Big Graduate!!!!

This has been a busy week. Ashton graduated from Kindergarten, woohooooo! His teacher said he was a joy to teach, and she is very sad to see him go. She said she tested his reading and he is at a third/fourth grade level and that his reading comprehension is phenomenal. She said his math is first/second grade. We are currently teaching him multiplication and he is really grasping it quickly.


Here he is (they made the tie-dye shirts at school for graduation day)

Ashton's other big news, is that he lost his front tooth. That isn't the big part, this was his fourth tooth. The big news is that this is the first tooth he lost that he didn't eat! We actually got to put it in the box and put it under his pillow. Yeah Ashton!!!!

I love the gap!!!

Woohooo to youuuuu!

Jack has been very busy being my big helper! We had so many errands to run this week, he was so well behaved! I can tell he is almost five (end of summer!!!). We had to take the car in to the shop, go see the specialist in Duluth, Ash's graduation, and the hospital for TJ and all the while he was so well behaved and sociable. Thanks Jack!!!!

Here he is at Daddy's ball game

Thomas is hangin in there. He has been struggling with his asthma since April. He had a Sinus CT Scan and a Chest X-Ray today. The specialist called in and said he has a sinus infection (second one in 3 mos) and pneumonia. So he will be on an antibiotic, in addition to another weeks worth of prednisone, his Intal, Pulmicort, MDI, and Zyrtec. Yikes, no wonder he is grumpy these days.

He was awesome for his appt. He didn't require sedation, which they were nervous he would. He didn't cry during any of the procedures. I was very proud of him! In the last two weeks he's been to his regular dr, the asthma specialist, and the hospital and through it all he has been a trooper!!! Hopefully he'll be back to normal in about two weeks!

Here he is at Daddy's game.

We are doing to American Lung Association Asthma Walk in October, in Milwaukee WI (at the zoo). We will be collecting donations, our goal is to raise $1000.00 for the ALA. We know we can do it!!! But we need your help, we need donations, team members (you don't have to walk to be a member, but we'd love it if you could), we need ideas on how to raise money. I am going to order bracelets and ribbons to sell to donate the proceeds. As well as selling bottled water at Ashton's ball games and soccer games (if I can). We may even have a bake sale!!!! This is so very important to our family. Lung disease is brutal and life long. It doesn't care your sex, financial status, it doesn't care about your dreams or goals. It doesn't just affect you, it affects your entire family. If there is a way to stop it, I want to be a part of a team that is trying. Asthma has effected our entire family! My kids are on 8 different medications to try and control the severity of symptoms. I am waiting to get that call that they have found a magic pill to cure this terrible disease, I don't know how soon that will happen.

CLICK HERE to visit my personal web page, and be a part of something big! Please tell your firnds and family, we need all the help we can get, lets be a success story together!!!!

What's New

Summer is fast approaching, can you even believe it!?! We have so many exciting and new plans for the summer. This year will be the boys first year in athletics. Both boys start the week of June 9th. Ashton will be in Basics of Baseball, he's a Hawk! Jackson will be joining gymnastics, his class is for 3 and 4 year olds. He is too young this year to be in baseball with Ashton. The fourth week in July both boys start soccer, different teams. I will post a lot of pics!

We ended up back at our local Clinic this week for TJ. We can't seem to kick the persistent asthma flare-up we have been dealing with since April 23rd. TJ was prescribed another medicine, Intal . It is one of the oldest asthma meds out there. We hope it will make a difference. Our dr is hoping that this med will help TJ be able to enjoy outdoor activities this summer regardless of humidity and activity level. He also prescribed another asthma med for Ashton. The Singulair didn't work out for him, it has to many side effects. He is on Accolate, similar to the Singulair, but we are hoping to not have as many side effects. Ash has environmental allergies that affect him during the spring, summer and fall, we are hoping the Accolate will allow him to play baseball and soccer, like we have planned.

We had a very busy Memorial Day weekend. On Saturday, we had a small family dinner to honor our nephew Steven, home on a small break from the Navy. Jesse had a ball game in Glidden on Sunday, which they lost by one point. On Monday we had a BBQ with my mom, two sisters, and nephews. After the BBQ Ashton, Jackson, and I went to the Mellen Cemetery to bring our memorial flowers.

Jack putting his memorial flowers he picked beside his cousin Westyn's grave.

Both the boys were excited to see their Great-Grandfather (whom Ashton's shares his middle name with) and their Great-Grandmother.

Ashton putting his red flower memorial by Marva. This is where he started crying. He was very sad about all the people there. He didn't understand why people had to die, why they all couldn't come with us.

This the one TJ picked up, but he was home napping so he couldn't come with us.

This is the wonderful friend our TJ shares his middle name with. We lost Neal 3 years ago this July. We was a great friend, an awesome catcher, a rockin' guitar player, and a kind and gentle human being. We miss you Neal!

Next weekend Jesse has his first home game, so I will post more pics then.

Have a great start to your summer!!!!

ChEcK-Up TiMe!

Well, we had a lot of medical and dental check-ups so I have lots to report! Everyone is healthy and lookin' good!

ASHTON: He is 51 pounds and 48 inches (yep, 4 feet tall). He had his 6 yr check up, he found out he had to get two shots and so he stayed behind the table for 98% of his appt. We were a little concerned about his social development, he has had some issues in school with making friends. We had speculated the potential of his having Asperger Syndrome, a form of high functioning autism. But, he does not have Asperger's. Our dr said he is just "exceptionally intelligent" and somewhat quirky.

His asthma has gotten worse over the last yr, so he is on another med: he's on Pulmicort twice daily, Singulair daily, and albuterol before any activity. We think the reason his asthma may be worse is due to his allergies to mold and grass.

Ashton had his 6 mos dental check-up and he cried throughout his entire appt., but his teeth look good (THANK YOU!!!). So, he doesn't need to go back until Sept!

JACKSON: Jack went in for a recheck on his tummy, he has been on Zantac since the end of summer. He is down to 37 pounds, lost a pound since Sept, where he had gained two pounds since age 2yrs. He still has to take Zantac for his tummy. Our dr wants us to either have the blood test for food allergies (and Celiacs disease), or do the elimination diet for lactose and gluten. At first I said lets do the elimination diet, until I saw what gluten was in . . . EVERYTHING!!! Now, I think we will try the blood test, easier. He also wants us to help Jack deal with his anxiety (we like to call it "fussiness"). So I am looking for a good book to help with that.

Jack-Jack was soooooo brave at the dentist, never cried once! We all stood and watched them clean and examine his teeth. He has two small cavities that need to be taken care of. But, he was such a big boy for the dentist!!! I was so very proud of him.

THOMAS: TJ has his appt last mos, it was his 2 yr check up. TJ is 36 pounds and 35 inches, big boy!!!! He is doing well, right on task for most of the milestones. His expressive language development is a little behind, but his receptive is sooooo great we really aren't worried. He learned a couple new words over the last two weeks: NO and ICE CREAM. Never does he use those two words together in the same sentence. Currently he is having an asthma flare-up, due to the humidity. So we are treating that pretty aggressively. He has low iron, so we have to give him supplements for that.

TJ was so brave for the dentist (it was his first appt), his teeth look good, we were told it's time to think about losing the nuk, I am a little sad about that. I figure we have a little time, he said we could start working on it, don't have to do it immediately. I am sad about that, to me his nuk and his diaper are the last ties I have to his babyhood. I know I am delaying the inevitable, my baby is growing up, faster than I would like.

Everyone is doing great!!! We are looking forward to summer fun!!! We are getting excited about building our deck next mos and building the boys a big sand-box (and getting a picnic table for myself). Summer is going to rock and we can't wait!!!! Ashton and Jack are going to start soccer (not sure when, but I am signing them up)! TJ, Jesse and I are going to cheer on!! I am really excited for all the things the kids are going to be doing. Baseball is starting soon for Jesse! The boys and I can't wait, we love watching Daddy play ball! I

BIRTHDAY . . . BIRTHDAY . . . BIRTHDAYS!!!!!

Woohoo, we had two birthdays last month! My little baby turned ... sniff ... 2, yes 2 years old. I know, I am not sure how to go on when my baby is growing up, it is not fair. My Ashton turned 6!!! I don't know why, but I get excited when my oldest gets older but sad when my youngest does too. Crazy!!!

Ashton had a bowling birthday party. It was a blast! He wasn't feeling 100% but still had fun.

See how cute everyone look!!!! We had shirts made for all the kiddos. They looked really adorable!!!! Everyone had a blast. I can't wait until next year to see what we do (we'll probably have to go bowling again)!!!

TJ had a little play group party. We looked for Easter eggs and decorated cupcakes. They kids had fun doing that too!!!

Here they are decorating cupcakes.

My goodness, what fun!!!

We had a family party, it Cars theme. Walmart did an awesome job on the cake! Although, TJ did drive the car off the cake, which wasn't cool. We played a Car's game! All the kids did great, and had fun!!! Jack was a little sad because the party wasn't for him, but we reminded him that he has a borthday coming in September. He still helped TJ open presents.

Here is the cake!

Isn't it great!!!!

April is going to be a busy mos with dr appts and such, rechecks, check-ups dental appts. I will posted all the stats as they come!!!!

Monday, March 17, 2008, St Patrick's Day

Happy St Patrick's Day!!!!
In true fashion I donned green, as did Ashton. TJ and Jack did not, because I am sad to admit neither own a green shirt (well, one that doesn't have some sort of Packer logo on it).
We went to the library today (no daycare kiddos).
Than we went to Burger King (Jack's idea). It was terrible!!!! No heat! This is month 3 that the place has been ice cold. It was 44* in there! After I complained about the cold suddenly the place smelled of gas/exhaust and we booked it out of there!!!!
Nana, the sweetheart she is took us to McDonald's instead! They always have heat there!
The only issue we had was TJ hurt his finger, he rolled on it. Not sure if it is broken, will be able to determine more tomorrow. Not sure why tomorrow, it is just that today I wasn't sure. Perhaps he just pulled it funny. This is where I get myself in trouble. I assume they are fine and they aren't! Like when Ash fractured his pelvis. I thought he was fine, he wasn't!
Time will tell!
To all, A Happy Saint Patrick's Day!!!!

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Almost forgot, back in Feb we (the boys, Nana, and myself) went to visit Auntie Heather. It was so much fun! We went to Wacky Bear, where you build your own stuffie. The boys all built their own lovey, it was awesome. You have to fill it with fluff, warm it's heart with your hands, say a wish, and they put it in. It was sooooooo coooool!

Then they went on a Merry-Go-Round, it was very cool!!