JR obviously made it back from Honduras a week ago! He enjoyed his trip but was very glad to be back home! Tomorrow I am headed to a conference on apraxia. Looking forward to seeing if I can pick up some more ideas and techniques to work with JB and his speech. He is doing really well and those around him are seeing huge improvements! So fun to be able to communicate with him using words! This past Friday we finally got to see one of B's swim lessons. They have been going for the last couple of weeks with school. It was his last lesson. He had a lot of fun, although I think he was put in a group lower than he should have been. Oh well, they had fun and every time he is in the water he becomes more and more comfortable and swims that much farther.

This past Thursday the younger two boys and I went with B's class to the Special Olympics opening ceremony. It was fun, lots of noise and people, but the kids really enjoyed it. JB wanted to take some 'homemade' binoculars so he could see. Here is a picture of him.

I have more pictures to share, but tired. Just wanted to post some quick stuff since it had been a while.

Monday JB's therapist finished up her eval on him. She said he tested at a 'severe apraxia' but she thinks he might be more mild to moderate. He was placed at the 5th percentile. I liked her definition of apraxia...the inability to coordinate the oral movements necessary to produce and combine speech sounds to form syllables and words in the absence of oral paralysis. She also said that prognosis is very good with intervention, which I figured! He still continues to plug along and amaze people with his temperament and his comprehension.

Monday we met with some of the preschool staff at the local school. The speech therapist said he is comprehending about 6-9 months ahead of his age. She did not score him on where he is verbally, but I am guessing the 14 month mark. The PT was not able to complete all her testing. He went for a 'visitation' day today. He spent 2 1/2 hours there interacting with the other kids. They said he did very well, although he did not talk much. When I got to the school, the kids were just leaving the play ground and heading to the bus. (Most of the kids ride the bus home.) JB was trying to keep up. He turned around, saw me and then kept running to the kids. The aide told him he needed to stop. He looked so confused. I told him he did not get to ride the bus because I was picking him up. He got the saddest little puppy face and almost started crying. He wanted to ride that bus too like his friends. He will go back on Friday for his second 'visitation'. Then late May we will meet to discuss everything and about the possibility of him being there in the fall.

The boys have had a couple of later nights this week and does it ever show! They are so tired and poor little Jbird just melts down. Not sure how things are going to go when it stays lighter longer. I just wish they would sleep in!

Went to the dermatologist today to have a spot on my knee cut out. So thankful for the costly insurance we have. It appears it is basal cell, but it should be gone now. One of the great things about going for yearly check-ups, things are caught often. I will be kid free most of tomorrow, thanks to a friend, so lots of lounging, projects and then dinner with a friend (while her kids hang with my kids). JR will come back Saturday night!

JR has made it to Honduras. He left Friday morning and will be there until this Saturday.

The boys and I have gone wild. For the last two days our couches and table have been turned upside down and now a 24/7 fort. They have figured out how to create 'rooms' in the fort and have been sleeping there. Tonight it was a shelter from komodo dragons, which did not take over the fort because the boys had their guns. It is so nice to see them playing so well together!

On Friday night I went to a contemplative prayer and fellowship time at a friends house. Something I had never experienced before. There were 16 ladies and my friend who led it did a great job. Hopefully something I can go to every quarter, or how often they have them.

Yesterday a friend came over with her two boys and literally spent all day here! We were outside from 11 - 4:30. Great to just hang out.

This week there is a lot going on with the preschool JB will probably go to. Tomorrow I am taking him in so they can put him through all the tests...PT, OT, Speech, etc. Then on Wed and Friday I will drop him off from 8:30 - 11 so he can 'try' it out. They usually get a pretty good idea of how and where he will fit in for the fall.

I have a couple of friends helping me with the boys this week so I can get some 'down' time. That down time will probably turn into project time. Just tonight I was able to fill an entire trash bag of clothes. So nice to weed out more stuff.

This past weekend was a total blur. Friday afternoon some friends called us who live an hour away and said they were headed to the hospital for some testing. The dad has recently been diagnosed with MS and seemed there were some complications. The doctor wanted them at the hospital for short tests over the weekend (an hour or two each day). So, we entertained their two youngest for the better part of the weekend. The boys loved having a sister. She and Jbird are oil and water at times, so they act just like siblings.

On Saturday night JR and I took our three and two of their three to a local Pow Wow. Everything I read said it started at 6pm, so we got there at 5:45. Then we found out at 6 that it did not start until 7. They were running real late so the grand entry did not start until 7:45. So the kids were tired of sitting by the time it started. We left toward the end of the grand entry, which was at least 25 minutes long. Very fascinating, just wish I could have seen more of it. We did enjoy some fry bread though.

Saturday afternoon we went to one easter egg hunt at a nearby church. It had snowed the day before, so quite a bit of snow on the ground, but it was a beautiful day. It was pretty obvious from the pictures below which one of my children got dressed with no parental influence. (I wonder if it is a good thing that my children are so unconcerned about their attire. On one hand, it will probably save me lots of money, on the other hand, I just laugh when they go out like this.....note those are wool socks B is wearing.)



After the egg hunt the Easter bunny came out. JB initiated several high fives!



Sunday morning, because we had an extra child with us, we did not do our traditional Easter and the boys did not seem to mind. We had brunch with our friends and then headed to their hotel to swim. I had all five of the kids by myself, but they did wonderful.

Monday JB had his second visit with the new therapist. She is just amazed at how hard he likes to work! She did mention that most apraxic kids she has seen have sleep apnea. So, watching him for that, but currently he is not showing strong signs.

We have been getting out lately on bikes and going for walks. So looking forward to this summer, although I think more snow is coming later in the week.

This was yesterday.....The boys put on their cowboy hats and bandanas. We have a couple of cap guns that Jbird got for his birthday. However, he has deemed it too dangerous to use because he saw a spark when the cap went off. So they run around shooting the guns and providing their own noises. We also played some 'tennis'.



This is a picture of this morning.


Lovely spring weather. At least it is April, so the snow won't stick around long. However it is needed since a wildfire started earlier this week.

We were eating lunch today and JB said 'mo wa wa'. Yeah...'more water'. I think he is close to 70 'words' that he uses on his own and appropriately. He is also enjoying the one morning he goes to daycare and plays hard along side kids his own age.

Had an eye opening experience this week about the day and age we live in. (Too complicated to go into). It is amazing to see where we are as a culture...although I am thankful for the diligence of others, JR and I are the parents and have nothing but the best interest at hand for our kids. So thankful for the wisdom God gives us in how to deal with our kids and their different temperaments and personalities.

Not much on the calendar this weekend except celebrating our risen Lord!!! The youth group is hosting an egg hunt before church so I think we will deviate from our norm and do that. Also working on a scavenger hunt for the boys instead of the traditional egg hunt at home. Hopefully the boys will enjoy it because I love coming up with things like that. Oh the possibilities now that B is a full on reader. Love having a reader in our home! He laid in bed last night and read a story to JB while I had to finish up some stuff. Those are the memories I hope they will carry with them.

Yesterday our hospital had their semi annual Wellness Day. Since JR and I have a high deductible insurance policy, we decided to take advantage of getting low cost blood work done. They had some great stations for the kids too - Wii fitness, hula hoop, homemade granola, balloon art and face painting. B was the only brave one to get his face painted....Jbird and JB both got turtles on their hands. Here is the crew.

Here is a photo of two beloved items in our house.... a recent gun that Jbird purchased with some birthday money and JB's 'uufff'. His little dog is never far from him.