Five Things for Friday: September

- 1-

Michael insisted we get in the "football season" spirit by wandering through the tailgates before the first ISU home game. Cyclone fans sure love to celebrate their team! We wandered around and checked out the kid area where the girls enjoyed face painting and a bouncy house. We also decided to take Haley and everyone loved her and wanted to stop and pet her. It was a fun afternoon. 

Everyone crowding around Haley. It was like this all day!

- 2 -

We've enjoyed tons of outdoor fun this month. I've spent a lot of time picking the garden then figuring out what to do with everything. We've made salsa, canned pears from a friends tree, made spaghetti sauce, frozen lots of squash for stir-fry, given away tons more squash, etc. It's been so much fun to have a huge garden! Besides gardening, we've played a lot outside! The younger kids and I also went to the butterfly garden one day. Lenora was a baby last time we went so she doesn't remember it, but she LOVED it this time. 

- 3 - 

Poor Lenora caught a nasty virus called hand, foot, and mouth. She picked it up from the YMCA along with half of the other kids that regularly attend child watch. Anyways, her face, hands and feet were all broken out in these tiny blisters. Surprisingly, she really didn't seem to care at all. She was a bit tired but never in much pain. She was mostly just annoyed she couldn't go out for nearly a week while she was contagious. 

- 4 - 

I've had some adventures this fall with jobs finding me. The first odd job that found me came through Michael. A researcher at the University of Colorado was looking for someone to help collect data in Iowa by giving assessments to K-2 Deaf students. She reached out to him to help in her search for someone who was fluent in ASL, had experience giving assessments to children, and who was unaffiliated with the Deaf institute so the study could remain blind. The only person he could think of in Iowa that fit that list was me so he referred me. I ended up accepting the job to spend two days this fall then two days again in the spring doing assessments at the deaf school in Counsel Bluffs. 

At the beginning of September I made an overnight trip out there. It was hard to leave the kids (especially Orson since I've never been away), but it was so good in so many ways. I loved the work! It was a blast to assess the kids and interact with them. It was also a very welcome break. I spent the night out there so after the first day I enjoyed a quiet afternoon, ate some of my favorite foods in peace, and attended the temple. It was a rejuvenating trip for me! I came home refreshed and ready to be an even better mom. I also got these adorable pictures while I was gone: 

The other small job that found me recently was one teaching ballet! A local studio was looking for a new ballet technique/beginning pointe teacher, and someone in our ward gave them my name. I have wanted to get in to teaching ballet for a long time so I was thrilled to accept this job! With just one class a week, it fits my schedule so well too! 

- 5 - 

Every night at bedtime the girls ask me to tickle their backs and sing them a song. Hazel usually requests Primary songs or songs from movies. Lenora likes to hear the same songs over and over again - the "bird" song (My Heavenly Father Loves Me) and the "mama" song (Mother I Love You) are her two favorites. Eliza on the other hand gets bored with the same things.  In fact, she started requesting that I make up songs for her. She'll say things like, "Sing me an elephant song" then I'll have to make one up. 

Anyway, shortly after Orson was born she asked me to make up a song about him. It is super silly but they girls love it! In fact, they ask me to sing it to them all the time. I didn't want to ever forget the "Bubba song" so I had to include it with today's post. Here it is: 

Mr. Orson you're so cute! 

Mr. Orson do not toot. 

Mr. Orson that's not nice.

Mr. Orson eat some rice. 

Mr. Orson let's play ball.
Mr. Orson do not fall. 

Mr. Orson we love you! 

Mr. Orson yes, we do! 

Metatarsus Adductus

Mr. Orson has been having a little adventure with his feet. When he was born the pediatrician that did his initial exam mentioned his feet were curved due to his position in utero. She assure us they would very likely straighten out on their own and it would be nothing to worry about. But, at 9 months his feet still looked like this...

Here are his little feet next to his cute cousin Lydia's: 

And often when he would try to stand up his foot would end up like this underneath him:

We saw a pediatric orthopedic who diagnosed him with "metatarsus adductus from hell" (his words not mine). Usually it will resolve on it's own, but in severe or "rigid" cases it requires treatment. After a few months of stretching didn't lead to any improvement, he recommended we begin serial casting to avoid a lot of foot problems/pain down the road. 

The first set of casts were full leg casts. While he HATED getting them put on, once they were done he wasn't bothered by them at all. In fact, he was crawling around within two hours! They are plaster casts so they were really heavy too. Babies are so amazingly adaptable!

He was so active in the casts that within a few days he was destroying the plaster! So they had us duct tape over them to make it though the week.

After a week in the full leg casts, his second casts were half leg which was nice. This time they wrapped them in fiberglass and he will keep them on for two weeks. These casts are much lighter and easier for both of us. He can do anything in them. In fact, he's starting to stand up without holding on to anything! I think if not for the casts he would be almost walking.

The girls were disappointed they were just white so they insisted they decorate them. If he would have let them I'm sure they would have colored every inch of them, but he wanted nothing to do with sitting still for that!

This set of casts comes off on Monday and then he will have 1 to 2 more casts. Overall, it has been so much easier than I imagined. Of course, that's just Orson's personality. He tackles anything and everything with a smile! 

First Day of School

Hazel and Eliza started back to school August 25th! Both of them were so excited for school. 

Hazel is in Mrs. McPartland's Second grade class. In our area, Pre-K through 1st grade are in two tiny schools, and all the 2-4th grades are in their own building so Hazel is at a new building this year. She feels very big! She told me she's already looking forward to leading the morning announcements/pledge once she is in 4th grade. Her teacher is incredible and I think she will have a wonderful year! 

2nd Grade! 

Eliza started Kindergarten! I cannot believe she is old enough. Just like with Hazel, she was way more ready to go than I was to let her. Eliza is becoming so confident! I walked her to her classroom the first day and to the door of the building the second day. By day three she told me, "It's okay mom, I can go by myself." For her and her subtle little personality, that is so huge!

Her teacher Mrs. Palmer is brand new this year, but she seems very excited and eager to teach these kiddos. Eliza loves her already. At pick up time the last few days, Eliza has walked out holding her hand.

My days have been much quieter with the big girls gone all day. I miss them, yet at the same time I love that Lenora and Orson get to enjoy a slower pace. One of the hardest things about having four kids and keeping the older ones entertained without exhausting the younger ones. I also love that it means more one on one time and more structure. Here's to a great year of school! 

Haley

Here's the newest member of our family - puppy Haley! For a puppy, she has been so good. She is sweet and very eager to please. So far she is learning the ropes really quickly, and though she chews a bit like all puppies will and has an accident here and there, she is really well behaved overall. She is a lot calmer than Kiara was as a puppy that's for sure! I think she is going to be a wonderful dog for our family. 

Here are a few pictures of when we saw the litter of puppies. They are such beautiful dogs! Their mom was a blue healer and boarder collie mix and dad was a German wirehair. You can see from the looks on the girls faces why I agreed to get a puppy. They are just so thrilled to have her!

Hazel with 3 week old Haley!

Haley is fitting right in to our family and routine. Kiara has loved having her around. They play and wrestle and run then when Kiara's had enough Haley is quick to leaver her be. I wouldn't be surprised if Kiara loses a few pounds now that she's playing so much. 

Haley has been wonderful with the kids too! She quickly learned to be gentle even with Orson. She loves to run and play with them. I'm working hard to involve the older girls in training her so that she will obey them as well as she will us and it seems to be working.

Haley even has a name sign already. It's like the sign for magic but with only one hand since she was Haley Houdini on our trip home. We love you sweet little Haley! Even I'm glad you're part of the family now.