Gabriella turned 3

I wish I could call about 20 people right now...have a heart to heart, reconnect, and be encouraged just by hearing what is going on in your lives...but this blog will have to do. Our days seem to fill up and calling the people we love for some reason winds up on the "tomorrow" list...there have been too many tomorrows. So here is the short version!

After our quick visa run to France, my mom spent 2 weeks with us. Thanks, Nana. (She endured losing her luggage and arrived back in America a whole day late.) The kids have good memories of you being here and spending so much time with them. They had a sleep over (in our "basement" where Nana slept), received lots of special gifts (thanks to everyone who sent us stuff!!), Gabby had her potty party (she pretty much was totally potty trained in 24 hours and I never have to ask her to go, she just does it all herself), we celebrated her third bday with Nana and sugar cookies, and we did things like decorate Easter eggs. Kolby and Marty (his stuffed zebra that he left for Nana to take care of after our visit home this winter) were reunited...precious. Kyler got his first tooth (at 8 1/2 months). As of 2 days ago he has 2 bottom teeth.

While Nana was here we continued to try everything we could think of to get rid of this crazy rash that has been on Kyler's face since Justin & Ashley were here! It has come and gone, but mostly it hangs out on his face around his mouth...until my mom came, then it started to spread. I finally realized it must be a food allergy (rash, vomitting, wheezing which I have blamed on him getting broncilitis 2 months ago). So I stopped feeding him and it cleared up. But then it came back after a visit to a restaurant. I put off going to get his blood taken (which is usually the "prescription" from the doctor when he is sick) but after mom left I took him in. Four days later I was sitting in the doctor's office while she went, "Oooh, oh, oh no, this isn't good..." WHAT? So poor little Kyler is allergic to wheat, eggs, peanuts, and milk!! I was also totally unaware that he would get sick from those things being in my breast milk. So yes, I am giving up wheat, eggs, peanuts, and milk products for a week and praying it works. That is all I can focus on for now. A week at a time. I just want him to get better...I can do anything for a time. My hope is that this will work and I can keep breastfeeding until he's a year old (the formula is about $20 a can that I would have to buy for him). It's day 3 and I am adjusting slowly. No birthday cake (but I could eat the frosting!!), no baby shower goodies the other night, no crackers or bread or yogurt or shwarmas...whew, it's a little overwhelming but I feel like everyone is being really supportive and helpful. My friend Veronica even got online for me and also found sheep cheese, pasta, rice flour, and rice cakes for me at the store!

Yesterday was Gabby's actual birthday. We had our little princess friends over. They all dressed up, made crowns, ate pink cupcakes, and had a dance party. I was planning on reading a story about how much God loves them out of this really cool Bible my cousin Becky gave us (The Jesus Storybook Bible) and dance with Gabby to "Amazed"...but it seemed a little crazy so I just went with the flow. It was lots of fun to have the little girls and moms here to help us celebrate! However, it was a little distressing to her big brother. So last night Kolby couldn't sleep and he came downstairs while Jon, Angie and I were watching a movie. While I was putting him back in bed this was our conversation:

K: Mom, we need to talk about some stuff.
me: What honey?
K: Why are you guys watching a movie and I am not?
me: B/c we don't go to bed until 10 and you go to bed at 8.
K: Can you remember some things for my birthday party?
me: Sure, what?
K: I don't want Gabby to come. And I don't want you to make it so rough on me.
me: Well how do you want your party to be?
K: Soft and gentle.

I think all day we had been saying things about how rough it was to watch your sister get to have a special day, open gifts, etc. and he was really processing that. These are the big things that help us grow, right? He told Jon he doesn't like big crowds or noisy people too!

Okay, the first picture is of Kolby and the tree he climbed on our visa trip to France (we just had one day there so we played at parks and Jon took the kids hiking while I had some alone time during Kyler's morning nap...very nice!). No lie, he climbed to the very top of that tree. I couldn't even look.

The second pic is of Jon and the kids having a snack while playing at a park in France.

3rd, Nana and the kids having their sleepover. Thanks Nana!!! We had a great time with you! And we read that book you gave them about every night. Tonight I missed a page accidentally and Kolby reminded me that I skipped a part...and he knew the exact part.

4th, Gabby super excited about blowing out candles and hearing the happy bday song sung for her.

5th, our little princesses. Maisy, Ellie, Kate, Julia, and Gabriella. Gabby is so blessed to have so many little girls to play with.

Okay, long blog. Please pray for Kyler to be totally healed of his food allergies. The doctor says maybe in 2 or 3 years he could grow out of them. And if you have a kid with any of these allergies...I would love to hear what you do! I am so clueless!