enough! He pronates significantly inward and his ankles roll in, so we need to correct his gait so he can start strengthening the correct muscles. He continues to LOVE gymnastics and was totally bummed when his PT mentioned she'd be out of town next week.

I took this video of Owen a couple weeks ago and it cracks me up every time I watch it. He is saying "Papoy!" He loves to quote movies and he was quoting the minions in 'Despicable Me' when asked to "get the little girl a new unicorn toy." To which the Minions respond "Papoy?" He thinks it's hilarious!

Here is Owen's Spiderman Tattoo and he gave Daddy the Hulk. Superheros are on his mind lately and he loves watching the old 67' Spiderman episodes on Netflix.

Kamryn had a dance team hair and make-up meeting on Saturday morning. They are doing the back comb, bump style this year. I can't produce a good bump for the life of me, but here it is. I am so happy they are keeping the pony straight.. it should keep things simple. Since Kam is on a precision dance team, all the girls have to look alike on the field, so they gave us a make-up sheet. Purple eyeshadow, red lipstick and black eyeliner are just a few on the list. It's not pretty up close, but the girls look so great on stage. The girls had final fitting of the costumes and they are adorable and modest. You know I'll be posting tons of pics from her first performance at the Diamondbacks game in Sept.

Last night was Grandpa Todd's 60th surprise party.  I totally forgot my camera and was so bummed.  At the end of the party, Tatum came home with us for a sleepover with Kam and of course, Owen.  He could hardly wait til 7am to go in and wake up the girls!   All the kids begged for Donuts and after the sugar rush they decided to have a Jam session in Kamryn's room.  Here's Owen jamming to Taylor Swift's "Picture to Burn".  He is singing.. "I hate that stupid old pickup truck you never let me drive!" 

I went in the other room and started planning out our Disneyworld Trip and before I knew it 2 hours had passed.  The kids were still singing and dancing in Kam's room.  Carson was doing guy stuff.. and you know what I did?  I fed Owen and sat back down for another hour of planning.  It's been a great weekend!!

For everyone affected by the Hurricane.. we are keeping you in our prayers!

Lately...

We are finally getting used to the new "back to school" schedule.  We were only late once this week, and Kam missed Monday due to tummy cramps.  Kamryn is trying to get her groove and find time for violin practice, homework, school and dance. 

I thought Owen and I would be so bored at home without Kam this year, but we haven't had time to be bored!  We are trying to find a schedule where we can do gymnastics twice a week since Owen loves it so much!  Owen is also doing Speech and Feeding therapy at home once a week each. Although, I think he's having a little bit of therapy burnout because this morning he woke up and said "Call Connie.. tell her I'm too sick today.. she can't come."  Ha.  We may be taking a break around mid October for fall break to give him a little time away from it all.  Until then.. I have been in contact with the school district and we have a meeting on September 2nd to discuss getting preschool services at home.  I am just hoping for once weekly curriculum so I can keep him up on what he would be learning if he could go to school. 

His therapy only lasts an hour in the morning and we have the rest of the day to play and rest up until it's time to pick up Sis.  We play board games, read books, do puzzles, play trucks, play doh and he loves to make me concoctions in his kitchen.  Sometimes he just gets my camera and says "take pictures of me mama!" 

Owen has been obsessed with Spiderman!!  Here is his newest web throwing hand...

He loves all things ninja, fighting, competitive, football, basketball, baseball, everything is a weapon, video games... you name it!  He has such a big boy exterior, but he can be so sweet and snuggly.  He always says "mom, I love you!" at the most random of times.  He also says "I want you!".  I can be snuggling him in bed and he'll say "I want you" and just snuggle closer.  My heart melts!! 

Stubborn is his middle name.  He likes to be the "bad guy" and it's hard as can be to get an apology out of him.  The other day,  Livvy was in the back seat of the car saying 'I want my mama' and he quickly said "Your mama ain't never coming back!"  Not nice Owen.  Not nice.  He has the most wicked cute grin, but he knows he's being a stinker.  I know it's just Owen being three.  He has such a sweet heart and loves everyone so much.

Owen likes to have a "plan" to his day.  We wake up and he says.. "what the plan today mama?"  Then proceeds to tell me his plan.. "I know.. we go take Bobo to school, then gymbtastics and then home to nap.. is that a good plan mama? .. is it? .. how about that plan?"  If I alter his plan, he usually says "I like my plan better!" 

Today was early release at school, so the kids got picked up at 12:30.  I love to take Kam out to lunch on early release days as a special treat, as well as every other mom in town.  The line at In-N-Out burger was insane!  We got our food and headed home to play.  When I was done picking up the chaos of lunch, I headed upstairs to find the kids jamming out to Kam's iPod music.  Kam won't let me post the videos.. they're too "embarrassing".. but she didn't say anything about pictures!

Owen was so excited to have Gigi come play after school.  He loves all his cousins so much!  We are so lucky to live so close to all of the kids' cousins.  Now it's nap time.  I'm hoping that tonight we can finally give up the "binks" to the binki fairy.  Owen is in love with cash and coins so I hope that the promise of a large amount of $1 bills and quarters will convince him to give up his beloved binks.