Filthy Kids

Recently my sister, Maggie, caught her two little girls glue-handed.  They had applied glue stick to their lips like chapstick, their arms, legs, and the entire tv as well.  Their palms were nearly glued together.

My nieces:  Penelope (2), Caroline (4)

I was in hysterics picturing her walking into them covered in purple, dries clear glue!  And thinking paybacks are a B.  Which is funny because she lived with me while Everett was a full-blown hellyun & I'm sure she thought thank God my kids aren't like him - haha now she knows Penelope is him in a shrunken girl version!

But what was funnier was the Facebook conversation that ensued - the be thankful your kids never...

And it went something like this:

left a half eaten chicken leg behind your tv cabinet...

painted your house with yellow paint pen...

spray painted your brand new navy work truck with yellow spray paint...

Can you guess which one of the above was Everett????

Back To School

Well they are back at it! 

 

Aubrie went to 2nd grade.  Here is what I've basically gotten out of her since she started..."Mom everyone knows it's impossible to make new friends in 2nd grade."  Really?  I did not know this.  But apparently it is so.  She's already requesting a cell phone and Ipad Touch - apparently some other 7 year olds have them already.  Seriously people - my mind is blown.  Not gonna happen Aubrie, not gonna happen!  She's again a top notch student that is brown nosing her teacher daily - it's how she rolls and she's quite good at it!

Everett is repeating Kindergarten.  Why?  Because he just turned 6 August 16th.  There are many reasons, but last year he was one of the smallest, he struggled with maturity, attention span, and impulses.  I feel like he really, really grew up and changed so much since March to now.  So this year he's going in as the big dog.  If I say he's one of the biggest he gets mad - he IS NOT the biggest, he's just bigger than some of the kids.  His teacher sent a note and said she already cried this year over his progress & that he is her go to guy!  Yep I'd say repeating kindergarten is most likely the best move ever for our little dude.  When I ask him about his day - he remembers nothing - literally nothing other than it was good & he liked lunch and recess.  

Six Years Old

It's hard to believe how fast your babies grow up, but they do!

He started off chubby at a whopping 8 lbs 11 oz with dark black hair that laid so nice!

Within a year we knew his personality.  He was sweet, slept all night, never cried, and loved his big sister!

By 2 his true colors were coming out, he was a walking tornado always into something and taking things to a new level beyond what his bigger sister had thought up!  He was a walking concussion that always shook it off - I to this day don't know how!

At 3 he was just full of personality and most definitely my favorite little boy ever!

At 4 we saw him as an older brother that would do anything for his new baby sister - they are also the best of friends.  He is the most love able little boy I know - kisses and hugs have always been his thing!

At 5 he constantly made us laugh with his crazy antics - he loves the DS & his Wii and loves to make friends everywhere he goes.  It's true take him to the park and I guarantee you some 15 year old girl knows who he is and acts like they are BFFs - I'm not quite sure how he does it - but he does!  He also hugged everyone and kissed them goodbye - he even tried to get the mail man!  Ha!

Going into 6 is exciting!  I'm a little sad that he's so big, but yesterday he wasn't too big to still hold my hand!  It's an exciting year for him - we are doing Kindergarten again since his birthday is so late & he's really matured since this spring!  He's sweet, funny, kind - he'd do anything for anyone, he always shares, and he always smiles!  I'm very blessed to be his Mom and proud to call him mine!  He's definitely a light in our lives!

Happy Birthday Everett Mason - don't wear out your Wii today with all your new games!

When you turn 16...

Call me what you will, but the truth is I love to harass my kids!  I got it honest from my Dad!  So the other night we had a conversation about cars.  I informed Aubrie at 16 she would get an old Buick Lesabre and Everett would get a minivan because when I was 16 in 1998 I scored a 1976 Yellow Ford Gran Torino - it's only fair they receive similar gifts right?!!  Everett bawled - why?  Because he wants a big van!  Can you say pedi van much?!  

A Real Stay At Home Mom

Let's be real for a second here - and some Moms out there may gasp in shock when I say this, but as a stay at home Mom - I can't wait to see book bags on these two again and a big bus pulling up my drive daily!

(2012)

Don't get me wrong - we have had an awesome summer together!

(2012)

But I'm ready for routine & ready for these two to go get their learn on!

(2012)

Ollie will still be with me 24/7 except when she goes to her preschool for early intervention - then you can find me at a Panera or Starbucks blissfully enjoying a coffee and some Internet time in peace & quiet and occasionally shopping the aisles of TJ Maxx and Target looking at whatever I want for however long I want!!  Whooooo baby! 14 days - but who is counting?!? 

Baking Betty Crocker

So it has begun!

I have gluten free all purpose flour.  I'm not the biggest fan of it I won't lie, BUT it's a good substitution because everything in the world has gluten in it even some lunch meats - I don't even know how that happens!

So here is our first recipe Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes.

I skipped the icing it looked complicated and I call them muffins - the kids don't know the difference anyway!  So far they are a hit - yay for muffins!

A Gluten & Dairy Free Journey

Tomorrow is day one on a new life journey for our family.

Everett is a kid I can hardly put into words.  If you know him, you completely understand.

He is truly one of the most compassionate caring boys you will ever meet.  He loves everyone, hugs & kisses  all those in his path, shares everything he owns, and wears his heart on his sleeve.  He is the life of the party, adored by many, full of fire, always on the go, incredibly impulsive, and a wild child.  I absolutely adore him with all my heart.

He has been "busy" since he turned 2.  Since starting school this fall his impulsiveness & busy body personality has made reading difficult.  He's smart, loves math, and loves school.  But we have realized something has to change for him to thrive in school and be the best reader we know he can be, and we hate to see him struggle when we know how bright he is.  It's incredibly difficult.

I have done a lot of research, and honestly Everett fits the label of ADHD perfectly...it's like it was written about him.  However, it's just a label that doesn't highlight the boy he really is.  Just like Ollie Faith - I don't see her diagnosis I see her - same with Everett Mason.  You see the qualities inside of Everett can not be taught.  He is full of the character & personality that people only dream about having.  What God gifted him, others work their whole life to try and be better in that area.  He just naturally has that gift.

Medication really is not an option on our table.  I don't want to "lose" the spunk because that is what makes him so stinking great.  It's not something we are ready to dive into until we exhaust other options first.

I truly believe God sent me on my fitness journey to prepare for my son.  To fully understand the way that food nourishes our bodies, and how what we eat controls our health.  I have done amazing things in my own personal health, and I have started to apply that to my family, but I can do more, and have much more to learn.  Because of my own personal journey, I can embrace nutrition changes, before I changed myself I would have NEVER talked about dairy or gluten free - I would have thought it was ridiculous...but alas here I am now.

After much research & the help by some amazing friends & family in my fitness community, I believe Everett has a food intolerance or possibly several.  We are in the process of getting his hair & saliva tested to see exactly what foods may be triggers for him, but until those answers come back...we are going full throttle gluten & dairy free.

If you read about food intolerances & how they impact the body you will start to see what I mean.  It's truly amazing the power of food when you really learn about it.  I believe food can heal or hinder the body, and it's up to you to decide how to fuel it properly.

Within a week, two tops - we should see if this is our solution.  It's a little overwhelming, and in our rural area not a seamless transition.  Kroger forty-five minutes from home may become my best friend!  Fortunately they had an entire area dedicated to gluten free/dairy free items.  And luckily for me Everett really doesn't like dairy products to start so it's easier to pull.  I have great options for breakfasts, lunches, & snacks & honestly dinner has been gluten/dairy free without me even trying for quite some time.

I went today and filled my cart with the proper snacks or items I can bake with to get his nutrition spot on.  I have a bag of snacks for school that he gets for snack time & on special occasions so he doesn't feel left out so all our bases are covered.

Please pray for us that this is the answer we are seeking.  I know many people won't "get" my new age thinking, and that's OK.  Just please be supportive & positive on our new journey - it's not right for everyone, but it is right for us.  I honestly didn't see myself even posting a blog about this because I don't want Everett to be pointed out as "that" kid, but I believe there are other kids out there just like him, and their Moms don't know yet - and since I vowed to educate about Ollie - I will do the same with Everett.  We all need to learn right??

You would assume that after having a daughter with Down Syndrome & going through Open Heart Surgery this would be a piece of cake...compared to Ollie it is, but honestly anytime your child has a need that you can't fully figure out, it's hard.  So just pray for us that God guides us to the right answers for our family, & I know in time he will reveal that answer to us.

Thanks friends!!  And if you see Everett around town - give him a hug - he'll be sure to squeeze you right back!!

Oh and if you are a gluten/dairy free family - any helpful tips or advice is great appreciated as we learn more areid54@yahoo.com

Everett's Pad

I finally finished up Everett Mason's room.  His favorite color is turquoise - can you tell???

He is THRILLED with his new bunk beds.  He shows everyone that comes over - it's adorable!

Next to find - some fun throw pillows - his bed looks naked!

Conversations with Everett

Conversations with Everett are never dull, and always leave me amazed at how his little mind works.

Recently we drove past the house where my Grandpa Everett lived when he was alive.

I said, "Hey Everett that is where your Great Grandpa Everett lived."

His response was, "Is he dead?"

"Yes he's dead."
Gasp!  "You mean Jesus lived there?"

"No Everett Jesus doesn't live there Grandpa Everett did."

"You mean Grandpa Everett IS JESUS????"

Oh boy - I've got some bible teaching to do!  ha!

Reid Dynasty

Our Christmas was hilarious.  My kids have fallen in love with every ridiculous show on TV - Duck Dynasty, Gator Boys, Swamp People, Rattlesnake Republic.

 

Their Christmas list was as follows...camo clothes, camo boots, camo gloves, red ryder BB gun, live animal trap...and the list goes on.

 

Their wish was fulfilled - check them out - pretty sweet hunters right!

 

Full on sniper pose.

 

Jason Bourne as a boy.

 

And no worries - the BB gun has a padlock and the keys & BBs are kept hidden away so they are only allowed to shoot with adult supervision & safety glasses.

 

And my sweeties - they were on the nice list too (although Jade was on the fence - Santa said he was naughty for peeing in the shower)

 

Ollie Updates

Ollie is pretty well famous - in fact google "Down Syndrome Tattoo" & go to the images - you find her all over those pages - hilarious - yes!

 

Girlfriend is 21 months old now and a light in our lives.  Her smile brightens any room and she smiles a lot!

 

 

Her vocabulary has taken off.  I have a word list because she says so many!  Communication was always my biggest fear with her, but so far she's coming along!  Her favorite words are:  Daddy, Everett, Aubrie, bye bye, oht oh, doggy, kitty cat, up/down, baba for her bottle, and most recently no.  Please take note she does not say Mama.  She's rotten.

 

Girlfriend is still working on her gross motor skills.  She climbs like crazy, she cruises furniture & walls, and LOVES her walkers.  She isn't walking independently but we think by Christmas she will have it.  That is VERY exciting!!

 

She was recently blessed with a gift from a kind neighbor - she received an IPAD and she's in love with it.  We're focusing on fine motor skills like using her pointer finger, she loves the pages that have animals & make animal sounds like traditional flash cards.  She also loves the books because the autoread books make lots of sounds & have action to them.  This is by no means a way to replace other therapies, but it's a huge tool for her & we are incredibly thankful for it!

 

 

And one last update - this is the kids for Halloween - I'm a bit late with sharing, but alas I'm terrible at updating the blog!  Everett was a skunk, Aubrie a raccoon, and Ollie an owl.  Ollie fell asleep on the way to town so not one person saw the cuteness she was exuding!

 

 

 

 

Thank You!

Here is a short song from Everett to thank all our Veterans for their service!

 

 

 

 

*ignore his messy shirt - he had just had dinner and spilled some of his drink!  And his hair - oh his hair - I'm not allowed to touch it - so we cut it shorter this weekend!*

Pooper...

I'm going to share an Everett story today because honestly he has some hum dingers!

 

I wish I had videoed this conversation because he is by far the most animated person I know.  He talks with his eyebrows, shoulders, and hands most of the time & a high pitched voice - it's awesome!

 

So the other night he was in the bath tub with Aubrie going on and on and on about some kid Pooper that knocked down his friend Riley at recess in Kindergarten.

 

(meet my new nephew Clifford Stuart - born 9-9-12 a whopping 10lbs. 14oz. - whoa baby!)

 

I walked in with the speech we don't call people names.  It is absolutely not OK to be calling someone Pooper.  How would you feel if they were calling you a name like that, etc. etc.

 

Dead serious, he's like Mom but his name IS Pooper!!

 

No Everett that can't be his name.

 

Yes Mom even the teachers call him Pooper.

 

Everett then his name has to be Cooper.  Cooper with a C like CAT.

 

He starts the deep belly hysterical laugh and says - you mean  he's named after a cat.  That is so funny Mommy.

 

Yep - Pooper is a totally normal name but Cooper spelled with a c like the word cat - that is hysterical!  He slays me!

 

 

 

And for the Ollie Faith fan club...here she is 19 months old - with a full out crazy bed head.

 

 

Super Saturday

The Chronicles of Aubrie & Everett

The bigs went on an adventure this week with my camera...welcome to life through their eyes.  They took the pictures, I will chronicle it for them...

Shadows are still mysterious - thanks to Peter Pan.

Max the rabbit can't be trusted - he has red eyes - never trust people with red eyes.

When you venture out to the limits of where you are allowed to go in the yard without leaving the yard, the sky is truly bluer on the other side.

and the house looks better this far away...

The yard seems enormous when you are under 4' tall.

Your brother is your very best friend, even if he's on your purple bike.

Always, always, always, document the wasps' nests because you never know when they will do a surprise attack on you.

Overfeed your cats & put them in the choke hold if they do not obey.

Every legendary day includes a glamour shot of yourself!

*Sidenote - ha look at how strong her glasses are here!!*

Stay out of the woods it's a rule - so just photograph them instead.

You gotta admit girlfriend has good perspective here.

Our favorite flowers!  Too bad they didn't pick them for their Mom.

I spared you the hundreds of blurry random photos.  To be honest I'm quite shocked no one mooned the camera in this set - must be a new record for them!