Spalicious

Ah, man, too bad this isn't smell-ernet.

Holland decided to turn our kitchen into a spa:  her willing victim, I mean customer?  Reese.

She mixed up oatmeal, honey and bananas to make a beauty mask.



Reese was all for it, until the end.

When she started getting gunk in her hair and couldn't breathe under the paper towel,

she started freaking out.

Let's just say, it wasn't pretty and I chose not to document it.

She calmed down nicely in the bath tub.

However, I did find a lovely chunk of dried oatmeal in her hair this morning.

P.S.  I'm leaving tomorrow for North Carolina for a few days -A.L.O.N.E.

I'm quite excited.



Mr. Miracle Surfaces Again

I am feeling ultra thankful tonight!

But before I tell you why, I have to set you up for the "big finish".

Months and months ago, you may remember this:
http://reincarnatedasamother.blogspot.com/2011/02/we-both-survived.html
It was Kean's first ABR (sedated hearing test).
At the first one, we were told his hearing loss was likely "conductive"
which means he either had his tubes blocking some of the hearing or
his ears weren't quite developed yet or who knows.
Well, today he had another ABR.
The ramping up to the testing is the worst--
you know, no food for five hours, medications that before
making him pass out into a super sleepy state ramp him up
into a screaming, agitated, squirming bucking bronco.
But it was all worth it.
Because his tests today show his hearing has improved
to the point he likely will NOT NEED HEARING AIDS.
So sorry to virtually scream that-- but I am ready to dance
naked in the streets.
(Don't freak out-- just a poor figure of speech).
Those of you who have been around us lately will loudly
testify that I have of recent spent 89 point six percent of my time
sticking Kean's hearing aids back into his ears after he
has pulled them out over and over again.
And that is not an exaggeration!
Maybe, just maybe he wasn't participating in an evil plan to put me on the other side of the grass (know what I mean?).
Maybe, just maybe, he was trying to tell me
"hey people, listen up!  I can hear pretty darn well without these
things sticking in my ears."

Sleeping on the Job

                                                                                         Poor Keanut.

I was upstairs helping Greer and Reese de-junk their bedroom.

I swear they are hoarders in training.

Holland was doing her chores and watching Kean.

This is how I found him when I came downstairs.

Nothing like a little cat-nap mid morning.

Wish it was me...

Kean's WIndow

They say infants and toddlers have "windows" that open up where they

have accelerated learning.

I'm pretty sure Kean is in one of those right now.

He has all of a sudden started using his signs (sign language) that we've

drilled into him since pretty much day one.

He is routinely saying buh-buh while waving bye bye etc.

And then today (drum roll please)... we were sitting in church

and the little terrorist who has decided that he wants nothing

to do with sitting in church-- in the middle of his fit reached for

me and cried "Ma Ma".

That may not sound like a big deal to you...

but to hear him connect those words to me... was a much awaited for first!

I also thought I'd show you one of his new favorite work-outs in therapy with Maureen.

 She has this long tunnel made out of soft fabric that he loves to crawl through--

and he's not even scared.

Clearly, the other children like crawling through it too-- those are Holland's feet sticking out.

 That blob in the middle is actually Kean.

This little guy could give G.I. Joe a serious run for his money.

He has mastered the fine art of the army crawl-- and boy, oh boy can he move fast!

Campaholics

We must be gluttons for punishment-- going camping again with all of us crammed into our camper!

Was it fun?  Um, not so much.

At least not for me... but I think everyone else had fun.

Here are the highlights...

we scored our great, great secluded spot next to the river.

And we got to go with our favorite friends:  Ron, Mark and Elly.

 We love the privacy and the location. 
The girls love the horse trough that works perfectly well as an outdoors gymnastic bar...

 Reese-- ever the fashion plate did not let us down.

 And you know the kids are having fun when they look like what their Aunt calls:  "Dirt Chickens".

We spent a lovely afternoon pruning our skin in the hot springs at Silver Creek Plunge.

 It felt like a giant bathtub... minus the bubbles. 

But we did get rid of a fine layer of dirt.

 On Sunday, Byron, Mark and Elly attended the church of the great outdoors with the girls.

I stayed back with Kean to "try" and get him to nap.

"Try" being the key word here... he for some reason developed a severe allergy to sleeping in the camper that weekend!

 He also fine-tuned his throwing abilities-- chucking his food like a pro pitcher.

But look at how adorable he is... sitting inside Elly's pop up camper.

The girls rode and rode and rode the 4 wheeler (in their swimsuits).

 Ron let the girls "help" him fish... they caught and released a handful of little guys.

 Love, love, love this picture of Marc charming Kean or Kean charming Marc.

You choose.

 And finally... this pic marks what has become a yearly tradition--- the monster whip cream mouths!

Okay, okay, we did all have fun...

Reesey just came down with a doozy of an earache.

She woke up all night, all weekend screaming in pain.

We came back and took her to Urgent Care

(let me give you a word advice... avoid, avoid, avoid Urgent Care on Labor Day... 'nuff said).

She had a double ear infection - an inner and outer in her right ear.

Finally, here it is on Friday and she if seems to be over the severe pain.

All I can say is between Kean and Reese,  I need a vacation to recover from our vacation.

Skeeters, S'mores and Smiles

We went camping up to Stanley Lake the other week and, oy, did we have fun.

Other than Kean deciding he couldn't sleep in a camp trailer

and the plethora of mosquitoes,

it was near -near perfect.

 We went on a "little" hike up to see a waterfall.

Somehow we missed the sign (it had fallen off the tree) and kept walkin' and walkin'.

Our little afternoon hike with the kids

turned out to be an 8 plus miler.

The kids were amazing... until the last mile and a half.

Then it was pure torture.

Greer had blisters, Reese thought she was dying

and Kean was out cold.

 Our good friend Kate brought her two cute girls up to play with our girls for one afternoon.

This has gotta be one of my favorite pics-- I mean, who doesn't wear boots with a swim suit!

 On our final day, we drove up to Red Fish Lake-- which is beyootiful... but too crowded on a weekend for my taste.

 Kean was digging the sand and the water...

 So much so, that he was shoving handfuls into his mouth.

We finally put a stop to that and got him a real snack.

Look at that belly... he is getting plenty to eat.
I promise.