Happy Birthday to #4 & #5

Yep, my last two babies have birthdays on top of each other.  However, since they are 1 days apart I want to try as hard as possible not to combine them to make sure they each get their own day.  It's not like we have big birthday bashes every year anyways.  So, Jaemin got cupcakes and Chelsi got cupcakes and before we ate supper we had them blow out their candles so dad and Chase could be there for it.  My sweet little babies are now 4 and 7.

Make a Wish Update

So, after 7 months of not hearing from Cole's wish granters, I thought I'd just email the local office to get an idea of how things work.  He was asking questions, I just couldn't answer.  They emailed me back and said while the wish granters are supposed to periodically update you on what's going on, they may not have been because we had put down our dates for next year and we're too far out yet.  I now understand why they say they grant most wishes in 6 months.  It's because the physician has to be contacted to make sure the wish is safe for the child, in whatever condition they are currently in, and then the wish can go to the board and be granted.  The approval from the physician is not good for more than 6 months.

She let me know that they plan to contact our cardiologist around November or December so that he can go in May, our first choice.  At this point, we don't suspect Dr. R to say no, but as most parents to heart kids, you also know that you never know anything.  I asked about finding out if Korea is even doable and if they don't anticipate it is if he can go ahead and have his 2nd wish instead, to go to Cabelas this year before wrestling season.  She basically told me that if Cabelas is his one true wish they can change things and arrange for that, but she said generally, unless a doctor says no to a wish for health or safety reasons they will most often get their one true wish.  Of course, this is barred if someone wishes to meet a celebrity or something like that where the celebrity has ultimate control.

So, we're just letting things ride out to see if by the end of December he's either granted Korea or for some reason he gets Cabelas instead and we'll reevaluate what we'll do then.  We're going to try to do both, if at all possible, since Cabelas is not far from here, even though we've never been.  I don't know we can actually afford to go to Korea, but if we can we'll do that as well.  If he gets Korea, we'll let him find something at Cabelas we would never normally do.  Anyone that knows us knows we do NOT over spend or lavish our kids with gifts by any stretch of the means.  We really do just want Cole to feel ever so special one time in his life.  He knows he could have had a worse life or worse case scenario for his healthy, but it doesn't take away his hurt of not doing things other kids can do at this age.  I hope one day he really does understand this and accept it, but for now he's a teenager, that can't see past it. We're doing our best.

My sweet, smart little girl

Chelsi's 1st grade teacher emailed me to let me know she got the Respect character award for this time.  She said "Chelsi shows respect by listening attentively, being considerate of her classmates feelings, using good manners, encouraging others to do well, and by playing fair."  So proud of her!

On top of that, the teacher over the gifted program called to to let me know that she spoke with the school psychologist and principal and because she scored 99% on the reading test and a 94% on the math test screen and then went on to score a 120 on the Wechsler IQ test.  She is now accepted into the school's gift program at age 6 and 1st grade.  WOW!  So much for delays from being born 10 weeks early, etc., etc.  

I can't wait to write our letter next year for her Korean mother, to leave in the file, so she knows how smart her daughter is.  No one can take credit for this, on Earth, except Chelsi and at least one of her Korean birthparents.  My good little girl.

TOUCHDOWN!!

What happens when coaches finally give a quiet boy a chance to show them what he's made of?  That quiet little cornerback intercepts and runs 70 yards for a touchdown!  This is the 1st touchdown of the season!  I was so glad I had my camera in my hand just in case and had no idea what was going on when I looked in the viewfinder to see the ball in my son's hands.  Everyone loves watching him run.  They all tell us he runs like a deer or gazelle.  He has long legs and a really long stride, so he looks slow, but he covers a LOT of ground.  There was no one near to catch him, so he made it clear of everyone the whole way.  His sweet name was announced many times for all of his tackles too.  I hope he has a great school career in football since he really does enjoy it so much, even when they weren't playing him for the first 5 weeks.  He earned his spot!

Interception from before the 30 yard line.

He's in and they're celebrating their first touchdown this year.  

 This boy is always on the bottom.

Kaelin's 3rd Birthday

Really she turned 10 a couple of weeks ago, but she says today is her 3rd birthday because she's had 3 semi-celebrations this year.  This is just the way she prefers it.  3 days that are mostly about her.  :)

Tonight the grandparents came over and M and A came back over and she had 3 friends over after school.  We fixed hair and makeup, then had some pizza with Hawaiian Punch in cute little pink wine glasses.  They wore leis and lip gloss and bracelets.  They played Wii, played outside (til it rained) and then played Catch Phrase and then Wii some more.  All in all, she has good friends.  They all 3 seem like very well mannered, sweet girls.  I think she enjoyed her party.  And the cake, was cute.  The grocery store did a pretty good job with my request over the phone.

I know

These are sometimes some of the sweetest words your toddler can say.  I was driving Jaemin from speech to daycare and I said "mommy needs to tell you something.". Then I said "mommy loves you.". He just sweetly said "I know.". I am so glad he's confident in my love for him.

Reasons why

you can be okay when your kid doesn't get to play when they should.  I'm not a spiteful, overly competitive parent, but when I see my kid, who has always played key positions as a starter, suddenly standing on the sidelines so that the newly paid coaches can play the kids that have $$, have older brothers that make them think the younger brother could be a clone of said older brother or the kid is a teacher/coaches kid, it kind of makes you go hmmmm.....after you get over the initial anger of the politics of middle school football.  This was my reality check that it's alive and well, so I'm left with find humoring in it after nothing left else to do.

A.  While other parents are complaining about their kids who have never been injured at younger competitions, getting hurt now, I can revel in the fact that if my child isn't playing he can't end up like his teammates either.

B.  He will have a body that still functions in high school, while some kids will have broken down parts from multiple injuries at younger ages.

C.  Less grass stains to get out.

D.  His weaker ankles can rest (kind of a cheat since it's another injury related reason, but oh well.

E.  When they get their butts handed to them like they did today I can honestly say my kid had not part of it.  There may not be an i in team, but if you have the same favorites  in the game day after day, there's never going to be a u in it either.

So, here's to more losses until hopefully they learn to play to the kids' potentials instead of politics in a public school.  These coaches have a lot to learn abut communication.  Those poor boys were running in and out because they had no idea where they were supposed to be or go because they get mixed signals from the coaches.

Not sure what happened....I'm losing my mind apparently

I could have sworn I posted the pictures from our visit with my brother and my nephew, but I don't see them anywhere.  I must have dreamed I did it already.  You know how sometimes as you go to bed you have a to-do list running through your head?  I probably did that and then dreamed I did it.  Who knows.  The last two weeks were sort of a blur with all the family visits and school starting.  But, it was a nice visit.  Even my dad came in from Florida, so E could have all of his grandparents from our side here for his birthday.

Lulls

I've lulled in my posts.  Sometimes I regret it because this IS my diary for me and my family.  But, because I know others read it, I do tend to hold back just a bit.  Even when things are going well or I'm just content (which is usually the reason for lulls) I just don't want to jinx anything.  Nor do I want to seem like a whiner because I may have had a bad day; hoping things will be better the next and knowing my life is still better than some people who may be dealing with the worst life can offer.  I guess right now aside from a few normal discontentments a parent may encounter I'm in that content stage.  You know, you're kids are healthy, you and your spouse are all reasonably well, you're paying your bills, so life must be okay.  That's mostly my philosophy anyways.  As long as we're always reasonably well and we can pay our bills life is pretty good.  I don't need to be wealthy to be happy or cut down my neighbor to be happy, I can just be happy.  Too many Americans need to step on one another financially and socially in order to feel that contented feeling and it's very sad.  I think it's been the destruction of this country.  Sad, but I do believe social darwinism has been around for a very long time and is in no threat of stopping.

So, for me.  I'll continue to try and attempt to show my kids what's really important in life and allow them to enjoy their lives as they've been handed to them by God.  Kinda like I told Cole one night as he was a little disappointed to have no classes this year with his closest friends.  Sometimes, even if life isn't perfect and you're not totally happy, faking your way through a little can eventually get you to believing your life really is fine the way it is.  I realize this doesn't capture all lives, but for his situation and some others it's true.  He's been a pretty happy kid this school year so far (though it's VERY new), so maybe we're onto something.

Here's to everyone else's happiness.

Full School Swing

And here they are:  10th, 7th, 4th and 1st grades.  Hoping for a really great school year for them all.

Happy Birthdays

While tonight was not Kaelin's official birthday party, my brother got to come home and be here for her birthday so we did a combo birthday for E, my nephew (I finally got to meet him, YAY) and Kaelin.  B's her Godfather, so I really wanted him to be able to be here with her.  She'll get her friend party later.  Lois let us use her pool again and the kids had a great time and the weather was SO nice.  They always have fun at Lois' house.  Then we went back to our house for the cake and ice cream for the 10 and 2 year olds.  Loved meeting my nephew last night and seeing him again today.  He's really, really cute!





The goggles were Ethan's idea.




Something's wrong with this picture.

And afterward at our house.

The next medalist in swimming

He's such a natural.  Too bad our school doesn't have a swim team.  3 years old and Jaemin can totally swim by himself.  We decided to let him go at Lois' house today.  Now, watch and the 2nd time he goes for the ladder he turns back to me.  Some might see that as a failure, but I see that as skill! Have I ever, ever said how much I love, love, love this boy and he inspires me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?nomobile=1&v=OTpeKagBBS0

EEEEKKKK!

I officially made our hotel reservations IN SEOUL!

After so many years of saving and scrimping and praying for this trip, we have one more step down.  I don't know when we'll find out which wish Cole is getting for Make A Wish and I didn't want to lose out on the great deal Fraser Place Central gave us through our agency, so I made the reservations.  We can always cancel if need to up to about 1 week before.  I don't really expect Make A Wish to grant a trip like that anyways, so I had to do it.  Next year is our chance.  Cole's still doing well and we didn't want his heart surgery to prevent it, so we're getting while the getting is good.

We are going to be gone for 2 weeks!  This is the biggest trip we have ever or will ever do and such memories we will have. We're making a list of things to do and what subway or bus stops they're at.

Best part.  Our hotel is a 2 bedroom (there are few of these in Seoul, especially downtown) that will sleep all 7 of us, free breakfast every morning and a pool if we just need to stay in a relax.  We can walk to most things too.  And another great, added feature, since this is where the girls and I and Lois stayed in 2009 we know the area a little bit.  We're familiar enough to get around.  One thing that makes it easier is a good thing in a foreign country.  I've got days built in to spend a day in Gwangju where Jae and Chelsi were born and a day in Jeju where Kaelin was born, but I have yet to find hotels large enough, so we may not get to go to these places.  It will be a bummer, but there's not a lot we can do.  Later this year the director of Asian Affairs is having me drive up so he and his staff can try to help us in this area.  At least I'll know by then what gets cut out or doesn't. 

In a few more months we'll begin checking airfare to try to find something in the budget.

And she's going to Disney!

http://news.yahoo.com/donations-send-ohio-cancer-patient-disney-143917350.html

This little girl gets to go to Disney afterall.  You see both parents have to sign off through Make a Wish, but since she has now received private donations her mom and grandmother can just take her.  Great!

I love to hear

Jaemin talk.

He's may be almost 4, but he's still 3 and starting to talk a little more like a 3 year old now.  His vocabulary's getting a little bigger and he's putting more words together.  Every little step makes me so happy to see him get through.

He's finally liking going to bed....especially when he goes to Papas on Fridays.  Tonight he put his pullup and pjs on and came to the door and yelled downstairs.  I was doing something and all I heard is "mom, are you coming?".  He wanted tucked in, plus I had promised to read Dinosaur Roar before bed.  I love laying in bed with him and reading to him and talking to him.  Jaemin really is my sweet little boy.  Wish I could say the same for his brothers.  Oy!  They've become such teenagers and all we get from them is smartness and eye rolling.  But, I can still remember the days of cuddling with them and it gets me through it....frustrated, but through it.

so glad to be done for the day

This week has been the week from you know where.  Work is crazy right now because there are only 4 of us in our unit, however 1 has been out on medical leave for almost 2 months now and another left a couple of weeks ago....and somewhat in disarray.  2 of us are left to do everything for 4 and I'm conducting interviews to fill the vacant position.  That alone has been a full time job this week.  And my car, well it decided to throw yet another temper tantrum, landing it at the dealership service department for about the 7th or 8th time in less than 2 months.  I literally had to crawl across to the passenger side to get out because the driver's door wouldn't open.  I was locked in.  Something bubbled, in the molding....they say, and caused the door panel to get stuck and it was stuck good because no one could open it.  I left work early today to go to a friend's dad's funeral.  I was SO happy to come home, not only because I am really so uncomfortable at those things, but because I was not thinking at all or thought wrong, whichever.  I wore these wedge shoes and thought we wouldn't be standing much, so I could tolerate them.  And we didn't stand much, but I couldn't tolerate them.  I spent my standing time trying to lean on a wall to shove my heel to the back of my shoe to relieve the pressure in my toes.

Normally I would just tough it out, but when we were at Sea World in May I wore tennis shoes and I guess a combination of too hot of weather and feet swelling with leather that shrunk up on the water rides and I knew something was wrong.  When we came back to the condo that day, I told Brian something wasn't right.  I told him I felt like my toenails were going to popoff.  I couldn't see anything because I had painted my nails.  A couple of weeks ago my polish was wearing off and I noticed blood on the edges.  I took off my polish to find both big toenails bruised badly, bleeding underneath...or had at one time and I knew.  Then, a couple of days ago I wore close toed shoes for the first time all summer and came around a corner at work and someone else came around the other direction and I stopped too sudden and shoved my toes to the front of my flats.  I took off my shoe and saw how grey my nail now was.  It's disconnected from my skin in the middle now.  They're both going to fall off...Brian says after the new nail grows in it will shove it off. 

If I remember right, this is exactly what happened to  Chelsi several months ago when her shoes were too small and we didn't know it.  I couldn't figure out how she wouldn't notice......now I know.  It's tolerable pain as well as your shoes conceal it a bit.  I'm dreading fall and close toed shoes if they don't fall off and heal a little by then.  They're sorta sore right now only from a couple of hours in heels.  So relieved to be home, out of those shoes and off my feet.

And yeah, I bought new shoes that are a little bigger.

Something funny

Everyone close to us knows we've been saving for Korea for many years now.  We sold and downgraded our truck to afford the trip among other things.  We've worked really hard to save this amount.  Well, we decided to refinance our house to the new, lower rates and the bank contacted us after we sent in our application and asked us a question that took us by surprise.  We had to submit our bank statements and that's what set off the question.

Apparently, there are some rules through Fannie Mae that if accounts are above the norm they have to look at the accounts closer.  We had the sale of our truck on that statement and that large deposit (It wasn't really that much considering it was a truck) threw up some flags.  I explained that we sold our truck and downgraded.  I didn't know there were these rules or flags in place and I've dealt with this loan officer for years.  I told her I was a little disappointed they would question us about this deposit to the degree they did.  There were more questions about it than I'm really going into here.  She replied and explained to me that it was Fannie Mae and it was because our savings was higher than the average in America.  WHAT??!!!  Barely having enough to go to Korea doesn't seem like a massive nest egg, but apparently in banking world or in America it is.  I told her not to worry, in a year the money will be gone after we go to Korea.  :)

Brian's jaw dropped when I told him.  We both had a good laugh for the night.  I mean really it's not that hard to save the money when you are frugal and careful with your money and then sell vehicles you don't need, right?  :)

1/2 way through

The orthodontist thinks Chase will get his braces off in December....yay!  That means, literally, only 12 visits total.  The original estimates from the other guys wanted reverse headgear, palate expander and this meant YEARS of treatment.  Chase's teeth already look amazing!  He's pretty fresh out of school and he said the newer studies are showing that only about 5% of kids actually need that extent of treatment as opposed to doing what we did and just wait for normal growth to fix some of it and then intervene for what may be left.  In Chase's case it was his ectopic eye teeth that didn't want to drop down, gap in his front teeth and crossbite.  None of it's there anymore.  He even got his inside wire off today and is close to getting the bumps off his back teeth.

Cole is only on his 3rd visit and only has bottom brackets so far.  He's only anticipating putting a few on the top to even it out a little.  We settled for good enough treatment over perfection to a savings of about $3,000+.  It will be barely noticeable in the end.  Cole's issues were a crossbite in his back teeth because of a molar that was turned on it's side and pretty bad crowding in the front lowers.  They literally zig-zagged across his mouth and all of this left him with a moderate overbite.  The turned tooth was worrisome though.  Same thing as Chase, they can eventually damage beyond keeping the teeth, which would cost us what we paid in their treatments anyways.  Cole first wire looked like a U when it went in and after it was attached to the brackets, it looked like a U with crimps in it and one big indent.  It had to go in a long way to grab that turned over tooth.  His front teeth are already lined up.  They're arched upward now, but he says they still need to come out because they were bent backwards and shouldn't have been.  He says once they come forward into more of a U shape, not a flattened U like they are now (after straightening some) his overbite will correct more.  His turned tooth looks really good.  It's still turned because, well, it has a LONG way to go, but it's definitely moving.  Poor Cole's in a lot more pain after each wire than Chase because his have so much further to move.  I asked if we could have done anything earlier with his bottoms and he told me that the bottom fuses around age 4.  He said there's no way you could anticipate this much at that age and this is the only situation.  I felt better about that.

In the end both boys only cost about $4,600 total.  That was after almost 5 years of shopping around, 2nd, 3rd and 4th opinions before deciding what route to do.  I asked tons of questions to understand what our choices were and realized we were better off waiting until now.  Now hopefully, we get a break before any of the others need braces.  Thank goodness he gives a 5% discount for each sibling and 5% for cash payment.

They're going to have some pretty great smiles!

A moment of growth

For mom.  Cole wanted to go to the local tractor pull.  His friend had just texted him that he was going.  So for him doing the dishes in return we drove him and picked him up.  He even got a 10:30 curfew.  I realize that's not all that late but he's only 15 and it was his first night out on his own.  He wasn't complaining either, in fact I think he might have been a little surprised.  He was waiting at the gate at 10:30 like I told him to so he followed the rules.  As long as he can keep his grades up and (per his own words) wrestling doesn't make him too tired he may earn some trust for more teenager stuff.  I'm not hoping for the going out part but happy with who he's becoming.  This growing up and letting go thing is hard for moms.