Our Baby is 3! Oh My!!

Our Baby is 3!

How on earth did this time pass so quickly?!

Sweet D is doing well.

His words are relatively clear

and

there are many!

We are “shocked” at

how well is words are

and

we tend to say

well our “norm”

was what we went through with Bitty.

Speaking of that.

Daniel and Logan have

quite a little relationship

they go off and play together

and

actually have semi-2 sided

dialogue.

With potty training they cheer each other on.

It is so nice that they are excited for

each other

and

support one another.

Our sweet 3 year old

is mostly happy

and

when not will tell you,

“I am GW-UMPY!!”

In a growly voice.

He has learned to argue.

Him and Logan especially

at times just negate one

another to get the other one

riled up.

If D can get Logan worked up

he really milks it.

So like young siblings do,

they support

each other

but,

also like to

bug each other

at some points.

Daniel loves numbers and letters

like his big brothers.

He has learned a bit of scripting

from them also.

A lot of kids do it.

But then there is the flip to

all they do is script.

(Like Bitty.)

Mentioning he does a little

but that is the way that he

can really interact a lot

with Logan..

the pediatrician asked me,

“Are you concerned he is Autistic?”

And kept bringing it up.

I said, “No, we are not.”

Autism is not a “learned” thing

D's scripting is how he sees

he can play with his Big Bro

the best.

Since we have moved his

food sensitivities are getting worse

I can only imagine

it is due to the fact

we actually have trees and foilage.

The Dr. did not seem too concerned

and

acknowledged even though D

has an alternative diet

we actually

(Again like Bitty)

do our best to give him a

well balanced one.

He kept bringing up

the Autism concern question.

We are pretty good at acknowledging

what we see

and

not sitting in denial

about it.

Our D loves school,

has some friends,

OK..well he will very willingly

tell you about the 2 girls in his class.

(Not sure if this is good or bad for his age...

or will be a flash of what teenage years are like..)

He likes to sing, loves to read

and

at school loves his music class

and

the ability to “play instruments.”

He also LOVES outside.

Some days I think he would sleep

in the backyard if we would let him.

Which to me means some backyard camping

this spring/summer! :)

He loves trucks and being covered in dirt.

Well, only likes to be covered in dirt

that he planned to get dirty with.

He can be covered head to toe in mud

but if his sweet little self

falls into it (even if already dirty)

the accidental dirt sure upsets him.

He is an amazing little man

and

loves to rock his cuteness.

We hear from his Teachers about his

smile for a camera

and

his overall sweet self.

Happy Birthday to our DD!

He did well at his 3 year check up.

Passed all tests

and

comes in at

50^th percentile for height,37.25 inches

and

70^th in weight,33.75 lbs!

Just perfect!!

He was so thrilled for his Birthday.

He loved opening the presents

and

when he thought it took too

long to sing him, “Happy Birthday!”

He started to do it for himself. :)

He is a sweet little independent man

and

at times (which we are eating up)

wants to just sit and snuggle

with us.

Also, Angels Among Us Video

Angels Among Us shared this yesterday. 

A few videos have been made for the 2013 year. 

These are some wonderful 

and

super smart people. 

I feel blessed to have been a part of it. 

I still have yet to make my post regarding

our experience at the event. 

It will come.  

It is a little over 7 minutes video. 

It is a good watch. 

Right at the end in the survivor walk

leading into the Family walk

we are there

and

Andrew is looking right on at the camera

Celebrating Angels Among Us from Blue Water Media on Vimeo.

Just a portion of our week..

D has fallen asleep dropping Logey off at school.

Since he is napping

I am deciding to attempt to type a little

before I we have to go get our Biggun' from school.

Here we are 4 days before our Baby is 3.

The Rogers' chaos continues.

We had a lull and here we are now

back into it.

When we moved in we got a new fridge.

There was not one here

and

in order to sell our

other house they wanted the fridge.

So, Lowe's dropped it off

and

wouldn't connect the

ice maker due to new codes

and

our line was plastic.

New codes are using a flexible metal line.

So, since days run long

Andrew on Sunday night (our 1^st night of all 5 of us sleeping here)

hooked it up

and

went into the crawl space to turn on the water line.

Yup..the parts

(Insert long lapse here..potty issues with D..no nap done, hope to type more later)

Starting at two days later..

The parts from not being moved for months

had dry rotted or rusted or something

needless to say a huge gush of water

and

Andrew in the dark now covered in mud

had to run up to the street and turn off the

main line of water to our house.

He went to the store twice to try to get new parts.

It failed.

So now we had no running water

except for our outdoor spickets

which are attached to the well

the house originally had.

I sent Andrew out with a stock pot to fill

and

heated it on the stove so he could wash the mud off

and

we went to bed.

A plumber came first thing to fix it

and

we decided to to have the water/ice maker

connection

installed behind the fridge

like it is in newly built houses.

That way if a problem occurs we can turn it off

NOT from the crawl space.

Well, since then I have heard

on and off trickling sounds

but see no water

and

when Andrew gets home it is quiet

so we forget to look.

We have learned that some new fridges

have a non removable drip pan

and

possibly it was something

dripping into that.

Well, I am having by giant bouts

of exhaustion.

I fell asleep at 7p

on this past Sunday.

Andrew heard the drips!!

He checked it out!

So GLAD he did.

He called the plumber because the

line they installed was leaking.

They came out first thing

and

when he spoke to them they said,

“OH, you guys must have got one of the bad lines.”

Yes, the plumber repaired it

and

then contacted a water damage company

they work with.

Yes, WATER DAMAGE.

After 2 month

we have wall studs that are 100% saturated (per the tech's hand held meter)

our tile is saturated, drywall is also.

So our fridge is in the middle of the kitchen.

A humidifier is in the area sealed off.

AND

there is one under the house sealed off.

The hope is to dry it all out.

They sprayed a fungicide on the stud that

was black and white discolored.

The issue is the old owners sprayed

foam insulation

underneath the house.

They may not be able to get the sub flooring to dry out

and

if that happens

(after at least 5 days of dehumidification)

we will have to replace our kitchen floor.

It is tile it will have to be 100% new floor and possible sub-flooring.

Yup our kitchen out of sorts and cluttered. If you look closely at the kitchen light
you will see the drain line taped on the ceiling so we don't trip on it
AND it is draining into our kitchen sink.  (don't worry it is a push drain it can go against gravity)

Yes, just a bump in the road. An inconvenient and annoying one.

The dehumidifier noise gets to you after a while.

They will be out today to recheck it all.

Add to our Cooper dog issues, he just had his vet recheck this week.

Things don't look good.

That in itself is a post of it own

on my view/reasons for it.

Our chaos rolls and “time marches on”

so we keep on..

Like I have said before, not gracefully,

we try and we fail

we are human.

We just get back up and try again and again and again...

6 years old!

Two weeks have passed since our Biggun' turned 6!

I can't believe it. 

Turning 5 was a big deal since he 

took up a whole hand!

Now we are moving another one?!

How did we get here?

We will blink and he will be 18...

I am not ready for that. 

He is loving Kindergarten

and

doing well overall. 

Just have to keep reminding him

even if someone else is 

doing something

that it doesn't mean he should. 

Whether it be peer pressure 

or 

trying to fit in. 

Our hope for this Smart Little Man

is for him to be proud 

of who he is. 

To not try to be like everyone else

to just be himself.

If people are not nice

or

making fun of you,

do your best to not let them win (by getting upset)

Be happy to be who you are. 

Stand tall and proud. 

He is super smart, 

loves to read, 

still likes to make music.

He doesn't do as much

breaking out into loud song with a beat, 

I am guessing due to the lack of echo

in our new home.

But he still does it,

sometimes as nervous habit

and 

other times because he loves music. 

He has two other kids in his class

he plays with the most

and

a few more that they are always excited to say 

Hi when they see each other.

When at lunch the other day one of his Teacher's

told me he was her Math Assistant 

and

 was helping other Kids with their Math. 

He has made a new friend in our new neighborhood

but

misses our old neighborhood friends more. 

He is sweet

 and 

caring

and

overall grateful for what he has. 

He brought a sheet home from school 

just before Thanksgiving

he said he was thankful for , "His two brothers."

His Teacher's are pretty good at getting the Kids

to express their own thoughts. 

He is loving having a yard with trees 

although sometimes

he needs the push to go outside. 

After a day at school he wants to sometimes veg on the couch. 

I let him do it some 

but then has to go outside. 

Or now since the time change

I make him go out first 

then he can veg. 

He also wants to stay inside 

to play with his rainbow loom. 

He is loving it

and

working hard at making things on his own. 

Anyways, our Sweet Biggun' is now 6, 

he impresses us every day 

and

definitely has days where he tests us also.  

:)

Here he is enjoying

his small birthday party..

Eating dinner with his Friends and Brothers

The Golden Ninja cake...

Being silly "striking a pose" (one of many he did)

Getting ready to light the candles and sing..

Blowing out his candles

                                 

Celebrating blowing them all out

Excitement over a remote control monster truck (you see D there mesmerized..)

We will get his "official 6 year old stats" tomorrow after school. :)

Another catch up attempt

So I hope to have a few minutes

and 

the moment I start to type the Little's start whining. 

We shall see how this goes. 

A lot is going on...

We had all of our duct work torn out, 

a new furnace and air conditioning unit. 

That took two weekends of work. 

And a lot of cleaning. 

We have new register vents downstairs

and

have a few ones to put in upstairs 

over the next couple of months

all of those will be replaced. 

They are round vents and cost more than a typical 

floor vent. 

My dizzy spells are better and the constant 

congestion of the Boys has dwindled 

now that we don' t have leaky ducts 

that are full of 40 years of dirt, dust, grime

and 

mold. 

We learned that people's chaseways are not usually replaced. 

Ours however, was rusted out
 and
 at one point

was duct taped together. 

When checked out, it was no longer connecting the 

two air returns.
 Instead of pulling air through the 

filters, it was pulling air from inside our walls

and
from our upstairs main attic. 

Mmmm...

Logan began potty training willingly at school

and 

after a week we took it over at home. 

His Teacher has done it this way before with much success. 

He is doing really well, honestly!

#2's are not but he is dry most every night

and will even stop playing (even if outside!)

and go pee!

It has been a few weeks. 

I have sent out questions on the Special Needs message boards, 

researched books, tips, anything. 

His bowels are not regular so some of our structured teaching 

tips we received the other year was on the "schedule"

so from what I see at times kids like him can take 

1-2 years for the bowels or maybe never. 

We shall see. 

We had his IEP meeting it went pretty well. 

There is a difference from county to county

and 

I questioned about a few things. 

That requires a post on it's own don't know

when I can get that done. 

Aidan turned 6!  

I cannot believe it!

A hand full and now starting the second. 

He is doing pretty well. 

I got his room situated and cool weather clothes exchanged

so he is doing better. 

He doesn't function well in the disorganized mess

of change. 

Once things get uncluttered

and

clear he does much better. 

Especially, in the comfort of his bedroom. 

He says he likes this house, he does miss the old one. 

I asked what did he miss. 

(Since he would complain about how hot the back yard was.)

He misses his neighbor friends.  

Totally, understandable. 

I have been in touch with their Mom

and 

over winter break hope to meet up. 

In the midst of striking some poses..he was being a goof!

Our Sweet Baby D is loving school

and 

the new backyard. 

Today is Day 7 of him potty training!

I really wanted him started before he turned 3. 

We tried sometime this year.  I don't remember when exactly it was. 

I want to say June, when he was 2.5 like Big Bro Aidan. 

It just did not seem like his time. 

So, here we are and he is doing great. 

By Day #2 all on his own he did a #2 in the potty!

Now, he is similar to Aidan and a bit timid on 

the big potty and prefers the little ones. 

He has also become an example to Logan of how 

we mean "pooping in the potty."

There has been some potty competition

by their choices 

but it has only brought more motivation for them to go. 

We will go with it unless they get mean

but so far it has only seemed to bring them 

closer together. 

The Little's are really interacting more 

and 

have conversations with each other. 

It's beautiful well, until they start getting mad at each other. 

D's food sensitivities have become worse. 

I am wondering if it will calm after the nasty from the old duct work

subsides. 

Our big dog Cooper has had some problems too. 

He went to the vet just over a week ago.

After a long list of medications 

and 

a bath to help soothe his skin. 

He is doing better.
The vet has called to check up on him. 

And he seems to all of a sudden

fit into the the hypoallergenic 

state of our family and/or not typical reactions

to medications. 

He is on a steroid which usually makes people/animal gain weight/retain water

he has gotten skinnier. 

The vet and us are on the fence if this means

his skin was that swollen (and very well could be)

or 

if he is having a bad reaction to the steroid. 

Andrew's Thanksgiving days off, turned out to him being at work

every single day of the break. 

Working late at night to early morning 

just so he could be a part of Aidan's Birthday

and 

take care of what needed done at work. 

I ran another 5K.  I did not train for it

and 

with the move have not been as active as I was. 

And the worst part I walked a small portion of it...

I need to find the way it works to maintain what I was 

doing before 

and /or 

more. 

I did however get things more organized. 

Our office is not unpacked

and 

a large table is my sort. 

BUT I am able to sort!

I also have been able to some checkbook balancing

and

bill pay. 

This is what I did since babies were born. 

We do it together

but I do the data entry

and 

put things where they should go 

and 

make it all work. 

Andrew has been doing this since well 

before March because I hit a point

where I just could no longer do it. 

And by recommendation from my 

neuro-psychologist that I was not ready for that 

and it would come with time.

So, 8 months later I am working on it. 

Funny thing is, I think I saw her at Target just this past Monday. 

I am not sure and could be totally wrong

but it was  a woman who looked like her. 

19 days until I meet with my neuro-oncologist and get my next MRI. 

I have had a lot more headaches and a WONDERFUL (sarcasm)

migraine. 

I am also in the process of battling our insurance company with 

Logan's gene mapping. 

It came back with nothing showing any "reason"

for his blood sugar issues, odor-ific atonic episode, his eye

flitting into the back of his head, his grey face tone in stress

and 

limp moments with no odor. 

It turned into his Geneticist facing me

and 

concerned with me. 

He does have some off genes from me. 

Two with no real known significance 

and 

one that they know causes issues.

It won't become an issue until later in life. 

After a series of questions she asked me, 

then she informed me of the gene

and

then told me I must notify all of my 

doctors immediately. 

My family practitioner wants me to see a hematologist 

So, that is in the works.  

It is a rare disorder that some people with the mutation do 

not have any issues. 

Others do. 

It answers a lot of issues I have had. 

It also has a very long list of medications that are not safe 

and 

that I can have a bad reaction to. 

Quite a few medications I have pointed out to Doctors 

before knowing anything of this

are on that list. 

So, like I have had the 1-3% reactions

yup, that would be where it came from. 

And issues I have had for years 

with no answers only a few hopeful suggestions

from a few good doctors. 

Now, it seems there are answers. 

So, I think this covers it. 

Yet another long post. 

Never boring, never dull. 

We did get our tree up 

and 

more Christmas decorations to come. 

And having some wonderful interactive moments with 

our Boys with each other

and 

all of us together. 

Three years ago, just before D's big eventful arrival

we never could have guessed where 

we would be right now. 

We have had a lot of big down hills in our

roller coaster of life, 

but we are here together

and

 getting to enjoy all of our 

ups together. 

No matter how  little they may be at times

they are indeed ups. 

Where have we been?

Going crazy?

Very possibly. 

I am eating some chocolate and pretzels and sipping on a beer. 

Yup. 

It has been a while since I posted.  

We as normal have had a lot going on!

We sold our home we built!

After 8 years, we moved across town (nearer to Aidan and Daniel's schools.)

We now have a bigger yard

and

about the same size square footage. (a tad smaller..like 50 sq feet)

We closed on the new home on October 11.  

And the closing of our "old" home was on the 15th. 

We thought a few days overlap would ease the move. 

Hah!

We can dream right?

Here we are still in a mess. 

Supremely disorganized and tired. 

Logan had to go to  a new school since we moved into a 

new county. 

He is doing pretty good. 

The house we bought was empty since April. 

There were a lot of repairs that need to be done

and 

will still need to be done. 

Since it was vacant it was a bit yucky!

Lots of cleaning to do. 

Still not to my liking and soon enough will feel like our dirt. 

That said, it feels like home. 

The other house took almost 8 years to feel like home. 

Funny, huh.

I wake in the morning and don't expect to see our giant

vaulted green bedroom.

I am still not alarmed of the room I see 

just go.  Oh! Funny I did not expect to see the 

bedroom I slept in for 8 years. 

I have never really "moved."

Back in '83 my Parents moved to NC.

They are still in that house. 

My "moves" I remember are going to ECU

and 

marrying Andrew!

Andrew however, has a lot more moves that than under his belt. 

Some he may not remember much. 

His Dad was in the Air Force. 

Well, funny, to say, Andrew

was born in Germany.

Yup. 

From Germany, to Virginia, to South Carolina

to North Carolina. 

Yup, he has moved around some.  

We had some great help

and 

our very Thankful for all who helped us.  

In the midst of all of this. 

Logan got an earlier than scheduled call in with his

Geneticist. 

No answers, it turned into he got some weird genes from me. 

Then his Doctor turned to me and it was like

an appointment for me. 

My job is to inform all of my Doctors about this genetic mutation.

It is related to a rare disease called, "Acute Intermittent Porphyria."

My family doctor informed me I need to see a hematologist. 

So, yup. 

Never dull and all has to happen at once!

I don't remember if I ever updated on here.  

I saw my Neuro-oncolgoist in September and am 

able to stretch it to 3 month between visits versus

2 months. 

I will take that. 

As November turned, I was thinking, 

It has been forever since I have seen them!

It does seem like it because I would be prepping myself for

the visit that would be coming. 

SO yes, it feels like forever. 

It turns out to be on the anniversary of my 

MRI last December that scheduled the biopsy. 

That said, I feel like crap in general

and 

am feeling worse about this. 

It seems like a dream. 

At almost 8 months out I really almost think 

it was a bad dream. 

I was perky and positive then. 

I am having a harder time now. 

It is sinking in. 

I try not to let it get the best of me

but 

it is just  a constant reminder. 

It bugs me that it bothers me. 

I want to go run. 

But I am not because I feel like crap. 

But maybe if I run I will feel better?

But if I feel worse, I will have set myself back.

Anyways, I have lost my focus. 

I must make dinner. 

We moved. 

There is a lot going on. 

What's new?!

Our chaos and we keep on truckin'

just hoping to get back to 

my positive me. 

This non-positive me needs to go away and take a 

long walk off a short pier.  

I don't have time for her!

Our New Home. Top L-R: Toy room, backyard, kitchen.
Mid L-R: Dining room, stair case, office
Bottom L-R: Foyer, living room and Front

As you can see, stuff not done, no picture on walls yet.
It will come.

Office needs unpacked and organized and all the paper clutter should diminish.  :)

D and Preschool

Daniel has been in preschool for a month now.

Well, today he is having a day off

due to his crazy cough.

He has loved it.

(So it seems.)

His first few days of drop off was a

little teary.

He was a little confused at pick up also.

However, he now goes smiling,

wearing his backpack

and

walks right in with minimal to no

look back!

It is a new preschool for us.

It is much closer to where Aidan goes to school.

So far, we love it.

It seems really good

and

we have been out and about

and

ran into one of his Teachers.

I have a small basic collage of his first day.

L-R, Top to bottom: In the van on the way, an attempt outside of school,
his thought of running out of the room, me leading him in, Big Bro Bitty trying to figure it all out,
Mom and Dad poses and the backpack that was delivered after the first day.

Again, since I have waited so long

my memories are dim.

He smiles and sings

and

when we pass by his school

on a non-school day

he will wave and say,

“Bye School, I see you Tuesday!!”

or

“Bye School! Have good weekend!!”

So, to me this tells me he enjoys it.

The teacher sends daily emails

(of the days they are in school)

and

it has pictures of the kids throughout the day.

We love those emails because

of course at 2 years old

we don't get a play by play of the day.

Well, from our experience with the Biggun'

we barely got that during any preschool

and

are just getting a bit more from Kindergarten.

The photos give us a chance to ask

the right questions

and

possibly get an answer of sorts.

A two year old answer of course,

but that works for us!

DD seems to truly enjoy his preschool

and

I hope time slows some so we can

not miss a beat or memory.

I have been so behind on here..

there is a lot going on..

I got another MRI and met with my neuro-oncologist,

there are some big changes coming for us

hope to get back into a routine

and keeping this updated for all

who are interested

and

coming up this weekend is the

local Autism Society 5k!

I hoped to post about our experience

with Autism and have slacked on that..

I really think I need 36 hours days..

some days for more sleep

but mostly more time to get things done..