March 2011

Dori overseeing homework at the kitchen table

Alex and I during his Valentine's Day party at school

Us at the long term care facility after we delivered a big laundry basket of treats.

Cheetos and other snacks for the kiddos at Children's

I'm sitting here watching the babies get their speech therapy and it's enlightening/ entertaining to hear. Our ST is going on maternity leave real soon so she has her replacement here for training, so it's been neat to hear her debrief the new girl. Dori has full grasp of 8 words and prefers to call Ben "die die". We weren't trying to make a big deal in front of Ben (acting like "oh no, I don't think said that, it just sounded like it") but Ben over the past few months Ben is like "See!! He called me Die Die again! Ugh! Why does he call me Die Die!?!?!" Even during therapy when Ben's face is shown to him with the 8x10 flashcards, he is consistent with calling him that. Poor Ben, we need to get Dori to call him BEN! I can't help but think it's a little funny.

Wynnie was a show-off all smiles and cuddly with the new lady. He's trying to get on her good side. Ever since he's been wearing his hearing aids since January on a more regular basis, his interaction and responsiveness has shot through the roof. He's back to his ol babbling and expressive self, so that's so nice to see.

Basketball is over for Ben and Alex. Alex did a great job of learning the game and really liking it this year. Ben is so good at making baskets. He'd be pulled out of the game after only 2 quarters with over 20+ points to let the other kids play. I'm so proud when they play so well, especially since they enjoy it so much.

This weekend we took alot of treats to a long term care facility in Plano. In honor of Gabriella Scarpelli (a sweet little i-cell baby that earned her angel wings a year ago this weekend). Her mother shared that Gabriella loved to make people smile. While they spent alot of time at the Ronald McDonald House while Gabbie got her bone marrow transplant, they would receive alot of snacks and food gifts from strangers and it really touched them when strangers out of nowhere would brighten their day with their time and their gifts and thoughtfulness. So in memory of Gabbie, her mom wanted as many friends and family to help put smiles on the faces of people going through health difficulties. Then yesterday we went to Children's Medical Center with Viktoria and the babies to drop off a wagon load of cheetos and other snacks for the oncology kids. When those kiddos are going through radiation, everything tastes like metal. Cheetos is one of the few things that they can actually tastes through all that metal aftertaste. Hence, the wagonload of cheetos. The babies had fun driving all the way to downtown to make the delivery.

The boys and I read 4 bible stories the other night, then they got to pick their own books to read while I fed the babies. Alex chose a Star Wars book and after thumbing through it said "The bible is like Star Wars and God is like the Force." Pretty awesome.