All is Calm, All is Bright

Dear Kids, 

I can't believe that as I write this, Christmas Eve will be tomorrow! As each week flies by in a fleeting moment, I can't believe it's about to be 2021 again. This week the COVID vaccines have started to make its rounds to medical workers and eventually all who will want one will get one. This gives me hope for a life of normalcy. 

But what is normalcy? What will it be when things start to open up and we can start to gather? I've actually enjoyed not having to rush around so much and have enjoyed not having to be anywhere at any certain time (except for doctor appointments). I'm looking forward to figuring out a happy medium in the future. 

Homeschool Update

School this past week has been a bit more relaxed. We finished up our astronomy unit with moon phases. Not wanting to steal your future science teacher's thunder, I decided that this year, I would focus more on dispelling the common misconceptions that kids have about basic scientific concepts while boosting vocabulary usage. 

 

Hailey's now working on cutting with a purpose. Instead of just giving you a piece of paper and watching you happily make confetti out of it, I've been drawing lines on random pieces of paper for you to cut out. You seem to like the challenge. 

For math we applied concepts that we've learned this year. I gave each of you $5 to buy whatever decorations that you would need for the gingerbread house. I gave you the receipt and you both had to write down the price of the candies on the box. I then had you guys decide what fraction of the container you would need and had you, Nathan give a good estimate of how much that portion would cost. 

You would decorate some and then come over to buy more candy and add more to your tab. Both of you would keep your own tab as you "bought" candy from me.

At the end you both had to add the cost together to come up with the final bill. I then had you each write a "theme" with supporting statements (as Mrs. Shields from "A Christmas Story" would call it) about whether it was better to create your own gingerbread house or to buy a kit from the store.  You both decided it was better to make one from scratch. 

Here are a few pictures that I took during the building process along with the final products. 

If I were more on top of things, I would also have you guys measure the dimensions and have Nathan calculate the area of each wall. But I didn't want to be a buzz kill...yeah. 

With the left over dough I was even able to make one myself this year! 

A few nights ago, we attempted to go outside to look at the "Christmas Star." The whole experience and the discussions that took place through the viewing was a lesson in itself. We were able to see this through the telescope. 

Auntie Momo's friend, gave us a few Hogwarts crafting kits from the library that she works at.  You guys worked all morning (mostly independently) on creating various Harry Potter Themed Crafts: wands, mandrakes, a Monster Notebook of Monsters, a Hogwarts pennant, shrinky dink house charms, 

and even different potions. These were super fun and I loved hearing your conversation about the books that we read a few months ago. In fact, this kit has rekindled Nathan's interest in reading Harry Potter and you've been spending a lot of time reading on your own, making it easy for Hannah to pick Hailey as a play mate. 

Dear Nathan, 

The past few months I've been working on making my expectations for you guys a bit more realistic. I feel that I've always treated you guys as if you are older and I sometimes often forget just how young you guys are. I like to think it's because I've always been told that toddlers and teenagers have similar levels of impulse control. I'm joking...not joking. 

I've seen the biggest change in you, I think it's because you being the oldest, my expectations have always been higher for you. I've caught myself too often using threats and guilt trips to get you to basically do what I want you to do. I've blamed things on you (in the name of teaching you consequences) that weren't even your fault (For example, after I burnt toast because I was busy cleaning up a glass of spilled milk, I would blame you for the burnt toast because you had spilled milk...yeah, I know, I'm not proud of it at all). Anyways, because of how I parented you, you started to feel powerless and started to hold in a lot of frustration, anger, and fear. I wrote about this a few months back (maybe it was a year) and this year I've been focusing on 2 things: raising your self-confidence (you were so afraid of failing because of my high expectations of you) and easing my high expectations of you. 

There's been quite a few double take moments when the more forgiving-in-nature words that come out of my mouth were not what you expected. As more words like "It's ok, it's just an accident!" or "You made a mess, but that was a tough task" I could see you guys become more at ease when you realized that you had done something wrong. Slowly it started to manifest in the words that you guys would say when something goes wrong: instead of blaming words, phrases like, "It's ok, we'll just clean it up!" come out of your mouths.  Even Hailey is picking it up! "It's ok, we can try again!" 

Overall, there is less anger, less frustration and less fighting, but when Nathan, you do throw a tantrum it's because of something that you see as being unfair (and usually I feel like it's legit). But you typically will remove yourself from the situation and calm down after awhile. 

Dear Hailey, 

One of our traditions is to go out and look at the Christmas lights after dinner. We do this about once a week. Something that you love to do is to stick your head out the window and belt out random songs in a very dramatic way. It's simply adorable! 

You are kind of obsessed with brushing your hair and your teeth by yourself. You finally figured out the trajectory of the spittle and most of the time will land it in the sink (as opposed to the counter or the mirror). It's made cleaning a lot easier on me. 

I do enjoy the quiet moments before bed when we read together. Lately, if I read stories to you, you will beg for me to sleep with you. Usually I do, or I have Daddy read you the story because he has more willpower against your big bright eyes than I do. Last night you kept kicking me in the face (you are like a top when you sleep, there's so much movement) and I had to leave. Tonight I told you that I had to sleep in my bed because you kick too much. You seemed to understand and didn't even ask me to stay. I'm glad you are a fairly reasonable girl. 

I let you put some chapstick on the other day. It was tinted. To you, it was magical as it transformed you into a real princess! Oddly, it doesn't have the same effect on me. 

You are getting pretty good at drawing. I think you are starting to have lefty tendencies, but you are still totally able to draw with both hands. I just love the detail!!!

One of our favorite neighbors dropped off a few "Do you want to build a doughman" kits for you guys to do. It was a fun activity as you each built your Texas snowmen. 

Dear Hannah, 

I love how you are so flexible and forgiving of everyone. I love how you see potential in every piece of "trash" that you come across with. If I were to dub you a name, I would name you the patron saint of repurposing. You continue to be a little foodie and you claim the role of being my toughest food critic. 

You are getting to be such a strong bike rider. Today we rode almost 7 miles on a trail by our house.  You can also do a quick handstand...on the trampoline! (You've also helped Hailey with her C-drops, which is coming along and getting noticeably better. She is now able to stand up afterwards about 50% of the time)

You are quickly able to switch gears from playing with Hailey and then playing with Nathan. I'm now wondering if you ever get to play what you want to. I need to remind you that what you want is important too! I don't want you to end up like me, in that giving in to others' needs, I completely ignore and eventually forget that I have needs too. 

Wow, this ended up being a pretty involved post, but I enjoyed writing it. 

Love, 

Mommy 

Update on Hailey: 

So I actually wanted to make this post after I heard from the doctor, so that's why it's a bit later than usual. The Medical Director of Pediatric Heart Failure, Transplant and Mechanical Circulatory Support at Dell Childrens (our cardiologist, crazy, right?) called today while I was driving so I didn't get to pick up. When I arrived home I listened to the message and she had said that she was leaving the office a bit early today and that she was leaving me her cell phone number to discuss the results. My mind immediately goes to the worse so I quickly call her back. Fortunately, or maybe not, Hailey's latest enzyme test came back showing that her glycogen processing enzyme levels were normal and that she doesn't have any symptoms of Pompe disease. So now we are back at square 1 and we still don't know what is the cause of her hypertrophic cardio myopathy. At this point, she will be monitored every 3 months to see how everything is progressing or not progressing and we'll just go from there. A part of me hates that we don't have any answers, but I also am at a weird peace with this because I know God has a plan. I'm thankful for all the prayers that have been said on our behalf and I'm thankful that we have a loving God who puts us through the refining fire throughout our lives.