It has been awhile

I didn’t realize it has been so long. Where do I start? I will start yesterday and move back. Yesterday I had to take Lily and Isabelle to their checkups. Lily had her 2 year check up. It was just a little off schedule. I forgot with everything going on. She did great. Her weight was 32 lbs and height was 37 inches. Lily was such a big girl. She received her second dose of flu and the H1N1 vaccination. Dave and I were not sure about the H1N1 but the doctor recommended that the kids get it because of Isabelle. We have never had the kids or ourselves get flu vaccinations.

Isabelle is doing great. She weighs 15 lbs. I had to take her off her monitor because she was moving so much. It took sometime but over the last six weeks I have been weaning myself from the need to put it on her. For about the last three weeks she has not used the monitor. Her doctor said she was doing very well. Isabelle is rolling over and is tolerating some tummy time. Last night Isabelle enjoyed her tummy for at least 20 minutes (this was big). She reaches for her toys and has a strong grip. When Isabelle smiles her whole face lights up. We have been blessed with this little girl. She also gets to start eating cereal.


Halloween
We always go to my cousins house. She lives in a nice development. This year we had pizza and then Amanda had activities for the kids to do. They each had to find a pumpkin in the yard and then they got to design a face on it. The adults got to do the carving. My Uncle Jerry was put to work. The kids then had to sit on balloons that had prizes inside them. This was harder than it looked but the kids had a great time. They did some other activities and then it was time to go get some treats. This year Lily was an elephant (her favorite), Isabelle was a giraffe (this is what the incubator was called-I felt it suited her very well), Nolan was Wolverine and Brooke was Hannah Montana (the wig only lasted for a few houses). When the kids were finished we went back and made smores. We had a great time.

Dave and I both got to have a little me time. He went to his annual Nascar race and I went to Longaberger (Dresden). I had a great time with my mom, Oletta, Krista and Amanda. The last time I left for a whole weekend was a long time ago. I’m still waiting for my Aunt Krista to email me pictures. I didn’t take my camera. Dave and I also went to a WV football game and had a great time.

Brooke and Nolan are both in an activity now. Brooke does her ballet, tap and Irish. She loves to dance but Irish is her favorite. Nolan has started wrestling. Dave stopped coaching high school but it was for a good reason. Nolan is so happy that his daddy is helping him. Dave has Nolan practicing on Brooke. I think Nolan really enjoys it.

I will try not to wait so long to post again. Have a great day.

Uncle Jerry

What is it?

This is the inside of my hard working husbands car. You may think why is she showing this. Well I had to venture into this mess last week. I was looking for something and thought I may find it in his car. I didn't find what I needed but I did find a package addressed to me. I looked at the return address and saw that it was from a coworker of mine.(Barb S.) I then looked at the date stamped on the package, it was April 6. This was during the time I was at UVa with Isabelle. When Dave came home from work I asked him about the package and he said he didn't really remember putting it there. Later he said he vaguely remembered putting it there when he got it out of the mailbox. His intentions were to give it to me on the weekend. As you can see from the picture Dave is not a very neat person. I knew this when I married him but thought I would be able to help him. I guess I've haven't done a very good job. (Love ya honey)

I received a very nice book and card in the package. Maybe I needed the inspiration now and that was why it was misplaced. Anyways just wanted to share. Have a great day!!!

Student of the Week

Nolan was very excited to tell us he was chosen as the student of the week. He came off the bus with a big smile and said he had something to show me. I am so happy for him. This is a great confidence boost for him.

As I'm sitting here writing my post I here a noise in the room that will one day be the kids play room. I need to take the trash out so I will look in the door from outside. The room is blocked off from the house. I only go out there when I need to do the laundry. With a family of six I should do it every other day but I hate having to go outside to the laundromat (house joke). I thought I was going to see a mouse but we have a bird in the room. Dave wanted to take the plywood down from the kitchen so I wouldn't have to go outside. I hope he sees why I didn't want him to. I didn't think birds would be the problem. The room is the old kitchen. Back when the house was built the kitchen had a dirt floor. Later concrete was poured so when Dave tore the room apart we have a dirt gap between the studs and the concrete floor. This house has lots of things that need to be done and one of these days we will be able to sit back and enjoy it, but right now it is really getting on my nerves. I hate clutter and it is everywhere. Enough about the house.

Here are the new additions to the Choiniere family.

Those of you who know me, know that I'm not a cat person. Dave loves cats and the kids love Granny and Pa's cats. I knew that some day we would probably have a cat. I have told Dave from the beginning that I would deal with my issues but I will not change the litter box. Well when Dave went to New York he came home with 3 kittens. The mother had left them and he just couldn't separate them. They have been staying at Dave's parents house. Granny has been taking care of them. Dave has told the kids that the kittens will come home when he has their playroom finished. I'm not sure when this will be but maybe this will help get things done sooner. The cats will be outside cats but with the weather turning Dave doesn't want them to be outside yet. Nolan has the black one and its name is Sylvester, Brooke named hers Buster and Lily named hers Cow. We tried to get her to change but she said I told you Cow, so Cow it is. Isabelle is to young for a kitten but when she is bigger we will get a dog.

Have a great day!!!!

Lots going on

This is the picture we gave for Grandparent's Day. It is never an easy task getting everyone to look at the camera.


Dave began putting the play set together on Saturday. My Uncle Jerry came to help after working 12 hours. He is such a great Uncle. He has helped Dave with many projects. As you can see in the picture Brooke and Nolan were ready to help. Dave is wondering how he got stuck with this job. Dave's dad also came for a few hours and then they had to fix his brake line.







Isabelle has been a great sleeper since last Wednesday. She has been taking her last bottle somewhere between 8:30 and 9:30 and then she doesn't get up until 7am. This has been a wonder treat. She is also sucking her thumb and I think this has helped to put her back to sleep a couple of times. We took her for a follow-up on Friday and Dr. Rogers said she looks great. She weighed 12 lbs. 14 ozs.

Isabelle is such a happy baby and loves to smile. Her face just lights up.

It is so funny seeing her suck her thumb. She likes to keep her other fingers up and she makes lots of noise.

I will post next about our new additions to the family.

Body Art

Today Isabelle's service coordinator (WV Birth To 3 Program) came to our house. I put a movie on for Lily and then came downstairs. The meeting only lasted 25 minutes and during that time I could hear Lily moving around upstairs. When the coordinator left I began making lunch, instead of going upstairs (just sandwiches). It was already 12:30 and Lily needed to eat and get a little cat nap in before we pickup her brother and sister. Lily came downstairs and I noticed her arms first. She used stamps up her arms and then she lifted her shirt and showed me her tummy. She had colored her tummy with a marker. I just thought you would enjoy the pictures. As you can see she is very proud of herself.

Isabelle was 3 months old yesterday (adjusted)

Her weight was 11 lbs 3 0z last Friday. She has become more aware of her surroundings. Isabelle is smiling and laughing (no noise). We have been doing more tummy time since her hernia isn't in the way and her neck is getting stronger. We go back to UVa next Friday for a checkup. We also have two visits next week for the WV Birth to three program.


We also had an eye appointment on Monday and things are not completely where they should, but they are better. Her right eye is still stalling. The doctor said he wants to continue to monitor it because it could cause problems later. Isabelle has a higher chance of her retina detaching. I don't have to take her back to him for another 4-6 months, but he wants us to see an optometrist in 3 months.


I also had to take Brooke to the eye doctor on Monday. We have been trying to get her right eye stronger. First she got glasses, which made some difference. Then she tried wearing an eye patch on her strong eye so she would use the weaker one more. This hasn't worked real well. She doesn't like to wear an eye patch. It was hard because she had t-ball and ballet, plus with Isabelle coming we weren't great at enforcing it. Dr. Mark said he wants us to see a specialist in Morgantown. He has given Brooke 8 weeks to try and make her right eye stronger. If this doesn't work there are drops that paralyze the strong eye and make her use the weaker one. We didn't tell Brooke that we are against using them. We are hoping that she is scared enough and will just wear the eye patch. She has been doing great the last 3 days. She reminds me as soon as she gets off the bus. If you could just say a little prayer for Brooke.


Happy Friday and enjoy your three day weekend!!!!!!!

Back To School

This year has been a lot easier for me, since I'm not working. I was able to go to orientation and even got to put Nolan and Brooke on the bus. Nolan is in kindergarten and Brooke is in Second grade. I just can't believe how much time has passed.


Nolan couldn't wait for school to begin, but he was very relaxed about it. He just wanted to see his preschool buddies. Brooke on the other hand couldn't go to sleep and then she woke up at 1:30 in the morning and couldn't go back to sleep. At 6 o'clock she was ready to begin the day. She was just so excited.

Brooke was like a mother hen with Nolan. She made sure he was sitting with her and told him she would walk him to his classroom. Daddy gave them both a job on the way to school. They had to look in the fields for deer. They are the first kids on the bus in the morning and the last ones off in the afternoon.

Nolan had a great day and so did Brooke. Brooke did have a little drama. She didn't realize her morning work had fallen off her desk and didn't have it finished when they were checking it. She had to use a red pen to finish the word search with the class. She wasn't to happy about that. After I told her it was not a big deal and we would just throw the word search away she was ok. She didn't want Daddy asking about the red pen. She tries to be perfect with everything but word searches are not her thing.

Lily enjoys watching and waiting for the bus. She waves goodbye to them and then she will ask me where they are. I think she is enjoying having all the toys to herself. It has been pretty quiet around here. I am working on the clutter around the house. It's easier to get rid of stuff when you don't have helpers who want to keep everything.

Isabelle has been doing great. She continues to be her feisty little self. We take her to the doctor tomorrow. Dave will actually get to come with us, since he has been working four 10 hour days. I enjoy getting to spend time with him. He has had a few Friday's off, but this is the first one that we get to do something. Usually he is doing other side jobs. I have the best husband. He is working hard so that I can stay home. I hope he knows how much I appreciate it.