Halloween '12

Here's a quick snapshot of the boys in their Halloween costumes.  If you haven't noticed by now, the Dumbo costume has gotten its fair share of use starting with Jayce.  It has been worn almost every single year now for 9 years with an average of 2 years' use per child.  The other costumes, typically the superhero ones, have also gotten much wear and care.  Luckily for us, they don't seem to mind wearing the same costumes over and over each year.  I guess they love donning that cape or hero mask just one more time!

Our fourth Dumbo

Jayce as Ben 10, Reagan as Robin, Landon as The Hulk and Damien as Dumbo

Judo!

Every year, we sign the boys up for the town's local indoor soccer program, and they love it!  However we've had a difficult time finding out whether the program still exists or signing them up in time for it the last couple years so the boys have been missing it.  This summer the boys were invited to take some classes in Judo, and since the price was right, we jumped at the chance to allow them some extracurricular fun.  Visiting the dojo was a great experience as it's owned by a karate school, and we not only got to watch a judo demonstration but also got to see the karate classes in full swing while there.  Jayce had taken karate years ago and loved it, however the time, energy and money it took was too taxing for a growing family at the time.  So though I would love to have the boys also take karate, judo fit the bill quite nicely for their introduction back into sports.

Wikipedia explains judo as:


Judo (柔道 jūdō^?, meaning "gentle way") is a modern martial art, combat and Olympic sport created in Japan in 1882 by Jigoro Kano. Its most prominent feature is its competitive element, where the object is to either throw or takedown one's opponent to the ground, immobilize or otherwise subdue one's opponent with a grappling maneuver, or force an opponent to submit by joint locking or by executing a strangle hold or choke. Strikes and thrusts by hands and feet as well as weapons defences are a part of judo, but only in pre-arranged forms (kata) and are not allowed in judo competition or free practice (randori).


Gee, sounds violent!  Since I didn't even really know what judo was, Michael simplified it as a martial art form of wrestling.  Which is exactly what it looks like to me as a spectator.  This must thrill Michael since wrestling is very big in the Midwest, and he himself has experience as a wrestler.  Anyway, the boys have been enjoying the exercise, discipline and learning the moves.  Here they are in their gis...

 And here they are practicing their moves...

The only downside is Landon who isn't quite yet at the allowable age (6) and complains every time the boys leave for judo, and he gets left behind.  We've tried to remedy this by letting him dress up in Jayce's old karate uniform and letting the boys "teach" him some karate moves. :)

Two Wheelers

One of the things I've always disliked about the places we've lived is they are not good places for kids to learn to ride a bike.  Maybe my perception is a bit flawed since I grew up on a dead-end street which is a *perfect* place to ride a bike.  But trying to teach a child to ride on a road where one is constantly keeping an eye out for traffic can be a little nerve-wracking.  Not to mention all the cars parked on the side that present wonderful learning opportunities for one's child to learn about stopping...fast.  So up until now we've* had to take the boys to the nearby park to teach them how to ride.  Which is a bit more inconvenient than just stepping outside one's door and using one's driveway or, like I said, non-busy road.  This is why we have a 9-year-old who is just now learning how to ride without training wheels.  Granted, he's spent the last year or two practicing without training wheels, however I can count on my two hands how many times he's been able to do that.  The nice part about having an older child now though is seeing the common sense that starts to grow in their little brains which makes it easier to let them ride on one's own street.  Having the ability to keep a lookout for cars is enormously helpful.  So now as I sit here at the computer typing, I'm also keeping an eye on the boys who are enjoying riding up and down our street.

Here is Mike videotaping the boys riding on their bikes for the first time this season.  Notice Reagan's brand new neon green bike.  This video is also an example of why we wear our helmets at all times.




And even Damien got into the action with his own wheels. :)


Why did the baby cross the street?  To check out the Cherokee!


Update: Jayce is now a speed demon on his bike and Reagan has never gone as fast since his fall. Landon, who inherited Reagan's small bike, prefers to "practice to run" on the sidewalk instead.



* What am I saying?  Of course we are not teaching our boys to ride bikes.  I give Michael full credit for taking on these kinds of challenges all by himself while I nervously watch.  Or rather ideally not watch at all and hide inside the house pretending there is no possible way for my children to get seriously injured during an expected and natural childhood activity. (See video above for example.)

Baby #5

After months of searching for a midwife/doctor who would not only take me as a patient but also subscribe to my birth philosophy, I'm happy to say we've found one!  Because of my previous history with HELLP syndrome and then the resultant C-section, it was impossible to find a midwife willing to help me with a home birth which was my ideal preference.  The midwife I was in communication with paired me up with a local doctor (actually in the same practice as the doctor who delivered Landon by c-section) who suggested they co-manage my case.  This would mean I would receive midwifery care throughout the pregnancy and then when it was time to deliver the baby, I would enter the local hospital where I would try for a VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean).  The two obstacles I faced were the necessary permission from the doctor's partners (did they feel comfortable with her taking me on?) and the local hospitals typically not allowing for VBACs (so any VBAC would be AMA - against medical advice).  Unfortunately, the obstacles were enough to prevent this idea from working out.  I found myself at a dead end with no midwife, no doctor, no prenatal care and feeling the pressure of time working against me as I was already 23 weeks along. 

After speaking to a local midwife about my case and getting her valuable advice, she recommended a doctor associated with Concord Hospital.  At first, I wasn't so keen on traveling all the way to Concord (not when home seemed the best distance for me), but being desperate at this point, I called the office.  Getting in touch with someone at Concord Women's Care, I quickly made an appointment, if for nothing else than to get my initial prenatal blood test done and an ultrasound set up before this baby got too big!  Michael and I went to meet the doctor there and instantly knew we were in the right place.  The doctors there encourage VBACs as much as medically possible, and my previous diagnosis of HELLP didn't scare them off.  Because the VBAC was very important for me to try, I knew this was the place I would deliver.  Concord Hospital is a top-notch hospital and one of only a few hospitals in the United States given the certification of  being a "Baby Friendly" hospital (something to do with its great breastfeeding program).  I hear rave reviews about The Family Place (the name they've given their maternity ward), and I look forward to touring it soon.

After finally having my initial blood tests (which were great), an ultrasound was set up.  With bated breath we waited for the day we would find out whether this baby was a girl or boy.  Though we did not find out with the last two boys and each one was a wonderful surprise when they popped out, we figured this one might just be a girl and that just might be something worth knowing about ahead of time.  Yesterday was the big day, and we not only found out it was a seemingly healthy baby (and only one at that, thank goodness!) with ten fingers and toes, but...drum roll please....IT'S A BOY!  Again! LOL  We had to ask the technician if she was sure, and she showed us the proof-positive evidence - there was no mistaking the little appendage that proved beyond a doubt this was no girl.  As Michael apologized for not providing the necessary X chromosome yet again, I had to lay there and laugh.  So there may not be any pink in our near future, but you must agree once you get past the alien-like appearance of every sonogram photo, he's a beautiful boy, isn't he?

More Pics from Co-op

A few more pictures to share from the boys' experience with "school." The first picture is of the boys on the first day of co-op. The rest are at a farm museum where they had tons of fun learning about farm animals, how to milk a cow, how to get water from a hand pump and even how to churn butter. The last picture shows the children in front of the shelter they personally built as the theme that week was about shelters.