2017 high lights

There is no way to update everything that has happened over the last two years so I will just high light--

We have two kids in Braces.  Lillian and Elliott both got braces within 5 months of each other.

Spring 2017 -Lillian started horse back riding lessons.  She loves them, minus having to wear closed toe shoes and a helmet.  Its Therapeutic Horse back riding and she really has excelled.

Elliott played Basketball and Steven coached.  They had a great season and it was so fun to cheer them on.  Elliott rocks at defense.

Jackson played baseball.  He loved it.  The rules were a little off for me, but it was nice to be outside and cheering on my favorite little cub!

Summer was amazing we had trips, camps, or activities each week.  We were so busy but so happy!

In August Jackson started Transitional Kindergarten at the local Elementary School! Which meant all my kids were in school full time!  I feel like my sanity is beginning to return.  Eman and Jman are at the same school this year and so its been a great blessing!

Lillian started with two new teachers this year.  In two new classrooms.  Lots of changes.  They are also building a jr high school on her elementary school campus so they tore down the playground much to her dismay.  Second grade has been a learning curve for Lillian and I.  I am realizing how much work Lillian puts into understand and hanging on to understanding what goes on in her general education classroom.  We also have had to really stay on top of communication at the beginning of the year she was getting to thick homework packets from both her general education teacher and her Deaf and Hard of hearing teacher.  Add her 7.5 hours of after school therapy and thats not a lot of time to be a kid.  Luckily we got it worked out.

Halloween I was an Amazon (from Wonderwoman) Lillian was Princess Elena, Jackson was a Ninja (second year but new costume because he grows so fast). Elliott was a one Eye one horn flying purple people eater.   A cute costume he and I made up while walking around Micheals in October.

November we went on the epic Disney Cruise!  Which was amazing and the kids will talk about for the rest of their lives.  Sadly we had a loss of a family member while sailing in the Caribbean.  Came home to plan the memorial and have Thanksgiving was spend surround by family.

Lillian choose to be Baptized that weekend also making it super special.

December came and went.  We keep Christmas so super simple this year and it was delightful.

 Dance a then 2017 Feb 14

 Cake pops with friends

 Games at Julie's and Dan's

 Chocolate pudding with gramcraker smashed in it...

 Bball

Lillian's First tea party

Springing into Easter 2017

It's been a busy two weeks!  Lillian had school off last week and this week all kids had off.

Monday we went to the zoo with my friend and her two kids.  It was a lot of fun.  The boys had a picnic in the tree.

Tuesday Lillian had her USC audiology appts.  She had three appointments last week which really finished me.  We left our house at 6:20 am and got to LA at 8 am.  Spent an half an hour at mcdonalds eating pancakes. Then off to our 9 am appt, then our 10 am appt.  They made a mistake in the scheduling and so instead of having a full language evaluation we had a hour to talk with the speech pathologist.  It was good. We got to go over Lillian's evaluation from the fall.  Lots of suggestions.  overwhelming.  We do so much.  At one point I said cant we just pat ourselves on the back?  We had lunch at mcdonalds and  Her next appointment was with the education consultant.  It went really well.  I had all of Lillian's IEP (Individualized Education Plan) paper work it has her goals and accommodations.  She was able to help suggest some ideas for our next IEP meeting.  Which is super helpful and I just emailed them to Lillian's teacher.


 I am getting better, I used to get so nervous and freak out, now the long day just tires us all out.  I have to pack snacks, all of Lillian's paper work and all of her equipment.  LA traffic is no fun.  Lillian was great in the car.  I had one of my blue tooth ear phone in

so I even got to listen to some church talks while she played with her ipad on the ride down.  Made it go by quickly.  Her appointment went really well she totally cooperated.  Her audiologiest was so impressed with her progress!

Lillian's one year mark!!!

This weekend we hit Lillian's one year mark of her cochlear implants being turned on.  Our lives have changed so much!  She can hear her brothers!  She can hear her peers!  She works so hard at correcting her articulation errors when she speaks!  She is being understood by her peers!

While the implant is not perfect, we've had some technical difficult with equipment over the year, it is wonderful.  Her ability to understand spoken language has greatly improved.

Example:  Lillian with hearing aids couldn't hear me if I was not in the same room with her.  She spent a lot of her time wondering around the house looking for me.  Lillian with her implants can hear me in another room, just cannot locate which direction the sound is coming from.  So if I say 'I am in the Kitchen' she knows where to find me.  If not she will wonder around calling to me.

Lillian still gets lost in large groups, but that is understandable.  Tonight some friends from church were at the same park as us.  Lillian saw them and played with a group of girls and boys (6 kids total)!! She did not drag me over there to ask what everyone was saying.  Made my heart happy.  She also loves to play with Jackson.

Lillian picks up on those annoying teasing phrases kids say.  I have to laugh when she comes home saying something snarky.

 I am so lucky to be the mom of this crew!  Such blessing I never imagined possible!

 Lillian's worked so hard this year!  This Girl has had 6 hours of therapy a week outside of school!  7-8 if you count her in school therapy also!  Learning to understand sounds and language with a cochlear implant is not easy.  Lillian makes it look easy, but I see how hard she works.  So grateful for her love of learning and desire to keep at it.

 Took the kids to the Zoo a few weekends ago when Steven had to work.  They were great!

 When you sick mom lets you have ice cream after dinner every night.  Mom gets it too!  Now that she is well she still request it... not a chance sweetheart.

Summer starts for the boys tomorrow.  Lillian has another week of school, then strait to summer school.  I have really schedule a lot of activities for the kids this summer.  I hope they enjoy them!

Lillian's PARTIES! Big birthday number 6! from October!

Lillian choose Rapunzel for her theme this year!

 First party was a family swim party!

 Then some soccer games!

Then her friend party!  

Completed by a dance party to shake it off princess style! 

 Finally by the light of our cell phones while the kids watched a movie Steven decided to dig up our sweet potato crop.  Which all began three years ago when an organic sweet potato I bought began to go bad and I cut it up and planted it in our garden.  Three years later sweet potatoes keep growing each year!