Fabulously 5!

Yep, she's FIVE, and loving it!  Seriously, 5!  I'm done with this growing thing.

 


 

She chose a PORCUPINE theme for her birthday.  Yep, you read that right Porcupine.

It all came about here in OK where two porcupines were shot, and then a lesson was provided by Granddad. 
See my earlier post
PORCUPINE PREFACE POST CLICK HERE!
 

WAIT, You mean your 5 year old girl didn't ask for a porcupine birthday after examining a dead porcupine.  Something is not right in your life.  :)

The best was the nice lady in the store trying to help and asking Claire her theme or what she was looking for.  I'm sure awaiting the magic words "Frozen" imagine her surprise. :)

CONTRARY TO WHAT YOU MIGHT THINK, THERE ARE NOT A LOT OF PORCUPINE BIRTHDAY IDEAS ON PINTEREST!  :)
This momma had to get creative!
See her porcupine balloons?


She took porcupine cupcakes to preschool.
We cut and used tootsie rolls for their quills!

 

 

The sweetest thing, Livie worked and saved money to purchase Claire a stuffed porcupine.

Claire loves her!!

 

For her celebration, we took a friend and went to Chuck E Cheese.

Yes, it's the 3rd time!  I've decided not to fight it.   Well, after Jed said, "Why are you fighting this?"  :)  So, don't be hatin' on Chuck E Cheese people!

 

 

She had a great time!

Happy Birthday, Claire Bear!

You are a terrific Little Sister.  You girls LOVE to have "slumber parties" both downstairs and in Livie's room.  (which makes no sense bc Livie has a twin bed and Claire has a double)

You play together for Hours on End and truly are Best Friends!

You are also the Best Big Sister and Helper I could ask for.  I couldn't raise Cade without you.  You are ALWAYS eager and willing to help, and he ADORES you!

 

Furthermore, you are hilarious!!  You have the greatest comedic timing and one liners.

You are more caring than we ever could have imagined.  You love accessorizing your bed with animals that are then accessorized with scarves, earrings, necklaces, glasses and books!  It takes forever, and you refuse to sleep in your bed bc you can't mess them up!  (even though you change them everyday) So, you sleep at the end of your bed in the wrong direction with a blanket over you! :)  You love to pretend with mom, sometimes you're a mom, a teenager, and sometimes a baby. 

 

We LOVE your style, imagination, and YOU! 

YOU ARE TRULY A

FABULOUS FIVE YEAR OLD!

Porcupine Preface Post

So we were home (Oklahoma) over Christmas, and it was an exciting creature adventure as always!

Yes, that's Granddad and Livie, of course.  What's in the culvert you might ask...

Wait for it...Wait for it...

 

Wait for it...

 

2, hopefully dead, porcupines!  Sorry to all the animal lovers... no one is a bigger animal lover than my Livie, but these guys are terrible on cattle and pets!

But, this happened first... it was a family affair.  These four were determined to get at least 1 porcupine out of this culvert!

 

 

 

This just goes to show that determination and persistence really does pay off!! 

I mean look, Now we have a dead porcupine!!  Who's excited?!!

Then begins the lesson and our infatuation with God's creature, the porcupine!

I told you it was a family affair.  Sara is taking the pictures!! 

HAPPY ADVENTURES TO YOU

Cade Man

It's been 5 months since the little guy joined our family!  Yep, 5 months. 

 A very wise woman wrote on facebook the other day, "this 3 kid thing is no joke!"  I've quoted her twice now and to that I say AMEN!!  Holy cow, I'm outnumbered!  I often think, "Where is everyone?  I can't see around this giant car seat!"  Were they always so big?  Were diaper bags always this big?  Did my others poop this much or this obnoxiously loud? 

 

Also, see this adorable face?  Well, it's the face of a non napper!  Seriously just doesn't nap!!  Claire gets more sleep than Cade!  I can't really be mad because, well, look at this face, and he's never upset.  Just a happy little clam that doesn't nap.

Therefore, causing no blog updates in 2 months!! 
Not to mention the other million things I'm behind on! :)

Staying in and staying healthy is easier said than done.  The staying in is really not that bad, but the staying healthy is nearly impossible this year!!  We have all had colds including Cade.  He can't seem to get over it, but neither can the rest of us.  The amazing thing is that he is NOT requiring oxygen, which is nothing less than a miracle!! 

Many have asked how our life is different.  Well, it's not, but then it very much is. :) Clear as mud?  Instead of his activities being soccer right now they're therapy!  He has 3 therapists in Wichita, a Speech, Occupational, and Physical therapist.  Then he has 3 different people through our early education system that do in home therapy 1-3 times per week here in Newton. 

The next question I get is what are you doing with a 5 month old in therapy...

My response EVERYTHING we're being both PROACTIVE and REACTIVE.   We work on things he struggles with due to Down syndrome like building up joints (they are hypermobile) and muscles because of his hypotonia or low muscle tone.  He gets to wear awesome biker shorts that cause his diapers to go straight up his back... not so awesome.  (the shorts or the diapers)

We do sign language and lots of mouth, tongue, and face massages, as well as many things with reflexes. 

"Wait, you don't like the biker spandex?" 

  

"Just kidding, me either!"

Cade is rolling from his belly to back and almost from back to front.

He smiles and laughs constantly,  Flirts with Miss Kristin, and is completely and totally

SPOILED ROTTEN!

And we're still smitten! :)

Room Makeovers (because some of us don't have enough to do)

2 girls made their mommy very happy and their dad not so much recently.  Livie has been jealous of Cade's room from the very beginning.  You see, it's a nature, outdoorsy room.  Livie is my nature loving girl and wanted her room to have MORE NATURE. 

LIGHT BULB

I offered the girls a room makeover in lieu of Christmas presents, and they said YES! JACKPOT!!   I love a good project!  Livie's was 1st because she kind of knew what she wanted, and I liked her ideas. :) We found a picture on pinterest of the birch tree decals, and decided we had our plan.

BEFORE PICTURES

In all fairness, it looked a lot better in person.  It's in an awkward configuration because in order to appease her after Cade's room, I moved her furniture exactly where she wanted it.  When we moved she got my old furniture, and my mom made her an adorable quilt and canopy with her favorite color... turquoise.  And she ALWAYS makes her bed, but this particular day she didn't, and when I decide on a project it's katy bar the door because there is no holding back!!  Just ask my husband!  It's a miracle I took a couple of before pictures.

 Let the projects begin...

Livie went to school on Monday, and Claire and I started our project when Cade was napping.  It began like this,

 

but don't worry I had great help.  Do you see my little helper?

 

 

 

And eventually this happened.  We're soaking all of the masking tape off of her body!!

 

 

Finally, Ta Da the finished product.  I actually LOVE it!!  The white really pops, and I think makes the room look bigger!

 

I even recovered her chair to make it look more nature-y!

 

Now on to Little Miss #2.  She had a great idea... Mommy could paint Santa Claus on her wall with the Reindeer Flying!!  Definitely A SOLID idea, but I just didn't feel like we were quite ready to start!  Then we decided maybe a rainbow room.  We could add some different colored dots to her room, paint her bed red or yellow, but we just couldn't quite make it work.  So we went to Wichita for some other supplies,

 

 and we found...

 

OUR INSPIRATION

 

We decided we would add Gold Sparkles to Claire's room. 

 

BEFORE PICTURES

 

AFTER PICTURES

We added gold, sparkly polka dots all over, and painted a couple of her frames gold.  There is no headboard in this picture because I had already painted it from black to red, and then I of course had to paint it back black when we found our inspiration!!  :)  There is a big open spot because she is asking for a desk for Christmas.  Livie is asking for a reading lamp.

 

 

 

 

 

Both girls worked on some special projects for each of their rooms. 

Livie made a bird nest, and painted a bird to go in it.  She also made some paper birds as well.

 

 

 



Claire painted a "C" and a golden sun for her room!

Yes, that is a Christmas tree.  Yes, our Christmas is up! :) 

Happy Thanksgiving!!