Avery's 5 Year Check-Up

Today was Avery's 5 year check-up. He got the H1N1 mist, but that wasn't much of a relief since he had 4 shots besides, and one of them included tetanus which knocked his leg out all day. Carson and Emmett both got the H1N1 while we were there too.

Stats
46.25 in, over 100%
48 pounds, 75%

Now, I have to put in a serious gripe. I can't stand that office. I will be finding a new pediatrician.

First, I find the receptionist rude.

Second, I find the nurse to be stiff and unfriendly. Zero trust building going on with my kids.

Third, the doctor doesn't seem to care. I like a laid back attitude, but he takes it into indifference. Both at Emmett's 1 year in September and now at Avery's 5 year check-ups he did nothing to ascertain their level of development. Obviously he could see Emmett was physically active ahead of schedule, but there were no other questions. Obviously Avery's beyond things like "jump for me" or similar physical demonstrations, but there were NO questions. I expected something, like a demonstration of drawing, or questions to see how he's developing cognitively. Nothing. He asked me how I thought he was doing. "Fine as far as I know, but I'm not trained in child development, so what do I know?" I was trying to get him to do a little more, but no.

Fourth, their shots policy has really pissed me off. Our previous office stopped doing shots in the leg after the kids started walking. The child would sit on the parent's lap, facing the parent, so a good hold could be had on them. If there was more than one shot, two nurses would come in so both arms could be done simultaneously to get it over with quicker. I really liked this whole method. Of course Avery doesn't like shots, but he was able to deal with that method.
No more.
The policy in the office we're at now says they hold a kid down on the table for shots and they're administered in the leg until they're 5. Once age 5 is reached, they have to show they're in control of themselves before shots can be delivered in the arm.
This means when Avery got his flu shot earlier in the fall, I think them holding him down was tantamount to telling him

"This is REALLY going to hurt and you should be afraid!"

It completely freaked him out that they were holding him down. After that initial experience he even told me "the doctor in Milwaukee was gentler. I like them better."
So this time he was in hysterics before we even started. And remember reason #2? Yeah, the nurse isn't nice, so it's not like she'll listen to me about the whole situation. It's her way or the highway. And I did try.
This time Avery confirmed my suspicions about the change in the method being the problem by telling me afterward "I like the doctor in Milwaukee better. I like shots in my arm better."
Seriously?! They've reduced my child to identifying a preferred shot method!

Anyway, for us there's not a single redeeming factor at this office.
Gripe over. I will find a new office.

Thanksgiving

Wednesday before Thanksgiving we drove up to my parents house in Spokane, WA.

This is what Emmett thought of the drive:


I think you could call this a drive-by waterfalling...?


That first evening Avery and Chloe received the coolest gifts. Great Grandma Cabe made aprons for each of them since they both like helping so much in the kitchen. I'm seriously moved by these gifts. Thank you so much Grandma Cabe!


I love catching the boys having some Grandma Time




Since we were there for Thanksgiving, I should probably include pictures of the actual event, right? But in the interest of keeping this post from turning into a novel, here's just one: Carson and his cousin Jace enjoying the good food.


Avery getting some Grandma Time


I love that this kid just takes care of himself when he needs to!


Who's in there... Emmett!
He watched cousin Jace get in and out several times and had to try it out himself.


This was another funny game Emmett enjoyed... um, paper face?


Domino's with Grandma. Grandpa had to come see what was going on too.


Avery's turn


While there, we were sure to stop in at White Elephant, which is always a fun place to look anyway, but we went to pick up some 1F black powder for my father-in-law's cannon. We haven't found a place in Oregon that sells it.


My Mom bought the girls in the family these jackets with a picture in mind. Too bad mine had sleeves 4 inches too short and we had to buy a larger size just to get something close enough for a picture, then it was taken back. Dumb purple color. My Mom has long arms too and her red one was fine.


Conveniently, Chloe had a jacket that was along the same lines so we could really get a picture with all the girls!


We tried for a train, but it was doomed to be a failure from the start just because poor Jace had to stay home sick. Chloe, Avery, Carson, Emmett and my cousin Andrea's son Ryder. See Laurie Marie Photography for pictures of him I took that day.


The last night there we wanted to take the boys on the free horse drawn carriage rides downtown, but Emmett wasn't feeling well, Carson doesn't like riding on things, and after all it is a cold wait in line to go, so Travis happily stayed home while just Mom and I took Avery.


A picture with the horses after the ride


Part of the ride went by the front of the mall downtown and we don't know how Avery knew, but he was convinced Santa was in there and wanted to see him. So after the ride we surprised him by walking over there. The mall puts up a huge tree in the front every year.


A very huge tree.


There were big gifts around the big tree too.


And Avery got to talk to Santa! They were very obliging with letting me take pictures, even posing for me, despite my not buying their prints.


After Santa we headed back to the car. As a warmer shortcut, we cut through Macy's. That's when we spotted the mailbox and had an "Oh, YEAH!" moment. Every time Avery saw the commercials from Macy's about writing a letter to Santa, he was big on doing that. Well, we got that checked off the to do list that night too!
Apparently what he told me to write was the same thing he asked Santa for just moments before. Transformers, books, more Transformers and more books. What kind of books? Science books. Avery got a little pin for writing a letter too.


What a busy Thanksgiving trip! I'm so thankful for such great family and fun! Happy Thanksgiving!

Avery is Five!

I can't believe Avery is 5 today! He's so much fun, and so loving. I love that he still always wants to cuddle up with me. I just love him!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AVERY!

Avery's Thankful For...

This preschool project was too unique to my want-to-be-a-dentist child to not share before putting it away! I definitely had a good laugh when he first brought it home.

Emmett Folds His Arms

Last Tuesday, the day before we headed to Spokane for Thanksgiving, my little Emmett folded his arms for family prayer. It was adorable! He's kept it up ever since, getting better and better.
I'm thankful for my little Emmett and the smiles he brings me!

Wii Box

I decided I had enough stamina for a triple header, and invited Kevin & Katrina (and Julie!) over to hang out Saturday night (after already having a really late night with New Moon and then another late night with SYTYCD). Kevin & Katrina brought their remotes so we could all four play the Wii and we ate freshly made chocolate chip cookies. (I even had a mii ready for everyone. Shortly after we got the Wii, I was bored once and made characters for all the siblings, spouses and parents.) After some Mario Cart, Travis and Kevin decided to box. After a few rounds, Travis enjoyed some wife beating. What happened? I use to be able to knock him out no problem! I played only two rounds, and could really feel it. We "cooled down" with some nice bowling.


Now today, two days later, I'm practically disabled. Only two measly rounds Saturday night and my arms are screaming trying to get Emmett in and out of the crib today! So pathetic! I thought working them out again might help get me through the pain, so this morning I asked Avery if he wanted to box.
"Why would I want a box?"
"No, no, do you want to play boxing on the Wii?"
"OH! Yeah!!!"
With many threats of "I'm gonna knock you down, Mom!" and "I'm gonna beat you, Mom!" I got us all set up. We'd barely thrown a single punch when the phone rang. I tried chatting on the phone and boxing at the same time, but the result was Avery definitely knocking me out. Well, he was happy. Then I set up Carson and Avery to have a go. Now that was funny to watch.

Ode to SYTYCD

It was a double header for Angela and I this weekend with New Moon Thursday
night and last night we went to go to the tour of So You Think You Can Dance!

So stoked! Let's get this party started!


I was impressed with the quality of images I got out of this show, and like I said, this is an Ode to SYTYCD, (I certainly took enough pictures!) so I'm representing pretty much every couples' dance in these two collages:




I think my favorite dance of the season might have been Wade Robson's Thieves routine
(first picture in the second collage) if it weren't for Mia Michaels' Addiction dance. SO moving.
The dance lends itself well to great pictures, and I thought about doing a
collage just ofthis dance, but instead I've settled on one big powerful shot.


They did lots of group dances too, but this is absolutely my favorite shot of all the group dances.


A funny moment was when Kupono came out dressed in some great 80's workout attire. He worked
his way around, with many positions, to the point of promoting a new SYTYCD workout video.


Another funny bit was when Janine and Phillip kept trying to get on stage dressed for their Russian
folk dance. They were repeatedly sent away with comments like "no one wants to see that again!"


Finally, they "sneaked" on stage and began performing before anyone could catch them. Next thing you know, everyone came out dressed for Russian folk dance. After a little of the original uninspiring version, boys' shirts were off and girls' skirts were shortened and we were given a much livelier and way better Russian dance. Unfortunately, I think Phillip must have been injured because after the tame start of the dance, he disappeared off stage for the better part and we never saw him dance anything else or do a solo. :(


All of them (except Phillip) gave their best solo performances too. Who can forget Brandon's
phenomenal O'Fortuna solo that got him a standing ovation from the judges!?


Three cheers for all the fabulous dancers! What an amazing show!

New Moon Premiere

Last night I went to the midnight premiere of New Moon with my sister-in-law, Angela. For $5 a ticket you could watch Twilight at 9pm which saved your seat for New Moon. We definitely took advantage of not having to wait outside in line freezing an extra 3 and a half hours when we could have a seat in a warm theater!

I quite liked New Moon. Part of this could be due to my avoiding the book for a long time prior so I couldn't be so nit picky. More importantly, and thankfully, the acting was significantly improved. The effects improved as well and I think they did a good job of covering the important things. I can live with the artistic licenses taken in this film.

As a general rule, books are always better than movies, but, in part, there's a reversal of that here. I find the center of New Moon painful to read. It just drags. I know life is painful and a drag for Bella, but still. It doesn't help that I'm definitely not team of Jacob. The movie's middle was much better. Obviously that's because they can and must compress all that time in all those pages for the big screen. Thank goodness because it made it way better.

By the time I was driving home, I already wanted to see it again.

While I am team Edward, I find Robert Pattinson just okay. However, I had Travis' cell with me and I thought it would be funny to leave him with a close up of Edward's head from the movie poster as his background. I didn't hear anything about it this morning until he was talking to someone on the phone and said he just about gagged when he first picked it up. Apparently he didn't know how to change it back either, so it took him a bit to fix it. he he. Good times.

A Rude Interuption

I shower when Emmett's napping and I put something on the TV for Avery and Carson.
I expect peace and quiet.
I expect to be left alone.
I do not expect to have Avery come in and inform me that Carson is getting into the gum drops.
"Well, go tell him Mom says to stay out of them"
I do not expect Avery to come back and tell me Carson has broken the jar.
Crap.
If that's true there's now candy mixed with broken glass on the floor while I'm all soapy and wet.
And it's my fault for leaving them out. Usually they're up in a cupboard but I had the jar out to measure fabric pieces to cover that size lid.

Counterclockwise = Turning Down

Last night Travis made chocolate chip cookies. When I came out from the computer to see what he was doing, he said, "You're right, that oven sucks. I kept having to turn the temp and time down until I was at 300 for only like 8 minutes!" I go to try a cookie and notice the oven is set to 400. I mention this, Travis comes to check and: "Oh, ...CRAP!"
Good try honey, good try. Apparently he started at the correct temperature but wasn't thinking straight when he wanted to turn it down and he turned the dial backwards. Down equals down in temperature, right? No, counterclockwise equals down in temp (and volume and anything else on a dial). Poor Travis.
On the up side, these particular cookies are always better after completely cooling and by today they were really very good.

Crazy Clown Day

Avery asked today, in all seriousness, "When's crazy clown day?"

Julie Marie

Sadly, Halloween night we didn't get to trick-or-treat at uncle Kevin and aunt Katrina's house - but that's because Julie Marie arrived right in the middle of trick-or treating! For their first baby Katrina didn't want to know the sex ahead of time, but okayed it for Kevin to be told in secret. The whole pregnancy they told everyone that the baby was always hiding and so even Kevin didn't know. What a liar he was! Surprise to Katrina, the tech did tell him and they just played dumb. Funny stuff.
Ever since Avery heard about Julie's birth, he's been asking to meet his new baby cousin and tonight we took him. (Carson and Emmett stayed with Grandma)


One of Avery's favorites is to get his finger held by a baby. He was so excited and so gentle and just so sweet with her.


One last shot with proud papa.

Halloween Festivities

Dressing up for Halloween started this year at a fun Halloween Party Playgroup.

Chewbacca was adorable


Chewbacca was supposed to, most fittingly, be a monkey, but I waited too long to buy
him a costume and then couldn't find one. We did spot this one and only Chewbacca
costume and Travis thought it would be unique and funny. Not being Star Wars people,
I wasn't so sure, but after dressing Emmett up, I had to admit he was pretty adorable.


Bumblebee was pretty standoffish, I think because he was definitely
older than the other kids, otherwise I don't know what his deal was.


And we found out that skeletons really like frosting.


The night before Halloween, Travis and I went to a great party. I was a witch but somehow forgot to get in front of the camera which for a change I'm actually sad about - I thought I was a pretty good looking witch! And Travis was lacking in creativity and spirit, so I made an easy suggestion for him. I think all our friends from dental school - or any dentist for that matter - would agree that this costume is plenty scary:


Halloween night I took Bumblebee and the skeleton out trick-or-treating with cousin
kitty while Travis stayed home to answer the door with Chewbacca. When we got back
and tried to take pictures we discovered the skeleton doesn't like to share his loot.


So we got Chewie his own bucket


Chewie also thoroughly enjoyed Bumblebee's mask.


Happy Halloween!