September

Luke's rhyme from kindergarten: We will always remember all of the fun that we had in the month of September.

Near completion of the kitchen (painted, flooring, cabinets, granite, lighting)

Getaway weekend to Door County to celebrate Matt's 40th birthday and our 15th anniversary. Stayed in a room next door to porn stars.

Julia's second sinus surgery for September 27 cancelled (clear sinus CT in early September got her off the hook for now)

Decided to keep Julia out of school for a while to see if we can give her a chance to avoid some illnesses and stay healthier

Alex's sets up spy network to make sure Luke gets away with nothing at school

Alex is very independent with school. Usually does his homework first thing when he gets home from school. Reads at bedtime. Seems to be developing a liking for reading. No complaints about his teacher (Mrs. Wierzbicki). Overall seems to be a good school year so far.

Alex rides his bike to school for the first time (with Austin and Sam).

Best friends still Jacob Amidon and Matthew Benedum, but spending lots of time with Austin after school.

Alex took Cooper to the dog park with Matthew and his family.

Luke shows us he is quite an artist, taking time to make all of his coloring superneat

At the start of the second full week of school, Luke said, "I can't wait for Christmas vacation. I need a break that is longer than two days."

Erica successfully becomes a "Kool Kid" - the night before her first day in Kool Kids, she said, "I am a little scared to be a Kool Kid because one of the girls going to Kool Kids was crying today. But, I won't cry." She hasn't had any problems.

Her first 4K friend - Kyle Slavik. Nearly every day she comes home on the 4K bus, she is in the front seat behind the driver sitting with Kyle and Heather. Even with a nearly empty bus, they sit three in a seat, and Erica is usually by the window or in the middle even though she's the first one off.

Added Julie to Julia's nursing team.

Crazy Girls? I Like Crazy Girls!

Two weeks ago, Erica was just starting to get really sick with viral bronchitis. It was eight o'clock on a Monday night, and Matt and I were just getting ready to watch some grown-up TV. Erica was upset and coughing so hard she threw up. After she started to settle down, I told her she could snuggle with me while we watched The Bachelor. To explain, I said "The Bachelor is a show where a bunch of crazy girls are all after the same guy." She paused for a split second and said, "Crazy girls? I like crazy girls."

A week later, we were loading up to take Julia to yet another doctor appointment. Erica sat in the back, Julia and Christa sat in the middle and I was driving. Then, Erica informs us that we are just like the crazy girls all riding on that bus. Um, yeah, it kind of was just like that - the bachelorettes were all riding in an RV in the episode we watched together, and our strange seating arrangement was sort of like that. And, in case you were wondering, she also remembered that the bachelor's name is Jake - seems we were watching quality adult TV with a three-year-old that was really paying attention.

December Round-Up

All in all, not a bad month:

- Julia returned to school on December 23, just in time for some holiday celebrations. She had a great day. She had been absent for just over two months.
- We took two trips to the Enchantment in the Park light display at Fair Park. The outdoor courtyard with the light display sychronized to music was my favorite part. I even found a new holiday song I LOVE - Snowflake.
- Lots and lots of gifts for the kids - highlight was Luke's new Nintendo DS. In his words, he got the grand prize.
- Tubing at Sunburst with my boys. It was packed, but we had a good time.
- A very white Christmas - I'm not sure what the stats say, but it seems like we're getting a lot of snow this season. It did make for an eventful drive to and from Matt's parents on the 26th.
- After waiting until nearly the last minute, we pulled off another year of cookie trays.
- Going with Erica, Luke and Alex to see "The Squeakquel" - after dinner at Noodles, we still had room for soda, popcorn and M'n'Ms at the movie. Yummy. The movie was good, but I did like the first one a little bit better.

The Easter/Christmas Mix-Up

We arrived for Christmas eve mass about 40 minutes before the services started and we sat closer to the front than we usually do. Those two changes set up a situation that was sweet, frustrating, cute and a bit heartbreaking all in one. Here's what happened - once we were seated and settled, I took Erica and Luke up to the Nativity scene so they could get a close look at Baby Jesus. Then, we settled back into our pew. The kids looked at books for a little while (we usually don't bring books to church, but we knew there would be extra time to fill). After she was done with the books, she started studying the pictures on the wall of the Stations of the Cross. That led to many, many questions - "Why is Jesus on the cross? Who put Jesus there? Do you see how sad his mommy is? How did they get Jesus down? Why did the soldiers think Jesus was a bad guy? Why did they take his clothes? Why did they make him carry the heavy cross?" Once she understood that Jesus died on the cross, she was heartbroken. She started crying and saying, "I miss Jesus." By this time, Mass has started, but she wasn't finished figuring things out. We kept telling her that she needed to be quiet, but she said, "I have lots of questions!" Finally Luke said, "Erica, Jesus died for our sins, but he rose again. I will show you in my Bible when we get home." She finally settled down, but she wanted to see the Bible story for herself as soon as we got home. So, that's how Erica learned about the Easter miracle...on Christmas eve. On a side note, when we went to Sunday mass, she was still studying the art on the walls, and Father Rick asked what she was looking at. She told him, "Pictures of Jesus." He explained that there were fourteen pictures, with seven on each side. She spent a good part of mass confirming his count.

Wardrobe Management

I have spent the last three days doing laundry. But, it's really more than just doing laundry - it's more wardrobe management. Sorting, washing, folding, hanging and putting away clothes for six people is a huge job. On top of that, I have a complete system for processing hand-me-downs and advance-purchase clothes. The system is pretty straighforward for the boys - Alex outgrows his clothes, they go into storage tubs in the basement,they come out when they fit Luke. The system for girls is a little more complicated, but in a good way. We are lucky to get lots and lots of hand-me-downs. Sources include: the Hoxworth girls, the McLaughlin girls, and now the Christiansen girls. Some of the hand-me-downs fit Julia, some fit Erica, and some are in-between. By the time all of the clothes get to Erica, she has about three complete wardrobes, complete with shoes and accessories. A perfect situation for my little style diva.

Merry Christmas from the Rosners

Sometimes, God makes it a little more challenging to count your blessings. For us, this has been one of those years. We've had what seemed to be more than our share of heartbreak and anxiety. In June, Michele's Grandma Maddie passed away. In October, her Grandma Ertl died. Later in October, Julia got the H1N1 virus, and she's been sick ever since, fighting back-to-back illesses. Over the last few months, our dishwasher started on fire, our washing machine started spraying water on the floor and the transmission on our relatively new van had to be replaced. Matt's had four weeks of work furloughs, with one more coming over the holidays. There have been days when we've wanted to pull the covers back over our heads and just hide out for a while.

But, there's the other side of the story - the wonderful blessings that far outweigh the difficulties. Although they are very much missed, both grandmas lived long, full, happy lives. As sick as Julia has been, she has not needed to be hospitalized and she's on the road to recovery. The new dishwasher works great, Matt fixed the washing machine and our van should run for many more years. And, while Matt's been on furlough, Michele is able to work as many hours as she can.

We are so lucky. Four kids that fill our lives with laughter and love. Erica is headstrong and sweet. Luke is lovable and happy. Julia is strong and easy-going. Alex is smart and thoughtful. They make us laugh every single day. And, we have a new furry addition - a teddy bear puppy named Cooper joined our family in August. We may be biased, but he's the cutest little guy on four legs we've ever seen. He's also a little stinker, but we can't help but love him.

Happy holidays to our family and friends. We hope that your blessings far outnumber the challenges you face.

Wishing you peace, love and hope -
The Rosners

Kid Funnies

Luke wanted to use Alex's DS. Alex told him, "Luke, sterilize your hands before you use it." Luke said, "What does that mean? I have to stare at my hands?"

Erica had to pick up her kitchen toys that were all over the living room. She said she needed help, but we told her she could do it on her own. She said, "Hello! I am not an octopus-girl here. I can't pick up eight things at once." Then she said, "I have to pick up so a little pumpkin named Cooper doesn't get my toys."

October Round-Up

This month might have passed by more quickly than any month I can remember. In many ways, that is a good thing because it was not a stellar month:

• Grandma Ertl died (Oct 7). Uncle Andy died just five days later.
• Sick, sick and sick - Erica and Luke ran fevers off and on for days (each missed a few days of school, may or may not have been a mild case of H1N1), I had a sinus infection (finally got antibiotics after weeks of trying to tough it out), Alex got H1N1 (missed the three days of school during the 3-day teacher convention week), Julia got probable H1N1 (treated with Tamiflu) followed by pneumonia (treated with Zithromax). The ironic part is we did everything we could think of to protect Julia from the swine flu. We kept her home as soon as we heard rumor of an outbreak at her school, we got her immunized at the first opportunity (along with Luke, Erica, me and Matt), we kept her home after the immunization to give it time to fully protect her. The upside - maybe the immunization provided some protection so she didn't get even sicker. The other upside - we don't have to worry about getting it anymore because now we've had it.
• Julia's impact reaches further than we sometimes realize. My co-worker's daughter (Brianna) started a prayer chain with her friends as soon as she heard Julia had H1N1. That's one cool 8th grader. Jill brought us brownies and banana bread. Many others prayed and sent get well wishes.
• Julia has a team of three nurses (soon to be four). Maggie is here three days a week (T, W, R), Christa is here Mondays, Christine is here Fridays. We have been so grateful for their help with getting Julia well again. She is a full-time job!
• Furlough week - Matt was on furlough the week the kids were all sick - not so lucky for him. And, I didn't make a lot of progress on my work projects because I was so tired and worried, I could not function all that well.
• Halloween - Alex (Spider-Man), Luke (dinosaur) and Erica (princess) were well enough to trick or treat at my work on Friday. And, in spite of cold, windy weather, we did trick-or-treat around our neighborhood on Saturday. The boys wore winter coats under their costumes and Erica was a pink poodle instead of a princess. True to form, Erica started complaining about five houses from home. She wanted to trick or treat at my work instead of outside - not an option. Luke soon was asking for water - also not an option. We were with the McLaughlins, so Erica rode in the stroller with Ally and Luke was busy running with Ryan, so he mostly forgot how thirsty he was. We made it for 1 1/4 hours of trick-or-treating, and we now have LOTS of candy.
• Had Julia's IEP meeting - Let's just say it didn't go all that well, and I now have a newfound dislike for plastic apples. I'm not sure when Julia's team gave up on her, but they seem to have lost faith in her ability to do anything. So discouraging, but we're going to keep exploring our alternatives because Julia deserves a team that believes in her as much as we do! We did have an evaluation for private physical therapy, and that should be getting started soon.
• Luke started swimming lessons. We both had a great time. Luke loved the shower after swimming almost as much as the lesson itself. It was a great chance to have some one-on-one time with my little guy who seems to be growing up way too quickly lately.
• Alex was extremely busy with Cub Scouts. He earned a couple of badges and belt loops this month. Scout outings included a trip to Horicon Marsh (Matt also liked that one) and a trip to Pike Lake to learn from one of the rangers. Alex left a really good impression with his intelligent answers, and the ranger tracked him down after the session to compliment him and tell him about a ranger shadowing program for high school kids in case Alex develops an interest in being a ranger.

Siblings

One of the most rewarding and fascinating parts about having a larger family – sibling dynamics. Watching each of the kids develop their own unique personality, and then watching how those personalities mesh together into one family…it’s remarkable. I can give a quick summary of what the relationships look like on the surface: Alex and Luke fight as often as they got along, Luke and Erica are great buddies, Erica and Julia share a special sister bond, Alex is very protective of Erica. But, that doesn’t come anywhere near describing the depth of the relationship the kids have with one another. There are the subtle ways that Erica copies the things her brothers do; how Alex seems to ignore Julia, but listens and processes everything that’s happening with her; the bond that’s growing stronger between the boys now that Luke’s growing up and they are in the same school; the way they all accept Julia’s limitations without question or complaint (most of the time); the teamwork between them as they work for a common cause (usually in a team-up against mom and dad); the way Erica tries to boss the boys around even though she’s just a little peanut – so many nuances that make their relationships impossible to understand completely. But, there is one thing that is crystal clear to me. As my kids get older, one of my greatest wishes for them is to develop, nurture and keep a strong bond and lots of love between all of them. They sure do make a dynamic team, and I hope the sibling bonds keep getting stronger.

Erica Rocks

Before today, Erica had never peed or pooped in the potty chair or on the toilet. When asked if she would like to try, she has emphatically said, "No! I will use the potty chair when I am as tall as you, Mommy!"

Obviously, we needed a new approach. So, today we began a potty party. For the last couple of days, I have told Erica that starting today, she would wear underwear all day every day. And, there are treats - each time someone pees in the right place, they get one M'n'M - there's two for a number two. Erica tried to sneak in a new rule - 3 M'n'M's if you toot in the potty chair, but I vetoed that one. The boys also tried to work the rules, peeing only small amounts at a time so they could pee more often and qualify for more goodies. I was not fooled.

Overall, the day was a mixed success. Two pees in the potty chair with no pee accidents (except for a wet pull-up during naptime) and one poop in her underwear. Our little girl was VERY excited about her successes (we called daddy at work and grandpa to share the news). I told Erica she was the "top star" today and that she "rocks". So, she has happily been telling me over and over (and anyone else that will listen), "I rock. I am the top star." And, there were some tears over the poop accident. According to her, the accident was my fault because, as she explained, "I was in the garage and you weren't there and I didn't want to poop on the floor because you would be mad at me." Huh? My best translation is that she was in the garage and couldn't get the door to the house open by herself so she couldn't make it to the potty chair in time. But, that is just a guess.

All in all, I definitely think we're headed in the right direction. It's too early to predict total success, but it's a distinct possibility.

The bad news - I have not peed nearly enough to justify the number of M'n'M's that I have eaten. Even if the toot rule was in place, I've eaten way more than my share of treats. At this rate the very large bag of M'n'M's will be gone long before we can declare Erica potty-trained. I guess I have to start drinking more.

What Are You Eating, Mom?

Tonight, we went to Texas Roadhouse to celebrate my week of full-time work. I know it's only Thursday and I have another full day before it's officially a complete week, but Fridays are too busy for us to take the whole gang out for dinner, and besides that, Matt and I are going to the Brewer game tomorrow night.

About halfway through our meal, Luke reminded me of a very funny thing that happened the last time we ate at Texas Roadhouse. I like to have the sweet potato - loaded. That means it's covered in caramel sauce and then topped with marshmallows that are all toasty brown. Luke took a long look at it and said, "Mom, are you eating a pile of poop?" My response, "Yes, Luke. I pay a lot of money to have poop for dinner. Would you like to have a bite?" He just cracks me up. However, in all fairness, I do have to say that the loaded sweet potato in the dim light of the restaurant does taste much better than it looks.

Another fun part of this place - the dancing. Luke has decided that dancing is his calling, and he typically joins right in the line dancing with the waitstaff. In fact, the kid has some pretty good moves. He certainly did not get this from his mother or father; it's his very own gift. Now, he has been asking if he could please take dance lessons at Texas Roadhouse. Tonight, one of the hostesses (named Erica) taught him a couple of moves to practice before his next visit.

And, Erica's favorite part of the night - she was able to get her own booster seat, and "there were no guys or ladies there. I got it by myself." Whatever makes her happy, I guess.

Happy Birthday, Sunshine!

As we were waking up this morning, your daddy and I were talking about three years ago, thinking about the day you arrived. Then, your daddy said one of the nicest things I've ever heard - "She fills a void we didn't even know was there." That is so true. With three kids, we had our hands full. But, God knew better. He knew we had room in our lives and our hearts for one more very special little girl. And now we simply cannot imagine our lives without you.

You are:
Very smart - You can sing your ABCs, recognize numbers up to 12, count to 20...and, we're not sure who taught you all of this stuff. Sure, we read books and count and sing our ABCs, but you must be a little sponge to have learned it all so quickly.
Very strong-willed - It doesn't take long for foot stomping and arm crossing and tears rolling and squawking to happen when things don't go your way. You know what you want, when you want it and exactly how it should be done. Heaven help the person who gets in the way of your vision. For example, you got up this morning ran into the living room and sternly told your brothers, "Boys, it is my birthday. And, I don't need any help opening my presents!"
Very sweet - Oh little girl, you can melt the hardest heart. You have a cute little voice, a sparkle in your eye, and a smile on your face most of the time. And, you are one great snuggler.
Fashion savvy - You love clothes. And accessories. Nothing makes you happier than a reason to wear a pretty dress and tights and fancy shoes and a clippie. Thank goodness you think hand-me-downs are great - it makes you feel special to have your sister and your friends give you their clothes.

It's been three wonderful years, and we can't wait to see what the future has in store. We love you, pixie girl.

Puzzle Masters

Last week, we were all working on a USA map puzzle at Grandma and Poppa's house. I showed Luke Wisconsin and told him that's where we live. And, he asked, "Where's the new carwash that they're building?" I think an explanation about perspective is required.

In related puzzle news, this week while by Grandma and Poppa, Erica noticed that there was a puzzle piece missing. She studied it over and said, "How strange!" Alex found that hilarious.

Obsession

I have an addiction. I need to have things to read. Books, magazines, the back of a cereal box, newsletters, emails, blogs...I consume words. For many years, my addiction was tamed - fours kids in six years left little time for the luxury of reading. And, when I did read, it was about kids. But, the book fast has ended, and I have been glutting myself on books. I suck them down at the rate of about one novel a day, 2-4 times a week. Shortly after I renewed myself with the consumption of books, I started having mild vision problems. My depth perception was off once in a while. At first, I didn't connect it with all of the extra work my eyes were doing. Turns out my eyes needed time to adjust to all of this extra exercise. Now, they are often tired and burning, but that's because I do most of my reading after the kids go to bed, making for many late nights.

My addiction is fed by the local library, along with the 40 libraries that it's connected to through an online system. Search, find, request, pick-up - it's not unusual for me to have 10+ books in the 'on hold' queue. It's like Christmas morning going to pick up a stack of 'my' books from the library.

Luke and Erica seem to share my problem. The library is a weekly destination for us at a minimum, but we try not to stop there daily for risk of being considered stalkers. And the kids have a whole new field of possibilities - CDs and DVDs. Music and movies to borrow and absorb and enjoy.

Julia also loves to be read to, and we work to track down colorful books and happy music for her each week. Alex still claims that he doesn't like to read, but frankly I think it's growing on him. And, I've hunted down a few treasures for him as well. Last year it was Captain Underpants, now we've moved to Diary of a Wimpy Kid. We're not far away from Harry Potter.

So, the fact that my library card now has 80 checkouts cannot be blamed wholly on me. Strawberry Shortcake videos and Bob and Wendy puppets and Barney music and train books and Lawnmower Boy are all in that count.

What can I say - at least my addiction is fairly cost effective because except for the occasional lost book or video, it doesn't cost anything but time.

It's Morning Time

Erica almost always wakes up in a very good mood. One of the very cute things she does is announce, "It's morning time, it's time to get up," in a very happy little voice. I usually ask, "How do know it's morning?" Her answer, "Because it's not dark out anymore." Then she giggles, and she's ready to get out of bed. Which, by the way, is still a crib. She doesn't mind the crib and I'm not working too hard to change it - she's contained and the crib fits in the girls' bedroom, so there's no rush to get her out of it in my mind. We'll worry about the updated sleeping arrangements once we make some progress with potty training.

So, no matter how tired I am or how many morning crankies I have, I get a great start to my morning thanks to little miss sunshine.

Survivors

Sometimes mispronunciations can be a good thing. Lately, whenever I make something that the kids don't like to eat, Luke and Erica tell me that it tastes like "bark." I am pretty sure they mean barf, but I'm not going to clue them in. I would prefer to think that I have very nature-oriented kids who could survive in the wilderness by eating tree bark - but only if they had to. Because by their tone of voice, I can tell they sure don't like it.

Where I Come From?

Erica has developed a new fascination with where things come from. She's moved into areas I'm not sure how to explain to a 2-year-old (especially with her interested 4- and 8-year-old brothers listening closely to my answers...)

Q (Erica): Where do cows come from, Mommy? A (me): Their mommies.
Q: Where do chickens come from? A: Eggs.
Q: Where I come from? A: Silence (with me hoping she would move on to something else since I don't have a quick answer for this one.) The silence did not work.
Q: Talk to me, Mommy! Where I come from? A: From my belly. Her response: No way! I not live there. That not my home. I not fit in there. Me: Yes, you did fit in there when you were a baby. My belly was really big. Her: No way. I fall down and get hurt (meaning that she would fall out of my belly.) Me: Don't worry. The doctor made sure you were okay and she didn't let you fall.

Time to change the subject! But, she does now believe that she came from my belly. And, she'll tell anyone who asks.

The Great Diaper Decisions

I have probably logged over 10,000 diaper changes - (4 kids x 1055 days in diapers each x 5 diapers a day)/2 parents changing diapers = 10950. At a minute per diaper change, that's over 180 hours of my life changing diapers...more than a solid week of time. That is both amazing and just a wee bit depressing.

Thank goodness my last baby has found a way to make diaper changes fun, funny and new. For her, diapers are a fashion statement. The 'who' on the front of the diaper is of great importance. In our house, the 'who' is one of the Sesame Street characters. So, the game can go a few different ways. 1 - Mom picks the top diaper off the top of the pile, keeping the identity of the 'who' hidden from Erica. Then, Erica has to guess who it is. Sometimes Mom gives clues (he's orange with blue hair...ERNIE). 2 - Erica pulls out every diaper from under the sink and hunts for one of her favorites. And, who are her favorites you ask? That would be either Zoe, Cookie Monster or Big Bird. 3 - The most sophisticated version of the game - Erica asks who is on Julia's diaper so that they can match. Or, even better, both girls are next to each other getting diaper changes, matching diapers and the who on the front of both is Zoe. Now, that is sisterly bonding.

No matter how the game goes, Elmo is always on the back.

Okay, I agree - all of those stinky diaper fumes have gone to my head, and I am that much closer to being totally nuts. And, yes, I do need to get out more. But, sooner or later (and I'm hoping for the sooner), my baby will be potty trained, and our little diaper game will be over. So, I'm smiling while it lasts.

Maybe we have a Pampers commercial here...

Funny Things Said

Luke:

As I'm trying on a frog costume - "You're getting all greened up, Mom."

As we're getting ready for movie night to explain why he's turning off all the lights - "It's a movie theater! The light will come from the TV."



Erica

At lunch at St. Paul's (after Luke sang in church) - "I smell sum-din. It's Grandma's beer." Uhm, I think you mean coffee.

Girl Stories

Julia has really been 'discovering' the right side of her body. Over the last few days, I've really noticed her looking towards her right. I love when she looks at me as I come to get her out of bed in the morning. And, she's looked to her right side to check things out in other positions, too.

And, tonight she spent some time grasping and even shaking a maraca. She gave it some big shakes with her left hand and some little shakes with her right hand. And, I must add it was hilarious to watch Erica try to put the maraca back into Julia's hand after she dropped it. Finally, after a couple of unsuccessful attempts at jamming it into Julia's fist, she announced, "Julia done." That Erica is quite the mother hen. It is absolutely heartwarming to see her love on Julia. As often as I think of how nice it would be if each of the kids could have their own room, I always end up more grateful for how close the girls are, due in part I'm sure to the special bond that comes from sharing sleeping space. Even the boys will typically turn off their fighting once they're in bed for the night. Turns out this house is just the right size.