LIFE!!!!

Lately, there have been lots of ups and downs in our family's life.  Some of the ups include oh so much better sleep.  Pretty much every night between 6:30-6:45 we start our bedtime routine.  At one point, the routine was way too complicated.  I've basically pared it down to either bath time or washing up/brushing teeth, diaper changes/toilet time, 2 books, and maybe a song.  We are usually complete with lights out before 7:15.  Usually, the kids are asleep before 7:30, at least the twins are.  Michael, on the other hand, needs his own wind down time by himself one the twins are asleep.  He is usually asleep by 8:00 sometimes a little later.  This has made life so much easier.  I love bedtime so much more now.

The twins have turned 3 and are no longer eligible for early intervention due to age, but Eva Rose is getting speech once a week for articulation issues.  She amazes me though, and even the speech therapist mentioned it today.  She can say alligator pretty clearly, but she can't pronounce the ending of simple one syllable words like cat or cup.  Thomas is not receiving any services.  He is going to be watched, but he really doesn't need anything.  Michael continues to go to a preschool program for 5 hours.  His behavior seems to be testing limit setting at home and at school.  I think I am going to talk to his doctor about my concerns at his 4 year visit to see if there is anything that we should have him tested for, if not just to ease my own mind.

In the down department, we have had some big issues with a family member who has been living with us.  Life has been really stressful and we finally told him it was time to leave.  There are way to many things to write about why it was so stressful, but I am so looking forward to getting our house and life back in order!  I am not looking forward to the potential backlash from the family, but we needed to do what was right for our family not what was right for this family member.  I am hoping that my kids will be better off and I know that I will be better off!

It has been an extremely mild winter here north of Boston, but I still can't wait for spring.  I can't what to take the kids out and play.  I can't what to go hiking and walk the zoos and farms and ll those types of things.  I can't wait to start our garden again.  This year, I want to start planting our early spring plants on time and not wait til it is too late.

Amy