Kid Update

I have a very short window of time during nap time lately, since Kellen has not been napping most days anymore. He still has to have Quiet Time so that I get a little break from everyone!! Really, our lives depend on it.;) Here is a quick update on each of the kids:

Kellen: Hmmmm....what to say about Kellen? I think this boy is too smart for his own good, meaning that it gets in his way of having fun. Or maybe that's his stubbornness...? He gets very specific ideas in his head, & he then has no flexibility. I am sure that when he is a teenager facing peer pressuer that we will really appreciate this trait of his, but for now, I wish he would loosen up a bit! For instance, when I ask him if he went outside at school (yes) & what he did, he tells me: "No, I don't play at school." And where did he get this idea? That's exactly what school is for!! But somewhere along the way he decided that he doesn't play there, & nothing is going to change his mind. He is doing well at school, other than that.:) He can write his name now, & is learning all about the days of the week, months of the year, etc. He has a wonderful memory (which maybe also gets in his way a little bit), so we really have to be careful what we say!! Kellen has reverted 100% backwards in potty training, & I really don't know why. Apparently he needed to take control of some part of his life, & this is how he chose to do it. I have been trying to figure out what to do (NONE of the books deal with this issue, at this age) so here is my plan: I told Kellen that there will be no more treats for going to the bathroom (we were trying to encourage it with rewards, but it wasn't working...), no one will say 'Yay', he doesn't have to tell me, & I will not ask him if he needs a new diaper -- everything is HIS responsibility. When he is ready to use the potty, he just will. No hoopla, no rewards, nothing. He will just decide that he is ready. & that will be that. Even if we can smell him a mile away, we will not ask him if he needs to be changed. Eventually, he will get it. I just hope it's sooner than later!!!!!!!! I knew I'd have 3 in diapers for a little while, but never expected it to be for 1.5 years!!!

Annika: Annika is about to turn 3, & she is SO excited about it.:) Unfortunately she also thinks that she will go to pre-school as soon as she turns 3, so it will be a great disappointment to her that she has to wait until Fall. Annika takes many cues from Kellen, until her good sense kicks in.:) Such as, over the summer Kellen decided that he didn't want to wear shorts anymore (?). Annika said that too, until she got too hot, then she changed her mind that shorts were o.k. Unfortunately she has not made this connection with the potty yet either, so she is still in diapers too. I don't care which kid is out of diapers first, just somebody!!!! Annika will also be giving her pacifiers to a baby (not one in our house) after she turns 3, so we have been talking about this to make sure she's ready. I am so ready to be done with binkies.:) I am very glad that she has been the only kid to use one. Annika is a very social girl & loves to play with others. She likes to be the leader.

Kaarin: She is such a little monkey!! Oh my goodness, the things she climbs on...& falls from. Not good. She is so small that she just kind of fits everywhere!! She is discovering her independence & is learning the power of 'no.' She LOVES running around with Kellen & Annika - it is SO funny to see them all running together.:) Usually Kaarin is following a bit far behind, but her excitement & enthusiasm to be 'one of the gang' is hilarious.:) She also has quite a bit of exhuberance, so that just adds to the humor.:)

(I think Kellen is actually napping today! Yay for me!:) )

Aloha!

With Randy & Evie at Mama's Fish House

Shave Ice. The most amazing thing ever.

Lava Fields

Us at the beach!:)

WAAAAAYYYYY too long between posts again....so I will just write briefly & hopefully update more later.:) We had an AMAZING trip to Hawaii to celebrate our 10th anniversary!! The weather was perfect, the company was great, & we didn't really have a long enough trip. Hoping to go back sooner than later. Helping to make this trip amazing was our parents, who split the week babysitting. It was wonderful to call home & hear our happy children in the background, & know that they were being well cared for. THANK YOU AGAIN!!

Here are a few highlights of our trip:

*Sun, sun sun...need I say more?!

*O.k., sun....;)

*Maui sand. Love it between my toes

*Snorkeling at Kapalua & other great beaches.

*Exploring the lava fields

*Sushi!!

*Amazing food all around...

*SHAVE ICE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

*Pina coladas every day...

*Driving around the North side of the island, visiting Kahakuloa town for some banana bread in a treehouse.:)

*I'ao Needle

*Papaya on the side of the road

*Visiting with Erik's mom's cousin, Randy, & Evie.

*Mama's Fish House!

*Visiting with friends Melissa & Karma - Maui Taco

*Relaxing at the pool, reading on the Kindle! Love that thing. Now I need one...;)

*Exploring new beaches

*Sleeping whenever we wanted to.:)

*Ahhhhhhh.....relaxation.