5, count 'em, 5 weeks

Oh the ups and the downs of watching children grow.  So excited for them to accomplish things BUT then that means they are 1 step closer to being on their BUT then that means they have to do head butting to prove there independence from you BUT then that means you just wish they could be uncomplicated babies again BUT, BUT, BUT...

And to think that whole line of thought started with seeing a pic of The Quiet Man around 18 months old. 

 So cute and babyish and now he is going to be in Kindergarten.  Speaking of TQM, his first private speech therapy lesson is at last approved by insurance (thugs) and scheduled for 3/26.  I am hoping and (should be religiously) praying with all my heart that in the relatively small number of sessions he is alotted we can have a breakthrough, some obvious progress, anything to help him be heard by the world.  Mostly all I see is his eagerness to be understood and his never getting very frustrated when he can't quite get his message across.  As his preschool teachers point out, he has become master signer and pantomimer to get his points across.  That makes me feel so proud (and want to cry a bit too that he has to work so hard), but a few things said at his IEP just make me feel so urgently that we've got to hit this hard.  I don't want him to ever want for friends his age just because kids don't understand what he is trying to say when he tries to play with them.  That just seems like a heartbreaking future possibility.

In less heartbreaking matters, baby acne be darned, here is our precious 5-week shot.  

 DG (who spit up thoroughly during Primary on her beautiful pink dress) is interestingly wearing Judy Moody's take home from hospital outfit which was handed down from my sister, Mere, after who knows which of her kids wore it.  Anywho, the outfit has history, and below are my "bookends".

 The Judy Moodyinator got some hand-me-down Gap jeans from a neighbor, and bless my soul, they are bootcut/flare/relaxed fit.  All the jeans available in regular stores seem to be skinny jeans, skinny jeans, skinny jeans, so that is what she had, but apparently if we up classed and shopped at the Gap, we could get different looks.  Regardless, she and I are both loving them (no plumber's butt-read being skinny is harder than some might think).  My babelicious and sometimes so sweet eldest.  A bit more on her-she is rocking her Coldplay "The Scientist" recital piece.  She has been so helpful lately and so patient with imperfect parents this weekend.  This morning I went into our disaster zone kitchen (working the majority of my hours on Friday/Sat leaves it sadly neglected if no one lends a hand) to see her scrubbing and polishing cabinets.  It seemed comical to have beautiful cabinets and cruddy counters and dirty dishes but I knew she was trying to be sweet.  I did point out it was the Sabbath, probably not the best day for it, but I had to compliment that good work, regardless.

What can I say about Hulk and Dragon Master (aka The Great Origami)?  Well, I'm sure something at some point this week.  I will say Hulk tried his hand at a little eye poking and maybe trying to pick baby sister up (I didn't see but Dragon Master and Judy Moody did) for the first time today, and his sibs freaked out at what he was doing and scared the heck out of the little guy.  I guess what he was doing looked mean and painful, so hopefully he learned with that reaction he shouldn't do it again.  I remained calm because that's my job, right?