Maurer House Random.......

The surgery was a success!!
We are sleeping through the night, napping, and feeling very well rested! Which also means everyday by 6am we are bright eyed and bushy tailed, but it could be worse----right? The surgery itself went fine but it was an exhausting and painful ten days after. He was extremely miserable and it was very hard, but he is like a whole new kid now. I recommend not doing it until absolutely necessary which our case was. I think it would have been a little easier if he could understand a little more what was going on. When they put him under I was in the room and it was harder than I had anticipated. He looked so scared and then he just went limp eyes open still and all. The anesthesiologist was like okay mom we're good now and while it was quick it was still kinda scary. The actual surgery only took about an hour and the hospital staff loved him. He wanted to take walks and eat lots of Popsicles. The sight of him wheeling around his IV was too much. He also had a problem swallowing his drool for about three weeks afterward I think from fear of it hurting so he was drooling like a mad man
Alex is feeling very well and speaking much more clearly now in full sentences. The potty training thus far has been successful. The Nanny 911 approach seemed to work pretty well.
He is growing so fast now I can tell in no time he will be a school boy and I will be sad.

Sebastian is doing very well in first grade also. He is at the top of his class and a little bored but doing good. He recently lost his very first tooth!
It is a big deal since it seems like he was the last kid in his class. Of course it happened while at school and i missed the whole thing but I am still happy for him. The Tooth Fairy has come!!
All I keep picturing is the adult teeth that will soon take the missing ones place and i know he will no longer be my little boy but my big kid. I think seven is going to be a hard age for me. (aren't they all) I am just so proud of him and the person he is becoming day by day. My children are very compassionate right now and I hope they keep that with them always. Compassion for others I feel is a great quality in people and i am glad that they both seem to possess that one. If nothing else at least they care about others.
It seems like the older I get the faster time goes. The weeks seem to fly by now that school is in full swing and I am already picturing graduation. It's scary, time seemed to move so slow before kids and now every once in a while i have to step back and catch my breath.

Joel is turning thirty this year and even though I think when my time comes it will be hard, he seems to be taking it with stride. Thirty used to seem so old even though it's really not. His outlook is it has to be better than the twenties. Maybe he's right.

September Fourth

Just got our exact surgery date in for Alex. It will be September the 4th in the morning and we will be back home on the 5th. Alex will be staying overnight at Childrens Hospital in Detroit. Of course the 4th is also Sebastians first day of school so we will see how we go about juggling all this business.....

All At Once

Sebastian is back to school in just a few weeks. First Grade here we come! I was getting excited because as summer drags on slowly but surely the boys are driving me nuts. I am a little sad too though. With every passing day I realize just how fast my oldest is growing. There is so much that is already too baby for him I wonder how much longer play dough will be entertaining for him. I don't know what we will do without play dough. He still likes pretend play but would prefer a video game or the computer hands down to any suggestion I could make aside from playing a game with mom. I hope he never outgrows that. This year we have learned new card games and yahtzee . I know the day is probably not too far away that I will not be allowed to play with him anymore as it is I am lucky to be allowed to kiss his forehead!

Zander Mander update

It is official, we spoke with the specialist/surgeon and Alex will be having his tonsils and adenoids removed in September. No word on the exact date yet but hopefully soon. It's about time we got some sleep!

On another more positive note, we are almost completely potty-trained. We are still having some trouble with number 2 but other than that we are almost accident free, even at naps and night!

He is growing so very fast now I can even see Preschool in our future. He continues to constantly test his limits but that will be happening until he is an adult I suppose.

We have a camping trip coming up this weekend and I am excited about that. It should be alot of fun unless of course nobody sleeps!

Poor Little Zander Bananers!

Well I finally took Alex to the doctor to try and see if there was maybe an actual reason for him waking up every hour. Hoping for an ear infection or something somewhere. Pretty much any excuse accept just a phase or a bad habit I am creating.

I got my excuse but now I would like to go back to hoping for a phase or bad habit I think. His tonsils are way too large which we already knew about and the doctor had previously told me that they would probably wait until he was 4 or 5 to remove them.

Our wait is over. His extremely large tonsils and adenoids have turned into sleep apnea! So apparently there is good reason why we are awake. He has stopped breathing! We now have an appointment on August 3rd with the surgeons. I am happy to eventually be able to get this resolved but the actual thought of the little guy in a hospital gown with an IV in him and a raspy little voice is a little sad. I know I am fortunate to have such minor problems with my otherwise healthy children but picture the little two year old before they knock him out and after he wakes up.

On a plus side the doctor says he will be speaking a lot clearer and hearing a lot better so we have sleep and more talking to look forward to!

Fishing Pictures!

Fathers Day Success!!

Fathers Day Fishing was a huge success!! Sebastian actually caught quite a few fish and one of the largest fish out of everybody I might add and Alexander actually wore the life vest and didn't throw a huge tantrum the entire time. Sebastian was very proud of his large trout. We came home and had a true Fathers Day dinner of the very fish they just caught! Everyone really seemed to enjoy themselves. Spring Valley Trout Farm is an excellent family fishing place!! It is a little bit pricey but well worth the money. The children actually catch fish so they are not bored all day and the Farm actually cleans the fish for you when you are done making it much easier to enjoy eating them!! I highly recommend the farm to everyone even if it isn't "real fishing". Pictures to come soon!!

Last Day:(

Well the day has come. I officially have a first-grader. A first-grader at the top of his class I might add. His report card was great!! All Kindergarten A's . I am so proud. I teared up listening to his wonderful teacher read the last story of the year (she did too). Well on with the summer fun!!

Alexander

Onward and upward. Alexander is a spitfire as usual. He grows more and more independent everyday. Starting with him "no want it". Alex pretty much no want it nothing and everything and is sure to tell you. Lately Alex no want it sleep! Bedtime and nap time have become quite the challenge. He is so afraid that Bastian is going to get to do something that he isn't. He is like his brothers shadow lately. Anything that Bam-Bam is doing he wants to do too. I know i should be teaching him the right way to say his name but I know it will not last forever. For Sebastian at first he hated Bam-Bam. When the alternative became Meatball he decided Bam-Bam is okay by him. Alex recently decided he no want it sleep in his room but rather on the bottom bunk in Sebastian's room. I guess that is okay for now, but when the first sleepover in Bastian's room happens with his buddies I have a feeling I am in for a long night (right Aunt Crystal). Alex is speaking a lot better now so our lives have become a little easier. Most things he says okay but Marshmallow is actually Fafamah. To the untrained ear that one can be quite confusing. He is turning into quite the sweetie. After he does something to hurt somebody he is good about asking if you are okay even if it was on purpose. Joel and I are wanting to take them camping this summer but hopefully we can get Alex sleeping through the night first! Alex cannot wait to play soccer like his big brother. He is already following what Coach Mike says and really trying hard. Every week at the games he sits on the players bench and when coach yells "Subs!" Alex always cries out, "me too! me too!". He wants in the game bad. Also this summer it appears Alex will be swimming in the pool. Last summer he finally got in one of the last days of the season but he has already gotten in this summer so far so good. Alex's favorite things are Thomas the Train, Wonder pets (Teamwork), and swings. He would love to be pushed on the swing all day long but fortunately for me has belly-swinging down to an art as well. I am sure the summer is going to bring many more smiles, giggles, and tears so I will try to keep everyone informed!

Sebastian

Sebastian graduates tomorrow. No more Kindergarten baby here! I am so sad and proud at the same time. It really is amazing to watch your children grow and turn into these wonderful little extensions of yourself only better of course. This year has been filled with many exciting and new experiences. Sebastian is at the top of his class in academics, but in the middle area with behaivior. What can you do, he's still a six-year old boy. Sebastian is reading, writing, doing addition and subtraction and shows a great interest in science. This season in soccer we have been scoring goals at every game. (which if any of you saw last season you would know is a huge accomplishment) When this season began Sebastian said "Mom this year will be The Year of the Goals", he was right! He is dribbling the ball with his right AND Left feet! Next season we graduate to a much larger field with much wider goalie nets. Sebastian is such a funny child he keeps me smiling on the days he isn't driving me bonkers! This morning when I woke him up for school he said "Wow that was fast, I just closed my eyes and fell asleep!" Tell me about it kid. He has made many friends this year and a couple of close buddies. Still running away from and not to the ladies but soon enough it will be him doing the chasing. Sebastian is looking forward to the summer to swim in the yard and have his friends over. I am looking forward to all of the running back and forth (school and soccer) coming to an end for a couple of months. How nice it will be to not set the alarm. Sebastian is one of the best older brothers you could ask for always tolerating Alexanders rough housing without beating him back. He tries to include him in almost everything and they really are becoming close friends. I hope it always stays this way. Sebastian is now hopping fences (in his soccer cleats) and not too long ago accomplished jumping at full speed backwards off of the swings. Something his grandma and I made him promise to never do again as he landed neck first against the back fence. He was so proud and to this day still calls it his "record".

Maurer Updates

Alright everyone I am finally through with blogging on Myspace. It never works for me! I get through writing a whole speil on my life, family, etc. and it will never post. So following in the footsteps of Carrie I have decided to try to keep a blog account. It should help me to stay a little more on top of my thoughts and fill everyone in on how we are all doing. Plus the bonus to this is I can save it and finish later which is pretty much impossible on myspace. Being a mom of two and nanny of three I rarely have more than ten minute sittings in front of the computer. So hopefully I can get better about this!!