First, we snapped profile pictures of the five kids. That involved some bodily restraint and a very unhappy Joseph but we got them.

Then I gave Kit the images and told him what I wanted and he worked some crazy Photoshop magic that involved tracing the kids’ profiles and turning them dark while erasing the background and mumble-mumble-stuff I don’t understand but I love Kit’s magic. Then he printed off the images for me and I cut them out with a very sharp little knife my Mom had (are these exacto knives?) which was a rather painstaking process (no pain involved, it was just tricky and delicate to get each little detail.)

Then for fun we (meaning Grandma) drilled holes in some canning lids and strung them up and spray painted them silver (because it was metallic and the kids think that’s cool) and then glued the cameos onto the ornaments. Strung them on ribbon and ta-dah! Cute Kid Cameos!

Next time I think I would try putting them on something different, maybe gluing them onto some wood ornaments or something… not sure what, but something not involving spray paint.

Ideas:
- print on vellum so I don’t have to cut them out again??
- print on bright colored paper.
- print onto a strip in a row and make into cute cards?
- make as a garland for across the fireplace.

It was fun, time intensive but I thought they turned out really cute - we made these for as a Christmas gift for a set of grandparents.

We’re doing our history reading, we’re studying the vikings this week so no relation to Mongolia but we had the globe out and Bennett wanted to share that with y’all.

(Kit, where is the alphabet of nations song from? They Might be Giants?)

However, Bennett and Christopher’s doctors both expressed concern about the boys’ size. Again. Still, always. Bennett’s higher on the growth chart than Christopher but he’s still less than 10th percentile and Christopher is less than 3rd percentile… height is higher on both boys.

The doctors acknowledge that Kit’s thin and tall (he’s 5′11″ and I don’t know his weight but I won’t write it without his permission ) and obviously Mom’s not adding much to the gene pool as far as height and weight. But still - they’re growing boys, and there’s concern. (Mo’s been doing okay, she’s a bit less physically active than the boys. Emy’s the same situation as the boys - she’s around 3rd percentile.)

We’ve been discussing their diet and I realize we could be doing a lot better. Christopher eats eggs & cheese or pancakes or cream of wheat for breakfast. Sometimes with juice. He does fruits and veggies for snacks and then a protein (egg, cheese, peanut butter tortilla, yogurt w/granola, etc) and lunch is usually a sandwich or leftovers or quesadillas or soup. None are high fat… He eats dinner with us but since we are doing a lot more meatless stuff there no high fat dinner. And we decided to cut back on sweets because the kids were expecting them every night and even when we do sweets we often are cutting back on the fat from them and we let the kids have maybe one small cookie bar (and Mommy eats three after they go to bed…)

Christopher doesn’t drink milk. He does eat cheese and the yogurt which is made with whole milk. But I realized he eats like a little adult and that’s not good. Kids need more fat and we don’t want to increase his high fat desserts because we don’t want a ton of sweets (for him - for me, that’s another story.) And obviously we’re not going to start feeding them junk food. We’re brainstorming.

- more eggs, boiled or w/cheese
- more chicken for dinners, give them as much as they want
- don’t cut back the fat in the granola or baked goods
- more yogurt (made with whole milk)
- flax seed oil in smoothies
- bake muffins and granola bars again
- peanut butter honey dip with fruit
- more cheese.
- hummus with extra olive oil for the kids.

But I think that’s the problem, they are eating like little adults and that’s great if they were full grown and only wanted to maintain a healthy weight. Not so good if they are trying to grow.

Kit strung Christmas lights across the kids’ ceiling and they plug it by Bennett’s bed. Lately when he’s up in the night he plugs them in. And one night he plugged them in then went through the rest of the house turning on every light he could find. I wondered why I saw so much light coming through our door that night… Kit told me the next day.

Emy got up around 2am (reports Kit) because she needed to pee. He took her, tucked her back in. 15 minutes later she was screaming because she forgot to wash her hands. Okay. Washed hands, back to bed. 15 minutes later she was upset he didn’t sing to her when he tucked her back in…

Joseph is sleeping well in the crib for naps, hooray! And he sleeps there at night until his first feeding when I get him to nurse and promptly fall back asleep while he’s nursing. So he spends the rest of the night in our bed - I’m going to see if I can stay awake long enough to get him back to his bed tonight.

Moira’s not so happy this morning. Bennett was coming into her room and she didn’t want him to so to distract him and give herself time to slam the door shut she yanked off his glasses and threw them. THREW HIS GLASSES! Kit and I are both stunned. As far as survival tactics and distracting attackers that’s pretty smart thinking. As far as being kind to your little brother, that’s not really an acceptable option. Sigh…

But more of a good morning than a bad. Granted, it’s only 8:15am but I HAVE HOPE!

Mo just informed me, “Mom, Joseph is trying to move the couch with his head!”

He had rolled into it and was angry but didn’t want to roll the other direction.

You were amazing. You were carrying loads of books around, helping me move furniture, sorting and putting away all the other kids’ laundry, doing Mo’s lesson with her, holding Joseph, getting kids’ snacks, turning on the light and helping Emy with the potty, calming down Bennett, reading our history lesson aloud. You were incredible!

We were moving some heavy things and you told me you like to do it because it is good exercise. I love that attitude!

And when I asked for your help with something you would race off to do it then come right back and say, “What else can I help with?” You kept asking for more and more? I couldn’t find enough stuff to keep up with you so you were lounging on my bed and said, “I like helping. I like to do it for rewards but I also like to do it just because.”

Christopher, I do not know how we could get through our days without you. You’ve been a huge, huge helper with each of the new babies but you are surpassing yourself this time around. And you do it with such patience and kindness and such a positive attitude. You seem to genuinely love helping the little kids and playing with them and teaching them and holding them. We try to not ask you all the time to help out with the little ones because we realize you’re still a little kid, too. And we don’t want you to feel like you have to be a mini-parent, but you seem to go out of your way to find chances to help everyone in the family. I cannot imagine a better example for them to have as a big brother and as a kind person.

We are so very, very grateful to have you in our family. We love you!!

Auditory, visual, kinesthetic learners. Article written by MD that is also ADHD (and obviously writing for homeschool magazines, probably a dad.) Speaks of how kids now that may be kinesthetic learners are being labeled ADHD because they move so much while working. Pointers for parents, I’ve heard most of them (let them move while working, use few words and physical contact to get their attention etc.) But NEW ONE and this is crucial for Bennett -

DO NOT REQUIRE THEM TO MAKE EYE CONTACT.

Some kids need to not be looking you in the eye to be able to concentrate on what you are saying.

Bennett is constantly looking away when I try to talk with him and I thought he was just blowing me off but he’s standing there looking like in all other ways he’s paying attention and he can repeat back what I’ve said. He needs to focus on my words, not my eyes. I’m so glad I read this! Article says obviously they still need to learn social cue of eye contact and such but when speaking with them, don’t always expect it.

And with Ben I don’t know if any of that is related to vision for him as well. He’s becoming more and more agitated if he has his glasses off if they break (a screw fell out, weird?) or if we’re cleaning them. He’ll start rubbing his eyes and saying they hurt and they asking, “Where are my glasses? I need my glasses.”

But I believe Ben will be a kinesthetic learner like C, at least for these early years… then we shall see, I read most kids learn through physical method until at least eight and they are able to read well. Makes sense.

Bennett saw the dentist a few weeks ago and still talks about Dr. Jones all the time and the pinwheel (”spinny wheel”) he got from him. So when he heard the older kids were going to see the dentist he ran to get his shoes on and waited expectantly. And then yelled for an hour when they left him behind.

Everyone came home smiling and C said the toothpaste that he greatly feared actually was “Not a bad texture like I remember!” and he got to pick the flavor. Mo didn’t go for the x-rays but Kit can give more details (pretty please) and they both look good! C has a smile cavity on a tooth that we’ve know about for over a year and it’s not gotten worse and the tooth is about to fall out so they’re not concerned.

HOORAY! What a difference from some of our previous dental experiences… C said he wouldn’t mind going back to see this dentist every month and that’s a pretty strong endorsement. Though they did come home laden down with coupons for free fast food, stickers, a toy, new toothbrushes and toothpaste and Mo’s princess dental floss… I’m okay with bribery if it gets my kids’ teeth checked.

Emy’s visit is in a few weeks, they do kids under 3 all at the same time on one special baby/toddler day. No x-rays or cleanings, just a basic exam and intro to the whole dental experience. She’s been every six months with the other kids though since she broke that front tooth. Twice.

I am so, so, SO thankful that the kids like this place so much. Kit says the staff was great and Mo actually did the exam ALL BY HERSELF. Kit went back with her and when she was okay he came back front and left C & Mo back there. Then Christopher came out and Mo stayed? Not sure of those details, Kit can fill in… but she came out happy, no hiccuping sobs and her face hadn’t broken out in hives like it does when she cries. Good signs.

K, more from Kit…

WOW!!

Christopher wrote up Moira’s spelling list for her today - she’s learning to spell one through ten. She’s not had these words before & I asked him to help her write it up and he showed her. I love it.

Joseph now stands in his push up position and moves his feet back and forth like he’s getting ready to run in place.

And his eyes look very much hazel to me now - not the same bright blue.

I’ve done a ton with sorting and rearranging our room. Love it, very excited about the painting and such. Our room is enormous and I’ve moved the bed around so the right side is the bed/dresser and the left is this now wonderful, big open space right by the window. We’ve got Joseph’s crib and his drawers, the glider and a trunk. The sunshine is so nice and there is a lot of play space so the kids have been in enjoying the light and helping me sort through some craft boxes. I’ve decided our second sink & tons of cabinet space will hold some of my projects (we don’t use that sink) and anyway - pictures to come when it’s done.

Update: Bennett and Emy were fighting over a kitchen stool (are we seeing a trend?) and Bennett reassured Emy with, “Don’t worry! Don’t worry, Emy! It’s okay.”

First, I’m thrilled by how clear he’s becoming with speech. Second, I think it’s hysterical that Bennett is now soothing and talking down his little sister when she’s upset.

I’m rambling, rough day.

I want to paint our room. I want it blue, I think. Not dark - it’s dark now (but not blue) and I want light and airy and beautiful and summery to go with our white drapes and white bedding and white shelves… this may get dangerous, this decorating thing. Not that I’m at all good at decorating but it involves IKEA trips and that’s always dangerous.

I need suggestions. Blue - what shade of blue should I do? I’m still looking for a super, powder blue option, too… these are obviously not the only options, I’m pondering a Tiffany blue and so on. What color blue would you do if you wanted a blue bedroom? And if you have a link with a color example would you email or post it? I want to get Kit’s input but he’s doing the whole, “Anything that makes you happy!” thing. Stinker.

Update: I think I want to do it to match my engagement ring! It’s the palest blue stone with while gold setting and our pictures are all matted white in silver frames and I think that could be so pretty… and most of our pictures for the master are wedding portraits, too. I want a beautiful light and airy retreat for me to lock the door and HIDE IN. I still need to figure out which specific shade of palest blue but I’ve ruled out the darker blues/mediums.

More update: Becky sent me this link and it’s fun. Kit has developed an opinion and he likes this shade so far:
blue

I think it’s a darker hint of the pattern in the blog, which he says he likes. But it seems a similar hue to both my ring and the blog. Blog Blue - that’s funny!

Okay, another options for base or just alone - it’s light:

If you drop a 64 ounce container of applesauce on the floor (thankfully plastic, not glass) then it will splatter applesauce in a trail of destruction approximately 53″ wide, 83″ long (so long enough to hit tile and carpet), 70″ high on the wall (over my head by a lot, I was quite impressed) and will cover about 30″ wide of the wall. It will also, of course, plaster every cabinet shelf between here and there.

You know. In case you wondered.

You know we’re weird homeschoolers because I saw the disaster and I didn’t know if I should laugh or cry so I laughed and told Mo to go get the tape measure and I made her do a math lesson before we cleaned it up. (I dropped it, not Mo.) I considered taking a picture when I saw how much of the wall was covered.

Then halfway through clean up Mo said, “Mom, can I have some applesauce?”

This had to happen while Kit was at C’s well check (which the office put at the wrong time and called the wrong number to confirm so they finally agreed to squeeze them in but I am not amused with the office staff.) And Joseph is miserable today, congested and cranky and teething. And Emy learned a new trick, too:

She can scale the cabinets with her toes and wash her hands all by herself! I told her no - she still has to ask for help. Pulled her down. Heard water later and went to discover she had the sink completely full and almost about to pour over. I don’t know how she did that, the stopper wasn’t in…

Oh, and Emy dressed herself this morning in footie pajamas and a big, poofy princess dress over it. I thought she was in a diaper so when I was nursing and Emy stopped in front of me with a look of concentration, I wasn’t too concerned when I asked, “Emy, are you peeing?” She said yes and I realized I better ask, “Are you in a diaper?” Duh, duh, duh… poor Joseph. I had to leap up when Emy announced, “Panties!” and I realized she was peeing on the carpet by my feet.

It’s been one of those days. Except I say “those days” as if anyone else has a princess in footie pajamas peeing on the carpet? Anyone else decorating kitchen walls with applesauce? Anyone? Anyone? Tell me I’m not the only one having days like this.

I keep telling myself, “Wasn’t yesterday such a great day? It was wonderful. It’s okay if today is not so hot…”

Update: Still finding more applesauce. I said 83″ long trail? I just found some on the front of our wedding album and some books in the living room shelf. FIFTEEN FEET AWAY!