Kiddo Catch Up

Thank you all for the warm welcome back.  I appreciate it!

So, overall we are ok.  There isn't a whole lot that has happened that is terribly note-worthy...or at least not for this post.  Thought I would just catch you up on the kids for now.

Both are great.  Other than a cold that they so lovingly shared with each other, and then with us....everyone is healthy.

Sassy

Sassy is now 5 feet, 1.5 inches!  She thinks she is just so cool.  She is just all legs, and this itty bitty waist.  Her hair is almost to her waist, and she has no plans to cut it (sans the occasional trim to keep it healthy).

Someone asked about her school dance.  She did go to the dance, and loved it!  Daddy actually drove her and got to witness her get out of the car...run over to the bunch of girls in front of the school...and do the excited EEEEEEEE!!! scream.  And of course, her friend....a boy.....was also there.  The school doesn't allow "boyfriends" (and her father and I don't either!) but he is about as close as it gets in the 6th grade world.  Daddy also got to witness the aforementioned boy give her a hug when the dance was over.

*sigh*

She got lots of books and clothes for Christmas, as well as a salt lamp, and a few other things.  She has been a happy camper.

Bossy

We are struggling with Bossy's weight.  Even with his feeding tube, he is still underweight.  We have an appointment at the end of the month with GI, and we are thinking we need to change his formula.  He needs more calories.  Even though he eats 3 meals a day (and good meals...this kid will eat a chicken breast, 2 helpings of mashed potatoes, and 2 helpings of veggies), plus gets 1,000 more calories via his tube...he is only 62 pounds.  The doctor wanted him to be 70 by now.

Braces are looming in the future as well.  We go in February to see if his 6 yr molars are in enough to put on the palate expander.  He just lost a tooth, but he also now has 2 rows of upper teeth (the babies just aren't coming out).  So we may be looking at extraction as well.

He has now completed 3 overnight camping trips with the scouts and really enjoys it.  He earned his Fire Starter and Toten (Knife/Blade) Chits...and is ALMOST at his next rank.  We have him paced that he should be at the next rank in about a month, and the NEXT rank after that by the end of 2014.

Santa brought him "Buffs" from Survivor, and OMG these were the biggest hit EVER.  He hasn't taken them off since Christmas!

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As the kids are getting older, we are having to revise and improvise!  They are able to stay on their own afterschool, which allows me to work a little later.  They are becoming more active in the household tasks, albeit...we still have some work to do on the quality of workmanship!  And they throw us for a loop all the time.....

School has been considerably more expensive this year.  Between school supplies (and so far, I don't see where they are USING most of the required items), increased lunch prices (and they do do a combo of buying and taking), and some rather expensive field trips ($20 for one kid!)...we are having to shift some things around.

Additionally, we are saving up for camp....but not sure if this will be the last year.  They didn't have a great experience last year (we moved them to a different camp within the same organization....), so we are going back to what works.  Additionally, we are hoping to send Sassy to Art camp for a week or two.  We didn't use all the money that was budgeted for Christmas, so that money has rolled over into the camp fund.

As they are becoming young adults, we have to adjust in so many ways.  But we are just happy that they are happy and doing well!