Monday, August 19, 2013

Where did the summer go???

Phew!  This summer has absolutely flown.  I thought it was time for a few more random updates.  In June Mark and I had our first ever trip away from Konnor.  We went to Jamaica with a bunch of friends  for 5 days.  Konnor did fine staying with his Nana at our house.  Mama was a wreck the first and last day, but did pretty good the rest of the time (Thank Goodness for Skype!!!).

Over the 4th of July weekend we took an impromptu trip to Chicago.  It was so much fun.  We went to a carnival, took Konnor's first train ride from Shaumburg into downtown and back (I will tell you why this is such a huge thing in a minute : ).  Konnor had his first ever IKEA experience.  In general, we swam, we played and just relaxed and spent some quality family time together.  It was a great weekend to recharge.

Thanks to Konnor's friend William he is officially a TRAINAHOLIC!!  Oh my goodness it is all trains all the time in our house.  I am glad he finally has something specific that he likes to play b/c for the longest time he would just flit from toy to toy without really caring about any of them for more than a minute.  Now he can play trains and cars (but mostly trains) for hours if we let him.  We have to take periodic "train breaks" and do puzzles, coloring, painting, etc.... or he would never leave his train table.

Mid July marked an important transition for Konnor.  Many of you know that we had a very bad experience with the standardized daycare he was attending.  Since Konnor does not do well with big changes we didn't want to move him until we were sure we had found just the right place for him.  Truthfully we were not having a whole lot of luck finding a place until one of Mark's coworkers mentioned a friend of theirs that was starting a new home daycare.  Long story short Konnor now attends a small home daycare with only 1-2 other children.  He LOVES Miss Karen's house.  They swim, swing, paint, play in the sandbox, do scavenger hunts, play on the IPAD, practice their colors and shapes and just in general have a fantastic time.   He has adapted beautifully.  We are just so blessed to have found someone who cares about him and encourages him in such positive ways.

Speaking of----here is my brag moment.  He is just so stinkin smart!  I know I am biased, but really he is a smart cookie if you can get him to stop moving long enough to show you.  He can now identify: stars, squares, triangles, circles, blue, red, orange, yellow (identify and do matching!)  I know there are a few more, but my brain is starting to getting muddy since it is seriously past my bedtime.

We have half-heartedly started potty training.  He is definitely ready but Mama was waiting until she really had time to devote to this particular thing.  Tonight we stopped at the store and bought his first ever big boy undies (I know that he is going to read this one day and roll his eyes while saying "AH MOM did you have to talk about my underwear on the internet!" but I am going to anyway : )  I will admit that this Mama got a little teary when she opened the package at home.  I just can't believe he is getting so big!  Anywhoo...we will officially be starting our potty training sometime next week so wish us luck.

Speech has been going really well.  We have phased out some of his signs and he is being much more vocal.  Unfortunately our speech therapist thinks that we are about as far as we are going to get without having his fistula repaired b/c the airflow thru his nose is preventing him from being able to make certain sounds.  That brings me to our next point.  Konnor is having his palate/fistula repair on Wed. I soooo hate the idea of our little man going thru yet another surgery, but we know that it is necessary so we are getting ready to buckle in for a rough couple weeks.  Any prayers would be greatly appreciated.  I will update after his surgery.  Thanks for stopping by!

Ashley


LOOK MAMA THERE'S A TRAIN!!!!

Rollercoasters in August

Late July yard fun

Fun at the Peoria Zoo early June