Another month down! The days are just flying by now - tomorrow is April!! Easter is tomorrow morning and we put down two very excited kids to bed, currently dreaming of Easter egg hunts, the bunny and candy. Of course Cameron was more interested in setting a new trap for the Easter Bunny than anything else. This morning, we dyed 2 dozen eggs and melted some colored wax on a few - SO MUCH FUN! Easter is Natalie's favorite holiday and she is beside herself with excitement. I'll post some photos tomorrow.
March was a lot of fun. The kids loved St Patrick's Day this year and made Leprechaun traps for a school project. Cameron's teacher had an open house in celebration of St Patty's Day and invited all the parents and siblings to come into the class and view all the traps. They were so proud and excited to have us in there - and all the traps were AMAZING!! Such creativity! Natalie loved the idea too and we made one at home for her as well. Unfortunately, no Leprechauns were caught this year. He did leave a coin and a message for the kids - they were excited but very disappointed. My question for others - when did St Patrick's Day become a children's holiday??? When I was little, we were supposed to wear green to avoid being pinched. Adults spent the day drinking and partying. Am I right? Now, kids are making traps and expecting treats, toys and surprises! Uff, what's next?!
It is officially the tail end of winter and Ryan made the best of it with the kids one weekend this month. He and his friend Todd took the kids (Cameron, Natalie and Ella) up to the mountains to go sledding! It was a great treat for the kids and dads - moms got a chance to have some down time! Cameron went to preschool with Ella and hasn't had a chance to spend much time with her since he went to Kindergarten. The kids all get along great (and so do us parents!) Maybe next time Malin and I will join : )
Cameron finished indoor soccer last weekend and loved every minute of the season! Starfire did an excellent job with that program and Cameron learned a lot during the duration of the workshop. He definitely wants to play indoor soccer again next winter (Maybe even summer!) We have noticed a big change with technique and his skil/dribbling has improved a lot. I'm very proud of how hard he pushes himself and I can see a confidence within him that beams out. He absolutely loves soccer and I can see him playing for years to come.
Speaking of confidence - Cameron is doing amazing. Since being diagnosed with Celiac Disease, his health has improved dramatically. He has gained weight, gained inches, grown out of clothes, has more color in his skin, more confidence with his personality and seems overall more happy with life. He is speaking up for himself more and seems less irritated. Ryan and I sat him down after diagnosis and had a very mature conversation about how he needs to take care of himself. No more gluten and he needs to be cautious with dairy foods. Since that talk, he is 100% of board with taking care of himself. Cameron happily takes all his vitamins, supplements and probiotics without a fight. He never complains about having a "special tummy" and gladly accepts his gluten free options. I make it a priority to have readily available Celiac approved snacks around the house, in the car and at school for him. We are never in a pinch. NEVER. I'm so proud and happy my baby is on the mend, and SO RELIEVED that this lifestyle change is working for him. There is no cure for Celiac Disease but living a gluten free lifestyle keeps symptoms under control.
Because of these major changes with Cameron, we had made the decision to put Natalie on a gluten free diet as well. Nat has been diagnosed with Eczema in the past, but my mommy gut thinks it's a gluten intolerance. She has been gluten free for about 3 weeks now and is also thriving! I can't believe she is so understanding about not having gluten snacks. Her "eczema" has almost cleared and seems less itchy and irritated! 3 out of 4 of us are gluten free in our house now. I would never force Ryan to go gluten free if he didn't want to, but I have to say, the kids are doing great seeing daddy's snacks and not complaining!
Both kids are thriving at school! Cameron is reading like a champion and LOVES his homework, class projects and challenges he faces. He is in the top 3 kids in his class for reading - I'M SO PROUD!! Looking around town, he quickly blurts - "I know what that sign says!!" It's so cool to see him make connections and understand the world around him better. He started asking big questions and sometimes we flat out have to say, "That is something we will discuss when you are older." He is an extremely empathetic child and needs to see that everyone is happy. Natalie is loving being at school and continues to show interest in Cameron's old sight words flashcards! She says she wants to read like brother. Nattie is very talented at art and crafts. She is starting to show more interest in creative drawing and loves drawing treasure maps for us. It is unbelievable to hear her explain what she has made for us. Very detailed and unique. She is definitely a special little girl who loves big. Very thoughtful and would give you the shirt off of her back.
Tonight, Natalie and Ryan went to the Daddy/Daughter Dance at Tahoma High School. It was under the sea themed and turned out awesome! They both had a great time tonight! She looked so adorable in her purple sparkly dress and daddy bought her a flower bracelet. Those two have such a wonderful love and bond with each other. Ryan is a fantastic dad to both our kids, but shows a special love for his little girl. Natalie is one lucky girl to have a dad like Ryan. Definitely her first love
The saying, "The days are long but the years are short" has been hitting me daily. I can't believe how fast the last 6 years has flown by. Being aware of how fast things are flying by, I find myself reflecting daily about how I can be a better mom and wife. I'm trying my best to let my kids be little. I'm taking a deeper breath and focusing on the positive. I'm desperately trying to live more in the moment, accept my kids for who they are (which are AMAZING KIDS!) and let them make choices. For someone who is a control freak, this is hard but in the end, it's the best.
On that note, April will be filled with being the best mom and wife I can be. Unfortunately, I will be having another hip surgery the end of April. I have femoroacetabular impingement that requires surgical intervention for me to move on with my life without daily pain. Without getting into the details of surgery, I will have FAI surgery (reshaping my hip socket and femoral head) and my labral tear repaired AGAIN. I will be down for several weeks but not to worry, I will be prepared! I will be making my famous freezer meals - enough for 2 months. I will spend the next month cleaning, organizing and preparing for my family. I will also spend the next month playing with my kids, hanging out with my friends, volunteering in Cameron's class twice a week, WORKING OUT and going on dates with Ryan. This will be a set back, but we will get through this.
I hope everyone has a great April! Come on sunshine, LET'S DO THIS!
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