Sunday, November 22, 2009

What has been going on...

For those of you who still keep up with our blog, thank you for being faithful even though I am not. I think "in blog" all the time but rarely make it to the computer.:) For the last month, our computer has had a virus. Jamie bought me a laptop so the boys and I can use it upstairs. It has been difficult to get the wireless component to work regularly but when it has, it has been nice!
Jamie had the swine flu a few weeks ago. Just as he recovered he hit the airways and flew to Bermuda. I was shocked he went but his doctor told him it was okay and he was fine.
Jonathan continues to be sick every other week. He typically has upper respiratory infections but delighted us with transferring those maladies to his lower half. Ugh! Once this guy quits licking everything in sight, I think we will be healthier. He turned four last Saturday. I cannot believe he has been here for four years! He is still so little. We continue to hit the specialist circuit with him - gastro, speech, occupational therapy, and behavioral psychology. I think we can cross gastro off the list. His speech is developing. He is making more and more sounds and he does not tire of trying. If I were him, I would have given up long ago. Thank the Lord for giving him such determination. His occupational therapist hopefully will have ideas on keeping him from putting everything into his mouth and on toileting. The guy can toilet on command but does not otherwise. Behaviorally, we still need help with him pushing other kids, refraining from dangerous situations (running to the road, eating batteries, etc.), and obeying us without having to be threatened. Honestly, we have had a few good weeks here.
Jackson got his hair cut last weekend and looks so old now. Jamie and I miss his old hair because he looked so young. He is enjoying first grade immensely. He loves to read and his comprehension has improved such that he really enjoys the story rather than just reading it to get it over with. He is still highly emotional and we are hoping to help him develop his coping skills. He wants to be the best at everything and does not deal well when he is anything less. Ugh!!!
Joel continues to wake at least once at night. I was so proud when the other two slept through the night at six weeks. I took credit for that. This guy is gaining weight and doesn't last long when he does wake - I can actually hear is stomach rumbling some nights. Once I start him on real food, I am hoping to sleep again.:)
skills. Just have to figure out what those are...
These days our Small Group from church is either meeting in our home or another home on Sunday evenings. We are loving it. Our church is challenging us in ways that are most difficult. We just finished a sermon series entitled "The Radical Experiment" where we were asked to commit to five things. I am still mulling over it all. A friend put it well tonight in Small Group... an exciting time to let go and let the Lord lead. I have spent far too much time and energy trying to figure Him out and tell Him what to do. I am getting closer and closer to letting go and just getting to know Him instead of reading my Bible, trying to find answers so I can have the life "I deserve."

Monday, October 12, 2009

Too Much Information - Beware Readers!

My sister, Betsy, and her boyfriend, Bryan, were here for the weekend. Jackson LOVED Bryan and didn't understand why Bryan couldn't spend all his time playing with Jackson. Bryan was a good sport - Jonathan wanted Bryan carrying him all around and Jackson wanted Bryan playing Legos and Star Wars.

This morning was wild. I was at home alone with the three boys - not a big deal but, after a full house this weekend with helping hands everywhere, I got spoiled. It was crazy. Each of our children likes to be the center of attention so there is often a lot of screaming and whining when one of them is ticked off.

I was moving from person to person, attending to needs this morning as usual. I noticed that Jonathan's PJs were droopy. He sleeps in one-piece PJs. We do this because we have had too many "dig and spread" incidences, if you know what I mean. Today, after looking Jonathan up and down, I realized that he was carrying his diaper between his legs. I undressed him and found you-know-what all over his PJs and smeared down his leg. I think the PJs are in dire need of burning but I will try to salvage them. Not many PJs for four-year-olds in onesies anymore.

Can't wait to see what tomorrow will bring...

Thursday, October 08, 2009

September

The swine flu paid us a visit this month. I got the boys flu shots and Jackson had the mist (Joel had the shot and I found out later he shouldn't have - what?). We didn't know if Jackson was reacting to the mist or had the flu so he couldn't have the Tamiflu. The rest of us jumped on the Tamiflu regimen and didn't get it. Once again, we washed all our bedding, cloroxed lightswitches and doorknobs.

Jackson is still enjoying school but forgets to communicate. This year his teacher is much more hands-off and we don't know much because Jackson shuts down once he gets home. He just wants to come home and play.:)
Jonathan is enjoying preschool and is doing well. He is trying to say more words and is putting two and three words together. He has been doing this for some time - I am just realizing it now. I so appreciate his determination and lack of frustration with me.

Joel is chewing everything like crazy. He is rolling around, pushing, pulling hair, and is following in his brothers' footsteps in terms of energy and motion. And we thought the third was supposed to be laidback...

Here are some pix from September,
Julie:)
juliewarren73@charter.net

Mommy and Joel.

Jack and Joel in the tub.

Jono playing in the sandbox at our friends' house, Jayne and Chris Bishop.

Jono exploring under our car.

Joel trying to get out of his carseat.

Jonathan and Jack love to dress up. They are chefs today.

Jack is wearing ski goggles. Joel has his top unbuttoned because he is a slobber monster.

Jonathan loves to grab this hat out of the cabinet with our winter stuff and put it on.

Jamie and Chris. We went to visit them over Labor Day in Franklin, TN.

Jack and Davis. They got along really well this time.

Julie and Jayne.

Joel is entertained by the mobile from this angle in his bed.

Again, dressing up in winter garb is Jono's rage right now.

Jonathan had too much Tylenol - Jamie gave it to him and I did, too, not knowing the other one had given it. Poison Control, our friend, had us keep him up until after 9pm to watch him. Finally, he couldn't stay up any longer and curled up in the bottom of our ottoman. Zonked.

Jay, Jamie, Matt, and Jimbo at the Grill's house before our Bell Center dinner.

Julie, Courtney, Julie, and Julie. Three Julie's and a Courtney.:)

I started Joel on the exersaucer this week. The boy is four months old and needs an outlet already. I think Jamie and I just make wild boys. I am nervous about this one...

We tried a bath using the bumbo - quite effective!

We added the jumper to the routine as well. Keeps him occupied (as I type, he is in my lap, kicking the keyboard...) and wears him out.

August

Before Joel was born, I contacted a behaviorist. We worked with her for a while, ramped up his extracurricular speech, got in touch with a behavioral psychologist, and then met with an occupational therapist who works with kids with sensory issues. Along the way, people told me Jonathan was just three, just a boy, acting nutty because I was pregnant, acting nutty because a new baby was in the house, needed more structure, etc. I kept getting conflicting advice and didn't know how to "fix" him. A good friend pointed out that maybe he was punching my buttons and I needed to change. Since I realized that, he has seemed much calmer.:)


Jonathan started preschool the week after Jackson. He has done really well and his teachers are great. We have gotten a carpool going for Jackson and Jonathan.

After the first week, Jonathan was kind enough to bring home the stomach flu and share it with all of us except Joel. Nana took Joel one night and that is probably why he didn't get it from me!




Jonathan hooked up to get his vital signs taken. On this day, he was having his tonsils removed, a second set of tubes put in, and a partial adenoidectomy.

Jonathan had to have a breathing treatment. Surprisingly, Jonathan had an awesome recovery. You would have never known he had his tonsils removed!
Kalin holding Joel.
Cousin Kim holding Joel. She brought him those rattle socks and some to go on his wrists, too!
Jackson and his friend, Cate, dressed up as Star Wars characters. She is a good sport!

Jackson on his first day of school.

Joel doing laundry with me.
Giant Lego R2D2 at the Galleria. We went to go see this while Jamie was sick with the stomach bug.
This is why Jonathan cannot color unchaperoned. He eats the markers and draws on himself.
Joel likes to crawl out of his seat if not buckled in. We thought he might be laid back and mild-mannered. Don't think so!
Jackson and Jonathan on Jonathan's first day at preschool. Jonathan is attending a public preschool at one of the elementary schools in our system. His class is half typical, half non-typical. He has been doing very well there - I am so thankful!

Tuesday, October 06, 2009

Here are pictures from our beach trip at the end of July. We go each year with Jamie's parents and his sister, her husband, and their kids. When we are all together, we now have 12!

This year Jamie thought it appropriate to sit the older cousins down and explain Jonathan's diagnosis. We thought this might help them understand why he is still not talking and why he hits/pulls hair to get attention. We emphasized that any acting out was not okay but that he would quit eventually. He adores Emma and wants her attention. The problem is that he pulls her hair and it really hurts!

At this point, Joel was approaching eight weeks and we were trying to get him to sleep through the night consistently. We were trying to get him to sleep in his pack 'n' play rather than in his car seat. I would feed him late at night and sometimes it worked and sometimes it didn't.

This year I tried to relax. Often, in years past, I have had a hard time doing so because Jonathan yells a lot or our kids are up way before anyone else. In my mind a vacation means sleeping in and time for me. I had to give myself a talk this year to remind myself that our vacations are now about the kiddos having fun. Jamie and I also worked out a deal where we alternated who got up each morning. I got up most nights with Joel but Jamie often worked late at night so as not to interfere with family time. It was a good deal and we will do it again!


Found the boys like this one night. Jonathan likes to get into bed with Jackson sometimes.:)
Jonathan loves his cousin, Emma.:)
Pops having fun in the pool.
Jonathan loves to push.
Pushing big boy cousins...
Jackson loves to cook. He is wearing his chef outfit and just made a shake out of a kids' cookbook Aunt Betsy gave him.
Jono had a makeshift bed in our room. Jack and Joel slept in another room together. We don't quite trust Jonathan to be in the same room as the baby yet...
Uncle Ryan, Meredith, and Joel.
Voelkert kiddos - Eric, Meredith, and Emma
Meredith and Joel (she is four months older than he is).
Cousin picture for the summer of 2009
Cousins on the beach.
We are missing Emma and Nana! Nana was taking the picture and Emma was on the plane ride.
Jack and Eric riding the planes.

Nana and Jono taking a rest on the bench.
Daddy and Jonathan riding the train. Jonathan is not real excited about it.
Uncle Jamie and Emma riding on the racetrack.
Pops watching the babies so the rest of us could ride the rides.
Uncle Ryan snoozing with Meredith at Big Kahuna's.
Aunt Emmy advertising for the cups at Big Kahuna's.
Tickle,
toss, and
Jono signing "more."
Jonathan likes to stick mini marshmallows up his nose. One day his teachers noticed white goo coming out of his nose, called me, and had me pick him up. They thought maybe it was because he stuck a yogurt covered raisin up his nose. I think it was residue from this incident...
Grammie came to help with Joel and again when Jonathan had his surgery in August. She and Jackson are cooking together.
Uncle Ryan, Emma, Eric, and Uncle Jamie getting some rays while playing.