Quick updates

I feel like it has been FOREVER since I blogged! I missed Thursday Thirteen, I haven't been able to comment on my favorite blogs, I haven't answered emails.....it's like I have a life outside of the computer!?! What's up with that??? And really, the only reason I have a moment to sit down right now is because I have the girls cleaning up the kitchen before we put Christmas stuff away. (yup, that means it's time for the annual Zandi video!!) (and, Mel, I am re-doing my Christmas boxes this year...I went upscale and bought some totes at Target. But, yes, they will still be C1, C2 and CO1, CO2, etc! LOL)

Okay, here are some quick updates:

1. Our nursing hours were cut down to 40 hours a week. We have Tonja 4 days a week, 10 hours a day. We are blessed to have nursing at all (our new insurance doesn't cover nursing or most of Kaedra's supplies) and our doctor is carrying the charges himself. However, because of that, we are not getting any overtime.

After not having Tonja for 8 days I can tell you that I REALLY appreciate her! A large part of me was ready to get rid of nursing altogether (nothing wrong with Tonja, just tired of the hassle with insurance, the nursing agency, and Kaedra doesn't sleep through the night when Tonja is here) but Michael wanted us to keep it as long as possible. I submitted to his will, although I did not wholeheartedly agree with him. When Tonja was gone, we weren't able to move Kaedy's crib up to our room (it needed to be taken apart and that seemed senseless for 8 days) and Kaedra was too freaked out with all the changes that she would not sleep upstairs with us. ( If we had no nursing, we would work on it a lot harder! ) So we brought all her stuff back downstairs and I slept on the futon in her room. Anyway, after not getting a good sleep for 8 days, I was THRILLED to have Tonja back!! I just have to make the best of the 4 days we have her.

We should be eligible for help from Social Security after Ethan is born. If we qualify for Medicaid, we will put Kaedra on it and that should pay for her nursing and supplies. We are also looking into TEFRA a supplemental help for families in Oklahoma with a special needs child that aren't eligible for Social Security or Medicaid.

2. Kaedra is talking up a storm! In the last two weeks she has probably tripled her vocabulary! (if not more) Some of the time she just repeats what we are saying but more often, now, she is saying things and MEANING them! This morning she got herself a cup, went to the frig (we have the kind that dispenses water and ice) and help up her cup and said "Water" as clear as could be. I asked her to say "please" and then gave her the water. She was so thrilled! It is so awesome how well she is doing now! I remember when they said she would never walk, talk, get out of her crib, etc. Look at her now! And besides eating orally, she is on target with all of her other developments! Anything that she was lagging in, she has caught up in and, in some cases, surpassed. HALLELUJAH! God is SO GOOD!

3. At my ultrasound on Wednesday the tech said Ethan is measuring about 5lbs 11 oz and his projected due date is Feb 10th. Everytime we go in, his due date moves up by 2 days! LOL. Everything looks good with him and he is still kicking up a storm, especially when it is time for me to nap or sleep! LOL

4. Michael's silly season is over at work and he is almost back to normal. His truck broke down yesterday in the middle of the ice storm and we had to go rescue him at his buddy's Walgreens. His car will have to stay there until the ice storm is over...no point getting it towed now when people probably actually NEED to be towed. He is just using our van until further notice. I don't plan on getting out in this! His store was robbed last weekend and we are praying that the perpetrators will be caught soon. So lots of excitement for him!

5. We are in the midst of an ice storm. (as mentioned above) We have about 2 inches of ice and the backyard looks like it has snow but it is actually all ice. It is sort of funny to see the dogs out on it! We are supposed to have two more days of freezing rain and then start thawing around Thursday. So we will probably be home bound for a few days. :-) The girls originally wanted to play in the snow, but, after realizing it is all ice, they are just praying for "real" snow now.

6. Brittany has asked to be held back a grade. Yes, that's what I said. It's okay, you can read it again... yup, SHE asked. She said she doesn't like being so much younger than all of her friends! I think the age gap is starting to show in their interests. They are interested in boys, makeup, hair, etc and she just isn't there yet. (She really isn't much younger, I started her in 1st grade at 5, which is when I started) Michael and I prayed about it and had Brittany pray about it several times and we have agreed to let her re-do 6th grade. I am excited because it gives me a chance at a whole other year with her! (and I have felt like we haven't had a really good year since Kaedra was born) She is a little behind in spelling and grammar, too, and she wants to get on grade level. (however she is ahead in math and reading, so I guess we'll just keep going ahead on those!) I told her that whatever she is done with her senior year of high school she can take in college or via correspondence courses. Since she is home schooled, redoing a year of school is no big deal and no one would probably know if I hadn't just shared it on my blog! She will stay in jr. youth at church one extra year, but that doesn't seem to be an issue at our church - they let the parents choose when/if they want them to go to the next level.

7. Emily doesn't have too much new with her. She is spelling up a storm, but still isn't reading. For some reason the two don't equate in her mind! She loves to spell everything, all day long, and usually gets it right, but we haven't had any breakthroughs in reading yet.

Okay, I had better go. Lots to do today. I will be back to write about SMART Saturday.

Have a great day!