Halloween 2011

We've had another fun marathon Halloween. Highlights this year included the school Fall Festival, Ward Trunk or Treating, Mom and Zuri helping out in Rori's Monster Bowl Halloween activity at school, Mom and Zuri helping out in Kai's school Halloween party day, Dad attending Rori's Halloween pizza and treat party, and finally doing a little trick or treating in our own neighborhood. We are grateful that for Lance's class tonight they had them turn in their papers and then let them have the night off. Now if only we can manage enough energy to get through the rest of the week- silly having Halloween on a Monday. I'm all for Halloween getting switched to be the last Saturday of October every year.

Astronaut (there has been lots of talk about space and NASA at out house for months):


Cupcake (she picked it and stuck to it never wavering):


Butterfly (Our 2nd baby girl to use this costume):

AGBell Bowling

I've been attending some meetings for parents of preschoolers with the NV chapter of AGBell to get more ideas about ways we can better be on top of things with Rori and her hearing. AGBell stands for the Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. I've started attending this night class with them that is every other week and is broadcast from the John Tracy Clinic in Los Angeles. It is pretty amazing to be able to teleconference and directly ask questions and talk with an expert there. Technology is pretty incredible. I'm learning how to better be an advocate for Rori and getting some better understanding about the correlation between hearing and receptive and expressive language. It also gives me an opportunity to be with other parents (a few are even other parents from Rori's class). The ongoing struggle for us is figuring out what applies to us and thus where we fit since Rori's hearing loss is not severe. I think this will be an ongoing balance throughout this journey.

This past Saturday AGBell held a bowling fundraiser that we attended as a family. Rori was one of the recipients of her very own bowling ball and bag that she got to pick out a week ago which was so nice. She and Kai LOVED the bowling and had a blast. It was nice to meet some more families and to get to meet kids of all ages that have varying degrees of hearing issues. Throughout my life with my sister I've witnessed that other parents are one of the biggest and best resources for guidance and advice. I know that you can learn so much from those who have been through it before you. So we are glad to support AGBell and have them as a wonderful resource.

Rori and Lance with her ball and bag that she picked out.


Rori being filmed by a local news channel doing a piece on the event. She wasn't nearly as concerned about taking turns or which lane she was supposed to be on as say her brother.


Kai was very serious and dedicated to his bowling game. :)




This is Rori and her buddy from school Peyton. They just moved back to Henderson from UT. Peyton's Mom, Ashlie and I have become friends as we get to chat everyday at school pick-up. Peyton is just a couple of months older than Rori. He and his older brother Jack both have cochlear implants. Their older sister Addy and Zuri also share the same birthday which is fun. As you can see Peyton is super cute.


This is Kai and Peyton's brother, Jack. The boys are the same age and both in Kindergarten this year. They've had fun hanging out together a few times at various things like this.


This is Rori's teacher and a few of the other kids from her class that were at the bowling event. I thought it was super cool of her teacher to give up her Saturday and attend.

Dress Up

5 Months Old

This last month has gone by super fast filled with busy weeks and weekends. Zuri has been pretty patient about being dragged along to all the various appointments, school drop-off's & pick-ups, soccer practices and games, and on and on.

She is this super smiley little thing that loves to flirt with everyone who gives her any attention. She is enjoying introducing some solid foods in to her diet, sitting in the bumbo chair, and immediately flipping from her stomach to her back (the back to stomach still isn't very consistent yet).

Kai and Rori just can't get enough of her and she is generally pretty thrilled by them as well. We gave her a little hair trim last week but we still get tons of comments about her long hair. Most notable about the hair recently though is how light it is starting to come in in the front. It will be fun to see what it does.

Zuri is still stirring a little earlier than we would like in the morning sometimes, but if we pop the binky back in she usually will quiet back down. I think she likes being with us (she sleeps in the walk-in master closet) and knows that if she ever settles back in to being a consistent non-waker she's getting the boot and moving in with Rori. We've never had a kid in with us this long and maybe that is part of the issue.

Our favorite thing with Zuri right now is to lay her on her back and tickle and blow rasberries on her. She just laughs and laughs which makes all the rest of us laugh. We sure love this little girl.

Let the Eating Begin

Zuri enjoyed her first taste of rice cereal a couple of weeks ago and then sweet potatoes this last week.



She wasn't too sure about it that first night of rice cereal but has been gobbling it all up ever since. This little girl was way ready to start getting in to the good stuff. She watches every bite the rest of us take and even swats at our plates or food in our hands if we let her get too close. She's kind of a skinny mini these days (for being so super tall) so we're hoping it will help her chunk up a little. Next up is probably squash. Yummy!

Tooth Fairy Visit

The tooth fairy was FINALLY able to make a stop at our house. Kai has been dying to lose a tooth, so when he finally got a wiggler on the bottom he was thrilled. He wiggled that tooth for all it was worth and ate as many apples as possible for weeks. Then on September 25 he was having an after dinner apple snack on the couch and that sucker popped right out. He pulled it out of his mouth and looked at me with the largest eyes you've ever seen. That night the tooth fairy came and left him some coins and a 1st lost tooth certificate. He went to school the next day proudly displaying his new gap.

Lately

Somehow we've jumped in to October. I guess that is what happens when your days are busy with school drop off's and pick up's and errands and baby naps and feedings smashed in the middle. Everyone (including Lance) seem to be enjoying school. That is one of the many things I am currently very grateful for. We are also grateful that Lance's parents made a quick trip down to visit us this weekend. It was great to be with them and fun that they got to see some of Kai's 1st soccer game of the season. Unfortunately I don't have any pictures of their trip or soccer due to my camera having some issues. I will be very grateful when the camera is back up and running. Before the camera issues we did get these random shots from over the last few weeks.