So its been a while...

I haven't taken the time to post an update in a while since I haven't had an update to post. So in thinking what to "blog" about I decided to blog about what a day in the life of Welker land is like. This is a typical day when JDog is at work.
6:45am both Lilyann & Nolan wake up- Lily goes in to straight cry or yells for Mommy I up. Nolan starts to throw out his blankets and binky and you can hear him run in his bed and make noises with his mouth.
7am diapers have been changed, moved downstairs, oatmeal is cooling down, Lily is drinking her morning brew (water) and Nolan is sucking down his "milk".
7:15am breakfast time (usually oatmeal then some sort of fruit) Lily takes much longer than Nolan to eat (she gets it from her slow eatin' momma)
7:40am Nolan gets down and plays
8:15am Lily is now playing with No-nos
We all play together, usually some books, dancing, tickle time. Vacuum the play area, if needed (which is almost every day).
9:15am going upstairs to get dressed, brush teeth, change diapers, and do any cleaning upstairs that is needed.
10am Nolan is off to night-night land and Lily and I head downstairs. This is the time that I take time to teach Lily something academic-use games or workbooks, so color. I also use this time to start laundry, do dishes, think about lunch & dinner, make any needed phone calls. If its a lot I find something for Lily to watch.
11:45am Nolan is up. Change diapers & make lunch as Lily and Nolan re-connect after being separated. (these kids are so BFF's)
12 pm LUNCH TIME
12:20pm Nolan is down and playing away.
12:45pm Lily joins the fun.
Afternoon playtime....lots of fun. During this times I just play mediator of sharing and act as the "No" police. If those fires don't need to put out, I am taking turns giving un-divided attention to one of the babies.
1:30pm Lily is off for nap time. If not already.
I use this time to teach something new to Nolan or work on something together. Also do more laundry, pick up some.
2:45pm Nolan is off the nap time, but not before a snack.
AAHHH peace, I usually go get the mail, sit down and right as I am going to start reading a book...
3pm Lily is up.
She plays independently :) as I start to get dinner going. Give Lily a snack.
4:30pm Nolan is up.
Finishing up dinner.
5pm JDog gets home, eat dinner.
5:30pm Nolan and Justin get done and play.
6pm Lily is finally done eating (usually not without much much encouragement)
Family playtime, talk about day. Maybe go outside, talk a stroller ride.
7pm Bath time, if needed
7:45pm J time (our name for pjs and night night) We take turns with one of the kids and put them to bed.
8:10pm kids sleeping
This time is used to clean up from the day, watering the garden, taking showers, finishing laundry.
10pm watch the news.
10:30 lights out in the Welker land.

Fireworks

For the Fourth of July we went to see some fireworks. And for a ten minute display of fireworks it took all day to get ready. Ok, not really, but a long time. Was it worth it, you ask? ABSOLUTELY!!! It was Nolan and Lily's first fireworks and hence, our first one as a family. You know at every major firework show there are those random folks that bring their own for the pre-show...when Lily heard them, she said "OOHH, mama". Lily and Nolan were troopers, didn't mind taking one for team Welker (staying up past their bed time). They didn't complain about not being able to go to bed. Although, Nolan was trying so hard to get comfy on the blanket. One thing is for sure...we were having fun as a family. And one more thing, the Lils and Nols were styling....yep they wore their PJ's (or in our house they are simple called "J's").
For me, there are few things better than getting away from the house and doing something as a family.

SUMMER BREAK

LILYANN:
The long and short of it is that she doesn't have to have tubes put in her ears. She had an appointment with an Ear Nose and Throat Doctor today, Dr. Hoff, and he stated that Lilyann's ears look great. Dr. Hoff said to give her a clean slate and to come in the fall if she has repeated infections this summer. WHOOHOO! Hallelujah! Thank you LORD!!! So, here we come summer, and bring on the swimming!!!

NOLAN:
Yesterday we meet with Dr. Brown at the Pediatric Gastrointestinal Clinic, and the news is good. Overall, there are no answers yet as to why Nolan has issues with the foods he does have issues with. We reviewed some of the things it may be and what it means and the results that we do have now. Justin and I decided to hold off on any further testing to determine what is going on until he is older and/or other concerns arise. Dr. Brown agrees that there is a concern and wants to figure it out, but since its under control and he is developing/growing great, she isn't eager to put him through the amount of invasive testing that is necessary to determine the source at this time.

Also, about two weeks ago Nolan had his White Blood Cell count taken and although its still evaluated, no action has to be taken at this time, because the antibiotic had lowered it. We go back at the end of July to have it checked.

AND, WE GET TO HAVE A SUMMER VACATION without weekly visits to various doctors. Hallelujah!!!! God is so good.

So there has been land taken in the Welker household, so to speak. The battle is not over yet, but we are ahead and will not be defeated. Greater is HE who is in us then HE who is in the world.

Waiting rooms

I have become a little concerned about the amount of germs that my kids come into contact with when they are at the doctor's office, especially the waiting room toys. Although it is great to have something to occupy my kids while we wait, I am overzealous about sanitizing. I can't walk by a bottle of hand sanitizer without pumping it four times: once for my hands, then once of each of the kids, then once for my hands again (I mean I just touched Lily & Nolan's hands). Yep, its too the point that Lily and Nolan ask for it when they see a hand sanitizer station. And my concern about germs: I think to myself, when was the last time these toys have been sanitized, really? However yesterday while in the Pediatric Clinic waiting room at U of M, I saw with my own eyes a young lady come and wipe down and sanitize all their toys. It brought much relief to my pacing mind about germs, because it was a large waiting room with many kids and lots of toys. So give it up to U of M and their clean waiting room toys.
Am I obsessive? Maybe, BUT I know that I am doing all I can to prevent any unnecessary germs entering my babies' bodies.

BOYS & GIRLS

As adults we know that there are many ways that men and women are different, but recently I have been observing it more and more in my children. Nolan and Lily are so different. For example, when Lily has to get changed (if she doesn't go on the "big kid potty"), she HAS to have a pillow under her head and hold a stuffed animal. Nolan on the other hand, rather place things down in his diaper area. At meal times, Nolan goes for it with full force, full hands and everything... Lily is a bit more reserved. She has to make sure its the right temperature, has to have a napkin and when she spills or get food on the floor, it becomes top priority to have it cleaned up. Lily asks to be cleaned up and we have to hold down Nolan to get his face and hands cleaned. Whats the one thing they both like to do....sweep and put shoes away. Yep, whenever either of them sees an opening to, they have a beeline to the broom and dustpan. In fact, we recently spent some time at great grandma Welker's house and they each played with a broom for two hours. And if they see that shoes aren't where they are supposed to be, they help us out and throw them to the front door (where we keep them). And if you are lucky Lily or Nolan will bring you your shoes when its time to go "bye bye" or if a guest if leaving our house.

The challenge has begun...

So the great adventures of potty training have begun in the Welker household...5 days to be exact. I decided it was time to start the adventure when Lily took off her pants for two days straight whenever she had to use the bathroom. She has in the past (prior to the official start) successfully used the "big girl potty" a number of times, but hasn't since we officially started. The biggest thing I have learned about potty training: is consumes you because its time consuming and you have to be obsessive about it. When reviewing the things that come out of my mouth the past few days, it causes me to chuckle. "Release the pee", for example. But, there have been some progress in the adventure: She loves her "pull-ups", doesn't mind sitting on the potty, and I think she wants to learn how to use the potty. In an effort to spur her on, we made a picture for the potty and I made a potty progress chart. (Both of which are hung with pride in our bathroom.) Another thing Lily has grown to love over the past few days is toilet paper, that's right TP. She is so excited to use it that she has filled her whole potty seat with it. And she insists in helping momma in getting the TP when needed. Maybe this is where the need for women to go to the bathroom in pairs began?

What goes on in her mind...

Justin taught Lily how to spell (by repeating) the word "Dog". And it got me thinking about what goes in her mind when they repeat certain things. Examples: This past week while waiting at the Chiropractor's office Lily asked for a "Diet Coke, please". When instructing Lily to eat the rest of her dinner she responded "No, I too big." Also, Lily recently says "I chew", when we ask her to take another bite (but there is nothing in her mouth). The past two days, Lily has taken off her pants every time her diaper is dirty and says "I po-po, mommy". And when I ask her put her pants on she says "No,no I cold". [So, I think we will be starting the potty training soon.] Oh, and yesterday she woke up from her nap (in the car) and said very loudly "I love you, Gigi". And on a regular basis she says she dreams about butterflies, dogs and ducks.