Month of Birthdays

Wow! I can't believe it's been a month since the last time I blogged! I had intentions of starting a post 2 or 3 different times but always ended up getting sidetracked or not having enough time.
Derek's birthday was Saturday. I can't believe he is now 9! As he put it, it's the last year of single digits. How did this happen? It seems like he grew up a lot this last year. He's made some good friends here and one or 2 I wish he didn't like so much but I know I can't choose his friends so I just try to give him the tools to make good decisions.

We had a combined birthday party for all 3 kids this Saturday. There weren't many kids but it seemed everyone had a good time. There's a place here called Pump It Up that has the inflatable houses and slides, great place for a party with kids of all ages. Even though it was Derek's birthday, the twins got to celebrate theirs as well. The twins' birthday is the 25th. They have swimming class that day and then I'll be taking them to Chuck E Cheese's. Guess it's just something ya gotta do...lol. Derek's out of school the next 2 weeks for Fall break so he'll get to see their swimming classes and we'll get some time together just the 2 of us, that doesn't happen often. I'm kinda looking forward to that.

What a week...

Monday came around this week and the twins started swimming classes. I love watching them get excited to learn new things. They both did great and I'm so thankful they both love the water. They are the only 2 in their "group" class which is really nice. It's like their own private lessons. Shawn got a little frustrated because his teacher wouldn't let him plug his nose to put his face in the water. He'll get it...lol.

Wednesday was a big day. Colter had surgery to remove his large mass on his chest. The surgery went well and they said they were able to get it all. I was able to pick him up that afternoon. He was such a trooper! He really wanted to come home but was still so groggy it was hard for him to even walk. The vet said it was hard to tell he's almost 11 until he went under anesthesia. That's when you can tell he's a senior citizen...lol. I was so happy to have him home. The house felt a little empty without him, even with 3 kids. But that was when the real work began. He had a tube in his chest to drain the excess fluid from the hole in his chest that was once filled with the fatty lump. What a mess! I have to keep a t-shirt on him and tried to use a diaper to catch the fluid. I learned after a couple days that wasn't the best way. Every morning I'd wake up to spots all over the carpet to clean. I've spent a lot of time during the day changing Colter's t-shirt and cleaning up the messes. Colter has been so great allowing me to do that! He has tried to run away a couple times when he sees the white tee coming towards him but he reluctantly sits and allows me to fix him up.  It seemed when he laid on his side the draining was worse. I noticed last night it was as if he was trying not to lay on that side. I think it bothered him as well. I took him in this morning to have the drain tube removed. I was hoping that would cut down on the mess, but that is not the case. It is still draining and he'll still need to wear the towel and t-shirt to catch the drainage. Because it is a little swollen still the vet advised me I need to apply a warm compress 3 times a day and try to manipulate the area to help with the drainage. As she was telling me this I had all these thoughts going through my head:  How am I going to get him to sit for me 3 times a day to do the compresses; when am I going to find that time while taking care of the 3 kids; it's a good thing I'm not squeamish when it comes to this stuff; and I wish I had help with all of this.  He goes back in on Tuesday morning and I know it will get better with every day. I'm so happy to know he's so healthy and I'm hoping that will equate to him being around for many more years. He's the oldest dog I've had, he's the best dog I've had. He's so trusting and loyal to me. He's also turned into an awesome family dog. He loves being with all the kids and watching them play, he's even started playing around with them, racing them up and down the hall. I can't wait til he's all better so he can do that again and we can go for our daily walks. We're both missing those.

Today Derek had his first flag football game. He played really well and they totally kicked butt...42-7. I really enjoyed watching him play. He really lights up playing football. I can see him more focused and really trying his best. I never thought I'd be watching my boys play football, I was hoping I wouldn't anyway. I worry about injuries with the full contact as he gets older. When I see how happy it makes him to play and how well he does at it, I have to set aside my "mom fear" and allow him to do what he loves to do. He's told me he wants to play all the way to the NFL. I told him he has to play through high school and college and he'll have to have good grades to do that. "What?? What do grades have to do with football?" was his response. Yep, can't play if you don't have good grades. Thankfully we have a long way before we have to think about that stuff but it is something I am actually starting to look forward to.

Thought for the day....

Shawn was drawing with the sidewalk chalk and draws a whale. Then he proceeds to tell me.... "Dolphins don't use good manners because they play with the fish before they eat it. That's not good manners."

First day of preschool

For about a month or so the twins, especially Kristin, have been asking when they get to go to school again. Derek started school 4 weeks ago...they still had to wait. The day finally came today and the preparation started last night. It first started with picking out what to wear today, then baths. Normally, it's a struggle to get them to take a bath. Kristin complains that it shortens her day when she has to take a bath. Shawn just doesn't want to stop what he's doing to get in the tub. Last night was no different until I said he needed to take a bath because he had school today. His response was, "Oh Yeah! Get out of my way!"

This morning went smoothly. Got loaded up in the car and off we went to school. They walked through the routine of getting settled in their classroom quickly, like they'd done it a 100 times before. No tears, just hugs and "I love you, Mom". I dropped Derek off at school next and as I watched him walk across the playground, I felt a full range of emotion...pride, happy, excited and a little bit sad at how fast they have all grown.

I returned 3 hours later to get Kristin and Shawn and was greeted with smiles that were just as big as when I dropped them off. Kristin said, "That was the best day ever!"

I hope this year goes slowly because I am not going to be ready for them to go to elementary school next year. I know, I know...it's going to go just as fast as all the other years. I just wish I could slow it down a little. They grow up way too fast!

Putting their snacks in the cubbies

Missing home....

This morning I changed my calendar to the new month. My calendar is a collage of pictures of the kids over the last year. As I looked through the pictures, I reminisced about what happened and what we were doing when all of those pictures were taken. Pictures of the kids' first day of school and Kristin and Shawn licking the beaters after making chocolate chip cookies with me. I looked at those cute smiling faces and thought about how much they have changed and grown in the last year, how much our lives have changed in the last year. Oh, how I miss the quieter days in my small hometown where all my children were born and all my friends are.

Most of the time I think I am the only one feeling this longing for home. The kids seemed to have settled into their new surroundings, made a few friends and seem happy. Sometimes at night as I'm tucking Kristin in, she'll smile and say, "I feel happy. I don't know why I feel happy, I just do." One night she added, "I have to think about that." That's the ultimate best way to end a day, knowing your child is going to bed happy. However, tonight I was reminded that they feel the same as I do, but don't always express it. At the dinner table tonight Derek looked up at the calendar, looked over the pictures and said, "I can't look at those pictures! It reminds me of home and makes me want cry." I think Helena will always be "home" to us. We will get use to living here and I think eventually, the feeling of missing home will not be felt as often. "Kids are resilient. Kids can adjust." I hear that all the time and I've even said it myself.  However, they still experience the same feelings we do. In the last month, Derek has been waking up a couple nights a week from nightmares. He can't explain what is going on and it takes me a long time to get him to calm down. He is my worrier and I can't help but think they are in direct correlation to all the changes that have happened in the last few months. The last one was Saturday. I'm hoping they will stop very soon.

The twins start preschool next week. They are excited and I'm excited for them and myself. I will have 3 hours twice a week to myself to do whatever I want. I have visions of being pampered with a pedicure or massage or maybe finally getting a haircut. One can dream, right?...Lol.

School Days....

Derek started the third week at his new school today. I can't believe it's already been 3 weeks. Earlier this month we attended the ribbon cutting ceremony for his school. The school did a great job making it a fun event and had many things for the kids to do, bouncy houses, mascots from Chick fil A and the Colorado Rockies, temporary tattoos, and t-shirts for all the students. Derek was excited to start his new school. It's a larger school than what we were use to and I could see some hesitation in Derek but mostly excitement.

First day of school arrives, earlier than I would have liked, but Derek was excited and ready to go. The twins and I dropped him off at the school and I couldn't believe he was off for his 3rd grade year! Apparently his teacher wanted the kids to hit the ground running and I feel like that's what I have had to do to keep up ever since. He came home with homework the first day and has homework every day since! I can't believe how much is expected of 8 and 9 year olds! The weather is still nice and has been a challenge getting Derek to come in from riding his bike to start his homework so we are not up late completing it.

There are lots of kids in the new neighborhood which has pros and cons. I have really had to reinforce the rules and think of new ones to keep Derek out of trouble, keep up with his homework and still have fun. After school has become a bittersweet time for me. I'm happy to have Derek home and want to know about his day but there are kids walking home from the bus stop that want to play. Kristin and Shawn want to catch up with their friends. I have 3 kids going in all directions. Makes me long for the quiet days in Helena when I could actually talk to Derek and hear about his day.

This is also the last week the twins will be home everyday. Preschool starts for them on Tuesday. Kristin has said she's ready for school for the last 2 weeks! They are both excited to go to school. Shawn says he wants to be in the classroom with all the tools that he saw when we toured the school earlier. Kristin wonders who her teacher will be and what the day will be like. It's fun to watch their excitement! It's sad to think this will be the last year before they start "big kids" school. I love watching all of them grow in to these smart, entertaining and awesome little people.

Life begins at the end of your comfort zone...

This last school year I found myself feeling very comfortable in my surroundings. I had the support of all my friends and the comfort of knowing my way around my home town. Even with taking care of 3 kids on my own I felt at ease and comfortable. I learned a lot about myself in the last year, especially just how tough I am and what I can handle. At the end of June I was thrown in to unfamiliar surroundings, and lost my network of friends. I have spent the last 6 weeks trying to find a new comfort zone. What I have found is that it is not as easy or simple as I thought it would be. I found myself feeling very alone and isolated. Two emotions I haven't been familiar with in quite some time. I also found that being 1800 feet higher takes a toll on your body. I found the activities that I had no problem doing in Montana were challenging in Colorado. That took some getting use to and was frustrating. Luckily, I was able to work through that and now feel I am back to my "normal" fitness level. I am thankful for the few friends that have stayed by me and supported me through this tough time.

picnic at museum

Mars sand

I am happy that the kids have settled in to their new surroundings and have enjoyed their summer. Derek found friends within a few days of being in the new home. Kristin and Shawn both have found playmates. Our new neighborhood is full of kids of all ages which has been fun for the kids.  We hit some of the fun attractions in Denver in the 6 weeks before school started. I think Water World was one of the all time favorites. After spending 7 hours there we still didn't see half the park. I was surprised at how brave all the kids were. Shawn went on a ride 3 times that was a little scary and I decided one time was enough for me...lol. Heritage Square was another fun filled place with many amusement park rides including an Alpine slide. Derek decided he didn't want to do that one...lol.  The kids and I also explored the Denver Museum of Science. That had many attractions that were interesting and fun. The space odessey seemed to be the kids' favorite. Shawn really enjoyed the sand of Mars, red sand and water....what could be more fun than that?

Turbo slide

This summer in Colorado has been very hot but I've been told by the people that live here that it's not usually this hot.  I'm still trying to get use to being closer to the sun. Even after going through a whole bottle of sunscreen, we've all had our share of sunburns. I'm actually looking forward to the cooler weather of Fall.