CC's glasses

I finally got CC to sit for a few pictures of her glasses. So far so good! She enjoys wearing them, and they seem to be helping. Let's hope it stays that way!

Ophthalmologist Update.

CC indeed needed glasses, so much so that the lady making Camden’s glasses thought I had given her my prescription. CC is near-sided and has an astigmatism in both eyes. Her right eye is significantly worse (-2.5) than her left (-1.5). She was prescribed glasses and hopefully that will help her see. She was also diagnoses with Strabismus (misaligned eyes.) Her right eye is slightly straying toward her ear. The doctor is hoping that this is caused by the imbalance of the eyes. The right eye is so much weaker than the left, that the brain is recognizing images with the stronger eye, causing the right eye to stray. The strabismus is so slight that the doctor almost missed it when he tested her farsighted vision, but saw it more with her near-sighted vision. He is hoping that the glasses help correct the problem. Evening out both of the eye’s prescription will cause the eyes to see equally and hopefully, correct the problem. The strabismus that she has (Intermittent Exotropia) is different than the commonly known “lazy eye.” The fact that her eye is straying to the outside toward her ear, is the difference from the common “lazy eye,” which causes one eye to almost look crossed. And Intermittent Exotropia means that its not constant, that it can come and go. For now we are hoping the glasses help correct her misaligned eyes, but are told to come back in one month for another evaluation. Please pray that it is indeed the problem with her astigmatism and uneven vision, because if the straying doesn’t get better or gets worse, then we are left with two options therapy or surgery. We were not surprised that she would need glasses, Mark and I both have awful vision (actually almost everyone in both sides of our families), but we were hoping it wouldn’t be so soon. She does look mighty cute in her glasses!

SA Botanical Gardens

We wanted to do something really fun before Mark started his first day of work on Monday. So we took the kids to the San Antonio Botanical Gardens. They were having a special bug exhibit for the holiday and we thought it would be fun. Funny that CC is terrified of bugs, hm mm wonder where she gets that from? But, she still really wanted to go. It was a little hot, but the kids still had fun.

Carter's favorite
the stairs the ducks C's favorite

the secret path
the really high stairs (um yes she is doing dance moves!)
the little cottages
releasing real ladybugs
making a kite Mommy's favorite
the dragonflies seeing my little bug next to a BIG BUGDaddy's favorite
the misters in the tropical rain forest

It was so much fun. We can't wait to see our next SA attraction!

Our house so far

OK so we have really lost steam on getting the house ready. So there is no way I'm posting pictures anytime soon.... But, here's a picture of the outside!

Crissy's Dance Studio

We finally found a dance studio that we like! CC started dance last Tuesday and is in a 4/5 combo class. It has already been two months since her last dance class, and she was thrilled when she got her dance shoes back out. Here's a few pictures, they are through the window so they aren't that great.

Our first family friends

The last two night we have hung out with our first family friends from San Antonio. We met the Johnson's at the YMCA and they have to boys Brady(3) and Connor (1). Funny thing is they are also from Kansas. Their family is from the same small party of KC we were. It is so nice to have a family with kids the same age as ours. We spent Saturday night at Fatso's (also a chain in Lawrence) watching the KU football game, and grilled out at their house last night. The kids had a great time!

Another big talker

Carter is giving CC a run for her money. We always thought CC's speech was accelerated from an early age, but I think Carter's might be as well. This last month Carter's vocabulary has really started to expand. He has always been a babbler, but recently he has started to make sense. This morning when I was talking to Mark on the phone I told him "I love you too," and Carter repeated "love you too Dada." It was so clear I had to call Mark right back.

Some of Carter's favorite words:
Dada
CC
mama
this? (meaning what's this)
please
stop
gate (he's so sad we have them)
snack
trash
shoes (that's no big surprise he already has a shoe fetish)
night night
juice
more
dog

Preschool Update

So we are one week into preschool, and I am pleasantly surprised. I gave myself one week, if I didn't start to like the school I was going to start looking for another option.

There are still many things that I don't like:
-the fact that they told the children during a fire drill to pay attention, and run out of the classroom or you will get burned
-insisting children walk themselves to class, no parents are allowed to walk their children to their classroom
-C's teacher's demeanour, I want the bubbly fun excited teacher and she is SO not that!
-the silly rules that are in place that make no sense at all
lunches consist of a sandwich and only one other item
snacks have to be in their own sack, and placed on a shelf
no cupcakes for birthdays
no talking in the halls
must sit at seat entire time in classroom

But, besides all the rules, CC has already started to learn so much.

Things CC has learned in one week:
the entire pledge of allegiance (has been exposed to it the last year)
some of the Christian and Bible prayer, and the Texas allegiance
all of her vowels and what sound they make, plus two examples
how to count to 59, could count to 30 before
Jesus Loves Me
PUFF the Magic Dragon
She passed her first bible activity reciting "In the begining God made the Heaven and Earth."
has come very close to writing her name and it being legibile
AND all the insane daily rules she needs to follow.

So one week down, and she's still there. Let's pray the second week goes just as well.

CC says:

I think it's so funny that Camden has become obsessed with protein shakes and bars. She calls them "daddy's muscle shakes." We were at the YMCA splash park while Mark was finishing a workout at the gym. When Mark got there he was eating a protein bar, and like always Camden asked if she could have a bite. Usually Mark says no, that they are daddy's so he can get big strong muscles. But this time he let her have a bite. She took the tinniest bite, but had the biggest grin! She turns to me and asks, "Mommy does this mean my muscles are going to get big?"

Happy Birthday Princess

Our little princess on her birth--day

Right before Camden's first birthday

Camden's second birthday

CC's third birthdayHer fourth birthday, on her way to school.